| Scripture |
Expanded Comments |
| 1 By David, in his changing his behaviour before Abimelech, and he driveth him away, and he goeth. |
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| I do bless Jehovah at all times, Continually His praise [is] in my mouth. |
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| 2 In Jehovah doth my soul boast herself, Hear do the humble and rejoice. |
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 Ascribe ye greatness to Jehovah with me, And we exalt His name together. |
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| 4 I sought Jehovah, and He answered me, And from all my fears did deliver me. |
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| 5 They looked expectingly unto Him, And they became bright, And their faces are not ashamed. |
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| 6 This poor [one] called, and Jehovah heard, And from all his distresses saved him. |
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| 7 A messenger of Jehovah is encamping, Round about those who fear Him, And He armeth 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 Taste ye and see that Jehovah [is] good, O the happiness of the man who 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 Fear Jehovah, ye His holy ones, For there is no lack to those fearing 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 Young lions have lacked and been hungry, And those seeking Jehovah lack not any good, |
Any good thing – They shall not lack anything good for them. R4731:5
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| 11 Come ye, children, hearken to me, The fear of Jehovah I do teach you. |
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| 12 Who [is] the man that is desiring life Loving days to see good |
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| 13 Keep thy tongue from evil, 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
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| 14 Turn aside 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 Jehovah [are] unto the righteous, And His ears 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 Jehovah [is] on doers of evil, To cut off from earth their memorial.) |
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| 17 They cried, and Jehovah heard, And from all their distresses delivered 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*
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| 18 Near [is] Jehovah to the broken of heart, And the bruised of spirit He saveth. |
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 evils of the righteous, Out of them all doth Jehovah deliver 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
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| 20 He is keeping all his bones, One of them hath not been 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 doth put to death the wicked, And those hating the righteous are desolate. |
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| 22 Jehovah redeemeth the soul of His servants, And none trusting in Him are desolate! |
Redeemeth the soul – Actually, death is an extinction of the soul. R3174:3
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