To this general promise of hearing his people's prayers, is added an assurance, II. That he will hear them even under circumstances that may be supposed most unfavourable to their acceptance with him —
Where there have been much previous meditation, and subsequent fluency of expression, we are inclined to hope, that our prayers have entered into the ears of the Lord of Hosts : but where these have been wanting, we are ready to doubt whether God will regard us at all.
But we are assured in our text that he will hear,
1. Our cries unpremeditated — [There are many occasions that arise so suddenly as to pre- clude a possibility of previous meditation. Such was the danger to which Jehoshaphat was exposed in the very heat of battle, when the Syrians mistook him for King Ahab, whom they were especially commanded to search out and to destroy: they had actually compassed him round about; and Jehoshaphat had only time to cry out to God : yet behold, so instantaneously did God hear and answer, that in a moment " he was helped, and his enemies were moved to depart from himg." Thus by ten
d Isai. i. 15. and Prov. xxi. 27. e John iv. 24.
f Jer. xxix. 12, 13. s 2 Chron. xviii. 30, 31.
thousand accidents may we be brought in danger of our lives, or by the devices of Satan be exposed to temptations that threaten to overwhelm and destroy our souls : but prayer will in an instant bring omnipotence to our aid. Look at Peter sinking in the waves: he cries, " Save, Lord; or I perish!" and, be- hold, the Saviour instantly stretched out his hand, and saved him : and so will that Almighty Friend do to us also, whatever our difficulties or dangers be, according to that blessed pro- mise; " It shall come to pass, that, before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hearh."]
2. Our desires unexpressed —
[It is but little than any man knows of his own necessities : and even those who know most of them, are often greatly at a loss to express their wants in prayer. There are times when the best of men feel their spirit straitened, and can utter their desires only in sighs and groans. This, I say, is the case with those whose knowledge is most enlarged, and whose abilities are most eminent. How then must it be with those whose intellectual powers are small, and who have never enjoyed the advantages of a liberal education ? Will God confine his answer to their immediate requests ? No. He knows the meaning of a sigh or groan, as well as if it were expressed in the most fluent language. He knows that at the very time when his people can say little else, than, " Lord, help me; God be merciful to me a sinner," they would, if they could, expatiate upon all their wants, and pour out their souls before him in the most enlarged petitions. Hence, in his answers, he regards, not so much their words, as their wants ; and enlarges the measure of his gifts in proportion to the extent of their desires. Whatever can tend to the peace of their minds or the perfection of their souls, that he imparts in rich abundance, communicating infinitely " more than they can ask or think1." But, as in the former case it was supposed that the person calling upon him was sincere, so here it is supposed that the person, whose unpremeditated cries he hears, and whose unex- pressed desires he fulfils, does really " fear him;" for it is that principle alone that can render their desires proper to be ful- filled, or their cries to be answered. Where the fear of God really is, there God's will, and God's glory, will alone be desiredk; and where they are the objects of our desire, however " wide our mouth be opened, God will fill it1."]