Now therefore, O our God, hear the prayer of thy servant, and his supplications, and cause thy face to shine upon thy sanctuary that is desolate, for the Lord's sake.
Ver. 17. Now therefore, O our God.] Since thou hast shown us our sins, and seen our reproach, whereof we are sure thou art very sensible. Psa 79:4
Hear the prayer of thy servant.] Who assumeth the boldness to plead his interest in thee, and his relation to thee.
And his supplications.] Which are nothing else but prayers redoubled and reinforced, as Gen 32:11 Isa 63:16
And cause thy face to shine upon thy sanctuary.] Do it, oh do it now; for "the time to favour Zion, yea, the set time is come." And this I can tell, because "thy servants take pleasure in her stones, and favour the dust thereof." Psalms 102:13,14 ; see the notes there That whole psalm, being "A prayer for the afflicted," may seem ta have been made by this prophet Daniel.
For the Lord's sake,] i.e., For thine own sake, or for thy Son Christ's sake, the mediator and advocate of his people: for so he was in the Old Testament also, Heb 9:15 like as still he is the high priest of the New. And while the people were praying outside, the priest was offering incense within the temple, Luk 1:9-10 so is Christ interceding for us while we are praying. "Whatsoever therefore ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him." Col 3:17