Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper [p]suitable for him.” Genesis 2:18 NASB Not good – God’s words, lōʾ ṭôb, are an amazing assessment of the human condition. According to the first chapter of Genesis, everything was good. In fact, more than good. Very good. Blessed. Exactly as intended. But less than 17 verses later, after…
And Moses’ hands were heavy. So they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it; and Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side and one on the other. So his hands were steady until the sun set. Exodus 17:12 NASB Steady – You might not see the important…
For He carries out what is destined for me, and many such destinies are with Him. Job 23:14 NASB Destined – What is your destiny? The question might imply that there is some fixed goal designed for you. Wouldn’t that be nice? If each of us has a destiny determined by God, then all the steps along…
But he said to her, “You are speaking as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we actually accept good from God but not accept adversity?” Despite all this, Job did not sin with his lips. Job 2:10 NASB Actually accept – The Hebrew combination here is gam plus qābal. Two things need to be mentioned. First…
Despite all this, Job did not sin, nor did he [m]blame God. Job 1:22 NASB Blame – “Job did not sin,” says the text. The word is ḥāṭāʾ, occurring 580 times in the Tanakh. It is a description of missing the mark, the same idea that appears in the Greek word for sin. Without too much…
You have removed lover and friend far from me; my acquaintances are in a hiding place. Psalm 88:18 NASB You have removed – A short excursus into enemy territory followed by an immediate return to the major theme: God is sovereign. This poem describes whatever happens as under God’s control and direction. Therefore, even if “they”…
They have surrounded me like water all day long; they have encircled me altogether. Psalm 88:17 NASB They – Suddenly, a change. Through seventeen verses the psalmist has decried God’s absence. His lament holds Godresponsible for the sorry state of his life, for the nearly impossible burden he must carry, for the approach of death. But now,…
Have mercy on me, LORD, for I am wretched. Heal me, for my limbs are stricken. Psalm 6:2 Robert Alter My limbs – On the 30th of April of this year, I wrote a piece about the excruciating pain I was experiencing in my left knee. I asked for your prayers (thank you). I wrote…
Through all this Job did not sin nor did he blame God. Job 1:22 NASB 1995 Nor did he blame – But the Hebrew isn’t quite what we think of when we read these words in English. We think of “blame” as assigning responsibility or finding fault. So, in our Western theology, if God is…
You have removed lover and friend far from me; my acquaintances are in a hiding place. Psalm 88:18 NASB You have removed – A short excursus into enemy territory followed by an immediate return to the major theme: God is sovereign. This poem describes whatever happens as under God’s control and direction. Therefore, even if…
