Commentary on Psalms - Volume 3 - Bible Study Guides

Comm on Psalms (V3)John Calvinof their too great facility, we who are accustomed unreasonably to judge of God by ourselves,distrust his promises. God therefore declares, that he is unlike men, because he is as firm to hispurpose in abundantly performing whatever he has promised, as he is distinguished for promisingliberally.16. Look to me, and have pity upon me. Here the Psalmist makes a more distinct application tohimself of what he had said concerning the divine mercy and goodness. As God is merciful, heassures himself that his welfare will be the object of the divine care. The second verb in the verse,, chanan, which I have rendered have pity, signifies to gratify, to do one a pleasure; and is intendedto convey the idea, that the succor which God affords to his people proceeds from his free goodness.491Finally, the Psalmist concludes, that the only way in which he can be preserved is by the divineaid, which he seeks to obtain by prayer; and thus he confesses his utter destitution of any strengthof his own. In applying to himself the appellation of God’s servant, and the son of his handmaid,he does not boast of his own services, but urges as a plea, for obtaining greater favor at the divinehand, the long line of his ancestors, and the continual course of God’s grace; setting forth, that hewas from his mother’s womb a household-servant of God, and, as it were, born one of his servantsin his house: 492 a point of which we have already spoken elsewhere.The last verse contains an additional confirmation of the statement, that he was in a mannerforsaken of God. He would not have desired to be favored with some token of the divine favor, hadhe not been on all sides driven to despair, and had not the divine favor been hidden from him totry his patience. It was a proof of no ordinary steadfastness to maintain the conflict with thistemptation, and to do this so successfully, as not to cease to descry light in the midst of darkness.He desires that his enemies may be put to shame, because they assailed his simplicity with mockeryand scoffing, as if he had acted a foolish part by trusting in God. The miserable and distressingcondition in which the Church was placed after the Babylonish captivity, might be apt to sink theminds of the godly into despondency; and, accordingly, the Holy Spirit here promises her restorationin a wonderful and incredible manner, so that nothing would be more desirable than to be reckonedamong the number of her members.491 “Comme si c’estoit un enfer plus haut, et qu’il y en eust un autre plus bas.” — Fr.492 “Et est pour monstrer que le secours que Dieu donne aux siens, procede de sa bonte gratuite.” — Fr.236