Charles Spurgeon

“For the cause of the oppressed and for the groaning of the needy, I will now arise,” says the LORD. “I will bring safety to him who yearns.”

“In due season the Lord will hear his elect ones, who cry day and night unto him, and though he bear long with their oppressors, yet will he avenge them speedily.”

The words of the LORD are flawless, like silver refined in a furnace, like gold purified sevenfold.

“IN this Psalm our text stands in contrast with the evil of the age. The Psalmist complains that the "godly man ceases. The faithful fail from among the children of men."”

The words of the LORD are flawless, like silver refined in a furnace, like gold purified sevenfold.

“What a contrast between the vain words of man, and the pure words of Jehovah. Man's words are yea and nay, but the Lord's promises are yea and amen. For truth, certainty, holiness, faithfulness, the words of the Lord are pure as well-refined silver.”

The wicked wander freely, and vileness is exalted among men.

“Here we return to the fount of bitterness, which first made the psalmist run to the wells of salvation, namely, the prevalence of wickedness. When those in power are vile, their underlings will be no better.”

How long, O LORD? Will You forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me?

“THIS is a very short Psalm, there are only six verses in it, but what a change there is between the beginning and the end of it!”

How long, O LORD? Will You forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me?

“"How long?" This question is repeated no less than four times. It betokens very intense desire for deliverance, and great anguish of heart. And what if there be some impatience mingled therewith; is not this the more true a portrait of our own experience?”

How long must I wrestle in my soul, with sorrow in my heart each day? How long will my enemy dominate me?

“"How long shall I take counsel, in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily?"There is in the original the idea of "laying up" counsels in his heart, as if his devices had become innumerable but unavailing.”

Consider me and respond, O LORD my God. Give light to my eyes, lest I sleep in death,

“But now prayer lifteth up her voice, like the watchman who proclaims the daybreak. Now will the tide turn, and the weeper shall dry his eyes. The mercy-seat is the life of hope and the death of despair.”

lest my enemy say, “I have overcome him,” and my foes rejoice when I fall.

“Another plea is urged in the fourth verse, and it is one which the tried believer may handle well when on his knees.”

But I have trusted in Your loving devotion; my heart will rejoice in Your salvation.

“What a change is here! Lo, the rain is over and gone, and the time of the singing of birds is come. The mercy-seat has so refreshed the poor weeper, that he clears his throat for a song.”

I will sing to the LORD, for He has been good to me.

“The Psalm closes with a sentence which is a refutation of the charge of forgetfulness which David had uttered in the first verse, "He hath dealt bountifully with me." So shall it be with us if we wait awhile.”

The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt; their acts are vile. There is no one who does good.

“"The fool." The Atheist is the fool pre-eminently, and a fool universally. He would not deny God if he were not a fool by nature, and having denied God it is no marvel that he becomes a fool in practice.”

The LORD looks down from heaven upon the sons of men to see if any understand, if any seek God.

“"The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men." As from a watchtower, or other elevated place of observation, the Lord is represented as gazing intently upon men.”

Will the workers of iniquity never learn? They devour my people like bread; they refuse to call upon the LORD.

“Hatred of God and corruptness of life are the motive forces which produce persecution. Men who having no saving knowledge of divine things, enslave themselves to become workers of iniquity, have no heart to cry to the Lord for deliverance, but seek to amuse themselves…”

There they are, overwhelmed with dread, for God is in the company of the righteous.

“Oppressors have it not all their own way, they have their fits of trembling and their appointed seasons of overthrow. There —where they denied God and hectored against his people; there —where they thought of peace and safety, they were made to quail.”

You sinners frustrate the plans of the oppressed, yet the LORD is their shelter.

“Notwithstanding their real cowardice, the wicked put on the lion's skin and lord it over the Lord's poor ones.”

Oh, that the salvation of Israel would come from Zion! When the LORD restores His captive people, let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad!

“Natural enough is this closing prayer, for what would so effectually convince atheists, overthrow persecutors, stay sin, and secure the godly, as the manifest appearance of Israel's great Salvation?”

O LORD, who may abide in Your tent? Who may dwell on Your holy mountain?

“The question. Jehovah. Thou high and holy One, who shall be permitted to have fellowship with thee? The heavens are not pure in thy sight, and thou chargest thine angels with folly, who then of mortal mould shall dwell with thee, thou dread consuming fire?”

He who walks with integrity and practices righteousness, who speaks the truth from his heart,

“The answer. The Lord in answer to the question informs us by his Holy Spirit of the character of the man who alone can dwell in his holy hill.”

who has no slander on his tongue, who does no harm to his neighbor, who casts no scorn on his friend,

“After the positive comes the negative. "He that backbiteth not with his tongue." There is a sinful way of backbiting with the heart when we think too hardly of a neighbour, but it is the tongue which does the mischief.”

who despises the vile but honors those who fear the LORD, who does not revise a costly oath,

“"In whose eyes a vile person is contemned; but he honoureth them that fear the Lord." We must be as honest in paying respect as in paying our bills. Honour to whom honour is due.”

who lends his money without interest and refuses a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things will never be shaken.

“"He that putteth not out his money to usury." Usury was and is hateful both to God and man. That a lender should share with the borrower in gains made by his money is most fitting and proper; but that the man of property should…”

Preserve me, O God, for in You I take refuge.

“I BELIEVE that we have in this verse a prayer of the Lord Jesus Christ. Some portions of this Psalm cannot apply to anyone but the Savior.”

As for the saints in the land, they are the excellence in whom all my delight resides.

“"But to the saints that are in the earth." These sanctified ones, although still upon the earth, partake of the results of Jesus' mediatorial work, and by his goodness are made what they are.”

The lines of my boundary have fallen in pleasant places; surely my inheritance is delightful.

“Jesus found the way of obedience to lead into "pleasant places." Notwithstanding all the sorrows which marred his countenance, he exclaimed, "Lo, I come; in the volume of the book it is written of me, I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea…”