My soul keeps Your testimonies, and I love them exceedingly. Psalm 119:167 NASB My soul – It’s no surprise that the English translations of this verse use a word that is thoroughly Greek. “Soul” came into English through Greek philosophy, and as such, represented that invisible, eternal element of human being that eventually left the corrupt material…
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,…
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…
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…
I have more insight than all my teachers, for Your testimonies are my meditation. Psalm 119:99 NASB More insight – Do you remember Goldberg’s remark, “In the well-known verse Prov 4:7, ‘understanding’ is not a higher stage than ‘wisdom,’ but a poetic synonym used for emphasis.”[1] We’ll want to keep this in mind as we examine…
The wicked wait for me to destroy me; I will diligently consider Your testimonies. Psalm 119:95 NASB Diligently consider – Do you feel safe? I mean really safe, like not a care at all because no one can do you harm. Totally protected. Bulletproof all around. No chance of disaster, ruin, robbery, assault, collapse, surprise? Most…
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