The psalmist asks the Lord to consider him, to see and take notice. He is asking God to be aware of his faithfulness, not in a superficial or external sense, but at the level of the heart. He knows that the Lord already knows his motives. This is not a claim of perfect obedience, but an appeal rooted in his genuine love for God’s word. Matthew Henry wisely observes, “He does not say, ‘Consider how I fulfil thy precepts,’ for he was conscious to himself that in many things he came short; but, ‘Consider how I love them.’” Obedience that pleases God flows from love. Where love for God is real, love for his word naturally follows. The psalmist rests his case there, not on performance, but on affection shaped by grace. Once more, his request for life is grounded in God’s hesed, his steadfast covenant love. Allen Ross notes that every believer in difficulty may appeal to this faithful love, trusting God to vindicate his people by delivering them from affliction and restoring their lives. The psalmist’s confidence is not in himself, but in the unchanging love of the Lord who binds himself to his people and sustains them according to his promises.
