Gleanings from Orthodox Christian Authors and the Holy Fathers

psalm142_7

'Quickly hearken to me, O Lord, my spirit has failed' (Ps. 142/143:7). What are you saying? Are you urging the physician to his cure? Not at all: this too is a custom with spirits suffering tribulations, people in pain urging on the physicians even if the time does not require it, and quickly bringing forward relief. Hence the psalmist also makes mention of the reason in the words, 'my spirit has failed.' God, of course, being capable of raising up even from the dead, can do so much more before the end; but as I said before, it is from this that limitations of nature are established. The psalmist knew, you see, that everything is easy for him, but he does not bear the onset of troubles. St. John Chrysostom, Commentary on the Psalms, Vol. 2.