Psalm 38:1,2(1) Part 1
Shalom,
Psalm 38:1 A psalm of David, for a memorial. 2 Adonai, do not rebuke me in Your anger or discipline me in Your wrath.
In the Christian Bible, this is all verse 1. Therefore; the numbering of the rest of the Psalm is off by one when comparing the translations between the Christian Bible and the Jewish Bible. Psalm 38 is identified as a psalm or song of David as a remembrance. We tend to think of “remember” as a warning not to forget. This is not that. This remembrance is a lasting memorial to the goodness of God.
King David is imploring God to correct him (and us) without punishing him (or us). He used virtually the same Hebrew words in Psalm 6:2 Adonai, do not rebuke me in Your anger! Do not discipline me in Your wrath. The similarities go on between these two Psalms for the first 9 verses of Psalm 38 matching the first 10 verses of Psalm 6 (there is that numbering thing again).
There is one Hebrew word, the second to the last of verse 2, that I want to highlight. It is “U’Va’ch’mat’cha,” meaning “and in Your hot displeasure.” It is not translated well above. The Shoresh of this word in Ashkenazi Hebrew is “Hamas.” That’s right, Hamas is really a Hebrew word meaning wrath, anger, and fury.
Rabbi Trail: I try not to be overtly political as I write these devotionals, but this occasion is a little different. How do you make peace with an organization whose name means “hot anger?” They don’t want peace or even a Palestinian state. They want the destruction of the Jewish state, and by extension, the Jews themselves. The chant, “From the river to the sea, Palestine must be free” has within it the message of the destruction of the Jews who live between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea. End RT.
Although God would be justified to loose His fury on account of our sinful ways, He promised Noah, never again. Thank God that His love for us is dominant. 1John 4:9 The love of God was revealed among us by this—that God sent His one and only Son into the world so that we might live through Him. 10 This is love—not that we have loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atonement for our sins.
That’s right, His love is perfect. As we rely on God’s love for us, let us reward Him by loving one another. 1John 4:7 Loved ones, let us love one another, for love is from God. Everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 8 The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love. Shalom shalom.
Daily Bread, reading plan by Lars Enarson (https://www.thewatchman.org/)
Thu30-Oct-20258th of Cheshvan, 5786
Ge 14:21-15:6Jos 19-20Ps 19-20Mt 13:31-58(1 Jn 1-2:11)
Psalm 38:1 A psalm of David, for a memorial. 2 Adonai, do not rebuke me in Your anger or discipline me in Your wrath.
In the Christian Bible, this is all verse 1. Therefore; the numbering of the rest of the Psalm is off by one when comparing the translations between the Christian Bible and the Jewish Bible. Psalm 38 is identified as a psalm or song of David as a remembrance. We tend to think of “remember” as a warning not to forget. This is not that. This remembrance is a lasting memorial to the goodness of God.
King David is imploring God to correct him (and us) without punishing him (or us). He used virtually the same Hebrew words in Psalm 6:2 Adonai, do not rebuke me in Your anger! Do not discipline me in Your wrath. The similarities go on between these two Psalms for the first 9 verses of Psalm 38 matching the first 10 verses of Psalm 6 (there is that numbering thing again).
There is one Hebrew word, the second to the last of verse 2, that I want to highlight. It is “U’Va’ch’mat’cha,” meaning “and in Your hot displeasure.” It is not translated well above. The Shoresh of this word in Ashkenazi Hebrew is “Hamas.” That’s right, Hamas is really a Hebrew word meaning wrath, anger, and fury.
Rabbi Trail: I try not to be overtly political as I write these devotionals, but this occasion is a little different. How do you make peace with an organization whose name means “hot anger?” They don’t want peace or even a Palestinian state. They want the destruction of the Jewish state, and by extension, the Jews themselves. The chant, “From the river to the sea, Palestine must be free” has within it the message of the destruction of the Jews who live between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea. End RT.
Although God would be justified to loose His fury on account of our sinful ways, He promised Noah, never again. Thank God that His love for us is dominant. 1John 4:9 The love of God was revealed among us by this—that God sent His one and only Son into the world so that we might live through Him. 10 This is love—not that we have loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atonement for our sins.
That’s right, His love is perfect. As we rely on God’s love for us, let us reward Him by loving one another. 1John 4:7 Loved ones, let us love one another, for love is from God. Everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 8 The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love. Shalom shalom.
Daily Bread, reading plan by Lars Enarson (https://www.thewatchman.org/)
Thu30-Oct-20258th of Cheshvan, 5786
Ge 14:21-15:6Jos 19-20Ps 19-20Mt 13:31-58(1 Jn 1-2:11)
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