Mr. Passmore was at New Park Street Chapel when young Spurgeon first went to preach there, and walked back with him to his lodging. A life-long friendship developed as well as a business partnership of some forty years.

As soon as Alabaster and Passmore saw the profit, in a spiritual sense as well as a business sense, of publishing Spurgeon's works they began the amazing task of publishing Spurgeon's books that reached a far wider audience than the 6000 in the Tabernacle every Sunday morning and evening. They soon had to move to larger premises to cope with "a rush of orders." At one time there were over 150 titles in their catalogue by Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

The Treasury of David, however, was not first published by Passmore and Alabaster as a seven volume work. It first saw the light of day in print in monthly installments in Spurgeon's magazine that they printed, The Sword and the Trowel. The magazine began in 1865 and in the first issue Spurgeon included his first exposition of the Psalms. This continued for some twenty years until all 150 Psalms had been commented upon. In book form, the FIRST of the seven volumes appeared in 1869.

Although termed "his greatest literary achievement" or his magnum opus, it was not Spurgeon's work alone. As in his sermon preparation, he had a secretary looking up Bible commentaries, the Puritan and other commentators, so several friends assisted him in his work on the Psalms. Some had already passed through his college and were pastors, while George Rogers, a Congregationalist and first Principal of the Pastors' College, assisted in the work of editorship. Spurgeon's friend and amanuensis, John L. Keys, was the most valuable helper, searching out material in the British Museum and Dr. Charles Williams' Library. Spurgeon paid tribute to his helpers in the Preface to the first volume and later ones.

The time and diligence taken over the production is gauged by the fact that although he began in 1865, three years later he had only progressed as far as Psalm 36.

The design of the commentary is this — a short synopsis ("Title and Subject") of the Psalm being expounded, followed by a scheme of divisions or headings. Then followed the main exposition, sometimes a verse at at time, at other times a group of verses. "Explanatory Notes and Quaint Sayings" then follow, on the same lines, verse-by-verse or groups of verses. Finally there were some "Hints to the Village Preacher" (that is, brief sermon outlines), sometimes Spurgeon's, sometimes culled from preachers and commentators of repute, followed by a bibliography of recommended books on the said Psalm.

In spite of much consultation of other sources, Spurgeon was able to say: "Still I can claim originality for my comments." The explanatory notes and quaint sayings were "an after-thought" — he considered them "too good to throw away."

The Baptist newspaper, The Freeman, reviewed the first volume on February 4, 1870 in glowing terms: "Of great value for all readers, especially for those who have few books. It is impossible to look over a single page without finding something, and often much, to suggest or to illustrate truth. For spiritual insight and force the original comments have special interest."

Spurgeon was equally pleased with the volume and held up a copy to a visitor and "looked at it as fondly as he might have done at a favourite child." Charles Ray, in his Life of Charles Haddon Spurgeon, points out that in the first volume nearly 400 authors were quoted or referred to by the author.

The writer of this Introduction cannot remember a time when he did not consult The Treasury of David before any other commentary on the Psalms, first as a young lay preacher aged sixteen, right through to over thirty years in the ordained Baptist ministry.

Volume two was published in 1870. One commendation of the volume gave Spurgeon special pleasure. It was written by Dr. James Morgan of Belfast, North Ireland, and he related how he had spent several evenings reading the expositions and praised not only the matter by the style: "There are many passages of the finest English composition — pure Saxon — simple, refined, and clear as crystal."

Volume three appeared in 1872, three years after the first, but nobody expected that the complete commentary would take up to twenty years. Illness, the world situation (always distressing to Spurgeon), the difficulty of finding suitable previous material on a particular Psalm — all these extended the date of completion.

Spurgeon was now drawing more extensively upon Latin authors.  Because of their weighty style they had been neglected by previous commentators. Although Spurgeon could read Latin he enlisted the help of his classical professor at the college, Dr. David Gracey. They "winnowed" the Latin, said Spurgeon, leaving behind the chaff and so gave the readers much fine grain of wheat.

Volume four was an important publication as it covered Psalms 79 to 103, a section of the Psalter which had been least commented on previously. Reviewing this volume, which appeared in 1874, The Freeman said many of the Psalms dealt with by Spurgeon had been "overlooked or left without full exposition" until he undertook such thorough work. He drew attention to this in his Preface and took the opportunity of advocating his own practice of giving a running commentary on passages when read during divine worship. If more ministers followed that practice, he believed, in future days other commentators would not be left as destitute of material as he had been for Psalms 79 to 103.

Volume five appeared in 1878. In the Preface Spurgeon said that he found other commentators on the Psalms had become "hurried" and "slovenly" as they proceeded through the Psalter. He himself had tried not to write superficially and so he had "lingered for months" over one Psalm and often gave up working if he felt he was weary, stale or dry in style or comment.

Professor Gracey, through pressure of work, had to relinquish researching into Latin authors. His place was taken by a Baptist pastor, E. T. Gibson, who was also a German scholar and so certain notes from German authors were able to be included, as well as the continuation of Latin sources.

Ill-health was now slowing up the work, but the sixth volume was published in 1882 and contained a massive exposition of Psalm 119, taking up more than three quarters of the volume before the beginning of the exposition of the Songs of Degrees.

Far from becoming weary, Spurgeon could now say that "the Book of Psalms has been a royal banquet to me, and in feasting upon its contents I have seemed to eat angel's food."

He pointed out that there was a time when no bishop would ordain a young man to the ministry of the Church of England unless he could repeat the whole of the Psalter by heart!

The seventh and final volume was published in 1885.  Spurgeon said: "A tinge of sadness is on my spirit as I quit The Treasury of David... and now the colossal work is done! To God be all glory. More than twenty years have glided away while this pleasant labour has been in the doing."

Naturally, people want to get into the proper contents of a book, but unless the PREFACE is read the rest of the book might well be read without knowing the author's aims. It is hoped that purchasers of this edition will read the Prefaces for they illustrate the spirit in which Spurgeon wrote, the utter reliance he had upon the Holy Spirit, and the divine strength he was given to undertake such a gigantic task.

An early biographer, and a friend of Spurgeon, Dr. W. Y. Fullerton, wrote: "It is a monumental work. There is nothing like it in literature." The famous preacher, Dr. J. H. Jowett said of The Treasury: "I have for many years sought and found nutriment for my own pulpit in this marvellous exposition. He is not eclipsed even when set in the radiant succession of Calvin and Luther and Paul."

Dr. J. C. Carlile in his biography of Spurgeon says that about 50,000 sets were sold during the author's lifetime. Charles Ray pointed out that at the time he wrote his life of Spurgeon (1903), 148,000 sets have been sold, and he affirms that 120,000 were sold during Spurgeon's lifetime.

Ernest Bacon, in Spurgeon — Heir of the Puritans, comments: "No work of his, apart from his sermons, has so enriched the spiritual life of all branches of the church. Into these volumes he put his very heart, his experience, his inmost soul.

No wonder they have enjoyed a circulation larger than any other commentary upon single book of the Bible. No wonder these volumes have been read by university professors, bishops, eminent literary men, peers of the realm and even royalty.

It must not be forgotten that the original volumes were priced at eight shillings, in order that they could "reach as large a number of students of the Word as I could." No only did Spurgeon purposely keep the price low (thus denying himself much monetary profit) but after the Passmore and Alabaster 7-volume edition he saw that it was issued in one shilling monthly parts, so that poor local preachers could buy it and benefit from it.

As Mrs. Susie Spurgeon and Spurgeon's private secretary, J. W. Harrald, wrote in the Autobiography — "If the author had never written anything else it would have been a permanent literary memorial."

Author: Eric W. Hayden

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My Preface shall at least possess the virtue of brevity, as I find it difficult to impart to it any other.

The delightful study of the Psalms has yielded me boundless profit and ever-growing pleasure; common gratitude constrains me to communicate to others a portion of the benefit, with the prayer that it may induce them to search further for themselves. That I have nothing better of my own to offer upon this peerless book is to me matter of deepest regret; that I have anything whatever to present is subject for devout gratitude to the Lord of grace. I have done my best, but, conscious of many defects, I heartily wish I could have done far better.

The Exposition here given is my own. I consulted a few authors before penning it, to aid me in interpretation and arouse my thoughts; but, still I can claim originality for my comments, at least so I honestly think. Whether they are better or worse for that, I know not; at least I know I have sought heavenly guidance while writing them, and therefore I look for a blessing on the printing of them.

The collection of quotations was an after-thought. In fact, matter grew upon me which I thought too good to throw away. It seemed to me that it might prove serviceable to others, if I reserved portions of my reading upon the various Psalms; those reserves soon acquired considerable bulk, so much so that even in this volume only specimens are given and not the bulk.

The research expended on this volume would have occupied far too much of my time, had not my friend and amanuensis Mr. John L. Keys, most diligently aided me in investigations at the British Museum, Dr. William's Library, and other treasuries of theological lore. With his help I have ransacked books by the hundred, often without finding a memorable line as a reward, but at other times with the most satisfactory result. Readers little know how great labour the finding of but one pertinent extract may involve; labour certainly I have not spared — my earnest prayer is that some measure of good may come of it to my brethren in the ministry and to the church at large.

The Hints to the Village Preacher are very simple, and an apology is due to my ministerial readers for inserting them, but I humbly hope they may render assistance to those for whom alone they are designed, viz., lay preachers whose time is much occupied, and whose attainments are slender.

Should this first volume meet with the approbation of the judicious, I shall hope by God's grace to continue the work as rapidly as I can consistently with the research demanded and my incessant pastoral duties. Another volume will follow in all probability in twelve months' time, if life be spared and strength be given.

It may be added, that although the comments were the work of my health, the rest of the volume is the product of my sickness. When protracted illness and weakness laid me aside from daily preaching, I resorted to my pen as an available means of doing good. I would have preached had I been able, but as my Master denied me the privilege of thus serving him, I gladly availed myself of the other method of bearing testimony for his name. O that he may give me fruit in this field also, and his shall be all the praise.

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