Friday, January
18, 2019
O continue Thy chesed unto them that know Thee; and Thy tzedakah to the yishrei lev (the ones upright of heart). Psalm 36:10(OJB)
It’s easy to get lost in language;
it’s like a 70-year-old thinking he really understands what his 13-year-old
grandson is saying. So, a little
translation sometimes goes a long way.
The Hebrew words of the Psalmist are rich in helping us understand our
Lord’s love.
Chesed, or covenant love, also translated as lovingkindness is the
sum of God’s promises to His covenant people.
That extends to both the descendants of Abraham, as well as the New
Covenant disciples of Jesus Christ.
Tzedakah is justice – also a word related to God’s love, but
more a fulfillment of covenant love. It
is the charitable obligation God assumes towards those who love Him.
Yishrei lev is an “upright” or “honest” heart. It’s the heart that holds nothing back from
God. Ancient Israelites didn’t even have
a word for “brain” that we know of! Instead of the brain, the Israelites
imagined that intellectual activity takes place in the heart.[2]
So,
applying these translations to Psalm 36:10 I would give this sense to King
David’s prayer:
Mighty God keep your word to us; cover us with your loving promises; we hold nothing back from you; our hearts are open for inspection.
Now,
that’s a prayer that should be on all our hearts and lips this morning. But let’s take it a step further. In biblical Hebrew, the heart is where we
feel feelings, think thoughts, and make choices motivated by our desires[3].
Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life. Proverbs 4:23(NLT)
That open heart is a great and
necessary practice in our relationship with God and each other. However, the heart must also be guarded
against influences that will corrupt us and turn us from God, which will turn
us against each other.
When a
heart is honestly open before God changes will occur. From the perspective of the Hebrew prophets,
the only true redemption for humanity can come through the total renewal of the
human heart[4].
The Lord your God will change your heart and the hearts of all your descendants, so that you will love him with all your heart and soul and so you may live! Deuteronomy 30:6(NLT)
For You Today
Your healthy heart
depends on two things:
1.
God keeping
his lovingkindness promises, and…
2.
Your
willingness to be honest with Him…totally!
Go to VIDEO
[2] The Meaning of “Heart” in Hebrew – on Pursue God.org
[3] Ibid.
[4] Ibid.
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