Some Costa Rica Shots
I was in Puerto Limon on Saturday and had a chance to visit a preserve. Here are a few things I encountered.
Non Sequitur
My zeal has consumed me, because my enemies have forgotten Your words. Psalm 119:139 NASB Because – ṣāmat – put an end to, cut off, destroy.[1] The opening verb in the verse. “The verb is a very strong word for destruction or for completely silencing someone.”[2] What has been cut off, completely destroyed? “Zeal– qinʾâ.” The Hebrew…
Too Much Poetic License
You have commanded Your testimonies in righteousness and great faithfulness. Psalm 119:138 NASB In righteousness – Even in Hebrew this sentence doesn’t seem to work very well. The English just makes it worse. Chabad translates it as “You commanded Your testimonies, [which are] righteousness, and they are exceedingly faithful.” The translators have to add “which are” to…
Tsade
You are righteous, Lord, and Your judgments are right. Psalm 119:137 NASB צַדִּ֣יק אַתָּ֣ה יְהֹוָ֑ה וְ֜יָשָׁ֗ר מִשְׁפָּטֶֽיךָ You are righteous, O Lord, and Your judgments are upright. צִוִּיתָ צֶ֣דֶק עֵֽדֹתֶ֑יךָ וֶֽאֱמוּנָ֥ה מְאֹֽד You commanded Your testimonies, [which are] righteousness, and they are exceedingly faithful. צִמְּתַ֥תְנִי קִנְאָתִ֑י כִּי־שָֽׁכְח֖וּ דְבָרֶ֣יךָ צָרָֽי My zeal incenses me, for my adversaries…
Continental Divide
My eyes shed streams of water, because they do not keep Your Law. Psalm 119:136 NASB Streams – The idiom is obvious. We have no problem understanding the poet’s description of “crying your eyes out” (our version of the idiom). But until we investigate the Hebrew word for “streams,” we might not see the deeper possibilities. That…
FaceTime
Make Your face shine upon Your servant, and teach me Your statutes. Psalm 119:135 NASB Shine upon – An idiom, of course. But a nice one with a long, long history. The idiom is based on the verb ʾôr, found first is the fifth verse of Genesis. It means “to become light, to shine.” “Light is…
Quit Claim
Redeem me from oppression by man, so that I may keep Your precepts. Psalm 119:134 NASB Redeem me – First position in the verse. Important. Imperative. Important. Etymology. Important. Now let’s unpack it all. pādâ is the Hebrew verb translated “redeem.” But it doesn’t mean what most Christians would expect. When those who grew up…
Force Majeure
Establish my footsteps in Your word, and do not let any wrongdoing have power over me. Psalm 119:133 NASB Any wrongdoing – Of course, this follows from the previous verse. God’s graciousness extends to those whom He calls His own. But things can interfere. Customarily, followers find favor. But even followers fall. When the psalmist asks for God…
The Other Side of the Coin
Turn to me and be gracious to me, as is right for those who love Your name. Psalm 119:132 NASB As is right for – Now we discover just how broad Hebrew words can be. The phrase “as is right for,” in the the Chabad translation (“Turn to me and favor me as is Your…
Nourishment in the Desert
I opened my mouth wide and panted, for I longed for Your commandments. Psalm 119:131 NASB Panted – Decades ago I started writing Today’s Word. At times it seems like yesterday. I’ve just scratched the surface of the text. After a few years of writing, I thought I needed a business card. The one I created was a…
