True Confession

For my life is exhausted in sorrow and my years in sighing.  Through my crime my strength stumbles and my limbs are worn out.  Psalm 31:11 (Hebrew Bible)  Robert Alter Crime – Note Robert Alter’s remark: “The translation follows the Masoretic Text, which has ba’awoni here.  But the Septuagint and the Peshitta read be’onyi, ‘in…

Cease and Desist Orders

For my life is exhausted in sorrow and my years in sighing.  Through my crime my strength stumbles and my limbs are worn out.  Psalm 31:11 (Hebrew Bible)  Robert Alter Exhausted in sorrow – an excerpt. When he looked up, Nathan was gone. “Call him back.  Call him back.”  He almost shouted, but in the…

Safe Haven (Rewind)

In You, O Lord, I have taken refuge; let me never be ashamed; in Your righteousness deliver me.  Psalm 31:1  NASB 1995 Never be ashamed – It’s been almost four years since I wrote this study of Psalm 31.  We covered every verse in that month.  Four years later I wonder if anything has really changed.  Maybe…

Get Thee Behind Me (Rewind)

Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me—to keep me from exalting myself! Concerning this I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me.  2 Corinthians 12:7-8  NASB…

By the Numbers

for which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle and a teacher  2 Timothy 1:11  NASB 1995 Was appointed – According to one source,[1] Paul wrote about 28 percent of the “New Testament.”  That source, however, included the letters to the Hebrews as Pauline which is most likely not the case.  So, you might…

The Politics of All Believers

Then David said, “No one is to carry the ark of God except the Levites; for the Lord chose them to carry the ark of the Lord and to serve Him forever.” 1 Chronicles 15:2  NASB Except – If you grew up in any of the Protestant denominations, you’re probably familiar with the doctrinal statement about the “priesthood of…