God’s Commandments in Psalm 119

Matterofprayer: A Year of Everyday Prayers – Sunday, October 1, 2017

God’s Commandments in Psalm 119

I appreciate Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s words so much. His commentary on the beginnings of Psalm 119 hit home to me. We are considering verse 4:

You laid down Your commandments,

that we should fully keep them.

I was particularly intrigued by his description of “the Hebrew word for ‘commandments’ in this verse. It is a word that cannot be translated by a single word of ours.” [1] I am fascinated by these types of words that cannot be translated, word-for-word. Instead, translators are forced to find approximate definitions and translations.

I appreciate the candor of some translators and commentators when they honestly state their difficulties in translation and interpretation. And, sometimes, a word in one language takes a phrase or even a sentence to define it in another language. (Again, I think this is fascinating!) The word translated as “commandments” is one such word, “that cannot be translated by a single word of ours. It derives from the verb for seeking, visiting, paying attention to. Hence, the commandments are what God looks at, pays attention to, and the means by which He seeks and visits the human being.” [2] (The NIV translation is “precepts,” which conveys much similar ideas.)

Bonhoeffer considered God’s commandment to be a permanent thing, in fact, a continual thing. As Bonhoeffer mentions, God’s commands are not just for an instant, or for a short period of time. No, they are for a good long time. What’s more, God “laid them down.” God established the commandments as one lays a cornerstone for a building.

What a marvelous image! God meant the commandments to be permanent, laid as a foundation or cornerstone. Thank You, God, for giving us the gracious gift of Your Scriptures—Your commandments.

@chaplaineliza

 

Like what you read? Disagree? Share your thoughts with your loved ones and continue the conversation.

Why not visit my companion blogs, “the best of” A Year of Being Kind.  #PursuePEACE. My Facebook page, Pursuing Peace – Thanks! And, read my sermons from Pastor, Preacher Pray-er

[1] Meditating on the Word, Dietrich Bonhöffer, edited by David McI. Gracie. (Cambridge, Massachusetts: Cowley Publications, 2000, 106.

[2] Ibid.

Joyce Huggett’s Take on Meditation

Matterofprayer: A Year of Everyday Prayers – Thursday, March 2, 2017

Joyce Huggett’s Take on Meditation

If you ask ten different people what their definition of meditation is, I suspect you will get ten different answers. Joyce Huggett has a definite definition. An awesome answer, that is.

Joyce Huggett certainly is well known for her books and other writings on prayer and meditation. In today’s reading, at first she describes what Christian meditation is not. It does not involve yoga, Eastern meditation or transcendental meditation.

I love yoga. I do it because of the marvelous stretching and strengthening abilities my body has been able to develop. Yes, certain of my yoga teachers do mention things like “the third eye,” and “chakras.” However, they do not insist that anyone in their classes follow the Eastern ways and spiritual practices that some people also insist are part and parcel of yoga.

In fact, my whole body now welcomes yoga. My mind slows when I practice. My body, joints and muscles are improving in their working together, more and more. And, if urged to observe any practice that is foreign to my understanding and belief, I simply, quietly thank God for my God-given powerful body, mind and spirit. All these parts of my Self/self now work together much better than before I started to practice yoga.

But, I digress. I really wanted to talk about what Joyce Huggett says about meditation. After giving several examples from Psalm 119—which has every verse describing an action taken with the Word of God, or Scripture, or God’s Laws, or Statutes, or Precepts, or Commandments—she talks about the verb “meditate,” as used in these verses. The verb can also mean “’to muse,’ ‘to ponder,’ ‘to reflect,’ ‘to consider.’ In other words, Christian meditation involves, not emptiness, but fullness.” [1]

Yes, we consider God’s Word, in all its fullness, and as we “encounter the Living Word, Jesus himself.” [2] Psalm 119 serves as a marvelous example for us to dig deeply into both God’s Word and well as into God’s heart.

Lord, help me to seek after You, Your heart, and Your paths. Please, Lord. In Your mercy, hear all of our prayers.

@chaplaineliza

 

Like what you read? Disagree? Share your thoughts with your loved ones and continue the conversation.

Why not visit my companion blogs, “the best of” A Year of Being Kind.  #PursuePEACE. My Facebook page, Pursuing Peace – Thanks! And, read my sermons from Pastor, Preacher Pray-er.

Joyce Huggett’s Take on Meditation #matterofprayer

[1] Spiritual Classics, edited by Richard J. Foster and Emilie Griffin. (San Francisco, California: HarperSanFrancisco, 2000), 11.

[2] Ibid.