Too Much Italics
My soul waits for the LORD more than the watchmen for the morning. Indeed, more than the watchmen for the morning. Psalm 130:6 NASB
Waits/ Indeed, more than – Everything I have highlighted in bold in the NASB translation has been added to the text. In fact, you will find similar additions in the KJV, the NIV and most other English translations. Robert Alter notes the negative impact of all this appending.
“Previous translators have all supplied a predicate here (‘is eager,’ ‘is turned to,’ or the King James Version’s ‘waiteth,’ duly italicized to show that it is merely implied in the Hebrew). But the power of the line in the original is precisely that the anticipated verb (‘wait’ having appeared twice in the preceding line) is chocked off: my inner being, my utmost self – for God more than watchmen want for the dawn. . . . Previous translators render the four Hebrew words mishomrim laboqer shomrim laboqer as a simple repetition . . . But shorim can be either a verbal noun (‘watchmen’) or a plural verb (‘watch’). The line becomes more vivid and energetic if the second occurrence is understood as a verb: more that the watchmen watch for the dawn, I watch – elliptically implied – for the LORD.”[1]
In the Hebrew text, this is a verse of significant intensity. It reminds of us of Hannah’s prayer; a prayer so deep and distressed that not a word of it could be vocalized. “My soul – for YHWH” is all that the psalmist can get out. And remember, this is not about your soul. There is no concept of the soul separate from the body and mind in Hebrew thought. This is nephesh – me, the person. All of me is so distressed, so much in turmoil that there is but one laser focus in my existence – the coming of the Lord. Like the watchmen peering intently at the horizon for the slightest glimmer of the dawn, even more intently I yearn for some sign of His approach. Body tense, mind acutely aware, spirit hungry – I lean into the blocks, feeling their resistance and strain, ready to spring forward at the slightest sound of the hammer falling on the shell casing. I yearn for You, Lord, my God, YHWH! I yearn for the explosion of Your grace. Let the hammer fall! Let the grave erupt. Let resurrection shatter the stone. I must be revived or I will not survive.
No, Lord, I am not waiting! I am straining, gasping, stretching, aching to see You.
When will we come to this point? When will we echo the words of the psalmist, aching to find Him? When will our hearts be so hungry that no substitute will satisfy? When will we replace implied italics with verbs of anxious awareness? When will we reach the place where there are no more words to say – only the aching heart of pleading?
Topical Index: shorim, watch, watchmen, Psalm 130:6
[1] Robert Alter, The Book of Psalms, p. 456.
I think I’m there.
me too
“No, Lord, I am not waiting! I am straining, gasping, stretching, aching to see You.”……. this is me for sure!
I’m reminded of the AT&T commercial where the little girl that is being interviewed with three other children is saying, “MORE IS BETTER THAN LESS, WE WANT MORE, WE WANT MORE!”
David that is so funny as that is what I thought about also! And she is so expressive…. Yes Lord, I WANT MORE!
I have been achingly desperate for the past 2.5 years (yes, it should be my entire life). I am convinced something is astir in America because on Christian TV I keep hearing people saying they are sick of “playing church” and they are hungry for His presence, His power and more of the Holy Spirit. Oh may it be realized. I am so hungry for intimacy with Yeshua that I can barely stand it any longer. Nothing else can and will satisfy.
I’m reminded of a scene that always touches my heart when I see it.
Sometimes I’ll see a dog that an owner has tied up outside a store to wait for him while he goes inside. The dog is willing to wait, but is quite preoccupied with the return of it’s owner. In fact, so preoccupied, that it won’t take it’s eyes off the door where it anticipates it’s owner will eventually exit.
Even friendly folks passing by can’t distract the dog for long. It looks briefly and then, quickly turns back to watch the door.
I wanna be like that dog. Faithfully watching for the return of my Master.
Thanks Judi for that great example and visual of the dog waiting and eagerly anticipating his master. I have seen dogs do this on many occassions. I wanna be like that dog, too.
Last night right before I went to bed, I was picturing myself watching Yeshua’s (general impression from the Gospels) every move and nuance while just imbibing His presence. Eyes only for the King!
Thank you Skip for posting this today.
OOps – should have been “occasions.”
After reading this, it made me look up like I hadn’t before. I’ve been looking around, maybe just a little too distracted by the signs.
Methinks my focus has been on the wrong things. Signs can be helpful, or not. Like the billboards along a highway, they can be distracting and take you off the road to visit spots or let you know where to get gas, food and lodging. I need to stay on the road more.
only the aching heart of pleading…
for ABBA YHWH….. more than the watchmen for the morning….
What a heart-rending post! I feel like I am there with him, but I have no idea where He is. I read his Words but feel even more lost and confused because I still struggle to sort out what is for me and what is for Israel (and am I included in those words and promises for them). I find myself reading, but longing for more intimate understanding. That is one thing I love about your site, Skip. It helps me dig deeper, even when I don’t always know what I’m doing.
Today’s post, reaching the conclusion of the psalm, may help you find some direction in the confusion. You are we.
I’m there allmost every day at the moment. But through the tears and grieve I know: He’s my shalom!