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Tag: Lord

  • Qoph

    Qoph

    HELP! Save me, O Lord!

    1 The oracle that Habakkuk the prophet saw.

    Habakkuk’s Complaint

    2 O Lord, how long shall I cry for help,
    and you will not hear?
    Or cry to you “Violence!”
    and you will not save?
    3 Why do you make me see iniquity,
    and why do you idly look at wrong?
    Destruction and violence are before me;
    strife and contention arise.
    4 So the law is paralyzed,
    and justice never goes forth.
    For the wicked surround the righteous;
    so justice goes forth perverted.

    The prophets, the psalmists, the righteous men and righteous women of God cry out with our whole heart: Save me, O Lord!

    קָרָא

    qara’

    Cry out!

    Cry out in prayer to the Lord your God.

    Psalm 119

    English Standard Version (ESV)

    Your Word Is a Lamp to My Feet 

    Qoph [KOPH]

    145 With my whole heart I cry; answer me, O Lord!
    I will keep your statutes.
    146 I call to you; save me,
    that I may observe your testimonies.

    I cried out with my whole heart. I cried out , “save me.” (Same Hebrew word: quara’) with a primitive root meaning: to encounter, whether accidentally or in a hostile manner.

    147 I rise before dawn and cry for help;
    I hope in your words.
    148 My eyes are awake before the watches of the night,
    that I may meditate on your promise.

    The KJV states: Mine eyes prevent the night watches, that I might meditate in thy word. This, the same context as David’s song of deliverance in 2 Samuel 22.

    The sorrows of hell compassed me about; the snares of death prevented H6923 me… They prevented H6923 me in the day of my calamity: but the LORD was my stay. – 2 Sam. 22:6,19

    149 Hear my voice according to your steadfast love;
    O Lord, according to your justice give me life.

    150 They draw near who persecute me with evil purpose;
    they are far from your law.
    151 But you are near, O Lord,
    and all your commandments are true.

    152 Long have I known from your testimonies
    that you have founded them forever.

    The prayer is the Psalmist’s personal plea to the Living God, in whom we trust. And one more thing of the Lord, who IS near, nearer than our evil enemies who draw near to us:

    It is the Lord we ask to be our Savior.

    “Save me,” in Psalm 199:146 is the action of one who can save: a Savior.

    יָשַׁע – yasha`

    The place of those near is subtly different than the nearness of relationship, especially our relationship with God our Savior.

    Jesus IS Lord. Draw near to Him.

  • Nun

    Nun

    Nun

    PSALM 119:105 Your word is a lamp to my feet
    and a light to my path.

    It is the signature verse of Psalm 119, the central theme of importance to the Psalmist.

    God’s word. More than words – actions of man directed by God – a way of life.

    The Proverbs advise of God’s word:

    • 1:23b  I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.
    • 4:4b Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live.
    • 4:20b attend to my words
    • 13:13 Whoso despiseth the word shall be destroyed: but he that feareth the commandment shall be rewarded.

    How are God’s words a lamp (as translated from the KJV)?

    In the Tabernacle of God, Moses was commanded by the LORD:

    Contributions for the Sanctuary

    The Lord said to Moses, 2 “Speak to the people of Israel, that they take for me a contribution. From every man whose heart moves him you shall receive the contribution for me…

    8 And let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell in their midst…

    16 And you shall put into the ark the testimony that I shall give you.  17 “You shall make a mercy seat of pure gold…

    22 There I will meet with you, and from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim that are on the ark of the testimony, I will speak with you about all that I will give you in commandment for the people of Israel…

     

    31 “You shall make a lampstand of pure gold…

    37 You shall make seven lamps for it. And the lamps shall be set up so as to give light on the space in front of it.

    The seven lamps on the lampstand light the sacred Tabernacle of the Lord, the place where the High Priest meets with the LORD, the commands are given and oaths sworn on behalf of the people to obey the LORD.

    106 I have sworn an oath and confirmed it,
    to keep your righteous rules.
    107 I am severely afflicted;
    give me life, O Lord, according to your word!
    108 Accept my freewill offerings of praise, O Lord,
    and teach me your rules.

    The KJV demonstrates more reverence for the Lord’s sanctuary and presence by the words of v.108

    Accept, I beseech thee, the freewill offerings of my mouth, O LORD, and teach me thy judgments.

    109 I hold my life in my hand continually,
    but I do not forget your law.

    110 The wicked have laid a snare for me,
    but I do not stray from your precepts.
    111 Your testimonies are my heritage forever,
    for they are the joy of my heart.

    Returning to the KJV: Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever: for they are the rejoicing of my heart.

    And use of the same Hebrew word in Exodus 25:21-22

    And thou shalt put the mercy seat above upon the ark; and in the ark thou shalt put the testimony H5715 that I shall give thee. And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which are upon the ark of the testimony, H5715 of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel.

    112 I incline my heart to perform your statutes
    forever, to the end.

    This is what it means to love the Lord your God with your whole heart.

  • Mem

    Mem

    Psalm 119

    A review from the King James Version:

    • ALEPH. Blessed are the undefiled in the way
    • BETH. Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way?
    • GIMEL. Deal bountifully with thy servant
    • DALETH. My soul cleaveth unto the dust
    • HE. Teach me, O LORD, the way of thy statutes
    • VAU. Let thy mercies come also unto me, O LORD
    • ZAIN. Remember the word unto thy servant
    • CHETH. Thou art my portion, O LORD
    • TETH. Thou hast dealt well with thy servant, O LORD
    • JOD. Thy hands have made me and fashioned me
    • CAPH. My soul fainteth for thy salvation
    • LAMED. For ever, O LORD

    Your Word Is a Lamp to My Feet –

    Mem

    97 Oh how I love your law!
    It is my meditation all the day.

    Do you see the respect and relationship between the one who prays and the Lord?

    He loves the Torah (law) of God. It keeps pure, cleanses, and reveals God’s mercy.  His meditation, defined as reflection and prayer, is continual all the day. This continues to be command of the Lord. Hear Paul’s First Letter to Thessalonians from the New Testament:

    • 5:16 Rejoice evermore.
    • 5:17 Pray without ceasing.
    • 5:18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
    • 5:19 Quench not the Spirit.
    • 5:20 Despise not prophesyings.
    • 5:21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.
    • 5:22 Abstain from all appearance of evil.

    And Paul confirms by closing his list with an affirmation sounding much like the teaching of Psalm 119.

    1 Thessalonians 5:23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
    This prayer is a relationship with the LORD. His ways are higher than our ways. (Isaiah 55:9) This we must acknowledge as servants of the LORD.

    98 Your commandment makes me wiser than my enemies,
    for it is ever with me.
    99 I have more understanding than all my teachers,
    for your testimonies are my meditation.
    100 I understand more than the aged,
    for I keep your precepts.

    101 I hold back my feet from every evil way,
    in order to keep your word.
    102 I do not turn aside from your rules,
    for you have taught me.
    103 How sweet are your words to my taste,
    sweeter than honey to my mouth!

    Are God’s words of scripture sweet to your mouth?

    104 Through your precepts I get understanding;
    therefore I hate every false way.

    Yes! We should hate sin. Yes! We must hate every lie, deception, disappointment and falsehood. Yes! We must hate the wide way and the crooked path that leads to sin and death and destruction.

    We must hate most of all our own sin. We must hate all the ways we have transgressed the law and commandment of the Lord.

    Our Lord and Savior, Christ Jesus said:

    “Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” – Matthew 26:41