Interpretation of Psalm 59

“Interpretation of Psalm 59” was written by St. Maximus the Confessor in Cyzicus (now Balkyz (or Belkis), near Erdek, Turkey) around 626. This is an in-depth and multifaceted analysis of one of the psalms of King David, revealing its spiritual and prophetic meaning. St. Maximus begins the interpretation by considering the circumstances under which David wrote the 59th Psalm. He points to Saul's persecution and persecution, as well as David's internal struggle with temptation and sinful thoughts. The central element of interpretation is to consider the psalm as a prophecy about Christ and His Church. David, persecuted by his enemies, appears as a prototype of Christ, who suffered from persecution and slander. His enemies symbolize the forces of evil and sin seeking to destroy the Church. David's cry for help to God is seen as Christ's prayer to the Father. In addition to the allegorical meaning, St. Maxim reveals the spiritual meaning of the psalm for every Christian. He explains that every believer is subjected to spiritual warfare with sinful thoughts and temptations. The psalm teaches us how to resist these temptations by relying on God's help and demonstrating virtues. The author pays special attention to Trinitarian theology. He sees the psalm as a reflection of the relationship between the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. David's prayer to God is understood as an appeal to the Holy Trinity. In the end, about those who want to change, for the pillar of David, for the teaching, when you burned the middle of Syria, and Syria of Sobal, and Joab returned and smote Edom into the wilds of Soleil, 12 thousand. This psalm is inscribed: Ps.59:1–2. In the end, about those who want to change, because at the end of times, as a result of the coming of Christ, there occurs, by the voluntary will and choice of [everyone], a change and transition of people from unbelief to faith, from depravity to virtue and from ignorance to the knowledge of God; and also because then, at the consummation of centuries, thanks to the same Savior and our God, there will occur, through the hoped-for Resurrection, a universal and natural renewal in grace and a change in the entire human race from death and corruption to eternal life and incorruptibility. - that is, Christ Himself, because thanks to His divine Incarnation, like a pillar, the destruction of depravity has already occurred in Him as the Forefather and Savior, and after Him in those who piously live according to Christ; and also because through Him the complete destruction of death and corruption will yet take place. For teaching, he once burned the Syrian region, and Syria Sovalskaya, - the psalm is written as a teaching to us, who are changing and will change (it is clear that we are talking about a praiseworthy and divine change) by the spiritual David, that is, by Christ [our] God. For He alone is the true King of Israel, who sees God, since He is the Destroyer of all malice and ignorance, as well as the Conqueror of all time and nature, through which depravity arises in us. He “burned the Media,” communicating with us through the flesh, that is, he burned [our] state of depravity, flooded by unnatural carnal passions. And “Syria of Soval”, that is, [our sinful] spiritual disposition, enslaved by time or seduced by this age. For “Sovalskaya” is interpreted as “seven,” and this clearly indicates the uniqueness of time, which is sevenfold. After all, the devil has a habit, contrary to virtue and knowledge, of setting nature and time into motion in harmony with himself, starting an invisible war, as Adraazar [set in motion] the two Syrians against David (2 Sam. 10). And “Adraazar,” if we translate this word into Greek, means “dissolving power” or “destroying power,” which is the devil, who, through deception, destroyed from the beginning, through violation of the divine commandment, the spiritual power of our nature, enslaving man to time and nature. For without this, that is, without something subject to time and nature, he is completely unable to wage war with people. And Joab returned and smote Edom into the wilds of Soleil, 12 thousand. For every commander of the spiritual King David, that is, our Lord Jesus, wages war against the opposing forces and defeats 12 thousand in the Valley of Soleil. The Valley of Salts is flesh, which, due to disobedience, has become a despicable land of passions. In it, as if in a valley, every pious and God-loving person defeats nature and time through reason and contemplation. Or [in other words]: in such people, due to the sublimity of their virtues and knowledge, the unreasonable anticipation of the soul is in no way subject to the power of the laws of nature and time. And the number twelve signifies this nature and time, since nature is fivefold due to the senses, and time is sevenfold, as is obvious to everyone. And five combined with seven makes the number twelve. It is also possible that the number of those killed signifies the trinity of the forces of the soul, which, contrary to nature and as a result of [the devil’s] deception, was combined and united in an evil way with the quaternity of sensory [elements] - and this usually leads to the emergence of any sin. He will be valiantly defeated by the one who cooperates with the spiritual David in the struggle for the truth; who, as a leader, enters into invisible battles and, spiritually prepared, resists evil forces. For it is inherent in every faculty of the soul, moved contrary to nature, to be closely intertwined with the sensory [elements]. Therefore, when the rational, violent and desirable principles - the three main forces of the soul - are subordinate to the sensual [elements], of which there are four, then the number twelve arises. After all, four and in addition three more (or three and in addition four more), added to five, make up exactly this number. It is destroyed by the one who approaches the Lord with faith and is distinguished by valor in the struggle against every invisible and hostile spirit. This psalm is inscribed “for those who want to change,” that is, for us, “to teach” those benefits that are bestowed by the spiritual David. “In the pillars of David,” that is, in the proclamation of His divine and saving deeds for our sake. For, according to knowledgeable interpreters of such words, “writing the pillars” means “proclamation of good works.” Ps.59:3. God, you rejected us and deposed us, you were angry and you showed mercy to us. God rejected us when we, having initially disobeyed [His] commandment, showed ourselves unworthy of communicating with Him face to face.” He deposed us when, due to our depravity, he expelled us from the heights of heavenly glory. He became angry when, in revenge and punishment for our depravity, he put us to death. And He showed mercy to us when, through His Only Begotten Son, the incarnate God of the Word, who took upon Himself all our debts, He redeemed us from death and again raised us to His glory. Ps.59:4. Thou hast shaken the earth and troubled it, heal its contrition by moving. [God] shook and troubled our earth, that is, [our] heart, giving us a spiritual sword (Heb. 4:12), which wisely separates the best from the worst, erects the law of the spirit against the law of the flesh, creates in us a praiseworthy war against the passions, shakes their dense mass and, in anticipation, revolts the conscience against unseemly memories. And through spiritual rebirth in grace it heals the contrition of the heart that it endured, having initially fallen and wavered through disobedience and violation [of the commandment given] in paradise. Ps.59:5-8. Thou hast shown Thy people to be cruel, Thou hast given us to drink the wine of tenderness. Thou hast given a sign to those who fear Thee, so that they may flee from the face of the bow. For may Thy beloved be delivered. God shows cruelty to those who fear Him through the commandments, offering them, in accordance with active wisdom, ways to mortify the body. Or vice versa: humanely educating us for our benefit through diverse Providence and Judgment, He shows cruelty to those who do not want to voluntarily bear the divine yoke of the law of [His] commandments. And He gives us the wine of tenderness when He gives us, in accordance with spiritual contemplation, the knowledge that follows purification through action. For all spiritual knowledge touches the heart and evokes a feeling of [humility before] the greatness of the Divine benefits shown to us. And he gives a sign to those who fear Him to flee from the sight of the bow, teaching them to bear in their body the death of Jesus (2 Cor. 4:10), thanks to which He showed the complete inactivity of sin. For the true sign is that power which, through the Cross, mortifies the carnal mind. “Flee from the face of the bow” [means flight] from the deceptive appearance of existing [things]. After all, the face of the bow, that is, the demonic passions of each [person], is a bodily phenomenon [of visible things], which excites the feeling, wounds it like an arrow and excites it inappropriately. That is why Scripture says that those who fear the Lord must flee from the face of the bow, and not from the “bow.” For the “bow” of sin, being without its “face,” can do nothing against those who fear the Lord. “So that the beloved of God may be delivered.” The beloved of God are those who, when contemplating, contain within themselves the thoughts of Divine knowledge - they are delivered from all lies and from all images of virtues that arise during [spiritual] work that disturb the soul in anticipation of sinful memories. Save with Your right hand and hear me. God said in His holiness: I will rejoice and divide Sikima and measure out a vale of dwellings. God saves with His right hand, giving His Only Begotten Son as redemption for the salvation of the world, for the Son is the Right Hand of the Father. And He listens, giving to the righteous, in addition to the remission of sins, also spiritual gifts. After all, God hears the one who prays to Him and gives him remission of sins through repentance, and then He listens, granting, in addition to this, the ability to work miracles through spiritual grace. He speaks in His holy, that is, in His incarnate Word, proclaiming through the House of God according to the flesh of Christ Himself His Divine purpose, hidden from centuries and from generations. Thanks to His loving presence among us, [God] seems to clearly call [to us], giving to those who live as an example of eternal life an example of good deeds - an image of a louder voice. He also speaks in every saint who keeps His commandments, as if revealing through the works of the saints living words that are louder than any voice. The righteous rejoices when, having achieved perfection through the grace of the Only Begotten, he becomes strong enough to share Sikima, that is, to offer others, in proportion to reliable experience and based on it, courageous images of virtues in [spiritual] work. For "Sikima" is interpreted as "shoulder", which means the skill of abstinence from all passions and the skill of practicing virtues. After all, as they say, the shoulder is a symbol of doing. And [God] measures the “vale of dwellings,” that is, he assigns, according to natural contemplation, to each of the beings the logoi appropriate to [him]. For the “vale of dwellings” is the present world, in which, due to the difference in the spiritual predispositions and frames of mind of each, there is no inviolability of everything, and our life here is like life in tents pitched for a short time. Or: “the vale of dwellings” are images of the virtues that [God] wisely divides among those who are taught, bestowing an education appropriate to the spiritual properties of each and protecting the [spiritual] treasures they have acquired. For [God] knows how, through good teaching, he can give everyone the path leading to salvation. Or: “the valley of dwellings” are the churches of the believing peoples, which were established throughout the entire universe by Christ the Savior and our God. This [explanation] is, I think, more obvious than others. Finally, the “vale of dwellings” is measured by the one who embraces the corporeal world with [his spiritual] knowledge, like a vale of dwellings. For in Scripture the body is often called a “dwelling place.” Ps.59:9–10. Mine is Gilead, and mine is Manasseh, and Ephraim is the fortress of my head. Gilead, according to one interpretation of the word, means "revelation." And “Manasseh” is interpreted as “oblivion.” Revelation and oblivion are naturally combined with [a person] righteous. For he perceives initiation through the contemplation of the ineffable [mysteries], and oblivion through the works of virtue. And, as a consequence of these labors, [he tastes] the joy of spiritual contemplation. “Ephraim” is interpreted as “expansion,” and this is an unshakable hope for future blessings, which is the “intercession” of the head of the righteous, that is, faith. For the “head” of every righteous [person] and every good work is hope. Unshakable hope in future blessings is the unshakable strength of faith. As a result of this hope, we, expanded by sorrows, contemplate the future as the present, and remain unbending in temptations. Judah is my king, Moab is the land of my hope. Jude is interpreted as “confession,” for among saints, confession always begins with prayer. But “Judas” can also be understood as the Lord, Who is the true King of spiritual Israel and [every person] who sees God. Having become a man for our sake, He, confessing to the Father, says: “I confess this, Holy Father” (Matthew 11:25). "Moab" is interpreted as "the bosom of the father." By it is meant our body, through which, in accordance with active wisdom (and it can be compared to a font), cleansing from sins occurs, just as the body is washed in a bath. After all, purification is the washing of hope, that is, the readiness through a life of purity to inherit, according to hope, the blessings [originally] prepared for us. “Moab” can also mean the Incarnation of the Lord. For our sake, He became the Son of Man and the true Font of our hope, that is, the One who cleanses us from dirt and filth that arise as a result of our sinfulness. I will stretch my boot on Idumea. "Idumea" is interpreted as "blood-red clay"; by it we can also understand the flesh of the Lord, in which, as if in shoes, He came to people. For otherwise it is impossible for a creature to comprehend the Creator, since by nature He is limitless and incomprehensible. By “Idumea” we can also understand the flesh of each of us. The boot extends over it, that is, asceticism and abstinence, protecting the soul from the evil thorns and thorns of the devil - this is how the “boot” should be understood. For without asceticism and abstinence, a fighter of piety is unable to overcome carnal passions. The “boot of the soul” can also be understood as a feeling that is mortified through reason and contemplation. Through this feeling the soul enters into communication with sensory things and, passing unharmed through this age, through sensation (as if through a boot) perceives the logoi of sensory things, represented in their figurative and visible differences. It then focuses on the knowledge and comprehension of the one, only and reigning Word. The foreigners have submitted to me. When the Lord appeared in the flesh in the places where we lived, He subdued by the power of His might not only the spirits of evil that He had conquered, but also subdued all the nations who responded to the call of the Gospel preaching. Foreigners also submit to every righteous [person] when he steps, as if with a boot on the ground, by his abstinence against the carnal law of sin and destroys not only the unclean passions that have made a nest for themselves in the flesh, but also [destroys] the evil demons that prompt them to action. Ps.59:11. Who will lead me into the city of enclosure? The “city of enclosure” is wisdom, formed from many divine and mysterious speculations, which, as one interpreter said, is surrounded and fenced by strongholds of virtues. Or in other words: “the city of protection” is that mental state in which a truly pious and God-loving husband becomes unapproachable and invulnerable to enemies, thanks to the wall of holy Powers protecting him. In addition, the “city of enclosure” is a soul protected by a wall of [righteous] life and reason, and also filled with the gifts of all virtues. Finally, the “city of enclosure” is a skill in true and firm knowledge, surrounded by a wall of all moral, natural and theological speculations. Every righteous [person] is brought to this city, and God alone serves as his guide, attracting all [people] to Himself with the inexpressible greatness of His Goodness. Or who will guide me to Edom? “Idumea, as the previous reasoning has shown, is a created universe, accessible to [our] perception. Within this universe, natural contemplation revolves, [carried out] in the spirit. And according to such contemplation, “from the greatness of the beauty of creatures, the Author [of their existence] is comparatively known” (Wis. 13:5). And he is known by those who piously devote themselves to knowledge existing. Or again: “[Idumea] is] active philosophy, [carried out] through the flesh for the sake of virtues. Thanks to such wisdom, our body becomes a temple of the Holy Spirit, being built together [with the fulfillment] of the beautiful commandments. And the Lord Himself again leads [us] to this wisdom, giving to those who love Him the knowledge of visible [things] and teaching them to mortify the members of this earthly and corruptible flesh. Or, to put it briefly, the “city of enclosure” is the spiritual contemplation of the intelligible, and “Idumea” is the knowledge of the sensible. The only Wisdom of God the Father – His Only Begotten Son – leads [us] to them. Therefore, the prophet who leads [us] says Ps.59:12. Is it not You, O God, who rejected us? That is, You, God, who from the beginning rejected us as a result of [our sin, now] out of compassion, taking pity on us, leads us into the city of the fence and brings us all the way to Idumea, as [this can be seen] from the previous interpretation. And you will not go away, O God, in our power. For God will not come against the one who trusts [only] in himself, who trusts in his bow and engraves his salvation on the sword. But, of course, God will go out to battle against invisible enemies and [come to the aid] of those who, together with God Himself, gore the enemies with their horns and in His name destroy those who rise up against them (Ps. 44:6-7). Ps.59:13. Give us help from sorrow, and human salvation is in vain. The Prophet, on behalf of the common [human] nature, begs God and the Savior to grant us help from the sorrow that, as a result of sin, has spread throughout [our] entire nature and pushed it back to the very gates of hell. Tribulation is, in my opinion, the tyranny and dominion of death and corruption, and help is the firm hope of resurrection given by grace. It is to him that pious [people] turn [their] gaze, courageously enduring the ignominy of death. Or: sorrow is labor for the sake of virtue, and help is dispassion received by such labor, by the grace of God. Compared to this dispassion, all human salvation is [simply] vanity and complete nothingness. This is how vanity should be understood. Ps.59:14. Let us create strength in God, and He will subdue those who suffer us. Those who create power in God are those who do not attribute to themselves success in virtue and do not attribute the comprehension of Divine mysteries to their own wisdom. The One and Only God Himself dwells entirely in them, Who creates all virtue and bestows knowledge, dispelling evil demons who oppose virtue and knowledge and seek, through vice and ignorance, to oppress those who fear God. For He, being the creator of all things, is also the Savior of all. To him belongs glory forever. Amen. You might be interested in: