| Scripture |
Expanded Comments | Additional Comments |
| To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. |
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| 1 O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me. |
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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. |
| 2 Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. |
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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 Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. |
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| 4 For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether. |
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| 5 Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me. |
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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 Such knowledge is 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
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Too wonderful for me – Considering verse 5, is it any wonder the Psalmist exclaims this? |
| 7 Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? |
Go from thy spirit – To escape or be hidden from divine power. E366
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| 8 If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: 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
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| 9 If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; |
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| 10 Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. |
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| 11 If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. |
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| 12 Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee. |
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| 13 For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb. |
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| 14 I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and 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
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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, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. |
My substance – My organism. E404
When I was made – Either at first birth, or in the resurrection. E404
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| 16 Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them. |
In continuance – Gradually. E404
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| 17 How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! |
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| 18 If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.
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| 19 Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: depart from me therefore, ye bloody men. |
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| 20 For they speak against thee wickedly, and thine enemies take thy name in vain. |
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| 21 Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee? |
Them – Includes both evil men and evil angels. Q322:2
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| 22 I hate them with perfect hatred: I count 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
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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 there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. |
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