John Trapp on Hosea 14:3

Verſe 3. Aſhur ſhall not ſave us, &c.] q. d. He cannot if he would: he ſhall not, if he could. The two great ſinnes of this people were Creature-confidence, and Idolatry: both theſe they do here abrenounce and abandon. The beſt repentance, ſaith Luther, is a reformed life. It is true ſay they, we have gone to the Aſſyrian, (wherein we have dealt as the ſilly bird flying to the ſnare, or as fiſhes, which to avoyd the powle wherewith the water is troubled, ſwim into the net.) We have taken our horſes inſtead of our prayers, and gone about to finde out good. We have been ſo fooliſh, as to think that dumb Idols, that cannot help themſelves, ſhould help us. But now we are otherwiſe reſolved, experientiâ edocti & poenitentiâ ducti: we finde at length (that which we ſhould have beleeved ſooner, without trying concluſions) that men of high degree are but a lie, that horſes are but a vanity, that an Idol is nothing, and can give nothing. That power belongeth unto thee, none elſe can do it: that mercy belongeth unto thee, none elſe will do it: therefore ſince in thee onely, the fatherleſſe, that is, the friendleſſe and ſhiftleſſe finde mercy, O be thou pleaſed to do us good.

For in thee the fatherleſſe findeth mercy.] The poor pupil, the forlorne orphan, that's left to the wide world, and loſt in himſelf, cries out, Lord, I am hell, but thou art heaven, Miſeria res digna miſericordiâ. Ruperti Imp. ſymb. &c. I am an abject, oh make me an object of thy pity, Jer. 39.17. Becauſe they call thee an outcaſt, ſaying, This is Zion, whom no man ſeeketh after, therefore I will reſtore health unto thee, &c. The proud Aſſyrian, and other enemies, would be apt to inſult over Iſrael: as afterwards Cicero did: The Jewiſh Nation, ſaith he, ſhew how God regards them, that have been ſo oft overcome by Pompey, Craſſus, &c. But let Gods people be but fatherleſſe enough, let them withdraw their confidence from men and means, and caſt it wholly upon God, making him their Tutour and Protectour, and they ſhall be both preſerved, and provided for. Deo confiſi nunquam confuſi. I will not leave you orphans, ſaith Chriſt, Job. 16. Hence the Church reſteth on God, in the fail of other comforts, Pſal. 10.14, 17, 18. Pſal. 27.10. Hab. 3.17. Pſal. 102.13. The prayer of the deſtitute he regards. The Hebrew word ſignifies a poor worthleſſe ſhrub in the wilderneſſe, trod upon by beaſts, unregarded.