Psalm 40 (39):14Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

O Lord, I ask You to rescue me; O Lord, help me to call out in my distress. May those who pursue my life be filled with shame and confounded, for their intent is not to aid me but to lead me to eternal destruction. Let them retreat and feel disgrace for their desire to harm me. Cause them to flee, preventing them from achieving their goals, for they are conspiring against me with malice.

In light of the afflictions stated, the Lord declares His favor upon me, to rescue me and provide aid. He urges to pay attention not only for the sake of observation but to offer assistance. For should the just Lord gaze upon a sinful individual for any other reason, that person, immediately burdened by His divine presence, will meet their end - as noted by Nikita.

St. Cassian recommends that prior to commencing any task, one should keep in mind and articulate these divinely inspired words from the Psalms: ‘Thou hast favoured, O Lord, to deliver me; O Lord, hasten to help me’ (Psalm 39:14), along with this prayer: ‘We earnestly implore Thee, O Lord, to guide all our endeavors through Thy Holy Spirit before they begin and to oversee their completion. May every prayer and action we undertake always find its initiation in Thee, and may those initiated be brought to fruition by Thee, achieving their destined goal successfully.’

The term "to favor" indicates that salvation hinges on the divine will; thus, one seeks to be rescued from distress through God's grace, which may not always be granted. Regarding the word "quicken" or "wont," more has been said elsewhere. Here, we need only acknowledge that while the Lord may postpone His assistance, testing our endurance, He graciously allows us to engage in prayer, assuring us that He will fulfill our desires. In his customary manner, he summons his adversaries to face God’s judgment, evaluating them by their cruelty and unjust animosity, and implores that God listens to his supplication. However, it has been noted previously how he expresses his oaths against them; it is fitting to highlight that one should not let anger reign free, drawing from David's example. Remembering those who, instead of pursuing the Spirit's fervor, are driven by fleshly cravings, will always be viewed as unjust.