1 To the chiefe Musician, A Psalme of Dauid. In thee, O Lord, doe I put my trust, let me neuer be ashamed: deliuer me in thy righteousnesse.
2 Bowe downe thine eare to me, deliuer me speedily: be thou my strong rocke, for an house of defence to saue me.
3 For thou art my rocke and my fortresse: therfore for thy names sake lead me, and guide me.
4 Pull me out of the net, that they haue layd priuily for me: for thou art my strength.
5 Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed mee, O Lord God of trueth.
6 I haue hated them that regard lying vanities: but I trust in the Lord.
7 I will be glad, and reioyce in thy mercie: for thou hast considered my trouble; thou hast knowen my soule in aduersities;
8 And hast not shut me vp into the hand of the enemie: thou hast set my feete in a large roome.
9 Haue mercy vpon me, O Lord, for I am in trouble; mine eie is consumed with griefe, yea my soule and my belly.
10 For my life is spent with griefe, and my yeeres with sighing: my strength faileth, because of mine iniquitie, and my bones are consumed.
11 I was a reproch among all mine enemies, but especially among my neighbours, and a feare to mine acquaintance: they that did see me without, fled from me.
12 I am forgotten as a dead man out of minde: I am like a broken vessell.
13 For I haue heard the slaunder of many, feare was on euery side: while they tooke counsell together against me, they deuised to take away my life.
14 But I trusted in thee, O Lord: I sayd, Thou art my God.
15 My times are in thy hand: deliuer me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me.
16 Make thy face to shine vpon thy seruant: saue me for thy mercies sake.
17 Let mee not be ashamed, O Lord, for I haue called vpon thee: let the wicked be ashamed, and let them be silent in the graue.
18 Let the lying lippes be put to silence: which speake grieuous things proudly and contemptuously against the righteous.
19 O how great is thy goodnesse, which thou hast layd vp for them that feare thee: which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee, before the sonnes of men!
20 Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence, from the pride of man: thou shalt keepe them secretly in a pauilion, from the strife of tongues.
21 Blessed be the Lord; for hee hath shewed me his maruellous kindnesse, in a strong citie.
22 For I sayd in my haste, I am cut off from before thine eies: Neuerthelesse thou heardest the voice of my supplications, when I cryed vnto thee.
23 O loue the Lord, all yee his Saints: for the Lord preserueth the faithfull, and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer.
24 Be of good courage, and hee shall strenghten your heart: all ye that hope in the Lord.
Confidence in God. (1-8) Prayer in trouble. (9-18) Praise for God's goodness. (19-24)
1-8 Faith and prayer must go together, for the prayer of faith is the prevailing prayer. David gave up his soul in a special manner to God. And with the words, ver. 5, our Lord Jesus yielded up his last breath on the cross, and made his soul a free-will offering for sin, laying down his life as a ransom. But David is here as a man in distress and trouble. And his great care is about his soul, his spirit, his better part. Many think that while perplexed about their worldly affairs, and their cares multiply, they may be excused if they neglect their souls; but we are the more concerned to look to our souls, that, though the outward man perish, the inward man may suffer no damage. The redemption of the soul is so precious, that it must have ceased for ever, if Christ had not undertaken it. Having relied on God's mercy, he will be glad and rejoice in it. God looks upon our souls, when we are in trouble, to see whether they are humbled for sin, and made better by the affliction. Every believer will meet with such dangers and deliverances, until he is delivered from death, his last enemy.
9-18 David's troubles made him a man of sorrows. Herein he was a type of Christ, who was acquainted with grief. David acknowledged that his afflictions were merited by his own sins, but Christ suffered for ours. David's friends durst not give him any assistance. Let us not think it strange if thus deserted, but make sure of a Friend in heaven who will not fail. God will be sure to order and dispose all for the best, to all those who commit their spirits also into his hand. The time of life is in God's hands, to lengthen or shorten, make bitter or sweet, according to the counsel of his will. The way of man is not in himself, nor in our friend's hands, nor in our enemies' hands, but in God's. In this faith and confidence he prays that the Lord would save him for his mercies's sake, and not for any merit of his own. He prophesies the silencing of those that reproach and speak evil of the people of God. There is a day coming, when the Lord will execute judgment upon them. In the mean time, we should engage ourselves by well-doing, if possible, to silence the ignorance of foolish men.
19-24 Instead of yielding to impatience or despondency under our troubles, we should turn our thoughts to the goodness of the Lord towards those who fear and trust in Him. All comes to sinners through the wondrous gift of the only-begotten Son of God, to be the atonement for their sins. Let not any yield to unbelief, or think, under discouraging circumstances, that they are cut off from before the eyes of the Lord, and left to the pride of men. Lord, pardon our complaints and fears; increase our faith, patience, love, and gratitude; teach us to rejoice in tribulation and in hope. The deliverance of Christ, with the destruction of his enemies, ought to strengthen and comfort the hearts of believers under all their afflictions here below, that having suffered courageously with their Master, they may triumphantly enter into his joy and glory.
Commentary by Matthew Henry, 1710.