| Scripture |
Expanded Comments |
| 1 To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David, the servant of the LORD, who spake unto the LORD the words of this song in the day that the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul: And he said, I will love thee, O LORD, my strength. |
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| 2 The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. |
And the horn – Horns are symbols of power. T42
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| 3 I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies. |
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| 4 The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid. |
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| 5 The sorrows of hell compassed me about: the snares of death prevented me. |
The sorrows of hell – The bonds of Sheol, oblivion, the fear of death. E362
A figure in which trouble is represented as hastening one to the tomb. R2599:3
Prevented me – Seized me. E362
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| 6 In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears. |
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| 7 Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations also of the hills moved and were shaken, because he was wroth. |
The earth shook – Verses 7 to 19 give a vivid description of the awful time of trouble. R5735:4
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| 8 There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it.
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| 9 He bowed the heavens also, and came down: and darkness was under his feet. |
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| 10 And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: yea, he did fly upon the wings of the wind. |
He rode upon a cherub – Jehovah is frequently spoken of as dwelling between, or above, the cherubim. R529:6*
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| 11 He made darkness his secret place; his pavilion round about him were dark waters and thick clouds of the skies. |
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| 12 At the brightness that was before him his thick clouds passed, hail stones and coals of fire. |
And coals of fire – To batter down man's pride, selfishness, and prejudices, and consume these. B153
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| 13 The LORD also thundered in the heavens, and the Highest gave his voice; hail stones and coals of fire. |
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| 14 Yea, he sent out his arrows, and scattered them; and he shot out lightnings, and discomfited them. |
Sent out his arrows – Divine truth slaughtering the hosts of error. R5493:6; CR164:4; SM51:T
See comments on Psalm 45:5
Shot out lightnings – Diffusions of knowledge. R511:2
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| 15 Then the channels of waters were seen, and the foundations of the world were discovered at thy rebuke, O LORD, at the blast of the breath of thy nostrils. |
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| 16 He sent from above, he took me, he drew me out of many waters. |
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| 17 He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them which hated me: for they were too strong for me. |
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| 18 They prevented me in the day of my calamity: but the LORD was my stay. |
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| 19 He brought me forth also into a large place; he delivered me, because he delighted in me. |
Brought me – The David class, heirs of the Kingdom. R4242:6*
Large place – The place of freedom. R4243:1*
The place of justification and consecration--seated with Christ in heavenly places. R4243:2*
Delivered me – In two ways--deliverance out of the vexations and deliverance in the distresses. R4243:2*
Either by removal of difficulties, or by increased grace and ability to stand the trials. R4243:2*
Not as individuals, but as members of the Body of Christ. R4243:2*
Not necessarily from financial troubles, but he will give us peace and rest. R5218:1
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| 20 The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me. |
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| 21 For I have kept the ways of the LORD, and have not wickedly departed from my God. |
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| 22 For all his judgments were before me, and I did not put away his statutes from me. |
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| 23 I was also upright before him, and I kept myself from mine iniquity. |
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| 24 Therefore hath the LORD recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his eyesight. |
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| 25 With the merciful thou wilt show thyself merciful; with an upright man thou wilt show thyself upright; |
Shew thyself merciful – If we come to God's Word as reverent students, expecting to find therein the delineation of the character and plan of God, it will be revealed to us. R3337:1
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| 26 With the pure thou wilt show thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt show thyself froward. |
With the pure – A person's idea concerning God is a fair index of his relation toward God. R139:6*
The froward – These can warp and twist the Scriptures to suit their own ideas. R3337:1
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| 27 For thou wilt save the afflicted people; but wilt bring down high looks. |
High looks – "A haughty spirit precedes a fall." (Prov 16:18) R3337:2
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| 28 For thou wilt light my candle: the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness. |
Enlighten my darkness – To those humble and faithful ones whom the Lord has been leading. R3337:4
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| 29 For by thee I have run through a troop; and by my God have I leaped over a wall. |
By thee I have – "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." (Phil. 4:13) R2154:3
Through a troop – Of opposing enemies. R3337:5
Over a wall – Of bondage into the glorious liberty of a son of God. R3337:5
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| 30 As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him. |
As for God, his way – God's way is his plan or purpose, that which he purposes to accomplish, and which is steadily working out. R3336:3
Is perfect – Just, merciful, wise, benevolent, practicable and sure of a glorious termination. R3337:5
Nothing short of perfection can find favor in the eyes of God. R1610:2
God created man perfect, in his own image or likeness, not in the image and likeness of a monkey. CR208:6*
But we received our lives from our parents, and so on back to father Adam. Our first parents sinned, and thus the curse of death came upon the race. HG650:2
Our blemishes came to us from our parents, not from God. R2285:1
Therefore God is not the author of sin. R1225:2, R1782:4
Therefore we are to be so fully in accord with God's arrangements that we will not be disturbed or distressed by the fact that some will go into the Great Company and that others will go into the Second Death. Q498:7
Is tried – When fully understood it will stand the test of every argument that could be formed against it as to its justice, wisdom and benevolence. R3337:5
He is a buckler – A defense. R3337:5
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| 31 For who is God save the LORD? or who is a rock save our God? |
For who is God – Who is mighty. R3337:5
Who is a rock – A safe anchorage to our souls. R3337:5
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| 32 It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect. |
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| 33 He maketh my feet like hinds' feet, and setteth me upon my high places. |
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| 34 He teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms. |
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| 35 Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath holden me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great. |
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| 36 Thou hast enlarged my steps under me, that my feet did not slip. |
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| 37 I have pursued mine enemies, and overtaken them: neither did I turn again till they were consumed. |
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| 38 I have wounded them that they were not able to rise: they are fallen under my feet. |
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| 39 For thou hast girded me with strength unto the battle: thou hast subdued under me those that rose up against me. |
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| 40 Thou hast also given me the necks of mine enemies; that I might destroy them that hate me. |
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| 41 They cried, but there was none to save them: even unto the LORD, but he answered them not. |
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| 42 Then did I beat them small as the dust before the wind: I did cast them out as the dirt in the streets. |
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| 43 Thou hast delivered me from the strivings of the people; and thou hast made me the head of the heathen: a people whom I have not known shall serve me. |
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| 44 As soon as they hear of me, they shall obey me: the strangers shall submit themselves unto me. |
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| 45 The strangers shall fade away, and be afraid out of their close places. |
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| 46 The LORD liveth; and blessed be my rock; and let the God of my salvation be exalted. |
The LORD liveth – Securely anchored in him, we may trust and not be afraid. R3337:5
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| 47 It is God that avengeth me, and subdueth the people under me. |
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| 48 He delivereth me from mine enemies: yea, thou liftest me up above those that rise up against me: thou hast delivered me from the violent man. |
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| 49 Therefore will I give thanks unto thee, O LORD, among the heathen, and sing praises unto thy name. |
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| 50 Great deliverance giveth he to his king; and showeth mercy to his anointed, to David, and to his seed for evermore. |
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