There is a Jewish rabbinic legend that everyone is taught Torah in the womb, but the moment the person is born, all God’s instruction is forgotten. It takes the rest of our life to recover what we once knew before birth. It’s a very nice legend. It makes me feel as if I didn’t arrive…
In my distress I called upon the Lord, and cried to my God for help; He heard my voice out of His temple, and my cry for help before Him came into His ears. Psalm 18:6 NASB In my distress – batstsarli – “in my distress” – is the place of confinement. The narrow place. The…
Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, Philippians 2:3-5 NASB Selfishness – Ah, it…
Whoever gives thought to the way he lives in this world will merit divine salvation. Tractate Moed Katan page 5 folio a The way – You and I have every reason to examine how we live. In fact, this examination is our only hope of actually changing direction and meriting God’s favor. Of course, as…
Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, Philippians 2:1 NASB Affection – Apparently Paul got it backwards. We would have expected the next word, translated “compassion,” to be this word, splanchnon. Or maybe Paul…
Lead me in Your truth and instruct me, for You are the God of my rescue. In You do I hope every day. Psalm 25:5 Robert Alter translation Rescue – When Michael W. Smith sings, “I’m lost without You,” I don’t think he has Torah in mind. But he should. Our popular Christian culture is…
When my heart was grieved, and I was pricked in my insides, Psalm 73:21 Hebrew World translation Grieved – When you were grieved, did you think of sourdough? If you read Hebrew, you would. Asaph uses the word hamets (chamets). You recognize this word, I hope. It is the word for leaven. In association with…
Restore to me the joy of Your deliverance, and uphold me, Noble Spirit! Psalm (Tehillim) 51:12 ISR Joy – Is there any greater joy than the feeling of being rescued from certain disaster? Every basic survival instinct is flooded with relief as soon as you know you will continue to live. Yes, the joy of…
“Do not be afraid. I am the first and the last, and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades.” Revelation 1:17-18 NASB Do not be afraid – “. . . the opposite of the believer was not the heretic…
as it is written, Mark 1:2, Mark 9:13, Romans 3:10, Romans 8:36, 1 Corinthians 1:31, Galatians 3:10 and many others. As It Is Written – This phrase we find more than familiar. In fact, Paul uses it so often that we probably don’t think of it as anything more than a citation reference, like an…
