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…
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 Lovingkindness – By now we certainly recognize that the NASB translates hesed by the English “lovingkindness.” And we also know that hesed can’t be captured by this…
For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised. Hebrews 10:36 NASB What was promised – The Greek text actually doesn’t say, “what was promised.” It says, “the promise.” It’s not obvious to me why the translators decided to change a perfectly…
O Israel, hope in the LORD; for with the LORD there is lovingkindness, and with Him is abundant redemption. Psalm 130:7 NASB Hope – How long will you hope? How long before you run out of patience with the Lord? How long before your once-exuberant expectation turns to disappointment, then discouragement, then anger? How long…
Out of the depths I have cried to You, O Lord. Lord, hear my voice. Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications. Psalm 130:1-2 NASB Hear – “Out of my deepest despair, out of my total helplessness in the face of the darkness of my heart, Lord, YHWH, shim’ah.” The cry…
