Blogging Bible Study: The Heart of the Matter - Psalms, part 12, Ps. 119

 Posted by Lisa Laree to Beer Lahai Roi

I know, I know, this is a day late.  I hit some boggy spots along the way and it just took a while...but, here we are...

As I mentioned two weeks ago, there are no 'heart/hearts' references in Ps. 113-118.  So, today, we are diving into Ps. 119.

Not gonna lie, this is going to be a DEEP dive and will probably be the longest post of the whole series.  After all, I did a WHOLE 6 MONTH STUDY on Ps. 119 back in 2016, so you know there's a lot here.

Now, Ps. 119 is an unattributed acrostic poem, with 22 stanzas, one for each letter in the Hebrew alphabet.  Each o f the 8 verses in each stanza begins with that stanza's letter; ie, each of verses 1 - 8 begin with the letter 'aleph' each of the verses 9 - 16 begin with the letter 'beth', etc. The subject of the entire psalm is God's word...his word, his decrees, his laws, his statutes, his precepts...all the synonyms.  So I would expect all the verses containing 'heart/hearts' to have to do with how God's word impacts the heart.  

I'm just going to list them all out and then we'll look at the overall themes that develop.

As always, I'm working in the NIV 84, which is the translation that corresponds to the exhaustive concordance that I used building the list of references to check.

Blessed are they who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart.  -Ps. 119: 2, 'heart' is Strong's H 3820 (leb), which is one of the two most common Hebrew words translated as 'heart'.  

I will praise you with an upright heart as I learn your righteous laws.  -- Ps.119: 7; 'Heart is Strong's H 3824 (lebab), the other most common Hebrew word translated as 'heart'

I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands.  I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.   - Ps. 119: 10-11, both instances of 'heart' are H 3820 again.

I have chosen the way of truth; I have set my heart on your laws. - Ps. 119:30  Ok...this one is weird, because, according to the interlinear text of Ps. 119 in  the Blue Letter Bible site, there is no word that is translated as 'heart'.  That second phrase has two words, H4941, mispat - a verdict (favorable or unfavorable, pronounced judicially, especially a sentence or formal decree)...abstractly, justice...  and H 7737,  sava --to level, i.e., equalize; figuratively, to resemble; by implication, to adjust.  One of the verb tenses does include the meaning 'to set, place' I checked several translations and the NIV is the only one who employs the word 'heart' here; the rest all pretty much say 'I have set your judgements before me', with 'before me' indicated as being implied.  Literally, 'I have chosen the way of truth, your verdict is set.'  I don't know enough to know if the subject of that second phrase is still 'I' or if it is just a declaration about the establishment of God's judgement. If we understand the subject to be 'I', I don't think it's a huge stretch to set God's judgements in one's heart...but that's not exactly how the original language reads.  (I didn't expect to run into new grammar issues here, lol...moving on,,,)

I run in the path of your commands, for you have set my heart free -- Ps. 119:32...more interesting translation.  'Heart' is H 3820 again, but the phrase 'you have set my heart free'  uses H7337, rahab,, which actually means 'be wide /large' or 'grow wide/large'; widened, enlarged, relieved, or 'expanded with joy'.  Again, not a huge stretch from 'expanded with joy' to 'set free' ...but it is a difference.

Give me understanding, and I will keep your law and obey it with all my heart. -- Ps. 119:34; 'Heart' is H 3820 again.  

Turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain. -- Ps. 119: 36; 'Heart' is H 3820.

I have sought your face with all my heart; be gracious to me according to your promise. -- Ps. 119:58; H 3820 again.

Though the arrogant have smeared me with lies,  I keep your precepts with all my heart.  Their hearts are callous and unfeeling, but I delight in your law. Ps. 119: 69-70;  both heat and hearts are H 3820.

May my heart be blameless toward your decrees, that I may not be put to shame. -- Ps. 119:80; H 3820 again.

Your statutes are my heritage forever; they are the joy of my heart.  My heart is set on keeping your decrees to the very end.  -- Ps. 119:111 - 112;  both instances of 'heart' are H 3820.

I call with all my  heart; answer me, O LORD, and I will obey your decrees -- Ps 119:145; H 3820 again.

Rulers persecute me without case, but my heart trembles at your word. -- Ps. 119:161; 'heart' is, once more, H 3820.

OOOOkkkkaayy...that's the lot of 'heart/heats' verses in Ps. 119.

The first thing that jumps out of me is the repetition of 'all my heart' (vs. 2, 10, 34, 58, 69,  and 145); we can included in this mindset the phrase 'my heart is set' (vs. 30...sort of, lol, and vs. 112).  This is a reflection of commitment and dedication, and has two applications...to seek/ pursue/ call (upon) God with all the heart or obey/keep the commands/ precepts/ law with all the heart.

A whole-hearted pursuit of God results in whole-hearted obedience. But I also think that without whole-hearted obedience, any pursuit of God is less than whole-hearted as well.  They are interlocking.  You can't have one without the other.

But I also see the psalmist asking God for help in that dual pursuit ...' Do not let me stray' - (vs. 10); 'Turn my heart toward your statutes' (vs. 36); 'May my heart be blameless'  (vs 80).    A reminder that, while we may have the best intentions, we still require divine assistance ...i.e., grace... to remain true.  Fortunately, God is always generous with his grace and gives it abundantly to those who truly seek it.

The final thing I see here is the effect the word/precepts/ statutes/ laws/ etc. has upon the heart that is devoted to it....it brings blessing (vs 2), prompts praise (vs 7), keeps us from sin (vs. 11), provides a path and brings growth/ freedom  (vs 32) bring delight and joy, (vs. 69 and 111), and  inspires awe and trembling (vs. 161)

 A good little exercise for anyone who thinks pursuing God through studying his word is not worth doing...

How much is a drop?

 Posted by Lisa Laree to Beer Lahai Roi

Image from vecteezy.com ; used under free license

It was my turn to play the role of Grandma last Friday, as the Princess was away on her annual work conference and someone needed to supervise The Little Prince and his brother, Brother Bear, since her hubby couldn't take off work.  We had fun, but I didn't get to do my deep dive into Ps. 119.  Planning to hit that tomorrow....

But there has been something rumbling around in my spirit for a while so I'm going to try to share it....

You all remember the events that happened at Asbury two years ago...google 'Asbury outpouring' and you'll get a reminder if you don't.

At that time, I had a, well, I guess a spiritual picture of a vast reservoir, held back by massive gates, towering into the heavens.  The liquid in the reservoir was golden and thick, like honey, with a  light of its own, and from that reservoir one drop fell upon that campus.

One drop.

At the time, I was flabbergasted by the sheer enormity of the reservoir.   It was completely out of scale of anything earthly...like the Hoover Dam looming over a child's sandcastle at its base.   What would happen if those gates opened?  Nothing on earth could withstand the resulting flood.  

I pondered that for a while, then kinda filed it under 'interesting thoughts' and went on with life.

But last month that whole scenario replayed itself in my mind when I was in a prayer meeting.  Only this time, what stood out to me was the drop, and I heard in my spirit

"You called ONE DROP an outpouring."

That shifted my prayer.  Folks, we pray for an outpouring...but we don't have any idea what that really entails.  I think the outpouring is coming, on his timetable, and it's not up to us to pray it down but to be ready when it happens.  A drop here, a drop there is just a glimpse of what will happen when God sends the flood.  We won't have time to argue about whether or not it matches our theology.  My prayer is now...God, get us ready.  Grow us up.  Turn our gaze to what truly matters.  Give us wisdom and discernment to recognize things that are merely distractions.  Open our ears and our eyes to hear and see what we need to hear and see.  And give us grace for each other's fears and foibles so we can all serve the kingdom together.

Amen.