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O continue thy loving-kindness - Literally, "Draw out thy mercy." The allusion to the spring is still kept up.
Unto them that know thee - To them who acknowledge thee in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation.
And thy righteousness - That grace which justifies the ungodly, and sanctifies the unholy.
To the upriabt in heart - לב לישרי levishrey leb, to the straight of heart; to those who have but one end in view, and one aim to that end.
This is true of every genuine penitent, and of every true believer.
O continue - Margin, as in Hebrew: “draw out at length.” The Hebrew word means “to draw;” hence, “to draw out,” in the sense of “continuing” or “prolonging.” Compare Psalm 85:5; Psalm 109:12; Jeremiah 31:3. The desire of the psalmist here is, that God would make the manifestation of his loving-kindness “continuous” or “perpetual” to His people; that it might not be fitful and interrupted, but always enduring, or constant. It is the utterance of a prayer that his favor might always be manifested to his friends.
Thy loving-kindness - Thy mercy, Psalm 36:5, Psalm 36:7. “Unto them that know thee.” That are thy friends. The word “know” is often used to denote true religion: John 17:3; Philemon 3:10; Ephesians 3:19; 2 Timothy 1:12.
And thy righteousness - Thy favor; thy protection. That is, show to them the righteousness, or the glory of thy character. Deal with them according to those just principles which belong to thy character. Compare the notes at 1 John 1:9.
To the upright in heart - Those who are pure and holy in their intentions or their purposes. Compare Psalm 7:10. All true uprightness has its seat in the heart, and the psalmist prays that God would show his continued favor to those whom he sees to be true in heart to himself.