Psalm 3 is well known by members of Eastern Churches, because of its prominent use in the morning services of both the Alexandrian and Byzantine Rites. This psalm forms the first of a group of psalms, which are the invariable beginning of the service. It is plaint, traditionally written by King David, in which the author cries out to God for assistance on account of being surrounded by foes, enemies, who are intent on taking the king's life.
Although this description of the psalm is true as far as it goes, we do not have to read very far, before we realize that this song is about more than merely physical enemies with purely physical malicious intent. The author cries at first, "O Lord, why are they multiplied who afflict me? Many rise up against me." But then, in the second verse, "Many say unto my soul: There is no salvation for him in his God." It is rather obvious that when one is surrounded by physical enemies (like St. Ephrem within the walls of Nisibis, quickly trying to repair the walls as quickly as the enemy is trying to destroy them) one is not very concerned about what those enemies are saying. Here, however, there is great concern about the wicked suggestions that these enemies are making, and, indeed, this fact alone proves that these enemies are noetic, not merely physical. In fact, it is more likely that these enemies are purely noetic than they are the kind of enemies that threatened Ephrem and his people. Nevertheless, it seems likely that the enemies in this case are physical and noetic. King David is, for whatever reason, subject to their intrigues, threatened by their conspiracies, rather than merely being a victim of their violence.
It is clear from this description in the second verse that these enemies are trying to undermine not the king's walls, but his faith. Their central suggestion is that God will not save him. God is either not powerful enough to save him, or God doesn't care about him. To this suggestion, however, David responds with an act of faith: "But Thou, O Lord, art my helper, my glory, and the lifter up of my head." After this act of faith, in then psalm's fourth verse, we arrive at the point to which we should be particularly attentive, because it is the beginning of the king's redemption. He says, "I cried unto the Lord with my voice, and He heard me out of His holy mountain." Here in this verse, we begin the description of the king's salvation, and the king's salvation comes from God's holy mountain, in other words, from Zion, the dwelling place of God.
As we have already seen, there are frequent references in the Psalms to God's dwelling place at Zion. This Zion, always depicted as a woman, became the primary biblical type of the Mother of God. Here, salvation begins, salvation comes from God's dwelling place. In other places in the Psalms, we will see the triumphal procession, after salvation has been won, end there as well. For example, in what is perhaps the most enigmatic of all the Psalms, Psalm 67, we find the following description of God's dwelling place in Zion, "The mountain of God is a butter mountain, a curdled mountain, a butter mountain. Why suppose ye that there be other curdled mountains? This is the mountain wherein God is pleased to dwell, yea, for the Lord will dwell therein to the end. The chariot host of God is ten thousandfold, yea, thousands of them that abound in number; the Lord is among them from Sinai to the Holy Place. Thou hast ascended on high, Thou leddest captivity captive, Thou didst receive gifts among men (yea, for they were disobedient) that Thou mightest dwell there." We may be taken aback at first by the description of the Zion as a butter, curdled mountain, but the intent of the image is extremely clear: Zion is the sole source of abundance and blessing. God's people thinking that there are other sources of abundance and blessing apart from Him and the exclusive dwelling place of His name is a frequent vicious pattern in the entire history of Israel. Even here in Psalm 67 we find a reference to it: Why suppose ye that there be other curdled mountains?
David, having prayed to God (and God having heard him from the Holy Mountain) goes peacefully to sleep in the next verse. "I laid me down and slept; I awoke for the Lord will help me. I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people that set themselves against me round about." David ends the psalm by giving a summation of his prayer for salvation: "Arise, O Lord, save me, O my God, for Thou hast smitten all who without cause are mine enemies; the teeth of sinners hast Thou broken. Salvation is of the Lord, and Thy blessing is upon Thy people." Thus, the psalm concludes.
Well, what is it that we learn particularly from this psalm? We should observe that the teaching of a saint and spiritual writer like St. Louis-Marie Grignion de Montfort or St. Maximilian Kolbe could have been based in the patristic interpretation of the Psalms alone. The intercession of the Mother of God is pivotal for the salvation of the human race. Grace comes through her, exclusively through her, and the fruit of salvation mystically returns through her. How could a human woman have such an exalted role? We should remember that the Temple on Mount Zion was the work of sinful, human hands, but it was in the Old Covenant the exclusive dwelling place of the true God, outside of which sacrifice and offering were completely, utterly illegitimate. In a similar way, we, who are under the New Covenant, worship in Spirit and in truth in the Temple, which the Spirit Himself has overshadowed.
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