1In you, O Lord, have I put my hope; let me never be shamed. 2Keep me safe in your righteousness, and come to my help; give ear to my voice, and be my saviour. 3Be my strong Rock, the strong place of my salvation; for you are my Rock, and my safe place. 4O my God, take me out of the hand of the sinner, out of the hand of the evil and cruel man. 5For you are my hope, O Lord God; I have had faith in you from the time when I was young. 6You have been my support from the day of my birth; you took me out of my mother's body; my praise will be ever of you. 7I am a wonder to all; but you are my strong tower. 8My mouth will be full of your praise and glory all the day. 9Do not give me up when I am old; be my help even when my strength is gone. 10For my haters are waiting secretly for me; and those who are watching for my soul are banded together in their evil designs, 11Saying, God has given him up; go after him and take him, for he has no helper. 12O God, be not far from me; O my God, come quickly to my help. 13Let those who say evil against my soul be overcome and put to shame; let my haters be made low and have no honour. 14But I will go on ever hoping, and increasing in all your praise. 15My mouth will make clear your righteousness and your salvation all the day; for they are more than may be measured. 16I will give news of the great acts of the Lord God; my words will be of your righteousness, and of yours only. 17O God, you have been my teacher from the time when I was young; and I have been talking of your works of wonder even till now. 18Now when I am old and grey-headed, O God, give me not up; till I have made clear your strength to this generation, and your power to all those to come. 19Your righteousness, O God, is very high; you have done great things; O God, who is like you? 20You, who have sent great and bitter troubles on me, will give me life again, lifting me up from the deep waters of the underworld. 21You will make me greater than before, and give me comfort on every side. 22I will give praise to you with instruments of music, O my God, for you are true; I will make songs to you with music, O Holy One of Israel. 23Joy will be on my lips when I make melody to you; and in my soul, to which you have given salvation. 24My tongue will be talking of your righteousness all the day; for those whose purpose is to do me evil have been crushed and put to shame.
Matthew Henry's Commentary
Prayers that God would deliver and save. (1-13) Believing praises. (14-24) 1-13 David prays that he might never be made ashamed of dependence upon God. With this petition every true believer may come boldly to the throne of grace. The gracious care of Divine providence in our birth and infancy, should engage us to early piety. He that was our Help from our birth, ought to be our Hope from our youth. Let none expect ease or comfort from the world. Those who love the Lord, often are hated and persecuted; men wondered at for their principles and conduct; but the Lord has been their strong refuge. The faithful servants of God may be assured that he will not cast them off in old age, nor forsake them when their strength fails. 14-24 The psalmist declares that the righteousness of Christ, and the great salvation obtained thereby, shall be the chosen subject of his discourse. Not on a sabbath only, but on every day of the week, of the year, of his life. Not merely at stated returns of solemn devotion, but on every occasion, all the day long. Why will he always dwell on this? Because he knew not the numbers thereof. It is impossible to measure the value or the fulness of these blessings. The righteousness is unspeakable, the salvation everlasting. God will not cast off his grey-headed servants when no longer capable of labouring as they have done. The Lord often strengthens his people in their souls, when nature is sinking into decay. And it is a debt which the old disciples of Christ owe to succeeding generations, to leave behind them a solemn testimony to the advantage of religion, and the truth of God's promises; and especially to the everlasting righteousness of the Redeemer. Assured of deliverance and victory, let us spend our days, while waiting the approach of death, in praising the Holy One of Israel with all our powers. And while speaking of his righteousness, and singing his praises, we shall rise above fears and infirmities, and have earnests of the joys of heaven. The work of redemption ought, above all God's works, to be spoken of by us in our praises. The Lamb that was slain, and has redeemed us to God, is worthy of all blessing and praise.