Over the Top

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. …

Strength in Numbers

The arrogant utterly deride me, yet I do not turn aside from Your Law. Psalm 119:51  NASB Utterly deride – How do you handle insults?  How do you react to blame?  What does it feel like when someone shows contempt toward you?  What happens when someone mocks you? All of these questions seem to be front and center…

That Pride Thing

You rebuke the arrogant, the cursed, who wander from Your commandment. Psalm 119:21  NASB Arrogant – We have a contemporary proverb, based on an ancient one (Proverbs 16:18-19).  It goes something like this: pride comes before a fall.  If we wanted to say it in Hebrew, we’d most likely use the word zēd.  Here it is plural encompassing…

Telltale Signs

Behold, I will make you small among the nations; You are greatly despised.   The arrogance of your heart has deceived you,   Obadiah 1:2-3a  NASB Arrogance – In a conversation with the Rabbi here in Parma, the topic of political arrogance came up.  He directed me to the smallest of the prophetic books, Obadiah.  The book is purportedly…

Pathological Arrogance

The wicked, in his haughtiness, does not seek Him.  There is no God in all his schemes.  Psalm 10:4  NASB electronic web edition Haughtiness – Haughty is not a common word in modern usage.  We associate it with 19th Century English Romantic literature (like the book Pride and Prejudice).  The synonym “proud” still finds a place in our speech, but…

Being Perfect

Let the lying lips be mute, which speak arrogantly against the righteous with pride and contempt.  Psalm 31:18 NASB Arrogant– Some years ago (quite some years ago) I received a card from a dear friend.  On the outside it read: “I used to be conceited, but I got over that.”  On the inside: “Now I’m perfect.”  🙂 Arrogance is…

Rare but Potent

For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy,  2 Timothy 3:2 NASB Boastful – Not exactly! The NASB translation of alazon doesn’t quite capture the idea Paul has in mind. That’s because in the Tanakh and the LXX, alazon points us to yahir, a Hebrew…

Are You Hyper?

Now these things, brethren, I have figuratively applied to myself and Apollos for your sakes, so that in us you may learn not to exceed what is written, so that no one of you will become arrogant in behalf of one against the other.  1 Corinthians 4:6  NASB Not to exceed – Sometimes I think…

The Slippery Slope

But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled; my steps had nearly slipped.  Psalm 73:2-3  ESV Almost stumbled – Asaph proclaims that God is good to Israel and all who are Israel are known by their “clean heart” actions.  But he quickly realizes that his steps court disaster.  As much as he wants clean…

The Air-Conditioned Church

But she answered and said to Him, “Yes, Lord, but even the dogs under the table feed on the children’s crumbs.” Mark 7:28  NASB Under the table – Have you thrown someone under the table?  Isn’t that the point of this story?  The woman is a true outsider.  She isn’t a citizen anywhere.  Mark says…