Chapter 51

Ps.51:1. Finally, peace of mind to David, Ps.51:2. At some point Doik Edomite came and told Saul, and said to him, “David has come to the house of Abimelech.” When David was fleeing from the presence of Saul, and on the way he entered the house of Abimelech, ate the priestly bread, and took the sword of Goliath, then someone comes and informs Saul about this. It was the Syrian Doeg, who irritated Saul’s soul so much that Saul sent to destroy the entire priestly city and not even spare their livestock (1 Sam. 22:18-19). Hearing about this, David utters the proposed psalm, turning his reproachful speech to the face of the Syrian. But it also relates to the face of the Jewish people, and also to the face of Judah. The psalm contains both the promise of future blessings and the installation of the saints of God in the house of God, as it is said in it: “I am like an olive tree that is fruitful in the house of God” (Ps. 51:10). Therefore, in the inscription of the psalm it is said: “of reason” and “to the end.” For much intelligence is needed to know the economic mystery of Him who is according to the flesh from David. Ps.51:3. Why do you boast in your anger, the stronger? The word is addressed as if to the Syrian himself, or to the devil operating in him. Ps.51:4. As if you have created a cunning razor for flattery. He says this because he destroyed the entire priestly city like a razor. Ps.51:5. You loved evil more than goodness. For he acted unfairly by lying against the priest and all the others who were with him, saying about him, which was not done, because in the words: as if Abimelech asked God about David, there was a lie, not the truth. Ps.51:6. Thou hast loved all the verbs of the flood, and the flattering tongue. For in everything he acted maliciously, out of hatred, desiring death for the priest and all the others killed with him. Therefore, Doik’s lying words are called “flood verbs,” for Doik, with his words, seemed to plunge the entire priestly city into the depths. Ps.51:7. For this reason, God will destroy you completely. This can rightly be said about the rulers of the Jews and about Judas himself, because they loved what is harmful. “To the end,” that is, completely. casting down the proud as not firmly established, but ill-planted He will delight you and make you dwell, For they were carried away from their sacred tabernacle, having been taken into captivity for the crucifixion of the Lord. And your root is from the land of the living. This is similar to what was said: “let them be consumed of the book of the living” (Ps. 68:29). Ps.51:8. They will see the righteous and fear. For when the wicked are destroyed, the righteous also come into fear. And you, he says, will endure this, and the righteous, that is, your people, seeing your death, will be overcome with fear, because your execution is enough to frighten them, although it will be beneficial for them that you endure it. Ps.51:9. Behold the man who has not made God his helper, but has trusted in the abundance of his wealth. For the traitor preferred to take the money rather than have Jesus as his assistant. that is, he strengthened himself in filling his vain heart, and did not stop wickedness, repenting of it. Well he called wealth and power vanity, as experience itself has shown; because they brought no benefit either to Doik or to the Assyrians, when the latter were struck by the coming of a single Angel and lay unburied. Ps.51:10. I am like an olive tree that is fruitful. For the glory of those who believe in Christ does not fade away. “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace,” and so on. (Gal. 5:22). Having this fruit in himself, the Saint said: “I am like an olive tree that is fruitful.” He likens himself to a fruitful olive tree, because the alms that prevailed in him were naturally followed by other virtues. Thus, we call Job courageous, Joseph chaste, and others by other names, according to the virtue that predominates in them. I trust in the mercy of God forever. The Divine Scriptures call the Lord the mercy of God, because through Him mercy was shown to us; and He “led” in Himself and recreated “all things” (Eph. 1:10). Ps.51:11. And I endure Your name, for it is good before Your saints. In Your name, he says, I will trust and will proclaim it before all Your saints. This will be both useful and good for me. You might be interested in: