"O God, come to my assistance..."

"O God, come to my assistance; O Lord, make haste to help me." 

These words, from Psalm 70, are also familiar to anyone who recites the Liturgy of the Hours as the invocation at the beginning of each hour. This evening, I came across a reflection from St. John Cassian about this verse, and the fullness of its meaning. It's worth sharing - it's an excellent reminder of the power in this invocation:


"And so for keeping up continual recollection of God this pious formula is to be ever set before you. 'O God, come to my assistance; O Lord, make haste to help me,' for this verse has not unreasonably been picked out from the whole of Scripture for this purpose. For it embraces all the feelings which can be implanted in human nature, and can be fitly and satisfactorily adapted to every condition, and all assaults. It contains an invocation of God against every danger, it contains humble and pious confession, it contains the watchfulness of anxiety and continual fear, it contains the thought of one’s own weakness, confidence in the answer, and the assurance of a present and ever ready help. For those who call constantly on their protector are sure of having him always at hand." (St. John Cassian, Conferences, X)


I'd never considered the depth of meaning in this verse - but St. John unpacks it quite nicely - from its purpose as an invocation, helping us to keep a continual recollection of God - to its adaptability to any situation - its humble request of God, acknowledging the need for assistance with faith in the response. 


For those who call constantly on their protector are sure of having him always at hand.


"O God, come to my assistance; O Lord, make haste to help me." 



+peace, and all good :)