Certainly Uncertain

I have chosen the faithful way; I have ^[l]placed Your judgments before me. Psalm 119:30  NASB

Placed – What does “I have placed” really mean?  TWOT notes the difficulty with this word in translation: “The use of šāwâ in Ps 119:30 is open to question. Is it, ‘Your judgments have I “placed” before me,’(šāwâ II); or, ‘Your judgments I have “accounted suitable”,’(šāwâ I, BDB p. 1000a); or, ‘Your judgments I “consider supreme,” (Ugaritic twy, “to rule,” “govern” Dahood), in Psalms, III, in AB, p. 177; II, p. 316.”^[1]   Alter writes, “set before me,” but is that metaphorical or literal?  Regardless of the English choice, we understand the poet’s intention (I think).  His choice of the faithful way is directly associated with God’s judgments.  Maybe it would help if we knew the words for “faithful” and “judgments.”

“Faithful” turns out to be ʾĕmûnâ, a word that usually is translated as “firm” or “steadfast.”  You’ll recognize it immediately from its form as amen.  The idea in this word is the certainty of God’s instructions, not simply in a cognitive sense but also in a behavioral and moral sense.  What God says can be absolutely relied upon as the truth about living.  To adhere to His way is to choose life itself.  The poet affirms that his chosen path is in alignment with God’s reliable direction.

“Judgments” is mišpāṭîm, a familiar word.  We’ve seen it translated as “ordinances.”  You’ll recall that mišpāṭ is the full governance of God, His sovereign order over all creation.  It’s not just the commandments.  It’s everything that creates order in the universe.  What the poet claims is that he is aware, acknowledges, observes, and considers all of God’s governing actions—and he affirms his willingness to accept this divine government.  We may have difficulty determining exactly which English word best fits šāwâ, but we don’t have difficulty recognizing the connection.  God’s government stands.  It is the most reliable foundation of all that exists.  And the psalmist chooses to live according to it.

We concur, at least in theory.  God’s ways are the best ways—perhaps the only ways since living apart from them leads only to destruction.  But before we congratulate ourselves for our confirmation of this reality, it might be necessary to determine just how closely we are aligned.  Modern society (and modern religion) seems to endorse modifications to the poet’s view of mišpāṭîm.  From wholesale rejection to subtle alteration, men mix their cultural requirements with God’s instructions.  The result is a religion quite different than the faithful way of the psalmist.  You might ask yourself, “What were the essential characteristics and fundamental teachings of the Israelites in the 10^th Century B.C.E.?”  Then see if you lined up with those.  I’d be surprised if you didn’t find quite a few, and not inconsiderable, differences.  That raises another crucial question.  Just how much change can occur before it is no longer God’s mišpāṭîm?

Topical Index:  mišpāṭîm, šāwâ, ʾĕmûnâ, faithful, governance, Psalm 119:30

^[1] Hamilton, V. P. (1999). 2343 שָׁוָה. In R. L. Harris, G. L. Archer Jr., & B. K. Waltke (Eds.), Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament(electronic ed., pp. 910–911). Moody Press.