| Scripture |
Expanded Comments | Additional Comments |
| 1 I love the LORD, because he hath heard my voice and my supplications. |
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because... – Our love for the Lord is because He first loved us. Since we have nothing worthy of His love, this becomes an incredible thing for us and our natural response is to love Him.
supplications – 'Earnest prayer' (Strong's 8469) |
| 2 Because he hath inclined his ear unto me, therefore will I call upon him as long as I live. |
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because He hath inclined His ear unto me – Once again we see cause and effect. The cause again is that the great creator of all things has incredibly seen fit to listen to "such a worm as I" we (the church in the flesh) have responded.
therefore will I call upon him as long as I live – This is the natural response of the humble-minded new creation. |
| 3 The sorrows of death compassed me, and the pains of hell gat hold upon me: I found trouble and sorrow. |
Sorrows of death – The sadness associated with the thought that he was about to die. OV265:1
Pains of hell – The fear of sheol, oblivion, death; no reference to anything in the future life. E366; OV265:1
Gat hold upon me – Sickness and trouble are the figurative hands of the grave to grasp us. R2599:3
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The sorrows of death compassed me – The reality of man's condition (and the fact that we are included in this condition) cause great sorrow. Death is indeed the great enemy of mankind.
the pains of hell – the fear of death, oblivion.
gat hold upon me – these pains figuratively reach out from the grave and grab us.
I found trouble and sorrow – The conditions associated with the sentence of death upon our race. |
| 4 Then called I upon the name of the LORD; O LORD, I beseech thee, deliver my soul. |
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Then – after being overwhelmed with the hopless situation of our fallen race.
called upon the name of the Lord – Who else could we turn to?
deliver my soul – From the condition of pain and death. |
| 5 Gracious is the LORD, and righteous; yea, our God is merciful. |
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Gracious ... righteous ... merciful – Our recognition of all these attributes of our Heavenly Father comes about most clearly as a result our our Justification by faith. |
| 6 The LORD preserveth the simple: I was brought low, and he helped me. |
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the simple – Those who, in simplicity of faith, childlike trust in Him.
I was brought low – humbled, and thus brought into a position where the Lord could deal with me. 1 Pet. 5:5 |
| 7 Return unto thy rest, O my soul; for the LORD hath dealt bountifully with thee. |
Return – When, for a season, there is a cloud between us and the Lord, because we fail to maintain the standard, it can only be removed by repentance and forgiveness. R5149:4
Unto thy rest – Of faith in the promises of God. R5433:1
Let the mind return to its rest in contemplation of the beauty of holiness, which is the mark, or goal, of the high calling. R1885:6
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the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee – In not only forgiving us and granting us justification by faith, but additionally He has permitted us to go further unto full consecration unto death that we may run for the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Phil. 3:14 |
| 8 For thou hast delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling. |
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delivered my soul from death – From the dying race of Adam into the Justified condition - "just as if I'd never sinned."
mine eyes from tears – By granting us justification and opening our eyes to the wonderful prize before us, God has indeed wiped away our tears. From this standpoint, that of the saint knowing that "all things" are working out for our ultimate benefit, all experiences become joyful to the new creation.
my feet from falling – "A thousand fall at thy side ... but it shall not come nigh thee." Psa. 91:7 |
| 9 I will walk before the LORD in the land of the living. |
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I will walk before the Lord – Walk the narrow way before God.
in the land of the living – Those out from under the condemnation of Adam, i.e., others who have also been Justified by faith. |
| 10 I believed, therefore have I spoken: I was greatly afflicted: |
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I believed – This simple expression is the basis of everything. If we did not truly believe we would not express ourselves, we would not act upon the information given and we would not sacrifice everything in this life in order to gain Christ.
This belief must be the same as we believe in gravity or the laws of motion. Our faith must be a complete belief and trust in God and in His beloved Son.
therefore – Because I have this belief.
have I spoken – We speak what we know. "Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength and my redeemer." Psa 19:14
Jeremiah 20:9 (KJV) "Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name. But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay. " |
| 11 I said in my haste, All men are liars. |
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| 12 What shall I render unto the LORD for all his benefits toward me? |
What shall I render – The things we consecrated to God, our little all. CR474:6; R5726:2
Our time, our strength and our bodies as living sacrifices. CR308:2; CR306:1; R5538:2
Each day should begin with the inquiry as to what are the possibilities of our service or sacrifice in the Lord's cause. R5155:2
Not, "What will he or she render?" but, "Lord, what shall I render?" CR304:2
All his benefits – Which we have received, as well as those we hope yet to receive. R5155:2, R5726:1; CR474:5
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What shall I render... – A reasonable question indeed. After considering all that the Lord has done on our behalf, the desire of a noble heart is to find some way of demonstrating its gratitude. |
| 13 I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the LORD. |
I will take – Through faith in Christ, the Redeemer. R1673:4
The cup – Of self-denial, shame, ignominy and abasement now; blessing and refreshment in the Kingdom. R3853:6, R5155:2, R5538:4; CR316:4; R329:4
All the experiences that come to us in his providence, every day. R5538:4; CR307:2; R322:6
Of salvation – The gift of God's love, purchased for us at great cost. R1673:4
Which is the cup of sacrifice. R4304:5
The cup of death is represented as a cup of salvation because only thereby can our salvation, and the world's, be attained. R4555:5
Call upon the name – Giving him our fullest confidence. R1673:4
For needed aid, not trusting in our own strength. R4555:6, R5155:5, R5539:5; CR322:6
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the cup of salvation – "Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of.." Matt. 20:22
The name of the Lord – The 'name of the Lord' is indicated in His true character as demonstrated in His Divine Plan. This is suggested in Exo. 34:5-7 where God explains His character to Moses. |
| 14 I will pay my vows unto the LORD now in the presence of all his people. |
I will pay my vows – Fulfil my covenant of consecration, of sacrifice, faithful unto death. R3282:5, R4555:6, R5539:1
The vow of Christ and his members is faithfulness unto death-- the drinking of the cup. R4555:5
Now – Now is the acceptable time for the Church. R5539:1
Promptly. R1673:4
Presence of all – The Lord desires a public confession; a witness before men. R5539:4, R4304:5, R4266:5
We will not keep secret the matter of our vow, nor the matter of our obedience, but we will stimulate one another in the good way. R5155:5
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Pay my vows – This is the proper response, i.e., a full and complete consecration to the Lord.
In the presence of all His people – The world may take knowledge of the fact that we 'have been with Jesus' but our consecration vows must be made known to the brethren. |
| 15 Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints. |
Precious – No matter how long ago it took place. C233
He takes special note of their death. R4651:3
Sight of the LORD – "The Father himself loveth you." (John 16:27) R2355:4
Death of his saints – "Ye shall all die like men, and fall like one of the princes." (Psa. 82:7) C239
Nothing that befalls them is an accident. F646
In their case, the control of "Him that hath the power of death" (Heb. 2:14) is limited. R2180:1
As in the Lord's case, dying daily (1 Cor. 15:3), even unto death. R3282:5
Consecration--dying daily--and finally, actual death--they are all precious to the Father. Q221:2
Such, at his coming, are raised in his likeness. R1210:3*
Those of the Jewish age, into the glory of the earthly phase of the Kingdom; those of the Gospel age, into the glory of its heavenly phase. R1562:2, R2354:6
As though the vow referred to symbolized death to self and the world, as well as to sin. R4266:5
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Precious – Indicating the Heavenly Father's close and personal interest in His people.
The death of his saints – The initial consecration to be dead with Jesus, the daily dying ("I die daily"), and the final death of the old man ("Be thou faithful unto death"). |
| 16 O LORD, truly I am thy servant; I am thy servant, and the son of thine handmaid: thou hast loosed my bonds. |
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thine handmaid – The Sarah feature of the Abrahamic Covenant. |
| 17 I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the LORD. |
Sacrifice of thanksgiving – There is a more difficult sacrifice than this offering of praise--to forsake all, take up our cross, and follow him in the narrow way. R4535:2
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sacrifice of thanksgiving – "This sacrifice under the Law was represented in the 'peace-offerings' and 'thank-offerings.'" R4535
It is because of 'all His benefits' toward us - most importantly, the opportunity to run for the mark for the prize of the high calling that we make this full consecration to Him. This constitutes our 'sacrifice of thanksgiving'.
Psalms 119:97
Better than life – Better than this present life. R2850; R2853 |
| 18 I will pay my vows unto the LORD now in the presence of all his people, |
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| 19 In the courts of the LORD's house, in the midst of thee, O Jerusalem. Praise ye the LORD. |
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