| Scripture |
Expanded Comments | Additional Comments |
| 1 To the Overseer. A Psalm by David. |
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Thou hast searched – God has completely examined His people. He knows us to the very depths of our soul.
In Hebrew "searched" = searched as for treasure. This shows how God looks at us. It is not for failure. God is looking for Gold, for treasure. – This is how we should look at our brethren. We are looking for the gold (things divine) in their character.
Me – The David class - the church.
And known me – God knows all about us. He knows our failings and our sinful tendencies. Yet, in spite of this, He still gives us all the wonderful things described in the rest of this chapter. |
| Jehovah, Thou hast searched me, and knowest. |
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| 2 Thou Thou hast known my sitting down, And my rising up, Thou hast attended to my thoughts from afar.
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my downsitting and mine uprising – God is aware of all we do from the moment we arise in the morning to when we go to sleep at night. - Nothing escapes His notice.
Understandest my thought afar off – 'Before they call, I will answer.' (Isa. 65:24) - While this is a promise concerning the Millennial Age, it is also true of the saints during the Gospel Age. |
| 3 My path and my couch Thou hast fanned, And [with] all my ways hast been acquainted. |
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| 4 For there is not a word in my tongue, Lo, O Jehovah, Thou hast known it all! |
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| 5 Behind and before Thou hast besieged me, And Thou dost place on me Thy hand. |
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Laid thine hand upon me – "Lay hands suddenly on no man." – The laying on of hands signifies one (or both) of two things: (1) approval, (2) Giving of the Holy Spirit. Here it seems to apply to both. – F283-284; Election or choice – F276.
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| 6 Knowledge too wonderful for me, It hath been set on high, I am not able for it. |
Such knowledge – His mighty intellect grasps with ease all the interests of his wide domain, from immensity to minutia. R1864:3
Memory that never fails, judgment that never errs, plans that never miscarry, vigilance that never ceases. R1560:2
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Too wonderful for me – Considering verse 5, is it any wonder the Psalmist exclaims this? |
| 7 Whither do I go from Thy Spirit And whither from Thy face do I flee |
Go from thy spirit – To escape or be hidden from divine power. E366
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| 8 If I ascend the heavens there Thou [art], And spread out a couch in Sheol, lo, Thee! |
My bed in hell – Sheol, oblivion, death, not torment. E366
Thou art there – Even oblivion is accessible to divine power. E366
God has the same power to aid those in hell that he has to bless those in heaven. HG754:6*; HG756:1*
God's power is unlimited. Even over those in the tomb he can, and will, exert it, and bring forth all that are in the graves. (John 5:28) R2599:3
"I have the keys of death and of hades, oblivion." (Rev. 1:18) E366
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| 9 I take the wings of morning, I dwell in the uttermost part of the sea, |
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| 10 Also there Thy hand doth lead me, And Thy right hand doth hold me. |
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| 11 And I say, 'Surely darkness bruiseth me, Then night [is] light to me. |
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| 12 Also darkness hideth not from Thee, And night as day shineth, as [is] darkness so [is] light. |
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| 13 For Thou Thou hast possessed my reins, Thou dost cover me in my mother's belly. |
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| 14 I confess Thee, because that [with] wonders I have been distinguished. Wonderful [are] Thy works, And my soul is knowing [it] well. |
Fearfully – Awe-fully; we are noble creatures, in the image of our God, except as marred by sin. R1566:3
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Marvellous are thy works – Quoted in Rev. 15:3 as part of the Song of Moses and the Lamb. |
| 15 My substance was not hid from Thee, When I was made in secret, Curiously wrought in the lower part of earth. |
My substance – My organism. E404
When I was made – Either at first birth, or in the resurrection. E404
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| 16 Mine unformed substance Thine eyes saw, And on Thy book all of them are written, The days they were formed And not one among them. |
In continuance – Gradually. E404
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| 17 And to me how precious have been Thy thoughts, O God, how great hath been their sum! |
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| 18 I recount them! than the sand they are more, I have waked, and I am still with Thee. |
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| 19 Dost Thou slay, O God, the wicked Then, men of blood, turn aside from me! |
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| 20 Who exchange Thee for wickedness, Lifted up to vanity [are] Thine enemies. |
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| 21 Do not I hate, Jehovah, those hating Thee And with Thy withstanders grieve myself |
Them – Includes both evil men and evil angels. Q322:2
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| 22 [With] perfect hatred I have hated them, Enemies they have become to me. |
Perfect hatred – We want to hate what the Lord hates. "Thou hast loved righteousness and hated iniquity " (Heb. 1:9) R4909:5, R1861:4, R5949:2, R1291:1; Q321:5, Q783:T
We hate the Antichrist systems with "a perfect hatred" because we love God with a perfect love. The two, being opposites, properly produce opposite sentiments. R1191:4
We have no thought of ever becoming more loving than the Lord. R4909:6, R2131:2
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| 23 Search me, O God, and know my heart, Try me, and know my thoughts, |
Search me, O God – It is in the diagnosis of our case that we are most likely to err; it is here that sobriety of mind and meekness are so much needed. R2094:5
Try me – The Lord says, I will prove you by leaving you all your time, influence, money, everything, in your hands as my steward. Q615:T
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| 24 And see if a grievous way be in me, And lead me in a way age-during! |
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