Psalms 119:132

"Look thou upon me." A godly man cannot long be without prayer. During the previous verses he had been expressing his love to God's word, but here he is upon his knees again. This prayer is specially short, but exceedingly sententious, "Look thou upon me." While he stood with open mouth panting for the commandments, he besought the Lord to look upon him, and let his condition and his unexpressed longings plead for him. He desires to be known of God, and daily observed by him. He wishes also to be favoured with the divine smile which is included in the word—"look." If a look from us to God has saving efficacy in it, what may we not expect from a look from God to us. "And be merciful unto me." Christ's look at Peter was a look of mercy, and all the looks of the heavenly Father are of the same kind. If he looked in stern justice his eyes would not endure us, but looking in mercy he spares and blesses us. If God looks and sees us panting, he will not fail to be merciful to us. "As thou usest to do unto those that love thy name." Look on me as thou lookest on those who love thee; be merciful to me as thou art accustomed to be towards those who truly serve thee. There is a use and wont which God observes towards them that love him, and David craved that he might experience it. He would not have the Lord deal either better or worse with him than he was accustomed to deal with his saints—worse would not save him, better could not be. In effect he prays, "I am thy servant; treat me as you treat thy servants. I am thy child; deal with me as with a son." Especially is it clear from the context that he desired such an entering in of the word, and such a clear understanding of it as God usually gives to his own, according to the promise, "All thy children shall be taught of the Lord." Reader, do you love the name of the Lord? Is his character most honourable in your sight?

LAST Lord's-Day we spoke about being in the fear of God all the day long and I am afraid some thought, "The pastor has set a very high standard before us—not too high, but still far above what we have been able to reach." I know that many desires after holiness were excited and many longings of heart went up to Heaven. It ought to be so as soon as the Truth of God is received into the mind. Note the context—"The entrance of Your Word gives light; it gives understanding unto the simple." And then the next step is intensity of desire—"I opened my mouth and panted: for I longed for Your commandments." When we have light enough to see what holiness is and how desirable it is, then we should hunger and thirst after it. To be holy is to go to the University—to have a desire for it is to go to a preparatory school for children—and to labor and agonize for it is to go to the grammar school. I want to teach the young children and get them ready for that grammar school, that their course may be clear for the University of actual holiness of life. I shall not take you to the grammar school of strong desire with the view of your stopping there, but that I may coach you up, by God's good Spirit, for the University of attainment where you will be "in the fear of the Lord all the day long." Here we have David desiring, praying, pleading and setting forth very clearly what he pants after. May you and I have the same burning desires. May we pant.

["We believe that David wrote this Psalm. It is Davidic in tone and expression and it tallies with David's experience in many interesting points. In our youth, our teachers called it, 'David's pocketbook,' and we incline to the opinion often expressed that here we have the royal diary written at various times throughout a long life."—C. H. SPURGEON'S Note in The Treasury of David as to the author of Psalm 119.] PERHAPS YOU noticed, while I was reading, that during the writing of several of the verses, David occupied himself with the praises of God's Word. He kept to that point, extolling with all his might those Scriptures in which God had spoken to his heart, but he could not go on long without prayer. If these meditations were written in his pocket-book, day by day, it is noteworthy that although he fervently praises the Word of God, yet he also frequently breaks out into prayer. However the child of God may occupy his mind—and he very properly employs it in many holy occupations—yet he often turns to prayer, for he cannot live without it. Well does Montgomery say— "Prayer is the Christian's vital breath, The Christian's native air." We must pray. Brothers and Sisters, we are bound to praise God for all His goodness. We cannot help bearing testimony to His faithfulness and His Truth. We are delighted to engage in all acts of holy service, but, in addition to all that, we must pray. Prayer is a sine qua non with us—we continually come back to that sacred exercise, for, without it, we are nothing and can do nothing. Therefore, again I say, we must pray. Notice, also, how brief David's prayer is, and yet how full of matter! I believe that very often, the longer the prayer is, the less there is in it, and that the best prayers that were ever prayed have usually been the shortest.

LAST Lord's-Day we spoke about being in the fear of God all the day long and I am afraid some thought, "The pastor has set a very high standard before us—not too high, but still far above what we have been able to reach." I know that many desires after holiness were excited and many longings of heart went up to Heaven. It ought to be so as soon as the Truth of God is received into the mind. Note the context—"The entrance of Your Word gives light; it gives understanding unto the simple."

["We believe that David wrote this Psalm. It is Davidic in tone and expression and it tallies with David's experience in many interesting points. In our youth, our teachers called it, 'David's pocketbook,' and we incline to the opinion often expressed that here we have the royal diary written at various times throughout a long life."—C. H. SPURGEON'S Note in The Treasury of David as to the author of Psalm 119.] PERHAPS YOU noticed, while I was reading, that during the writing of several of the verses, David occupied himself with the praises of God's Word.

As thou usest to do - Treat me as thy mercy has induced thee to treat others in my circumstances. Deal with me as thou dealest with thy friends.

Look thou upon me - Turn not away from me. Regard me with thy favor. And be merciful unto me, as thou usest to do unto those that love thy name - Margin, “According to the custom toward those,” etc. The Hebrew word is “judgment:” “according to the judgment to the lovers of thy name.” The word seems here to be used in the sense of “right;” of what is due; or, of what is usually determined: that is, as God usually determines, judges, acts toward those who love him. The idea is, Treat me according to the rules which regulate the treatment of thy people. Let me be regarded as one of them, and be dealt with accordingly. On the sentiment in this passage, see the notes at Psa 106:4.