Psalms 88:9

Mine eye mourneth by reason of affliction.

The godly man in trouble

1. Godliness doth not make men senseless of grief, nor doth it hinder tears or mourning, or any other effects of sorrow to be seen in their body.

2. Sorrow should neither hinder the godly to seek God, nor move them to seek their consolation elsewhere.

3. It is possible that a godly man may be instant daily with God, praying with tears for comfort, and yet not obtain for a long time, as this example doth teach.

4. As in serious prayer, specially in secret, the affections of the heart do utter themselves in the answerable gestures of the body, as well as in the voice and words of the mouth; so those gestures have their own speech unto God, no less than the words of the mouth have; as here, “I have stretched out my hands unto Thee,” is brought forth to express his submissive rendering up of himself unto God, and his dependence upon Him. (D. Dickson.)

I have called daily upon Thee.

The necessity for daily prayer

appears when we consider the consequences of neglecting it. Experience proves that a regular habit, at some fixed hour or hours, becomes a safeguard against forgetfulness, as well as an invaluable help to the constant “practice of the presence of God,” whereas those who say that they can pray at any time, end in praying very seldom, or never. And Mrs. Besant has testified that “God fades out of the life of the man who forgets to pray.” On the other hand, you may lose hold of many a Christian doctrine, but you have not lost your faith so long as the angels can say of you, “Behold, he still prayeth.” Distress teaches us to pray, and prayer dispels distress. One wedge displaces the other.