Psalm 119 (162 of 190 notes)

149. Hear my voice according to thy lovingkindness. People find it very helpful to use their voices in prayer; it is difficult long to maintain the intensity of devotion unless we hear ourselves speak; hence David at length broke through his silence, arose from his quiet meditations, and began crying with voice as well as heart unto the Lord his God. Note that he does not plead his own deservings; he takes the free-grace way, according to thy lovingkindness. When God hears prayer according to his lovingkindness he overlooks all the imperfections of the prayer, he forgets the sinfulness of the offerer, and in pitying love he grants the desire though the suppliant be unworthy. It is according to God’s lovingkindness to answer speedily, to answer frequently, to answer exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or even think. Kindness has much in it that is most precious, but lovingkindness is doubly dear. O Lord, quicken me according to thy judgment. He first cried, “Save me”; then, “Hear me”; and now, Quicken me. This is often the very best way of delivering us from trouble—to give us more life that we may escape from death; and to add more strength to that life that we may not be overloaded with its burdens. He asks to receive quickening according to God’s judgment, that is, in such a way as should be consistent with infinite wisdom and prudence. God’s methods of communicating greater vigor to our spiritual life are exceedingly wise; it would probably be in vain for us to attempt to understand them; and it will be our wisdom to wish to receive grace, not according to our notion of how it should come to us, but according to God’s heavenly method of bestowing it. It is his prerogative to make alive as well as to kill, and that sovereign act is best left to his infallible judgment. Has he not already given us to have life more and more abundantly?

They draw nigh that follow after mischief. He could hear their footfalls close behind him. He points them out to God, and intreats the Lord to fix his eyes upon them, and deal with them to their confusion. They were already upon him, and he was almost in their grip, and therefore he cries the more earnestly. They are far from thy law. Before these men could become persecutors of David they were obliged to get away from the restraints of God’s law. Those who keep God’s law neither do harm to themselves nor to others. Sin is the greatest mischief in the world. When we know that our enemies are God’s enemies, and ours because they are his, we may well take comfort.