THEOSISAugustine of Hippo
The title of this eighty-seventh Psalm introduces a new area of exploration: the unique terminology within, specifically the reference to "Melech," which does not appear elsewhere. We have previously discussed the significance of the titles 'Psalmus Cantici' and 'Canticum Psalmi,' and the frequent mention of the 'sons of Corea,' often accompanied by explanations, but the subsequent wording in this title is noteworthy. The term 'Melech' can be translated into Latin as 'choir,' reflecting the original Hebrew meaning. This Psalm foreshadows the Lord's suffering. The apostle Peter states that Christ suffered for us, leaving us a pattern to follow (1 Peter 2:21). This illustrates the response. The apostle John also notes that as Christ laid down His life for us, we ought to do the same for our brethren (1 John 3:16), further emphasizing the response. Yet the choir represents an agreement that is rooted in love; thus, one who mimics the Lord’s suffering and gives their life without love does not participate in this chorus, and such an act is of no benefit (1 Corinthians 13:3). Likewise, in music, the roles of Precentor and Succentor designate those who sing the leading and following parts. Hence, in this song of suffering, the choir of martyrs follows Christ until the final crowning in heaven. It is sung by the sons of Corea, those who emulate the Passion of Christ; as Christ was crucified on Calvary, which is reflected in the Hebrew term ‘Cor’ (Matthew 27:33). Similarly, the term Aman signifies a connection to Israel: it indicates brotherhood, as Christ designates as His brethren those who comprehend the mystery of the Cross, embracing it without shame and glorifying it, not for their own virtues, but for His grace, so that each of them can be affirmed as “a true Israelite, in whom there is no guile” (John 1:47), as Scripture describes Israel itself as free from deceit (Genesis 25:27).
O Lord God of my salvation, I have cried out to You day and night (Psalm 86:1). Let us now listen to Christ’s voice speaking to us in prophecy, to which His choir should respond in imitation or gratitude. O let my prayer reach Your presence; incline Your ear to my cry (Psalm 87:2). Our Lord prayed, not as God, but in the form of a servant, enduring suffering. He prayed in prosperous times—during the day—and in distress—implied by the night. Prayer entering God's presence indicates His reception of it; His inclination of ear symbolizes His compassionate attention, for God does not have physical ears like us. Additionally, this text is repetitive as is customary.
For my soul is filled with trouble, and my life is at the brink of destruction (Psalm 86:3). Can we truly speak of Christ’s soul being filled with evil when suffering affected only His body? Therefore, the soul feels pain independent of the body, but the body cannot exist without the soul. We could assert that Christ’s soul was burdened with humanity's anguish, although not with individual sins. Another prophet mentions His sorrow for us (Isaiah 53:4), and the Evangelist recounts that He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee with Him and became deeply distressed (Matthew 26:37-38). The prophet who authored this psalm foresaw this occurrence, illustrating it with the statement, "My soul is troubled, and my life is near death." The expressions 'My soul mourneth' resonate with 'My soul is filled with trouble,' reinforcing that as He groans even to death, His life approaches the grave. These aspects of human weakness He embraced, similar to how He assumed human flesh and mortality—not by compulsion of His nature, but willingly out of mercy to transform us into Himself. His own body, which is the Church, with Him as its head, is constituted of His holy and faithful disciples, so that if any among them experiences sorrow and tribulation amidst human trials, they need not presume they are abandoned by Him. This body acts as a choir that learns from its Head that these afflictions are not sins but rather true reflections of human frailty. The apostle Paul, a principal member of this body, articulated his own soul’s heaviness and constant grief for his brethren, the Israelites. If we perceive that our Lord grieved for them as His Passion approached, recognizing their grave plight, we are not mistaken. Ultimately, what our Savior proclaimed on the cross—“Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34)—is expressed here: “I am counted with those who descend into the pit” (Psalm 87:4)—by those who were unaware of their actions, believing Him to be merely dead like other men, helpless and defeated. The term pit signifies the depths of sorrow or hell. I am as one without aid.
Free among the dead (Psalm 86:5). These words distinctly reveal the nature of our Lord, for who else is truly free among the dead but He, who, though taking on the likeness of sinful flesh, remained sinless? (Romans 8:3). Thus, He is free among the dead, possessing the power to lay down His soul and take it back, which no one could do against His will, as He revived His body akin to the temple they destroyed, as per His will. When all abandoned Him before His Passion, He was not truly alone, for, as He asserts, His Father did not forsake Him (John 8:29). Yet His adversaries, for whom He prayed, who were ignorant of their actions, by their perceptions, treated as without support, like the wounded lying in the grave. He adds, “Whom you do not yet recall,” distinguishing Himself from the rest of the dead. Although He was hurt and buried (Matthew 27:50, 60), they who were unaware of His identity placed Him in the same category as others who died from wounds and rested in the grave, having not yet recognized God—those destined for resurrection had not yet arrived at their moment. This explains why Scripture depicts the dead as sleeping, intending for them to be seen as poised for awakening, that is, for resurrection. But He, though wounded and resting in the tomb, arose the third day, likened to a solitary bird perched high up—the right hand of His Father in heaven—where death will no longer rule over Him (Romans 6:9). Thus, He is profoundly distinguished from those whom God had yet to remember for their resurrection, as what was to happen in the Head was reserved for the Body later on. It’s also noted that when God acts, He is said to remember, and conversely, when He does not, He is termed to forget. However, God cannot forget since He is immutable, nor can He remember, as He can never forget. Those who are oblivious to their actions regard Him as one without aid, while He stands as free among the dead; they perceive Him as wounded while He lies in the grave. Nevertheless, it is further stated of those who utter such words that they are estranged from Your hand; for in making Him thus, they themselves were separated from Your grasp; the ones who saw Him as powerless are devoid of Your support; for they, as articulated in another Psalm, have dug a pit for me, and have fallen into it themselves.
They placed Me in the lowest pit (Psalm 86:6), or as indicated in the Greek, the deepest pit. What then is the lowest pit save the utmost suffering, beyond which there is none? Hence it is stated in another psalm—You have drawn me up out of the depths of despair. In darkness and the shadow of death, unbeknownst to their actions, they laid Him there, thus honoring Him; they did not recognize Him, whom none of the rulers of this world understood (1 Corinthians 2:8). The shadow of death may relate to the death of the body, or it may refer to that darkness in which they sat, but for those brought forth from the dark to light and life, faith illuminated their understanding, embodying those who considered our Lord as one who needed help, thus failing to see Him among those He intended to assist.
Your anger rests upon Me (Psalm 87:7), or in some translations, Your wrath, or even Your fury; the Greek word θυμὸς includes various interpretations. Where the Greek manuscripts state ὀργὴ, translators have consistently rendered it as ira in Latin; however, when the word is θυμὸς, most exhibit reluctance to use ira, despite many renowned Latin authors using it in translations of Greek philosophy. I will not extend this discussion excessively; if I were to suggest an alternative term, I would find indignation preferable to rage, as the latter is not conventionally applied to men in common parlance. What does it mean, “Your wrath is upon me,” but the disbelief harbored by those who do not know the Lord of Glory (1 Corinthians 2:8), who believed that God’s wrath was kindled and directed against Him, whom they dared to execute, not only dealing with death but what they saw as the utmost disgrace—death upon the cross? Hence, the apostle remarks that Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us, for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree” (Galatians 3:13). To affirm His obedience, which reached the ultimate humility, He stated that He humbled Himself and became obedient unto death, and to emphasize its significance, He specified even death upon the Cross (Philippians 2:8). It seems this Psalm implies as much with, “The pains You have inflicted upon me,” as some render it waves, while others refer to stirrings; both terms differ in meaning but highlight the suffering imposed by God’s judgment. Here, it is articulated, “All Your storms have come upon me”; in the other instance, he states, “All things have passed over me.” In that prior context, though some afflictions arose, it was articulated that these merely passed, yet here it is asserted that all have been imposed upon Me. Evil passes by without impacting a person, similarly to being overhanging, or when it strikes in a wave-like manner. When he mentions ‘suspension,’ he does not say they simply passed by, but “You have brought them upon Me,” meaning all that was forecast about His Passion was in the process of fulfillment as anticipated in the prophecies.