Hebrew Rock and Roll
He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken. Psalm 62:2 ESV
Greatly shaken – David would have liked Isaiah. They often think the same way. Isaiah 24:19-20 uses this same Hebrew word, mot, to describe the kingdoms of the earth as if they were drunken men, reeling to and fro in their stupor. Sounds a bit like the world today, doesn’t it? Isaiah uses the word in a negative application, but David gives us the positive side. God the rock is not shaken. Standing on Him means I am not shaken either. This is the tangible expression of faith in Hebrew. Faith is standing. It’s not believing some creed or doctrine. It’s not membership in some group. It’s not hoped for promise fulfillment later. Faith is standing when the world is stupid drunk.
It’s important to notice that David does not say, “I will not be moved.” He says, “I will not be greatly moved.” There are two ways to read this added adjective. It could mean that he will be moved but not very much, or it could mean that he will not move at all (with emphasis). Both seem appropriate.
Sometimes we are moved. We are shaken. We tumble. But with God, all of those slips and slides aren’t really very much. His presence, even in collapse, is evident and evidence that the relationship continues. The father of the prodigal son never stopped caring or loving his son even while the son insulted, ignored and sinned against his father. The homecoming welcome is the sign that the son was shaken but the father remained true. In the end, it’s God.
Sometimes we stand so steadfastly that nothing around us affects our relationship with Him. In this case, the adjective, rav, simply describes the immutability of our commitment and His response. Let the world rock and roll. God’s faithfulness remains the moral constant of the universe. Standing with Him is ultimate stability.
But I suspect that most of the time we are much more like Peter on the water. We are not greatly shaken when we step out of the boat. We begin to walk but then we allow the world’s stupor to distract us. We are moved (just a little) and we begin to sink. Notice that Peter did not instantly submerge as we would expect. He just sank a little. God never left the scene so He pulls Peter back up and off they go to the boat. A lot like you and me, I’m afraid. Partially submerged. Shaken, not shaken – maybe a bit of both – but not too much. There’s not a whole lot of shaken’ goin’ on in Hebrew rock and roll.
By the way, I like the association between rav ‘emmot (greatly shaken) and rav ‘emet (great truth). Truth is not being shaken. Truth is stability in the midst of chaos. Maybe that’s where David points. In the teeter-totter world, the center stays firm.
Topical Index: greatly shaken, rav, ‘emmot, ‘emet, stand, Psalm 62:2
When you want gold, you take it out of the earth, wash with water, shake vigorously til what remains is the gold, then you purify in a final refining fire. Pretty simple view of the crucible that is this creation. And what is the “gold” that remains? And now remain faith, hope, and love, these three; but the greatest of these is love. The object of our faith and hope will one day be realized, but love is the eternal essence. Love and freedom go together just as sin and the law go together. They are codependent. Synergistic. The prodigal’s father granted him the freedom to experience sin and its consequences fully, and the son made a free choice to repent and return. His fall was a necessary evil to produce the final result which was love. The other son toed the line quite well. He kept the commandment. But he had no love. ” For you have not come to the mountain that may be touched and that burned with fire, and to blackness and darkness and tempest, and the sound of a trumpet and the voice of words, so that those who heard it begged that the word should not be spoken to them anymore.(For they could not endure what was commanded;”and if so much as a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned or shot with an arrow.” And so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, “I am exceedingly afraid and trembling.”) But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel. See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven, whose voice then shook the earth; but now He has promised, saying, “Yet once more I shake not only the earth, but also heaven.” Now this, “yet once more,” indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For our God is a consuming fire.
What did you mean but “sin and law go together”? I could read this as though you intended to say that Law entails sin,i.e., sin is the direct result of having the Law; or I could read this as “the idea of Law implies obedience and that implies the possibility of disobedience.” In this case, Law contains the idea of sin but not the reality of sin.
The law is not for a righteous people. It was added because of transgression. It is needed because of sin. So that we have a guide to willfully control a wayward heart until, through experience, the heart comes to repentance, agrees with and even hungers for God. The problem is that the law actually inflames the desires it is intended to restrict. Adam was in need of nothing. He was denied only one thing. It became the thing he had to have. Christ changes our heart and thus our motivations. So the law is our guardian to bring us to Christ. Our relationship and our focus changes at that point.
But the problem comes with your understanding of “Law.” Torah is not the equivalent of the Roman idea of “law,” which provides the linguistic background for most of our conceptualization. Torah is “a way of instruction, a guide, a path.” Are you telling me that Adam didn’t need a way of instruction? Are you telling me that the righteous don’t follow a path? Am I righteous if I do whatever I wish? Hardly. I am righteous insofar as I follow the way of life God gives me. And when I follow it, I do not sin. So that implies that I do not NEED to sin in order to have a need for the instruction. It isn’t the instruction that inflames my desire. It is the conflict that God’s instruction presents to my OWN desire. If Adam didn’t need instruction, then why give him the commandment not to eat. And if Christ changes my heart so that I no longer need instruction, then why does He say that those who love Him will keep His COMMANDMENTS?
My understanding of the hebrew concept is that righteousness is something that is acquired, like character is acquired. Like clothing. Children are not born with righteousness/character, but our goal is to develop that quality in them. They have “house rules” until they are mature enough to enter into their own covenant relationships and hopefully stand at the door of their own life and judge righteously. They can be out past their curfew, go wherever they decide, choose who to associate with. They are not under my rules any longer. I haven’t changed, they have. Their primary relationship is now with their spouse and it is totally different relationship. It is a new covenant. We learn about our spouse and how to serve him/her as we “walk through the flesh” together. The more we know them the more we love them. I know what I will be eating in the millennial kingdom; whatever He’s having. Seeing that the bear will graze and the lion eat straw, maybe we will not eat meat at all. That will be fine with me.
Brett,
“The law of the LORD/YHWH is good.” the problem lies with our understanding or misunderstanding.. to keep His commands/ways/laws is what we are created for… unfortunately, “many do not understand the apostle Paul’s teachings and twist the meanings to their own destruction.” Christ obeyed YHWH’s laws and we too are commanded to keep them.
I can see the tension in his statement. Brett is pulling in two different directions. ‘The Law is not for the righteous.’ and ‘our focus changes’. These two statements are going in opposite directions. Our focus changes to G-d’s will which is His commands/Law.
Daniel J,
Agreed, our focus changes.
“Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom,
and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split…”
The focus changer is Him, not us. He is the Rock. But our faith is His devine
gift to us that allows us, if not compells us, to stand. His commands are placed
in our hearts and His Spirit within us tells us they are not optional.
IMO the verses in 2 Pet 1:1-8 have added great light and comfort to my path,
as I’m sure to countless others. The journey goes on, and as Skip wrote, we
are only “partially submerged” and not sunk by these worldly waves. He’s got us
by His hand! And we have Him at His Word!!!
Interesting. I’ve never considered the idea of being ‘shaken but not stirred’ in regard to being firm in the Lord.
I think this idea is sort of alluded to in Keil & Delitzsch, Vol. 5 Psalms, 2011, 3rd printing, pg. 417. It references this shaking idea as being somewhat shaken, but not so that it makes one fall permanently or harshly.
Related to the word rabah in Ps 37:24 intimating ‘not utterly cast down’ or ‘not greatly’ or ‘not very much’ and in the realm of tottering only. At least, not so much shaking as to fall and remain down.
This reference also links this idea to rabat in Ps. 123:4 – ‘not much of’ and harebeh in Eccles. 5:19 – ‘not to be much’ shaken.
This is actually a new thought in that I have always come from the idea that, in Yeshua, I will NOT, in ANY way, be moved, shaken, or disturbed, being solidly stationed in Him.
However, this opens the door to what I would consider a more real world experience. I AM bumped, rattled, and tilted, if you will, to slight degrees. Nudged this way or that, but nothing to the extent that changes my foundation or sure footedness in Him. I can feel, sense and experience the effects of certain actions against me and my Torah guided life, however, in life, nothing will permanently or fully change the firm hold Yeshua has on me, as He is always holding my hand and sustaining me as I walk in His Torah, which is life and thus salvation for me. Having God as my God equates to salvation.
Is that sounding accurate or at least in the ball park?
Lead off double
🙂
A more real world experience–good way to word this.
So when James talks about a double-minded man being tossed to fro like the waves in a storm, I see that as someone who walks apart from God and is constantly being thrown down and knocked around without any kind of a firm foundation that anchors one. Painful chaos!
If one is anchored to rock solid Y-H then bending and being rattled and such is to be expected in this current world but the foundation will hold fast. AND we choose to hold fast to our anchor.
Would that fit in what you are thinking here Michael?
This is such another great post for real world living! Do you have a good place to find some of your books at used prices? I cannot afford to buy all of the books I would like to have at regular price. I use Kindle and that helps and I also use my local library but nothing compares to having the real book at your disposal!! 🙂
There are many good recommend books that pop up in various posts.
Hi Dawn,
Yes, I think how you expressed it fits with what I was alluding to. As I was reading your post I thought of a pastor friend in Florida. For a brief time he hired me to help in the office with the weekly newsletter/graphics stuff. He was a self sufficient type guy in that he liked to put his hand to most everything that was built. He was a hands on guy.
For instance, he built his own house. I mean, he ACTUALLY built his OWN house with his OWN hands. He designed it and hired muscle to put it together. He was strong in the foundation and wanted everything to be strong. Besides pouring an extra thick foundation, he built a cinder block walled house. Most construction design calls for only pouring corners and support sections of the cinder block walls with concrete for added strength at critical points, for example. Well, this guy poured concrete down ALL the cinder block walls of the entire house. In effect, the entire floor and all the walls were solid concrete. ONE big piece of concrete! Very solid. Only the ceiling rafters, etc were wood, and even those were a step up from the usual thickness and total number.
In Florida there are a lot of hurricanes. In hurricanes, depending on their strength, usually, at the least, the roofs are blown off. In serious hurricanes entire houses all totally demolished.
I joked with my friend that his house was so solid that if a hurricane did, in fact, blow his house away, the ENTIRE house would be lifted as one unit, completely intact and relocated. Afterward, all he would have to do would get a big enough trailer to haul his whole house back to his land as it would probably still be intact with just the furniture tussled inside!
Anyway, just a funny story about foundations and stability.
Regarding books, I have reached a point of resting from buying for a good while. Thanks to Skip and all the related books I’ve found in his and others blogs and in the bibliographies or those I’ve read, I think I have a great foundation of books to reorient me to this new paradigm I’ve found myself in. None of them have been vetted by any former church associates, so I think I’m on good ground so far.
I primarily used Amazon (they love me as I’m sure I’ve provided security to several employees retirement funds from all the books I’ve purchased from them!) I also scour the web for books and deals. There hasn’t been any one source, just a conglomeration of running across this or that book.
But primarily from Amazon. They seem to have some of the best prices for the most part.
My wife appreciates what I share from all my books but still has some resistance to the many she sees coming in those Amazon boxes so frequently and so regularly! Alas…
I’ve agreed to severely limiting my book purchasing for the immediate future and beyond.
However, the next subject is the purchase of Mountain Bike parts! :-O Oh my!
We are rereading Skip’s book on ‘ezer kenegdo, so my bike part buying may be curtailed as well!! 🙂
That’s Ok, though. I’m learning it is GOOD to listen to her. Very helpful and prevents many stupid actions on my part.
Okay-Amazon is where I find many good deals as well and I don’t have to have new so that helps. It does take some serious study in this new paradigm and books etc. on that old one are way too numerous!! Living what I am learning seems to be the best way to make it stay in my head sorta like breaking in new shoes! I like the way I am being changed even though I do get battered up a bit from time to time.
Mountain biking eh? I used to ride my bike all over the county as a kid. Haven’t done that in 30 years or so. Sounds like fun. Maybe I’ll rethink having a bike again. You encourage me! Does your wife bike as well?
My wife has ridden the road trails with me a few times, but, overall, it just isn’t here cup of tea. I am more the athlete than her, but we do have other activities that we share regularly as time permits.
There are very few ladies that ride the trails with us in our area. I am sure there are some, but this has tended to be a guy thing so far.
Also, Dawn, yes, I use Kindle quite a bit as well. Much lower prices there, but I read them on my iPad mini, not a Kindle. I’m an Apple freak-a-zoid. I’ve moved past the Micro$oft paradigm to the Apple one. Many of the paradigm shifts referred to in here applies to Apple vs Micro$oft in my mind!
But that’s another blog . . .
And I agree, real books with real pages to turn and write in and on are preferred regarding my tastes as well. I love real books. In fact, it might be weird and perverse but I actually enjoy sitting in the midst of my little library and just gazing at them all. I know…I’m weird, but I do enjoy it.
That is, Keil & Delitzsch “Commentary of the Old Testament.” Sorry.
Hi Michael
This made me think of the MTB experiences again:
I think its great to be in a place of “not greatly shaken” but most of the time I feel like doing a fast downhill with my bike on a very rocky road, barely holding one – one slip and there goes a collar bone! Its a love/hate thing – terrible while you’re at it, but awesome if you survive the ride – an experience no one can take away from you and something only I need in order to grow. And as you said before, its the practice, technique and keeping your eyes fixed on that road – not going to the right or the left – that keeps you alive and prepare you for the next ride.
I definitely need more practice to feel “not greatly shaken” after each ride.
So, you are a fellow mtb-er, eh?
After my red bug/poison ivy episode, I’ve been missing my nail-biting, breath-taking mtb experiences!
I’ve just started building my dream bike. A 29er, carbon, full suspension bike with all my dream components. My frame and rear shock comes Wednesday.
I will be shaken. Not lightly, either! :-O
“I shall not be greatly shaken”
Later, Dr. No presents Bond with a drink — “A medium dry martini, lemon peel. Shaken, not stirred.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-jdRfe6f9YE
– Sean Connery as James Bond
“It’s not somebody who has seen the light”
It’s a cold and it’s a broken Hallelujah
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmbQEQltOwM
– Leon Cohen as King David
“Isaiah 24:19-20 uses this same Hebrew word, Mot”
Hmmm
In 1964 Jean Paul Sartre renounced literature in a sardonic account of his life in “Les Mots” (Words)
In 1966 Michel Foucault wrote Les Mots et les Choses (Une archéologie des sciences humaines)
Michel Foucault also wrote a very interesting book called Madness and Civilization
In one of my favorite songs, “the words (Les Mots) of the prophets are written on the subway wall”
Sounds of Silence – Simon and Garfunkel
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5gFnCwVqbWs
“Not greatly shaken”
This makes me think of the example of the tree: the root stays solid and firm, but the branches need to move in the wind in order to grow, to get rid of rotten fruit and dead branches – leaving the ripe and the green fruit to work with.
Good example and an amazing event to watch. I’ve seen and experienced large buildings do the same thing. At first it’s a disconcerting thing to watch. Then it becomes amazing how something so big and so “firm” is actually bending and flexing. An apparent contradiction, but actually, a built or designed in survival quality.
Bending. How much has Yeshua bent toward us, loving us willingly rather than rigidly condemning us. I’m not sure the ‘bending’ comparison fits with the true nature of his ‘hesed’, but it seems to in my little mind.
“God’s faithfulness remains the moral constant of the universe. Standing with Him is ultimate stability.”
YHWH’s chesed and truth is what hold us/me together, not to fall apart, as I understand His authority over His creation, and over me. Some situations may still take me by surprise, no matter how prepared I can be, I am shaken and bruised but not totally sunk into the depths of despair. YHWH’s light/Torah in me reminds me of His Presence, strengthening me.
Perhaps when the earth becomes engulfed in total darkness, in some great catastrophe, that may really shake us, like the sun being darkened in a total eclipse not for just a few hours, but days?
That is scary even to contemplate. Hopefully then as in Noach’s ‘ark’, YHWH’s light shines out from within to the outside world, through that ‘window’, and not as much as allowing light to enter. There won’t be much light during the flood.
Though spiritually, we are in gross darkness, some desperately trying to find their way to YHWH, to please Him, some are ignorantly contented where they are refusing to be guided nor instructed.
When I read TW, I had thought of this beautiful song though it is not what David meant, I teach it to kids,
I shall not be, I shall not be moved,
I shall not be, I shall not be moved, just like a tree that’s planted by the Waters, I shall not be moved. Amein!
That is, Waters pure and unpolluted from the upper streams on mountain tops, as Brad Scott would say.
No, not greatly moved, but shaken, pressed down to fill us to overflowing with His goodness! 🙂
The Rock That Does Not Roll
~ For their rock is not as our Rock..~ (Deuteronomy 32.31)
~ for I, the LORD, do not change ~ (Malachi 3.6)
~ For He has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’” ~(Hebrews 13:5)
~ And lo, I AM with you always..~ (Mathew 28.20)
~ and they shall call His Name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, “God with us.” ~
~ and the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the Rock ~
How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord,
Is laid for your faith in His excellent Word!
What more can He say than to you He hath said,
You, who unto Jesus for refuge have fled?
In every condition, in sickness, in health;
In poverty’s vale, or abounding in wealth;
At home and abroad, on the land, on the sea,
As thy days may demand, shall thy strength ever be.
Fear not, I am with thee, O be not dismayed,
For I am thy God and will still give thee aid;
I’ll strengthen and help thee, and cause thee to stand
Upheld by My righteous, omnipotent hand.
When through the deep waters I call thee to go,
The rivers of woe shall not thee overflow;
For I will be with thee, thy troubles to bless,
And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.
When through fiery trials thy pathways shall lie,
My grace, all sufficient, shall be thy supply;
The flame shall not hurt thee; I only design
Thy dross to consume, and thy gold to refine.
Even down to old age all My people shall prove
My sovereign, eternal, unchangeable Love;
And when hoary hairs shall their temples adorn,
Like lambs they shall still in My bosom be borne.
The soul that on Jesus has leaned for repose,
I will not, I will not desert to its foes;
That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,
“I will never, no never, no never forsake.”
Be very sure. Be very sure.
Your anchor holds.. and grips the solid Rock..
~ Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand ~
~ But God’s firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Let everyone who names the Name of the Lord depart from iniquity.” ~