Forget not the voices of thy enemies: the pride of them that hate thee ascendeth continually.
אַל־תִּ֭שְׁכַּח ק֣וֹל צֹרְרֶ֑יךָ שְׁא֥וֹן קָ֝מֶ֗יךָ עֹלֶ֥ה תָמִֽיד׃
5 Church Fathers comment on this verse
As they sigh and long for the fulfillment of Your promises from the New Covenant, and continue to walk in the same Faith, You remain attentive to their cries for help. Yet they still question, “Where is your God?” Allow the arrogance of those who oppose You to always be brought before You, and do not overlook their arrogance. Indeed, He does not overlook their pride; He surely either disciplines or guides them.
In this context, the arrogance of their adversaries is linked to their own appearance, beseeching for mercy not for their benefit, but rather for the sake of their foes.
Do not forget the petitions of Your servants. The Lord speaks, saying not to forget the cries of Your people, the Jews, during their prayers at that time. In certain translations, it refers to Your prayers or those who plead for mercy. The arrogance of those who oppose You will be revealed. The Lord refers specifically to the pride of the Romans, who rise against You. Notably, this psalm does not contain promises of blessings. This psalm is interpreted in a manner consistent with Jewish understanding. The subsequent phrase, "You have wrought salvation in the midst of the earth," clearly alludes to Christ, who, through His humanity, accomplished our salvation, leading us out of error and guiding us toward redemption.
The phrase "in the midst of the earth" should be understood as meaning "throughout the earth." Yet, some assert that Jerusalem, the site of Christ's crucifixion, represents the center of the earth. Christ empowered the water of baptism, fortifying it against evil spirits. Micah referred to baptism as a sea, stating that it would submerge our wrongdoings, consuming them in the depths of the sea (Micah 7:19). Baptism is likened to the sea because it absorbs and purifies the impurities of those who undergo it, akin to how the sea cleanses the earth, symbolizing the abundance of grace akin to the sea's vastness. The dragons represent demons, with their leader as the devil, whose authority was shattered by Christ in the waters of baptism. The heads of demons symbolize sins, within which they hide their toxic influences. However, following the eradication of sins, this baptism renders the mental serpents and demons unable to dwell within us. The people of Ethiopia symbolize those whose souls were previously tainted by sin. In baptism, Christ empowered them to defeat the mental dragon, the devil, granting them the ability to conquer evil. Furthermore, Christ has poured forth springs and torrents of spiritual teaching for the Gentile Church, which was once barren; these springs continually emit pure, refreshing water, while the torrents flow with vigor, urgency, and prophetic utterances, as illustrated in (Psalms 35:9) regarding the flow of Your sweetness. The rivers of Etham signify the ancient Jewish prophecies when compared to the new Christian revelations. These prophecies became scarce due to the transgressions of the Jews. Other expressions affirm that Christ is the Creator and Sovereign over all. Embrace this new Christian community rather than the ancient one. The adversaries scorned Christ, both Jews and Greeks, declaring that He is not God and labeling Him with numerous disgraceful terms. The deranged individuals represent both Jewish and Hellenic groups, as do the beasts, with Christians symbolizing the impoverished—those who have forsaken worldly pursuits to follow Christ. In a broader sense, all nations are seen as poor, as referenced in (Psalm 9:19). The covenant signifies Christ's assurance to assist us and remain with us, as stated, "And behold, I am with you always" (Matt. 28:20). The obscured of the earth symbolically include all unbelievers. Likewise, these phrases can also pertain to the Church of Christ when examined and interpreted properly.
Once more, the faithful implore the Lord to take His seat upon the judgment throne. The command to ‘Arise’ indicates that after extending His patience for a considerable time, God moves towards judgment, thereby affirming His just nature. To prompt the Lord to more graciously hear their requests, they express their prayer as advocates for His cause, saying, Judge Thy people. Essentially, they are saying, Lord, since Your honor is being compromised and this matter directly pertains to You, do not delay. Rather, swiftly rise and adjudicate on behalf of Your court; be the intercessor in a situation that involves Your majesty. The significance of this issue to God is evident, as the wicked brazenly insult and curse His name.
The gravity of their wrongdoing is amplified by the fact that these adversaries do not merely blaspheme once but relentlessly unleash their contempt daily, thus emphasizing the need for God not to overlook such arrogance. Although these foes dare to act in this manner, it stems from their inner hatred for God. Hence, the Prophet declares that they, like mythical titans, pridefully rise up against Him, their arrogance soaring to the heavens without limit or end: the pride of them that hate Thee is lifted up.
Ultimately, in Christ, the Perfecter of all that is good, we offer praises in heartfelt gratitude, and He is exalted forever. This Psalm, inspired by the Holy Spirit and conveyed to David, was entrusted to Asaph, the leader of the singers, to announce a prophecy of joy for the Jews, heralding the victory over Sennacherib, king of Assyria, symbolizing the triumph of the Holy Church against all adversaries, bestowed by God through our Lord Jesus Christ. It is noteworthy that the Holy Spirit intertwines truths of Christian doctrine with Jewish history, providing comfort to the Jew who accepts these words in their most humble meaning, while also bringing joy to the Christian who perceives their deeper significance.
Passages read together with this verse.
THEOSIS