| Scripture |
Expanded Comments |
| 1 I love Jehovah, for he hath heard my voice and my supplications; |
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| 2 For he hath inclined his ear unto me, and I will call upon him during all my days. |
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| 3 The bands of death encompassed me, and the anguish of Sheol took hold of me; I found trouble and sorrow: |
Sorrows of death – The sadness associated with the thought that he was about to die. OV265:1
Pains of hell – The fear of sheol, oblivion, death; no reference to anything in the future life. E366; OV265:1
Gat hold upon me – Sickness and trouble are the figurative hands of the grave to grasp us. R2599:3
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| 4 Then called I upon the name of Jehovah: I beseech thee, Jehovah, deliver my soul. |
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| 5 Gracious is Jehovah and righteous; and our God is merciful. |
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| 6 Jehovah keepeth the simple: I was brought low, and he saved me. |
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| 7 Return unto thy rest, O my soul; for Jehovah hath dealt bountifully with thee. |
Return – When, for a season, there is a cloud between us and the Lord, because we fail to maintain the standard, it can only be removed by repentance and forgiveness. R5149:4
Unto thy rest – Of faith in the promises of God. R5433:1
Let the mind return to its rest in contemplation of the beauty of holiness, which is the mark, or goal, of the high calling. R1885:6
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| 8 For thou hast delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, my feet from falling.
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| 9 I will walk before Jehovah in the land of the living. |
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| 10 I believed, therefore have I spoken. As for me, I was greatly afflicted. |
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| 11 I said in my haste, All men are liars. |
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| 12 What shall I render unto Jehovah, for all his benefits toward me? |
What shall I render – The things we consecrated to God, our little all. CR474:6; R5726:2
Our time, our strength and our bodies as living sacrifices. CR308:2; CR306:1; R5538:2
Each day should begin with the inquiry as to what are the possibilities of our service or sacrifice in the Lord's cause. R5155:2
Not, "What will he or she render?" but, "Lord, what shall I render?" CR304:2
All his benefits – Which we have received, as well as those we hope yet to receive. R5155:2, R5726:1; CR474:5
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| 13 I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of Jehovah. |
I will take – Through faith in Christ, the Redeemer. R1673:4
The cup – Of self-denial, shame, ignominy and abasement now; blessing and refreshment in the Kingdom. R3853:6, R5155:2, R5538:4; CR316:4; R329:4
All the experiences that come to us in his providence, every day. R5538:4; CR307:2; R322:6
Of salvation – The gift of God's love, purchased for us at great cost. R1673:4
Which is the cup of sacrifice. R4304:5
The cup of death is represented as a cup of salvation because only thereby can our salvation, and the world's, be attained. R4555:5
Call upon the name – Giving him our fullest confidence. R1673:4
For needed aid, not trusting in our own strength. R4555:6, R5155:5, R5539:5; CR322:6
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| 14 I will perform my vows unto Jehovah, yea, before all his people. |
I will pay my vows – Fulfil my covenant of consecration, of sacrifice, faithful unto death. R3282:5, R4555:6, R5539:1
The vow of Christ and his members is faithfulness unto death-- the drinking of the cup. R4555:5
Now – Now is the acceptable time for the Church. R5539:1
Promptly. R1673:4
Presence of all – The Lord desires a public confession; a witness before men. R5539:4, R4304:5, R4266:5
We will not keep secret the matter of our vow, nor the matter of our obedience, but we will stimulate one another in the good way. R5155:5
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| 15 Precious in the sight of Jehovah is the death of his saints. |
Precious – No matter how long ago it took place. C233
He takes special note of their death. R4651:3
Sight of the LORD – "The Father himself loveth you." (John 16:27) R2355:4
Death of his saints – "Ye shall all die like men, and fall like one of the princes." (Psa. 82:7) C239
Nothing that befalls them is an accident. F646
In their case, the control of "Him that hath the power of death" (Heb. 2:14) is limited. R2180:1
As in the Lord's case, dying daily (1 Cor. 15:3), even unto death. R3282:5
Consecration--dying daily--and finally, actual death--they are all precious to the Father. Q221:2
Such, at his coming, are raised in his likeness. R1210:3*
Those of the Jewish age, into the glory of the earthly phase of the Kingdom; those of the Gospel age, into the glory of its heavenly phase. R1562:2, R2354:6
As though the vow referred to symbolized death to self and the world, as well as to sin. R4266:5
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| 16 Yea, Jehovah! for I am thy servant; I am thy servant, the son of thy handmaid: thou hast loosed my bonds. |
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| 17 I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of Jehovah. |
Sacrifice of thanksgiving – There is a more difficult sacrifice than this offering of praise--to forsake all, take up our cross, and follow him in the narrow way. R4535:2
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| 18 I will perform my vows unto Jehovah, yea, before all his people, |
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| 19 In the courts of Jehovah's house, in the midst of thee, O Jerusalem. Hallelujah! |
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