Tav

Let my cry come before You, Lord; give me understanding according to Your word.  Psalm 119:169  NASB תִּקְרַ֤ב רִנָּתִ֣י לְפָנֶ֣יךָ יְהֹוָ֑ה כִּדְבָרְךָ֥ הֲבִינֵֽנִי Let my cry come before You, Lord; give me understanding according to Your word. תָּב֣וֹא תְחִנָּתִ֣י לְפָנֶ֑יךָ כְּ֝אִמְרָתְךָ֗ הַצִּילֵֽנִי Let my pleading come before You; save me according to Your word. תַּבַּ֣עְנָה שְׂפָתַ֣י תְּהִלָּ֑ה כִּ֖י תְלַמְּדֵ֣נִי חֻקֶּֽיךָ Let my lips…

Summation

I keep Your precepts and Your testimonies, for all my ways are before You.  Psalm 119:168  NASB All my ways – “When you come to a fork in the road, take it.”  The Yogi Berra quote is just about what it means when the psalmist writes kōl-derākăy’ (“all my paths”).  Since the map he follows is written…

Get the Greek Out

My soul keeps Your testimonies, and I love them exceedingly.  Psalm 119:167  NASB My soul – It’s no surprise that the English translations of this verse use a word that is thoroughly Greek.  “Soul” came into English through Greek philosophy, and as such, represented that invisible, eternal element of human being that eventually left the corrupt material…

Platonic Religion

I hope for Your salvation, Lord, and do Your commandments.  Psalm 119:166  NASB Hope – Plato’s view of religion sets the stage for the contrast we will explore.  Plato also believed in hope.  Well, sort of.  His view was that religion was like wishing things would be better, that is, hoping that your wishes would come true. …

The Eternal Optimist

Those who love Your Law have great peace, and nothing causes them to stumble.  Psalm 119:165  NASB Nothing – Wouldn’t that be nice?  Wouldn’t you jump at the chance to have “great peace; to live a life where nothing ever caused you to trip up”?  Sounds like paradise, or maybe heaven.  But it certainly doesn’t sound…

The Call to Prayer

Seven times a day I praise You because of Your righteous judgments.  Psalm 119:164  NASB Seven times a day – Travel nearly anywhere in the region once the home of the psalmist and you will hear the call of the minaret.  Five times a day the wailing of the muezzin emanates from those tall towers dotting…