and therefore " from God alone was all his expectation''." To him he looked in all his troubles, whether of a temporal or spiri- tual nature. When persecuted by Saul, he fled to his invisible Protector, and took refuge under the shadow of Jehovah's wings
• In like manner, when assaulted by Satan, his great
spiritual adversary, " he gat him to his Lord right humbly," and
sought in him that salvation which He alone can give —
Under all circumstances he considered God as able, willing, yea and pledged too, to deliver him : and to him he ran, as to a strong tower, in which he found unfailing security. As to the time and manner of his deliverance, he left that entirely to God.]
He found in God all that his diversified necessi- ties required —
[He was never disappointed of his hope. The many mira- culous escapes which he experienced testify, that God was ever
nigh at hand to help him and the peace and stability
which he obtained in his soul after his most grievous fall, ma- nifestly prove, how exceedingly the grace of God was magnified
towards him We wonder not at his frequent repetition
of the same acknowledgments®, or at the augmented confidence with which he was enabled to look forward to a continuance of the Divine favour even unto death ^]
But from this experience he was fully qualified to give, II. His advice founded upon it—
To wait on God is the duty of every living crea- ture, and especially of those who are instructed in the knowledge of his revealed will. " He is the one source of every good and perfect gift." On him therefore David advises us to wait,
1. In a way of earnest prayer — [We should not merely call upon God, but " pour out our hearts before him." If our troubles be of a more public nature, we should, like Hezekiah, spread our wants before him 5 : or, if they be known to ourselves alone, we should, like Hannah, carry them to the Lord*". The direction given us by God him- self is, that " in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving we should make our requests known unto God'." We should not say of one thing, It is too great for me to ask ; or of another thing. It is too small : we should remember, that *' he will be inquired of by us," before he will communicate to us
his
"* ver. 5. * ver, 1,2. with the text.
f Compare ver. 2. with ver. Q. " Not greatly moved;" " Not moved at all." ? 2 Kin. xix. 14. ^ 1 Sam. i. 15.
' Phil. iv. 6.