| Scripture |
Expanded Comments |
| A Psalm of Asaph. |
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| 1 The mighty God, even the LORD, hath spoken, and called the earth from the rising of the sun unto the going down thereof. |
The mighty God – El elohim, the mighty of the mighty. E67
Even the LORD – Jehovah. R3647:2
Hath spoken – Through the glorified Christ. R3647:2
And called the earth – To repentance, righteousness and eternal life. R3647:2
With thunder tones of judgment. R5990:4, R1914:4
Rising of the sun – "The Sun of Righteousness shall arise." (Mal. 4:2) R3647:2
From the east to the west. R5990:4
Going down thereof – At the close of the Millennial age. R3647:2
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| 2 Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God hath shined. |
Out of Zion – The heavenly phase of the Kingdom. A295; T33; R4454:1, R5874:4
God hath shined – His glorious character and plan are made known. R3647:3
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| 3 Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence: a fire shall devour before him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about him. |
Our God shall come – The promised blessings are still future. R3647:3
A fire – The time of trouble. "The fire of my jealousy." (Zeph. 3:8) R3647:3; A323
Very tempestuous – The Millennial morning will be specially cloudy--"Behold, he cometh with clouds." (Rev. 1:7) R1073:5
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| 4 He shall call to the heavens from above, and to the earth, that he may judge his people.
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To the heavens – The high or ruling powers. D75
And to the earth – The masses of the people. D75
Judge his people – His professed people--Christendom. This judgment is now in progress and accounts for the merciless criticisms of the nominal church by the world at large. R3647:3; D75
As the supreme Judge. F396
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| 5 Gather my saints together unto me; those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice. |
Gather my saints – "Gather the wheat into my barn." (Matt. 13:30) , B164, B229; C139; SM127:1
Separating them as wheat from tares. R1488:1, R248:5
From every quarter of Babylon. R3786:5
Into oneness with the Lord and each other, and out of fellowship with mere professors, tares. C139; CR84:1
It was the Lord who said the gathering time would be in the end of the age. R6023:2*
The present time is a gathering, rather than a sowing, time. R442:2
The first work of Christ at his second advent will be the harvest work. B104, B229
This call, or invitation, has been going forth during the entire Gospel age. R5424:3; CR84:1, 3
He is gathering merely those who have the hearing ear and the responsive heart--from inside and outside of all denominations of Christendom. SM130:1; R4831:2, R5092:5; HG671:1
Saints--holy ones. R5877:6, R5928:1; SM186:T, SM334:1; OV119:2, OV156:3; Q177:T, Q194:4
In the day when the Lord shall make up his jewels, he will gather such as have completed the covenant of sacrifice. R581:6
Preparatory to the setting up of his Kingdom in power and great glory. R1745:5
Not at death, nor continuously during the age, but after, and in consequence of, the Lord's return. R154:3*
Hebrew, ghahseed; literally, God-seed. HG26:2
Together unto me – Not into any man-made organization. SM343:2; R4638:3, R5092:4, R2994:1; CR84:6; CR85:2
Primarily; this drawing is not to the Savior, but to the Father. CR84:6
"They shall be mine, saith the Lord, in that day when I make up my jewels." (Mal. 3:17) C139; R3849:5
This class as a whole is the Messiah, the spiritual seed of Abraham. OV156:3
A covenant – The Sarah covenant, the Grace covenant. R5909:2, R5690:4
The Church is developed under the same covenant-mother as was Christ. R5246:1, R5644:4
To be fully submissive to the headship of the Savior. R5308:5, R4548:1, R5644:4, R5758:1;
Under which Christ and the Church are called, sanctified, and developed. R5928:1, R5909:2, R5071:2; CR100:2; Q181:4, Q196:2
A new covenant, in the sense that it is different from the Jewish covenant of Mt. Sinai, but it is not THE New covenant.
Not the Law covenant or the New covenant. R5542:6, R5947:1, R5021:6
Not without law, but under law in Christ. The law in Christ is the law of their covenant, the law of love. R5072:3
The only way to gain justification in God's sight. OV280:1
This covenant has been made individually with the entire Church of Christ. R5071:3
Offering life. A141
Offering the divine nature. SM154:1
To be carried out day by day. SM683:2
A covenant of consecration. R1383:6
Covenant-keeping sacrificers. R1170:4
A fellowship covenant. R4490:1*
Many people are not Christians because they have not entered into a covenant with God. R5055:3
None can enter into this covenant without a definite knowledge of its terms and conditions. R5775:6
When this company shall have completed their covenant by sacrifice the present age will end. R5928:1
By sacrifice – Not by a promise to sacrifice. R3647:3, R4494:4, R5654:1, R5775:6; CR98:3
Self-sacrifice; a full surrender to the divine will in thought, word and deed. OV156:3, OV422:5, OV344:1; R5006:6, R5301:4;
We make the covenant to sacrifice. It is for the Lord to give us the opportunity to do so. R5168:6
We sacrifice earthly things. The reward is heavenly things. R4902:2, R4869:6
Of the earthly nature. R4681:1, R5226:6, R5163:5
Represented by the goats (of Lev. 16) being tied at the door of the Tabernacle. But it has not yet been offered. R4864:3
A daily work of the crucifixion of the flesh. R5855:4
More than merely obedience to the divine law. Justice, the divine law, could not demand sacrifice. R5006:6, R5128:4
A sacrificial arrangement, based upon our Lord's merit, imputed to us. R5089:6, R5877:6
That I might attain unto the heavenly inheritance in joint-heirship with my Redeemer. R5165:3
As Jesus laid down his life in doing good and proclaiming the truth, so do his followers in the same manner, whether for three-and-a-half years, or twenty, or whatever it may be. R5671:6
The Church attains her relationship with God, not through the work of a mediator, but by sacrifice. CR98:3
The privilege of joining in this sacrificial work is limited to those who have certain characteristics--character-likeness to the Great High Priest. OV107:T
Not a portion of time and substance. Cain came with such a sacrifice and it was not received. If we present ourselves we must surely present all we have also. R328:6*
None are saints who make no sacrifice. R156:3*, R5134:2, R3871:5, R4450:1*
Proving a most drastic test, demonstrating to the Lord those whom he desires to be the spiritual seed of Abraham. R5301:5
Those accepting this call to enter into sacrifice are received of the Father; then they are begotten of the holy Spirit. Thenceforth they are New Creatures. R5439:1
"Bind the sacrifice with cords, even unto the horns of the altar." (Psa. 118:27) R4244:4*
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| 6 And the heavens shall declare his righteousness: for God is judge himself. Selah. |
And the heavens – The Kingdom of God which will be established. R3647:5
His righteousness – God's righteousness. R3647:5
For God – Who cannot err. R3647:5
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| 7 Hear, O my people, and I will speak; O Israel, and I will testify against thee: I am God, even thy God. |
O Israel – Nominal spiritual Israel--Babylon, Christendom. D75
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| 8 I will not reprove thee for thy sacrifices or thy burnt offerings, to have been continually before me. |
Thy burnt offerings – Freewill offerings, such as benevolent works. "Many wonderful works." (Matt. 7:22) R3647:6
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| 9 I will take no bullock out of thy house, nor he goats out of thy folds. |
I will take no bullock – Neither will he compel his children to sacrifice anything in his service, nor will he accept anything from them short of a cheerful freewill offering. R885:5*
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| 10 For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills. |
Is mine – "The silver is mine and the gold is mine." (Hag. 2:8) R3844:2
And the cattle – The Almighty is not poor that he should need our gifts. It is a privilege to give to the Lord and his cause. R5781:3
Yet, while so rich, he has deposited a little here and there with us, giving us the control of it that we might have the privilege of ministering to the saints, being thus co-workers with God. R547:3,5, R3844:2; Q615:T
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| 11 I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field are mine. |
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| 12 If I were hungry, I would not tell thee: for the world is mine, and the fulness thereof. |
Would not tell thee – I do not need your wisdom nor your works. R3647:6
We should not wait for the Lord or his cause to be hindered and embarrassed for money before giving it. R855:4
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| 13 Will I eat the flesh of bulls, or drink the blood of goats? |
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| 14 Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the most High: |
Pay thy vows – As a thank-offering for all his multiplied favors. R885:6*
"When thou vowest a vow unto God defer not to pay it." (Eccl. 5:4) R4265:6
Unto the most High – All our covenants or vows, except for the marriage vow, should be made with the Lord. Our responsibility should be realized to him and not to man. R4265:1
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| 15 And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me. |
Call upon me – We need to reinforce our courage with the special promises of divine grace. R4817:3
In the day of trouble – "I will be with thee in six troubles and in the seventh I will not forsake thee." (Job 5:19) R4784:2
I will deliver thee – We have enlisted in no uncertain struggle, except as our faint-heartedness or unfaithfulness should make it so. R1281:6, R4817:3
Shalt glorify me – By thy testimony and faithfulness. R3648:1
Let your faith grow strong by meditation upon the promises. R5381:5*
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| 16 But unto the wicked God saith, What hast thou to do to declare my statutes, or that thou shouldest take my covenant in thy mouth? |
But unto the wicked – Covenant-breakers who still claim to be God's people. R3648:1
The unrepentant, who walk after the flesh, not after the spirit. R3483:3
Who have a form of godliness, but deny the power thereof. R3330:5
Who know what is right but refuse to practice what they preach. R1922:1
The messages of peace which the Bible extends are not for the world. SM334:1
All who are not in the attitude of full consecration to the Lord are in opposition to some extent, and to the extent that they are in opposition they are wrong, or wicked. R2925:5
The difference between the Church and the world should be distinctly discerned. R5692:4
Declare my statutes – Decrees, doctrines, plans. R3648:1, 2
Why should any undertake to give out the message of God who has not been anointed by his spirit? R5537:3
The privilege of testifying for God, or being ambassadors for truth, is a favor reserved for the Lord's own people. R3309:4
No man should be regarded as a minister of the gospel who cannot claim his commission by virtue of his anointing as a consecrated child of God. R1715:3, R1922:2, R2057:3
The Lord does not desire the testimony of the devils or unregenerate respecting himself or his plan. R3727:6
Better to waste or destroy the money than to contribute to those who fetter others with error and dishonor God. R1173:5
Take my covenant – "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain" (Exod. 20:7)--falsely, or to no purpose. R1527:3
"Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity." (2 Tim. 2:19) R1527:6
In thy mouth – The Lord's people should resent the services of any who do not give evidence of heart union with the Lord. R3309:4
Seeing with what aversion the Lord regards anything short of simple candor and honesty of heart, with what carefulness we should take upon us his worthy name. R1527:6
Neither Jesus nor Paul would accept testimony from the fallen angels. R3309:4
Prayer is the privilege of "believers," reconciled children of God, only. R2024:4, R2644:1, R3805:3, R5692:3
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| 17 Seeing thou hatest instruction, and castest my words behind thee. |
Hatest instruction – These who have no heart union with the Lord would deceive and mislead the children of God. R3309:5
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| 18 When thou sawest a thief, then thou consentedst with him, and hast been partaker with adulterers. |
Sawest a thief – One desirous of robbing God's children of the truth. R3648:4
Teaching men to climb up to life by some other way than that of God's appointment. R1528:4
Consentedst with him – A listener to, or repeater of, slander is partaker with the thief in his robbery of a reputation. R4282:5
With adulterers – With the Mother of Harlots and her daughters. R3648:4
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| 19 Thou givest thy mouth to evil, and thy tongue frameth deceit. |
Thou – The unfaithful nominal church. R3648:4
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| 20 Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother; thou slanderest thine own mother's son. |
Against thy brother – The true saints, the wheat class. D75
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| 21 These things hast thou done, and I kept silence; thou thougthest that I was altogether such an one as thyself: but I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thine eyes. |
And I kept silence – Up to the present time. R3648:4
Thou thougthest – Because I kept silence, that I was consenting to your evil ways. R3648:4
But – Now that the Harvest time has come. R3648:5
I will reprove thee – Hence the exposures and growing unrest in the various sects of Christendom. R3648:5
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| 22 Now consider this, ye that forget God, lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver. |
Now consider this – This reproof. R3648:5
He sets men's sins in order before them that they may freely confess their sins and bear their shame, as did the brethren of Joseph. R1646:4
Tear you in pieces – Destroy you. R3648:5
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| 23 Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me: and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I show the salvation of God. |
Whoso offereth praise – Thankfully receives the reproof and applies his heart unto instruction. R3648:5
Glorifieth me – As a faithful, consistent believer and representative of the truth. R3648:5
Conversation aright – Makes his life conform to the light received. R3648:5
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