Look Again

I will meditate on Your precepts and [f]regard Your ways.  Psalm 119:15  NASB Regard – If you didn’t read it in Hebrew, you might expect that the translated word is šāmaʿ (shama).  “Hear, O Israel,” is the equivalent of “Do, O Israel” as šāmaʿ means both “to hear” and “to do.”  But surprising alternatives are often the tradecraft…

I’m Lost

If I regard wickedness in my heart, the Lord will not hear;  Psalm 66:18  NASB Regard – The Bible is a very scary book.  Yes, of course, it speaks about God’s care and concern for His creation, including, fortunately, us.  But laced throughout the glowing promises of forgiveness and shalom are verses like this one, verses…

A Hebrew Conundrum

Look to the right and see; for there is no one who regards me; there is no escape for me; no one cares for my soul. Psalm 142:4 NASB Regards – The Hebrew verb, nakar, has some very unusual derivatives. At least they appear unusual to our Western thinking. Let me explain. Nakar means “to…