Finished

They almost destroyed me on earth, but as for me, I did not abandon Your precepts. Psalm 119:87  NASB

Destroyed – What will be the final line in your obituary?  “A good husband?”  “A loving wife?”  “A cherished father/mother?”  “A provider?”  “A friend?”  How about “committed to God?”  Or “a Torah-keeper?”  Would you think to add those to the finished list?  Well, you might if you knew that the word translated “destroyed” is from the root kālâ, and one of the derivatives is miklâ which means “complete” or “perfect.”  “The basic idea of this root is ‘to bring a process to completion.’ . . . The processes which are brought to an end may be either positive or negative. That is, something may be continually added to until it is full or complete, or something may be taken away from until there is nothing left. The English word ‘finish’ coincides very nicely with kālâ in that it too can have either positive or negative connotations.”^[1]

When you’re finished, will others note that you did not abandon God’s piqqûdîm?  Remember what that means—God’s oversight.  Will others tell of your willingness to accept His guidance, His correction, His engineering?  Will they recall how your life reflected His presence?  Will the summary of who you were be related in biblical concepts?  Did your footsteps follow God’s path?

The psalmist declares that even though “they” almost did him under, he never abandoned listening to God’s oversight. That’s a bit more than merely keeping Torah.  The subtleties of God’s leading often arrive as small suggestions, barely whispered nuances, and unexplainable feelings.  Learning to walk in the spirit is an acquired skill.  And it takes practice.  Lots of practice.  Fortunately, God knows we are but dust (with a bit of His own breath breathed in).

Interestingly, the Hebrew verb translated “did not abandon” here is ʿāzab.  “The basic meaning of ʿāzab is clearly seen in its literal use where it has three distinct emphases: to depart, to abandon, and to loose.”^[2]  But figuratively it can mean to forsake virtuous qualities, or stop keeping a promise, or turn away from righteousness.  Of course, the positive side of this verb is to leave behind a sinful life and return to God’s ways.  Perhaps we’ve experienced a bit of both sides.  One thing is certain.  The negative aspect of the verb will undoubtedly lead to destruction, but the positive application leads to life—and in the apostolic sense, eternal life.  Perhaps we should say that righteousness is its own reward.  Wouldn’t it be wonderful if that sentiment was inscribed on your headstone?

Topical Index: kālâ, destroy, finish, complete, ʿāzab, forsake, abandon, Psalm 119:87

^[1] Oswalt, J. N. (1999). 982 כָלָה. In R. L. Harris, G. L. Archer Jr., & B. K. Waltke (Eds.), Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (electronic ed., p. 439). Moody Press.

^[2] Schultz, C. (1999). 1594 עָזַב. In R. L. Harris, G. L. Archer Jr., & B. K. Waltke (Eds.), Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (electronic ed., p. 658). Moody Press.