Psalm 76 (75):5Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

What are the everlasting peaks? They are those that He Himself has established as eternal; these are the towering heights, the heralds of truth. You illuminate solely these eternal peaks: the towering heights are the first to receive Your light, and through this light, which the peaks embrace, the earth is adorned. The great heights given to the Apostles were received as the initial rays of the dawning light. Consequently, as the Psalm indicates, I have lifted up my eyes to the mountains, from where my assistance arises. What do you place your hope in the peaks, and from where will your aid come? Are you anchored in the mountains? Be mindful of your actions. There exists something beyond the mountains: above the peaks is He before whom they quake.

Eternal mountains symbolize the heavens, yet God illuminates us from on high by bestowing the Spirit from above.

The imagery of mountains is understood in two distinct manners: as representatives of the prophets in the Old Testament and as emblematic of the apostles in the New Testament. Concerning these mountains, it is written, “I have set my eyes on the mountains, from whence help will come to me” (Psalm 120:1). Additionally, the city of God rests upon them. “The city that stands on the top of the mountain cannot hide” (Matt. 5:14). We were once enveloped in darkness and the shadow of death, but God has illuminated our path from the eternal heights, meaning through the prophets and apostles.

Symmachus rendered it in this manner: You are magnificent and infinitely great from the heights of conquest; for on our mountains, having rescued those who were rejected unto death, You revealed Yourself as infinitely great and glorious to all. Through this miraculous act, You illuminate those in ignorance and reveal to them Your true nature.

David refers to the heavens as mountains, signifying their lofty height and eternal nature due to their lasting existence. The Lord brings forth light from heaven to illuminate the upright during their periods of sorrow, providing joy and solace, while also offering assistance and intercession to those engulfed in despair. Gregory the Theologian expresses that this notion of being wondrously illuminated from the everlasting mountains is ascribed to God, presumably by the angelic beings who support us in our spiritual journey, sent forth to serve those who seek salvation.

The prophet illustrates how the Hebrews triumphed over the Assyrians, attributing this victory to God. The Prophet declares, "Thou hast enlightened us," referring to being illuminated by the divine assistance of God. Just as lightning strikes from the eternal heights, the Lord dispatched His angel to the Assyrian forces. Consequently, the warriors of Sennacherib were thrown into confusion, and their sudden downfall led them to madness, stripping them of their senses and reason. On a spiritual level, this passage signifies that true victory over unseen adversaries begins with the divine enlightenment bestowed by God.

Ultimately, in Christ, the Fulfillment of all that is good, we offer hymns of gratitude and exalt Him forever. This Psalm, inspired by the Holy Spirit, was given to David and conveyed through Asaph, the chief musician, to announce a prophecy of joy regarding the forthcoming victory over Sennacherib, the king of Assyria (4 Sam. 19:35). This event symbolizes the triumph of the Holy Church against all its persecutors, a victory bestowed by God through our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 15:57). It is noteworthy that the Holy Spirit intertwines the truths of Christian teaching with the history of the Jews, simultaneously providing comfort to those Jews who receive these words in a basic sense and joy to Christians who perceive a deeper meaning (Theodoret, Euthymius).