Chapter 61

Ps.61:1. Finally, O Idithum, a psalm to David. Idifum was one of the leaders in the church of God. He, having fallen into sin, accepts this psalm from David, by which he is called to his former virtue. But David prophesies in the psalm both about the future deliverance of the entire human race through the Savior’s economy, and about the overthrow of mental enemies, and also offers people advice to turn away from vice, reminding them of God’s judgment. Ps.61:2. Will not my soul obey God? Although you have wavered, O soul, and fallen from the state in which virtue placed you, obey the Lord. He will protect and save you from even greater hesitations. Ps.61:3. For He is my God. He will grant salvation to those who are offended by you, and will certainly free you from your malice. Ps.61:4. How long will you stay with a person? He reproaches the opposing forces for attacking human nature, which is prone to evil and, due to natural weakness, is like a “bowed wall,” ready to fall, and “a stronghold raised.” Ps.61:5. Otherwise, reject the price of my consultation. For they almost deprived us of our very reason, forcing us to bow to trees and stones, so that it could be said about us: “this man has no understanding of honor” (Ps. 48:13). Such are your enemies, soul, but you surrender yourself into slavery to God. And then he adds: from Him I hope this too, i.e. that with His help I will achieve salvation, and He will not allow me to become a deserter and a fugitive, or to seek another dominion over myself. For I expect salvation and help from the fact that I trust in Him. Along this path, he says, opposing forces flowed, eager to deprive me of honor. I bless my lips, and I pray with my heart. He says this because demons, instilling pleasant things in us, through this very thing make us children of curse. Ps.61:6. Otherwise, my soul obey God. Again he turns his speech to the soul, urging it to remain in obedience to God, He shows the greatness of temptations, and says what the Apostle said: “Who will not leave you to be tempted more than you can... suffer” (1 Cor. 10:13). Ps.61:8. In God is my salvation and my glory. In Him I place the hope of salvation and glory, that is, He will both save and make me glorious, making me a conqueror of my enemies. Ps.61:9. Trust in Him, the whole multitude of people. In it, having prepared the path to repentance for himself, he calls others to do the same, and at the same time prophetically foreshadows the calling of all pagans. Pour out your hearts to Him. As if he were saying this: do not approach Him with a double heart, but as it is written: “Thou shalt love the Lord Thy God with all thy heart...and with all thy mind” (Matthew 22:37). Ps.61:10. Otherwise, the vanity of the sons of humanity. Knowing that everyone will accept the gospel calling, he calls the unbelievers unfortunate, and especially the Jewish leaders, who were “lies,” as those who rejected the truth, and not only lied “in terms of measures” and scales, but also gathered for “vanity,” because, truly, their malice against the Savior was vain. Ps.61:11. Do not trust in untruth, and do not desire admiration. He says this because they plotted against Him out of covetousness, hoping to take advantage of the people’s fruits according to the Law. Ps.61:12. By one the verb God, I heard this two; before the power of God. God announced the word about judgment, and I heard “these two”: firstly, that he will reward with wrath those who, due to the multitude of sins, require wrath, and secondly, that he will give mercy to those who have done something worthy of mercy. For “power” means anger and severity towards those worthy of it. You might be interested in: