John Calvin Commentary Psalms 119:132

"Turn thee unto me, and have mercy upon me, As thou usest to do unto those that love thy name." — Psalms 119:132 (ASV)

Look upon me, and be merciful to me. In this verse he beseeches God to regard him, as He is always accustomed to look upon those who are His people. The Hebrew word משפט mishpat, translated judgment, signifies in this passage, as in many others, a common rule, or ordinary usage. He next adds the purpose for which he desires that God would look upon him, namely, that he may be relieved from his miseries.

This, then, is the prayer of an afflicted man who, when apparently destitute of all help and unable to come to any other conclusion than that he is neglected and forsaken by God, yet reflects that for God to forsake him was contrary to His nature and His usual way of acting.

It is as if he had said—Although I can perceive no token of Your favor, indeed, although my condition is so wretched and desperate that, judging according to sense and reason, I consider that You have turned Your back upon me; yet, as from the beginning of the world to the present day, You have testified by numberless proofs that You are merciful to Your servants, I beseech You that, acting according to this rule, You would now exercise the same loving-kindness towards me.

It is to be particularly noticed, so that those whom God does not immediately answer may not become discouraged, that the Prophet had long been oppressed by miseries, without any prospect of relief. Yet it is at the same time to be observed that the Prophet's sole ground of confidence in asking this from God is His free goodness.

From this we gather that, although he was a man of eminent sanctity, yet the undeserved grace of God was his only refuge. With respect to the word judgment, let us learn from the Prophet's example to become acquainted with the nature of God from the various experiences we have had of it, so that we may have certain evidence that He is merciful to us.

And, in truth, if His grace were not known to us from the daily experience we have of it, which of us would dare to approach Him? But if our eyes are not blind, we must perceive the very clear testimonies by which He fortifies our faith, so that we need not doubt that all the godly are the objects of His regard; only we must endeavor to be among the number of those who love His name. This title means genuine believers, for those who only slavishly fear God are not worthy of being counted among His servants.

He requires voluntary obedience from us, so that nothing may be more delightful to us than to follow wherever He calls us. It is, however, at the same time to be observed that this love proceeds from faith; indeed, the Prophet here commends the grand effect of faith, by separating the godly, who lean upon the grace of God, from worldly men, who, having given their hearts to the enticements of the world, never lift up their minds towards heaven.