THEOSISAugustine of Hippo
Beloved, I long for us to have heeded our Father’s voice, yet it is indeed beneficial to obey Him. As He who intercedes for us has instructed, I wish to convey to you what Jesus Christ shares through this psalm, which is of significant relevance to our Lord. The psalm bears the title "A Song of Praise by David.” This song encapsulates both joy, for it is a melody, and devotion, as it is an expression of praise. What could a person cherish more than that which brings such delight that dislike seems impossible? Thus, when we raise our voices in worship to God, we do so with assurance. We find safety in praising where there is no concern of shame regarding the One being exalted. Let us then offer our praise and song, that is, let us rejoice with happiness and joy. This psalm reveals what we ought to celebrate in the subsequent verses.
“Come, let us sing to the Lord” (Psalm 94:1). He invites us to partake in a wondrous banquet of joy, not of this world, but rooted in the Lord. If there were no false joy here, which differs from righteous joy, simply saying, "Come, let us rejoice," would suffice, yet He emphasizes it further. But what does it truly mean to rejoice? It means to rejoice in the Lord. You should wholeheartedly rejoice in the Lord if you desire to walk securely in this world. What does "Come" imply? It is a call to those who, being far off, may draw near and, once near, rejoice. But how can they be distant? Can anyone be physically removed from the one who is everywhere? Distance from God arises not from location but from a lack of resemblance to Him. To be unlike Him signifies a life of sin and poor habits; for through righteous practices, we approach God, while through negative ones, we drift away. Hence, if dissimilarity leads us away, then similarity draws us near. What similarity? It refers to that which we were created in, which we have marred through sin but have regained through grace, renewed within us so that the image of God may reflect once more in our souls, guiding us back to His treasures.
“Let us make a joyful noise to God, our salvation” .... Consider, dear ones, those who exuberantly express joy in ordinary songs, like in worldly contests; observe how they, while reading their lines, erupt in joy that surpasses verbal expression, their cries revealing sentiments of the mind that their hearts cannot fully articulate. If they can proclaim joy in earthly matters, how much more can we express our joy stemming from heavenly delights, which indeed transcends mere words?
“Let us come before His presence with confession” (Psalm 94:2). Confession bears dual meanings in Scripture: the acknowledgment of praise and the expression of lament. The confession of praise refers to honoring the One who is exalted, while the lamentation relates to the repentance of the one who confesses. Men confess while praising God and recognize their faults; the tongue finds no nobler purpose than this. These vows echo in another psalm, “I will pay my vows, which I have promised with my mouth.” Nothing is more profound than discernment, both to comprehend and to act. How then do we discern our vows to God? By praising Him and owning our failings—as it is in His mercy that He forgives our transgressions. Had He chosen to treat us according to our actions, we would only face condemnation. “Oh, come,” He says, “that we may turn from our sins, and He might not hold us accountable for our past, but rather, begin anew as if all our debts had been erased.” Therefore, as you despair over your sins, confess them, for as the Forgiver’s mercy is great, so too is the fullness of the penitent’s confession. Let us not assume that we have strayed from praise when we recognize our sins; indeed, acknowledging our transgressions is integral to glorifying God.
“And let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms.” We have previously highlighted what it means to make a joyful noise; the repetition serves as an encouragement. We have not forgotten our earlier desire to urge making a joyful noise; however, in moments of strong emotion, familiar words are oft repeated—not to make them more recognizable but to strengthen the emotional impact conveyed. “For the Lord is a great God and a great King above all gods” (Psalm 94:3). The Lord will not forsake His people. Who are those whom He will not abandon? We must not offer our own interpretations here, for the Apostle provides clarity on this matter. This pertains to the Jewish people—those chosen through the prophets and patriarchs, a lineage stemming from Abraham’s seed—a nation where all mysteries foreshadowing our Savior unfolded, from which the temple and anointing came, preparing for the coming of the Light when all shadows recede. Hence, this is the chosen people; to them were the prophets sent, the divine revelations bestowed. But does this mean they are entirely condemned? Certainly not! The Apostle refers to it as the good olive tree, rooted in the patriarchs .... Indeed, a tree remains, though some branches may be pruned; for if all had been severed, where then does Peter come from? Where are John and Thomas, Matthew, Andrew, and all the apostles? How do we account for the five hundred who witnessed the Lord after His resurrection? (1 Corinthians 15:6). Where did such a multitude, as described by Peter, who, filled with the Holy Spirit, spoke in tongues (Acts 2:4), find the zeal to honor God and repent for shedding the Lord's blood? Many thousands, once culpable, sold their possessions and laid their wealth at the apostles’ feet, in a manner far exceeding the reluctance of one rich man who walked away sorrowfully after speaking with the Lord (Matthew 19:21-22). Their spiritual wounds drove them fervently to seek healing. The psalm undoubtedly asserts, “For the Lord will not cast away His people.”
What more does the psalm convey? “All the corners of the earth are in His hand” (Psalm 94:4); it is from Him that the cornerstone, Christ, emerges. A corner exists where two walls converge, though opposing sides come together in unity within that corner. The circumcised stand on one side, and the uncircumcised on the other, yet in Christ, these opposites find harmony, for He is the stone which the builders rejected, and yet it has become the cornerstone. “For the sea is His, and He made it” (Psalm 94:5). The sea represents this world, yet God created it, granting it boundaries beyond which the waves cannot surge. Thus, every temptation has its limits.... “His hands prepared the dry land.” Strive to embody that dry land, yearning for God's grace to rain upon you, nurturing fruitful growth. He does not allow the waves to overwhelm what He has sown. “Therefore, let us cry out to the Lord.”
“Come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord our Maker” (Psalm 94:6)... May you, burdened by the weight of your transgressions, quench the flames of sin with tears: weep fearlessly before the Lord who has fashioned you; He does not scorn the works of His hands. Do not presume you can mend your own brokenness—by your own efforts you may falter, yet the One who created you will restore you. Weep before the Lord who made you; confess to Him, allowing His presence to accompany your confession. Who are you that weeps and confesses? You are His creation. A creation bears significant trust in its Creator, manifesting His image and likeness.
“For He is the Lord our God” (Psalm 94:7). Yet, who are we to humbly bow before Him without fear? We are His flock, the people under His care. Observe how He artfully rearranges the words, assigning unique traits to each; this prompts us to realize that the sheep also represent the people. “The sheep of His pasture” might seem more fitting, as sheep belong to pasture, yet He phrases it “the people of His pasture.” This implies that the people are, in essence, sheep, for He states they are “the people of His pasture.” He extols these sheep in the Song of Songs, referring to the perfect sheep as the teeth of His beloved, the Holy Church: “Your teeth are like a flock of sheep that has been shorn, coming up from washing, every one bearing twins, and none is barren.” What is meant by “Your teeth”? They symbolize those through whom you speak, resembling the teeth of the Church that convey her voice. What do your teeth resemble? They are likened to a flock of sheared sheep. Why are they shorn? They have shed the burdens of the world. The sheep I mentioned earlier were so shorn by command when He said, “Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor; you will have treasure in heaven; come, follow me” (Matthew 19:21). They embraced this call, shedding their excess. And what do we see regarding the believers in Christ? They emerge from the waters of baptism, signifying their purification, and in doing so, they each give birth to twins—these represent the two commandments upon which all Law and Prophets stand (Matthew 22:40).
“Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts” (Psalm 94:8). Oh, my people, the chosen of God! God speaks to His people—not exclusively to those He will not abandon but to all who belong to Him. He speaks through the cornerstone (Ephesians 2:20) to every barrier; the prophecy resonates in Christ both among the Jewish people and the Gentiles. While you once turned deaf to His voice through Moses, hardening your hearts, now that He speaks directly, allow your hearts to soften. He who sent messengers before Him now approaches Himself; here, He communicates with His own words, having spoken previously through the prophets.
“During the day of trial in the wilderness, when your forefathers tested Me” (Psalm 94:9). Let not your ancestors be like this; do not emulate them. They were indeed your forbearers, yet should you not follow their example, they cease to be so for you; although born of them, you are not bound to repeat their ways. If Gentiles from distant lands, as it is written in Jeremiah, “The Gentiles shall come to you from the ends of the earth, and they shall say, Surely our ancestors inherited nothing but lies, emptiness, and worthless things” (Jeremiah 16:19), if they abandon their idols and approach the God of Israel, should not Israel—whom God liberated from Egypt through the Red Sea (Exodus 14:21-22), defeating their pursuers, and who sustained in the wilderness with manna (Exodus 16:13-35)—should not they, even amidst trials, persist in devotion when the Gentiles turn to Him? When your fathers challenged Me, tested My works....
“For forty years I was grieved with this generation and I said: ‘These are a people who go astray in their hearts; they have not known My ways’” (Psalm 94:10). The meaning of forty resonates with “always.” It signifies the full expanse of ages, as if that completion is found within the number. Thus, our Lord endured forty days of fasting and temptation in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1-11), and He was with His disciples for forty days following His resurrection (Acts 1:3). In the initial forty days, He demonstrated the trials of humanity, while in the latter period, He shared comfort; for indeed, when we face temptations, we also find consolation. His Body, the Church, must weather trials in this world; yet the Comforter assures us, “Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20) ensuring His presence. Throughout those forty years, He remained with a rebellious people, extending to the end of the world: He intended through those years to signify the entire duration of earthly existence.