Two things David here pleads with God in prayer for that mercy and
grace which he hoped for, according to the word, by which his requests
were guided:--1. That God had given him the promise on which he hoped:
"Lord, I desire no more than that thou wouldst remember thy word unto
thy servant, and do as thou hast said;" see 1 Chron. xvii. 23. "Thou
art wise, and therefore wilt perfect what thou hast purposed, and not
change thy counsel. Thou art faithful, and therefore wilt perform what
thou hast promised, and not break thy word." Those that make God's
promises their portion may with humble boldness make them their plea.
"Lord, is not that the word which thou hast spoken; and wilt thou not
make it good?" Gen. xxxii. 9; Exod. xxxiii. 12. 2. That God, who had
given him the promise in the word, had by his grace wrought in him a
hope in that promise and enabled him to depend upon it, and had raised
his expectations of great things from it. Has God kindled in us desires
towards spiritual blessings more than towards any temporal good things,
and will he not be so kind as to satisfy those desires? Has he filled
us with hopes of those blessings, and will he not be so just as to
accomplish these hopes? He that did by his Spirit work faith in us
will, according to our faith, work for us, and will not disappoint us.