| Scripture |
Expanded Comments |
| To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. |
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| 1 In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust; let me never be ashamed: deliver me in thy righteousness. |
In thy righteousness – Pray, pleading God's justice. R5381:1*
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| 2 Bow down thine ear to me; deliver me speedily: be thou my strong rock, for an house of defence to save me. |
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| 3 For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name's sake lead me, and guide me. |
For thy name's sake – For the sake of thy work and the share that I may have in it. R3062:4
Pray, pleading God's glory. R5380:6*, R5381:1*
Lead me, and guide me – Every spiritual Israelite must recognize the leadership of the Lord. R3061:6
And never attempt any undertaking, either temporal or spiritual, without seeking to note the will of the Lord concerning it. R4859:1, R3062:1
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| 4 Pull me out of the net that they have laid privily for me: for thou art my strength. |
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| 5 Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O LORD God of truth. |
Into thine hand – Quoted by Jesus on the cross. (Luke 23:46) R2474:6
Hoping to receive it again by a resurrection. E315; R2475:4
Commit my spirit – Ruach, spirit of life or vital energy. E315
The ransom-price was thus placed into the hands of the Father, giving Jesus the right to all those things which he intends to bestow upon the whole world of mankind. R4637:5
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| 6 I have hated them that regard lying vanities: but I trust in the LORD. |
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| 7 I will be glad and rejoice in thy mercy: for thou hast considered my trouble; thou hast known my soul in adversities; |
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| 8 And hast not shut me up into the hand of the enemy: thou hast set my feet in a large room. |
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| 9 Have mercy upon me, O LORD, for I am in trouble: mine eye is consumed with grief, yea, my soul and my belly. |
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| 10 For my life is spent with grief, and my years with sighing: my strength faileth because of mine iniquity, and my bones are consumed.
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| 11 I was a reproach among all mine enemies, but especially among my neighbours, and a fear to mine acquaintance: they that did see me without fled from me. |
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| 12 I am forgotten as a dead man out of mind: I am like a broken vessel. |
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| 13 For I have heard the slander of many: fear was on every side: while they took counsel together against me, they devised to take away my life. |
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| 14 But I trusted in thee, O LORD: I said, Thou art my God. |
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| 15 My times are in thy hand: deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me. |
Times are in thy hand – All the affairs of life, temporal and spiritual, of God's people. R4527:3, R4533:6
We wish to have the Lord's will done in respect to the time of our change, and in respect to all we enjoy together daily. R5728:5
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| 16 Make thy face to shine upon thy servant: save me for thy mercies' sake. |
For thy mercies' sake – Pray, trusting God's love and mercy. R5380:5*
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| 17 Let me not be ashamed, O LORD; for I have called upon thee: let the wicked be ashamed, and let them be silent in Sheol. |
Silent in the grave – Sheol, oblivion, death, not torment. E363; HG121:3
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| 18 Let the lying lips be put to silence; which speak grievous things proudly and contemptuously against the righteous. |
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| 19 Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men! |
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| 20 Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the pride of man: thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues. |
Strife of tongues – Confusion of human traditions. R1788:2
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| 21 Blessed be the LORD: for he hath showed me his marvellous kindness in a strong city. |
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| 22 For I said in my haste, I am cut off from before thine eyes: nevertheless thou heardest the voice of my supplications when I cried unto thee. |
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| 23 O love the LORD, all ye his saints: for the LORD preserveth the faithful, and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer. |
Preserveth the faithful – God is both able and willing to keep that which we have committed to his keeping, but we are not to expect miraculous help except when necessary. R2021:2
By being all gathered through death to glory before the terrible severity of the world's trouble will be permitted to come. R2020:4
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| 24 Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD. |
Be of good courage – Courage is necessary to fight down the tendency to sin. R5329:6
We are to resign our earthly interests to our Heavenly Father and to leave them under his supervision. If we allow the Adversary to beat our courage down, he will soon put us out of the battle entirely. R5329:3
Strong courage, godly courage, from right principles, based on faith in the Lord which says to us, do your duty whatever may be the Lord's will for you. R5330:1
Thus demonstrating our faith in the Lord. R5330:4
Strengthen your heart – Our faith is the basis of both our strength and our peace. R4817:6
That hope – The Lord will supervise our affairs and we are to trust in him. R5329:3
The Christian's secret of a happy life is in his knowing and trusting the Heavenly Father and the Heavenly Bridegroom. R2083:5
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