He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor rewarded us according to our guilty deeds. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His mercy toward those who fear Him. Psalm 103:10-11 NASB According to – The preposition that changes everything. In this case, a single letter (כְּ) prefixed to the noun “sins.” The preposition kă does the…
Behold, I was brought forth in guilt, and in sin my mother conceived me. Psalm 51:5 NASB In guilt/ in sin – We’ve looked at this crucial verse several times. If you’re interested in how it was mis-used to justify a doctrine of original sin and sinful nature, then you may want to review the previous…
Wash me thoroughly from my guilt and cleanse me from my sin. Psalm 51:2 NASB Guilt/ sin – “This time I will praise the Lord.” So said Leah (Genesis 29:35) on the birth of Judah. But “praise” isn’t the only derivative of this Hebrew word, yādâ. It can also mean “confess, give thanks.” It is the…
Therefore, since we also have such a great cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let’s rid ourselves of every obstacle and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let’s run with endurance the race that is set before us, Hebrews 12:1 NASB So easily entangles – I’ve always struggled with this verse. There are a few reasons (and…
Wash me thoroughly from my guilt and cleanse me from my sin. Psalm 51:2 NASB Guilt/ sin – Jonathan Sacks makes a very important point about guilt. Do you remember? “. . . Judaism is overwhelmingly a guilt rather than a shame culture. Shame attaches to the person. Guilt attaches to the act. . . In…
Against You, You only, I have sinned and done what is evil in Your sight, so that You are justified when You speak and blameless when You judge. Psalm 51:4 NASB You only – When we read this verse, we are often offended. We think to ourselves, “Wait a minute! David’s saying that the only one he offended…
Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, Ephesians 4:26 NASB Angry – At last we’ve returned to the citation in Psalm 4:4 (26 October 2025). Now we’ll have to look at the Greek background of Paul’s vocabulary and then determine how his rabbinic orientation modifies the term. First,…
What is man, that he would be pure, or he who is born of a woman, that he would be righteous? Job 15:14 NASB Pure – Baruch Levine emphasizes one of the most important characteristics of the Hebrew view of law when he writes: . . . the laws of the Torah did not permit Israelites to…
Have I sinned? What have I done to You, Watcher of mankind? Why have You made me Your target, so that I am a burden to myself? Job 7:20 NASB Watcher of mankind – Does God watch over us? That might seem a ridiculous question. Of course He does. Who could imagine otherwise? He’s the…
Then his wife said to him, “Do you still hold firm your integrity? Curse God and die!” Job 2:9 NASB Integrity – Does the Bible portray the righteous as sinless? Were Adam and the woman created perfect? Are we considered sinless after repentance? Perhaps we can look at Job to find some answers. In Hebrew,…
