Psalm 118:
A Commentary
by Saint Theophan the Recluse
(1815-1894)
by Saint John of Kronstadt Press, 2014
Goodreads

VERSE 120:
Nail down my flesh with the fear of Thee,
for of Thy judgments am I afraid.

The fear of God is born or supported by thoughts mentioned in the previous verse.
It then feeds the zeal to please God through the fulfillment of the commandments.
Towards works and spiritual deeds, until perfection.

The psalmist prays that his fear of God (in his spiritual side), may affect him in his lower side (“the emotional, animal, carnal”  p.263).

Nail down my flesh with the fear of Thee,
that as my spirit venerates Thee,
my lower powers, imbued with Thy fear,
would not dare to rise against Thy commandments,
but silently submit to them.
p. 263

A drop falling in one and the same place pierces stone;
so does prayer.
If you exercise it often,
it will pierce the stoniness of your heart
and usher fear into it:
having entered the heart,
it will start doing things in its own way.
p. 264

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