Have mercy on me, Lord. see my affliction that comes from those who hate me, You who lift me up from the gates of death,
In his praise David again presents his personal distress and appeals to God’s mercy. The request “See my affliction” does not imply that God is unaware of what has happened. It means: pay attention to my condition and intervene with compassion. David calls the Lord “the One who lifts up from the gates of death.” “The gates of death” are an image of extreme danger and destruction. Yet even there God’s power can reach a person, deliver him, and bring him back onto the path of life. David remembers the Lord’s former helps and, on that basis, asks for a new deliverance. This verse teaches that a believer can at the same time give thanks for past salvations and bring his present pain before God. These two are not opposed. When a person feels himself near the gates of death and sees no human way out, he must rely on the Lord of life, who has power to raise up from the most grievous conditions.