And now, Lord, behold their threatenings
Meaning not with his eye of omniscience, which he could not but
do; but that he would so take notice of them, as in his
providence to rebuke them for them, or restrain them, or make
them fearless of them: and grant unto thy
servants;
the apostles, and all the ministers of the word, who are the
servants of the most high God, and who serve him in the Gospel of
his Son, with great cheerfulness and faithfulness: that
with all boldness they may speak thy word;
and not their own, or another's; the Gospel, which is God's
speech, or a word, a message of grace and mercy from him to
sinful creatures. The request of the whole church is, that the
ministers of the word might not be intimidated by the menaces of
the sanhedrim; but go on to declare it with all freedom of
expression, with all boldness, courage, and intrepidity of mind,
and all openness and faithfulness, and in the most public manner.
And such a petition shows, that as it is gift of God to speak his
word, or preach his Gospel, so it also is, to speak it freely,
boldly, and faithfully, as it should be spoken.
Acts 4:29
