James in the Psalms

You have said to YHWH, “You are my Lord, I have no goodness except in You.”  Psalm 16:2     Said – The Hebrew verb amar is fairly common.  It is used in all kinds of situations where the next phrase is a quotation.  Since Hebrew has no punctuation, it’s a useful little verb, showing us…

Apply Sunscreen

Preserve me, O God, for I take refuge in You.  Psalm 16:1 (English text) Take Refuge – Do you really want God to give you shelter?  Guess what?  Unless you are Jonah, you will have to do something in order for that to happen.  David doesn’t cry out and then sit around waiting for God…

Chains

Preserve me, O God, for I take refuge in You.  Psalm 16:1 (English text Preserve – The Hebrew verb shamar is used more than 300 times in the Scriptures.  It covers the ground from Genesis to Malachi.  It means “to keep, to obey, to observe, to preserve, to guard, to be careful, to watch” in…

Some Notes on Biblical Exegesis

One of the biggest problems in Christian practice is the lack of a proper understanding of Biblical exegesis.  More theological mistakes occur due to a lack of proper exegesis than any other methodological errors.  Why?  Because a great number of believers treat the Bible as though it has no cultural bias and was written in…

What Is It?

A miktam of David  Psalm 16:1 (Hebrew text) Miktam – Only six psalms contain this Hebrew word, miktam.  No one is quite sure what it means, but all six of these psalms are psalms of lament.  All six are linked to David and four of the six have references to David’s struggles with enemies.  One…

Talmud Perspective

The word of the Lord is tried  Psalm 18:30 Tried – Christians have suffered for lack of knowledge.  Long ago, our faith was dislodged from its Hebraic roots and cut off from the history of interpretation that followed the Jewish path.  By the end of the third century, Christianity trod the road of Greek metaphysics,…

You’re Invited

Paul, an apostle (not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised Him from the dead)  Galatians 1:1 Apostle – Who are the Apostles?  Well, if you translate the word, the question reads a little differently.  Now it becomes, “Who are those sent as emissaries of Yeshua the…

A Blind Old Man

I have been young and am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his seed begging bread. Psalm 37:25 Begging – Do you think David might have been blind when he made this statement?  I don’t know about you, but I have seen God’s people suffering, begging for food for the day. …

Easter Exposed

Now on the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Where do You want us to prepare for You to eat the Passover.?”   Matthew 26:17 Feast of Unleavened Bread – Today Christianity celebrates Easter as the day of the resurrection.  Undoubtedly, you will too, or have done so…