| Scripture |
Expanded Comments |
| 1 To the chief Musician. On stringed instruments: an instruction. Of David. Give ear to my prayer, O God; and hide not thyself from my supplication. |
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| 2 Attend unto me, and answer me: I wander about in my plaint, and I moan aloud, |
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| 3 Because of the voice of the enemy; because of the oppression of the wicked: for they cast iniquity upon me, and in anger they persecute me. |
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| 4 My heart is writhing within me, and the terrors of death are fallen upon me. |
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| 5 Fear and trembling are come upon me, and horror hath overwhelmed me. |
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| 6 And I said, Oh that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away, and be at rest; |
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| 7 Behold, I would flee afar off, I would lodge in the wilderness; Selah; |
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| 8 I would hasten my escape from the stormy wind, from the tempest. |
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| 9 Swallow them up, Lord; divide their tongue: for I have seen violence and strife in the city. |
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| 10 Day and night they go about it upon the walls thereof; and iniquity and mischief are in the midst of it. |
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| 11 Perversities are in the midst thereof; and oppression and deceit depart not from its streets. |
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| 12 For it is not an enemy that hath reproached me--then could I have borne it; neither is it he that hateth me that hath magnified himself against me--then would I have hidden myself from him; |
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| 13 But it was thou, a man mine equal, mine intimate, my familiar friend. ... |
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| 14 We who held sweet intercourse together. To the house of God we walked amid the throng. |
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| 15 Let death seize upon them, let them go down alive into Sheol. For wickedness is in their dwellings, in their midst. |
Let them go down – "I would that they were even cut off which trouble you." (Gal. 5:12) R356:1
Quick into hell – Sheol, oblivion, death, not torment. R2599:3; E364
The gradual change of language has attached a totally different meaning than the word "hell" originally had--the grave. PD29/41
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| 16 As for me, unto God will I call; and Jehovah will save me. |
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| 17 Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray and moan aloud; and he will hear my voice. |
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| 18 He hath redeemed my soul in peace from the battle against me: for there were many about me. |
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| 19 *God will hear, and afflict them: he that is seated of old, (Selah) ...because there is no change in them, and they fear not God. |
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| 20 He hath put forth his hands against such as are at peace with him; he hath profaned his covenant. |
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| 21 Smooth were the milky words of his mouth, but his heart was war; his words were softer than oil, yet are they drawn swords. |
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| 22 Cast thy burden upon Jehovah, and *he* will sustain thee: he will never suffer the righteous to be moved. |
Cast thy burden – "Every man shall bear his own burden." (Gal. 6:5) This Psalms refers to burdens which we cannot bear. R549:6*
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| 23 And thou, O God, wilt bring them down into the pit of destruction: bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days. But as for me, I will confide in thee. |
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