A Psalm of Contradiction

BySkip Moen, Ph.D.

“Turn Your gaze away from me, that I may smile again before I depart and am no more.”   Psalm 39:13  NASB Away from– The end of David’s autobiographical, public revelation is just as counter-intuitive as the beginning. Having reached the point of a desperate cry for mercy, and an identification with YHVH estranged from creation, we expect David to…

Searing Stares

BySkip Moen, Ph.D.

“Turn Your gaze away from me, that I may smile again before I depart and am no more.” Psalm 39:13 Turn Your Gaze Away – Once more we encounter the Hebrew verb sha’ah.  Now it’s translated “turn away.”  Of course, we know that this is a nuance of the basic meaning of looking upon.  But…