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Expanded Comments |
Prayer for the Destruction of the Treacherous.
For the Chief Musician; on stringed instruments. Maskil of David. |
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1 Give ear to my prayer, O God;
And hide not thyself from my supplication.
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2 Attend unto me, and answer me:
I am restless in my complaint, and moan,
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3 Because of the voice of the enemy,
Because of the oppression of the wicked;
For they cast iniquity upon me,
And in anger they persecute me.
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4 My heart is sore pained within me:
And the terrors of death are fallen upon me.
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5 Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me,
And horror hath overwhelmed me.
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6 And I said, Oh that I had wings like a dove!
Then would I fly away, and be at rest.
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7 Lo, then would I wander far off,
I would lodge in the wilderness. {Selah
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8 I would haste me to a shelter
From the stormy wind and tempest.
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9 Destroy, O Jehovah, and divide their tongue;
For I have seen violence and strife in the city.
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10 Day and night they go about it upon the walls thereof:
Iniquity also and mischief are in the midst of it.
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11 Wickedness is in the midst thereof:
Oppression and guile depart not from its streets.
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12 For it was not an enemy that reproached me;
Then I could have borne it:
Neither was it he that hated me that did magnify himself against me;
Then I would have hid myself from him:
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13 But it was thou, a man mine equal,
My companion, and my familiar friend.
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14 We took sweet counsel together;
We walked in the house of God with the throng.
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15 Let death come suddenly upon them,
Let them go down alive into Sheol;
For wickedness is in their dwelling, in the midst of them.
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Let them go down – "I would that they were even cut off which trouble you." (Gal. 5:12) R356:1
Quick into hell – Sheol, oblivion, death, not torment. R2599:3; E364
The gradual change of language has attached a totally different meaning than the word "hell" originally had--the grave. PD29/41
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16 As for me, I will call upon God;
And Jehovah will save me.
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17 Evening, and morning, and at noonday, will I complain, and moan;
And he will hear my voice.
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18 He hath redeemed my soul in peace from the battle that was against me;
For they were many that strove with me.
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19 God will hear, and answer them,
Even he that abideth of old, {Selah
The men who have no changes,
And who fear not God.
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20 He hath put forth his hands against such as were at peace with him:
He hath profaned his covenant.
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21 His mouth was smooth as butter,
But his heart was war:
His words were softer than oil,
Yet were they drawn swords.
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22 Cast thy burden upon Jehovah, and he will sustain thee:
He will never suffer the righteous to be moved.
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Cast thy burden – "Every man shall bear his own burden." (Gal. 6:5) This Psalms refers to burdens which we cannot bear. R549:6*
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23 But thou, O God, wilt bring them down into the pit of destruction:
Bloodthirsty and deceitful men shall not live out half their days;
But I will trust in thee. |
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