Bible Study from October 28th, 2023

---

Notes from the Discussion

---

Verse 1: Praise ye the Lord – Margin, “Hallelujah.” See Psalms 106:1.

I will praise the Lord with my whole heart – With undivided affections; holding back nothing. I will allow nothing to be in my heart that would interfere with the fullness of praise; no coldness or dividedness of affection; no love for other things that would deaden my love for God; no suspicion respecting him that would chill my ardor; no unbelief that would drag me down to earth, while the language of my lips ascended to God. See the notes at Psalms 86:12.
In the assembly of the upright – With the righteous when they are gathered together for public worship. And in the congregation – See Psalms 22:22, Psalms 22:25; Psalms 66:13; Psalms 89:5.

Verse 4: He hath made his wonderful works – In heaven and in earth:

To be remembered – literally, “Memory hath he made for his wonderful works.” “They” are so made, that man may remember them; the memory of man, also, is so made, that it may retain them. The highest and most appropriate exercise of memory is to retain the lessons which the works of God inculcate; to treasure up for gratitude and for use what he teaches his intelligent creation through those works. Memory can never be better employed than in treasuring up the truths which the Creator teaches in his providential dealings with us, and in his word. How much better would it be for man if he labored more to “remember” these things; if he sought to forget many of those things which he is so careful now to retain in his recollection.

The Lord is gracious … – See the notes at Psalms 86:5. This is stated here as the result of the careful study of the doings of God; as the conclusion to which all will come who carefully study his works. “Illustrations” of what God has done that deserves to be remembered occupy the remainder of the psalm, except the last verse.

Psalms 111; from Barnes’ Notes on the Whole Bible

---

I tell you truth when I say there is only one source of all good — God. The conscious recognition and acceptance of this fact acknowledged by every activity of the mind, not two or three times a day — but every few moments all day long — no matter what the outer self is doing, and this maintained, will enable anyone to express his perfect freedom and dominion over all things human.

From article “Day” — Collectanea by Mary Baker Eddy

---

Article If We Say, “I Want” Collected Writings by Bicknell Young

---

Judaism had reached the conception of divine fatherhood as regards one nation. But Jesus enlarged the comfort of knowing God by showing how His care extended to the individual man, as when he said, “The very hairs of your head are all numbered.” His works of healing brought to man an intimate and satisfying sense of divine love, individualized so as to meet exactly the human necessity. Paul described this lovely relationship which Christianity discloses, when he said, “My God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” A more literal translation enlarges the conception somewhat: “My God—so great is His wealth—will, in glory, fully satisfy your every need, through your union with Christ Jesus.”

“God’s Lovingkindness To Man” from Christian Science Journal, February 1914 (excerpt), By William P. McKenzie

---

Men have always agreed that to stand for anything has meant to remain fixed and steadfast in loyalty thereto; that whatever the opposition or resistance might be, to stand must imply an immovable maintenance of allegiance. In his epistle to the Philippians Paul wrote, “Therefore, my brethren dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved.” And when testifying his love for the Thessalonians he declared, “Therefore, brethren, we were comforted over you in all our affliction and distress by your faith: for now we live, if ye stand fast in the Lord.”

Paul understood full well that there is only one safe place to stand, and that is “in the Lord;” and how impossible it would be to “stand fast in the Lord” if the desire were for any but the unselfish and unselfed purpose of standing for God! No selfish aim could be sufficient to hold one firmly in such a stand, since selfishness always gives way under stress of temptation and trial. No one has ever stood firmly and effectively against evil unless actuated by the purest, holiest motive, the love of God, good. To consider what standing for God includes one must of necessity first of all understand something of God Himself; and Christian Science is here revealing the entire truth about Him. It is therefore through its teaching that we are to gain that comprehension of God which will enable us to express unfaltering devotion to Him.

Christian Science reveals the truth that God is infinite divine Mind—is all-intelligence; that He is all-pervading Spirit; that He is all Soul, including all spiritual sense; that He is all Life, Truth, Love. We therefore see definitely that if we are to stand for God we can admit no other intelligence, presence, and consciousness but that which is the all-living, the all-real, the all-loving.

In “Miscellaneous Writings” (p. 206) Mrs. Eddy also speaks of God as “the active, all-wise, law-creating, law-disciplining, law-abiding Principle.” And then she goes on to say, “The real Christian Scientist is constantly accentuating harmony in word and deed, mentally and orally, perpetually repeating this diapason of heaven: ‘Good is my God, and my God is good. Love is my God, and my God is Love.'” From all this the Christian Scientist recognizes that to stand for God he must acknowledge Him and Him only. And how can one ever desire anything less than such loyalty? Standing for God as Christian Science instructs us to do, is not only the way whereby we fulfill our duty to God, but it is the way to deliver ourselves and others from all that is false and undesirable.

“Standing for God” from Christian Science Journal, September 11, 1926,(excerpt) by Ella W. Hoag

---