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Expanded Comments |
Book V
Jehovah delivers Men from manifold Troubles. |
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1 O give thanks unto Jehovah; for he is good;
For his lovingkindness endureth for ever.
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O give thanks – This Psalms was probably written on the occasion of the dedication of the Temple. R4297:1
Endureth for ever – To a full completeness. R5427:3
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2 Let the redeemed of Jehovah say so,
Whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the adversary,
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3 And gathered out of the lands,
From the east and from the west,
From the north and from the Red Sea.
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4 They wandered in the wilderness in a desert way;
They found no city of habitation.
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5 Hungry and thirsty,
Their soul fainted in them.
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6 Then they cried unto Jehovah in their trouble,
And he delivered them out of their distresses.
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7 He led them also by a straight way,
That they might go to a city of habitation.
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8 Oh that men would praise Jehovah for his lovingkindness,
And for his wonderful works to the children of men!
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9 For he satisfieth the longing soul,
And the hungry soul he filleth with good.
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10 Such as sat in darkness and in the shadow of death,
Being bound in affliction and iron,
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Sit in darkness – Failing to search the Scriptures that they may know the will and counsel of God. R2240:6
Bound in affliction – Our first parents--driven out of the Garden of Eden because of disobedience. SM156:3
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11 Because they rebelled against the words of God,
And had contempt for the counsel of the Most High:
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The words of God – The Scriptures--by not putting them into practice. R2241:1
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12 Therefore he brought down their heart with labor;
They fell down, and there was none to help.
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Brought down – Penalty for disobedience. (See Psa. 107:10) SM157:1
With labour – The sentence, that man should earn his bread by the sweat of his face, was designed of the Lord to be a blessing. SM157:1
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13 Then they cried unto Jehovah in their trouble,
And he saved them out of their distresses.
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Then they cried – Before being used of the Lord and prepared for further great things at his hand, Israel needed to learn dependence upon him. R3983:5
As the Lord taught us to pray, "Abandon us not in temptation, but deliver us from the evil one." (Matt. 6:13) R3983:6
In their trouble – Present distresses and tribulations are all working out for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, if we are rightly exercised thereby. R3983:6
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14 He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death,
And brake their bonds in sunder.
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15 Oh that men would praise Jehovah for his lovingkindness,
And for his wonderful works to the children of men!
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16 For he hath broken the gates of copper,
And cut the bars of iron in sunder.
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17 Fools because of their transgression,
And because of their iniquities, are afflicted.
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18 Their soul abhorreth all manner of food;
And they draw near unto the gates of death.
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19 Then they cry unto Jehovah in their trouble,
And he saveth them out of their destresses.
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They cry – Such a cry implies that the sins and weaknesses of the flesh were contrary to the transgressor's will. All such who cry unto the Lord in sincerity and faith shall be heard. R3103:4
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20 He sendeth his word, and healeth them,
And delivereth them from their destructions.
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21 Oh that men would praise Jehovah for his lovingkindness,
And for his wonderful works to the children of men!
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22 And let them offer the sacrifices of thanksgiving,
And declare his works with singing.
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23 They that go down to the sea in ships,
That do business in great waters;
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24 These see the works of Jehovah,
And his wonders in the deep.
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25 For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind,
Which lifteth up the waves thereof.
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26 They mount up to the heavens, they go down again to the depths:
Their soul melteth away because of trouble.
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They go down again – Stormy troubles of the sea--a graphic description of some of our trials and difficulties. SM745:1
Trouble – Rendered "evil" in "I create evil." (Isa. 45:7) A125
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27 They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man,
And are at their wits' end.
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Reel to and fro – "The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard" (Isa. 24:20) as the judgments of the Lord fall heavily on the wayward and disobedient. R5989:5
Vainly endeavoring to right itself, maintain a footing and re-establish itself. D551
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28 Then they cry unto Jehovah in their trouble,
And he bringeth them out of their distresses.
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Cry unto the LORD – When the world is frenzied with fear and despair. They will see then that unless the Lord helps them, all is lost. OV420:2
Out of their distresses – A picture of how the Kingdom of Christ will be inaugurated. OV420:2
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29 He maketh the storm a calm,
So that the waves thereof are still.
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The storm – Mankind is experiencing a mighty whirlwind on the social sea; selfishness is always stirring up a storm on every possible occasion. God permits this so humanity will learn to appreciate our great Savior. R5695:6,3, R5696:1
How suddenly the Adversary may at times bring against us a whirlwind of temptation or of opposition or of persecution. R3324:6
The storms may seem to come from the world, but really beyond the world is the Adversary. R3325:4, R5239:2
These storms may be right inside our own person--storms of anger, passion, or resentment. R5239:4
Those who do not have storms, trials, and difficulties lack proof that they are God's children. (Heb. 12:7, 8) R5239:2
The 6000 years of sin and death have been one continuous storm with occasional brief lulls. R5239:5
This trouble and the glory to follow are the theme of all the holy prophets. R5696:3
The difficulties of life have been valuable to the Church. R5695:6
A calm – The storms of life may go on, but the Lord speaks peace to us. R5696:1
In due time, Christ will bid all storms to cease. R5695:3
In a storm at sea, the voyager feels his own littleness and realized no human arm can calm that storm; but our Heavenly Father can calm the storms of trouble. R5239:1
By the storms and sunshine of life, the Lord is bringing us to the desired haven. SM745:1
The great rest for mankind from the evil one for a thousand years. R3325:4
Illustrated by the miracle of Jesus' calming the sea. R3324:1
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30 Then are they glad because they are quiet;
So he bringeth them unto their desired haven.
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Desired haven – Beyond the veil--the New Jerusalem. SM743:1
To that condition of heart and character which he can approve as worthy of life eternal. SM746:T
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31 Oh that men would praise Jehovah for his lovingkindness,
And for his wonderful works to the children of men!
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32 Let them exalt him also in the assembly of the people,
And praise him in the seat of the elders.
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33 He turneth rivers into a wilderness,
And watersprings into a thirsty ground;
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34 A fruitful land into a salt desert,
For the wickedness of them that dwell therein.
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35 He turneth a wilderness into a pool of water,
And a dry land into watersprings.
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36 And there he maketh the hungry to dwell,
That they may prepare a city of habitation,
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37 And sow fields, and plant vineyards,
And get them fruits of increase.
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38 He blesseth them also, so that they are multiplied greatly;
And he suffereth not their cattle to decrease.
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39 Again, they are diminished and bowed down
Through oppression, trouble, and sorrow.
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Affliction – Rendered "evil" in "I create evil." (Isa. 45:7) A125
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40 He poureth contempt upon princes,
And causeth them to wander in the waste, where there is no way.
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41 Yet setteth he the needy on high from affliction,
And maketh him families like a flock.
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42 The upright shall see it, and be glad;
And all iniquity shall stop her mouth.
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43 Whoso is wise will give heed to these things;
And they will consider the lovingkindnesses of Jehovah. |
Shall understand – And that constitutes authority to teach. F295
Have confidence in the Lord and in his times and seasons. R5697:1
It is ours to know the outcome. R5696:1
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