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Expanded Comments | Additional Comments |
| 1 To the chief Musician. A Psalm of David. Jehovah, thou hast searched me, and known me2. |
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Thou hast searched – God has completely examined His people. He knows us to the very depths of our soul.
In Hebrew "searched" = searched as for treasure. This shows how God looks at us. It is not for failure. God is looking for Gold, for treasure. – This is how we should look at our brethren. We are looking for the gold (things divine) in their character.
Me – The David class - the church.
And known me – God knows all about us. He knows our failings and our sinful tendencies. Yet, in spite of this, He still gives us all the wonderful things described in the rest of this chapter. |
| 2 *Thou* knowest my down-sitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off; |
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my downsitting and mine uprising – God is aware of all we do from the moment we arise in the morning to when we go to sleep at night. - Nothing escapes His notice.
Understandest my thought afar off – 'Before they call, I will answer.' (Isa. 65:24) - While this is a promise concerning the Millennial Age, it is also true of the saints during the Gospel Age. |
| 3 Thou searchest out my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways; |
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| 4 For there is not yet a word on my tongue, but lo, O Jehovah, thou knowest it altogether. |
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| 5 Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thy hand upon me. |
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Laid thine hand upon me – "Lay hands suddenly on no man." – The laying on of hands signifies one (or both) of two things: (1) approval, (2) Giving of the Holy Spirit. Here it seems to apply to both. – F283-284; Election or choice – F276.
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| 6 O knowledge too wonderful for me! it is high, I cannot attain unto it. |
Such knowledge – His mighty intellect grasps with ease all the interests of his wide domain, from immensity to minutia. R1864:3
Memory that never fails, judgment that never errs, plans that never miscarry, vigilance that never ceases. R1560:2
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Too wonderful for me – Considering verse 5, is it any wonder the Psalmist exclaims this? |
| 7 Whither shall I go from thy Spirit? and whither flee from thy presence? |
Go from thy spirit – To escape or be hidden from divine power. E366
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| 8 If I ascend up into the heavens thou art there; or if I make my bed in Sheol, behold, thou art there; |
My bed in hell – Sheol, oblivion, death, not torment. E366
Thou art there – Even oblivion is accessible to divine power. E366
God has the same power to aid those in hell that he has to bless those in heaven. HG754:6*; HG756:1*
God's power is unlimited. Even over those in the tomb he can, and will, exert it, and bring forth all that are in the graves. (John 5:28) R2599:3
"I have the keys of death and of hades, oblivion." (Rev. 1:18) E366
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| 9 If I take the wings of the dawn and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, |
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| 10 Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. |
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| 11 And if I say, Surely darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night; |
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| 12 Even darkness hideth not from thee, and the night shineth as the day: the darkness is as the light. |
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| 13 For thou hast possessed my reins; thou didst cover me in my mother's womb. |
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| 14 I will praise thee, for I am fearfully, wonderfully made. Marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. |
Fearfully – Awe-fully; we are noble creatures, in the image of our God, except as marred by sin. R1566:3
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Marvellous are thy works – Quoted in Rev. 15:3 as part of the Song of Moses and the Lamb. |
| 15 My bones were not hidden from thee when I was made in secret, curiously wrought in the lower parts of the earth. |
My substance – My organism. E404
When I was made – Either at first birth, or in the resurrection. E404
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| 16 Thine eyes did see my unformed substance, and in thy book all my members were written; during many days were they fashioned, when as yet there was none of them. |
In continuance – Gradually. E404
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| 17 But how precious are thy thoughts unto me, O *God! how great is the sum of them! |
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| 18 If I would count them, they are more in number than the sand. When I awake, I am still with thee. |
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| 19 Oh that thou wouldest slay the wicked, O +God! And ye men of blood, depart from me. |
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| 20 For they speak of thee wickedly, they take thy name in vain, thine enemies. |
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| 21 Do not I hate them, O Jehovah, that hate thee? and do not I loathe them that rise up against thee? |
Them – Includes both evil men and evil angels. Q322:2
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| 22 I hate them with perfect hatred; I account them mine enemies. |
Perfect hatred – We want to hate what the Lord hates. "Thou hast loved righteousness and hated iniquity " (Heb. 1:9) R4909:5, R1861:4, R5949:2, R1291:1; Q321:5, Q783:T
We hate the Antichrist systems with "a perfect hatred" because we love God with a perfect love. The two, being opposites, properly produce opposite sentiments. R1191:4
We have no thought of ever becoming more loving than the Lord. R4909:6, R2131:2
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| 23 Search me, O *God, and know my heart; prove me, and know my thoughts; |
Search me, O God – It is in the diagnosis of our case that we are most likely to err; it is here that sobriety of mind and meekness are so much needed. R2094:5
Try me – The Lord says, I will prove you by leaving you all your time, influence, money, everything, in your hands as my steward. Q615:T
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| 24 And see if there be any grievous way in me; and lead me in the way everlasting. |
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