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…
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…
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,…
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. …
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…
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…
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…
I called to You; save me and I shall keep Your testimonies. Psalm 119:146 Chabad Called – We know that Hebrew often repeats words in order to add emphasis. That’s what you do in a language that doesn’t have punctuation. But the repetition of the verb qārāʾ in this second sentence might be a bit…
I called with all my heart; answer me, O Lord; I shall keep Your statutes. Psalm 119:145 Chabad I cried out with all my heart; answer me, Lord! I will comply with Your statutes. NASB קָרָ֣אתִי בְכָל־לֵ֖ב עֲנֵ֥נִי יְהֹוָ֗ה חֻקֶּ֥יךָ אֶצֹּֽרָה I cried out with all my heart; answer me, Lord! I will comply with Your statutes. קְרָאתִ֥יךָ…
Your testimonies are righteous forever; give me understanding that I may live. Psalm 119:144 Understanding – “Your testimonies.” We’ve seen this before. A lot. ʿēdewōtê, the continuing story of God’s involvement with His chosen. The poet proclaims that the events and circumstances of this story are ṣedeq leʿôlām, and as you will recall, that’s like saying…
