Matthew Poole and continuators on 1 Samuel 12:22

22 For the LORD will not forsake his people for his great Names sake : because it hath pleased the LORD to make you his people .

i. e. For his own Honour, which would seem to suffer much among men, if he should not preserve and deliver his People in eminent Dangers; as if he were grown feeble, or forgetful, or inconstant, or unfaithful, or regardless of Human affairs, or unkind to those who own and Worship him, when all the rest of the World forsake him. Hence this Argument hath been oft pleaded with God, not without good success, as Exod. 32. 12. Numb. 14. 13, &c. And this reason God here alledgeth to take them off from all conceit of their own merit; and to assure them, that if they did truly repent of all their sins, and served God with all their heart, which is here supposed; yet even in that case their Salvation would not be due to their Merits; but onely the effect of Gods Free Mercy.

To wit, out of his own Free Grace, without any desert of yours, as he saith, Deut. 7. 7. and 9. 5. and therefore he will not easily forsake you, except you thrust him away.

Marginal references: Psal. 94. 14.