Here, 1. David prays for sustaining grace; for this grace sufficient he
besought the Lord twice: Uphold me; and again, Hold thou me up. He sees
himself not only unable to go on in his duty by any strength of his
own, but in danger of falling into sin unless he was prevented by
divine grace; and therefore he is thus earnest for that grace to uphold
him in his integrity (Ps. xli. 12), to keep him from falling and to
keep him from tiring, that he might neither turn aside to evil-doing
nor be weary of well-doing. We stand no longer than God holds us and go
no further than he carries us. 2. He pleads earnestly for this grace.
(1.) He pleads the promise of God, his dependence upon the promise, and
his expectation from it: "Uphold me, according to thy word, which word
I hope in; and, if it be not performed, I shall be made ashamed of my
hope, and be called a fool for my credulity." But those that hope in
God's word may be sure that the word will not fail them, and therefore
their hope will not make them ashamed. (2.) He pleads the great need he
had of God's grace and the great advantage it would be of to him:
Uphold me, that I may live, intimating that he could not live without
the grace of God; he should fall into sin, into death, into hell, if
God did not hold him up; but, supported by his hand, he shall live; his
spiritual life shall be maintained and be an earnest of eternal life.
Hold me up, and I shall be safe, out of danger and out of the fear of
danger. Our holy security is grounded on divine supports. (3.) He
pleads his resolution, in the strength of this grace, to proceed in his
duty: "Hold me up, and then I will have respect unto thy statutes
continually and never turn my eyes or feet aside from them." I will
employ myself (so some), I will delight myself (so others) in thy
statutes. If God's right hand uphold us, we must, in his strength, go
on in our duty both with diligence and pleasure.