And now, O our God, what shall we say after this? for we have forsaken thy commandments,
Ver. 10. And now, O our God, what shall we say after this?] q.d. We have nothing to say for ourselves, wherever thou shouldst not presently pronounce against us, and execute upon us the sentence of utter rejection. We are even speechless, excuseless, and must needs conclude, It is the Lord's mercy that we are not consumed, that we are at all on this side of hell it is because his compassions fail not, Lamentations 3:32 .
For we have forsaken thy commandments] Better than this Ezra could not have said for himself and his people, whilst he thus confesseth sin, and putteth himself into the hands of justice, in hope of mercy. In the courts of men it is safest to say, Non feci, I did it not (saith Quintilian). But in our addresses unto God it is best to say, Ego feci, miserere, I did it, Oh be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me. Per miserere mei, tollitur ira Dei.