| Scripture |
Expanded Comments |
| A Prayer of the afflicted, when he is overwhelmed, and poureth out his complaint before the LORD. |
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| 1 Hear my prayer, O LORD, and let my cry come unto thee. |
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| 2 Hide not thy face from me in the day when I am in trouble; incline thine ear unto me: in the day when I call answer me speedily. |
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| 3 For my days are consumed like smoke, and my bones are burned as an hearth. |
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| 4 My heart is smitten, and withered like grass; so that I forget to eat my bread. |
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| 5 By reason of the voice of my groaning my bones cleave to my skin. |
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| 6 I am like a pelican of the wilderness: I am like an owl of the desert. |
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| 7 I watch, and am as a sparrow alone upon the house top. |
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| 8 Mine enemies reproach me all the day; and they that are mad against me are sworn against me. |
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| 9 For I have eaten ashes like bread, and mingled my drink with weeping, |
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| 10 Because of thine indignation and thy wrath: for thou hast lifted me up, and cast me down. |
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| 11 My days are like a shadow that declineth; and I am withered like grass. |
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| 12 But thou, O LORD, shalt endure for ever; and thy remembrance unto all generations. |
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| 13 Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Zion: for the time to favour her, yea, the set time, is come. |
Time to favour – A large proportion of the promised coming blessings belong to natural Israel; all should not be spiritualized. OV108:2
Set time – Fixed and unalterable. SM479:2
At the end of the Gentile lease of power, God's provision for Israel to represent his kingdom in the world returns. SM477:1
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| 14 For thy servants take pleasure in her stones, and favour the dust thereof. |
For thy servants – "For thy servants hold dear her stones, and her very dust they cherish." (Leeser) CRI35:5
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| 15 So the heathen shall fear the name of the LORD, and all the kings of the earth thy glory. |
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| 16 When the LORD shall build up Zion, he shall appear in his glory. |
Shall build up Zion – Restore the natural city of Jerusalem and complete the construction of the New Jerusalem, the Church. R56:2*
Implying a process, including the restoration in all its parts; true both of earthly Jerusalem and the Gospel Church. R56:6*, R58:3*
Appear in his glory – "When Christ who is our life shall appear then shall we also appear with him in glory." (Col 3:4) R56:2*
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| 17 He will regard the prayer of the destitute, and not despise their prayer. |
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| 18 This shall be written for the generation to come: and the people which shall be created shall praise the LORD. |
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| 19 For he hath looked down from the height of his sanctuary; from heaven did the LORD behold the earth; |
Behold the earth – In his sympathy, God beheld our sorrow. R4963:5
If God so loved these, if Christ died for them as well as us, why should we not be very sympathetic with them? R3933:4
After the saints have all gone to be with the Lord. R60:5*
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| 20 To hear the groaning of the prisoner; to loose those that are appointed to death; |
Hear – Figuratively. R4963:5
Describing, not an impersonal Creator, but a personal one-- one who feels, thinks and exercises his power. SM623:1
Groaning – The suffering of humanity under the death penalty and the incidental aches and pains of our fallen condition. R5032:1, R4963:5; SM610:2
The prisoner – Prisoners of sin; captives in the prison house of death. Q159:T, A112; R4963:5
To loose those – He did more than look and pity. His right arm of divine power in due time began to bring deliverance to the captives of sin and death. R5032:1
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| 21 To declare the name of the LORD in Zion, and his praise in Jerusalem; |
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| 22 When the people are gathered together, and the kingdoms, to serve the LORD. |
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| 23 He weakened my strength in the way; he shortened my days. |
Weakened my strength – Christ's strength. R449:1
Here the speaker changes from Jehovah to Jesus, speaking at the time of his crucifixion. R449:1
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| 24 I said, O my God, take me not away in the midst of my days: thy years are throughout all generations. |
Midst of my days – Prophetic of the painful circumstances of Jesus' death. R1205:2
Thy years – Jehovah's answer to Jesus prayer. R449:4
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| 25 Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the work of thy hands. |
Of old – In the creation of our first parents. R1814:1
Of the earth – The present social order. R1814:1, R3154:6
Originally, Adam was king, with dominion over the beasts, fowls and fish. R4222:6
The physical earth--referring to changes taking place as to earthly conditions; also used as the basis for a symbol, indicating the transformation of the present social order into one more acceptable to God. R3154:6
And the heavens – Powers of spiritual control. R3154:6
Originally, the spiritual heavens recognized the supremacy of the Almighty and that his will must be law for mankind. R4222:6
The spiritual or superior rule of the angels, which was connected with the epoch that preceded the flood. R4222:3
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| 26 They shall perish, but thou shalt endure: yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed: |
Be changed – Rearranged, made over, made new. R3154:6
One such change took place at the flood. We anticipate another in the near future, making the earth more fit than at present for the Millennium. R3154:6
Already changed twice, until today we have what is known as "This Present Evil World." (Gal. 1:4) R4222:6
They need changing, not because of any imperfection of the divine arrangement, but because it was departed from through sin, disobedience and death. R4222:6
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| 27 But thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end. |
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| 28 The children of thy servants shall continue, and their seed shall be established before thee. |
Children of thy servants – The best provision which parents can make for their children is to give them, by precept and example, instruction in righteousness. R1963:5
Shall continue – "Seek meekness, seek righteousness. It may be that ye shall be hid in the day of the Lord's anger." (Zeph. 2:3) R1963:6
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