Charles Spurgeon

They have mouths, but cannot speak; they have eyes, but cannot see;

“They have mouths, but they speak not. The idols cannot utter even the faintest sound, they cannot communicate with their worshippers, they can neither promise nor threaten, command nor console, explain the past nor prophesy the future.”

they have ears, but cannot hear; they have noses, but cannot smell;

“They have ears, but they hear not. The Psalmist might have pointed to the monstrous ears with which some heathen deities are disfigured, —truly they have ears; but no prayer of their rotaries, though shouted by a million voices, can ever be heard by them.”

they have hands, but cannot feel; they have feet, but cannot walk; they cannot even clear their throats.

“They have hands, but they handle not. Looking lower down upon the images, the Psalmist says, "They have hands, but they handle not, "they cannot receive that which is handed to them, they cannot grasp the sceptre of power or the sword of vengeance, they…”

Those who make them become like them, as do all who trust in them.

“They that make them are like unto them. Those who make such things for worship are as stupid, senseless, and irrational as the figures they construct.”

O Israel, trust in the LORD! He is their help and shield.

“O Israel, trust thou in the Lord. Whatever others do, let the elect of heaven keep fast to the God who chose them. Jehovah is the God of Jacob, let his children prove their loyalty to their God by their confidence in him.”

O house of Aaron, trust in the LORD! He is their help and shield.

“O house of Aaron, trust in the Lord. You who are nearest to him, trust him most; your very calling is connected with his truth and is meant to declare his glory, therefore never entertain a doubt concerning him, but lead the way in holy…”

You who fear the LORD, trust in the LORD! He is their help and shield.

“The next verse is of the same tenor— Ye that fear the Lord, trust in the Lord, whether belonging to Israel, or to the house of Aaron, or not, all those who reverence Jehovah are permitted and commanded to confide in him.”

The LORD is mindful of us; He will bless us. He will bless the house of Israel; He will bless the house of Aaron;

“The Lord hath been mindful of us, or "Jehovah hath remembered us." His past mercies prove that we are on his heart, and though for the present he may afflict us, yet he does not forget us.”

He will bless those who fear the LORD— small and great alike.

“He will bless them that fear the Lord, both small and great. So long as a man fears the Lord it matters nothing whether he be prince or peasant, patriarch or pauper, God will assuredly bless him.”

May the LORD give you increase, both you and your children.

“The Lord shall increase you more and more, you and your children. Just as in Egypt he multiplied the people exceedingly, so will he increase the number of his saints upon the earth; not only shall the faithful be blessed with converts, and so with…”

May you be blessed by the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.

“Ye are blessed of the Lord which made heaven and earth. This is another form of the blessing of Melchizedek: "Blessed be Abram of the Most High God, possessor of heaven and earth"; and upon us through our great Melchizedek this same benediction rests.”

The highest heavens belong to the LORD, but the earth He has given to mankind.

“The heaven, even the heavens, are the Lord's. There he specially reigns, and manifests his greatness and his glory: but the earth hath he given to the children of men.”

It is not the dead who praise the LORD, nor any who descend into silence.

“The dead praise not the Lord —So far as this world is concerned. They cannot unite in the Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs with which the church delights to adore her Lord.”

But it is we who will bless the LORD, both now and forevermore. Hallelujah!

“But we will bless the Lord from this time forth and for evermore. We who are still living will take care that the praises of God shall not fail among the sons of men.”

I love the LORD, for He has heard my voice— my appeal for mercy.

“I love the Lord. A blessed declaration: every believer ought to be able to declare without the slightest hesitation, "I love the Lord."”

Because He has inclined His ear to me, I will call on Him as long as I live.

“Because he hath inclined his ear unto me :—bowing down from his grandeur to attend to my prayer; the figure seems to be that of a tender physician or loving friend leaning over a sick man whose voice is faint and scarcely audible, so as…”

The ropes of death entangled me; the anguish of Sheol overcame me; I was confronted by trouble and sorrow.

“The Psalmist now goes on to describe his condition at the time when he prayed unto God. The sorrows of death compassed me.”

Then I called on the name of the LORD: “O LORD, deliver my soul!”

“Then I called upon the name of the Lord. Prayer is never out of season, he prayed then, when things were at their worst. When the good man could not run to God, he called to him.”

The LORD is gracious and righteous; our God is full of compassion.

“Gracious is the Lord, and righteous. In hearing prayer the grace and righteousness of Jehovah are both conspicuous.”

Return to your rest, O my soul, for the LORD has been good to you.

“You who have not be1ieved in our Lord Jesus Christ have no rest to which you can return, for you have never found any. May God grant to you the Grace to come to Christ that you may find rest unto your souls!”

For You have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling.

“For thou hast delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling. The triune God has given us a trinity of deliverances: our life has been spared from the grave, our heart has been uplifted from its griefs, and our…”

I will walk before the LORD in the land of the living.

“I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living. This is the Psalmist's second resolution, to live as in the sight of God in the midst of the sons of men.”

I believed, therefore I said, “I am greatly afflicted.”

“SOME translators render this passage, "I believed, though I have spoken as I have done," for the Psalmist had spoken words suggestive of unbelief. But, although he had spoken unwisely and unbelievingly, yet, deep down in his heart, he did still believe in his God.”

In my alarm I said, “All men are liars!”

“I said in my haste, All men are liars. In a modified sense the expression will bear justification, even though hastily uttered, for all men will prove to be liars if we unduly trust in them; some from want of truthfulness, and others from want…”

How can I repay the LORD for all His goodness to me?

“What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits toward me? He wisely leaves off fretting about man's falsehood and his own ill humour, and directs himself to his God.”