My flesh and my heart fail; but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever. For, behold, those who are far from you shall perish; you have destroyed all those who go astray from you. Psalm 73:26-27 Hebrew World translation Have destroyed – Justice will prevail. Oh, we like the sound…
Whom have I in heaven but You? And beside You, I desire nothing on earth. Psalm 73:25 NASB Desire – A lot gets added in translation to fill in Asaph’s blurted exclamation. In Hebrew, the text literally reads, “Who in heaven? I do not desire in earth.” NASB, ESV, NIV and others add conjunctions, pronouns…
You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will receive me to glory. Psalm 73:24 ESV Glory – This verse certainly appears to support an afterlife in heaven, doesn’t it? If this is so, it is one of the few verses in the Tanakh that indicates a heavenly reward for the righteous. Of course,…
Yet I was always with You, You grasped my right hand. Psalm 73:23 (Robert Alter translation) Grasped – Does Asaph reach out and grab hold of God? No, he doesn’t. When you and I are in the midst of herd mentality, when we are caught in group-think, when we act by addictive instinct, we can’t…
I was foolish and ignorant; I was like a beast before you. Psalm 73:22 Hebrew World translation Beast before – It’s worth noting that Asaph uses the plural word behemot (beasts) with a singular verb (hayiti). Asaph isn’t just one animal before the Lord. Literally, he says, “I became (was) beasts with (not “before”) You.” …
I was foolish and ignorant; I was like a beast before you. Psalm 73:22 Hebrew World translation Beast – In Hebrew Man is never classified with the animals. Let’s say that again. No place in Scripture can you find any reference at all that justifies calling Man one of the animals. Hebrew makes a clear…
When my heart was grieved, and I was pricked in my insides, Psalm 73:21 Hebrew World translation Grieved – When you were grieved, did you think of sourdough? If you read Hebrew, you would. Asaph uses the word hamets (chamets). You recognize this word, I hope. It is the word for leaven. In association with…
As a dream when one awakes, so O Lord, when you awake, you shall despise their image. Psalm 73:20 Hebrew World translation Dream – Ah, so you didn’t realize that Frank Herbert[1] employed Hebrew thinking, did you? Well, maybe it was just an accident (really?). The Hebrew word halom (dream) has a decidedly different use…
