| Scripture |
Expanded Comments |
| |
|
| 1 [[David's. When he disguised his sanity before Abimelech,–who dismissed him, and he departed. [An Alphabetical Psalm.]]] Let me bless Yahweh at all times, Continually be his praise in my mouth. |
|
| 2 In Yahweh, boasteth my soul, The patient oppressed-ones shall hear 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
|
| 3 Ascribe ye greatness unto Yahweh with me, and let us exalt his Name together. |
|
| 4 I enquired of Yahweh, and he hath answered me, And, out of all my terrors, hath he rescued me. |
|
| 5 They looked unto him and were radiant, And, as for their faces, let them not be abashed. |
|
| 6 This, oppressed one cried, and, Yahweh, heard–and, out of all his distresses, saved him. |
|
| 7 The messenger of Yahweh encampeth around them who revere him, Thus hath he delivered 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
|
| 8 Oh taste and see, that good is Yahweh,–How happy the man who seeketh refuge 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
|
| 9 Revere Yahweh, ye his holy ones, For there is no want to them who revere 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
|
| 10 Young lions, have come short, and suffered hunger, but, they who seek Yahweh, shall not lack any good thing. |
Any good thing – They shall not lack anything good for them. R4731:5
|
| |
|
| 11 Come, ye children! hearken unto me, The reverence of Yahweh, will I teach you. |
|
| 12 Who is the man that desireth life, Loving days, that he may see good? |
|
| 13 Keep thy tongue from wickedness, And thy lips from speaking deceit: |
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
|
| 14 Depart from wickedness and do good, Aim at well-being, 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
|
| 15 The eyes of Yahweh, are towards the righteous, And, his ears, towards their cry for help: |
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
|
| 16 The face of Yahweh, is against such as do wickedness, To cut off, from the earth, their memory. |
|
| 17 They made outcry, and Yahweh heard, And, out of all their straits, hath he rescued them. |
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*
|
| 18 Near is Yahweh, to the broken in heart, And, the crushed in spirit, will he save. |
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
|
| 19 Many are the misfortunes of the righteous, But, out of them all, doth Yahweh rescue him. |
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
|
| 20 Keeping all his bones, Not, one from among 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
|
| 21 Misfortune shall be the death of the lawless one, And, the haters of the righteous man, shall be held guilty. |
|
| 22 Yahweh ransometh the soul of his servants, And none shall be held guilty, who seek refuge in him. |
Redeemeth the soul – Actually, death is an extinction of the soul. R3174:3
|