David’s Prayer in the Midst of Persecution.
A prayer of David, the only hymn by the great king and prophet which was included by the collectors in this book of the psalter. We find here the same terms and phrases which are so familiar from the other psalms of David, particularly those written during the period of persecution.
V. 1. Bow down Thine ear, in the attitude of the very closest attention, O Lord, hear me; for I am poor and needy. Compare Psalm 40, 17. V. 2. Preserve my soul, in the midst of persecution and suffering; for I am holy, a saint of God, under His favor. O Thou, my God, save Thy servant that trusteth in Thee, clinging to Yahweh with the full confidence of his heart. Note the expression of faith in the emphatic “my God.”
V. 3. Be merciful unto me, O Lord, all claim of merit and worthiness being set aside by the psalmist; for I cry unto Thee daily, pleading for Yahweh’s grace all day long. V. 4. Rejoice the soul of Thy servant, filling it with happy exultation; for unto Thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul, raising it to the All-powerful in importunate and confident pleading. The reason for this bold approach is now given. V. 5. For Thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive,willing, not to ignore, but to remit sins; and plenteous in mercy, abundant in grace, unto all them that call upon Thee, in the true worship of the heart.
V. 6. Give ear, O Lord, unto my prayer, the psalmist returning once more to his opening petition, and attend to the voice of my supplications, literally, “of my urgent pleading.” V. 7. In the day of my trouble I will call upon Thee, that is, in every time of deep need; for Thou wilt answer me, this confidence being the necessary concomitant of a right prayer.
V. 8. Among the gods, those designated with this honoring name by the ignorant heathen, there is none like unto Thee, O Lord, Yahweh being the only true God; neither are there any works, no matter what miracles are by the heathen falsely ascribed to their idols, like unto Thy works.
V. 9. All nations whom Thou hast made shall come and worship before Thee, O Lord, the prophet, in this vision, seeing representatives of every people on earth bowing before Messiah’s throne; and shall glorify Thy name, praising the true God as He has revealed Himself, chiefly in His Word. The universality of the one true, the revealed religion, now known as the Christian religion, is here plainly taught. V. 10. For Thou art great and doest wondrous things, the only miracles really worthy of the name being those performed by Yahweh; Thou art God alone. This being the case, the psalmist longs to be more closely united with God by the bands of faith.