THEOSISAugustine of Hippo
Rightly emancipated from the chains of sin by the One who declares in the Psalms: ‘I have become like a man without help, free among the dead’ (cf. Psalm 87:5-6). For He alone was untainted, having no sin. As He proclaims in the Gospel, ‘Behold, the ruler of this world is approaching,’ referring to the adversary, who will come to the Jews who have persecuted Him. ‘Behold,’ He states, ‘he is coming, and in Me he will find nothing’ (cf. Jn. 14:30). Unlike those whom he destroys, despite their righteousness, in Me, he will discover no sin.
The heading of this eighty-seventh Psalm introduces a novel theme for exploration: the unique terms directed towards Melech found within it, which do not appear elsewhere. We have previously expressed our understanding of the titles "Psalmus Cantici" and "Canticum Psalmi," while the phrase "sons of Corea" appears frequently with various interpretations; yet the additional words within this title are distinct. The term "Melech" might be interpreted in Latin as "choir," aligning with the original Hebrew meaning. Here, the Passion of the Lord is prophetically anticipated. The Apostle Peter notes that Christ suffered for us, leaving an example for us to follow His steps (1 Peter 2:21), and this exemplifies the meaning of answering. Similarly, the Apostle John states that just as Christ laid down His life for us, we ought to do the same for our brothers (1 John 3:16). This is additionally a form of response. The choir signifies harmony established through love; thus, if someone replicates the Lord's Passion but lacks love, their offering amounts to nothing (1 Corinthians 13:3). In a musical context, just as a Precentor and Succentor have their roles, so too, in this song of suffering, the chorus of martyrs follows Christ to the end of their heavenly reward. This psalm is performed by the sons of Corea, emulating Christ's Passion, paralleling His crucifixion on Calvary, linked to the Hebrew term "Cor" (Matthew 27:33). The reference to Aman at the conclusion relates to brotherhood, for Christ embraces those who comprehend the depth of His Cross’s mystery, those who openly celebrate it without pride in their own merits, but rather express gratitude for His grace. Thus it can be said of them, "Behold, a true Israelite, in whom there is no guile" (John 1:47), echoing the original scriptural assertion regarding Israel's integrity (Genesis 25:27).
O Lord God of my salvation, I have called to You day and night (Psalm 86:1). Let us now listen as Christ's voice resonates within us prophetically, to which His own choir must respond either by imitation or through thankfulness. Allow my prayer to come before You; incline Your ear to my cry (Psalm 87:2). Our Lord prayed not in divine form, but in the form of a servant, thus enduring suffering. He prayed during both prosperous times, symbolized as day, and in times of distress, referred to as night. The ascension of prayer signifies its acceptance before God, and God's attentiveness is akin to compassionate hearing, as He does not possess physical senses like ours. This passage reflects the essence of repetition.
For my soul is filled with troubles, and my life draws near to the abyss (Psalm 86:3). Can we rightfully speak of Christ's soul as burdened with evil when passion only affected His body? The soul experiences anguish independently of the body, whereas the body's existence relies on the soul. Why should we not state that Christ's soul carried the weight of human afflictions, though not actual sins? Another prophet remarks that He bore our griefs (Isaiah 53:4), and the Evangelist states that He was deeply pained, even to death, alongside His disciples (Matthew 26:37-38). The prophet of this psalm, anticipating such events, represents Him lamenting, "My soul is full of troubles, and my life approaches the grave." This conveys the same sentiment using different language, as when He articulates, "My soul is sorrowful to the point of death." Expressions like "My soul mourns" echo the sentiment of "My soul is filled with troubles," furthermore reaching the ominous feeling that leads to the grave. The Lord embraced these human vulnerabilities, adopting human form and experiencing human death, not due to necessity but through His voluntary mercy, seeking to transform humanity. His body, identified with the Church—where He is seen as the head—includes His faithful disciples, serving to remind them that amidst human trials and sorrows, they need not feel abandoned by His grace. The body should, like a choir following its leader, learn from its Head that these tribulations denote not sin but evidence of human frailty.
We hear the Apostle Paul, a prominent member of this body, confessing the similar experience of emotional turmoil when he expresses profound sorrow for his fellow Israelites. If we assert that the Lord also experienced grief for them anticipating His Passion, wherein they faced severe injustice, we shall not err. What our Savior uttered from the Cross, "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do" (Luke 23:34), finds resonance in this psalm as He states, "I am like a man without strength" (Psalm 87:4)—among those oblivious to His true nature, thinking Him deceased like any mortal, lacking aid against their grievances. The term "pit" symbolizes depths of sorrow or hell; being a man without help corresponds to His state.
Free among the dead (Psalm 86:5). In these words, the identity of our Lord is profoundly revealed: who else could be free among the dead but He, who though embodying sinful flesh, remained untouched by sin? (Romans 8:3). Therefore, He stands as free among the dead, possessing the power to yield or reanimate His soul; no one could take it from Him, for He bestowed it willingly. Even when left alone by all during His Passion, He was not truly abandoned, for His testimony remains that the Father had not forsaken Him (John 8:29). However, those who oppressed Him— oblivious to their actions—were reckoned as without aid, perceiving Him as one overcome and lying in the grave. Yet He adds, "Whom you do not remember," implying the notable distinction between Christ and others in death. Though He suffered and lay in the grave (Matthew 27:50, 60), those lacking understanding regarded Him no differently than others who died from wounds and rested in the tomb, unaware that the time for their resurrection had yet to come. This connection speaks to why scriptures reference the dead as "sleeping"—indicating a future awakening from death. But He, wounded and resting in the sepulcher, ultimately arose on the third day, like a solitary bird on a rooftop, that is, at the right hand of the Father in heaven, and shall no longer die, for death shall not dominate Him (Romans 6:9). Thus, He is markedly different from those of whom God has not yet prompted resurrection; what was destined to precede was reserved for the Body's fulfillment in its time.
God is said to remember when He acts and to forget when He does not; but He can neither forget, for He is unchanging, nor does He remember in the conventional sense, as He is incapable of forgetting. Meanwhile, those unaware of their actions perceive me as without support; while I am free among the dead, they view me as wounded, lying in the grave. Concerning those who describe me thus, it is declared that they are rejected from Your hand; when their actions made me seem such, they themselves fell away from Your hand. Since they thought me bereft of aid, they became devoid of Your support; as another psalm states, they have dug a pit before me, only to find themselves ensnared within it. I prefer this interpretation to suggesting that they've been cast away from Your hand over those still sleeping in the grave, as the righteous are included among those awaiting a resurrection. Their souls rest in God’s presence, safely sheltered under the protection of the Most High, abiding under the shadow of the Almighty. The reality is that those rejecting Christ have erroneously categorized Him with the wicked, those who dared to lay hands on Him.
They plunged Me into the lowest pit (Psalm 86:6), which translates in Greek as the most profound sorrow—deeper than any imaginable anguish. This is why it is stated in another psalm that He has drawn me out from the mire of despair. They confined Him in a dark place, under the shadow of death, entirely unaware of their transgressions; thus, they unwittingly honored Him, failing to recognize the One whom none of the rulers of this world understood (1 Corinthians 2:8). The shadow of death may reference physical mortality or an ignorance extending into the spiritual realm, as it is written that they walked in darkness and through the shadow of death, hoping for the light that exceeded the darkness (Isaiah 9:2)—for by faith, they can be drawn from the shadowy depths of sin into the light of life. Such were those who mistook our Lord, ignorant of their actions, aligning Him with the very souls He intended to save.
Your indignation lies upon Me (Psalm 87:7)—alternatively stated as Your wrath; or as some versions translate, Your fury. Various interpretations exist concerning the Greek term θυμὸς, for where ὀργὴ appears, it is commonly translated as "anger," but with θυμὸς, there is hesitance in translating it as such, even though many esteemed Latin writers have done so. For clarity, I would suggest that "indignation" is perhaps a more fitting term than "rage," as the latter is less commonly used to describe interpersonal relations. What does it mean that Your wrath is upon me, except that those ignorant of the Lord of Glory (1 Corinthians 2:8) perceived Him to be under divine displeasure, mistakenly believing that the wrath of God had been stirred and poured upon the One they condemned to death—the most dishonorable death on a cross? The Apostle informs us that Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, as He Himself became the curse: as it is written, "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree" (Galatians 3:13). This highlights His submission to obedience, humbling Himself even to the point of the Cross (Philippians 2:8). For similar reasons, He conveys in this psalm, "All Your waves, or stirrings, You have brought upon Me." This is also echoed in another psalm: "All Your surges and waves have passed over me," though the Greek text uses a variant that indicates an alternative interpretation among translators. Here "waves" represent actual afflictions stemming from divine ordinance, contrasting with an indication of passing; yet, it is stated, "You have brought everything upon Me"—implying however that trials endured were not unworthy since His Passion was preordained.