Author: Skip Moen, Ph.D.

  • Resh

    BySkip Moen, Ph.D.

    Look at my affliction and rescue me, for I have not forgotten Your Law.  Psalm 119:153  NASB רְאֵה־עָנְיִ֥י וְחַלְּצֵ֑נִי כִּֽי־ת֜וֹרָֽתְךָ֗ לֹ֣א שָׁכָֽחְתִּי Look at my affliction and rescue me, for I have not forgotten Your Law. רִיבָ֣ה רִ֖יבִֽי וּגְאָלֵ֑נִי לְאִמְרָֽתְךָ֥ חַיֵּֽנִי Plead my cause and redeem me; revive me according to Your word. רָח֣וֹק מֵֽרְשָׁעִ֣ים יְשׁוּעָ֑ה כִּֽי־חֻ֜קֶּ֗יךָ לֹ֣א דָרָֽשׁוּ Salvation is far…

  • Too Close for Comfort (2)

    BySkip Moen, Ph.D.

    You are near, Lord, and all Your commandments are truth.  Psalm 119:151  NASB Near – Yesterday we looked at qārab., the “wicked,” who are close at hand.  You’ll remember the verb for “approach” or “draw near” was qārab.  The wicked are in proximity.  Would you be surprised to discover that the same verb is used here?  It’s not…

  • The Good Old Days

    BySkip Moen, Ph.D.

    From long ago I have known from Your testimonies that You have founded them forever.  Psalm 119:152  NASB Long ago – The Hebrew perspective on time isn’t concerned with uniformity, event progression, or exactness.  We, on the other hand, are time possessed.  Since the industrial revolution, our days are consumed with the exact hour, minute, and second,…

  • Too Close for Comfort (1)

    BySkip Moen, Ph.D.

    Those who follow after wickedness approach; they are far from Your Law.  Psalm 119:150  NASB Approach – The NIV probably renders this verse with less ambiguity: “Those who devise wicked schemes are near, but they are far from your law.”   The verb is qārab, “to come near, to approach, to enter into.”  The idea is proximity. …

  • Expected Routine

    BySkip Moen, Ph.D.

    Hearken to my voice according to Your kindness; O Lord, according to Your custom sustain me.  Psalm 119:149  Chabad Custom – This translation might lead us to believe that the psalmist anticipates a typical response from God.  He enlists the protocol of ḥesed, establishing the required connection.  He asks God to listen, using a verb…

  • Paraphrase Assistance

    BySkip Moen, Ph.D.

    My eyes preceded the watches to speak of Your word.  Psalm 119:148  Chabad Watches – Unless you knew something about palaces in ancient times, this verse would probably be unintelligible.  And even if you knew about night watches in the 10th Century B.C.E., the verse still might not make any sense.  The only way to…

  • Qere/Ketiv

    BySkip Moen, Ph.D.

    I arose early, when it was still night, and I cried out; I hoped for Your word. Psalm 119:147  Chabad For Your word – Compare these three Hebrew renditions of this verse: קדמתי בנשף ואשועה לדבריך יחלתי קִדַּ֣מְתִּי בַ֖נֶּשֶׁף וָֽאֲשַׁוֵּ֑עָה לִדְבָֽרְךָ֥ (כתיב לִדְבָֽרְיךָ֥) יִחָֽלְתִּי קִדַּ֣מְתִּי בַ֭נֶּשֶׁף וָאֲשַׁוֵּ֑עָה (לדבריך) [לִדְבָרְךָ֥] יִחָֽלְתִּי Aside from the fact that the first version…