Observe how he urges, what he experienced in his own soul. The things which God himself requires from us, in order to the acceptance of our prayers, are, a deep sense of our necessities, an entire surrender of our souls to him, a reliance on him for all needful blessings, and a continual application to him in a way of fervent and believing prayer. Behold, these are the very things which David at this time experienced, and which therefore he pleaded before God as evidences of the sincerity of his prayers : " Bow down thine ear, O Lord, and hear me ; for I am poor and needy!'''' And who is there that must not adopt the same acknowledgment ? Who that considers, how destitute his soul is of all that is truly good, will not find these words exactly descriptive of his state ? Again, the Psalmist prays, " Preserve my soul ; for I am holy." We must not imagine that David here meant to boast of his high attainments in holiness: the term " holy" is applied in Scripture to every thing that is dedicated to God, though from its very nature it cannot possess any inherent sanctity : the temple of God, the vessels of the sanctuary, and all the offerings, were holy, be- cause they were set apart for God. So David here speaks of himself as " set apart for Goda :" and his expression is exactly equivalent to that which he uses in another place; " I am thine ; save me1." This then is another plea which it be- comes us all to use. As the Israelites were " a holy nation c," so are wea: and if we have given up ourselves unreservedly to God, we may well hope, that he will hear and answer our petitions. Once more David says, " Save me ; for I trust in Thee? This also was a most acceptable plea. If we ask with a wavering and doubtful mind, we can never succeed e : but the prayer of faith must of necessity prevail f. The suppliant who truly and habitually trusts in God, can never be disappointed. Lastly, David says, " I cry unto thee daily:" " Unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul." God " will be inquired of, to do for us the things that he has promised." " If we ask, we shall have ; if we seek, we shall find ; if we knock, it shall be opened unto usg:" but, if we ask not, we shall not, we cannot, have'1.
But David's chief plea is taken from the character of God himself : and this is, in reality, the most satisfactory to the human mind, and most acceptable to the Divine Majesty, who " will work for his own great Name's sake," when all other grounds of hope are subverted and lost. Towards his creatures generally, whether rational or irrational, God is "good;" but towards the children of men he is "ready to forgive, and plen-
a See Ps. iv. 3. b Ps. cxix. 94. c Exocl. xix. 6.
d 1 Pet. ii. 9. « Jam. i. G, 7.
f Matt. xxi. 22. Mark xi. 24. e Matt. vii. 7, 8.
h Jam. iv. 2.