John Calvin Commentary Psalms 25:16

"Turn thee unto me, and have mercy upon me; For I am desolate and afflicted." — Psalms 25:16 (ASV)

Have respect unto me. As the flesh is always ready to suggest to us that God has forgotten us when he stops demonstrating his power by helping us, David here follows the order that nature dictates, in asking God to have respect to him, as if he had altogether neglected him before.

Now, it appears to me that the words might be explained as follows: Have respect to me, in order to pity me. He considers it both the cause and the source of his salvation to be regarded by God; and then he adds its effect: for as soon as God, of his own good pleasure, is pleased to regard us, his hand will also be ready to help us.

Again, in order to arouse God's compassion, he presents his own misery, expressly stating that he is alone, that is, solitary; and then he describes himself as poor. There can be no doubt that, by speaking this way, he alludes to the promises in which God declares that he will always be present with the afflicted and oppressed, to aid and help them.