Psalms 118:88

88. And that She might persevere unto the end, “O quicken me,” he saith, “after Thy loving mercy: and so shall I keep the testimonies of Thy mouth” ( ver. 88 ); where the Greek hath Μαρτύρια . This was not to be passed over in silence, on account of that sweetest name of Martyrs, who beyond doubt when so great cruelty of the persecutors was raging, that the Church was almost made an end of upon earth, would never have kept the testimonies of God, unless that had been vouchsafed them which is here spoken of, “O quicken me after Thy loving-kindness.” For they were quickened, lest by loving life, they should deny the life, and by denying it, should lose it: and thus they who for life refused to forsake the truth, lived by dying for the truth.

106. “I have sworn, and am stedfastly purposed to keep Thy righteous judgments” ( ver. 106 ): as one who walked aright in the light of that lantern, and kept to straight paths. For he calleth what he hath determined by a sacrament, an oath; because the mind ought to be so fixed in keeping the righteous judgments of God, that its determination should be in the place of an oath. Now the righteous judgments of God are kept by faith; when, under the righteous judgment of God, neither any good work is believed to be fruitless, nor any sin unpunished; but, because the body of Christ hath suffered many most grievous evils for this faith, he saith, “I was humbled above measure” ( ver. 107 ). …