Friday, May 17, 2013

Psalm 119:97-104 Sweeter Than Honey

A Devotional by Margot Cioccio
Psalm 119:97-104

We are continuing through the longest Psalm in the bible. It will take us all of May to get through it. It is written as an acrostic poem in which each section the words start with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet. I've included someone reading this portion in Hebrew if you are interested.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tg4RxRiPX2w&feature=share&list=PLAE37DF69613BB3F3

The Message (MSG) 97-104
Oh, how I love all you’ve revealed; I reverently ponder it all the day long.
Your commands give me an edge on my enemies; they never become obsolete.
I’ve even become smarter than my teachers since I’ve pondered and absorbed your counsel.
I’ve become wiser than the wise old sages simply by doing what you tell me.
I watch my step, avoiding the ditches and ruts of evil so I can spend all my time keeping your Word.
I never make detours from the route you laid out; you gave me such good directions.
Your words are so choice, so tasty; I prefer them to the best home cooking.
With your instruction, I understand life; that’s why I hate false propaganda

MEM mām (ם). The thirteenth letter of the Heb. alphabet. It is used to introduce the thirteenth part of the acrostic psalm, Psalm 119, in which section every v. begins with this letter. It also was used for the number 40  ~ The Encyclopedia of the Bible

Oh, how I love Your law! I fix my mind on it all day long.
I actually like the translation of this in the Message "Oh, how I love all you’ve revealed; I reverently ponder it all the day long. Your commands give me an edge on my enemies; they never become obsolete." I guess the word 'Law" sounds too much like court rooms and a thousand rules enforce by government official. If you take that word and make it to mean all that God has revealed I can grab ahold of it. You would be hard pressed to get me to sit down and read a stack of law books on old laws and cases. I would sit down and read the revelations and the wisdom of God. Maybe the word law does not translate funny for you but for me it is a word that I find off putting. Granted David would have had the first five books of the Bible to read and that section is called the torah. "most scholars are now agreed that torah originally meant “direction” or “guidance” The Encyclopedia of the Bible

I’ve even become smarter than my teachers since I’ve pondered and absorbed your counsel.
I’ve become wiser than the wise old sages simply by doing what you tell me.

The Lord promises that the Holy Spirit will teach us in John 14:26
But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. There is much to be learned from the Word.

I watch my step, avoiding the ditches and ruts of evil so I can spend all my time keeping your Word. I never make detours from the route you laid out; you gave me such good directions.
We do need to avoid those ditches and the ruts that we can so easily get ourselves stuck in. I'd like to say I've never taken any detours but I have gotten side tracked. Generally its when you let bitterness grow up. It must be rooted out or it will choke you and trip you and tangle you up in some messy knots. God does give us good directions. He says forgive like He has forgiven each of us. We are not forgiven because we deserve forgiveness. We are forgiven because we believe in and serve a God who is merciful. We don't get what we deserve. What we deserve is punishment for our many sins. What we get is forgiveness, mercy, and love that sets us free.

Your words are so choice, so tasty; I prefer them to the best home cooking.
With your instruction, I understand life; that’s why I hate false propaganda.

I like this section better in the Voice "Your words are sweet to my taste! Yes, they are sweeter than honey in my mouth! I gain understanding from Your instructions; that’s why I hate every deceitful path" Sweeter than Honey, yes you are Lord. Which reminds me of this song
http://youtu.be/olBnC2nxCNw

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