Here is, 1. The notion David had of religion; it is keeping God's
righteous judgments. God's commands are his judgments, the dictates of
infinite wisdom. They are righteous judgments, consonant to the eternal
rules of equity, and it is our duty to keep them carefully. 2. The
obligation he here laid upon himself to be religious, binding himself,
by his own promise, to that which he was already bound to by the divine
precept, and all little enough. "I have sworn (I have lifted up my head
to the Lord, and I cannot go back) and therefore must go forward: I
will perform it." Note, (1.) It is good for us to bind ourselves with a
solemn oath to be religious. We must swear to the Lord as subjects
swear allegiance to their sovereign, promising fealty, appealing to God
concerning our sincerity in this promise, and owning ourselves liable
to the curse of we do not perform it. (2.) We must often call to mind
the vows of God that are upon us, and remember that we have sworn. (3.)
We must make conscience of performing unto the Lord our oaths (an
honest man will be as good as his word); nor have we sworn to our own
hurt, but it will be unspeakably to our hurt if we do not perform.