Psalm 76 (75):7Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Indeed, a hardened heart signifies a deep slumber. I implore you, dear friends, how can those remain asleep while the gospel—Amen and Hallelujah—resonates across the globe, yet they refuse to forsake their former lives and awaken to a new existence? In the past, the Word of God was confined to Judea; now it is echoed around the world. In that singular nation, the one true God, who created all, was proclaimed and revered; where is He unacknowledged? Christ has risen, even after being derided on the Cross; the same Cross that bore His shame is now marked upon the foreheads of kings, and yet many remain in slumber...

Our Lord, however, has horses and mountains of light, while the adversary is associated with the mountains of darkness. Just as there are light and dark mountains, there are also noble and wicked horses. Having discussed the wicked, let us now turn to the noble.

When they approached Elisha and captured him, a young man ventured outside and saw the Assyrian army surrounding them (2 Kings 6). Elisha encouraged him, saying, “Do not be afraid, for those who are with us outnumber those who are against us” (2 Kings 6:16). The prophet prayed, “Lord, open the eyes of thy young man, that he may see” (2 Kings 6:17). When the young man’s eyes were opened, he beheld chariots and horses, the divine aides. Notice the mention of chariots and horses; there were no riders, just the chariots and horses themselves. The intended message here is about “a multitude of angels.” They appeared as both chariots and horses, with the one who ascended being the Lord. Thus, the hymn of Habakkuk proclaims, “Thy riding is good” (Habakkuk 3:8). It is a profound thought that if we could be the chariots of God, and He chose to ride upon us! Hence, the enemy's horses fell into slumber, as did those who rode upon them.

Origen points out that the sleep of the soul diverges from physical slumber, noting that many who ignore the warning “do not give sleep to your eyes” or “arise, you who sleep,” nonetheless find their souls in a state of sleep. The slumbering souls encounter nothing, as the sleeper finds nothing. Origen further explains that in a contemplative sense, the chariots and horses represent the body. Athanasius comments on those who do not govern their indulgent bodies but resort to unrestrained pleasures; upon receiving divine judgment, they are surrendered to a stupor akin to sleep, unable to awaken.

Some, as Origen suggests, have remarked that in sacred scriptures, the term rider often bears negative connotations. For instance, it is stated in Zechariah, “I will smite every horse and rider,” and with Moses, “I will cast the horse and rider into the sea,” but the rider is seen favorably when associated with salvation. Elisha calls out to Elijah, referring to him as “Father, Israel's chariot and its rider,” while Habakkuk in his prayer addresses the Savior, calling His ride salvation. Thus, one who sits in the body with the mind, exercising dominion over bodily desires, governs his passions wisely, akin to Elijah rather than the Egyptians. In contrast, anyone who fails to discipline and restrain their wayward body—like an untamed stallion—will be led astray by their appetites, finding themselves overwhelmed by their own lusts, subject to God’s wrath, and succumbing to a deep sleep akin to mortal slumber.

Spiritually interpreted, this signifies that the enraged God holds the authority to enact eternal death upon both the devil, depicted as the rider, and the sinful man, symbolized as the horse, who shamefully permitted the devil to seize control of his being and sought to be governed by him.

Furthermore, it is remarkable that the Holy Spirit has interconnected the truths of Christian belief with Jewish history, providing comfort to the Jew who receives these words at face value while simultaneously bringing joy to the Christian who appreciates their deeper significance.