“The meaning of the Sabbath is to celebrate time rather than space. Six days a week we live under the tyranny of things of space; on the Sabbath we try to become attuned to holiness in time. It is a day on which we are called upon to share in what is eternal in…
“Bring my soul out of prison, so that I may give thanks to Your name; the righteous will surround me, for You will deal bountifully with me.” Psalm 142:7 NASB Out of prison – What’s it like in there? What’s it like in the darkest recess of your “soul,” in the place where you keep…
“Give heed to my cry, for I am brought very low; deliver me from my persecutors, for they are too strong for me.” Psalm 142:6 NASB Persecutors – “Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness.” That familiar phrase found in the teaching of Yeshua in Matthew, chapter five, should have…
I cried out to You, O Lord; I said, “You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living.” Psalm 142:5 NASB The land of the living – We bandy about the biblical phrase, “land of the living,” as if it were quite familiar. Perhaps the words are, but I wonder if we…
Look to the right and see; for there is no one who regards me; there is no escape for me; no one cares for my soul. Psalm 142:4 NASB Regards – The Hebrew verb, nakar, has some very unusual derivatives. At least they appear unusual to our Western thinking. Let me explain. Nakar means “to…
Good Day all readers of Today’s Word and Greetings from Zimbabwe, Some important things have happened since my last general letter, things that I think you will want to know. First, the good news. We have been tracking unique visitors to the web site for a long time and it appears that we are attracting…
When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, You knew my path. In the way where I walk they have hidden a trap for me. Psalm 142:3 NASB Overwhelmed – The biblical idea of a heart attack is slightly different than our medical definition. A heart attack in Hebrew thought is the consciousness of separation from…
I pour out my complaint before Him; I declare my trouble before Him. Psalm 142:2 NASB Complaint – An unfortunate translation. “Complaint” makes it seem that David is whining before God, voicing his grievance. We all do this, so maybe a translation of shiah as “complaint” simply demonstrates our experience. But I suspect David is…
“Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 6:1 NASB No reward – The biblical idea of reward went through some development from Moses to Yeshua. Some of its development incorporated ideas from sources outside the Bible. But…
I cry aloud with my voice to the Lord; I make supplication with my voice to the Lord. Psalm 142:1 NASB Cry Aloud – Men don’t cry. Crying in a sign of weakness and men must be strong, powerful, in control. A man who cries is clearly not a real man. He is effeminate, a…
