Psalms 119:54

     54. songs—As the exile sings songs of his home (Ps 137:3), so the child of God, "a stranger on earth," sings the songs of heaven, his true home (Ps 39:12). In ancient times, laws were put in verse, to imprint them the more on the memory of the people. So God's laws are the believer's songs.

      house of my pilgrimage—present life (Ge 17:8; 47:9; Heb 11:13).

Philippians 3:20

     20. our conversation—rather, "our state" or "country"; our citizenship: our life as citizens. We are but pilgrims on earth; how then should we "mind earthly things?" (Php 3:19; Heb 11:9, 10, 13-16). Roman citizenship was then highly prized; how much more should the heavenly citizenship (Ac 22:28; compare Lu 10:20)?

      isGreek, "has its existence."

      in heavenGreek, "in the heavens."

      look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ—"We wait for (so the same Greek is translated, Ro 8:19) the Lord Jesus as a (that is, in the capacity of a) Saviour" (Heb 9:28). That He is "the Lord," now exalted above every name, assures our expectation (Php 2:9-11). Our High Priest is gone up into the Holy of Holies not made with hands, there to atone for us; and as the Israelites stood outside the tabernacle, expecting Aaron's return (compare Lu 1:21), so must we look unto the heavens expecting Christ thence.

Hebrews 10:34

     34. ye had compassion on me in my bonds—The oldest manuscripts and versions omit "me," and read, "Ye both sympathized with those in bonds (answering to the last clause of Heb 10:33; compare Heb 13:3, 23; 6:10), and accepted (so the Greek is translated in Heb 11:35) with joy (Jas 1:2; joy in tribulations, as exercising faith and other graces, Ro 5:3; and the pledge of the coming glory, Mt 5:12) the plundering of your (own) goods (answering to the first clause of Heb 10:33)."

      in yourselves—The oldest manuscripts omit "in": translate, "knowing that ye have for (or 'to') yourselves."

      better—a heavenly (Heb 11:16).

      enduring—not liable to spoiling.

      substance—possession: peculiarly our own, if we will not cast away our birthright.

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