Forever, O Lord, Your word stands firm in the heavens. Psalm 119:89 Chabad Stands – The Hebrew verb nāṣab has two meanings. The first is “to stand (upright);” the second “to establish.” Perhaps you can see the relationship. What’s important here is that the English translation chooses one but not both, while we need both…
Forever, O Lord, Your word stands firm in the heavens. Psalm 119:89 Chabad לְעוֹלָ֥ם יְהֹוָ֑ה דְּ֜בָֽרְךָ֗ נִצָּ֥ב בַּשָּׁמָֽיִם לְדֹ֣ר וָ֖דֹר אֱמֽוּנָתֶ֑ךָ כּוֹנַ֥נְתָּ אֶ֜֗רֶץ וַֽתַּֽעֲמֹֽד לְמִשְׁפָּטֶיךָ עָֽמְד֣וּ הַיּ֑וֹם כִּ֖י הַכֹּ֣ל עֲבָדֶֽיךָ לוּלֵ֣י תוֹרָֽתְךָ֣ שַֽׁעֲשֻׁעָ֑י אָ֖ז אָבַ֣דְתִּי בְעָנְיִֽי לְעוֹלָם לֹא־אֶשְׁכַּ֣ח פִּקּוּדֶ֑יךָ כִּי־בָ֜֗ם חִיִּיתָֽנִי לְֽךָ־אֲ֖נִי הוֹשִׁיעֵ֑נִי כִּ֖י פִקּוּדֶ֣יךָ דָרָֽשְׁתִּי לִ֚י קִוּ֣וּ רְשָׁעִ֣ים לְאַבְּדֵ֑נִי עֵֽ֜דֹתֶ֗יךָ אֶתְבּוֹנָֽן לְכָל תִּ֖כְלָה רָאִ֣יתִי…
Revive me according to Your faithfulness, so that I may keep the testimony of Your mouth. Psalm 119:88 NASB Revive – We’ve been at this for quite a while. Perhaps “revive” is the right term for the halfway point. Halfway through the longest psalm, we should pause and ask ourselves, “Why is the poet spending…
They almost destroyed me on earth, but as for me, I did not abandon Your precepts. Psalm 119:87 NASB Destroyed – What will be the final line in your obituary? “A good husband?” “A loving wife?” “A cherished father/mother?” “A provider?” “A friend?” How about “committed to God?” Or “a Torah-keeper?” Would you think to add…
All Your commandments are faithful; they have persecuted me with a lie; help me! Psalm 119:86 NASB Faithful – It’s unfortunate that this translation pushes us to view the commandments as spiritual. “Faithful” makes it sound as if miṣwâ belong in the realm of religion, where “faith” operates differently than the rest of our “practical” lives. Such would…
The arrogant have dug pits for me, people who are not in accord with Your Law. Psalm 119:85 NASB Arrogant – Do you recognize arrogance when you encounter it? You will probably answer, “Yes.” But notice the connection that the psalmist makes in his poetic construction. You know, of course, that Hebrew poetry does not rhyme sounds. …
How many are the days of Your servant? When will You execute judgment on those who persecute me? Psalm 119:84 NASB When – The great question of theology isn’t “Why is there evil?” Yes, that’s a big one, but it’s resolution doesn’t really change our circumstances. We live in a broken world no matter what. The real…
Though I have become like a wineskin in the smoke, I do not forget Your statutes. Psalm 119:83 NASB In the smoke – What is a wineskin in the smoke? If we don’t understand this metaphor, we won’t understand why the psalmist connects it with obedience. So, in order to comprehend his phrase, we need to know…
My eyes fail with longing for Your word, while I say, “When will You comfort me?” Psalm 119:82 NASB Fail – Do you long for God’s Word? Well then, just pick up the Bible and read. Right? That’s what we might assume is the intent of the poet’s cry. After all, it his eyes that fail. Perhaps he’s just…
My soul languishes for Your salvation; I [ah]wait for Your word. Psalm 119:81 NASB כָּֽלְתָ֣ה לִתְשׁוּעָֽתְךָ֣ נַפְשִׁ֑י לִדְבָֽרְךָ֥ יִחָֽלְתִּי כָּל֣וּ עֵ֖ינַי לְאִמְרָתֶ֑ךָ לֵ֜אמֹ֗ר מָתַ֥י תְּֽנַֽחֲמֵֽנִי כִּֽי־הָ֖יִיתִי כְּנֹ֣אד בְּקִיט֑וֹר חֻ֜קֶּ֗יךָ לֹ֣א שָׁכָֽחְתִּי כַּמָּה יְמֵ֣י עַבְדֶּ֑ךָ מָתַ֬י תַּֽעֲשֶׂ֖ה בְרֹֽדְפַ֣י מִשְׁפָּֽט כָּֽרוּ־לִ֣י זֵדִ֣ים שִׁיח֑וֹת אֲ֜שֶׁ֗ר לֹ֣א כְתֽוֹרָתֶֽךָ כָּל־מִצְוֹתֶ֥יךָ אֱמוּנָ֑ה שֶׁ֖קֶר רְדָפ֣וּנִי עָזְרֵֽנִי כִּמְעַט כִּלּ֣וּנִי בָאָ֑רֶץ וַֽ֜אֲנִ֗י לֹֽא־עָזַ֥בְתִּי פִקֻּדֶֽיךָ כְּחַסְדְּךָ֥ חַיֵּ֑נִי…
