Let my tongue sing about Your word, for all Your commandments are righteousness. Psalm 119:172 NASB Sing – Do you sing the psalms? It’s nice to think that this psalm is lyrical poetry designed to be sung. Many psalms are. But if we read only this English translation, we’d miss the wider implications of the use of…
The sum of Your word is truth, and every one of Your righteous judgments is everlasting. Psalm 119:160 Sum – The head of the year. The chief of the tribe. The top of the mountain. The corner stone. The first of Mankind. rōʾš, and all its derivatives, are found more than 750 times in Scripture, with a wide…
Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and Your Law is truth. Psalm 119:142 NASB Everlasting – How long is everlasting? Wait, don’t give me a naïve answer, “Well, forever, of course.” Think deeper. The word is ʿôlām. Macrae makes the following remark about this Hebrew word: Probably derived from ʿālam I, “to hide,” thus pointing to what…
You have commanded Your testimonies in righteousness and great faithfulness. Psalm 119:138 NASB In righteousness – Even in Hebrew this sentence doesn’t seem to work very well. The English just makes it worse. Chabad translates it as “You commanded Your testimonies, [which are] righteousness, and they are exceedingly faithful.” The translators have to add “which are” to…
I have done justice and righteousness; do not leave me to my oppressors. Psalm 119:121 NASB Ayin 121 I have done justice and righteousness; Do not leave me to my oppressors. עָשִׂיתִי מִשְׁפָּ֣ט וָצֶ֑דֶק בַּל־תַּ֜נִּיחֵ֗נִי לְעֹֽשְׁקָֽי 122 Be a guarantor for Your servant for good; Do not let the arrogant oppress me. עֲרֹ֣ב עַבְדְּךָ֣ לְט֑וֹב אַל־יַֽעַשְׁקֻ֥נִי זֵדִֽים 123 My eyes…
How has the faithful town become a whore? Filled with justice where righteousness did lodge, and now—murderers. Isaiah 1:21 Robert Alter How – אֵיכָכָה (ʾêkākâh) how? There doesn’t appear to be anything remarkable about this, right? It’s just an interrogative. After all God’s pleading with Israel, it doesn’t seem strange to ask how all this…
The Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands He has recompensed me. Psalm 18:20 NASB According to – I don’t know many who could have written these words: The Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness; According to the cleanness of my hands He has recompensed me. For I have kept the ways of the Lord,…
For he will never be shaken; the righteous will be remembered forever. Psalm 112:6 NASB Righteous – What do you want on your tombstone? Born: xxxx. Died: xxxx. And then some words about who you were. Hopefully: ṣaddîq, the one word that will be the final marker of your life here. The one word that describes what…
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