He leads the lowly in justice and teaches the lowly His way. Psalm 25:9 Robert Alter translation Lowly – “Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth.” So reads the usual translation of Yeshua’s third Beatitude. A direct quote from Psalm 37:11, the key word is ‘anawim (the meek, the humble, the lowly)…
Good and upright is the LORD. Therefore He guides offenders on the way. Psalm 25:8 Robert Alter translation Therefore – When you think of God as good, what comes to mind? Do you think of His moral character—blameless, holy, perfect? Do you think of His blessings—prosperity, happiness, health? How is God’s goodness connected to the…
My youth’s offenses and my crimes recall not. In your kindness, recall me—You; for the sake of Your goodness, O LORD. Psalm 25:7 Robert Alter translation Recall me—You – Offenses of our younger days. Crimes we committed but did not get caught. At the heart of every man is the ability to become a despot,…
Recall Your mercies, O LORD, and Your kindnesses—they are forever. Psalm 25:6 Robert Alter translation Mercies/kindnesses – Why should God care about you? You’re not exactly the best of the breed. You’re not holy. You have a smudged past. You still wander off the path on occasion. You are not absolutely devoted. Why should He…
Lead me in Your truth and instruct me, for You are the God of my rescue. In You do I hope every day. Psalm 25:5 Robert Alter translation Rescue – When Michael W. Smith sings, “I’m lost without You,” I don’t think he has Torah in mind. But he should. Our popular Christian culture is…
Lead me in Your truth and instruct me, for You are the God of my rescue. In You do I hope every day. Psalm 25:5 Robert Alter translation Lead me – As a young man I used to hike in the Cascades. Once I attempted to reach a small lake up in the mountains. Things…
Make me know Your ways, O Lord; Teach me Your paths. Psalm 25:4 NASB Teach – God wants you to be an apprentice, not a master craftsman. An apprentice is more than a student. A student learns the words, the principles, the ideas. An apprentice puts all these into practice. An apprentice copies the journeyman until…
Make me know Your ways, O Lord; Teach me Your paths. Psalm 25:4 NASB Make me – Robert Alter’s translation of this verse carries a decidedly different tone. Alter translates the verbs as petitions; the NASB translates them as imperatives. Our previous citation from TWOT establishes the biblical emphasis on choice.[1]You are responsible. Not even God…
Your ways, O LORD, inform me, your paths, instruct me. Psalm 25:4 Robert Alter translation Ways/paths – GPS is such a blessing. Just put in the address, press the NAV button, and both map and voice direct me to my destination. Now I only get lost when the guidance map is out of date. Amazingly,…
Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has contentions? Who has complaining? Who has wounds without cause? Who has redness of eyes? Proverbs 23:29 NASB Woe – This verse describes the alcoholic, but it might as well be attributed to any addict. Consider the characteristics. This person feels woe. What does that mean? He despairs of life. It’s…
