John Trapp on Nehemiah 4:9

Verſe 9. Nevertheleſſe we made our prayer unto God] Who is the Saints ſanctuary of ſafety, their preſent help in time of trouble. Prayer to him is an anchor in all ſtorms, and a ſalve for all ſores; yea, it healeth not only body and ſoul, but even hard ſtony walls, verſe 7. Provided that we judge our ſelves in prayer, [non-Latin text not transcribed] and commit our cauſe to God to be judged by him, as the Hebrew word here importeth. Euſeb: lib. 4. Ruffin. lib. 2. cap. 23. Thus did the children of Reuben, Gad, and Manaſſeh, when to fight againſt the Hagarens. Thus did Jabiz, and Jehoſaphat, and Conſtantine, and Theodoſius, and that late victorious King of Sweden, of whom it is ſtoried in his life, that he would pray a ſhipboard, aſhoare, in the field, in the middeſt of a battle; as if prayer alone were the ſureſt piece of his whole armour.Mr. Clark.

And ſet a watch] According to that of our Saviour, Watch and pray, Luke 21.36. and that of the Heathen, Admota manu invocanda eſt Minerva: Ora & labora, pray, and then uſe beſt policy: firſt conquer heaven, and then preſume of earths conqueſt.

Againſt them] Or, over-anent them, at the workmens elbowes, and in the face of the enemies.