Charles Spurgeon

You have given me Your shield of salvation; Your right hand upholds me, and Your gentleness exalts me.

“"Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation." Above all we must take the shield of faith, for nothing else can quench Satan's fiery darts; this shield is of celestial workmanship, and is in all cases a direct gift from God himself; it…”

You broaden the path beneath me so that my ankles do not give way.

“"Thou hast enlarged my steps." A smooth pathway leading to spacious possessions and camping-grounds had been opened up for him.”

You have armed me with strength for battle; You have subdued my foes beneath me.

“It is impossible to be too frequent in the duty of ascribing all our victories to the God of our salvation. It is true that we have to wrestle with our spiritual antagonists, but the triumph is far more the Lord's than ours.”

They cried for help, but there was no one to save them— to the LORD, but He did not answer.

“"They cried, but there was none to save them; even unto the Lord, but he answered them not." Prayer is so notable a weapon that even the wicked will take to it to in their fits of desperation.”

I ground them as dust in the face of the wind; I trampled them like mud in the streets.

“The defeat of the nations who fought with King David was so utter and complete that they were like powders pounded in a mortar; their power was broken into fragments and they became as weak as dust before the wind, and as mean as the…”

When they hear me, they obey me; foreigners cower before me.

“THERE is no doubt that we have David speaking to us in this Psalm, but it is equally certain that we must not limit it to David.”

The LORD lives, and blessed be my Rock! And may the God of my salvation be exalted—

“"The Lord liveth." Possessing underived, essential, independent and eternal life. We serve no inanimate, imaginary, or dying God. He only hath immortality. Like loyal subjects let us cry, Live on, O God. Long live the King of kings.”

the God who avenges me and subdues nations beneath me,

“"It is God that avengeth me, and subdueth the people under me." To rejoice in personal revenge is unhallowed and evil, but David viewed himself as the instrument of vengeance upon the enemies of God and his people, and had he not rejoiced in the…”

who delivers me from my enemies. You exalt me above my foes; You rescue me from violent men.

“From all enemies, and especially from one who was pre-eminent in violence, the Lord's anointed was preserved, and at the last over the head of Saul and all other adversaries he reigned in honour.”

Therefore I will praise You, O LORD, among the nations; I will sing praises to Your name.

“Paul cites this verse (Romans 15:9): "And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy; as it is written, For this cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name."”

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands.

“"The heavens declare the glory of God." The book of nature has three leaves, heaven, earth, and sea, of which heaven is the first and the most glorious, and by its aid we are able to see the beauties of the other two.”

Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge.

“"Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge." As if one day took up the story where the other left it, and each night passed over the wondrous tale to the next.”

Without speech or language, without a sound to be heard,

“"There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard." Every man may hear the voices of the stars. Many are the languages of terrestrials, to celestials there is but one, and that one may be understood by every willing mind.”

Like a bridegroom emerging from his chamber, like a champion rejoicing to run his course,

“"Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber." A bridegroom comes forth sumptuously apparelled, his face beaming with a joy which he imparts to all around; such, but with a mighty emphasis, is the rising Sun.”

it rises at one end of the heavens and runs its circuit to the other; nothing is deprived of its warmth.

“"His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it." He bears his light to the boundaries of the solar heavens, traversing the zodiac with steady motion, denying his light to none who dwell within his range.”

The Law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is trustworthy, making wise the simple.

“"The law of the Lord is perfect;" by which he means not merely the law of Moses but the doctrine of God, the whole run and rule of sacred Writ.”

The precepts of the LORD are right, bringing joy to the heart; the commandments of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes.

“"The statutes of the Lord are right." His precepts and decrees are founded in righteousness, and are such as are right or fitted to the right reason of man.”

The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever; the judgments of the LORD are true, being altogether righteous.

“"The fear of the Lord is clean." The doctrine of truth is here described by its spiritual effect, viz., inward piety, or the fear of the Lord; this is clean in itself, and cleanses out the love of sin, sanctifying the heart in which it…”

They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb.

“"More to be desired are they than fine gold, yea, than much fine gold." Bible truth is enriching to the soul in the highest degree; the metaphor is one which gathers force as it is brought out;—gold—fine gold—much fine gold; it is good, better, best…”

By them indeed Your servant is warned; in keeping them is great reward.

“"Moreover by them is thy servant warned." We are warned by the Word both of our duty, our danger, and our remedy.”

Who can discern his own errors? Cleanse me from my hidden faults.

“"Who can understand his errors?" A question which is its own answer. It rather requires a note of exclamation than of interrogation.”

Keep Your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me. Then I will be blameless and cleansed of great transgression.

“"Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me." This earnest and humble prayer teaches us that saints may fall into the worst of sins unless restrained by grace, and that therefore they must watch and pray lest they…”

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in Your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.

“"Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my Redeemer." A sweet prayer, and so spiritual that it is almost as commonly used in Christian worship as the apostolic benediction.”

May the LORD answer you in the day of trouble; may the name of the God of Jacob protect you.

“"The Lord hear thee in the day of trouble." All loyal subjects pray for their king, and most certainly citizens of Zion have good cause to pray for the Prince of Peace.”

May He send you help from the sanctuary and sustain you from Zion.

“"Send thee help from the sanctuary." Out of heaven's sanctuary came the angel to strengthen our Lord, and from the precious remembrance of God's doings in his sanctuary our Lord refreshed himself when on the tree.”