Psalms 116:12
12-14. These are modes of expressing acts of worship (compare Ps 116:4; Ps 50:14; Jon 2:9).
Psalms 116:14
14. now—(compare Ps 115:2). "Oh, that (I may do it)" in the presence, &c.
Mark 5:15
15. And they come to Jesus—Matthew (Mt 8:34) says, "Behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus."
and see him that was possessed with the devil—the demonized person. and had the legion, sitting—"at the feet of Jesus," adds Luke (Lu 8:35); in contrast with his former wild and wandering habits. and clothed—As our Evangelist had not told us that he "ware no clothes," the meaning of this statement could only have been conjectured but for "the beloved physician" (Lu 8:27), who supplies the missing piece of information here. This is a striking case of what are called Undesigned Coincidences amongst the different Evangelists; one of them taking a thing for granted, as familiarly known at the time, but which we should never have known but for one or more of the others, and without the knowledge of which some of their statements would be unintelligible. The clothing which the poor man would feel the want of the moment his consciousness returned to him, was doubtless supplied to him by some of the Twelve. and in his right mind—but now, oh, in what a lofty sense! (Compare an analogous, though a different kind of case, Da 4:34-37). and they were afraid—Had this been awe only, it had been natural enough; but other feelings, alas! of a darker kind, soon showed themselves.Mark 5:18-19
18. he that had been possessed with the devil prayed him that he might be with him—the grateful heart, fresh from the hand of demons, clinging to its wondrous Benefactor. How exquisitely natural!
19. Howbeit, Jesus suffered him not, &c.—To be a missionary for Christ, in the region where he was so well known and so long dreaded, was a far nobler calling than to follow Him where nobody had ever heard of him, and where other trophies not less illustrious could be raised by the same power and grace.