Charles Spurgeon

In You, O LORD, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame; save me by Your righteousness.

“In thee, O Lord, do I put my trust. Nowhere else do I fly for shelter, let the tempest howl as it may. The psalmist has one refuge, and that the best one.”

Incline Your ear to me; come quickly to my rescue. Be my rock of refuge, the stronghold of my deliverance.

“Bow down thine ear to me. Condescend to my low estate; listen to me attentively as one who would hear every word.”

For You are my rock and my fortress; lead me and guide me for the sake of Your name.

“For thou art my rock and my fortress. Here the tried soul avows yet again its full confidence in God. Faith's repetitions are not vain. The avowal of our reliance upon God in times of adversity is a principle method of glorifying him.”

You free me from the net laid out for me, for You are my refuge.

“Pull me out of the net that they have laid privily for me. The enemies of David were cunning as well as mighty; if they could not conquer him by power, they would capture him by craft.”

Into Your hands I commit my spirit; You have redeemed me, O LORD, God of truth.

“Into thine hand I commit my spirit. These living words of David were our Lord's dying words, and have been frequently used by holy men in their hour of departure.”

I hate those who cling to worthless idols, but in the LORD I trust.

“I have hated them that regard lying vanities. Those who will not lean upon the true arm of strength, are sure to make to themselves vain confidences.”

I will be glad and rejoice in Your loving devotion, for You have seen my affliction; You have known the anguish of my soul.

“I will be glad and rejoice in thy mercy. For mercy past he is grateful, and for mercy future, which he believingly anticipates, he is joyful.”

You have not delivered me to the enemy; You have set my feet in the open.

“And hast not shut me up into the hand of the enemy. To be shut up in one's hand is to be delivered over absolutely to his power; now, the believer is not in the hand of death or the devil, much less is he…”

Be merciful to me, O LORD, for I am in distress; my eyes fail from sorrow, my soul and body as well.

“Have mercy upon me, O Lord, for I am in trouble. Now, the man of God comes to a particular and minute description of his sorrowful case. He unbosoms his heart, lays bare his wounds, and expresses his inward desolation.”

For my life is consumed with grief and my years with groaning; my iniquity has drained my strength, and my bones are wasting away.

“For my life is spent with grief, and my years with sighing. It had become his daily occupation to mourn; he spent all his days in the dungeon of distress.”

Among all my enemies I am a disgrace, and among my neighbors even more. I am dreaded by my friends— they flee when they see me on the street.

“I was a reproach among all mine enemies. They were pleased to have something to throw at me; my mournful estate was music to them, because they maliciously interpreted it to be a judgment from heaven upon me.”

I am forgotten like a dead man, out of mind. I am like a broken vessel.

“I am forgotten as a dead man out of mind. All David's youthful prowess was now gone from remembrance; he had been the saviour of his country, but his services were buried in oblivion.”

For I hear the slander of many; there is terror on every side. They conspire against me and plot to take my life.

“For I have heard the slander of many. One slanderous viper is death to all comfort—what must be the venom of a whole brood?”

But I trust in You, O LORD; I say, “You are my God.”

“But I trusted in thee, O Lord. Notwithstanding all afflicting circumstances, David's faith maintained its hold, and was not turned aside from its object. What a blessed saving clause is this!”

My times are in Your hands; deliver me from my enemies and from those who pursue me.

“DAVID was sad—his life was spent with grief and his years with sighing. His sorrow had wasted his strength and even his bones were consumed within him. Cruel enemies pursued him with malicious craft, even seeking his life.”

My times are in Your hands; deliver me from my enemies and from those who pursue me.

“My times are in thy hand. The sovereign arbiter of destiny holds in his own power all the issues of our life; we are not waifs and strays upon the ocean of fate, but are steered by infinite wisdom towards our desired haven.”

Make Your face shine on Your servant; save me by Your loving devotion.

“Make thy face to shine upon thy servant. Give me the sunshine of heaven in my soul, and I will defy the tempests of earth.”

O LORD, let me not be ashamed, for I have called on You. Let the wicked be put to shame; let them lie silent in Sheol.

“Let me not be ashamed, O Lord; for I have called upon thee. Put not my prayers to the blush! Do not fill profane mouths with jeers at my confidence in my God.”

May lying lips be silenced— lips that speak with arrogance against the righteous, full of pride and contempt.

“Let the lying lips be put to silence. A right good and Christian prayer; who but a bad man would give liars more license than need be?”

How great is Your goodness which You have laid up for those who fear You, which You have bestowed before the sons of men on those who take refuge in…

“Oh how great is thy goodness. Is it not singular to find such a joyful sentence in connection with so much sorrow? Truly the life of faith is a miracle. When faith led David to his God, she set him singing at once.”

You hide them in the secret place of Your presence from the schemes of men. You conceal them in Your shelter from accusing tongues.

“Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the pride of man. Pride is a barbed weapon: the proud man's contumely is iron which entereth into the soul; but those who trust in God, are safely housed in the Holy of holies…”

Blessed be the LORD, for He has shown me His loving devotion in a city under siege.

“Blessed be the Lord. When the Lord blesses us we cannot do less than bless him in return. For he hath shewed me his marvellous kindness in a strong city. Was this in Mahanaim, where the Lord gave him victory over the hosts of Absalom?”

In my alarm I said, “I am cut off from Your sight!” But You heard my plea for mercy when I called to You for help.

“Confession of faults is always proper; and when we reflect upon the goodness of God, we ought to be reminded of our own errors and offences. For I said in my haste. We generally speak amiss when we are in a hurry.”

Love the LORD, all His saints. The LORD preserves the faithful, but fully repays the arrogant.

“O love the Lord, all ye his saints. A most affecting exhortation, showing clearly the deep love of the writer to his God: there is the more beauty in the expression, because it reveals love toward a smiting God, love which many waters could not…”

Be strong and courageous, all you who hope in the LORD.

“Be of good courage. Keep up your spirit, let no craven thoughts blanch your cheek. Fear weakens, courage strengthens. Victory waits upon the banners of the brave. And he shall strengthen your heart.”