The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22-23 ESV Never ceases – Lamentations! Five poems mourning the fall of Jerusalem and the captivity of the Jews. Exile, abuse, starvation, humiliation, slaughter—all the usual after defeat in war. But this time, with God’s endorsement. How? How can it be…
But know that the Lord has set apart the godly person for Himself; the Lord hears when I call to Him. Psalm 4:3 NASB The godly person – Wait a minute! If God holds the righteous man in such high regard, what about Job? Did the psalmist simply ignore that story? Doesn’t this verse imply that God responds to the “godly…
Then you will say on that day, “I will give thanks to You, Lord; for although You were angry with me, Your anger is turned away, and You comfort me. Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid; for the Lord God is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation.” Isaiah 12:1-2 NASB Trust – What is…
Consider how I love Your precepts; revive me, Lord, according to Your faithfulness. Psalm 119:159 NASB Consider – What does the Hebrew rāʾâ imply? Does it mean “to bring to mind (consider)”? Or does it mean something more? Perhaps you recognize the root, “to see.” It also means “to look at” and “to inspect.” The translation “consider”…
Deal with Your servant according to Your graciousness, and teach me Your statutes. Psalm 119:124 NASB According to – Perhaps the most important word in this verse is the preposition ki. It’s attached to the word ḥesed like this: כְחַסְדֶּ֗ךָ (ke–ḥăsdĕ’-kā, “according to ḥesed yours”). Such a tiny addition. Why is it so critical? Because the psalmist…
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…
Revive me according to Your faithfulness, so that I may keep the testimony of Your mouth. Psalm 119:88 NASB Revive – We’ve been at this for quite a while. Perhaps “revive” is the right term for the halfway point. Halfway through the longest psalm, we should pause and ask ourselves, “Why is the poet spending…
May Your favor [ad]comfort me, according to Your [ae]word to Your servant. Psalm 119:76 NASB Comfort – We start this investigation by noting two things: 1) the opening in Hebrew is not translated in this NASB version. That opening is necessary for the acrostic pattern. It is יְהִי־נָ֣א, with a yod, and should probably be translated “O,…
The earth is full of Your goodness, Lord; teach me Your statutes. Psalm 119:64 NASB Goodness – There’s hardly a more insipid translation of ḥesed than the crop of English expressions in Bible translations. We have “love, unfailing love, steadfast love, loving devotion, mercy, goodness, lovingkindness, faithful love, mercies, constant love, kindness.” None really capture the…
May Your favor also come to me, Lord, Your salvation according to Your [o]word; Psalm 119:41 NASB Also come to me – Here’s the vav section of our acrostic. Notice the first word of the first line – וִֽיבֹאֻ֣נִי. You’ll see the vav but you might not know how it works. Let me explain. Vav has two functions. As…
