Qoph
145 With my whole heart I cry; answer me, O Lord!
I will keep your statutes.
146 I call to you; save me,
that I may observe your testimonies.
147 I rise before dawn and cry for help;
I hope in your words.
148 My eyes are awake before the watches of the night,
that I may meditate on your promise.
149 Hear my voice according to your steadfast love;
O Lord, according to your justice give me life.
150 They draw near who persecute me with evil purpose;
they are far from your law.
151 But you are near, O Lord,
and all your commandments are true.
152 Long have I known from your testimonies
that you have founded them for ever.
Resh
153 Look on my affliction and deliver me,
for I do not forget your law.
154 Plead my cause and redeem me;
give me life according to your promise!
155 Salvation is far from the wicked,
for they do not seek your statutes.
156 Great is your mercy, O Lord;
give me life according to your rules.
157 Many are my persecutors and my adversaries,
but I do not swerve from your testimonies.
158 I look at the faithless with disgust,
because they do not keep your commands.
159 Consider how I love your precepts!
Give me life according to your steadfast love.
160 The sum of your word is truth,
and every one of your righteous rules endures for ever.
The words quoted from the Westminster Confession at the end of the previous note seem well substantiated by the Psalmist's statement in 152, in his conviction that God's testimonies - His eternal truth - stated at the beginning of time in a gracious covenant of promise, are incapable of being broken. This is his assurance that God will, and must, answer his prayers. The prayer for quickening in 149 is repeated in 153-160 on three occasions (154, 156, 159). We need, however, to understand this word in its context: it does not so much ask for spiritual quickening as 'for removal of calamities, which restrained free, joyous life' (Maclaren). It is the cry of a burdened heart, and the Psalmist is in affliction and under pressure. We would not be far from the mark, in view of 154, 'Plead my cause' to think of Job's affliction, and the pressure upon him, in the words in Job 19:25, which the NEB renders 'I know that my Vindicator lives and that he will rise at last to speak in court; and I shall discern my witness standing at my side and see my defending counsel, even God himself...'. It is the sense of the Psalmist's human helplessness that is so prominent, and that makes him call on the Lord's Name as he does. He is a defendant in court, helpless in face of the accusations that are being hurled at him (154); he is surrounded by swarms of enemies intent on doing him despite, and burdened by the faithlessness of those who scorn God's Word and law and it is what he does in such circumstances that is important for us. This we will consider in the next Note.