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I. THE PETITION. The psalmist does neither plead by this form of language that God would reveal a new system of precepts to him, which he had never before made known, nor that these already revealed should be expressed in plainer terms; but he prays for grace to improve them, and To apply them to practice, that he might see the proper use of his knowledge; for the internal illumination of God's Holy Spirit to render the external revelation of the Word profitable to his soul; for the practical saving knowledge of his duty in opposition to mere speculation. Now, God is said to hide this knowledge from us, when He doth not actually impart it; and the psalmist here means, by negative expressions, the very same thing which he speaks in positive terms in ver. 18.

II. THE ARGUMENT the psalmist makes use of to enforce his petition; "I am a stranger in the earth." Consider the several respects in which good men may be styled strangers in the earth.

1. In respect of their heavenly extraction; they are natives and citizens of heaven.

2. In respect of their inheritance. The children of this world have their portion in the things of this life only. But the resting-place of saints is not in this world; it remains, it waits them.

3. In respect of their affections and desires. As their treasure is in heaven, their hearts are there. No characters can be more unlike, nor tempers more strange, than these are to earthly minds. Their ends, their motives, their principles, their employments are contrary to one another.

III. CONCLUSION.

1. Let us learn, as strangers upon earth, to keep a close correspondence with heaven, to live near to God, much in the exercise of prayer, under a lively sense of our own necessities, and with believing views of Divine grace to direct and uphold us; otherwise, it will be no wonder if, instead of coming well to our journey's end, mischief befall us by the way.

2. Let us never satisfy ourselves with the knowledge without the practice of our duty.

3. We should meddle as little with the world as may be.

4. We should live indifferent to the pains and pleasures of this world.

5. We should accustom our minds to look forward to our latter end.

6. We should learn to be kind and hospitable to all mankind, as all are strangers in the earth in some respects; and our common lot is a powerful inducement to offices of kindness.

(W. Beat.)

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KJV: I am a stranger in the earth: hide not thy commandments from me.

WEB: I am a stranger on the earth. Don't hide your commandments from me.