The king sings of God’s judgment and mercy and vows that he will rule and live as an example of God’s character. He makes promises to conduct his life and his court according to high ethical and moral standards.
We also make promises, vows and resolutions to live rightly and avoid sin. When repenting before God or others we make such promises not to do it again. We will remove and avoid temptations to sin. Vows made as part of penitence are good things. The problem arises when we fail again and again to keep them; then we despair and don’t promise again so that we don’t fail again.
Failed vows and promises lead many addicts and just plain sinners to give up on God and fall away. But we must remain persistent in daily repentance and faith and forgiveness, and repeating the vows.
Sin is too big and bad an enemy, too terrible a force and so life-destroying, to just give in. We keep asking for forgiveness and we keep asking, seeking and knocking for help in overcoming: “Oh, when will you come to me?” God keeps His promises, and He can help us keep ours.