Daily Bible Nugget #599, Psalm 116:15

The Nugget:

Psalm 116:15  Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints. ( KJV)

Psa 116:15  Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his faithful ones. (GW, God’s Word Translation)

Psa 116:15 You are deeply concerned when one of your loyal people faces death. (CEV, Contemporary English Translation)

My Comment:

On this date last year, December 4, 2020, my brother Martin Smith died of complications related to stage 4 cancer. He was remembered by many friends in the southwest Detroit area and elsewhere in metropolitan Detroit. He was remembered for his faithful attendance at and participation in group Bible studies. He was remembered by his former Sunday school pupils. He was remembered by home school groups and families whom he helped in mathematics and science. He was remembered even by his landlady who has been of much gracious help to me. He was remembered by the elders at the Christian Fellowship Church, as well as neighborhood pastors, many of whom contacted me personally with their condolences as well as direct help to me, for which I am thankful.

My brother and I did not agree on political matters, for the most part, but he motivated me to explore many Bible subjects related to justice for the poor and related themes. These studies, over many years, are reflected in many additional cross references provided in The New Treasury of Scripture KnowledgeNelson’s Cross Reference Guide to the Bible, and especially The Ultimate Cross Reference Treasury.

I autographed my brother’s copy of The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as follows:

Dear Mark,

Thank you for your many questions and insights over the years. One instance of many is a note on “only begotten.” May this volume help you to dig more deeply into the treasures of God’s Word.

Your brother,

Jerome Smith
March 5, 1992

The note referred to is found at John 3:16,

begotten. Gr. monogenes, S# G3439, +Luk 7:12, lit. the only one of a family, unique of its kind. Monogenes, applied to Jesus, expresses the unique and eternal relationship of the Son to the Father. As firstborn does not mean born first (Col 1:15 note), neither does only begotten imply a begetting, birth, or origin in time. In His pre-existence, Jesus was always uniquely the Son of God (Psa 2:7, +*Isa 9:6, Heb 1:8). When used of Christ, only begotten speaks of “unoriginated relationship.” Only begotten “indicates that as the Son of God He was the sole representative of the Being and character of the One who sent Him” (Vine, Expository Dictionary, vol. 3, p. 140). It is a word picture which portrays the relationship of the Father to the Son in the terms of a Middle Eastern patriarchal family (**Gen 21:12; Gen 22:2; Gen 22:12; Gen 22:16, Heb 11:17). Isaac, termed Abraham’s only begotten son (Heb 11:17), though Abraham had a prior son Ishmael by Hagar (Gen 16:15) and later sons by Keturah (Gen 25:1, 2, 3, 4, 1Ch 1:32, 33), sustains a unique relationship to Abraham as the son of promise (Gal 4:23). The same picture, portrayed in parable (Mat 21:37), emphasizes the unique authority of Jesus as sent by the Father (Joh 20:21, 1Jn 4:9), and our responsibility to receive the truth declared by Him (Joh 1:14; Joh 1:18; Joh 3:18, Mat 17:5). Pro 8:24, Col 1:15, Heb 1:6; Heb 11:17, %1Jn 5:18.

Mark mentioned to me that he had encountered a number of individuals of the Muslim faith as he rode the bus in southwest Detroit area which borders on Dearborn. I suspect that many Christians have never considered these issues in connection with their reading or even study of John 3:16.

Here are the notes and cross references as now given in The Ultimate Cross Reference Treasury for Psalm 116:15 for your further study:

Psa 116:15  Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.

Psalms 116:15

Precious. Note: That is, the Lord accounts the death of His saints of so much importance, that he will not suffer their enemies cut them off before His appointed time; all the circumstances of their death being regulated by infinite wisdom and love for their final and eternal benefit. William Kay notes: “Precious;”—not lightly permitted:—and, when permitted, prized by Him as the final act of self-surrender, in which their souls are made partakers of Christ’s atonement,—sprinkled at their exodus with the blood of the Paschal Lamb. “The Apostolical Constitutions recommend this (among other passages from the Psalms) for use at the funerals of the faithful. In the Decian persecution, Babylas, Bishop of Antioch, sang these words cheerfully on his way to martyrdom” (Delitszch). Psa 9:12; Psa 31:15; *Psa 37:32; *Psa 37:33; Psa 49:7, 8; *Psa 72:14; Psa 126:5, 6; Psa 139:17, 1Sa 3:1; *1Sa 25:29; 1Sa 26:21, 2Ki 1:14, *Job 5:26, Pro 20:15, Isa 28:16, Hos 11:4, Mat 26:7, *Luk 16:22, *Rev 1:18; **Rev 14:13.
the death. Gen 4:10, Num 23:10, +**1Co 15:55.
of his saints. or, separated ones (CB). Psa 4:3; Psa 16:3; Psa 31:23; Psa 37:28, 1Sa 18:30, 2Ki 20:6, Isa 38:5, Act 12:17, Eph 3:18.

Careful readers here will notice that for the key words “the death” I have supplied the emphasis marking “+**” for the reference to 1 Corinthians 15:55. At 1 Corinthians 15:55 I have collected an especially complete set of cross references for that verse. I have used those references to prepare a message of comfort (Romans 15:4) for those who have just experienced the loss of a loved one. Pastors and others may wish to take note of this.

1Co 15:55  O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?

1 Corinthians 15:55
O death. T853, 1Co 15:26, *Psa 23:4; *Psa 37:37; *Psa 48:14; *Psa 49:15; *Psa 73:26, *Pro 14:32, *Isa 25:8, *>Hos 13:14, +**Rom 8:38; +**Rom 8:39, 2Co 4:16, *2Ti 1:12, *Heb 2:14; *Heb 2:15, Rev 6:8.
where is. Job 41:22, Psa 16:10, Isa 51:13, +*Luk 6:48, 2Ti 1:10, Rev 6:2.
sting. 1Co 15:56, Act 9:5; +Act 26:14 g. Rev 9:10 g.
grave. or, hell. Gr. hades, +Mat 11:23, Hades is the New Testament Greek equivalent of the Hebrew sheol. Its meaning is not merely the grave, as a reference to the notes on sheol will prove. +*Gen 37:35 note. Job 17:13, **+Psa 9:17; Psa 49:15; Psa 141:7, +*Ecc 9:10, Isa 14:9 note. Mat 16:18, Luk 16:23, Act 2:27, Rev 20:13, 14 g.
is thy victory. Job 18:13, 14, Psa 49:8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15; Psa 89:48, Ecc 2:15, 16; Ecc 3:19; Ecc 8:8; Ecc 9:5, 6, Rom 5:14.

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