What Goes Around

He will turn back against them their wickedness, through their evil He will destroy them, the LORD our God will destroy them.  Psalm 94:23  Robert Alter Turn back against them – What is the opposite of turning toward God?  Before you answer, consider that the Hebrew verb which means “to return” to God is šûb…

God Will Take Care

With my many cares within me, Your consolations delighted me.  Psalm 94:19  Robert Alter Many cares – Aretha Franklin’s rendition of “God Will Take Care of You” is found on the best selling Gospel album of all time.  It’s powerful and worth listening to (CLICK HERE).  Since music is such an emotional experience, perhaps we…

The Sad Truth

Who will rise for me against evildoers, who will take a stand for me against the wrongdoers?  Psalm 94:16  Robert Alter   For me – Be sure you read this verse as it is written, not as you might expect it to be written.  What I mean is that we might expect “Who will rise…

The Rationale for Suffering (2)

Happy the man whom Yah chastises, and whom from His teaching He instructs, to make him quiet in evil days until a pit is dug for the wicked.  Psalm 94:12-13  Robert Alter Quiet – I’d like the NASB version to be true.  “So that You may grant him relief from the days of adversity, until a pit is…

The Rationale for Suffering (1)

Happy the man whom Yah chastises, and whom from His teaching He instructs, to make him quiet in evil days until a pit is dug for the wicked.  Psalm 94:12-13  Robert Alter Chastises – Are you happy?  Maybe today, but what about the days when nothing goes right?  What about those days when you truly…

Third Time’s a Charm

And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us; and we saw His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.  John 1:14  NASB Became flesh – Suppose for just a moment that John is thoroughly Jewish.  Suppose he is operating in the typical way Jews handled the Tanakh in the first century.  Suppose he’s writing…