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Translation
King James Version
But I am poor and sorrowful: let thy salvation, O God, set me up on high.
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KJV (with Strong's)
But I am poor H6041 and sorrowful H3510 H8802: let thy salvation H3444, O God H430, set me up on high H7682 H8762.
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Complete Jewish Bible
Meanwhile, I am afflicted and hurting; God, let your saving power raise me up.
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Berean Standard Bible
But I am in pain and distress; let Your salvation protect me, O God.
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American Standard Version
But I am poor and sorrowful: Let thy salvation, O God, set me up on high.
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World English Bible Messianic
But I am in pain and distress. Let your salvation, God, protect me.
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Geneva Bible (1599)
When I am poore and in heauinesse, thine helpe, O God, shall exalt me.
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Young's Literal Translation
And I am afflicted and pained, Thy salvation, O God, doth set me on high.
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Study This Verse

SUMMARY

Psalms 69:29 encapsulates the psalmist's profound state of destitution and grief, articulating a desperate and humble plea for divine intervention. It is a fervent prayer for God's comprehensive salvation to lift him from his low and vulnerable condition, securing him in a place of safety, vindication, and exaltation, thereby demonstrating an unwavering trust in God's power to deliver and restore.

CONTEXT

  • Literary Context: Psalms 69 is a deeply personal and intense lament, often categorized as an imprecatory psalm due to its strong petitions against enemies. Verse 29 emerges from a narrative of overwhelming suffering, rejection, and unmerited hatred from adversaries. The psalmist has described being overwhelmed by troubles, feeling alienated even from family, and enduring reproach for his devotion to God. This verse, positioned towards the latter part of the psalm (before the final vows of praise), represents a direct, personal plea for rescue, transitioning from detailed complaints and imprecations to an earnest, humble request for God's saving action. It underscores the psalmist's persistent hope and reliance on God despite the depths of his despair, serving as a pivot point from complaint to a hopeful petition for divine vindication.
  • Historical & Cultural Context: While traditionally attributed to David and reflecting experiences of unjust persecution, the specific historical circumstances are not explicitly detailed, allowing for broader application. In ancient Israel, "poor and sorrowful" (Hebrew: ʿānî wĕkōʾēḇ) often described not just economic destitution but a state of social oppression, vulnerability, and deep emotional or physical suffering due to injustice or affliction. To be "set up on high" (Hebrew: śāḡaḇ) implied divine vindication, protection from enemies, and restoration to a position of honor and security, a common aspiration for the righteous sufferer in a society where public shame and honor were paramount. The psalmist's cry reflects the cultural expectation that God, as the ultimate righteous judge, would intervene on behalf of the humble and oppressed, elevating them above their adversaries and circumstances.
  • Key Themes: This verse powerfully contributes to several key themes within Psalms 69 and the Psalter. Firstly, it highlights the theme of Suffering and Lament, portraying the psalmist's profound distress and vulnerability, a recurring motif for the righteous in the face of adversity. Secondly, it underscores Dependence on God, as the psalmist, stripped of all human recourse, places his entire hope in divine salvation, echoing the broader biblical truth that God draws near to the brokenhearted as seen in Psalm 34:18. Thirdly, the plea to be "set me up on high" speaks to the theme of Divine Vindication and Exaltation, expressing a deep trust that God will ultimately lift up the humble and oppressed, a principle affirmed in passages like James 4:10 and 1 Peter 5:6.

EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

Key Word Analysis

  • Poor (Hebrew, ʻânî', H6041): This term signifies more than mere economic poverty. It refers to one who is depressed, afflicted, humble, lowly, needy, or in a state of distress. It conveys a sense of vulnerability and dependence, often resulting from external pressures or injustice. The psalmist identifies with this state of profound helplessness and oppression.
  • Sorrowful (Hebrew, kâʼab', H3510): This word emphasizes the deep emotional and physical anguish experienced by the psalmist. Derived from a root meaning "to feel pain" or "to grieve," it paints a picture of intense suffering, complementing the state of affliction conveyed by ʻânî'.
  • Salvation (Hebrew, yᵉshûwʻâh', H3444): This is a rich theological term meaning deliverance, aid, victory, prosperity, health, or help. It encompasses a comprehensive act of God's saving power, implying a complete rescue from all forms of trouble, danger, and oppression, leading to a state of well-being and security.
  • God (Hebrew, ʼĕlôhîym', H430): This plural noun, used here with the article, specifically refers to the supreme God. It highlights the psalmist's appeal to the ultimate divine authority and power, emphasizing that only the sovereign God can provide the desired deliverance.
  • Set me up on high (Hebrew, sâgab', H7682): This verb means "to be lofty," "to be inaccessible," "to be safe," or "to be strong." It denotes being placed beyond the reach of harm, elevated to a position of security, honor, and protection by God. It implies divine lifting and vindication over one's adversaries and circumstances.

Verse Breakdown

  • "But I [am] poor and sorrowful": This clause starkly contrasts the psalmist's current state with either his enemies' perceived prosperity or his own former state of peace. It is a raw, honest declaration of profound personal affliction, vulnerability, and deep emotional pain. The psalmist acknowledges his utter destitution and suffering, laying bare his desperate condition before God, highlighting his absolute need for divine intervention.
  • "let thy salvation, O God, set me up on high": This is the heart of the petition, a direct and urgent cry for divine intervention. "Thy salvation" emphasizes that the rescue must come from God alone, highlighting His unique power to deliver comprehensively. The phrase "O God" is a direct address, intensifying the plea. "Set me up on high" expresses a desire for God to elevate him above his troubles, beyond the reach of his enemies, into a position of security, honor, and vindication. It is a plea for comprehensive deliverance and restoration, a transformation from the lowest depths to a place of divine protection and exaltation.

Literary Devices

The verse employs several powerful literary devices that amplify its emotional and theological impact. Contrast is immediately evident in the opening "But I," which sharply juxtaposes the psalmist's current lowly, suffering state against an implied background of his enemies' actions or the world's indifference. The phrase "set me up on high" functions as a potent Metaphor and Imagery, using spatial elevation to represent spiritual, social, and physical security, honor, and triumph over adversity. This imagery vividly portrays God's power to lift the oppressed. The direct address, "O God," is an example of Apostrophe, lending urgency, intimacy, and profound reverence to the prayer, emphasizing the psalmist's personal and direct appeal to the divine. The entire verse, within the larger psalm, is a clear example of Lament and Petition, a common genre in the Psalter where the sufferer pours out their distress and makes specific requests for divine aid, demonstrating a profound reliance on God's character and power.

THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS

Psalms 69:29 profoundly illustrates the biblical truth that God attends to the humble and afflicted. The psalmist's declaration of being "poor and sorrowful" is not a sign of weakness to be overcome by self-reliance, but rather a posture of utter dependence that invites God's powerful intervention. This verse underscores the paradox of the kingdom: true strength is found in acknowledging one's weakness and relying on God's strength. It affirms God's character as the one who lifts up the lowly, vindicates the oppressed, and provides comprehensive salvation, transforming despair into exaltation. This divine pattern assures believers that even in their deepest valleys of suffering, God's redemptive power is active and available, demonstrating His faithfulness to those who humble themselves before Him.

REFLECTION AND APPLICATION

Psalms 69:29 offers profound encouragement for believers navigating their own seasons of distress and vulnerability. It teaches us the vital spiritual discipline of honest lament—bringing our true, unvarnished state of "poor and sorrowful" before God, rather than pretending strength or self-sufficiency. In a world that often values power and independence, this verse reminds us that our greatest hope lies not in our own efforts to "set ourselves up on high," but in humbly trusting God's sovereign power to deliver and exalt us. When we feel overwhelmed by life's burdens, rejected, or in deep emotional pain, this verse invites us to cling to the assurance that God sees our suffering, hears our cry, and is uniquely capable of providing the comprehensive "salvation" that lifts us above our circumstances, securing us in His divine care and ultimately vindicating us. It is a call to radical dependence and unwavering hope in the God who exalts the humble, transforming our deepest sorrows into opportunities for His glorious intervention.

Questions for Reflection

  • How does acknowledging our "poor and sorrowful" state open us up to God's intervention and grace?
  • In what specific areas of your life do you currently need God's "salvation" to "set you up on high"?
  • What does this verse teach us about the nature of true humility and dependence on God in the midst of suffering?

FAQ

Is Psalm 69 considered a Messianic Psalm, and how does verse 29 fit into that understanding?

Answer: Yes, Psalm 69 is widely considered one of the most significant Messianic psalms in the Old Testament, frequently quoted or alluded to in the New Testament concerning the life and suffering of Jesus Christ. While verse 29 ("But I [am] poor and sorrowful: let thy salvation, O God, set me up on high") is not directly quoted in the New Testament, its themes resonate deeply with Christ's experience. The psalmist's profound suffering, rejection, and sense of being "poor and sorrowful" align with Jesus's own humility, self-emptying, and the immense sorrow He experienced, particularly during His passion (e.g., Isaiah 53:3 and Matthew 26:38). The plea for God's "salvation" to "set me up on high" finds its ultimate fulfillment in Christ's resurrection and ascension, where God supremely exalted Him after His profound humiliation and suffering on the cross (e.g., Philippians 2:8-11). Thus, verse 29, though not a direct prophecy, embodies the spirit of Christ's suffering and subsequent divine vindication.

What is the deeper meaning of "poor and sorrowful" in this context?

Answer: The phrase "poor and sorrowful" (Hebrew: ʿānî wĕkōʾēḇ) goes beyond a mere description of economic status. ʿānî refers to one who is afflicted, humble, oppressed, or lowly, often due to external circumstances, injustice, or persecution. It speaks to a state of vulnerability and dependence. kōʾēḇ signifies deep pain, grief, or suffering, encompassing both emotional and possibly physical anguish. Together, these terms paint a comprehensive picture of the psalmist's profound distress and helplessness. He is not just lacking material wealth, but is experiencing a spiritual and emotional destitution, feeling utterly abandoned and overwhelmed by his adversaries and circumstances. This deep state of affliction drives him to complete reliance on God for rescue and vindication, highlighting that true "poverty" can be a spiritual posture that opens one up to divine grace and intervention.

CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT

Psalms 69:29 finds its most profound Christ-centered fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus. The psalmist's cry, "But I am poor and sorrowful," echoes the very heart of Christ's incarnation. Though He was rich, He became poor for our sake, that through His poverty we might become rich (2 Corinthians 8:9). Jesus, the "Man of Sorrows, and acquainted with grief" (Isaiah 53:3), perfectly embodied the "poor and sorrowful" state, enduring rejection, humiliation, and unimaginable suffering, even to the point of death on a cross (Philippians 2:8). His desperate cry from the cross, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (Matthew 27:46), resonates with the psalmist's lament. Yet, it was precisely through this ultimate humiliation and suffering that God's "salvation" supremely "set Him up on high." The resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ are God's ultimate act of vindication and exaltation, raising Him to the highest place, where every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord (Philippians 2:9-11). Thus, the psalmist's plea for personal deliverance becomes a prophetic foreshadowing of the Lamb of God, who, through His suffering, secured salvation and was gloriously exalted, offering hope and eternal life to all who believe in Him (John 1:29).

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Commentary on Psalms 69 verses 22–29

I. II. Main points1. 2. Sub-points

These imprecations are not David's prayers against his enemies, but prophecies of the destruction of Christ's persecutors, especially the Jewish nation, which our Lord himself foretold with tears, and which was accomplished about forty years after the death of Christ. The first two verses of this paragraph are expressly applied to the judgments of God upon the unbelieving Jews by the apostle (Rom 11:9, Rom 11:10), and therefore the whole must look that way. The rejection of the Jews for rejecting Christ, as it was a signal instance of God's justice and an earnest of the vengeance which God will at last take on all that are obstinate in their infidelity, so it was, and continues to be, a convincing proof of the truth of the Christian religion. One great objection against it, at first, was, that it set aside the ceremonial law; but its doing so was effectually justified, and that objection removed, when God so remarkably set it aside by the utter destruction of the temple, and the sinking of those, with the Mosaic economy, that obstinately adhered to it in opposition to the gospel of Christ. Let us observe here,

I. What the judgments are which should come upon the crucifiers of Christ; not upon all of them, for there were those who had a hand in his death and yet repented and found mercy (Act 2:23; Act 3:14, Act 3:15), but upon those of them and their successors who justified it by an obstinate infidelity and rejection of his gospel, and by an inveterate enmity to his disciples and followers. See Th1 2:15, Th1 2:16. It is here foretold,

1.That their sacrifices and offerings should be a mischief and prejudice to them (Psa 69:22): Let their table become a snare. This may be understood of the altar of the Lord, which is called his table and theirs because in feasting upon the sacrifices they were partakers of the altar. This should have been for their welfare or peace (for they were peace-offerings), but it became a snare and a trap to them; for by their affection and adherence to the altar they were held fast in their infidelity and hardened in their prejudices against Christ, that altar which those had no right to eat of who continued to serve the tabernacle, Heb 13:10. Or it may be understood of their common creature-comforts, even their necessary food; they had given Christ gall and vinegar, and therefore justly shall their meat and drink be made gall and vinegar to them. When the supports of life and delights of sense, through the corruption of our nature, become an occasion of sin to us, and are made the food and fuel of our sensuality, then our table is a snare, which is a good reason why we should never feed ourselves without fear, Jde 1:12.

2.That they should never have the comfort either of that knowledge or of that peace which believers are blessed with in the gospel of Christ (Psa 69:23), that they should be given up, (1.) To a judicial blindness: Let their eyes be darkened, that they see not the glory of God in the face of Christ. Their sin was that they would not see, but shut their eyes against the light, loving darkness rather; their punishment was that they should not see, but be given up to their own hearts' lusts, which were hardening, and the god of this world should be permitted to blind their minds, Co2 4:4. This was foretold concerning them (Isa 6:10), and Christ ratified it, Mat 13:14, Mat 13:15; Joh 12:40. (2.) To a judicial terror. There is a gracious terror, which opens the way to comfort, such as that of Paul (Act 9:6); he trembled and was astonished. But this is a terror that shall never end in peace, but shall make their loins continually to shake, through horror of conscience, as Belshazzar, when the joints of his loins were loosed. "Let them be driven to despair, and filled with constant confusion." This was fulfilled in the desperate counsels of the Jews when the Romans came upon them.

3.That they should fall and lie under God's anger and fiery indignation (Psa 69:24): Pour out thy indignation upon them. Note, Those who reject God's great salvation proffered to them may justly fear that his indignation will be poured out upon them; for those that submit not to the Son of his love will certainly be made the generation of his wrath. It is the doom passed on those who believe not in Christ that the wrath of God abideth on them (Joh 3:36); it takes hold of them, and will never let them go. Salvation itself will not save those that are not willing to be ruled by it. Behold the goodness and severity of God!

4.That their place and nation should be utterly taken away, the very thing they were afraid of, and to prevent which, as they pretended, they persecuted Christ (Joh 11:48): Let their habitation be desolate (Psa 69:25), which was fulfilled when their country was laid waste by the Romans, and Zion, for their sakes, was ploughed as a field, Mic 3:12. The temple was the house which they were in a particular manner proud of, but this was left unto them desolate, Mat 23:38. Yet that is not all; it ought to be some satisfaction to us, if we be cut off from the enjoyment of our possessions, that others will have the benefit of them when we are dislodged: but it is here added, Let none dwell in their tents, which was remarkably fulfilled in Judah and Jerusalem, for after the destruction of the Jews it was long ere the country was inhabited to any purpose. But this is applied particularly to Judas, by St. Peter, Act 1:20. For, he being felo de se - a suicide, we may suppose his estate was confiscated, so that his habitation was desolate and no man of his own kindred dwelt therein.

5.That their way to ruin should be downhill, and nothing should stop them, nor interpose to prevent it (Psa 69:27): "Lord, leave them to themselves, to add iniquity to iniquity." Those that are bad, if they be given up to their own hearts' lusts, will certainly be worse; they will add sin to sin, nay, they will add rebellion to their sin, Job 34:37. It is said of the Jews that they filled up their sin always, Th1 2:16. Add the punishment of iniquity to their iniquity (so some read it), for the same word signifies both sin and punishment, so close is their connexion. If men will sin, God will reckon for it. But those that have multiplied to sin may yet find mercy, for God multiplies to pardon, through the righteousness of the Mediator; and therefore, that they might be precluded from all hopes of mercy, he adds, Let them not come into thy righteousness, to receive the benefit of the righteousness of God, which is by faith in a Mediator, Phi 3:9. Not that God shuts out any from that righteousness, for the gospel excludes none that do not by their unbelief exclude themselves; but let them be left to take their own course and they will never come into this government; for being ignorant of the demands of God's righteousness, and going about to establish the merit of their own, they have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God, Rom 10:3. And those that are so proud and self-willed that they will not come into God's righteousness shall have their doom accordingly; they themselves have decided it: they shall not come into his righteousness. Let not those expect any benefit by it that are not willing and glad to be beholden to it.

6.That they should be cut off from all hopes of happiness (Psa 69:28): Let them be blotted out of the book of the living; let them not be suffered to live any longer, since, the longer they live, the more mischief they do. Multitudes of the unbelieving Jews fell by sword and famine, and none of those who had embraced the Christian faith perished among them; the nation, as a nation, was blotted out, and became not a people. Many understand it of their rejection from God's covenant and all the privileges of it; that is the book of the living: "Let the commonwealth of Israel itself, Israel according to the flesh, now become alienated from that covenant of promise which hitherto it has had the monopoly of. Let it appear that they were never written in the Lamb's book of life, but reprobate silver let men call them, because the Lord has rejected them. Let them not be written with the righteous; that is, let them not have a place in the congregation of the saints when they shall all be gathered in the general assembly of those whose names are written in heaven," Psa 1:5.

II. What the sin is for which these dreadful judgments should be brought upon them (Psa 69:26): They persecute him whom thou hast smitten, and talk to the grief of thy wounded. 1. Christ was he whom God had smitten, for it pleased the Lord to bruise him, and he was esteemed stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted, and therefore men hid their faces from him, Isa 53:3, Isa 53:4, Isa 53:10. They persecuted him with a rage reaching up to heaven; they cried, Crucify him, crucify him. Compare that of St. Peter with this, Act 2:23. Though he was delivered by the counsel and foreknowledge of God, it was with wicked hands that they crucified and slew him. They talked to the grief of the Lord Jesus when he was upon the cross, saying, He trusted in God, let him deliver him, than which nothing could be said more grieving. 2. The suffering saints were God's wounded, wounded in his cause and for his sake, and them they persecuted, and talked to their grief. For these things wrath came upon them to the uttermost, Th1 2:16; and see Mat 23:34, etc. This may be understood more generally, and it teaches us that nothing is more provoking to God than to insult over those whom he has smitten, and to add affliction to the afflicted, upon which it justly follows here, Add iniquity to iniquity; see Zac 1:15. Those that are of a wounded spirit, under trouble and fear about their spiritual state, ought to be very tenderly dealt with, and care must be taken not to talk to their grief and not to make the heart of the righteous sad.

III. What the psalmist thinks of himself in the midst of all (Psa 69:29): "But I am poor and sorrowful; that is the worst of my case, under outward afflictions, yet written among the righteous, and not under God's indignation as they are." It is better to be poor and sorrowful, with the blessing of God, than rich and jovial and under his curse. For those who come into God's righteousness shall soon see an end of their poverty and sorrow, and his salvation shall set them up on high, which is the thing that David here prays for, Isa 61:10. This may be applied to Christ. He was, in his humiliation, poor and sorrowful, a man of sorrows, and that had not where to lay his head. But God highly exalted him; the salvation wrought for him, the salvation wrought by him, set him up on high, far above all principalities and powers.

Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 22–29. Public domain.
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TertullianAD 220
AN ANSWER TO THE JEWS 12
A second time, in fact, let us show that Christ has already come, [as foretold] through the prophets, and has suffered, and has already been received back in the heavens and will come from there according to the predictions prophesied. For, after his advent, we read, according to Daniel, that the city itself had to be destroyed; and we recognize that it has indeed happened. For the Scripture says that “the city and the holy place are simultaneously destroyed together with the leader”—undoubtedly [that Leader] who was to come “from Bethlehem” and from the tribe of “Judah.” Whence, again, it is manifest that “the city must simultaneously be destroyed” at the time when its “Leader” had to suffer in it, [as foretold] through the Scriptures of the prophets, who say, “I have outstretched my hands the whole day to a rebellious people who contradict me, who walk in a way that is not good, but after their own sins.” And in the Psalms, David says, “They pierced my hands and feet: they counted all my bones; they themselves, moreover, stare and gloat over me, and for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.” David did not suffer these things so as to seem to have spoken properly of himself but of Christ who was crucified.
TertullianAD 220
ON THE RESURRECTION OF THE FLESH 20
Now, to counter all opinions of this kind, let me dispel at once the preliminary idea on which they13 rest their assertion that the prophets make all their announcements in figures of speech. Now, if this were true, the figures [of speech] themselves could not possibly have been distinguished, inasmuch as the truths would not have been declared, from which the figurative language is derived. And, indeed, if all are figures, where will that be of which they are the figures? How can you hold up a mirror to your face, if your face did not exist? But, in truth, all are not figures, but there are also literal statements; nor are all shadows, but there are bodies too, so that we even have prophecies about the Lord himself, which are clearer than daylight. For it was not figuratively that the Virgin conceived in her womb; nor in a trope did she bear Emmanuel, that is, Jesus, God with us. Even granting that he was figuratively to take the power of Damascus and the spoils of Samaria, still it was literally that he was to “enter into judgment with the elders and princes of the people.” For in the person of Pilate “the heathen raged,” and in the person of Israel “the people imagined vain things”; “the kings of the earth” in Herod, and the rulers in Annas and Caiaphas, were gathered together against the Lord and “against his anointed.” He, again, was “led as a sheep to the slaughter, and as a sheep before the shearer,” that is, Herod, “is dumb, so he opened not his mouth.” “He gave his back to scourges, and his cheek to blows, not turning his face even from the shame of spitting.” “He was numbered with the transgressors.” “He was pierced in his hands and his feet.” “They cast lots for his raiment”; “they gave him gall and made him drink vinegar”; “they shook their heads and mocked him.” “He was appraised by the traitor for thirty pieces of silver.” What figures of speech does Isaiah here give us? What tropes does David? What allegories does Jeremiah? Not even of his mighty works have they used parabolic language. Or else, were not the eyes of the blind opened? Did not the tongue of the dumb recover speech? Did not the relaxed hands and palsied knees become strong, and the lame leap as a hart? No doubt we are accustomed also to give a spiritual significance to these statements of prophecy, according to the analogy of the physical diseases that were healed by the Lord; but still they were all fulfilled literally, thus showing that the prophets foretold both senses, except that very many of their words can only be taken in a pure and simple signification and free from all allegorical obscurity, as when we hear of the downfall of nations and cities of Tyre.… Who would prefer affixing a metaphorical interpretation to all these events, instead of accepting their literal truth? The realities are involved in the words, just as the words are read in the realities. Thus, we find that the allegorical style is not used in all parts of the prophetic record, although it occasionally occurs in certain portions of it.
Aphrahat the Persian SageAD 345
DEMONSTRATIONS 17:10
And furthermore David said concerning his passion, “For my food they gave gall, and for my thirst they did give me vinegar to drink.” Again he said in that passage, “They have persecuted him whom you have struck and have added to the affliction of him that was slain.” For they added many [afflictions] to him, much that was not written concerning him, cursings and revilings, such as the Scripture could not reveal, for their revilings were hateful. But, however, “the Lord was pleased to humiliate him and afflict him.” And “he was slain for our iniquity,” and “was humiliated for our sins and was made sin in his own person.”
Basil of CaesareaAD 379
LETTER 242
Since the holy God has promised those who hope in him a means of escape from every affliction, we, even if we have been cut off in the midst of a sea of evils and are racked by the mighty waves stirred up against us by the spirits of wickedness, nevertheless endure in Christ who strengthens us, and we have not slackened the intensity of our zeal for the churches, nor do we, as in a storm when the waves rise high, expect destruction. We still hold fast to our earnest endeavors as much as is possible, sensible of the fact that he who was swallowed by the whale was considered deserving of safety because he did not despair of his life but cried out to the Lord. So, then, when we have reached the uttermost limit of evils, we do not stop hoping in the Lord, but we watch and see his help on all sides. Therefore, we have now turned also to you, our most honored brothers, whom we frequently expected to come to our aid in the time of tribulations. When we were disappointed in our hope, we also said to ourselves, “I looked for one that would pity me, but there was none, and for those that would comfort me, but I found none.” Our sufferings are such as to have reached even to the limits of our inhabited world; if, when one member suffers, all the members suffer along with it, surely it was proper for you in your mercy also to be compassionate toward us who have been suffering for a long time. Not the nearness of the places, but the union of spirit, is apt to engender the friendship that we believe is entertained for us by your charity.
Augustine of HippoAD 430
Exposition on Psalm 69
"Let them be blotted out from the book of the living" [Psalm 69:29]. For had they been some time written therein? Brethren, we must not so take it, as that God writes any one in the book of life, and blots him out. If a man said, "What I have written I have written," [John 19:22] concerning the title where it had been written, "King of the Jews:" does God write any one, and blot him out? He foreknows, He has predestined all before the foundation of the world that are to reign with His Son in life everlasting. [Romans 8:29] These He has written down, these same the Book of Life does contain. Lastly, in the Apocalypse, what says the Spirit of God, when the same Scripture was speaking of the oppressions that should be from Antichrist? "There shall give consent to him all they that have not been written in the book of life." [Revelation 13:8] So then without doubt they will not consent that have been written. How then are these men blotted out from that book wherein they were never written? This has been said according to their own hope, because they thought of themselves that they were written. What is, "let them be blotted out from the book of life"? Even to themselves let it be evident, that they were not there. By this method of speaking has been said in another Psalm, "There shall fall from Your side a thousand, and tens of thousands from on Your right hand:" that is, many men shall be offended, even out of that number who thought that they would sit with You, even out of that number who thought that they would stand at Your right hand, being severed from the left-hand goats: [Matthew 25:33] not that when any one has there stood, he shall afterwards fall, or when any one with Him has sat, he shall be cast away; but that many men were to fall into scandal, who already thought themselves to be there, that is, many that thought that they would sit with You, many that hoped that they would stand at the right hand, will themselves fall. So then here also they that hoped as though by the merit of their own righteousness themselves to have been written in the book of God, they to whom is said, "Search the Scriptures, wherein ye think yourselves to have life eternal:" [John 5:39] when their condemnation shall have been brought even to their own knowledge, shall be effaced from the book of the living, they shall know themselves not to be there. For the verse which follows, explains what has been said: "And with just men let them not be written." I have said then "Let them be effaced," according to their hope: but according to Your justice I say what?
Leo the GreatAD 461
SERMON 55:2
You have truly and in very many places read something that pertains to the detestable wickedness of your crime and to the voluntary suffering of the Lord. He himself speaks through Isaiah: “I gave my back to the scourges, my cheeks to striking hands; my face I did not shield from the insult of spittle.” He says through David, “They put gall in my food, and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.” On yet another occasion, he says through David, “Many dogs surround me, a pack of evildoers closes in on me. They have pierced my hands and my feet, they have numbered all my bones. They watched me carefully and examined me. They divided my garments among them and cast lots for my clothes.” Lest only the kind of your crime might seem to be predicted and the power of the crucified one not foretold, you certainly did not read that the Lord descended from the cross. You did, however, read, “The Lord has reigned from the cross.”
Caesarius of ArlesAD 542
SERMON 106:3
That cluster of grapes that was brought from the land of promise on a lever across the shoulders of two men further prefigured Christ. Just as it was hung on the wood and brought by the services of those two men, so Christ, who came from the flesh of a virgin as from the promised land, was between both Testaments, between the two peoples of the Jews and Gentiles, and was hung on the wood of the cross. Now of the two men who walked beneath the burden of that cluster of grapes, the first one signified the Jewish people of whom it is said, “Let their eyes grow dim so that they cannot see, and keep their backs always feeble.” However, the man who came after prefigured our people, that is, the Gentiles who believe and keep Christ before their eyes. They intend always to follow him as a servant does his master or a disciple his teacher, as the Lord says in the Gospel: “If anyone wishes to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me.” Moreover, this cluster of grapes poured forth the wine of his blood that was pressed out under the weight of the cross for our salvation and gave the church that chalice of his passion to drink. For this reason it was said to the apostles at the time of the birth of the church, “They are full of new wine.”
BedeAD 735
Commentary on Acts 1:20
“May his habitation become desolate, and may there be none to dwell in it, and may another take his office.” Indeed these verses are clear and plainly set forth by the blessed Peter’s interpretation. On the one hand Judas received a deserved penalty for his double-dealing, and as he went to his own proper place (namely, infernal hell), by his untimely and impious death he forsook the common dwelling place of the human way of life. On the other hand, however, by Matthias’s acceptance of the place of his [Judas’s] ministry and apostolate, the most sacred fullness of apostolic perfection was restored.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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