Fish and Snakes
I waited, waited for YHWH; And He inclined to me, and heard my cry. Psalm 40:2 (Hebrew Text)
Inclined – Natah. Nun-Tet-Hey. That’s how you spell this Hebrew verb. The picture? What is revealed (what comes) from life surrounded. Actually, the pictures are fish darting through water (life activity) and a snake coiled around something (surround). OK? So, consider this imagery and ask yourself, “Does God surround my life?” If He doesn’t, do you think He will incline toward you?
The verb means more than incline. It means to stretch forth, to bend toward, to pay attention to, to establish, to turn toward, to show hesed toward someone. As God stretches forth the heavens, we live under His sheltering sky. He is our Father. He bends toward His children. When our lives are surrounded by His hesed, we are cared for. He puts His arms around us and listens to us. The doubled verb (to wait) indicates an attitude of patience on behalf of the psalmist. While God has all the time necessary to accomplish His purposes, we tend to expect His purposes to be completed within our temporal frame. The psalmist reminds us that a double portion of waiting is needed if we are to enjoy God’s attention. God is never in a hurry. The state of haste in our lives often runs right past His plans. He pays attention to those who exercise the spiritual discipline of expectant hopefulness since this discipline demonstrates trust in His word.
We all want God to bend toward us. We all want His undivided attention. In fact, we often press Him to respond. We are like those people in an elevator who keep pushing the button when the door doesn’t close fast enough. Yeshua reminds us that our frenzy for answers displays an attitude of anxiety inconsistent with the hesed of the Lord. Seeking the Kingdom is a corollary of rowing with hope.
If we wait patiently for YHWH and row with the expectation of His fatherly attention, then no decision we make can be a mistake. When we row in alignment, we follow His exhibition of trustworthiness. When we row off course, He guides us back with gentle corrections or chastisement. Either way, we can’t miss the final goal. The trick is simply to wait until He turns toward us.
Patience is more than a virtue. It is a necessary component of living the biblical worldview. A man without patience is a man without a word from the Lord. Such a man has accelerated past the next turn in life, moving too fast to see the road signs of warning. Rush hour is a symptom of self-importance. Natah surrounds. Its direction is a circle. Slowing down does not prevent getting to the goal. It just makes the circumnavigation much more pleasant.
Topical Index: natah, incline, pay attention, turn toward, Psalm 40:2
“It just makes the circumnavigation much more pleasant.”
Hi Skip,
Speaking of fishes and snakes and circumnavigation makes me think of Moby Dick and Melville’s reference to Isaiah:
“In that day, the Lord with his sore, and great, and strong sword, shall punish Leviathan the piercing serpent, even Leviathan that crooked serpent; and he shall slay the dragon that is in the sea.” — Isaiah
As you probably know, the story begins with the narrator Ishmael “Circumambulating the city of a dreamy Sabbath afternoon.”
In Chapter 1, “Loomings”, Ishmael introduces himself as “part of the grand programme of Providence that was drawn up a long time ago” and is related to the following event:
GRAND CONTESTED ELECTION FOR THE PRESIDENCY OF THE UNITED STATES.
“WHALING VOYAGE BY ONE ISHMAEL.
“BLOODY BATTLE IN AFFGHANISTAN.”
Of course, the Hero of the story is the monomaniacal Captain Ahab, the bad “King of the Jews,” who has a first mate named Starbuck.
Ahab = Reason + monomaniacal Vision
Starbucks = Idealism + money
Tha American Dream.
Psa 40:17 Since I am afflicted and needy, Let [fn] the Lord be mindful of me. You are my help and my deliverer; Do not delay, O my God.
I notice that by the end of Psalm 40, David seems to be a little impatient himself:
Psa 40:17 Since I am afflicted and needy, Let [fn] the Lord be mindful of me. You are my help and my deliverer; Do not delay, O my God.
My daughter will graduate this May. She will be pursuing her MA in fine arts. Oils on linen- painting the “old-fashioned” way. She has been willing these past four years to place herself under the tutelage of those who have been willing to pour into her life the necessary tools, techniques and training to form and fashion her into a “an artist.” She is in the (life-long) process of becoming who she will be.
I, too, am a student. I am a child enrolled in the University of Life. I have a Teacher and a Trainer, who methodically, patiently, lovingly, pressures and cajoles me via “carrot and stick” and guides my pathway every day. Once I realize and recognize- it is “Christ in me the hope of glory”/ Messiah in me the certainty of beauty, I am struck with wonder and fear. The creator of this universe and the very same G-d of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob now resides within me. (And in you also!).
This very Bible fact will “pop the cork” and “melt the butter.” This glorious reality provide wind for the sails and allows me to “rest” rather than “row!” It allows me to worship as I work. In Him we live and move and have our (very) being. Breath in and out and then thank Him for each breath. Our blessing book enjoins us to “be still, and know that I am G-d”. Yes, brother Skip, I agree, amen. Be still.
While hiking in middle Tennessee one beautiful spring morning my daughter said to me, “look at the texture in this green moss.” It was at that moment (I was over fifty years old) G-d “spoke” to me and I then recognized and realized: “you cannot rush through an art museum and enjoy it.” It was as we enjoy saying around these parts, “a G-d moment.” Some would call it an “aha” moment. (Have you ever enjoyed one of these?) lol!! Father, ..please, allow these “moments” in our lives. Yes, brother Skip, (you “artist” you- lol!), a “kairos” moment! An intersticial slice of time when G-d “shows up!” Blessed be the Name! Carl… slow yourself down!!- Way down, and further still.. “be still.. and know.”
That “moment” was a (Hallelujah) turning point in my life. Yes, a chunk of green moss. Isn’t it amazing the things YHWH uses in our lives to “teach” us? Have you “seen” this moss? Brother- it is beautiful!- thank you Kelsey for “teaching” your father.
This “stillness” or “slowness” has many applications “in the real world.” lol!- My son and I attend a local gymn. To properly lift these weights, it is not one,two..ten. It is “slow up” and “slow down”. Slowly, purposefully and methodically is the right technique to gain maximum benefit.
And now a short tribute to all the Italian grandmothers reading these words. Thank you for cooking for days for “la familia.” If you have ever been blessed to have attended one of these “events” you know what I’m talkin’ ’bout, “good eats” comes from “slow cooking”. I’m giving the “evil eye” to my microwave right now. “Fast” food is a blight on America. (Yes?).
I do not want to go here, but I’ll “dip my toe” in the water. Let’s “rush” and “ram” this bill through and establish a false deadline and a “sense” of urgency. Don’t “read it”, just sign your name to it. Every been to a used car lot? (with apologies to the used car salesman reading these words!)
I am so glad my Jesus loves me. Today, and even after I finish with “these my words”, I will practice the prayer life of the “old ones” and that is Otium Sanctum or “holy leizure”. I am going to “waste time” with the ONE I love. I am sitting now in my “prayer place” and ready to “enter His gates with thanksgiving and enter His courts with praise.” I will “be still and know” – the LORD is my Shepherd- and because “He is” I shall (never) want. Our Abba’s fullest blessing to “la famila de Dios” -this beautiful day which our LORD has made. Let us rejoice! and be glad in it. Blessed be the Name.
Skip … your commentary soothes my Spirit as I eagerly and patiently await the looming Pesach Mo’ed! And conversely it causes me to be apprehensive!
Once again the remembrance of the BLOOD OF THE PERFECT LAMB comes into focus! The awesome otot of ELOHEYNU resides behind us and in front of us. Talking about “having our back protected”!
And what will haGoyim be doing during the time ELOHEYNU has set aside? And what will the “body of Messiah” be doing during the time ELOHEYNU has set aside?
My prayer today is that … all who will come … will come. My prayer today is that if Yeshua were to return at midnight on the pass-over that He would find many prepared with the doorposts of their hearts protected by the “blood of the Lamb”.
What good is having the awesome record of ELOHIM’s mighty acts if people choose to operate according to another tradition?
May all be blessed!
I’d like to know what the significance of the snake is?
thanks
Not much. Just what goes around in a coil. No mythology attached.
Let’s “rush” and “ram” this bill through and establish a false deadline and a “sense” of urgency. Don’t “read it”, just sign your name to it.
Hi Carl,
Iraq + AFFGHANISTAN = Health Care
The reason (maybe) that there was such a rush to get the healthcare bill through without reading it is because there is a lot in the details that we wouldn’t want, and uncovering those details would derail the project of making health care an element of entitlement and social justice rather than an economic issue. Liberals see the issue as a “human rights” problem. Therefore, it is necessary to do whatever it takes to eliminate this “evil.” Conservatives see the issue as an economic one. Therefore, they argue that some solutions are just too expensive to be feasible. Both sides realize there is a problem, but since they don’t deal with the same problem, there is little common ground. Liberals see conservatives are inhumane. They don’t care about the health of others. Conservatives see liberals as unrealistic. They don’t care about the long-term effects of debt.
“there is a lot in the details that we wouldn’t want”
Hi Skip,
I agree completely with your point and great explanation.
In my view, it is obvious that we cannot afford the health care bill.
And that our aging and emerging populations are just going to make matters worse.
My point was that since they decided to go to war in Iraq, we have been on the “road to perdition.”
Economically speaking, if not morally.
Yes, but the think we started on that road a long time ago. Only recently we have noticed that the landscape is changing.