I. His encouragement to the upright —
His prayer shews what every believing soul may expect at the hands of God —
[No one, without constant supplies of grace and strength, would be able to endure the trials with which he will be visited in the path of duty. A man's uprightness may embolden him to ask for divine assistance ; but it can never support him without it. The greatest and best of men are weak, even as others, if for a moment they be left to themselves. Hezekiah was in some respects as eminent for piety as any of the kings of Israel0: but, when " God left him to try him," he feilX Even Abraham and Isaac shewed themselves weak in the day of trial ; each of them denying his wife, and Abraham repeatedly, through fear of the consequences which an ac- knowledgment of the truth might bring upon them. The Psalmist therefore prays, " Do good unto them, O Lord;" supply every one of them with that measure of strength which their necessities may require ; and uphold them under all the circumstances to which they may be reduced ! — ]
In fact, the prayer contains nothing which God him- self has not made the subject of a direct promise —
[With all his believing people God has made an ever- lasting covenant, that " He will not turn away from them to do them good;" yea, " that he will rejoice over them to do them good," and assuredly interest himself in their behalf, "with his whole heart, and with his whole soule." God con- siders his own glory as engaged for his people : and sooner shall heaven and earth pass away, than one who is truly upright in heart be ever left by him to perish f. The good he designs them may not be of the precise nature that they desire or expect; (as Paul had not " the thorn in his flesh" removed, but grace given him to sustain it :) but, that which is really best shall be vouchsafed unto them ; and it shall be imparted to them in the time, and manner, and measure, that unerring wisdom sees to be best for theme.]
With his tender concern for the upright, we see combined,
II. His warning to the unstable —
As for open apostates, no one can doubt their fate ; " their last end will be worse than their beginning11." But there are many who secretly decline from God's
c 2 Kings xviii. 5. d2 Chron. xxxii. 31.
e Jer. xxxii. 40, 41. f Ps. lxxxiv. 11.
g Their extremity shall be God's opportunity. Seelsai.lviii. 10, 11 .
h 2 Pet. h. 20, 21.