Aleph . . . Hey Psalm 119:1-40 The Acrostic Thus Far It’s easy to not see the forest for the trees. We’ve been looking closely at the trees for forty verses, and we’ve discovered amazing things. The details of word choice, the interesting and commanding twists in grammar, the skill of the poet to create…
Take away my disgrace which I dread, for Your judgments are good. Psalm 119:39 NASB Disgrace – by now we’ve learned that shame in the ancient Semitic world is not an inner psychological state. It is public disgrace. Now we need to know what “disgrace” means in this ancient world. The word is ḥerpâ. In…
Behold, I long for Your precepts; revive me through Your righteousness. Psalm 119:40 NASB Long – Well, it’s not exactly a hapax legomenon, but it might as well be. tāʾeb, translated “long for,” is used only twice; once here and once in verse 174 (which we will eventually examine). Since it is only found in this…
Establish Your [m]word to Your servant as that which produces reverence for You. Psalm 119:38 NASB [m]word – Notice the footnote attached to this translation. That note is to tell you that the usual Hebrew isn’t what we have in this verse. Instead of dābār we find ʾimrâ, both translated “word” in English so you wouldn’t…
Turn my eyes away from looking at what is worthless, and revive me in Your ways. Psalm 119:37 NASB Worthless – “That the primary meaning of šāwʾ is ‘emptiness, vanity’ no one can challenge. It designates anything that is unsubstantial, unreal, worthless, either materially or morally. Hence, it is a word for idols (in the same way…
Incline my heart to Your testimonies, and not to dishonest gain. Psalm 119:36 NASB Dishonest gain – What is the strategy that prevents humanity from seeking profit by unrighteous means? Ah, the answer is simple. History! Incline your heart to God’s testimonies. What are those? You’ll recall that “testimonies” is the plural of ʿēdût, a word that…
Make me walk in the path of Your commandments, for I delight in it. Psalm 119:35 NASB Make me – What do you suppose would happen if you asked God to make you do something? If He responded to that request, do you think there is any chance it wouldn’t happen? Could you resist the ultimate omnipotence…
Give me understanding, so that I may comply with Your Law and keep it with all my heart. Psalm 119:34 NASB Understanding – Do you find this request a bit odd? The general pattern of God’s instructions in Torah do not require explanation. In fact, the methodology of Torah learning is not about figuring out why God asks what…
Teach me, the way of Your statutes, Lord, and I shall comply with it to the end. Psalm 119:33 NASB To the end – The next acrostic begins each verse with hey (ה). The entire section looks like this: הוֹרֵ֣נִי יְ֖הֹוָה דֶּ֥רֶךְ חֻקֶּ֗יךָ וְאֶצְּרֶ֥נָּה עֵֽקֶב הֲבִינֵנִי וְאֶצְּרָ֥ה תֽ֜וֹרָתֶ֗ךָ וְאֶשְׁמְרֶ֥נָּה בְכָל־לֵֽב הַדְרִיכֵנִי בִּנְתִ֣יב מִצְוֹתֶ֑יךָ כִּ֖י ב֥וֹ חָפָֽצְתִּי…
I shall run the way of Your commandments, for You will enlarge my heart. Psalm 119:32 NASB Enlarge – The Hebrew verb rāḥab has two completely different sematic contexts. The first is used with open spaces like broad plains. The second, as we find here, is about the physical body. “ . . its most frequent…
