Psalm 80 (79):18Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

You will be a source of delight to us, and You will restore our spirits. Before we cherished the world rather than You, yet You put to death our earthly desires. (Col. 3:5) The Old Testament, which contains promises tied to this world, appears to encourage us to love God not merely for what He provides here, but for who He truly is. What do you treasure that does not lead you to love God? Tell me. Can you truly cherish anything that He has not brought into being? Look around at all creation; discern if there is not a distraction, a desire that keeps you from loving the Creator, compelling you to prefer the created things over Him. But why do you cherish these things, if not because they possess beauty? Can anything be as beautiful as their Creator?

Your hand will rest upon the One at Your right hand. This endeavor, which represents the deliverance of the people symbolized by the term 'hand,' signifies that it should rest upon the One at Your right hand, meaning through the One who is Your right hand. Who could this be but the Son of Man, who serves as the Father's instrument, though He is fully human? Once this is fulfilled, and Your right hand—referred to as the Husband and the Son of Man—brings salvation, we shall undoubtedly experience deliverance.

Burned with fire and unearthed, it becomes particularly clear that the psalm speaks of the Babylonian king rather than Antiochus, as some have suggested. The Babylonian king not only set fire to the temple but also to a significant portion of the city. It is noted that the adversaries did not merely leave after reaping the harvest; they uprooted the vines and scorched them. By the withdrawal of Your presence, they shall meet their end. Your hand shall rest upon the man at Your right hand, and upon the son of man whom You have fortified. We shall not turn away from You. For once this message is proclaimed by us, all humanity will come to recognize the true God and will rejoice in the love for mankind that has been unveiled. Revive us, and we will call upon Your name. Therefore, the grip of death shall be shattered, and we will receive eternal life, adoring You, O Redeemer God.

Let Your hand rest upon the man at Your right hand. The Jewish understanding of this verse speaks of Zerubbabel, indicating that Your power may be upon the one who stands close to Your right hand and is a companion of it. We, as Christians, also apply this to the man, namely Christ, who is recognized in unity with God through the Word. Here, David is imploring that miraculous deeds (often referred to as the hand and finger of God) may manifest upon the one at the Father’s right hand; the Father’s right hand is the Son, as the Creator of all, as noted by Athanasius. And on the son of man, whom You have empowered for Yourself! The repetition of David’s earlier declaration echoes here.

Christ is referred to as the spouse of the right hand: a spouse in relation to His humanity, with the right hand signifying both His position beside the Father and His role as the architect of all creation. The prophet identifies Him as the Son of Man due to His incarnation. To affirm His essential unity with the Father in divinity, He states, ‘whom Thou hast strengthened unto Thyself,’ indicating that He was strengthened by the Father who generated Him, reinforcing the notion that He was begotten to be equal and fully aligned with the Father in all aspects. The prophet intercedes for the hand of the Father to act upon Him, indeed, to manifest signs and wonders on our behalf; these manifestations are often referred to as the hand of God, or at times, as His finger. The prophet seeks these wonders to be accomplished not through a prophet or a righteous individual like Moses or Elijah, but directly through the Son.

The term firmament can be understood as a metaphor for our Savior, the one true God who reigns over all creation and who took on genuine humanity among us, uniting our nature with that of the Father. The Psalmist prophetically declares, 'Thy hand shall be upon the man of Thy right hand, and upon the son of man, and Thou hast strengthened him.' Before divine acceptance, human nature was akin to the earth, as there existed no firmament. To the sinful human it was proclaimed, 'You are dust, and to dust you shall return.' However, once embraced by the Lord of all, human nature was exalted to the heavens, lifted above the angels, transforming what was once earth into firmament.

The prophet restates in straightforward terms the prayer previously expressed under the metaphor of grapes, petitioning God to shield with His hand the one designated as the man of His right hand and the Son of man, whom He has empowered for Himself. It remains uncertain whether this refers solely to the king or includes the entire populace. Although Jeroboam was anointed as king, he did not attain this status through a lawful means, as indicated by God's declaration in Hosea: "I will give you a king in My wrath" (Hosea 13:11). Therefore, it is more appropriate to interpret these words as relevant to the entire body of the Church, particularly to its head, Christ, the promised Messiah, rightly referred to as the man at God's right hand and the Son of man.

Ultimately, this represents the realization of prophecy, particularly concerning Christ the Lord, as expressed in this psalm, which was inspired by the Holy Spirit and penned by David. It reflects the transformation of the Jews, who have shifted from a state of goodness to the sorrow of repentance against God, as well as others who have moved from wickedness to faith, and from unrighteousness to righteousness. This includes the faithful believers, who have been led away from sin's error to follow their true Shepherd, Christ, the one true God.