| Scripture |
Expanded Comments |
| 1 To the chief Musician. A Psalm of David. Jehovah, thou hast searched me, and known me2. |
|
| 2 *Thou* knowest my down-sitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off; |
|
| 3 Thou searchest out my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways; |
|
| 4 For there is not yet a word on my tongue, but lo, O Jehovah, thou knowest it altogether. |
|
| 5 Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thy hand upon me. |
|
| 6 O knowledge too wonderful for me! it is high, I cannot attain unto 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
|
| 7 Whither shall I go from thy Spirit? and whither flee from thy presence? |
Go from thy spirit – To escape or be hidden from divine power. E366
|
| 8 If I ascend up into the heavens thou art there; or if I make my bed in Sheol, behold, thou art there; |
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
|
| 9 If I take the wings of the dawn and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, |
|
| 10 Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. |
|
| 11 And if I say, Surely darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night; |
|
| 12 Even darkness hideth not from thee, and the night shineth as the day: the darkness is as the light. |
|
| 13 For thou hast possessed my reins; thou didst cover me in my mother's womb. |
|
| 14 I will praise thee, for I am fearfully, wonderfully made. Marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. |
Fearfully – Awe-fully; we are noble creatures, in the image of our God, except as marred by sin. R1566:3
|
| 15 My bones were not hidden from thee when I was made in secret, curiously wrought in the lower parts of the earth. |
My substance – My organism. E404
When I was made – Either at first birth, or in the resurrection. E404
|
| 16 Thine eyes did see my unformed substance, and in thy book all my members were written; during many days were they fashioned, when as yet there was none of them. |
In continuance – Gradually. E404
|
| 17 But how precious are thy thoughts unto me, O *God! how great is the sum of them! |
|
| 18 If I would count them, they are more in number than the sand. When I awake, I am still with thee. |
|
| 19 Oh that thou wouldest slay the wicked, O +God! And ye men of blood, depart from me. |
|
| 20 For they speak of thee wickedly, they take thy name in vain, thine enemies. |
|
| 21 Do not I hate them, O Jehovah, that hate thee? and do not I loathe them that rise up against thee? |
Them – Includes both evil men and evil angels. Q322:2
|
| 22 I hate them with perfect hatred; I account them mine enemies. |
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
|
| 23 Search me, O *God, and know my heart; prove 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
|
| 24 And see if there be any grievous way in me; and lead me in the way everlasting. |
|