If Your law had not been my delight, then I would have perished in my affliction. Psalm 119:92 NASB Delight – How do you show your desire for God? What do you do that marks you as one who pursues Him? Don’t give me a generalized principle of ethical attitude. Don’t tell me that you just…
“But let the man who boasts, boast of this, that he understands and knows me. For I am Yahweh who acts in steadfast loyalty, justice, and righteousness upon the earth; for in these things I delight – Yahweh’s word.” Jeremiah 9:24 J. A. Thompson translation. Delight – How would you answer this question: What are…
“Delight yourself in the Lord; and He will give you the desires of your heart.” Psalm 37:4 NASB Delight – This word (‘anag) is used for a garment that is delicate or luxurious. Here it means to feel great favor toward something. But notice carefully the object of our delight. It is not His forgiveness. …
Only this, I have found, as a real good: that one should eat and drink and get pleasure with all the gains he makes under the sun, during the numbered days of life that God has given him; for that is his portion. Ecclesiastes 5:17 NJPS Real good – There are two views of what…
“The thief comes only to steal, and kill, and destroy; I came that they might have life, and might have it abundantly.” John 10:10 Abundantly – A few days ago Oswald Chambers’ devotional provided some sobering questions: “Is our attitude today an attitude that springs from our vision of God? Are we expecting God to…
“but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you may not eat, for in the day that you eat of it, you shall surely die.” Genesis 2:17 Surely Die – Hebrew handles emphasis by manipulating the structure of the language. Without punctuation, words are arranged in ways that draw attention to particular…
“I delight to do Your will, O my God; yes, Your Torah is within my heart.” Psalm 40:8 Delight – Hebrew has more than one word for pleasure and delight. Whenever we find more than one word for the same concept, we are challenged to discover the differences. Just as there are many words for…
And out of the ground YHWH made to spring up every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. Genesis 2:9 Pleasant – When I visited the Prado in Madrid, I saw Titian’s painting of Adam and Eve in the Garden. You can see it here. You’ll notice that Titian does not…
and YHWH planted a garden in Eden Genesis 2:8 Eden – By the time Rousseau finished refurbishing the Garden of Eden, we all thought this Hebrew word referred to a tropical paradise filled with exotic plants and erotic delights. It’s time to leave all those images behind and look at the real word play involved…
You have given him his heart’s desire Psalm 21:2 Heart’s Desire – Did David really mean that God gave him whatever he wanted? Is it true that once we are obedient God will fulfill all our desires? Do we just have to “name it and claim it?” In the Psalms study group that I attend,…
