| Scripture |
Expanded Comments |
| 1 To the chief Musician. Of the sons of Korah. A Psalm. Hear this, all ye peoples; give ear, all inhabitants of the world: |
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| 2 Both men of low and men of high degree, rich and poor alike. |
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| 3 My mouth shall speak wisdom, and the meditation of my heart shall be of understanding: |
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| 4 I will incline mine ear to a parable, I will open my riddle upon the harp. |
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| 5 Wherefore should I fear in the days of adversity, when the iniquity of my supplanters encompasseth me? -- |
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| 6 They depend upon their wealth, and boast themselves in the abundance of their riches. ... |
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| 7 None can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him, |
None of them – None born of Adam, the contaminated fountain. R5972:1, R777:1, 2, R1247:4; E102; HG351:5; A172
Because there is "none righteous, no, not one." (Rom. 3:10) R5429:6; E96; T78
Illustrating the exactness and particularity of divine justice. OV22:1
Therefore without hope of ability to recover himself. R3847:3
Since none could be found, God arranged with the Logos that he should become a man and be the Redeemer of the race. R5352:4
Had our Lord not been absolutely free from sin he never could have redeemed us. R1186:6
Jesus must have been a perfect man since he was able to do what no imperfect man had done or could do--give himself a ransom. R776:2
Proven by God's Law to Israel and, through their experience, to all the world. R682:6
Thus the necessity for Jesus' having no earthly father, but being begotten of the holy Spirit. R4941. 2
Redeem his brother – Adam and all condemned in his transgression. E418
To give a ransom for father Adam, or for any other man. OV150:2; R4426:1, R5352:4
Or even satisfy the claims of justice against himself. F101; R5972:1
Since man could not justify himself he would be wholly unable to justify another--his brother. R5972:1
A ransom – The word "ransom" in the Old Testament seems to be used less definitely than in the New Testament. The Hebrew word is "kopher" and signifies a covering, a protection. R5972:1
Proving that God's Law did demand a ransom; that he will by no means "clear (excuse) the guilty." (Ex. 34:7) R709:5
None can, by any works, meet the requirements of justice. F101
So God had compassion on man, and love made a provision for this. The Son of God became a man and paid man's ransom-price. HG346:5
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| 8 (For the redemption of their soul is costly, and must be given up for ever,) |
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| 9 That he should still live perpetually, and not see corruption. |
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| 10 For he seeth that wise men die; all alike, the fool and the brutish perish, and they leave their wealth to others. |
Leave their wealth – The result of an unsound mind. If the mind were well balanced its energies would be divided between accumulation and using, for good and noble uses for himself and his fellowmen. R1080:5
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| 11 Their inward thought is, that their houses are for ever, their dwelling-places from generation to generation: they call the lands after their own names.
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That their houses – Their families. C20
Shall continue – Holding to the present arrangement of society with a death clutch. C20
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| 12 Nevertheless, man being in honour abideth not: he is like the beasts that perish. |
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| 13 This their way is their folly, yet they that come after them delight in their sayings. Selah. |
Posterity approve – Receiving their inheritance with mean ingratitude and generally using it to their own injury. R1080:5, R1413:4
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| 14 Like sheep are they laid in Sheol: Death feedeth on them; and the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning; and their comeliness shall be for Sheol to consume, that there be no habitation for them. |
Like sheep – Sheep are not buried in graves, but in oblivion. E363
They – A certain class who vainly think to build up fortunes and make their names endure without realizing what is the true wealth of character which should be sought. R2338:2
Laid In the grave – Sheol, oblivion, death; not torment. E363; R2600:2
And the upright – The saints. (Dan. 7:27) R2600:2
"The saints shall judge the world." (1 Cor. 6:2) E364
Dominion over them – Come under the dominion of Christ and the Church in the morning of the Millennial day. R2338:3
"Rule them with a rod of iron." (Rev. 19:15) A303
In the morning – Of the resurrection, the Millennium. A60; E363; R302:6*
The morning shall bring dominion to the righteous-- redemption from the power of the grave. R302; 6*
Grave from their dwelling – The grave, sheol, oblivion, being an habitation to every one of them (margin). E363
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| 15 But God will redeem my soul from the power of Sheol: for he will receive me. Selah. |
Will redeem my soul – By giving thy Son as my ransom price. A172
It is the soul that was sentenced to death. R5166:3, R1510:2, R3854:5; E328, E348
The soul that went into death is the soul that was redeemed by Jesus. R5166:3
Power of the grave – Sheol, oblivion, death; not torment. E328, E363
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| 16 Be not afraid when a man becometh rich, when the glory of his house is increased: |
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| 17 For when he dieth, he shall carry nothing away; his glory shall not descend after him. |
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| 18 Though he blessed his soul in his lifetime, --and men will praise thee when thou doest well to thyself, -- |
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| 19 It shall go to the generation of his fathers: they shall never see light. |
They shall – His earthly riches shall. R1761:5
Never see light – Never more be seen as his. R1761:5
They shall never see light before death overtakes them. R3725:4*
Never-- "ad," as far as, or until; "naytsakh," goal, or the bright object at a distance traveled towards; "lo," not. Instead of teaching everlasting death, the word "never" teaches resurrection. R2358:4*
Never see life in the full sense, though all the families of the earth shall be awakened and brought to a full clear knowledge of the truth before being sentenced as wicked. R1106:4
Never be enlightened concerning a better way. R3725:4* Psalms 49:20
That is in honour – Therefore not heathen, or men dying in ignorance of God. R1761:3
Lifted up by restitution processes to the glory and honor of perfect manhood. R1761:3
Understandeth not – Does not appreciate the work which Christ has done for him. R1761:5
Like the beasts – Perishing hopelessly. R1761:3
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| 20 Man that is in honour, and understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish. |
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