Psalms 119:145. I cried with my whole heart: hear me, O LORD: I will keep thy statutes.
In the time of trouble there is no resort like that of prayer, but it must be intense and earnest. «I cried with my whole heart.» And sometimes it should be accompanied with a resolve to profit by the affliction. «I will keep thy statutes.» As the child under the rod prays to be spared because he hopes in future to be obedient, so does the Psalmist here say, «Hear me, O Lord; I will keep thy statutes.» This ought to be the effect of every affliction, to make us more careful in our obedience. It is not always so, but so it ought always to be.
Psalms 119:146. I cried unto thee: save me, and I shall keep thy testimonies.
As if he felt that the force of gratitude would constrain him to obedience. He did not merely promise it, but he prophesied it as a matter of certainty that he should keep the Lord's testimony.
Psalms 119:147. I prevented the dawning of the morning, and cried: I hoped in thy word.
Early prayers seem seasonable. Before we have gone into the world, should we not first go to our God? Prayer ought to be the key of the morning to open it, as well as the key of the night to close it. And notice what should always be associated with prayer, namely, hope. «I hoped in thy word.» There is no prayer like a hopeful prayer, in which a man hopes, believes, expects, that God will send him a blessing.
Psalms 119:148. Mine eyes prevent the night watches, that I might meditate in thy word.
Before the watchman can cry the hour of night, mine eyes are upon the Word of God, and I am studying that. Oh! it is well when we prove our love to the Word of God by our meditation upon it, our constant, searching into it.
Psalms 119:149. Hear my voice according unto thy lovingkindness:
Not according to my earnestness, much less according to my merit, but «Hear my voice, according to thy loving-kindness.» Oh! what a large measure this, for who can tell how boundless is the loving-kindness of God? Such be the answer to my prayer, O my Lord.
Psalms 119:149. O LORD, quicken me according to thy judgment.
As thou dost try me, quicken me. Just as thou art I have need of it give me more spiritual life.
Psalms 119:150. They draw nigh that follow after mischief: they are far from thy law.
Dogs are at my heels. I have heard them long ago pursuing me, but now they are getting nearer to me than ever.
Psalms 119:151. Thou art near, O LORD;
Is not that a blessed sentence, that, when the adversaries are near, the Friend of friends is near too? What if he be like a hunted stag, and the dogs are at his heels, yet the omnipotent Lord, the Interposer, can come between and save his darling from the power of the dogs.
Psalms 119:151 ; Psalms 119:159. And all thy commandments are truth. Concerning thy testimonies, I have known of old that thou hast founded them for ever.
It is an old story with me that thy love is without beginning, thy covenant from all eternity, thy grace immutable, not fickle, changeable as if it were founded yesterday upon the sand, but «Thou hast founded them for ever.»
Psalms 119:153-19. Consider mine affliction, and deliver me: for I do not forget thy law. Plead my cause, and deliver me: quicken me according to thy word. Salvation is far from the wicked: for they seek not thy statutes.
If they sought that salvation, they would cease to be wicked; they would find salvation; but while they follow out their wicked ways they get further and further away from anything like salvation.
Psalms 119:156-19. Great are thy tender mercies, O LORD: quicken me according to thy judgments. Many are my persecutors and mine enemies; yet do I not decline from thy testimonies. I beheld the transgressors, and was grieved; because they kept not thy word.
It is enough to make any man grieve that the Word of God, which is so right, so just, so good, should be despised. What madness is this which is in the hearts of men, that they despise the best of the best?
Psalms 119:159. Consider how I love thy precepts: quicken me, O LORD, according to thy lovingkindness.
It is a fair argument; as a friend may say to another, «Consider how I love you;» as a child might say to his angry father when he is about to chasten him, «My father, I love you, although I have transgressed; look at my heart, and see how I love you, notwithstanding all the mistakes of my character, and even the faults that I have committed.
Psalms 119:160-19. Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever. Princes have persecuted me without a cause: but my heart standeth in awe of thy word.
«Princes have persecuted me without a cause; but my heart standeth in awe of» them? No, but «of thy Word.»
Psalms 119:162-19. I rejoice at thy word, as one that findeth great spoil. I hate and abhor lying: but thy law do I love. Seven times a day do I praise thee because of thy righteous judgments, Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them. LORD, I have hoped for thy salvation, and done thy commandments.
Present duty, future expectation. It is no use our hoping for great things unless we ourselves cultivate good things. God will make tomorrow bright: let us make today holy.
Psalms 119:167-19. My soul hath kept thy testimonies; and I love them exceedingly.
I have kept thy precepts and thy testimonies: for all my ways are before thee.