I called upon the Lord in distress
Or "out of that strait" F17; when David was encompassed by Saul
and his men, or when at the court of Achish, or when his own
people talked of stoning him. As this may respect the Messiah, it
may design his distresses in the garden, when surrounded with
sorrow, and being in an agony prayed the more earnestly, and his
sweat was as it were great drops of blood; and may be applied to
his members, as it often is their case to be in distress, straits
and difficulties, through outward afflictions and pressures,
inward corruptions, temptations, and desertions, and through the
low exercise of grace; when they are as it were imprisoned, and
so straitened they cannot come forth in the free exercise of it;
at all which seasons prayer is necessary; and nothing is more
proper than to call upon the Lord, which is both duty and
privilege, and often attended with success, as follows;
the Lord answered me, [and set me] in a large
place;
as he did David, when he delivered him from all his troubles,
placed him on the throne of Israel, and gave him rest from all
his enemies round about; see ( Psalms 31:8 ) . And so
he did the Messiah, when he raised him from the dead, received
him to heaven, where he sits at the right of God in human nature:
this is a large place indeed, large enough for the innumerable
company of angels, and for all the saints, for whom everlasting
habitations and mansions of bliss are preparing by him; and which
is the glories liberty of the children of God; see ( Psalms 18:19
) ; and these also, upon calling on the Lord in distress, are
heard and answered, and brought into large places, where they
walk at liberty; so at first conversion, when distressed about
their souls, and cry for help, they are answered and brought out
of the pit, and have their feet set upon a rock and their goings
established; and when at other times their grace is drawn forth
into exercise, their souls are enlarged in duty, are favoured
with large views of the love of God, with an increase of
spiritual light, knowledge, peace, and joy; and are delivered
from their troubles, and out of the hands of their enemies. Or it
may be rendered, "the Lord answered me largely" F18; as he
did Solomon, when he gave him more than he asked for; and as he
does his people, when he gives them a sufficiency, and an
abundance of his grace, and even not only above their deserts,
but above their thoughts and expectations; see ( Ephesians
3:20 ) .
F17 (rumh Nm) "ex ipso angore", Junius & Tremellius; "ex illa angustia", Michaelis.
F18 (bxrmb) "in latitudine", V. L. Pagninus, Montanus, Munster, Musculus, Cocceius, Michaelis.