Look down from heaven, and behold from the habitation of thy holiness and of thy glory: where [is] thy zeal and thy strength, the sounding of thy bowels and of thy mercies toward me? are they restrained?
Ver. 15. Look down from heaven.] Affectus dolentium atque ardenter petentium scite exprimuntur, a pathetic and pithy prayer.
And behold from the habitation of thy holiness, &c.] They pray otherwise now than when the temple stood; Psa 121:1 now they look higher, and oh that they would do so! The modern Jews pray thus daily; but because not from a right principle, they are not heard.
Where is thy zeal?] Thine ancient fervour and forwardness in vindicating thy people, and being avenged of their enemies.
The sounding (rumbling or yearning) of thy bowels, &c.] Sometimes God seemeth to lose his mercy, and then we must find it for him, as here; sometimes to sleep or delay, and then we must waken, quicken him. Psalms 40:17 Isa 62:7
Are they restrained?] Chrysostom a exhorteth people, whether God grant or not, to pray still; for when God denies, it is as good as if he grants. And if we pray for any temporal mercy, the very ability to pray is better than the thing we pray for; for "whosoever calleth upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."
a Hom. 30, in Genes.