tāʿâ

  • Back to Basics

    Let him not trust in emptiness, deceiving himself; for his reward will be emptiness.  Job 15:31  NASB Deceiving – How can you trust in something that doesn’t exist?  That would be real foolishness.  Fortunately, Eliphaz isn’t“foolish” enough to insist that some people believe in nothingness.  No, the word he uses also means “vanity” or “useless.”  His…

  • The End of the End

    I have wandered about like a lost sheep; search for Your servant, for I do not forget Your commandments.  Psalm 119:176 NASB Lost sheep – This is not the verse we expected!  After 175 verses of praise for the Law, of reiterated commitment to obedience, of line after line extolling God’s graciousness, we expected this verse to be…

  • Not Quite

    The wicked have set a trap for me, yet I have not wandered from Your precepts.  Psalm 119:110  NASB Trap – The Hebrew word translated “trap” is paḥ.  It is literally a snare for birds.  Its root is pāḥaḥ, to ensnare.  Why would we want to be sure that we understand its use before we use “trap.” …