A Tour through Ps. 119: Reflections

Posted by Lisa Laree to Beer Lahai Roi

I began the journey back in March...I really didn't have the intention of exploring all the Hebrew all the way through.  It's funny how these things take on their own style and character apart from anything I plan.  This became way more academic and technical...not to mention a lot more work, lol...than I ever expected.  It evolved as I went...I didn't start writing down the Hebrew until, I think, Teth.  And I didn't include an attempt to describe the letters until sometime after that.  So the weeks are not completely consistent.

But it was a good study.  No, I can't read Hebrew from a study of the alphabetical Psalm, but I do at least have a passing acquaintance  with it and it doesn't look totally foreign anymore.  And I really learned how to dig down to the origins of a verse.

And I did notice patterns in the 8-verse sections.  Not all of them followed the pattern, but many did.  The Psalmist, somewhere in the 8 verses, generally did some combination of:
1) Declares his love for the word (law, decrees, statues, ordinances) of God
2) Declares his intention never to leave, abandon or forget that word (law, decrees, etc)
3) Laments the persecution he is is enduring from the ungodly, wicked,  misled, often in authority.
4) Requests God to deliver him from those persecutors
5) Asks God to increase his understanding of God's word (law, decrees, etc)
6) Admits that he has wandered astray from God's perfect way and requests restoration
7) Declares the righteousness and perfection of God's word (law, decrees, etc)
8) Asks God for favor and blessing (not generally in those words)

My key verse for the chapter, though, is verse 160, in the Amplified:

The sum of Your Word is truth [the total of the full meanings of all Your individual precepts] and every one of  Your righteous decrees endures for ever.

To anyone who hung with me through this rather fine-toothed-comb study...thanks!

A Tour through Ps. 119: Taw

Posted by Lisa Laree to Beer Lahai Roi

The final letter in the Hebrew alphabet is Taw (or Tau), and it looks very much like the letters He and Heth, which look a lot like the Greek letter Pi.  But Taw has a squiggle on the left leg, so that's how I've been distinguishing it from the other two in my head. (For the record, He's left leg stops a little short of the cross bar...that's the difference between He and Heth...).

Taw begins each of the last eight verses in the Psalm, and the NIV 84 has translated that passage so:

May my cry come before you, O LORD; give me understanding according to your word.
May my supplication come before you; deliver me according to your promise.
May my lips overflow with praise, for you teach me your decrees.
May my tongue sing of your word, for all your commands are righteous.
May your hand be ready to help me, for I have chosen your precepts.
I long for your salvation, O LORD,  and your law is my delight.
Let me live that I may praise you, and may your laws sustain me.
I have strayed like a lost sheep.  Seek your servant, for I have not forgotten your commands.

We are finishing up with a set of verses that have a very poetic structure...the first 5 verses all follow the same format.    The Hebrew interlinear I was consulting showed  the letter Taw in front of the first word on all those verses, and I took that letter to somehow indicate the word 'Let' or, as the NIV translated it, 'May'.

[Let] my ringing cry come near your presence, Yahweh; by your word give me understanding.
[Let] my supplication come into your presence; by your word rescue me.
[Let] songs of praise pour out of my two lips, for you have taught me your statutes.
[Let] My tongue testify of your word because all your commandments are righteous.
[Let] it be your hand helping me, because I have chosen your precepts.
[I] have longed for your salvation, Yahweh, and your law is my delight.
[Let] my soul live and praise you, and [let] your judgements help me. 
[I] have wandered off like one of the flock that has strayed; seek your servant, because I have not ceased to care for your commandments.

Verse 174 uses a word, ta'ab,  which is translated as 'long for' that is used only twice in the whole Old Testament...and both times are in Ps. 119 (the other use is back in verse 40).  That makes me wonder what was unique to that word that it was used so specifically and so deliberately.  As a fledgling songwriter, I know my word choices sometimes have more to do with making the rhyme scheme/prosody work than with being the best word for the thought...but I also know that sometimes I will change the rhyme scheme to fit the perfect word. Hebrew poetry doesn't rhyme, per se, but there are structural elements that may influence word choices.  Generally speaking, I wouldn't use an obscure word if I were writing a song that would be published somehow.  Ta'ab must have something unique to it that made it THE choice for those two verses.

Because, you know, we're still singing these songs...in altered versions, to be sure, but we're still singing them. 

A Tour through Psalm 119: Sin and Shin

Posted by Lisa Laree to Beer Lahai Roi
 

The next to last letter is two letters in one; Sin and Shin.  It looks a lot like a capital W...with a flat bottom and the middle spike kind of offset to the left..  It has really taken me a while to not think 'W' when I'm looking at it...but I'm gradually learning to  think 'sh' when I see it.

Sin and Shin is the letter that starts each of the verses numbered 161 - 168, and that section reads like this in the NIV 84:

Rulers persecute me without cause, but my heart trembles at your word.
I rejoice in your promise like one who finds great spoil.
I hate and abhor falsehood but I love your law.
Seven times a day I praise you for your righteous laws.
Great peace have they who love your law, and nothing can make them stumble.
I wait for your salvation, O Lord, and I follow your commands.
I obey your statutes, for I love them greatly.
I obey your precepts and your statutes, for all my ways are known to you.

And, once more to the land of dictionaries and lexicons:


Rulers have harassed me for nothing, but my inner man in is awe of your word.
I rejoice over your word, finding abundant treasure.
[I] hate deceit and consider it an abomination, [but] your Law [I] love.
Seven [times] in the day [I] praise you because of your righteousness [and] judgements.
Those who love your law [have] great peace, and nothing can cause them to stumble.
[I] have waited for your salvation, Yahweh,  and have observed your commandments.
My soul has observed your testimonies and I love them abundantly.
I have observed your precepts and your divine testimonies, for all my ways are in your view.

The word translated 'peace'  in V. 165 is, of course, shalom.  The lexicon cited in the Blue Letter Bible entry   lists the synonyms wholeness, safety, and soundness.  I have been told the implication is nothing missing, nothing broken.

And the condition that brings about such a desirable state in one's life?

Loving the law of God.  So simple...

A Tour through Ps. 119: Resh

Posted by Lisa Laree to Beer Lahai Roi

If you were to take the top and right side of a square, add an little bit of boldness to the top, you'd have something that is a reasonable facsimile of the letter 'resh', which begins each of the verses in Ps. 119:153-160.

In the NIV 84:

Look upon my suffering and deliver me, for I have not forgotten your law.
Defend my cause and redeem me; preserve my life according to your promise.
Salvation is far from the wicked, for they do not seek out your decrees.
Your compassion is great, O LORD; preserve my life according to your laws.
Many are the foes who persecute me, but I have not turned from your statutes.
I look on the faithless with loathing, for they do not obey your word.
See how I love your precepts; preserve my life, O LORD, according to your love.
All your words are true; all your righteous laws are eternal.

And, here's the results of my crawl through the dictionaries:


Perceive my misery and deliver me, because your law [I] never ignore.
Act as a kinsman-redeemer in my dispute and ransom me; by your word restore my life.
Distant from [the] wicked [is] salvation, because your statutes [they do] not consult.
Your compassion is great, Yahweh;  by your judgments sustain my life.
Many [are] my persecutors and adversaries; from your testimonies [I do] not turn aside.
I perceive treacherous [ones] who give no heed to your word and [my self] grieves.
See how I love your precepts, Yahweh; cause me to flourish in your compassion.
The totality of your words is truth; all your righteous judgments are everlasting.

Ok...I'm going to be straight up honest; there was a particular verse  that prompted this whole study.
A quote I'd  heard years ago mentioned a verse that I wanted very much to find, but the concordances didn't turn it up in the NIV or the King James.  I figured it *had* to be in Ps. 119, so I decided to do a fine-toothed comb study to see if I could find it.

I knew when I read verse 160 that I had found what I was looking for, but not the NIV translation.  Not the KJV, either (Thy word is true from the beginning: and everyone of thy righteous judgments endureth forever).

I grabbed the Parallel Study Bible and found that the translation I'd heard was the NASB:

The sum of Thy word is truth, and every one of Thy righteous ordinances is everlasting.

At least the use of 'Thy' explains why I thought it was King James...

But while I was in the Parallel Bible, I checked the other translation listed there...the Amplified:
The sum of Your Word is truth [the total of the full meanings of all Your individual precepts] and every one of  Your righteous decrees endures for ever.

YES!!!

Do you see it?  We have a definition of truth...the totality of the word of God.

The Hebrew word which is translated 'all' in NIV, 'sum' in NASB and AMP, 'totality' in my paraphrase and 'Beginning' in King James is the word rosh (Strong's 7218) and has this entry on the Blue Letter Bible site:

1. head, top, summit, upper part, chief, total, sum, height, front, beginning

1. head (of man, animals)
2. top, tip (of mountain)
3. height (of stars)
4. chief, head (of man, city, nation, place, family, priest)
5. head, front, beginning
6. chief, choicest, best
7. head, division, company, band
8. sum
   
   

 I can sort of see where the KJV translators got 'from the beginning', but, honestly 'total' and 'sum' are the  best fitting translations.  And the dictionary indicates that the word has a particular construction that makes it dependent upon another noun...in this case, it would be either 'word' or 'truth'; there's no indication of a preposition.

The sum of your word is truth.  That means one passage cannot be interpreted or applied in a way that is inconsistent with the rest of the word.  It also means that one passage or instruction cannot be pulled out and called 'out of date' and discarded; that takes away from the sum.  Not to mention that the rest of the verse indicates that those decrees are everlasting; they do not have an expiration date.

It also lends a new light to John 1:1, 1:14 and 14:6

...In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God ...And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us....It was he who said, 'I am the way, the truth and the light...'

God's word is truth...both the word he spoke and the word incarnate.

To borrow another great word from the Psalms...Selah.

Just two more letters to go... 

A Tour through Ps. 119: Qoph

Posted by Lisa Laree to Beer Lahai Roi

Sigh.  This has been two weeks in process; maybe that's the new normal for now.  But finally I can hit 'publish'...lol


Besides being the 4th from the last letter in the Hebrew alphabet, Qoph is a really, really good word to remember when you're playing Scrabble (R)... :-)  It bears a passing resemblance to a capital P, if you stretch it out a bit, and it begins all the first words in verses 145-152.  Here's the NIV 84 version:


I call with all my heart; answer me, O LORD, and I will obey your decrees.
I call out to you; save me and I will keep your statues.
I rise before dawn and cry for help; I have put my hope in your word.
My eyes stay open through the watches of the night, that I may meditate on your promises.
Hear my voice in accordance with your love; preserve my life, O LORD, according to your laws.
Those who devise wicked schemes are near, but they are far from your law.
Yet you are near, O LORD, and all your commands are true.
Long ago I learned from your statutes that you established them to last forever.

Now, I have had a bit of an epiphany-- someone who actually knows something about Hebrew left a comment on the last post about the translation.  And I went back and checked the dictionary I was using and found that the translation she gave me was not listed in the definition of the word, nor was it ever translated that way in King James.  So my dictionary has lost a bit of its credibility....or maybe my use of it is not quite correct. Because she KNOWS.

But, because it's all I have, I'm going to plug right along.  Just keep in mind...this is not any kind of authoritative work here.  I'm exploring and learning how to research.

Here's this week's exploration...

[I] cry out with [my] entire inner man:  Answer me, Yahweh; your statutes [I] will guard.
[I] cry out [to] you: Save me; I will protect your divine testimonies.
Before dawn, I cry out for help, waiting for your word.
My two eyes meet the watches of the night, [as I] meditate upon your word.
Hear my voice according to your kindness, Yahweh; by your judgements refresh me.
Pursuers of mischief come near [it? me?]; from your law they are distant.
You are near, Yahweh, and all your commandments are true.
From antiquity, it is obvious that your divine testimonies have been established as everlasting.

The last verse was hard...the individual words didn't match up well to the Hebrew listed in the interlinear, but I'm limited to looking them up by the numbers so I'm not sure what the extra letters are about.  And the word min, which modifies edah, which I have rendered 'divine testimonies' when I encounter it (the dictionary states 'always plural and always of laws as divine testimonies'), is particularly puzzling.  The most common usage of it is that it is referring to a part out of a whole...which made me wonder if the verse is actually saying something along the lines of 'I only know a part of your eternal divine testimonies'  ....but that really didn't match up at all with what any of the knowledgeable translators have said, so I backed off of that.  What I have is a pretty lame paraphrase, I think, but since I just couldn't come up with something I was confident in based on the resources I had...I think it works..

Verse 150 has an interesting construction, too.  The NIV implies that the wicked folks are near to the psalmist; the King James is a little more vague...They draw nigh that follow after mischief.  From the construction, it seems to me that the verse is demonstrating that folks who chase after mischief will pull right up to it, but in doing so they put themselves farther from the laws of God.

Which is kinda sad...

A Tour through Ps. 119: Tsadhe

Posted by Lisa Laree to Beer Lahai Roi

The next letter is Tsadhe ...which looks a lot like a script Y; with a higher fork and swirlier tail than Ayin.  And I'm not really sure how it's pronounced. But it starts off each verse from Ps. 137 - 144 in the Hebrew; and translated as follows in the NIV 84:

Righteous are you, O  LORD, and your laws are right.
The statutes you have laid down are righteous; they are fully trustworthy.
My zeal wears me out, for my enemies ignore your words.
Your promises have been thoroughly tested, and your servant loves them.
Though I am lowly and despised, I do not forget your precepts.
Your righteousness is everlasting and your law is true.
Trouble and distress have come upon me, but your commands are my delight.
Your statutes are forever right; give me understanding that I may live.

I got exactly that far about two and a half weeks ago and all blogging pretty much shut down as we cranked out what needed to be cranked out to be able to head out of town for a week.  We had a great visit with family...but now I'm struggling to get back in the groove.

So, with a deep breath, I'm going to go dictionary diving in hopes of getting the post up before I forget how to do it. ;-)
 
Righteous are you, Yahweh, and upright are your judgements
Your divine judgements that you have appointed are righteous and exceedingly steadfast.
My zealous ardor has consumed me, for my oppressors have ceased to care about your words.
Your word is tried exceedingly and proven true; therefore your servant loves it.
I am despised and insignificant, [but] I [will never] forget your precepts.
Your righteousness is justice that continues on forever, and your law is true.
Distress and anguish have taken hold of me, yet your commandments are my delights.
The righteousness of your testimonies endures forever; give me understanding and I shall have life.

God's word is proven to be righteous and true; it endures forever and, despite what troubles come or what others may think, that righteous truth brings life and joy and hope.  Why would anyone abandon it?

Lame Excuses...

Posted by Lisa Laree to Beer Lahai Roi

So, no...I did not get picked to be on a jury.  I was actually released about noon on Tuesday, but, being a part time employee I don't qualify for paid jury leave.

I have plenty of banked comp time, so it really didn't matter, but this is promotion season, when all the kids classes advance to the next level, so there is some tedious group-switching-work going on in the data base, PLUS...our women's conference is just around the corner and I'm trying really hard to stay caught up on registrations. So I worked 4 hours on Friday to try and catch up.

Plus, we finally had that long-postponed family celebration dinner for the Flute Player's 20th birthday, now that all the travelers have come home.

So...long story short, I did not get even half of my Ps. 119 post done last week. 

But I have gotten about 95% of my current West Coast class finished...I charged through 6 of the 8 chapters in the textbook on Monday, so it has not been a total washout.  I have one more video to watch and summarize and I'll be done with class #3...which will make me 1/4 of the way through. 

And I've already ordered and received the book for class #4.  Chuggin' right along.

I will try to get the Tsadhe post up this week; I know that next week's blogging will also be non-existing, just looking at the schedule.  But we're in the home stretch; there are only 4 letters left after Tsadhe.  Almost done with Ps. 119.  It's been a great exercise in word study; I've learned a lot, even if it hasn't really significant to anyone else.

But that's pretty true of my blogging in general, so I'm good with that. ;-)