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Expanded Comments |
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| 1 O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. |
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 the LORD say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy; |
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| 3 And gathered them out of the lands, from the east, and from the west, from the north, and from the south. |
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| 4 They wandered in the wilderness in a solitary way; they found no city to dwell in. |
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| 5 Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them. |
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| 6 Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses. |
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| 7 And he led them forth by the right way, that they might go to a city of habitation. |
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| 8 Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! |
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| 9 For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness. |
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| 10 Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron; |
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 contemned the counsel of the most High: |
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 labour; they fell down, and there was none to help. |
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 the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them out of their distresses. |
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 bands in sunder. |
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| 15 Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, 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 meat; and they draw near unto the gates of death. |
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| 19 Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he saveth them out of their distresses. |
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 sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions. |
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| 21 Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! |
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| 22 And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing. |
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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 the LORD, 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 heaven, they go down again to the depths: their soul is melted because of trouble. |
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 wit's end. |
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 the LORD 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. |
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 be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven. |
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 the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! |
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| 32 Let them exalt him also in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders. |
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| 33 He turneth rivers into a wilderness, and the watersprings into dry ground; |
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| 34 A fruitful land into barrenness, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein. |
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| 35 He turneth the wilderness into a standing water, and dry ground into watersprings. |
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| 36 And there he maketh the hungry to dwell, that they may prepare a city for habitation; |
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| 37 And sow the fields, and plant vineyards, which may yield fruits of increase. |
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| 38 He blesseth them also, so that they are multiplied greatly; and suffereth not their cattle to decrease. |
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| 39 Again, they are minished and brought low through oppression, affliction, and sorrow. |
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 wilderness, where there is no way. |
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| 41 Yet setteth he the poor on high from affliction, and maketh him families like a flock. |
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| 42 The righteous shall see it, and rejoice: and all iniquity shall stop her mouth. |
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| 43 Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the lovingkindness of the LORD. |
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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