Good and upright is the LORD: therefore will he teach
sinners in the way (Ps. 25:8).
Pausing for a little as it were in the prosecution of his prayer,
he exercises his thoughts in meditation upon the goodness of God, that he may
return with renewed ardor to prayer.
The faithful feel that their hearts soon languish in prayer,
unless they are constantly stirring themselves up to it by new incitements; so
rare and difficult a thing is it to persevere steadfastly and unweariedly in
this duty. And, indeed, as one must frequently lay on fuel in order to preserve
a fire, so the exercise of prayer requires the aid of such helps, that it may
not languish, and at length be entirely extinguished.
David, therefore, desirous to encourage himself to
perseverance, speaks to himself, and affirms that God is good and upright, that,
gathering new strength by meditating on this truth, he may return with the more
alacrity to prayer. But we must observe this consequence — that as God is good
and upright, he stretches forth his hand to sinners to bring them back
again into the way.
To attribute to God an uprightness which he may exercise
only towards the worthy and the meritorious, is a cold view of his character,
and of little advantage to sinners, and yet the world commonly apprehends that
God is good in no other sense. How comes it to pass that scarcely one in a
hundred applies to himself the mercy of God, if it is not because men limit it
to those who are worthy of it?
No on the contrary, it is here said, that God gives a proof
of his uprightness when he shows to transgressors the way; and this is of the
same import as to call them to repentance, and to teach them to live uprightly.
And, indeed, if the goodness of God did not penetrate even to hell, no man
would ever become a partaker of it. (Commentaries)
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