Verse 1

"A Prayer of David." Bow down a thine ear, O LORD, hear me: for I [am] poor and needy.

(a) David, when persecuted by Saul, prayed this way, leaving the same to the Church as a monument, how to seek relief against their miseries.

Verse 2

Preserve my soul; for I [am] b holy: O thou my God, save thy servant that trusteth in thee.

(b) I am not an enemy to them, but I pity them even though they are cruel to me.

Verse 3

Be merciful unto me, O Lord: for I c cry unto thee daily.

(c) Which was a fair token that he believed that God would deliver him.

Verse 5

For thou, Lord, [art] good, and d ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.

(d) He confesses that God is good to all but only merciful to poor sinners.

Verse 6

Give ear, O LORD, unto my prayer; and e attend to the voice of my supplications.

(e) By crying and calling continually he shows how we must not be weary, even though God does not immediately grant our request but that we must earnestly and often call on him.

Verse 8

Among the gods [there is] none like unto thee, O Lord; neither f [are there any works] like unto thy works.

(f) He condemns all idols as they can do nothing to declare that they are gods.

Verse 9

All nations whom thou hast made shall come and g worship before thee, O Lord; and shall glorify thy name.

(g) This proves that David prayed in the Name of Christ the Messiah of whose kingdom he here prophecies.

Verse 11

h Teach me thy way, O LORD; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name.

(h) He confesses himself ignorant till God has taught him, and his heart variable and separate from God, till God join it to him, and confirm it in his obedience.

Verse 13

For great [is] thy mercy toward me: and thou hast delivered my soul from i the lowest hell.

(i) That is, from most great danger of death: out of which none but the almighty hand of God could deliver him.

Verse 14

O God, the proud are risen against me, and the assemblies of violent [men] have k sought after my soul; and have not set thee before them.

(k) He shows that there can be no moderation or equity where proud tyrants reign, and that the lack of God's fear is as a privilege to all vice and cruelty.

Verse 16

O turn unto me, and have mercy upon me; give thy strength unto thy servant, and save the l son of thine handmaid.

(l) He boasts not of his own virtues, but confesses that God of his free goodness has always been merciful to him, and given him power against his enemies, as to one of his own household.