Like as a father pitieth [his] children, [so] the LORD pitieth them that fear him.
Ver. 13. Like as a father pitieth] There is an ocean of love in a father's heart. See Luke 15:20 Genesis 33:2; Genesis 33:13,14; Genesis 34:3, how hardly and with what caution Jacob parted with Benjamin. Sozomen maketh mention of a certain merchant, who offering himself to be put to death for his two sons who were sentenced to die, and it being granted that one of the two (whom he should choose) should be upon that condition delivered; the miserable father, aequali utriusque amore victus, equally affected to them both, could not yield that either, of them should die, but remained hovering about both, till both were put to death.
So the Lord pitieth, &c.] So and ten thousand times more than so; for he is the Father of all mercies, and the Father of all the fatherhoods (Parentela) in heaven and earth, Ephesians 3:15 .