Sustain me so that I may be safe, that I may have regard for Your statutes continually. Psalm 119:117 NASB May be safe – If you read the Hebrew text, you’d recognize this verb immediately, not as “may be safe” but rather as “be saved.” It is the verb yāšaʿ from which we derive the name Yeshua. …
And You have not given me over into the hand of the enemy; You have set my feet in a large place. Psalm 31:8 NASB Not given me over – What does it mean to fall into the hands of the enemy? Pay attention to David’s parallelism and you will understand just how much Hebrew is…
Anxiety in a person’s heart weighs it down, but a good word makes it glad. Proverbs 12:25 NASB Anxiety – What is anxiety? A dictionary definition suggests the following: “a feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease, typically about an imminent event or something with an uncertain outcome.” Notice that this feeling isn’t about something that has already happened. You don’t feel anxiety about yesterday’s hurricane. Nor do you…
In You, O Lord, I have taken refuge; let me never be ashamed; in Your righteousness deliver me. Psalm 31:1 NASB 1995 Never be ashamed – It’s been almost four years since I wrote this study of Psalm 31. We covered every verse in that month. Four years later I wonder if anything has really changed. Maybe…
And the Lord is the one who is going ahead of you; He will be with you. He will not desert you or abandon you. Do not fear and do not be dismayed. Deuteronomy 31:8 NASB Dismayed – Dismayed? Do you know precisely what that means? I’m guessing that most people don’t. We have a general idea. It’s something…
bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. Colossians 3:13 NASB Bearing– Paul says what we all want to hear—applied to someone else! Yes, you need to bear my burdens! Lord knows I need someone to talk to, to understand my struggles, to…
“Why is this place [where I am safe] so hard to describe? Because human beings are hardwired for connection, and we are hardwired from infancy to find safety in relationships . . . Trauma breaks this connection. Trauma interferes with the feelings of safety associated with connection. Reconstruction of trust is the first task of…
And You have not given me over into the hand of the enemy; You have set my feet in a large place. Psalm 31:8 NASB Not given me over– What does it mean to fall into the hands of the enemy? Pay attention to David’s parallelism and you will understand just how much Hebrew is a language…
For You aremy rock and my fortress; for Your name’s sake You will lead me and guide me. Psalm 31:3 NASB My rock and my fortress– Have we relegated the stronghold of God to heaven? Have we forced God to provide only a spiritual sanctuary after we’ve finished the earthly course? Or is God really our Rock and…
In You, O Lord, I have taken refuge; let me never be ashamed; in Your righteousness deliver me. Psalm 31:1 Never be ashamed– “Where do you feel safe?” asked my friend, the therapist. The answer scared me. Where do you feel completely accepted, warts and all? Where are you safe enough to be transparent about your feelings, your…
