His steps

December 17, 2015

Your servant (Ps 119:121-119:128)

Ain

“I have done what is just.

I have done what is right.

Do not leave me to my oppressors.

Guarantee your servant’s well being.

Do not let the godless oppress me.

My eyes fail from watching

For your salvation.

My eyes fail from watching

For the fulfillment of your righteous promise.

Deal with your servant

According to your steadfast love.

Teach me your statutes.

I am your servant.

Give me understanding.

Thus I may know your decrees.

It is time for Yahweh to act.

Your law has been broken.

Truly I love your commandments

More than gold,

More than fine gold.

Truly I direct my steps by all your precepts.

I hate every false way.”

The psalmist believes that he is the servant of God. He has always done what is just and right. As usual, he did not want to be left to his oppressors. He wanted to be protected against the godless men. His eyes were beginning to fail because he has been waiting for salvation and righteous promises. Of course, he wanted to feel the steadfast love of Yahweh. He wanted to learn and understand about the decrees of Yahweh. He wanted Yahweh to act now because his laws were broken. The psalmist loved the commandments of Yahweh more than even fine gold. He wanted all his steps to follow the precepts of Yahweh. He hated false ways. So ends this section on the sixteenth consonant letter of the Hebrew alphabet, Ain.

November 10, 2015

Righteousness and peace (Ps 85:10-85:13)

“Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet.

Righteousness and peace will kiss each other.

Faithfulness will spring up from the ground.

Righteousness will look down from the sky.

Yahweh will give what is good.

Our land will yield its increase.

Righteousness will go before him.

Righteousness will make a path for his steps.”

This psalm ends with an emphasis on peace and righteousness. Love and faithfulness come together as well as peace and righteousness. Faithfulness comes from the ground while righteousness comes from the sky. Yahweh will give what is good so that the yield of the land will increase. Righteousness will go before Yahweh preparing a path for his steps.

September 23, 2015

A thanksgiving psalm (Ps 40:1-40:3)

To the choirmaster leader, a psalm of David

“I waited patiently for Yahweh.

He inclined to me.

He heard my cry.

He drew me up from the desolate pit.

He drew me out of the miry bog.

He set my feet upon a rock.

He makes my steps secure.

He put a new song in my mouth,

A song of praise to our God.

Many will see Yahweh.

Many will fear Yahweh.

Many will put their trust in Yahweh.”

Psalm 40 has a simple title of David with the notation to the choirmaster leader. David had waited patiently for Yahweh. However, Yahweh heard his call and leaned down to him. He took him out of the desolate pit and the slimy bog. He put his feet on solid rock and make his steps secure. With that there was a new song of praise for God that came out of his mouth. Thus many people have seen, feared, and trusted in Yahweh.

July 23, 2015

The apologia of Job (Job 31:1-31:4)

“I have made a covenant with my eyes.

How then could I look upon a virgin?

What would be my portion from God above?

What would be my heritage from the Almighty Shaddai on high?

Does not calamity befall the unrighteous?

Does not disaster fall on the workers of iniquity?

Does he not see my ways?

Does he not number all my steps?”

Now Job goes into high drive as he proclaims why he is right and the others are wrong. This is an apologia for his life. It is a kind of negative confession as he explains what he did and why it is not wrong. His covenant is with his eyes. Somehow the eyes reveal all the secrets of a person. As for the virgin, did he have any evil intentions? What is God going to give him? What will be his heritage from the almighty high Shaddai? He agreed that calamity and disaster fall on the unrighteous and the iniquitous people. However, he asked God to see his ways. He recognized that God had numbered his steps.

July 14, 2015

Job cannot find God (Job 23:8-23:17)

“If I go forward,

He is not there.

If I go backward,

I cannot perceive him.

On the left, he hides.

I cannot behold him.

I turn to the right.

But I cannot see him.

But he knows the way that I take.

When he has tested me,

I shall come out like gold.

My foot has held fast to his steps.

I have kept his way.

I have not turned aside.

I have not departed from the commandment of his lips.

I have treasured in my bosom the words of his mouth.

But he stands alone.

Who can dissuade him?

What he desires,

That he does.

He will complete what he appoints for me.

Many such things are in his mind.

Therefore I am terrified at his presence.

When I consider,

I am in dread of him.

God has made my heart faint.

The Almighty Shaddai has terrified me.

If only I could vanish in darkness,

Thick darkness would cover my face.”

Whether Job went forwards, backwards, left, or right, he could not find God. No matter what direction, east, west, north, or south, he could not see God. Yet he would be like gold when tested. His steps were in line since he followed God’s way and commandments. Here is the problem. He was not a Jew following the Torah. Who could change God? He does what he desires. Whatever he has appointed for him, it will come to pass. Thus Job was terrified in his presence and feared the almighty Shaddai. If he could vanish into darkness that would cover his face, he would be fine.