David was pleading with God, and, in asking him to confirm and establish his word of promise, he made reference to four grounds of appeal. These we may substantially adopt, adding another "all-prevailing plea" which David could not introduce.

I. GOD'S LOVE TO US AS INDIVIDUAL SOULS. "Thy servant's sake" (ver. 19). At other times we read, "For thy servant David's sake;" i.e. for the love which God bore to this servant and son of his. We may ask God to help us because we know he loves us; because he pities us who fear him (Psalm 103:13); because he remembers us in our low estate, and counts our tears, and desires our happiness and well-being.

II. HIS OWN DIVINE BENIGNITY AND HONOUR. (Vers. 19, 20, 24.) "According to thine own heart;" that he may act like himself, with the boundless grace and goodness which belong to his Divine nature. "That thy Name may be magnified for ever," etc. (ver. 24); that all nations may know that thou art a faithful God, continuing thy loving-kindnesses, and redeeming thy word to the land that is so peculiarly thine own. We may well plead the nature of God as a very strong reason why he should bless us. If he grant our request "according to his own heart," if he fill our treasury and satisfy our want in accordance with the tenderness of his heart, the strength and bounty of his hand, and to the glory of his Name, we shall be enriched indeed.

III. HIS CARE FOR HIS CHURCH. (Vers. 21, 22.) As David prayed God to fulfil all the good pleasure of his will on account of Israel, whom he had redeemed and attached to himself by his special mercies, so may we ask for all great things to be done for us on account of that Church for which the Son of God suffered and died, which he "redeemed with his precious blood."

IV. THE DIVINE PROMISE. "The thing that thou hast spoken concerning thy servant," etc. We have great promises to plead with God, based on his own inviolable word; and there can be no more solid ground on which to build our hope in prayer to God. There is one additional plea with which we are familiar, but which the King of Israel lived far too soon to urge (see Luke 10:24). We plead with God -

V. THE NAME AND WORK OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. For the sake of him who loved us and gave himself for us, who lived and died on our behalf, we ask for all those blessings we need; for mercy, for acceptance and sonship, for Divine guidance and protection along the path of life, for the indwelling Spirit, for help and blessing in Christian work, for an abundant entrance into the kingdom of heaven. - C.

I. OVER WHAT HE REJOICES.

1. Over great blessings received.

2. Over yet greater blessings promised.

II. IN WHAT SPIRIT HE REGARDS THESE FAVOURS.

1. As utterly undeserved by himself.

2. As the gift of God's sovereign grace.

(J. P. Lange.)