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…

Get Thee Behind Me

The debased in his eyes is repugnant but to LORD-fearers he accords honor.  When he vows to his fellow man, he does not revoke it.  Psalm 15:4  Robert Alter Repugnant – The NASB translation offers some synonyms that help us understand the sense of this verse: “A despicable person is despised in his eyes, but…

Facetime

He has turned His attention to the prayer of the destitute and has not despised their prayer.  Psalm 102:17 NASB He has turned His attention to – Isn’t it nice that Hebrew can communicate so many English words in a single verb and paint a tactile picture for us at the same time?  One word, pānāh, incorporates…

The Sleeper Must Awaken

As a dream when one awakes, so O Lord, when you awake, you shall despise their image.  Psalm 73:20  Hebrew World translation Dream – Ah, so you didn’t realize that Frank Herbert[1] employed Hebrew thinking, did you?  Well, maybe it was just an accident (really?).  The Hebrew word halom (dream) has a decidedly different use…