Psalm 79 (78):9Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

In this declaration, our Divine Healer clarifies the depth of our impoverishment, emphasizing the dire need for healing. This state of destitution is precisely the ailment that requires a healer's intervention. While He expresses His desire to aid us, He remains mindful of grace and does not diminish our free will. Assistance involves our active participation. Additionally, He proclaimed, "For the glory of Thy Name, O Lord, deliver us," so that those who do not take pride in themselves but in the Lord may find their boast. (1 Cor. 1:31) He implores for mercy towards our transgressions for the sake of His Name, rather than our own. Our sins warrant rightful and respectable punishment, yet He asks for mercy on our behalf, motivated by His Name.

In the Hebrew text, it states, ‘Assist us, O God, our Savior. While it refers to ‘Savior’ everywhere, the Hebrew identifies Him as ‘Jesus.’ Even the angel Gabriel announced to Mary, ‘And thou shalt call Him Jesus: for He shall save His people’ (Matt. 1:21; Luke 1:31). ‘Assist us, O God, our Savior.’ Notice how the psalmist implores ‘help.’ The one who seeks assistance is also striving for liberation. God does not aid those who are complacent; instead, He supports those who toil. ‘For the glory of Thy name, O Lord, deliver us’: for Thy new name is proclaimed among us and is revered by the nations. ‘And forgive our sins for Thy name’s sake.’ O Savior, O Christ, as we are called Christians: have mercy on us for the sake of Thy name.

You alone are our Helper and Redeemer. Praise be to Your name, O Lord, rescue us and purify us from our transgressions in Your name. They do not speak of their own righteousness, but instead seek divine assistance for the glory of God's name. For they declare that when we endure harm, the reproach comes upon Your name. Thus, we earnestly implore You not to disregard our offenses, to transform our situation, and to reveal Your might to those who do not know.

Assist us, O God, our Redeemer. We, your servants, Lord, find ourselves in want, having lost all our possessions—both physical and spiritual, namely our virtues. He addresses God as Redeemer, for You have rescued us time and again from various hardships. Nikita remarks: It is rightly said: let them be warned, for they are perilously close to destruction and cannot rise unless divine grace alerts them. Isychius states: Nothing impoverishes a person more than sin; and the addition of wickedness only deepens that poverty. Therefore, they implored that God’s mercies might swiftly reach them, lest they fall into despair due to extreme want.

The prophet aptly highlighted God's majesty, recognizing that he could not focus on the righteousness of the people. The divine name is also revealed in the compassion extended to sinners, underscoring why God is referred to as gracious, merciful, and patient. Moses describes: ‘And the Lord came down in a cloud, and stood there with him, and proclaimed the name of Jehovah. And the Lord passed before him and proclaimed, The Lord, the Lord, a God of compassion and grace, slow to anger, and abundant in love and truth’ (Ex. 34:5, 6). Notice that this prayer is directed towards Christ. He is acknowledged not only as God but specifically as our Saviour. Christ embodies the glorious name of God, representative of the Father—hence, Paul refers to Him as the radiance of the Father’s glory (Heb. 1:3). The subsequent words further clarify that this pertains to Christ: ‘Deliver us and cleanse us from our sins for Your name's sake.’ See vv. 10.

In this passage, the author illustrates how divine grace precedes our actions by using the metaphor of a supplicant rather than a teacher. He implores, "Help us, O God our Saviour," which signifies a request for God’s abundant blessings to empower us in performing righteousness, steering us away from future transgressions, and guiding us in repentance for the purification of our past sins. The choice of the verb "help" emphasizes that the will remains fully active and is, in fact, enhanced by grace, as assistance is given only to one who strives toward action. He further explains the need for divine aid, stating it is for the sake of the glory of Your name—not based on our own merits but rather to exalt Your glory.

This psalm was inspired by the Holy Spirit and penned by David, then entrusted to Asaph, the leader of worship, to be sung as a prophetic expression of grief regarding the impending destruction of Jerusalem due to the invasions by rebellious nations that would ultimately come to pass. It also includes a heartfelt plea for divine intervention from the faithful Church amidst their trials. The psalm refers to the Gentiles as those who abominate God, while the faithful Christian community is depicted as His treasured possession.