Psalm 142

The exultant tone of the preceding psalm is replaced by a mournful one: the psalmist is again attacked by his enemies (v. 3) and his state of mind is disturbed (v. 4). This is how it should be, because as long as the soul of a person is in the body, the enemy will not leave it alone. But before us is no longer a novice, but a battle-hardened fighter. He sees how dangerous and insidious the enemy is, and already has experience in fighting him. He studies history and derives benefit from it: remember the days of old, learn in all Thy works (v. 6), prayerfully asks God to show him the way of life, to teach him to do the will of the Lord (v. 8, 10).

According to the remark of St. In the words of St. John Chrysostom, the Psalmist "desires nothing sensual here, but seeks the path leading to God, and from himself he lays the beginning for this: for to Thee I take my soul, that is, to Thee I aspire, to Thee I turn my eyes" (v. 8); such people especially God shows the way" [10]. The ability to surrender oneself to the will of God instills in a person confidence in a happy outcome: Thy good Spirit will guide me to earth in righteousness (v. 10). The end of the psalm sounds cheerful: the psalmist confesses himself a servant of God and has no doubt that God will deliver his soul from sorrow, freeing it from the attacking enemies.

Thus, the six Psalms considered in their religious and moral light appear before us as six successive stages of the spiritual ladder of the Christian. The state of the psalmist's soul is not simply a "change of mood" that "speaks of the instability of human consciousness, prone to breakdowns, temptations, and falls" [3]. This is the path of a Christian soul strong in its faith and courageous in its ascent to God. The Six Psalms show us how a soul that sincerely believes and is converted to Christ goes through the difficult path of temptation, grows spiritually, becomes stronger, overcomes, with God's help, demonic attacks, and attains the grace-filled state of true freedom – the freedom to live according to the will of God.

The Messianic Theme in the Six Psalms

Although the psalms we are considering are not traditionally recognized as "messianic," each of them contains prophecies about the Messiah. These [1] separate prophetic verses, interspersed in the fabric of the Six Psalms, form its messianic theme, which can only be revealed by the patristic key.

Psalm 3

According to Bl. Augustine, this psalm foretells the Resurrection of Christ. The Holy Father interprets the words, "I am asleep and asleep, for the Lord will intercede for me" (v. 6) as follows: by sleep he understands death, and by awakening the Resurrection of the Saviour.

And here is what St. Maximus the Greek, interpreting verses 4:7-9 of the Psalm in the messianic sense. I will not be afraid of those who attack me around (v. 7): "This I (that is, the Psalmist) have spoken in the name of the incarnate God the Word, my Lord, against whom not one or two kings have risen, as Saul and Absalom have risen up against me, but all the kings, princes, and nobles of all the nations, and the people of Judah who are enraged against Him" [17].

And further: "And again, praying to the Father and His God, He says, Arise, O Lord, save Me, O My God" (v. 8). And He well called the teeth of sinners, the fierce persecutors of piety, the servants of vile demons... But God the Father has broken these pernicious teeth of theirs, and has exalted and glorified the pious people who believe in Christ God; wherefore it is said: But Thou, O Lord, art My intercessor, My glory, and lift up my head; Salvation is the Lord's, and Thy blessing is upon Thy people (v. 4, 9)" [17]. From these words it is clear that the monk saw in the rebellion of Absalom a prototype of the persecution of Christ the Savior and His Church.

Other Holy Fathers interpret this psalm in the same spirit, understanding, however, verses 8 and 9 as the cry of the Old Testament righteous man to Christ, Whom the Psalmist saw with prophetic eyes. In the final verses of the Psalm (v. 9), many Holy Fathers see a direct reference to the Cross of the Lord, which brings salvation to the world and blessing to Christians