Why does the psalmist repeat the phrase "hope to God"?
The Talmud explains that the psalm is teaching us to be tenacious in
prayer. "If a person prayed but was not answered, he should pray
again." [Berachot 32]
Yet one could ask: If God didn't answer me the first time - what will I
accomplish by praying again?
To answer this question we must understand the very essence of prayer.
The purpose of prayer is to achieve a particular harmony of spirit, by
strengthening the powers of the soul with images of holiness and
perfection. There are an infinite variety of such images, and God knows
exactly which ones are suitable and needed to perfect each individual
soul. Divine Wisdom decrees our wants and needs - and thus the stimulus of
our prayers - in order that the soul may perfect itself appropriately.
On occasion, a particular image in all of its hues may not succeed in
penetrating the depths of the soul. In such cases, acceptance of the
prayer is delayed until the prayer is repeated sufficiently to be fully
assimilated into the soul.
We should not be discouraged if our prayers are not answered outright.
All temporal matters of this world have the potential to bestow eternal
gains of spiritual perfection and harmony. Ordinarily we are discouraged
if we do not succeed easily. But if we are aware that the goal is complex
and difficult, and that every action brings us a little closer towards
achieving our goal, then we feel satisfaction in our incremental progress.
Therefore the psalm repeats the phrase "hope to God". The
essence of hope is when we recognize the value of those prerequisite steps
towards fulfillment. We need to realize that with each prayer, with each
image of hope, we are that much closer to our goal. Not having fully
arrived, we need to "be strong and take courage" to continue
on our spiritual journey, "and hope to God".
[Ayn Aya I:151]
"Hope to God. Be strong and He will
give you courage - and hope to God." [Ps
27:14]
Why Prayers Go Unanswered
