And for the wood offering, at times appointed, and for the firstfruits. Remember me, O my God, for good.
Ver. 31. And for the wood offering] See Nehemiah 10:34,35 .
Remember me, O my God, for good] See Nehemiah 5:19; Nehemiah 13:15; Nehemiah 13:22. He brags not, but prays, producing his good deeds as testimonies of his sincerity, whereof he begs acceptance. And this is a sweet close of the Old Testament (say our last and largest annotations upon the Bible), for this was the last history and book thereof, though the Book of Esther be set after it. Malachi prophesied anon after the temple was built, as we see (saith Master Pemble) by his reproving of that sin, in corrupting the holy seed by marrying strangers. Sixtus Senensis placeth him as low as about five hundred years before Christ. Many of the ancients make him to be the same with Ezra. Nehemiah then, as it may seem, hath the honour of putting a perclose to the Old Testament; and he doth it with this short but pithy prayer, which he uttereth (as Luther used to pray), tanta reverentia, ut si Deo; et tanta fiducia, ut si amico; with so great reverence, as to God; and yet with so great confidence, as to his God, a God in covenant with him. "Remember me, O my God, for good." Fiat, Fiat. Let him do, let him do.