"A Prayer of David." Bow down (a) thine ear, O LORD, hear me: for I
[am] poor and needy.
(a) David, when persecuted by Saul, prayed this way, leaving the same
to the Church as a monument, how to seek relief against their
miseries.... [ Continue Reading ]
Preserve my soul; for I [am] (b) holy: O thou my God, save thy servant
that trusteth in thee.
(b) I am not an enemy to them, but I pity them even though they are
cruel to me.... [ Continue Reading ]
Be merciful unto me, O Lord: for I (c) cry unto thee daily.
(c) Which was a fair token that he believed that God would deliver
him.... [ Continue Reading ]
For thou, Lord, [art] good, and (d) ready to forgive; and plenteous in
mercy unto all them that call upon thee.
(d) He confesses that God is good to all but only merciful to poor
sinners.... [ Continue Reading ]
Give ear, O LORD, unto my prayer; and (e) attend to the voice of my
supplications.
(e) By crying and calling continually he shows how we must not be
weary, even though God does not immediately grant our request but that
we must earnestly and often call on him.... [ Continue Reading ]
Among the gods [there is] none like unto thee, O Lord; neither (f)
[are there any works] like unto thy works.
(f) He condemns all idols as they can do nothing to declare that they
are gods.... [ Continue Reading ]
All nations whom thou hast made shall come and (g) worship before
thee, O Lord; and shall glorify thy name.
(g) This proves that David prayed in the Name of Christ the Messiah of
whose kingdom he here prophecies.... [ Continue Reading ]
(h) Teach me thy way, O LORD; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart
to fear thy name.
(h) He confesses himself ignorant till God has taught him, and his
heart variable and separate from God, till God join it to him, and
confirm it in his obedience.... [ Continue Reading ]
For great [is] thy mercy toward me: and thou hast delivered my soul
from (i) the lowest hell.
(i) That is, from most great danger of death: out of which none but
the almighty hand of God could deliver him.... [ Continue Reading ]
O God, the proud are risen against me, and the assemblies of violent
[men] have (k) sought after my soul; and have not set thee before
them.
(k) He shows that there can be no moderation or equity where proud
tyrants reign, and that the lack of God's fear is as a privilege to
all vice and cruelty.... [ Continue Reading ]
O turn unto me, and have mercy upon me; give thy strength unto thy
servant, and save the (l) son of thine handmaid.
(l) He boasts not of his own virtues, but confesses that God of his
free goodness has always been merciful to him, and given him power
against his enemies, as to one of his own househ... [ Continue Reading ]