Let my soul live that it may praise You, and let Your ordinances help me. Psalm 119:175 NASB Live/ help – We don’t need to mention the mistaken translation “soul.” You certainly know that nepeš isn’t “soul,” which is the Greek term psyche. But we should note the idea that praise can only happen while we…
My soul keeps Your testimonies, and I love them exceedingly. Psalm 119:167 NASB My soul – It’s no surprise that the English translations of this verse use a word that is thoroughly Greek. “Soul” came into English through Greek philosophy, and as such, represented that invisible, eternal element of human being that eventually left the corrupt material…
I am Yours, save me; for I have sought Your precepts. Psalm 119:94 NASB I am Yours – While the English captures the idea, the Hebrew isn’t quite so straightforward. The phrase is lekā-‘ănî’. It’s really a preposition (l – “to, towards, in regard to”) and two pronouns (kā – you, and ănî – I). Literally, “to…
My soul clings to the dust; revive me according to Your word. Psalm 119:25 NASB Clings – Before we start the next “chapter” of this poem, let’s take a quick look at the letter Daleth. Here’s the text of this section: דָּֽבְקָ֣ה לֶֽעָפָ֣ר נַפְשִׁ֑י חַ֜יֵּ֗נִי כִּדְבָרֶֽךָ דְּרָכַ֣י סִ֖פַּרְתִּי וַֽ֜תַּֽעֲנֵ֗נִי לַמְּדֵ֥נִי חֻקֶּֽיךָ דֶּֽרֶךְ־פִּקּוּדֶ֥יךָ הֲבִינֵ֑נִי וְ֜אָשִׂ֗יחָה בְּנִפְלְאוֹתֶֽיךָ דָּֽלְפָ֣ה נַ֖פְשִׁי…
For He has satisfied the [a]thirsty soul, and He has filled the hungry soul with what is good. Psalm 107:9 NASB Soul – Did you see that tiny footnote before the word “thirsty”? I hoped that the footnote would explain that the Hebrew word nepeš does not mean “soul,” ah, but not a chance. The footnote merely says…
Abram took his wife Sarai and his nephew Lot, and all their possessions which they had accumulated, and the people which they had acquired in Haran, and they set out for the land of Canaan; so they came to the land of Canaan. Genesis 12:5 NASB People – Language evolves. Words that used to mean one thing now mean…
For He sates the thirsting throat and the hungry throat He fills with good. Psalm 107:9 Robert Alter Throat – Robert Alter stresses the need to translate Hebrew terms consistently. His point is simple. Hebrew has a rather sparse vocabulary. Often a single Hebrew word has many different potential English translations. Since English style tends…
And in their heart they put God to the test by asking for food [g]that suited their taste. Psalm 78:18 That suited their taste – The Bible has a lot to say about the tongue, most of it not very pleasant. The tongue is a source of disagreement, the power of life and death, the instrument of “binding…
But those who seek my [f]life to destroy it, will go into the [g]depths of the earth. Psalm 63:9 NASB Life/depths – Did you notice the two footnotes in this verse from the NASB? The tiny (f) and (g) indicate that the translators want the reader to notice something about the Hebrew words. But if you looked at…
The Lord will protect you from all evil; He will keep your soul. Psalm 121:7 NASB You – I suppose there are two questions to be asked about this verse. The first is, “Who is the Lord going to protect from all evil?” Who’s “you”? The second is “When is God going to do this?” If we…
