Life On Purpose

Who is the man who desires life and loves length of days that he may see good? Psalm 34:13

See – Can you name the man whose passion is for good?  That’s at the heart of David’s question.  This man has purpose and that purpose is to see good all his days.  Let’s go back to the Hebrew text and uncover its structure.  We will find more than a wish and a prayer.

The Hebrew clause is ohev yamim lirot tov.  Literally, “loves many days he to see good.”  This is a man whose purpose is to see good.  But what does this mean in Hebrew?  Does it mean he only wishes to observe good things?  Is he a spectator of life?  Does he watch life unfold from backstage, determining what is good and what isn’t?  Not at all!  In Hebrew thought, there is no room for non-participation.  Life must be lived!  The only choices are active, purposeful engagement or death.  So, the man whose passion is life(s) is the man who is fully engaged in bringing about the good.  He sees what he is doing and it is good because he purposefully brings it into being.  In other words, such a person imitates the actions of the Creator, bringing order into the chaotic world, redeeming God’s original design.

Now we realize that David’s question is in fact a call to action.  Who is this man?  He is you.  He is me.  He is whomever acts as the Creator acts.  In the end, I know his name because it is my name.  In Hebrew thought, there is no man standing there, outside of the swirling symphony of life, watching God’s plan play across the stage.  In Hebrew thought, there is no audience at all.  There are only actors on the stage with the Lord, writing the play as they act, changing the scenes, the drama, and the characters as they engage in the roles offered to them.  And, by the way, those roles are being written in the very actions they take.  In Hebrew thought, we are partners with the Master playwright, creating the acts as the world moves with our movements.  We are musicians in the symphony, each following the integrated score.  We are builders, each taking part in the construction.  None of us sits on the sidelines.  And because we are never observers, we have names.  We are known by the purposeful actions we take – actions that yearn to see good.

Who is the man?  Jump in, and see for yourself.

Topical Index: see, ra’ah, purpose, action, Psalm 34:13