Romans 8:27. But he who searcheth the hearts. Though the groanings are unutterable, God understands their meaning. The Old Testament frequently describes God as omniscient by language of this kind (1 Samuel 16:7; Psalms 7:10, etc.).

The mind of the Spirit. This is an object of knowledge to the heart-searching God, though it may be but partially recognized by us in our weakness.

Because, or, ‘that,' etc. The word may have either sense; but the former seems more appropriate here. The latter makes the verse quite tame. Some explain: He approves what is the mind of the Spirit, because, etc. This is unnecessary. The ground of the perfect knowledge is the fact that He pleadeth (a slightly different word from ‘intercedeth,' Romans 8:26) for the saints according to the will of God, in harmony with the Divine will. Hence what we cannot utter, because we do not know what to pray for as we ought, what the indwelling Spirit in its pleadings cannot articulately utter through us, is known to God, because in accordance with His will. ‘We may extend the same comforting assurance to the imperfect and mistaken verbal utterances of our prayers, which are not themselves answered to our hurt, but the answer is given to the voice of the Spirit, which speaks through them, which we would express, but cannot' (Alford).

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Old Testament