| Scripture |
Expanded Comments |
| 1 A Psalm of David, when he changed his behaviour before Abimelech; who drove him away, and he departed. I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. |
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| 2 My soul shall make her boast in the LORD: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad. |
Boast in the LORD – "Let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me." (Jer. 9:24) The beginning of this wisdom is indeed the reverence of the Lord. R1919:6
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| 3 O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together. |
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| 4 I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. |
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| 5 They looked unto him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed. |
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| 6 This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles. |
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| 7 The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them. |
Angel of the LORD – There is some power by which God seems to encircle his holy people. CR314:4
May stand for any agency or power, whether animate or inanimate, that God would be pleased to use. R5633:3, R3798:1
The angels are "ministering spirits" (Heb. 1:4) and always have access to the Father's face on behalf of his Little Flock. F76
God's dealings with his people in earlier times was through angels. R5634:1
In this text the word angel probably refers to spirit beings. R5634:1
Doubtless the angels of the Lord are as present with his people now as ever. R5606:1, R5635:1; Q437:4; F76
Perhaps one guardian angel to each saint; perhaps more than one. R2350:4
It will be part of our joy, on the spirit plane, to make the acquaintance of these angels. R4823:5
Persons whose minds are in accord with righteousness and truth are proportionately surrounded by a protective influence which shields them from the intrusion of the evil spirits. R4218:3, R4069:2
Encampeth – An encampment, representing a continual and abiding presence, of divine representatives. R3441:2
Present in our midst without our being conscious of their presence. R265:2
Present, yet invisible. A182; R5781:5
So the Lord, at his second advent, can be present, yet invisible. R2974:3
Round about them – For their deliverance or protection. R4477:3, R4348:4, R4769:3, R5634:5, R5781:5
Illustrated by the vision granted to Elisha's servant. R3441:1, R2349:2
On the snowy curtain above the Holy of the Tabernacle, and on every side, are pictured cherubim. R158:6 *
That fear him – Any special supervision intimated in the Scriptures is only for the Lord's "little ones." R3798:1
Especially deputized to watch over and minister unto the very elect. R3441:3
Who not only will to do right, but who do the right to the extent of their ability. R3641:4
Delivereth them – In the way that will bring the largest measure of blessing. R5634:5
Only those who are in covenant relationship with God. R4769:3
Protect them, not always from the threatening disaster, but from any injurious or evil effects therefrom. R3641:3
The angel of the Lord was as truly with James, who was killed, as with Peter, who was delivered. The deliverance is such as cannot always be appreciated by the natural senses; sometimes granting sustaining strength to endure even when not delivered. R2140:5
In James' case the "escape" was final and decisive; in Peter's case it was only temporary. R3004:5
But it is the interest, the good, of the New Creature that is being considered and not the interests of the flesh. R5606:1
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| 8 O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him. |
O taste and see – Of the feast now spread for the elect Gospel Church, or of that of the Millennium for all people. R1957:6
But do not let it stop at that, as many do. F117
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| 9 O fear the LORD, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him. |
O fear the LORD – Perfect love casts out slavish fear, but increases reverential fear. R2986:6
The fear (reverence) of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. R2289:4
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| 10 The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the LORD shall not want any good thing. |
Any good thing – They shall not lack anything good for them. R4731:5
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| 11 Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the LORD. |
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| 12 What man is he that desireth life, and loveth many days, that he may see good? |
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| 13 Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile. |
Keep thy tongue – A warning to the world in general. A309; D68
"Speak the truth in love." (Eph. 4:15 ) R2157:4
From speaking guile – Our first concern, then, should be for the heart. R1937:2
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| 14 Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it. |
Seek peace, and pursue – Insisting on such rights as are reasonable and necessary for the cause, and freely relinquishing other rights in the interest of peace. R4407:5
Whether the great trouble be very near or farther afield, the proper course of God's consecrated people is the same. R5458:6
"God has called us to peace." (1 Cor. 7:15) R2946:3
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| 15 The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry. |
Eyes of the LORD – Let your child feel that your eye and God's is ever upon him, just as we feel that God's eye is upon us. R1097:5*
His ears – Are bowed down to hear the groaning of the prisoner. SM623:1
Open unto their cry – No matter how long we have walked in a blundering way. R2147:4
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| 16 The face of the LORD is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth. |
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| 17 The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles. |
The LORD heareth – A promise applicable to all who fulfil its conditions. R1358:6
Let your faith grow strong by meditation upon the promises. R5381:5*
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| 18 The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. |
Broken heart – Those discouraged and despairing, bereft of all hope. R5862:2
A contrite spirit – Their lowly estate in the present life is only their necessary discipline to fit them for the glory and service of the time to come. R2139:5*
If any violation of the golden rule brings pain and regret it is a sure sign that it was not wilful, but stumbled into by the flesh contrary to the desires of the spirit. F375
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| 19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all. |
Are the afflictions – Rendered "evil" in "I create evil." (Isa. 45:7) A125; R1351:2 *
Trouble is not necessarily a sign of disfavor. God permits us to have afflictions. R5879:4
Illustrated by the life of Job. SM523:1
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| 20 He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken. |
Not one...is broken – The New Testament writers clearly record the fulfilment of this prediction. (John 19:36) A58; R1394:5, R1205:2, R1817:4
One of the many prophecies which show that the Bible is a divine revelation. A58
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| 21 Evil shall slay the wicked: and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate. |
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| 22 The LORD redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate. |
Redeemeth the soul – Actually, death is an extinction of the soul. R3174:3
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