Charles Spurgeon

The LORD is near to the brokenhearted; He saves the contrite in spirit.

“The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart. Near in friendship to accept and console. Broken hearts think God far away, when he is really most near them; their eyes are holden so that they see not their best friend.”

Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him from them all.

“Many are the afflictions of the righteous. Thus are they made like Jesus their covenant Head. Scripture does not flatter us like the story books with the idea that goodness will secure us from trouble; on the contrary, we are again and again warned to…”

He protects all his bones; not one of them will be broken.

“He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken. David had come off with kicks and cuffs, but no broken bones. No substantial injury occurs to the saints. Eternity will heal all their wounds.”

Evil will slay the wicked, and the haters of the righteous will be condemned.

“Evil shall slay the wicked. Their adversaries shall be killing; they are not medicine, but poison. Ungodly men only need rope enough and they will hang themselves; their own iniquities shall be their punishment.”

The LORD redeems His servants, and none who take refuge in Him will be condemned.

“The Lord redeemeth the soul of his servants —with price and with power, with blood and with water. All providential helps are a part of the redemption by power, hence the Lord is said still to redeem.”

Contend with my opponents, O LORD; fight against those who fight against me.

“"Plead my cause, O Lord, with them that strive with me." Plead against those who plead against me; strive with my strivers; contend with my contenders. If they urge their suit in the law-court, Lord, meet them there, and beat them at their own weapons.”

Take up Your shield and buckler; arise and come to my aid.

“"Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for mine help." In vivid metaphor the Lord is pictured as coming forth armed for battle, and interposing himself between his servant and his enemies.”

Draw the spear and javelin against my pursuers; say to my soul: “I am your salvation.”

“"Draw out also the spear, and stop the way against them that persecute me." Before the enemy comes to close quarters the Lord can push them off as with a long spear. To stave off trouble is no mean act of lovingkindness.”

May those who seek my life be disgraced and put to shame; may those who plan to harm me be driven back and confounded.

“"Let them be confounded and put to shame that seek after my soul." There is nothing malicious here, the slandered man simply craves for justice, and the petition is natural and justifiable.”

May they be like chaff in the wind, as the angel of the LORD drives them away.

“"Let them be as chaff before the wind." They were swift enough to attack, let them be as swift to flee.”

May their path be dark and slick, as the angel of the LORD pursues.

“"Let their way be dark and slippery." What terrors are gathered here! No light, no foothold, and a fierce avenger at their heels! What a doom is appointed for the enemies of God!”

For without cause they laid their net for me; without reason they dug a pit for my soul.

“In this verse the Psalmist brings forward the gravamen of his charge against the servants of the devil. "For without cause"— without my having injured, assailed, or provoked them; out of their own spontaneous malice "have they hid for me their net in a pit…”

May ruin befall them by surprise; may the net they hid ensnare them; may they fall into the hazard they created.

“"Let destruction come, upon him at unawares." This tremendous imprecation is frequently fulfilled. God's judgments are often sudden and signal. Death enter the persecutor's house without pausing to knock at the door.”

Then my soul will rejoice in the LORD and exult in His salvation.

“"And my soul shall be joyful in the Lord." Thus rescued, David ascribes all the honour to the Judge of the right; to his own valorous arm he offers no sacrifice of boasting.”

All my bones will exclaim, “Who is like You, O LORD, who delivers the afflicted from the aggressor, the poor and needy from the robber?”

“As if the tongue were not enough to bless God with, David makes every limb vocal —"All my bones shall say, Lord, who is like unto thee?" His whole anatomy he would make resonant with gratitude.”

Hostile witnesses come forward; they make charges I know nothing about.

“"False witnesses did rise up." This is the old device of the ungodly, and we must not wonder if it be used against us as against our Master. To please Saul, there were always men to be found mean enough to impeach David.”

They repay me evil for good, to the bereavement of my soul.

“"They rewarded me evil for good." This is devilish; but men have learned the lesson well of the old Destroyer, and practise it most perfectly. "To the spoiling of my soul."”

Yet when they were ill, I put on sackcloth; I humbled myself with fasting, but my prayers returned unanswered.

“"But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth." David had been a man of sympathy; he had mourned when Saul was in ill health, putting on the weeds of sorrow for him as though he were a near and dear friend.”

I paced about as for my friend or brother; I was bowed down with grief, like one mourning for his mother.

“"I behaved myself as though he had been my friend or brother:" I waited on him assiduously, comforted him affectionately, and sympathised with him deeply. This may refer to those days when David played on the harp, and chased away the evil spirit from Saul.”

But when I stumbled, they assembled in glee; they gathered together against me. Assailants I did not know slandered me without ceasing.

“"But in mine adversity they rejoiced." In my halting they were delighted. My lameness was sport to them. Danger was near, and they sang songs over my expected defeat. How glad are the wicked to see a good man limp!”

Like godless jesters at a feast, they gnashed their teeth at me.

“"With hypocritical mockers in feasts, they gnashed upon me with their teeth." Like professional buffoons who grin around the banquet to make sport, so they made a business of jeering at the good man; not, however, out of mirth, but from violent, insatiable hatred.”

How long, O Lord, will You look on? Rescue my soul from their ravages, my precious life from these lions.

“"Lord, how long wilt thou look on?" Why be a mere spectator? Why so neglectful of thy servant? Art thou indifferent? Carest thou not that we perish? We may thus reason with the Lord. He permits us this familiarity.”

Then I will give You thanks in the great assembly; I will praise You among many people.

“"I will give thee thanks in the great congregation." Notable deliverances must be recorded, and their fame emblazoned. All the saints should be informed of the Lord's goodness.”

Let not my enemies gloat over me without cause, nor those who hate me without reason wink in malice.

“He earnestly prays that as they have no cause for their enmity, they may have no cause for triumph either in his folly, sin, or overthrow. "Neither let them wink with the eye that hale me without a cause."”

For they do not speak peace, but they devise deceitful schemes against those who live quietly in the land.

“"For they speak not peace." They love it not; how can they speak it? They are such troublers themselves that they cannot judge others to be peaceable. Out of the mouth comes what is in the heart. Riotous men charge others with sedition.”