| Scripture |
Expanded Comments |
| To the chief Musician upon Shoshannimeduth, A Psalm of Asaph. |
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| 1 Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph like a flock; thou that dwellest between the cherubims, shine forth. |
Between the cherubims – Between love and power, above a foundation of justice. "The Lord of hosts that dwelleth between the cherubims." (2 Sam. 6:2) T124
Shine forth – A bright light represented Jehovah's presence. T123
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| 2 Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh stir up thy strength, and come and save us. |
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| 3 Turn us again, O God, and cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved. |
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| 4 O LORD God of hosts, how long wilt thou be angry against the prayer of thy people? |
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| 5 Thou feedest them with the bread of tears; and givest them tears to drink in great measure.
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| 6 Thou makest us a strife unto our neighbours: and our enemies laugh among themselves. |
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| 7 Turn us again, O God of hosts, and cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved. |
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| 8 Thou hast brought a vine out of Egypt: thou hast cast out the heathen, and planted it. |
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| 9 Thou preparedst room before it, and didst cause it to take deep root, and it filled the land. |
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| 10 The hills were covered with the shadow of it, and the boughs thereof were like the goodly cedars. |
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| 11 She sent out her boughs unto the sea, and her branches unto the river. |
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| 12 Why hast thou then broken down her hedges, so that all they which pass by the way do pluck her? |
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| 13 The boar out of the wood doth waste it, and the wild beast of the field doth devour it. |
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| 14 Return, we beseech thee, O God of hosts: look down from heaven, and behold, and visit this vine; |
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| 15 And the vineyard which thy right hand hath planted, and the branch that thou madest strong for thyself. |
And the vineyard – "The vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel." (Isa. 5:7) R1795:3, R5504:3
Right hand – The vine of the Father's right-hand planting, the fruitage of which is the character-likeness of Christ. R5505:5
And the branch – He will not look for ripe clusters on the new branch, or even green grapes, but for the small indication of the fruit-bud; and subsequently, the blossoming of these in flower. F170
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| 16 It is burned with fire, it is cut down: they perish at the rebuke of thy countenance. |
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| 17 Let thy hand be upon the man of thy right hand, upon the son of man whom thou madest strong for thyself. |
Of thy right hand – Position of power and authority. A92
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| 18 So will not we go back from thee: quicken us, and we will call upon thy name. |
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| 19 Turn us again, O LORD God of hosts, cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved. |
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