The Lord performs righteous deeds and judgments for all who are oppressed. Psalm 103:6 NASB Righteous deeds and judgments – When you read the NASB translation of this verse, do you picture God doing righteous things? “Performs righteous deeds” might lead you to imagine God, calmly sitting on Heaven’s throne, issuing orders to His angels…
The Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands He has recompensed me. Psalm 18:20 NASB My righteousness – Want joy? Be obedient! Ah, sounds so easy, doesn’t it? But that’s not usually the way it works. The yetzer ha’ra has deep hooks in us and often manipulates…
In You, O Lord, I have taken refuge; Let me never be ashamed. In Your righteousness deliver me and rescue me; Incline Your ear to me and save me. Psalm 71:1-2 NASB Righteousness – The Tanakh’s parallel to Yeshua’s parable. Yeshua tells a story about a common man and a religious authority. The religious authority…
And the Lord said, “The outcry of Sodom and Gomorrah is indeed great, and their sin is exceedingly grave.” Genesis 18:20 NASB Sin – What is sin? According to the Hebrew word, hatta’h, sin means “to commit an offense against someone with whom one stands in an institutionalized community relationship.”[1] Notice that sin assumes a set…
For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “But the righteous man shall live by faith.” Romans 1:17 NASB The/man – Now that we’ve taken a longer look at the addition of the definite article, we need to pay attention to the addition of the word…
For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “But the righteous man shall live by faith.” Romans 1:17 NASB The/man – The NASB adds just a few small words to the Greek translation. Perhaps these two tiny additions don’t make any difference. Perhaps. But we should…
Now flee youthful lusts, and pursue after righteousness, faith, love and peace, with those who call on the Lord with a pure heart. 2 Timothy 2:22 NASB Faith – Do you have faith? It’s a fair question—if you are thinking like a Greek. You see, in Greek thought it is possible to possess something, to…
Now flee youthful lusts, and pursue after righteousness, faith, love and peace, with those who call on the Lord with a pure heart. 2 Timothy 2:22 NASB Righteousness – How can you pursue something if you don’t know where it is? That’s pretty much the situation in spiritual discipline today. We want to follow Paul’s…
Your ways, O LORD, inform me, your paths, instruct me. Psalm 25:4 Robert Alter translation Ways/paths – GPS is such a blessing. Just put in the address, press the NAV button, and both map and voice direct me to my destination. Now I only get lost when the guidance map is out of date. Amazingly,…
Happy those who keep justice, who do righteousness at all times. Psalm 106:3 (Robert Alter translation) At all times – “If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands. If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands. If you’re happy and you know it then your life will surely show it.” So…
