All Mixed Up
He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. Psalm 103:10 (Hebrew World)
According to our sins – How do you want God to deal with you? Should He stand you before the royal throne and bring a microscope to your life? Should He demand an account of every idle word? (We looked at that one, didn’t we?) Or should He treat you with kindness and care? What would you prefer? I think I’m on pretty safe ground suggesting that none of us really want God to deal with us according to our sins. That would be a death wish. Isn’t it wonderful to know that the psalmist feels the same way? Isn’t it great to realize that God does not deal with us according to our iniquities? This is relief worthy of exclamatory praise!
While those emotions cascade over you, let’s consider just a bit of Hebrew architecture in this small, but crucial, phrase. As you know, Hebrew combines particles (the smallest bits of a language) with its root words to form full thought constructions. So, the entire phrase translated “according to our sins” is really a single Hebrew word kahataeynoo. The root is Chet-Tet-Aleph, hete’, a variation of hatta’ah, the Hebrew word for sin. We add the prefix ki and the suffix noo. Ki has a lot of uses. It can mean any of the following: “for, that, when, whenever, even, if even though, because, even when.” Context determines the proper translation, but here we are helped by the fact that “not” (lo) precedes this ki. (Notice the translation is “not according to our sins.”) When lo precedes ki, it usually means “not . . but,” and that’s what we have here. God should deal with us according to His justice, but He does not. In fact, the thought is even more emphatic in Hebrew since it comes first in the sentence. Literally the sentence reads, “Not according to our sins He has done to us.”
It is simply an accident of the linguistic construction in Hebrew, but I find it enormously comforting that Hebrew wraps sins with “not according to” and “our.” Hatta’ is in the middle, surrounded by lo ki and noo. It’s as if God painted a picture with this combination that assures me He will not bring wrath against me. Of course, there are conditions. This assurance applies to those who fear Him. But at least I have hope. God’s goodness surrounds our sins. He cares about us! This is the divine negative mixed into our human negations. Our opposition to His grace doesn’t stand a chance of destroying us if we turn toward Him. Since hatta’ is missing the mark or failing to live up to the standard, I need to know that God does not abandon me to my disobedience and mistakes. I have plenty of them – far too many for me to deal with on my own. God takes all that hata’ and creates the alchemy of grace, turning dross into gold. You and I get wrapped around by His love.
Maybe we need to start this day with a big comforter. It’s winter. It’s cold. Wrap yourself up and get toasty warm. Then imagine that this is exactly what God has done for the cold, hard facts of your sins.
Topical Index: according to our sins, Psalm 103:10, ki, noo, hatta’, hete’
Psalm 103 – God is Love
Psalm 103:4 in redeeming your life from the Pit, in crowning you with love and tenderness,
Psalm 103:5 in filling your years with prosperity, in renewing your life like the eagle’s,
Psalm 103:6 Yahweh, who does what is right, is always on the side of the oppressed
Psalm of the 60’s; Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, and the Eagle (great symbol of change).
and the Marxist Dialectic
Change, but change for the better. Change for our good. We are the ever-wandering, fearful, defenseless sheep. He is our ever watchful, ever compassionate Shepherd/King.
We could refer to the color commentary on the Old(er) Covenenant and remember “all have sinned” and come short of the glory of G-d. We have missed the mark and fallen short of the gold standard (which is perfection). Yes, G-d demands perfection. Absolute, total holiness. – Immediately the question is raised..- How is this possible? No one can or ever has lived a perfect life. (with the exception of ONE). Do you know His name?
Please listen carefully to the following: G-d is not out to “get you.” He is not a Cosmic Killjoy. One of the successful slanders of HaSatan has been to get us to think negatively about G-d. “Oh G-d is out to destroy me because of all the sin in my life.” I’m a failure, I’ll never amount to anything because of what I’ve done or who I am.” Gloom, doom, misery and defeat- no future because of my past. I know the feeling well, I assure you. The accusing finger of accusation pointed directly toward me. It is always there, never leaving- the voice of my Advesary, reminding me of all the times I’ve tried before and failed. Such a common scenario, repeated again and again- because we do have a standard of righteousness and we do know (deep within) what is pleasing unto our Creator. We know we have sinned. Some even have decided to make sin a lifestyle and are willingly, knowingly, traveling the road to ruin. (A form of insanity?- yes.)
Provision has been made. The Atoning Sacrifice for all sins, for all time, for all the world,- past,present and future has been (by the never failing mercies of YHWH) made. This occurred at Calvary. Yeshua, whose form was disfigured beyond recognition, received upon Himself the full entire total wrath of G-d toward sin. Judgment fell in full upon the Passover Lamb. He took my sins and my sorrows- He made them His very own. He had no tears for His own griefs, but sweatdrops of blood for mine. How marvelous! How wonderful!- and my song shall ever be.. How marvelous, -How wonderful!- is my Savior’s love for me. Mercy there was great and grace was free, pardon there was multiplied to me. There my burdened soul found liberty- at Calvary.
Yes, tell a Jew about the Messiah- impaled upon and cruelly, maliciously nailed to the tslav. G-d, dying upon a criminal’s cross. Impossible?- Yes, it is. -Totally beyond my understanding also, my friends. This is love I’ve never seen before. This is Calvary’s Love.- Do you know Him? -Come to His cross-
See from His head, His hands, His feet,
Sorrow and love flow mingled down!
Did e’er such love and sorrow meet,
Or thorns compose so rich a crown?
Does love like this change a man? Yes, it does. Lead me to Calvary.
King of my life, I crown Thee now,
Thine shall the glory be;
Lest I forget Thy thorn-crowned brow,
Lead me to Calvary.
Lest I forget Gethsemane;
Lest I forget Thine agony,
Lest I forget Thy love for me,
Lead me to Calvary.
“Change, but change for the better. Change for our good.”
Hi Carl,
Good point, change that values wholeness over alienation on the individual level:
Genesis 1:27 God created man in the image of himself,
Genesis 1:27 in the image of God he created him,
Genesis 1:27 male and female he created them.
And values the community (Israel) over the individual on the social and historical levels.
“Our opposition to His grace doesn’t stand a chance of destroying us if we turn toward Him. Since hatta’ is missing the mark or failing to live up to the standard, I need to know that God does not abandon me to my disobedience and mistakes.”
I began my day with Psalm 9:
9 The LORD also will be a stronghold for the oppressed,
A stronghold in times of trouble;
10 And those who know Your name will put their trust in You,
For You, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek You.
I am reminded of this song, “Where Strength Begins,” by Phillips, Craig and Dean
Here I stand looking to the climb
that’s up ahead
I will fall but I’ll get up again
Because I know if I keep on walking
through the fire
I’ll be a newer, stronger man of God and I’ll
Rise up from the ashes of my memories
And I’ll reach for His hand to save me
And I’ll hear Him calling
Walk on
’Til fear turns to faith and faith becomes sight
Where strength begins
You’ve got to press on
Move on through the pain
move on to the place
Where weakness ends
Where strength begins
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1ryILnEuos&feature=player_embedded 3 1/2 minute video
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We really do need to remember, His ways are NOT our ways and His thoughts are not our thoughts. We are interested in strength- He strength is displayed in our weakness. We strive for independent living- He wants us to depend on, rely on, trust Him. He will (and does) supply all of our needs. – Even our “need” (youch!) for pain, sorrow and suffering. Yes, kids- “no pain-no gain.” In this world- (He has promised) we will have tribulation. And (lo and behold!)- we do. Some large, some small- all good- the “crisis du jour”- what is on the agenda for today? We do not know- do we? Nope, not at all. This is why we “walk by faith and NOT by sight.” What does sight say?- sometimes it’s not a pretty sight at all- (not always, but sometimes..). What does faith say? -or because faith comes by hearing (remember shema?) and hearing by the word of G-d- this is why we need to know G-d’s book. He said to “them” and He says to us the same words- “you do err, not knowing the scriptures nor the power of G-d.” (Matthew 22.29) “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.” (Psalm 119:105). No word- no light. The people that walk in darkness”- I sure hope this isn’t describing us. We have the living word of YHWH- “both” written and Living. And also let us not forget to give thanks for the Ruach HaKodesh- the Holy Breath at work in us, constantly re-minding us of “what He said.” Every word of G-d is pure and every word of G-d gives life. Once again- how did Elohim create the world (and all that is?) He spoke- “let there be”- and (lo and behold!) – “it came to pass.” When G-d speaks, and we listen and obey-(shema) life occurs. Amein.