And therefore will the LORD wait, that he may be gracious unto you, and therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you: for the LORD [is] a God of judgment: blessed [are] all they that wait for him.
Ver. 18. And therefore will the Lord wait that he may be gracious unto you.] This is a wonderful condescension - i.e., God tarrieth looking for thee to show thee mercy, as Mr Bradford a rendereth it; if thou wert ripe, he is ready. But never think that he will lay cordials upon full and foul stomachs, saith another grave divine; b that he will scarf thy bones before they be set, and lap up thy sores before they be searched. God chooseth the fittest times to hear and help his suppliants, Isa 49:8 Psa 69:13 opportunitatem opitulandi expectat. Be patient, therefore, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. Jam 5:7 Let your equanimity, your longanimity, patience be known to all men; the Lord is at hand. Php 4:5
And therefore will he be exalted.] He will get up to his tribunal or throne of grace, that if ye repent ye may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. Heb 4:16
For the Lord is a God of judgment,] i.e., He is a wise God, that knoweth best when to deal forth his favours, and where to place his benefits.
Blessed are all they that wait for him.] Wait his leisure, et non cerebri sui sectantur consilia, and seek not to get off by indirect courses. Those, though they should die in a waiting condition, yet cannot but be happy, because God hath said here, "Blessed are all they that wait for him."
a Serm. of Repent.
b Dr Harris.