Now I desire to remind you, though you know all things once for all, that the Lord, after saving a people out of the land of Egypt, subsequently destroyed those who did not believe. Jude 1:5 NASB Did not believe – Most of the time we just skip over this one page letter in the…
Do not let kindness and truth leave you; Bind them around your neck, Write them on the tablet of your heart. Proverbs 3:3 NASB Kindness and truth – The Hebrew phrase hesed ve’emet is critically important. It describes the connection between the covenant relationship of God and community with the faithfulness and reliability of the…
All the LORD’s paths are kindness and truth for the keepers of His pact and His precepts. Psalm 25:10 Robert Alter translation All – Do you really believe that all of YHWH’s ways are kindness and truth? Are you just as likely to proclaim this with David when the plane crashes and everyone is killed,…
My youth’s offenses and my crimes recall not. In your kindness, recall me—You; for the sake of Your goodness, O LORD. Psalm 25:7 Robert Alter translation Recall me—You – Offenses of our younger days. Crimes we committed but did not get caught. At the heart of every man is the ability to become a despot,…
Recall Your mercies, O LORD, and Your kindnesses—they are forever. Psalm 25:6 Robert Alter translation Mercies/kindnesses – Why should God care about you? You’re not exactly the best of the breed. You’re not holy. You have a smudged past. You still wander off the path on occasion. You are not absolutely devoted. Why should He…
All the paths of the Lord are lovingkindness and truth to those who keep His covenant and His testimonies. Psalm 25:10 NASB Lovingkindness – By now you certainly know the difficulties of translating hesed. And you certainly know just how important this word is. Hesed is the single most important expression of the character of YHWH. …
I will sing of steadfast love and justice; to you O LORD, I will make music. Psalm 101:1 ESV Steadfast love/ justice – What are the themes of David’s praise and worship music? What motivates David to sing to the Lord? The answer is found in this psalm. It’s an answer that can set out…
The LORD is righteous in all his ways and kind in all his works. Psalm 145:17 ESV Kind – David’s declaration answers several questions. First, it answers the question, “Why does God let these terrible things happen?” David declares that the question itself is misinformed. YHWH is righteous in all His ways. Tsaddiq entails that…
but the LORD takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his steadfast love. Psalm 147:11 ESV Steadfast love – Once again we discover David’s declaration that hesed is the fundamental description of what it means to have a relationship with YHWH. The ESV uses “steadfast love.” NASB attempts “lovingkindness.” NKJV…
He will send from heaven and save me; He reproaches him who tramples upon me. Selah. God will send forth His lovingkindness and His truth. Psalm 57:3 NASB Truth – “What is truth?” the man asked. Pilate’s question is still with us. He was a conventionalist. Truth is what he decided was truth. It was…
