O LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, our fathers, keep this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of thy people, and prepare their heart unto thee:
Ver. 18. Keep this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of thy people.] David finding in them that float of good affections, that heat and height, he prays heartily that God would, porro fovere, keep up their hearts in that holy temper, fix their quicksilver, fire up their spirits more and more to a holy contention in godliness, and give them "with full purpose of heart to cleave" to himself, as Barnabas expresseth it. Act 11:23 Lo, this is David's remarkable prayer - as one well styleth it - for his people; and this should be our continual request unto God for ourselves and others. For it is with holy affections, saith a grave divine, as with exotic noble plants; this country is not so kindly for them, being but a stepmother to them: therefore they must be much watered and cherished by prayer, and all good endeavour.