Prunksaal – the Austrian National Library
I could study in a place like this. First view, the arch on entry. 7.4 million books to read. Ceiling in the main hall. In case you decide to take a break and look up.
The Genesis of David
Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Psalm 51:10 NASB Create – First let’s correct the syntax. The emphasis of this verse is not “create.” It is leb tahor, a “heart clean.” But even this needs a bit of explanation. The root taher is not about “spiritual”…
Vienna Two
The “Conversation Room” at the Belvedere Palace The fountain in the Belvedere Palace grounds Looking up at the Vienna Town Hall
What God Knows
Hide Your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquities. Psalm 51:9 NASB Hide – What does God know about you? Everything. That means He knows all your faults, all your sins, all your rebellious acts. Since God knows all these, do you think it possible for Him to stop knowing them? Can…
The Daily Grind
Make me to hear joy and gladness, let the bones which You have broken rejoice. Psalm 51:8 NASB You have broken – Broken bones and a broken heart. David eventually connects the two (as we will see in verse 17), but he starts with the impact of sin before he can reach the reconciliation of…
Passed Over
Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Psalm 51:7 NASB Purify me – The key to correctly translating this word is hyssop. If we understand the history of hyssop, then we can comprehend David’s request. Otherwise we are left with a very odd verb,…
Views
I often wonder what happened to the craftsmen who spent their lives building things like this. Today we sacrifice art for efficiency. It is much the same with our spiritual condition. We are so focused on our needs that we forget that God is the greatest craftsman, and that all great works of art take…
Hebrew Psychology
Behold, You desire truth in the innermost being, and in the hidden part You will make me know wisdom. Psalm 51:6 NASB Innermost being – It’s a good thing that the NASB and ESV put this English translation in italics. That indicates that the translators have altered in some way the original text. In this…
The Natural Man
Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me. Psalm 51:5 NASB Conceived – Have you ever felt as though everything in your life was just wrong? That somehow you got off track and life ended up just being one big mess? Have you ever felt as if you just…
