| Scripture |
Expanded Comments |
| 1 To the chief Musician. On stringed instruments. A Psalm of Asaph: a Song. In Judah is God known, his name is great in Israel; |
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| 2 And in Salem is his tent, and his dwelling-place in Zion. |
Salem – The most ancient name of Jerusalem. R1296:3*
In Zion – The spiritual phase of the Kingdom of God. A295; T33
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| 3 There broke he the flashings of the bow, shield and sword and battle. Selah. |
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| 4 More glorious art thou, more excellent, than the mountains of prey. |
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| 5 The stout-hearted are made a spoil, they have slept their sleep; and none of the men of might have found their hands. |
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| 6 At thy rebuke, O God of Jacob, both chariot and horse are cast into a dead sleep. |
Both the chariot – Symbol of worldly organizations. C316
And horse – Symbol of doctrine. C316
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| 7 Thou, thou art to be feared, and who can stand before thee when once thou art angry? |
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| 8 Thou didst cause judgment to be heard from the heavens; the earth feared, and was still, |
From heaven – From the new powers of spiritual control. A318; D618
The earth – The present organizations of society. C229; D46
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| 9 When God rose up to judgment, to save all the meek of the earth. Selah. |
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| 10 For the fury of man shall praise thee; the remainder of fury wilt thou gird on thyself. |
The wrath of man – The Lord has even used the devil as his agent. R5527:1
In far-seeing wisdom, God has permitted all present disorders. R1408:5
The Adversary may have had to do with the movement toward communism, socialism and anarchism. Q579:4
Shall praise thee – Unintentionally, by working out thy plans. E448; Q23:6; R5205:4, R799:1
This would imply that the affairs of the world may be safely left with the world, under the Lord's supervision. R3853:3
Some agencies, not in themselves good, will be made use of in destroying present evil governments, thus accomplishing the Lord's purpose. R592:5, R5061:4
The wrath of men and devils, while not in any sense of God, shall be operated or controlled by God's providence. R1778:4
The remainder of wrath – That which would work no good, serve no purpose, or teach no lesson, but which would be subversive to the divine arrangements. R3179:5; A250; R5257:5, R4843:1*, R2973:6
Shalt thou restrain – Not permit to interfere with his plan. R1270:1
God's actions, where he has interfered at all, have been toward the restraining of sin. R1779:1, R1270:4
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| 11 Vow and pay unto Jehovah your God: let all that are round about him bring presents unto him that is to be feared. |
Vow and pay – Taking a vow, let us keep it in letter and spirit. R4267:4
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| 12 He cutteth off the spirit of princes; he is terrible to the kings of the earth. |
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