THEOSISAugustine of Hippo
I wish, dear friends, that we had more readily followed our Father, and yet it is indeed good to obey Him. Therefore, since He who humbly prays on our behalf has commanded us, I wish to share with you what Jesus Christ graciously imparts through this psalm. The title of the psalm is "A Song of Praise by David." This song signifies both joy, as it is a song, and devotion, as it is an expression of praise. For what should a person praise more than what is so cherished that disdain becomes impossible? Thus, when we lift our voices in praise to God, we do so with assurance, knowing that we are safe and that we need not fear any shame associated with our object of adoration. Therefore, let us both praise and sing—let us offer our praise with gladness and joy. The psalm reveals what we are about to celebrate in the subsequent verses.
"Come, let us sing unto the Lord" (Psalm 94:1). He invites us to partake in a tremendous feast of joy—not one rooted in this worldly existence, but joy found in the Lord. If there were no joy derived from unrighteousness in this life, it would have sufficed to simply say, "Come, let us rejoice," yet He emphasizes it further. What does it truly mean to rejoice? To rejoice in the Lord. You should rejoice in Him righteously if you desire to safely tread upon the world. But what does the call to "Come" imply? He beckons those who are distant to draw near, that they may approach and rejoice. But from where are they distant? Can anyone truly be geographically far from Him who is omnipresent? Distance is not defined by place, but rather by being unlike Him. To be unlike Him indicates a sinful life and habits; for through virtuous habits we draw closer to God, while through sinful habits we pull away from Him. So, if we drift away from God due to our dissimilarities, we draw close to Him through shared likenesses—those qualities for which we were created, those which became corrupted through our sin, those which we reclaim through absolution, and those renewed within us, imprinted once more as on a coin—that is, the image of God within our souls—enabling us to return to His treasures.
"Let us make a joyful noise to God, our salvation." Consider, beloved, those who raise a joyful shout in everyday songs amid societal celebrations; observe how they burst forth with an exuberance that words cannot fully encapsulate, expressing a joy that emerges from their hearts. If they can raise a joyful noise from earthly happiness, how much more should we do so from heavenly joy, which surpasses verbal expression?
"Let us approach Him with confession" (Psalm 94:2). In Scripture, confession bears dual meanings: the confession of praise and the confession of lament. The confession of praise honors the one being exalted, while the confession of lament relates to the repentance of the confessor. People confess when they praise God, and they confess when they acknowledge their wrongdoings; there is no more noble use for the tongue. Indeed, these acknowledgments may reflect the vows noted in another psalm: "I will repay Thee my vows, which I have spoken with my mouth." There is no greater virtue than discernment, and it is essential to both understand and act. How do you distinguish the vows you make to God? By praising Him and engaging in self-examination; for it is by His mercy that our sins are forgiven. If He had chosen to treat us according to our actions, He would find only grounds for condemnation. "Oh, come," He said, "let us at last turn away from our sins, so that He does not confront us with our past but instead begins anew, as if all debts have been extinguished." Hence, the greater your despair in light of your sins, the more you should confess them; for the more profound the praise of the Forgiver, the richer the confession from a penitent heart. Let us not presume that we step away from the song of praise by recognizing our confession; it is indeed part of our praise, for in confessing our sins, we glorify God.
"And shout joyfully to Him with psalms." We have already defined what it means to make a joyful noise: the term is repeated to reinforce its significance by encouraging action. The emphasis reminds us to raise a joyful noise; for in heartfelt settings, familiar words are often reiterated—not to become more common, but rather to deepen the emotional impact. "For the Lord is a great God and a great King above all gods" (Psalm 94:3). The Lord will not reject His people—whom will He not reject? We must not impose our interpretations here, as the Apostle has provided clarity on this matter. This refers to the Jewish nation—the nation of prophets, born of the lineage of Abraham; among whom the mysteries that foretold our Savior were revealed, and to whom prophets were sent, entrusting them with the revelations of God. What of this people? Are they all condemned? Absolutely not. The Apostle refers to them as the good olive tree, stemming from the patriarchs. Therefore, this tree remains intact: while some branches may be pruned, not all are lost. If every branch was severed, from whence would Peter come? From where does John originate? What about Thomas, Matthew, and Andrew? All these apostles arose from this faithful lineage. Even the five hundred brethren who witnessed the Lord after His resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:6)—from where did so many thousands spring forth, as noted by Peter (in Acts 2:4), when the apostles, filled with the Holy Spirit, spoke different languages? These transformed believers, those included among the first to shed the blood of the Lord in wrath, became fervent followers. Many thousands of them, moved by the pain in their hearts, sought healing, selling their possessions and laying the proceeds at the feet of the Apostles. What one affluent man failed to do after hearing the Lord's command (Matthew 19:21-22), these thousands accomplished. The greater the wound in their hearts, the more fervently they sought a healer. Thus, as these come from the same heritage, the psalm declares: "For the Lord will not cast away His people."
What does the psalm further state? "All the corners of the earth are in His hand" (Psalm 94:4)—we recognize the cornerstone: Christ. A corner cannot exist without the union of two walls; the two sides converge, not in opposition, but in harmony at the corner. Circumcision is on one side, uncircumcision on another; in Christ, these two meet, for He is the stone referred to in scripture: "The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone."
"For the sea belongs to Him, and He made it" (Psalm 94:5). The sea symbolizes this world, yet God is its creator; the waves crash only upon the shore He has delineated. Therefore, no temptation arises without His boundaries. His hands have shaped the dry land. Let us embody that dry land, hungering for God’s grace, that it may rain down upon us sweetly, producing fruit within us. He will not allow the waves to engulf what He has planted. Hence, let us cry out to the Lord.
"Come, let us worship and bow down; let us weep before the Lord, our Maker" (Psalm 94:6). If you are burning with remorse, extinguish the flames of your sin with tears: weep fearlessly before the Lord who created you, for He will not disregard the work of His hands in you. Do not think you can remedy your fallen state alone. Apart from Him, you may falter, but He who made you also restores you. Approach the Lord, confess before Him, and allow His presence to guide your confession. For who are you, weeping and confessing before Him, but one whom He has designed? Those made in His image and likeness possess profound trust in their Creator.
"For He is the Lord our God" (Psalm 94:7). But to kneel and submit to Him without fear, who are we? We are the flock of His pasture, the sheep under His care. Notice the deliberate order with which the words are structured; each word bears its intrinsic quality, teaching us that the flock is indeed His people. He did not say, "the sheep of His pasture and the people of His hand," which might seem more fitting, yet instead, we are termed "the people of His pasture." Thus, His people are likened to sheep; as expressed in the Song of Songs, He likens His Church to sheep, reflecting perfection: "Your teeth are like a flock of sheep that have been shorn, coming from their washing; each one bears twins, and there is no barren among them." What is signified by “your teeth”? They represent those through whom you express yourself, as the teeth of the Church symbolize its voice. What do your teeth resemble? A flock of shorn sheep—shorn, for they have cast aside the burdens of the world. These were the sheep previously mentioned, shorn by God's bidding when He instructed, "Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor, and you will find treasure in heaven; come and follow me" (Matthew 19:21). They fulfilled this command, entering into a state of spiritual purity. Baptized believers emerge from this cleansing, symbolizing the miraculous rebirth into righteousness—each gives birth to "twins," representing the two greatest commandments upon which the entire Law and the Prophets rest (Matthew 22:40).
Today, if you hear His voice, "do not harden your hearts" (Psalm 94:8). O my people, the people of God! God is addressing His people—not merely those He will not reject but all that call upon His name. He speaks to every wall, for He is the cornerstone (Ephesians 2:20). There was a time you heard His voice through Moses and hardened your hearts; yet now, having sent heralds, He speaks to you directly—let your hearts be open. The Lord, who dispatched messengers beforehand, now comes Himself and speaks with His own voice, once having spoken through the prophets.
"As in the rebellion and the day of testing in the wilderness, where your fathers tested Me" (Psalm 94:9). Let your forebears not serve as examples; do not follow in their footsteps. They were your ancestors, but if you choose not to emulate them, they cease to be such. Although birthed from them, this does not necessitate your imitation. If the Gentiles, as Jeremiah proclaims—"The Gentiles shall come to you from the ends of the earth and shall say, 'Surely our fathers have inherited lies, vanity, and things that do not avail'" (Jeremiah 16:19)—abandon their idols to seek the God of Israel, should those whom God liberated from Egypt through the Red Sea (Exodus 14:21-22), where He vanquished their foes, those He nourished in the wilderness with manna (Exodus 16:13-35), ever forsake Him? Throughout their trials, His rod of correction never strayed, nor did His grace ever leave them. When your forefathers tested Me and witnessed My works...
"For forty years I was grieved with this generation and said: 'They are a people who always go astray in their hearts, for they have not known My ways'" (Psalm 94:10). Here forty years reflects the essence of 'always.' Forty symbolizes the fullness of time, as if this number embodies all the ages. Thus, our Lord fasted for forty days, endured temptation for forty days in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1-11), and remained with His disciples for forty days post-resurrection (Acts 1:3). In the first forty, He showed us the essence of temptation; in the latter forty, He revealed comfort, for undoubtedly when we are tempted, we are also comforted. His Body—namely, the Church—is meant to face trials in this world, yet the Comforter, who promised, "Behold, I am with you always, even unto the end of the age" (Matthew 28:20), is ever-present. For I have journeyed with them for forty years, to illustrate the nature of humanity that perpetually vexes Me, extending from this day until the end of time, for these forty years signify the entirety of the world's existence.