Podcasts about hesed

- Bro. Dylan Hover

Grant Clark continues the How to Build a Life series through Proverbs with a message on wisdom, mercy and justice. Caring for the poor and oppressed comes up more than forty times in Proverbs, and Grant uses four of those verses as a springboard into a biblical theology of mercy and justice that runs from Micah 6:8 through the life of Jesus to Paul's commission in Galatians 2. The argument is that God identifies himself with the poor, that the gospel makes his people into a community defined by mercy and justice, and that this has to translate into concrete action: praying, listening, speaking up and acting.## Proverbs on the poor and oppressedGrant opens with stories from Durban, South Africa, where he grew up and planted a church before moving to San Diego: the country with the highest income inequality in the world, a wealthy family whose crane business shaped the city skyline, students who could afford one meal a day, and a financial advisor in his church who drove across the city during xenophobic riots to bring a Congolese nurse working as a car guard into his home, waking him each morning with a cup of tea like one of the family.He then reads four proverbs on the poor.Proverbs 31:8-9Proverbs 14:31Proverbs 19:17Proverbs 21:13One striking theme across these verses is how closely God identifies himself with the poor. When we are generous to those who lack, we are being generous to the creator. When we oppress or mistreat the poor, we insult God. And when we ignore the poor, God will ignore our prayers. Grant cites Matthew Henry's commentary: God will be deaf to the prayers of those who are deaf to the cries of the poor. By his count this is one of eight ways in Scripture that God will not answer prayer.## Micah 6:8: do justice, love mercy, walk humblyMicah 6:8 (NIV)Grant grew up singing this verse in a small Pentecostal church, and one of the commentaries he read says of it:"This is one of the most significant and profound verses in the entire Bible… Here God condensed the spirit of the entire Old Testament law down to three simple principles."Other commentators call it the finest summary of practical religion in the Old Testament, and early rabbis called it a one line summary of the whole law. Proverbs is a father showing his son how to walk, and Micah 6 does the same thing in one line.Mercy is the Hebrew word hesed. Daniel Block defines it this way:"Hesed cannot be translated with one English word. It is a covenant term, wrapping up in itself all the positive attributes of God: love, covenant faithfulness, mercy, grace, kindness, loyalty. In short, it refers to acts of devotion and loving kindness that go beyond the requirements of duty." – Daniel BlockJustice is the Hebrew word mishpat, a concept based on God's character. God is just, so he wants his people to be just. In Micah 6 the word for justice puts the emphasis on action, and the word for mercy puts the emphasis on the attitude underneath the action. Justice without mercy produces self-righteousness: ticking all the boxes and looking down on those who don't, which Grant connects to shame, cancel culture and virtue signaling. Mercy without justice is false love. Love has to translate into doing something, whether praying, serving, giving, or inconveniencing yourself for someone else. Just as faith without works is dead, love without action is dead.To walk humbly is the opposite of sinful and selfish pride. Humility says, I believe God, I trust God, so I obey God. It is walking carefully in God's ways, in line with the design of the universe and of ourselves, a theme that has run through the whole series. Grant illustrates it with his son Elliot taking every favorite toy into the bath, including the ones not designed to go in water.## Jesus and the more important matters of the lawMatthew 23:23Jesus seems to have Micah 6:8 in mind when he rebukes the scribes and Pharisees. He honors their careful tithing, down to the spices, but they have neglected the more important matters of the law: justice, mercy and faithfulness. They were doing all the right things on paper, but their hearts looked nothing like the heart of God. We don't want to do all the right things on paper and miss the things God cares about most.## What is justice?Justice became a polarizing term in recent years. Western society thinks of justice mostly in legal terms, but the Hebrew vision of mishpat, mentioned over two hundred times in the Bible, is a vision of order and flourishing for all of life, personally, socially, globally and cosmically. It means treating people fairly and impartially regardless of race, gender or background, and bringing God's order into the disordered and broken realities of the world. Picking up last week's message on work, each of us has a sphere of influence where we can be salt and light."Justice is what love looks like in public." – Cornel WestJustice is not an obscure niche concept. It is at the heart of the biblical vision of the Kingdom of God and of what God our King is like.Psalm 9:7 (ESV)Isaiah 61:8 (CSB)Zechariah 7:9-10 (NIV)## God identifies with the vulnerableA word study on justice in the Old Testament turns up the same groups again and again, known as the quartet of the vulnerable: the widow, the fatherless, the immigrant and the poor. God identifies with them directly.God is called the "father of the fatherless" (Psalm 68:5), the husband to the widow (Isaiah 54:5), the provider for the poor (Psalm 140:12), and the refuge for the immigrant (Psalm 146:9).Jesus was born to a single mother, into a poor family (we know this from the offering they brought to the temple in Luke 2), became a refugee in Egypt immediately after his birth, and was most likely the son of a widow, since Joseph is absent by Mark 3.In the Old Testament, God identified with the marginalized; in the New Testament, God came down and became one of them.Our God can identify with the poor and oppressed because he has been the poor and oppressed. If you are in that space right now, you are not alone. Jesus then displayed justice in the most shocking way on the cross: the perfectly righteous and just one died in the place of the wicked. The judge took the place of the judged. The just took the place of the unjust.## The gospel creates a people of mercy and justiceSeeing his grace toward us changes how we see the people around us. The gospel gives us eyes to see people the way God sees them, because we were those people. We were the poor, the broken, the needy, and we experienced his grace. We don't do good things to earn God's love, to avoid punishment or to earn an identity. We do them out of what Jesus has already given us. God saw us when we were poor and broken, saved us, and gave us a new heart, a new life and a new identity, and from that place we take those same things to the world.## Remember the poorGalatians 2:9-10 (CSB)After Jesus called him, Paul went to the pillars of the first church, Peter, John and James the brother of Jesus, to check his calling against theirs. They recognized the grace of God on him and commissioned him to the Gentiles, the way a church commissions and sends a new church plant. They asked only one thing: remember the poor. The word "remember" is an active, ongoing remembering, not a one-off thought. Paul says that was already something he was eager to do.Grant illustrates with an episode of The Studio (not an endorsement of the show), where Adam Scott, accepting a Golden Globe, spontaneously thanks Sal Saperstein, the unimportant friend at the back of the room who let him sleep on his couch when he first moved to LA. Winner after winner then thanks Sal, and the spotlight keeps landing on the powerless man in the dark at the back until he is all anyone is talking about. In Proverbs and in Galatians 2, God shines a spotlight on the people at the back of the room who no one was going to notice. Peter, James and John say: we are talking about the Kingdom of God, so let's not forget the people who have no voice, who can't advocate for themselves, who have no power in this room. Freely we have received his grace, and freely we give.Romans 15:25-27Paul kept that commitment. Years later he was carrying a collection from the Gentile churches in Macedonia and Achaia to the poor among the saints in Jerusalem, and he describes it as a debt gladly owed: those who have shared in spiritual blessings owe it to share their material ones.## How do we respond?The world's brokenness can feel so overwhelming that we withdraw. Habakkuk felt the same way.Habakkuk 1:2 (CSB)Habakkuk's protest prayer brings the injustice and evil of the world before God as a petition: would you move, would you help, would you save? Grant lays out several ways to respond.Pray and lament. Begin with prayer and lament over the brokenness around us, ask God to move and to use us, and pray as Jesus taught in Matthew 6: your kingdom come, your will be done, in this city and this world as it is in heaven. When Grant lived in Durban he would look out over the city and pray about the gap between what he saw and what he knew God's kingdom looks like.Listen. Listen to the stories of people who are different from us and of people who fall into these categories of poor and oppressed. Christians can be quick to talk; James 1 calls us to be slow to speak and quick to listen. Dietrich Bonhoeffer called this the ministry of listening.Speak up.Proverbs 31:8-9 (CSB)Most of us don't have the authority or platform to speak for the nation, the state or the city. But in which rooms can we speak up? In which groups? Where do we have a space where we can speak?Act.Proverbs 21:3 (CSB)Each of us needs to prayerfully consider what response God is calling us to make to a message like this. We can't do everything, but we can do something, in small or big ways."The righteous are willing to disadvantage themselves to advantage the community; the wicked are willing to disadvantage the community to advantage themselves." - Bruce WaltkeThere is a heart to serve in this church, and over the coming weeks the church will look at concrete ways to give, pray and serve people in the city who don't have a voice, power or influence. Supporting a new church plant, a community transformed by God's grace and mercy forming an outpost of the Kingdom, is one of the ways we remember the poor, seek first his kingdom, and act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with our God.Micah 6:8Grant closes in prayer that God would teach the church the breadth and depth of his love, help us understand the gospel in fuller and deeper ways, and show us how to act justly and love mercy and walk humbly with him, whether in small responses this week or bigger ways he is stirring.Verses referenced:Proverbs 31:8-9 (CSB)Proverbs 14:31 (CSB)Proverbs 19:17 (CSB)Proverbs 21:13 (CSB)Micah 6:8 (NIV)Matthew 23:23 (CSB)Psalm 9:7 (ESV)Isaiah 61:8 (CSB)Zechariah 7:9-10 (NIV)Psalm 68:5Isaiah 54:5Psalm 140:12Psalm 146:9Luke 2:22-24Mark 3:31-35Galatians 2:9-10 (CSB)Romans 15:25-27 (CSB)Habakkuk 1:2 (CSB)Matthew 6:9-10James 1:19Proverbs 21:3 (CSB)

Hésed - Understanding God's relation to humanity in the Old Testament In our quest to understand the old testament scripture, we tend to look for themes around which we can plot the narrative, like tent poles that hold up the biblical story. But what if, instead of hinging our understanding on singular themes, the Old Testament could be understood as emerging from a relational seed from which the story grows and expands? Dr Jennifer Matheny has identified the Hebrew concept of hesed as that seed which enables possibilities in human relationship with God while maintaining the complex and rich nature of the Hebrew Scriptures. Her latest book, Hesed, the Seed of the Biblical Story, is the basis for this episode of TheoDisc. Enjoy! SHOW NOTES Get Jennifer's Book: HERE Find out more about Jennifer's work: HERE

Neil McClendon, Lead PastorGrand Parkway Baptist ChurchThe Centrality of JesusMatthew 12:1-211. In Jesus we find what we never find in rules, v. 1-8Things to explain...a)“and at the bread of the Presence”-b)“the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath...”c) “Something greater than the temple is here...”d) “For the Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.”2. Jesus put people over policy, v. 9-14“Hesed is what happens when the person from whom I have the right to expect nothing givesme everything."- Michael Card• Hosea 3:1-33. Jesus is the fulfillment of God's plan, v. 15-21a)Jesus is the servant of Godb)God approves of and is pleased with Jesusc)Jesus comes with an anointing on Him- the Spiritd)Jesus came to declare justice to the nationse)He is comfortable with people not knowingf) Jesus is gracious to people who are strugglingg)He establishes God's way on earth through merciful persistenceh)Jesus becomes the hope of the nationsMental worship...1. Is there anything that God created that you are misusing?2. What relationship in your life reminds you of God's hesed love?3. What could be healed in you if you started obeying Jesus?4. In what ways are you most like Jesus and least like him?5. Do you currently feel hopeful? If not hopeful, what word best describes your most consistentfeeling?Be sure to follow us:InstagramFacebookYoutube

Date: 13 September 2026Series: Hesed: The Astonishing Kindness of God | 2026Speaker: Ian Jones

Hesed: God's Purpose in Creation Rev. Mike Wright Teaching Text - Psalm 104Praise the Lord, O my soul!O Lord my God, you are magnificent.You are robed in splendor and majesty.2 He covers himself with light as if it were a garment.He stretches out the skies like a tent curtain,3 and lays the beams of the upper rooms of his palace on the rain clouds.He makes the clouds his chariot,and travels on the wings of the wind.4 He makes the winds his messengers,and the flaming fire his attendant.5 He established the earth on its foundations;it will never be moved.6 The watery deep covered it like a garment;the waters reached above the mountains.7 Your shout made the waters retreat;at the sound of your thunderous voice they hurried off—8 as the mountains rose up,and the valleys went down—to the place you appointed for them.9 You set up a boundary for them that they could not cross,so that they would not cover the earth again.10 He turns springs into streams;they flow between the mountains.11 They provide water for all the animals in the field;the wild donkeys quench their thirst.12 The birds of the sky live beside them;they chirp among the bushes.13 He waters the mountains from the upper rooms of his palace;the earth is full of the fruit you cause to grow.14 He provides grass for the cattle,and crops for people to cultivate,so they can produce food from the ground,15 as well as wine that makes people glad,and olive oil to make their faces shine,as well as bread that sustains them.16 The trees of the Lord receive all the rain they need,the cedars of Lebanon that he planted,17 where the birds make nests,near the evergreens in which the herons live.18 The wild goats live in the high mountains;the rock badgers find safety in the cliffs.19 He made the moon to mark the months,and the sun sets according to a regular schedule.20 You make it dark and night comes,during which all the beasts of the forest prowl around.21 The lions roar for prey,seeking their food from God.22 When the sun rises, they withdrawand sleep in their dens.23 People then go out to do their work,and they labor until evening.24 How many living things you have made, O Lord!You have exhibited great skill in making all of them;the earth is full of the living things you have made.25 Over here is the deep, wide sea,which teems with innumerable swimming creatures,living things both small and large.26 The ships travel there,and over here swims the whale you made to play in it.27 All your creatures wait for youto provide them with food on a regular basis.28 You give food to them and they receive it;you open your hand and they are filled with food.29 When you ignore them, they panic.When you take away their life's breath,they die and return to dust.30 When you send your life-giving breath, they are created,and you replenish the surface of the ground.31 May the splendor of the Lord endure.May the Lord find pleasure in the living things he has made.32 He looks down on the earth and it shakes;he touches the mountains and they start to smolder.33 I will sing to the Lord as long as I live;I will sing praise to my God as long as I exist.34 May my thoughts be pleasing to him.I will rejoice in the Lord.35 May sinners disappear from the earth,and the wicked vanish.Praise the Lord, O my soul.Praise the Lord.

Kämpfst du mit Depressionen, negativen Gedanken oder innerer Hoffnungslosigkeit? Entdecke in dieser kraftvollen Predigt von Joseph Prince, wie Gottes Hesed-Weisheit dich aus Selbstverurteilung, Angst und emotionaler Dunkelheit herausführen kann. Erfahre, wie der Blick auf Jesus echte Heilung, Frieden und neue Hoffnung bringt. In „Jesus, deine Hesed und Weisheit – Teil 2“ zeigt Joseph Prince anhand biblischer Wahrheiten, wie du depressive Gedanken früh erkennst und stoppst, bevor sie dein Leben kontrollieren. Lerne, warum Gottes Gnade, Barmherzigkeit und Weisheit der Schlüssel zu emotionaler Heilung, innerem Frieden und einem siegreichen Leben sind. ✨ In dieser Predigt erfährst du: - Wie du Depressionen und negative Gedanken aus biblischer Sicht überwinden kannst - Warum Selbstbezogenheit zu Verurteilung, Angst und Hoffnungslosigkeit führt - Wie Jesus Christus dir Frieden, Heilung und neue Stärke schenkt - Was „in Christus sein“ wirklich bedeutet - Wie Gottes Hesed-Weisheit dich im Alltag führt, schützt und stärkt - Warum Gottes Gnade die Grundlage für emotionales Wohlbefinden und dauerhaftes Wachstum ist

Midland Evangelical Free Church Sermon Audio Midland, MI

Hesed: God's Heart for the Broken Rev. Mike Wright Teaching Text - Psalm 103Praise the Lord, O my soul.With all that is within me, praise his holy name.2 Praise the Lord, O my soul.Do not forget all his kind deeds.3 He is the one who forgives all your sins,who heals all your diseases,4 who delivers your life from the Pit,who crowns you with his loyal love and compassion,5 who satisfies your life with good things,so your youth is renewed like an eagle's.6 The Lord does what is fair,and executes justice for all the oppressed.7 The Lord revealed his faithful acts to Moses,his deeds to the Israelites.8 The Lord is compassionate and merciful;he is patient and demonstrates great loyal love.9 He does not always accuse,and does not stay angry.10 He does not deal with us as our sins deserve;he does not repay us as our misdeeds deserve.11 For as the skies are high above the earth,so his loyal love towers over his faithful followers.12 As far as the eastern horizon is from the west,so he removes the guilt of our rebellious actions from us.13 As a father has compassion on his children,so the Lord has compassion on his faithful followers.14 For he knows what we are made of;he realizes we are made of clay.15 A person's life is like grass.Like a flower in the field it flourishes,16 but when the hot wind blows, it disappears,and one can no longer even spot the place where it once grew.17 But the Lord continually shows loyal love to his faithful followers,and is faithful to their descendants,18 to those who keep his covenant,who are careful to obey his commands.19 The Lord has established his throne in heaven;his kingdom extends over everything.20 Praise the Lord, you angels of his,you powerful warriors who carry out his decreesand obey his orders.21 Praise the Lord, all you warriors of his,you servants of his who carry out his desires.22 Praise the Lord, all that he has made,in all the regions of his kingdom.Praise the Lord, O my soul.

Date: 6 September 2026Series: Hesed: The Astonishing Kindness of God | 2026Speaker: Ian Jones

Josiah Armstrong

Date: 30 August 2026Series: Hesed: The Astonishing Kindness of God | 2026Speaker: Elliot Hyliger

→ Watch on YouTube → Detailed Show Notes (00:00) A brief summary of the psalms.(02:51) Psalm 49 can be read as a resurrection text. “God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave.”(09:20) Psalm 50 teaches that God will come and establish order and peace.(11:53) Psalm 51 is a prayer asking for forgiveness and a new heart. Hesed is a word used to describe God's lovingkindness, or his everlasting love. Repentance is rebuilding our relationship with the Savior.(28:59) Psalm 61 can be read as a plea of the king before he goes out to battle and can be seen in the setting of the temple drama. Compared to God, we are nothing. The teaching of works is found here, but is often lost.(33:32) To be built upon the Rock is emphasized in the Psalms and also in the Book of Mormon.(41:43) Psalm 63 is a veil type-scene, as the king approaches the presence of God. “In the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice…thy right hand upholdeth me.” This psalm is connected to Malachi 4.(52:10) Psalm 64 is a prayer for help. Psalm 65 is an expression of thanks for the abundant harvest feast and the blessing of water in the land.(59:02) Psalm 66 is an example of how the sacred temple drama was participatory.(1:03:31) Psalm 68 depicts God as one who loves the widows and the fatherless. It also portrays the battle between light and darkness.(1:06:12) Psalm 69 teaches that God will bless and help us, but we are also here to be tested. “Deliver me out of the mire and let me not sink.” Psalm 70 is a prayer to God for deliverance.(1:09:35) Psalm 72 portrays the coronation of the king. Isaiah 61 contains all five essential parts of the ancient coronation ceremony.(1:14:31) Psalm 74 shows God's conflict with the dragon and the sea. Creation and order come out of chaos.(1:15:32) Psalm 77 and 78 retell the story of Moses, a mighty king who carried Israel out of Egypt. This establishes his legitimacy and is tied to the temple drama and God's sovereignty on earth. We must teach our children.(1:21:03) Psalm 82 portrays the Council of the Gods, or the council before the world was. Jesus quotes this passage, “Ye are gods and children of the Most High.”(1:27:13) Psalm 85 teaches that truth will spring out of the earth and righteousness shall look down from heaven.(1:30:56) Psalm 86 highlights King David as he begs for forgiveness. David works to repent by reconnecting with God. → For more of Bryce Dunford’s podcast classes, click here. → Enroll in Institute → YouTube → Apple Podcasts → Spotify → Amazon Music → Facebook The post Ep 386 | Psalms 49-86, Come Follow Me 2026 (August 24-30) appeared first on Talking Scripture.

Ever tried explaining a word that shows up 250+ times in the Bible... and still can't quite pin it down? That's exactly the puzzle Old Testament scholar Jenny Matheny sits down to unpack with Cyndi this episode. Using her own growing up context in Napa Valley and the French wine concept of terroir to help people explore the concept of the Hebrew term hesed. This word defies easy translations because it is so thick with meaning.  Explore the book Hesed the Seed of the Biblical Story from @bakerpublishinggroup Here Read more about Dr. Jennifer M. Matheny HERE Listen to Dr. Megan Roberts talk about a trauma informed reading of Isaiah: Part 1 and Part 2 Listen to Dr. Ericka Dunbar talk about reading Ruth as Horror: Part 1 and Part 2 Contact Cyndi Parker through Narrative of Place. Learn more about me and sign up for upcoming tours of Israel/Palestine. Join Cyndi Parker's  Patreon Team!  

The Torah promises in Parashat Ki-Tabo (28:10), "All the nations of the earth will see that the Name of G-d is called upon you, and they will be afraid of you." Targum Yonatan Ben Uziel explains that this refers to the Tefillin Shel Rosh, which we proudly wear upon our heads. The Torah promises that when the enemies of the Jewish People see the Tefillin on our heads, they will be gripped by fear and will no longer try to inflict harm on us. How does this work? How will the sight of the Tefillin instill fear within our enemies? The Kol Aryeh answers this question by developing the symbolic meaning of the Tefillin Shel Rosh. The Tefillin Shel Rosh features a knot in the back, from which two straps extend along the front of a person's body – one to the right and one to the left. The right side is always associated with Hesed – G-d's kindness, whereas the left side represents Din – judgment. For this reason, it is customary for the right Tefillin strap to extend longer than the left strap, reflecting our desire for an abundance of Hesed. One who sees the front of a person sees two separate, seemingly disconnected, straps. Outwardly, Hesed and Din are two distinct phenomena. Some events and experiences appear as Hesed, manifestations of G-d's kindness, whereas others seem like pure Din – harsh judgment. However, when the Tefillin Shel Rosh is viewed from the back, it becomes clear that both straps come from the same source, from the knot on the back of the head. The knot of the Tefillin symbolizes the belief that in truth, Hesed and Din are one and the same, that everything Hashem does is for the best, and for our ultimate benefit, even if sometimes it causes us pain. The two "straps" are really one, because everything Hashem does is for the best. When Moshe was atop Mount Sinai, he asked, "Har'eni Na Et Kebodecha" – "Show me, please, Your glory" (Shemot 33:18). The Sages explained that Moshe wanted to understand the secret of G-d's governance, why the righteous occasionally suffer, whereas the evildoers occasionally enjoy good fortune. G-d responded, "Ve'ra'ita Et Ahorai" – that Moshe would be able to see Him "from the back" (33:23), which the Gemara (Berachot 7) explains to mean that Hashem showed Moshe the knot of His Tefillin. The answer to Moshe's question is the knot of the Tefillin Shel Rosh – the belief that there is no distinction between what we perceive as bad and what we perceive as good. Everything Hashem does is a manifestation of the greatest Hesed, even when we cannot understand how. This is why Halacha requires reciting Shema while wearing Tefillin. The opening verse of Shema declares, "Hashem Elokenu, Hashem Ehad." The Name of "Havaya" is associated with the attribute of Hesed, whereas the Name "Elokim" refers to divine judgment. The pronouncement "Hashem Elokenu, Hashem Ehad" means that both "Hashem" and "Elokenu" are "Hashe Ehad" – a single manifestation of G-d, an expression of kindness. Even "Elokim" is "Havaya"; even what appears to us as bad is the ultimate good. We must make this pronouncement while wearing our Tefillin – which expresses this fundamental tenet of Emuna (faith). With this background, we can return to the verse here in Parashat Ki-Tabo. In the future, the enemy nations will be shown how all the pain and sorrow they caused the Jewish Nation was actually to our benefit, a manifestation of Hashem's kindness. They will see that all their efforts to persecute us and defeat us actually helped us, and in fact led to the final redemption. They will see the "Tefillin Shel Rosh" – that both "straps" are really one, that even the misfortune that Am Yisrael experiences is in fact beneficial for us. And they will thus be overcome by fear and horror, recognizing that all their efforts had the precise opposite effect than they intended, that everything they did to hurt us was in fact helping us. The message for us is that we must reinforce our steadfast faith in Hashem's unlimited kindness, and repeatedly remind ourselves that "Hashem Elokenu, Hashem Ehad" – even the struggles and hardships of life are to our ultimate benefit. Although we cannot possibly understand in the present moment how this could be good, we must trust that in the future everything will become clear, and we will see with our eyes the "knot of the Tefillin," how everything Hashem did was for the best.

The accepted practice when washing Netilat Yadayim in the morning is to pour water on each hand three times, in alternating fashion. Meaning, one first pours water on the right hand, then the left, a second time on the right, a second time on the left, and then a third time on the right and then the left. The Seder Ha'yom (Rav Moshe Ben Machir, Sefat, 16 th century) maintained that one should pour three times consecutively on the right hand, and then three times consecutively on the left hand. Due to the difference of opinion, there were those who washed their hand twice, once in each sequence, in order to satisfy both views. However, the Kaf Ha'haim (Rav Yaakob Haim Sofer, Baghdad-Israel, 1870-1939) writes that the Arizal taught that one should wash in alternating fashion, and this is the accepted practice. The Zohar explains that each hand must be washed three times because the impurity that descends upon the hands during the night is particularly difficult to remove. It has a way of "jumping" from one hand to the next, and the only way to remove it is by causing it to "tire," so-to-speak. We therefore wash three times in alternating fashion to eliminate this impurity. It is proper to use a copious amount of water for Netilat Yadayim, to ensure that water covers the entire hand with each pouring. Maran (Rav Yosef Karo, author of the Shulhan Aruch), in Bet Yosef, notes a seeming contradiction between two passages in the Zohar regarding Netilat Yadayim. In Parashat Vayesheb, the Zohar writes that one first washes the right hand, before washing the left, and this is, indeed, the accepted practice, as mentioned. Elsewhere, however, in Parashat Teruma, the Zohar instructs washing the left hand first. The Bet Yosef initially suggests reconciling these two passages by distinguishing between the washing in the morning, and the washing before eating bread. In the morning, when we seek to eliminate the Tum'a (impurity) from the hands, it would be improper to begin with the left, as the forces of Tum'a are associated with the left – which is the side of Din, judgment – and giving it precedence would have the effect of empowering those forces. We therefore begin with the right, the side associated with Hesed (kindness). When washing for bread, however, the Zohar instructs starting with the left hand. But the Bet Yosef then presents a different way to reconcile the two passages in the Zohar, which he felt was more correct, and according to which one begins with the right hand for both the morning washing and Netilat Yadayim before eating bread. He explains that in Parashat Teruma, the Zohar refers to washing, but to lifting the cup, and teaches that one should not pick up the cup with the left hand. Instead, one should pick up the cup with the right hand, and then transfer it to the left, as though asking the left to serve the right, thus showing that the left side – the side of Din – is subservient to the right side, the side of Hesed. But as for the actual washing, one always begins by pouring water from the left hand onto the right hand. This sequence should be followed even by those who are lefthanded. Precedence is given to the right hand when washing Netilat Yadayim not because of the right hand's dominance – in which case we might distinguish between righthanded individuals and lefthanded individuals – but rather because of the association between the right and Hesed. This association is true regardless of whether one is righthanded or lefthanded, and so even a lefthanded person begins with the right hand when washing Netilat Yadayim. The Mishna Berura brings the opinion of the Gaon of Vilna (1720-1797) that one should wash both hands a fourth time. The Gaon maintained that the water that remains on the hands after the third washing contains impurity, and thus it should be washed off the hands. Many people follow this practice. The Yalkut Yosef writes that if one does not follow this practice, he should ensure not to touch his face with hands after the morning washing until his hands are dry. As mentioned, one should always lift the cup with his right hand and then transfer it to the left, in order to express the left's subservience to the right. One must avoid transferring the cup directly from the left hand to the right hand, as this would suggest the right's subservience to the left. Therefore, after one washes his right hand with the cup held by the left hand, he should not transfer the cup directly to the right hand, but should instead put it down, and then lift it with the right hand. The proper procedure, then, is to lift the cup with one's right hand, transfer it to the left, pour onto the right, place the cup down, lift it with the right, pour on the left, and then transfer to the left for the next washing. Of course, this should then be repeated a third time (and a fourth for those who wish to follow the Gaon of Vilna's practice.) The Seder Ha'yom maintained that while washing Netilat Yadayim, one must ensure not to touch a moist part of the cup's handle, as this would contaminate those drops of water, which will then contaminate the other hand. The Ben Ish Hai (Rav Yosef Haim of Baghdad, 1833-1909), however, disagreed. He explained that according to the Arizal, the forces of impurity do not affect a small, negligible amount of moisture, such as the droplets on the handle of a cup. Therefore, while washing Netilat Yadayim, one can touch any part of the handle. It is not necessary to use a cup with handles for Netilat Yadayim. Such a cup offers the benefit of helping to ensure that the hands do not touch each other during the process of transferring to the cup, but it is not required, as long as one sees to it that his hands do not touch. Summary: When washing Netilat Yadayim in the morning, one must wash his hands three times in alternating fashion. The proper procedure is to lift the cup with one's right hand, transfer it to the left, pour onto the right, place the cup down, lift it with the right, pour on the left, and then transfer to the left for the second washing. This should then be repeated a third time. Some then wash both hands a fourth time. Those who do not should ensure not to touch their face after Netilat Yadayim until their hands are dry. This procedure should be followed by both righthanded individuals and lefthanded individuals. It is proper to use a copious amount of water for Netilat Yadayim, to ensure that water covers the entire hand with each pouring.

Sarah Hamrick teaches on the overwhelming love of God—a love so great it cannot be fully described, so kind it cannot be earned, and so freely given that we could never deserve it.

Date: 23 August 2026Series: Hesed: The Astonishing Kindness of God | 2026Speaker: Ian Jones

Ein uraltes hebräisches Wort – und eine Liebe, die niemals endet. Hesed durchzieht die gesamte Bibel: treu, beständig, unverdient. Sie ist das Fundament der Erlösung und zugleich der Maßstab für das Leben in Gemeinschaft. Was geschieht, wenn diese Liebe..

The sermon says suffering can become so overwhelming that "it begins to set the narrative for our lives"—shaping how we see our value, our identity, and even how we treat others. Have you ever noticed a hard season changing the way you saw yourself or the world around you? What was that like? How does the steadfast love of the Lord affect that narrative?Jeremiah says that in his deepest despair, he "called to mind" something that gave him hope. What are the things people typically turn to for hope or stability when life falls apart? Which of those have you leaned on, and how well have they held up? Why is the steadfast love of the Lord a better thing to turn to?The sermon uses the illustration of turning away from something harmful as part of healing, not just a hurdle before healing. What things give you a false sense of identity, purpose, or value that you need to turn from? What would it look like to turn from them and turn to God?The sermon quotes Phil Ryken saying, "There are times when the only thing a sufferer can do is wait." What's your honest reaction to being told to wait during a hard situation? When has waiting for something ever been worth it?

Pastor Glenn Murphy - Sunday, August 2, 2026

CheckoutThe God Centered Concept Academy Training Community to learn what growth in Christ ishttps://api.tuvu.com/redirectGroup/6a2ac0e2c9f728027338244cCheck out this link to view Kingdom Cross Roads on TV.https://jesussaid.tv/?affiliate=tswright_gccTo get a copy of our new book "Embracing the Truth" or to have TS Wright speak at your event or conference or if you simply want spiritual or life coaching or just a consultation visit:www.tswrightspeaks.comVisit our website to learn more about The God Centered Concept. The God Centered Concept is designed to bring real discipleship and spreading the Gospel to help spark the Great Harvest, a revival in this generation.www.godcenteredconcept.comKingdom Cross Roads Podcast is a part of The God Centered Concept.Does the Old Testament foreshadow the coming of Jesus Christ?In this episode of Kingdom Cross Roads Podcast, T.S. Wright welcomes author and Bible teacher Mark Stouffer for a thoughtful examination of the Tanakh, Messianic prophecy, and God's unfolding plan to rescue humanity.Mark begins by sharing his personal testimony. While studying engineering at Ohio State, he repeatedly felt God drawing him—but believed he was too busy to respond. After graduation left him without a job and with plenty of time, God met him in a powerful and unmistakable way. That encounter led Mark to the Bible, faith in Jesus Christ, and more than four decades of biblical study and teaching.Mark also introduces his four-volume series, The Loving-kindness of G-d, written for Jewish readers seeking the truth about Jesus and Christians wanting a deeper understanding of the Hebrew Scriptures.TS and Mark discuss:• How the Hebrew word hesed reveals God's unfailing love, kindness, and grace• The Day of Atonement and the meaning of sacrificial blood• How the Torah's sacrificial system may foreshadow Christ's death on the cross• The holiness of God and the seriousness of humanity's sin• Why spiritual rebirth is necessary• God's rescue plan from Genesis through the return of Christ• The promise that Eve's descendant would crush the serpent• Israel's calling to reveal the one true God to the nations• Jonah, Nineveh, and God's love for the Gentiles• Messianic prophecy and whether Jesus fulfills the Tanakh's description of the Messiah• Lessons from Jewish history and nearly two thousand years of Church historyMark's books include:• Hesed: Does the Tanakh Foreshadow Jesus?• The Mashiah: A Study of the Messianic Prophecies• The Esa: G-d's Rescue Plan for Humanity• The Tanakh: Its Unusual EndingLearn more about Mark Stouffer and his books at:https://lovingkindnessofadonai.comCALL TO ACTIONListen now and discover how the Tanakh, the sacrificial system, and Messianic prophecy illuminate God's plan of redemption through Jesus Christ.After listening, follow Kingdom Cross Roads Podcast, share this episode with someone who loves biblical history or prophecy, and leave a review to help more people discover the program.Go forth in total surrender to the One who owns and reigns over all creation—and let the great harvest begin!KEYWORDSMark Stouffer, Kingdom Cross Roads Podcast, TS Wright, T.S. Wright, Hesed, The Mashiah, The Esa, Tanakh, Hebrew Bible, Old Testament, Jesus in the Old Testament, Messianic prophecy, Messiah, Jesus Christ, biblical prophecy, Bible study, Christian podcast, Christian author, Jewish roots of Christianity, sacrificial system, Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur, atonement, lovingkindness of God, God's rescue plan, salvation, born again, Jonah and Nineveh, Jews and Gentiles, Church history, biblical history

This is the first of a two-part discussion with Dr. Jennifer Lane, professor emerita from Brigham Young University-Hawaii on two recent studies about redemption in the scriptures. Over her career, Dr. Lane has worked extensively on the presentation of redemption in the scriptures and this discussion is another entry into that impressive body of work. In this episode, Dr. Jennifer Lane speaks about the role that redemption and God's performance of hesed is illustrated in the life of Abraham and his family. The paper under discussion in this episode was given at an Interpreter conference on Abraham in the scriptures and history. The episode explores the how and why of Abraham's redemption and what that can mean for Latter-day Saints today. The post Conversations with Interpreter: Jennifer Lane — Part 1: Hesed and the Redemption of Abraham first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.

Ordinary Time 07: Hesed

1. In her sermon today, Christina taught about the contrast between Saul & David's approaches to kingship, highlighting that Saul's reign was desired by the people of Israel partially in response to the period of the Judges and its unpredictable uncertainty. Where in your life do you get to show leadership? To what extent is your own leadership style a reaction against undesirable periods or experiences in the past? What does that end up looking like? How well is it serving those you lead?Considering the period of unpredictable political uncertainty in which we find ourselves, to what types of political and social leadership do you tend to be drawn? To what extent are themes & people that directly react to the current chaos appealing to you? Thinking outside of only those who hold political office, what else attracts you to a leader? What things matter most in their leadership? 2. Christina also talked about the reality that all of us, though to differing degrees, hold power of some kind. She then asked, “What would it be like not to deflect power, but to instead reflect on how we use our power?” So, what would that be like? Spend a little time reflecting on that now, and share with the group.She also prompted us to consider the opportunities we might have to act with and demonstrate hesed. hesed (definition and review)- Embedded in the very self-definition of YHWH- Often translated love, kindness, mercy- Other divine characteristics are “drawn” to it: truth, justice, faithfulness, compassion - Often entails extravagant generosity that is not expected to be reciprocated What opportunities do you have for demonstrating hesed in the various places in which you have power? How often and how do you take advantage of them? 3. Christina also asked us to consider what might fill the pages of our own autobiographies and biographies if they were to be written. Know that no human is all good or all bad, and setting aside the big moments that tend to act as mile markers in life stories, what themes do you think would emerge about the way you lived and live your life, engage in the world, interact with others, and wield your power?

Where is God when life doesn't make sense? Psalm 115 says that the better question is: who is God? If we shift the focus from our circumstances to his unchanging love and faithfulness, then trusting him makes more sense. Listen now as we talk about what makes God so amazing, and how that can move us to trust and action.

Pastor Femi Paul brought our teaching series to a beautiful conclusion with a message titled "God's Loving-Kindness!" Drawing from Psalm 103:1–5, we were reminded that God has not only redeemed our lives, but has crowned us with loving-kindness and tender mercies. PFP explained that the Hebrew word Hesed speaks of faithful love in action: love that is steadfast, dependable, and continually expressed through goodness and mercy. From Jeremiah 31, we saw a God who declares, "I've never quit loving you and never will," whose everlasting love draws us to Himself, rebuilds us, and assures us that we can expect love, love, and more love. The message reached its powerful conclusion in Titus 3:4, where we saw God's loving-kindness move beyond an idea or attribute and appear in a Person: Jesus Christ. God's love did not remain distant or theoretical; it came to us, reached for us, and saved us. His loving-kindness is great beyond measure, His faithfulness is renewed every morning, and wisdom teaches us to recognise His love at work throughout our lives. The series may have concluded, but its call remains: to receive God's love, recognise His loving-kindness, and allow the love we have experienced in Christ to become love in action through us. Confession: Lord, thank You for crowning me with Your loving-kindness and tender mercies. I receive Your faithful love afresh today and rest in the assurance that You have never stopped loving me and never will. Help me to recognise Your goodness throughout my life and, having received Your love so freely, let that same love become visible through me. Amen.

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En este episodio descubrimos cómo el Salmo 17 nos enseña que, cuando somos heridos, incomprendidos o acusados, nuestro primer paso no es defendernos, sino llevar nuestra causa delante de Dios. Juntos veremos cómo el clamor de David nos conduce a Cristo, el Justo perfecto, y cómo su ejemplo nos invita a descansar en la justicia, la misericordia y la fidelidad del Señor aun en medio del conflicto.  

The Gemara (Shabbat 61a) teaches that if one is applying oil on his entire body, he should begin with the head, which is the "king," so-to-speak, of the body. The Rama, in Darcheh Moshe, cites Rav Abraham of Prague (d. 1542) as asserting that this applies also to bathing; when one washes his body, he should wash his head first. The Rama then proceeds to cite a passage from the Rambam which seems to imply that one may wash the rest of his body first, before the head, and that there is no need to wash the right side of one's body before the left side. However, the Kaf Ha'haim (Rav Yaakob Haim Sofer, Baghdad-Israel, 1870-1939) cites those who explain that since in earlier generations people did not bathe very often, no procedure was instituted for bathing. It is only when it comes to daily activities that we are urged to give precedence to the right side to symbolize the prevailing of Hesed (which is associated with the right) over judgment (which is associated with the left). Bathing, however, was infrequent in ancient times, and so the Sages did not institute any procedure. Nowadays, we bathe regularly, and so we should follow the proper protocol – washing the head first, and then the right side of the body followed by the left side. The simple manner of bathing, then, is to first wash the hair on the head, and then the entire right side of the body – the arm, torso and legs – followed by the entire left side. The Arizal, however, taught that after washing the head, one should wash the right arm, then the left arm, the torso, the legs, the private area, and then the feet. When one washes his hands – either for Netilat Yadayim or for cleanliness – he should wash his right hand before his left hand. Likewise, when drying oneself after bathing, he should first dry the head and face, followed by the arms and then the feet. When one gets dressed after bathing, he should first put on his Kipa before his garments, as the head should be covered before the other parts of the body. When undressing, one should remove his Kipa last, after removing all his clothing. And when one removes his clothes, he should remove the left side before the right side to show importance to the right side, just like one puts his garments on his right side before the left side (as discussed in a previous installment).

There is a basic rule that the right should always be given precedence over the left. The right side is associated with the divine attribute of Hesed (kindness), whereas the left is associated with judgment, and so we always strive to give precedence to the right side so that kindness shall prevail over judgment. When bathing, then, one should wash the right side before his left side. (The Kabbalists first wash their head, followed by the right side of their torso and then the left, and they conclude with the feet.) When one dresses himself in the morning, he should insert his right arm in his shirt before his left. Likewise, when putting on a sports jacket or overcoat, the right arm should be inserted first. One should preferably hold both sides of the garment with his right hand, and then transfer one side to the left so he can put his right arm through the garment first, followed by the left arm. This applies even to lefthanded individuals. When putting on a Tallit, too, one should first hold the Tallit with his right hand, and then transfer one side to his left, at which point he recites the Beracha and puts it on. When putting on a scarf, one should wrap the right side over the left side, and not vice-versa, expressing the prevailing of Hesed over judgment. Hassidic communities insist on this arrangement even for the buttons of shirts. In contemporary society, the shirts have the buttons on the right side, with the buttonholes on the left, such that the left side covers the right side. Hassidic communities therefore have shirts custom-made with the buttons and button-holes reversed, so that the right side will cover the left side. It is told that the Steipler Gaon (Rav Yaakov Yisrael Kanievsky, 1899-1985) would have his buttons transferred to the left side of his garments for this reason. In any event, most communities are lenient in this regard, and wear their shirts and jackets with the left side covering the right. Interestingly, even Hassidic communities that insist on wearing shirts with the buttons on the left side wear normal pants, with the button on the right side. Some explain that there is value in leaving one area for the Kelipot (forces of impurity) to control so they will be content and not seek to inflict harm. When putting on shoes, one first puts the right shoe on before the left. Likewise, when applying hand lotion, one should first treat the right hand before the left hand.

The question of evil is one of the most difficult questions Christians face. As we look at the brokenness of the world around us, it is easy to become discouraged and wonder what God is doing. Like the psalmist in Psalm 13, we may find ourselves crying out, "How long, O Lord?" At times, it can seem as though the world is spinning out of control, leaving us to wonder where God is at work in the midst of it all. As we continue our study of Psalm 119 this week, we find the psalmist still wrestling with the affliction brought on by the "arrogant" and the "insolent" who oppose and mock him. Yet we also see the psalmist honestly acknowledging his own weakness and suffering. Rather than abandoning him in his affliction, God—whose steadfast love (HESED) never fails—uses even life's hardships for His glory and for the good of His people (Romans 8:28). The psalmist trusts that, even in the darkest moments, God is at work, using suffering to shape, restore, and draw him closer to Himself. That same hope is available to us today. When life feels uncertain and tragedy seems ever-present, we can turn to God's Word and to the God who inspired it. In Him we find lasting hope, unshakable peace, and the assurance that He is working all things according to His perfect purposes. Join us this week as we wrestle with the difficult question, "Why does God allow evil to exist?" We will approach this question not as skeptics seeking to discredit God, but as His children, longing to find comfort, wisdom, and hope in the presence of a gracious Father who delights in meeting us in the midst of our struggles. -Pastor Brandon For this week's Scripture and notes: http://bible.com/events/49615482

The question of evil is one of the most difficult questions Christians face. As we look at the brokenness of the world around us, it is easy to become discouraged and wonder what God is doing. Like the psalmist in Psalm 13, we may find ourselves crying out, "How long, O Lord?" At times, it can seem as though the world is spinning out of control, leaving us to wonder where God is at work in the midst of it all. As we continue our study of Psalm 119 this week, we find the psalmist still wrestling with the affliction brought on by the "arrogant" and the "insolent" who oppose and mock him. Yet we also see the psalmist honestly acknowledging his own weakness and suffering. Rather than abandoning him in his affliction, God—whose steadfast love (HESED) never fails—uses even life's hardships for His glory and for the good of His people (Romans 8:28). The psalmist trusts that, even in the darkest moments, God is at work, using suffering to shape, restore, and draw him closer to Himself. That same hope is available to us today. When life feels uncertain and tragedy seems ever-present, we can turn to God's Word and to the God who inspired it. In Him we find lasting hope, unshakable peace, and the assurance that He is working all things according to His perfect purposes. Join us this week as we wrestle with the difficult question, "Why does God allow evil to exist?" We will approach this question not as skeptics seeking to discredit God, but as His children, longing to find comfort, wisdom, and hope in the presence of a gracious Father who delights in meeting us in the midst of our struggles. -Pastor Brandon For this week's Scripture and notes: http://bible.com/events/49615482

Welcome to Day 2892 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2892 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 138:1-8 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2892 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2892 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. The title for Wisdom-Trek is: Praise in the Face of the Council – Uncompromising Worship Before the Gods In our previous stop along this ancient, winding trail, we sat in the mud and wept. We explored the devastating, emotionally raw territory of Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Seven, where we found the broken exiles of Israel sitting beside the literal irrigation canals of Babylon. We witnessed them hanging their heavy, silent harps upon the branches of the poplar trees, absolutely refusing to perform the sacred, liturgical songs of Zion for the amusement of their cruel, mocking captors. We felt the intense, dark pressure of cosmic geography, realizing that they were trapped inside the very womb of the ancient serpent's rebellion—the territory of Babel—where the rebel spiritual principalities gloated over the apparent defeat of Yahweh's people. It was a season of deep, suffocating shadows, and raw, agonizing cries for ultimate courtroom justice. But today, my friends, as we step forward onto a brand-new path, the atmosphere completely transforms. We are stepping out of the Babylonian mud, and climbing onto a soaring, sunlit ridge of faith. We are beginning a collection of eight consecutive psalms explicitly attributed to King David, starting today with Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Eight, verses one through eight, in the New Living Translation. David provides the ultimate, defiant antidote to the silence of the exile. Instead of hanging his harp on a tree out of fear or sorrow, David grabs his instrument, stands tall in the celestial courtroom, and uses his music as an aggressive weapon of cosmic warfare. Let us step onto the trail, adjust our spiritual focus, and learn how to sing our songs of victory directly into the teeth of the enemy. The first segment is: Cosmic Defiance and the Architecture of Grace Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Eight: verses one, two, and three. I give you thanks, O Lord, with all my heart; I will sing your praises before the gods. I bow before your holy Temple as I praise your name for your unfailing love and faithfulness; for your promises are backed by all the honor of your name. As soon as I pray, you answer me; you encourage me by giving me strength. The psalm explodes into reality with a breathtaking, uncompromised pledge of personal devotion. “I give you thanks, O Lord, with all my heart; I will sing your praises before the gods.” To fully appreciate the radical, counter-cultural nature of this opening stanza, we must look at it through the profound lens of the Ancient Israelite divine council worldview, as masterfully taught by Doctor Michael S. Heiser. In our modern, Western world, we frequently skim past the word “gods,” assuming it refers to empty, psychological idols—like wealth or ego—or that it simply means imaginary figments of human superstition. But in the ancient Near Eastern context, the Hebrew word used here is elohim. David is not singing to thin air; he is standing in the middle of a heavily populated spiritual landscape. He is consciously addressing the lower, rebellious members of the heavenly host—the territorial, fallen principalities who held the disinherited nations under their dark, oppressive jurisdiction. Think about the sheer, holy audacity of King David! He doesn't wait until he is safely insulated inside a private prayer closet to express his gratitude. He walks directly into the cosmic courtroom, looks the rebel elohim straight in the eyes, and opens his mouth to boast in Yahweh. This is the ultimate act of spiritual polemics. By singing praises before the gods, David is declaring that the rival powers are completely illegitimate. He is mocking their false claims of sovereignty, and demonstrating that his allegiance belongs exclusively to the one true Most High God. His worship is a direct, mocking challenge to the principalities of darkness. He reinforces this allegiance in verse two, mapping out his physical and spiritual alignment: “I bow before your holy Temple as I praise your name for your unfailing love and faithfulness; for your promises are backed by all the honor of your name.” Even if David is physically distant from Jerusalem—perhaps running for his life in the wilderness, or fighting battles on foreign soil—he turns his body and bows toward the holy Temple. In cosmic geography, the Temple on Mount Zion was the unique, earthly footprint of Yahweh's heavenly throne room. It was the place where heaven and earth intersected. By bowing toward that specific center, David is rejecting the sacred high places of the pagan gods, and locking his spiritual compass onto the true capital of the universe. And why is he praising Him? For two specific attributes: Hesed and Emet—His unfailing love, and His unshakeable faithfulness. David notes that Yahweh's promises are backed by all the honor of His Name. In the ancient world, a king's reputation was bound to his word. If a king failed to keep a promise, his name became a laughingstock among the rival nations. But Yahweh's character is flawless. He has staked the entire weight of His eternal reputation on His covenant promises, ensuring that the dark powers cannot find a single legal loophole to defeat His redemptive plans. This cosmic security leads to the intimate, practical reality of verse three: “As soon as I pray, you answer me; you encourage me by giving me strength.” The rebel gods were distant, capricious, and demanded frantic, exhaustive rituals before they would ever notice their followers. But Yahweh is immediately accessible. The moment the king calls out from the battlefield, the response from the heavenly throne room is instantaneous. The Creator doesn't necessarily remove the physical trouble immediately, but He floods the internal soul of His servant with a supernatural, muscular encouragement, giving him the precise strength required to stand firm against the onslaught. The second segment is: The Reclaiming of the Disinherited Kings Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Eight: verses four, five, and six. Every king in all the earth will thank you, Lord, for all of them will hear your words. Yes, they will sing about the Lord's ways, for the glory of the Lord is very great. Though the Lord is great, he cares for the humble, but he keeps his distance from the proud. David transitions his song from his personal, defiant testimony, to a grand, prophetic vision of global transformation. “Every king in all the earth will thank you, Lord, for all of them will hear your words. Yes, they will sing about the Lord's ways, for the glory of the Lord is very great.” To understand the immense scale of this prophecy, we must recall the foundational tragedy of Deuteronomy, chapter thirty-two, verses eight and nine. At the Tower of Babel, because of humanity's persistent rebellion, Yahweh disinherited the nations of the earth. He gave them over to the rule of lesser spiritual beings, choosing the family of Abraham—Jacob—as His own personal, prized allotment. Ever since that moment, the kings of the earth had been operating under the corrupt, dark inspiration of their territorial, pagan deities. They built empires based on tyranny, slavery, and the worship of the rebel council. But David looks down the timeline of history, and he foresees a total, spectacular global reclamation. He declares that every king in all the earth will eventually turn, and thank Yahweh! Why? Because “all of them will hear your words.” The voice of the true Creator will penetrate the dark, spiritual borders of the disinherited nations. The Gospel of the Kingdom will shatter the monopoly of the false gods. The earthly rulers will abandon their localized, mute idols, and they will actually begin to sing about the ways of Yahweh, acknowledging that His glory is completely unmatched in any dimension of reality. This is the prophecy of the Great Commission, the final, beautiful restoration where the nations are bought back, and integrated into the true family of God. David then highlights the unique, stunning character of the true Sovereign in verse six, drawing a sharp contrast with the nature of the false gods: “Though the Lord is great, he cares for the humble, but he keeps his distance from the proud.” In the ancient Near East,...

Welcome to Day 2887 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2887 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 136:10-16 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2887 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2887 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. The Title for Today's Wisdom-Trek is: Shattering the Shackles of the Rebel Gods In our previous episode on this grand, historical journey, we scaled the opening heights of the Great Hallel: Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Six, verses one through nine. We immersed our minds in the grand, cosmic architecture of creation. We stood in the celestial courtroom, and we shouted our praise to the God of gods, and the Lord of lords—the absolute, supreme Sovereign who rules over the entire heavenly host. We saw how His Hesed—His fierce, unyielding, and covenant-keeping faithful love—was the precise engine that skillfully forged the heavens, pinned down the chaotic primordial waters beneath the dry land, and masterfully organized the sun, moon, and stars to govern our days and nights. We learned that the very fabric of physical reality is held together, every single microsecond, by this enduring, loyal affection. Today, the grand temple liturgy takes a dramatic, breathtaking turn. The congregation is still standing in the sunlit courts of Jerusalem, and the antiphonal chant continues to echo off the stone walls. But the focus of the song shifts away from the creation of the cosmos, and steps directly onto the blood-soaked soil of human history. We are exploring Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Six, verses ten through sixteen, in the New Living Translation. The psalmist demonstrates that Yahweh's faithful love is not just an abstract, distant force that manages the stars; it is an active, aggressive, and liberating power that breaks into our physical reality to rescue His people, crush abusive empires, and violently dismantle the rebel spiritual principalities who hold humanity in bondage. Let let us step onto this historic section of the trail, listen to the thunderous roar of the refrain, and watch the Divine Warrior march to war. The first segment is: The Decapitation of the Egyptian Pantheon Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Six: verses ten, eleven, and twelve. Give thanks to him who killed the firstborn of Egypt. His faithful love endures forever. He brought Israel out from among them. His faithful love endures forever. He acted with a strong hand and powerful arm. His faithful love endures forever. The historical narrative explodes into the liturgy with a shocking, deeply unsettling declaration of judgment: “Give thanks to him who killed the firstborn of Egypt. His faithful love endures forever.” To the modern, Western mind, linking the death of the Egyptian firstborn with the phrase “His faithful love endures forever” sounds like a massive, moral contradiction. How can an act of mass fatality be described as an expression of love? To resolve this tension, we must view the Exodus through the profound lens of the Ancient Israelite divine council worldview, as masterfully taught by Doctor Michael S. Heiser. We must look back to the cosmic geography of Deuteronomy, chapter thirty-two, where the nations were disinherited by Yahweh, and handed over to the jurisdiction of lesser spiritual beings—the sons of God. Egypt was the premier, terrifying superpower of the ancient world, operating under the direct, dark inspiration of these corrupt, territorial elohim. Pharaoh was not viewed merely as a human politician; he was worshiped as an incarnate god—the living proxy, and the physical avatar, of the rebel principalities. For four hundred years, under the direction of these dark forces, Egypt systematically crushed, enslaved, and attempted to completely erase Yahweh's personal allotment—the family of Israel. The book of Exodus explicitly states that the plagues were not just a leverage play against human economics; they were an open, aggressive execution of judgment against all the gods of Egypt. When the Lord struck down the firstborn, He was striking the ultimate, legal root of the empire's legacy, and divine claims. The firstborn son represented the strength, the inheritance, and the future succession of the household, and the throne. By taking the firstborn, Yahweh broke the spiritual backbone of the rebel principalities. He proved that the Egyptian gods were entirely impotent, completely unable to protect their own biological, and spiritual, lineages from the superior authority of the Creator. For the oppressed slaves, this act of terrifying justice was the ultimate manifestation of Hesed. Love for the victim requires the decisive execution of justice against the abusive tyrant. The text records the immediate, glorious consequence in verses eleven and twelve: “He brought Israel out from among them... He acted with a strong hand and powerful arm.” The language of the “strong hand and powerful arm” is a direct, deliberate polemic against the royal propaganda of Egypt. Pharaoh's monuments always depicted him with an outstretched arm, crushing his enemies. But the psalmist clears the field, declaring that Pharaoh's arm was easily snapped by the true Divine Warrior. Yahweh reached into the dark, heavily fortified territory of the rebel council, grabbed His treasured possession, and physically wrenched them free from the grip of the superpower. He broke the chains of the empire, proving that no spiritual principality can legally hold a prisoner when the Supreme Commander issues a warrant for their release. The second segment is: Slicing the Abyss and Shaking Off the Tyrant Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Six: verses thirteen, fourteen, and fifteen. Give thanks to him who parted the Red Sea. His faithful love endures forever. He led Israel safely through. His faithful love endures forever. But he hurled Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea. His faithful love endures forever. The historical procession moves from the borders of Egypt, directly to the edge of the impossible. “Give thanks to him who parted the Red Sea... He led Israel safely through... But he hurled Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea.” Once again, the congregation responds to each movement of the narrative with the unyielding, rhythmic drumbeat of faith: “His faithful love endures forever.” To fully appreciate the cosmic drama of this moment, we must understand how the ancient world viewed the geography of the sea. In the biblical and ancient Near Eastern mindset, the deep, wild, and untamed waters of the ocean—known as Yamm—represented the terrifying forces of primordial chaos. The sea was considered a chaotic deity, a dark, churning abyss that swallowed human lives, and actively fought against the ordered creation of the Almighty. When Israel stood trapped between the advancing chariots of Pharaoh, and the roaring waves of the Red Sea, they were caught between the twin jaws of death: the physical might of the empire, and the spiritual chaos of the abyss. But Yahweh executed a masterclass of cosmic subversion. He didn't just build a bridge over the sea; He violently parted the waters. The literal Hebrew text says He sliced the sea into distinct pieces. He drove back the chaotic deep, carved a highway right through the middle of the abyss, and transformed the very realm of death into a dry, safe corridor of life for His covenant family. He led them safely through, insulating them from the walls of water on either side. Then, in verse fifteen, the trap slams shut: “But he hurled Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea.” The Hebrew word for “hurled” is na'ar, which carries the visceral graphic meaning of shaking off a bug, or flipping dirt off your clothes. This is a brilliant, mocking piece of historical sarcasm. Pharaoh had mobilized the entire military industrial complex of the ancient world—hundreds of iron chariots, elite horsemen, and weapons of terror. It was an intimidating display of imperial pride. But to the Creator of the cosmos, this terrifying army was nothing more than an annoying insect crawling on His sleeve. With one effortless flick of His wrist, Yahweh simply shook Pharaoh off into the water. The tyrant who had arrogantly commanded that every Hebrew baby boy be drowned in the Nile river, was himself drowned, along with his entire army, in the very chaos waters that his rebel gods claimed to control. The empire was swallowed by the abyss, completely neutralized, and buried beneath the waves, providing an eternal, undeniable proof that the loyal Hesed

Dr. Shon Hopkin continues his exploration of 2 Samuel and 1 Kings guiding through Solomon's breathtaking temple, the universal trap of wanting something for nothing, and the Lord who waits at the window for every one of His children to return.YOUTUBE: https://youtu.be/izXp3HKNI9IFREE PDF DOWNLOADS OF followHIM QUOTE BOOKSNew Testament: https://tinyurl.com/PodcastNTBookOld Testament: https://tinyurl.com/PodcastOTBookBook of Mormon: https://tinyurl.com/PodcastBMBook WEEKLY NEWSLETTERhttps://tinyurl.com/followHIMnewsletter SOCIAL MEDIAInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/followHIMpodcastFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/followhimpodcastTIMECODE0:00 - Part 2 - Dr. Shon Hopkin1:11 Leadership shortcuts2:46 The Something for Nothing Principle4:38 D&C 121 as the ultimate leadership manual5:34 The temple6:30 7 years on the temple, 13 on the palace7:30 The molten sea and 12 oxen9:16 God is portable11:52 The scale of the temple14:16 The molten sea vs. baptismal fonts15:28 Cherubin in Solomon's temple 16:35 Gold, grandeur, and bringing your best to the Lord17:42 Solomon's dedicatory prayer21:26 Stranger and foreigner and becoming priests and priestesses24:23 7 themes of Solomon's dedicatory prayer25:11 The temple as a place of sending27:26 Nephi's temple and echoes of Solomon's temple30:387 Saints as OT people31:13 Isaiah's Yad Vashem–a hand and a name for the forgotten35:47 Offerings and the filled hand of Aaron38:41 Cups as hands, catching and receiving39:56 Dr. Hopkin's paper: “Christ, Covenants and the Caph”41:46 Recommended reading and the Western Wall today42:16 Glory fills the temple 43:49 Study the OT, it is the water everything else swims in49:45 Celebrities, athletes, and sports teams in place of God51:00 Hesed, hesed, hesed53:03 God never tells you, “I told you so”56:53 End of Part 2 - Dr. Shon HopkinThanks to the followHIM team:Steve & Shannon Sorensen: Cofounder, Executive Producer, SponsorDavid & Verla Sorensen: SponsorsDr. Hank Smith: Co-hostJohn Bytheway: Co-hostDavid Perry: ProducerKyle Nelson: Marketing, SponsorLisa Spice: Client Relations, Editor, Show NotesWill Stoughton: Video EditorKrystal Roberts: Translation Team, English & French Transcripts, WebsiteAriel Cuadra: Spanish TranscriptsAmelia Kabwika: Portuguese TranscriptsHeather Barlow: Communications DirectorSydney Smith: Social Media, Graphic Design "Let Zion in Her Beauty Rise" by Marshall McDonaldhttps://www.marshallmcdonaldmusic.com

Welcome to Day 2885 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2885 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 136:1-9 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2885 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2885 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. The Title for Today's Wisdom-Trek is: The Cosmic Anthem of Enduring Love In our previous episode on this grand, poetic landscape, we scaled the magnificent, soaring finale of Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Five, verses fifteen through twenty-one. We witnessed a devastating, razor-sharp polemical assault against the silent, breathless idols of the nations. We watched the psalmist ruthlessly strip away the mystical propaganda of the pagan cultures, exposing their silver and gold statues as completely mute, blind, and deaf. We confronted the terrifying law of spiritual assimilation—realizing that those who place their trust in hollow, manufactured systems will inevitably become just as hollow and spiritually dead as the idols they worship. We closed our trek by stepping into the vibrant, living courts of Jerusalem, joining the unified, roaring anthem of the true assembly, shouting Hallelujah to the living King who dynamically rules the cosmos from His embassy on Mount Zion. Today, we transition directly from that daytime temple victory into what is universally recognized as the absolute mountain peak of Hebrew liturgy. We are entering the opening movement of Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Six, verses one through nine, in the New Living Translation. In the ancient Jewish tradition, this masterpiece is known as the “Great Hallel”—the supreme song of praise, traditionally sung during the Passover seder. This psalm takes the theological truths we uncovered in our last episode, and sets them to a beautiful, rhythmic, and antiphonal chant designed to reshape our entire understanding of reality. As we step onto this new trail, we will hear the thunderous voice of the congregation responding to every single line of divine truth with an unyielding, cosmic refrain. Let let us adjust our lenses, quiet our hearts, and join the grand procession. The first segment is: The Supreme Sovereign of the Celestial Council Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Six: verses one, two, and three. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever. Give thanks to the God of gods. His faithful love endures forever. Give thanks to the Lord of lords. His faithful love endures forever. The liturgy opens with a majestic, triadic call to worship that establishes the absolute, unrivaled supremacy of the Creator. We hear the temple leader shout the declaration, and the massive congregation roars back the eternal echo: “His faithful love endures forever.” To fully unlock the immense, explosive weight of these opening verses, we must view this language through the profound lens of the Ancient Israelite divine council worldview, as masterfully taught by Doctor Michael S. Heiser. In our modern, Western theological context, we often read terms like “God of gods,” or “Lord of lords,” as mere rhetorical hyperbole—poetic ways of saying God is the biggest and the best. But to the ancient Near Eastern mind, this was a highly technical, legal description of celestial hierarchy. The psalmist is explicitly naming the Elohei ha-elohim—the supreme, uncreated Sovereign who presides over the entire assembly of heavenly beings. We must recall the foundational cosmic geography of Deuteronomy, chapter thirty-two, verses eight and nine. When the Most High divided the nations at the Tower of Babel, He allocated the different people groups to the oversight of lesser spiritual beings—the sons of God, the territorial elohim. These spiritual principalities subsequently rebelled, becoming corrupt, demanding worship for themselves, and plunging the pagan world into darkness. They set up their own rival thrones, claiming absolute lordship over their respective empires. The psalmist stands in the temple courts and hurls a massive, polemical challenge into the unseen realm. By commanding the people to give thanks to the “God of gods,” and the “Lord of lords,” he is legally reasserting Yahweh's supreme authority over the entire cosmic rebellion. He is stating that the rebel principalities of Babylon, Egypt, and Rome are merely created entities, middle-management spirits who owe their very existence to the High King. They may claim to be gods, but Yahweh is the Sovereign over their council. Their authority is localized and temporary; His supremacy is absolute and universal. Notice the specific engine that powers this supreme governance. Why does the universe remain secure under the God of gods? Because “His faithful love endures forever.” The Hebrew word used here is our foundational, majestic anchor word: Hesed. It refers to a loyal, stubborn, covenant-keeping affection that refuses to let go. The psalmist is making a radical claim: the ultimate, structural fabric of the cosmos is not blind power, chaotic fate, or erratic anger—which is what the pagan nations believed about their capricious deities. The bedrock of the universe is the relentless, fiercely loyal Hesed of Yahweh. Every star hangs in space, and every legal decree of the divine council is issued through the filter of this enduring love. The second segment is: The Miraculous Architect of Cosmic Order Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Six: verses four, five, and six. Give thanks to him who alone does mighty miracles. His faithful love endures forever. Give thanks to him who made the heavens so skillfully. His faithful love endures forever. Give thanks to him who placed the earth on the water. His faithful love endures forever. The anthem transitions from the composition of the celestial council, to the initial acts of creation, demonstrating that Yahweh's Hesed is the driving force behind the physical architecture of our world. We are commanded to praise the One “who alone does mighty miracles.” The use of the word “alone” is another intentional, razor-sharp polemic against the rebel spirits. The pagan cultures credited their localized deities with all kinds of supernatural feats, believing that Baal brought the rain, or that Ra managed the sun. But the psalmist clears the stage, declaring that when it comes to true, cosmic, and foundational miracles, Yahweh operates completely without rivals. He needs no help from the divine assembly; His own voice is entirely sufficient to organize the void. He proves this by pointing to the skies: “Give thanks to him who made the heavens so skillfully.” The Hebrew text implies that the heavens were designed with deep, mathematical wisdom and artistic precision. In the ancient biblical worldview, the creation of the heavens was an act of establishing boundaries, building a beautifully ordered home where life could safely flourish, completely insulated from primeval chaos. The psalmist then moves his focus down to the geography of our home in verse six: “Give thanks to him who placed the earth on the water.” To the ancient Near Eastern mind, this imagery was filled with intense, dramatic tension. They believed that the dry land was established, and anchored, directly over the dark, deep, and roaring waters of the primordial ocean—the realm of Yamm, which represented the terrifying forces of unmitigated chaos. Left to themselves, the wild waters would instantly rise up to swallow the land, flooding the world back into a formless void. But Yahweh executed a mighty miracle of stabilization. He flattened the earth, drove back the roaring tides, and placed the dry ground securely "on the water," pinning the chaotic deep beneath His feet. He built a structural breakwater for humanity. When the congregation chants, “His faithful love endures forever” after this verse, they are recognizing that the very ground they stand upon is a direct gift of divine mercy. The earth remains solid, and the chaos waters are kept at bay, simply because the loyal Hesed of the Creator actively maintains the boundaries of creation every single second. The third segment is: Overruling the Astral Principalities Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Six: verses seven, eight, and nine. Give thanks to him who made the heavenly lights— His faithful love endures forever. the sun to rule the day, His faithful love endures forever. and the moon and stars to...

Send us Fan MailSend us Fan MailThis week has us sending along another re-post from the archives, while we are on sabbatical. The readings for this week are almost exactly the same as the RCL Lectionary we were using three years ago, but any timely remarks will be tied to circa 2023. Thanks for joining us, friends, and we look forward to returning to fresh episodes very soon! In this episode, we consider the readings for Proper 6, Year A in the Lectionary cycle:Genesis 18:1-15, 21:1-7 & Psalm 116:1, 10-17; Exodus 19:2-8a & Psalm 100; Romans 5:1-8; Matthew 9:35-10:23.We discuss the story of the the messengers coming to Abram and Sarah who laughed, the Lord's message to Israel at Mt. Sinai, Psalms of Thanksgiving, Paul's words on hope and the love of Jesus, and Jesus' sending out the twelve in His name.Notes:--Dwell App--Metrical Collect for Proper 6--We recommended Dcn. Jeremiah Webster's recent book Follow the Devil/Follow the Light a few episodes ago, and Goodreads is running a giveaway for it through June 15. See more of Dcn. Jeremiah's books here or read selected poems here.--The Bible Project--Bible Project's video on Romans--Bible Project's video on Hesed or Loyal Love1:23 Collect2:39 Genesis 18:1-15, 21:1-7 & Psalm 116:1, 10-1719:41  Exodus 19:2-8a & Psalm 10031:31  Romans 5:1-843:36 Matthew 9:35-10:23Our outro music is an original song by our friend Dcn. Jeremiah Webster, a poet and professor whose giftedness is rivaled by his humbleness. You can find his published works, including After So Many Fires, with a quick Google. Our outro music is an original song by our friend Dcn. Jeremiah Webster, a poet and professor whose giftedness is rivaled by his humbleness. You can find his published works, including After So Many Fires, with a quick Google.

We read each morning the section of the Ketoret, which includes verses from the Torah that discuss the Ketoret incense offering brought in the Bet Ha'mikdash, as well as a passage from the Talmud that goes into the detail of how the Ketoret was prepared. It is customary when reciting the Gemara's list of the eleven spices from which the Ketoret was made to count them with one's fingers. According to the teachings of Kabbalah, one should count on only one hand, the right hand. One counts the first five with the five fingers of the right hand, and then the next five with those same five fingers, and then the eleventh with one finger on that hand. The right hand is used because it is associated with the divine attribute of Hesed, and we want the Ketoret offering to arouse this quality. Additionally, the Kohen in the Bet Ha'mikdash would offer the Ketoret specifically with his right hand. The Hesed La'alafim (Rav Eliezer Papo, 1785-1828) maintained that one should count the spices with both hands, but we follow the position of the Kabbalists, to count only with the right hand. This is the ruling of the Ben Ish Hai (Rav Yosef Haim of Baghdad, 1833-1909) and the Kaf Ha'haim (Rav Yaakob Haim Sofer, Baghdad-Jerusalem, 1870-1939). The first four of the eleven spices are Sori, Siporen, Helbena and Lebona, and we then say, "Mishkal Shibim Shibim Maneh" – that seventy measurements of each of these four spices – a total of 280 portions – were included in the Ketoret. We then proceed to list the next four spices: Mor, Kesi'a, Shibolet Nerd, and Karkom, and add "Mishkal Shisha Asar Shisha Asar Maneh" – sixteen portions of each of these four ingredients (a total of 64) were included. The next spice is "Kost," of which "Shenem Asar" – twelve portions – were included in the Ketoret. The list concludes with the final two spices – three portions of Kilufa and nine portions of Kinamon. This brings the total amount of portions to 368 (280+64+12+3+9). All the other items listed in the Ketoret section were not ingredients of the Ketoret, but were used in the process of preparing of the Ketoret. Interestingly, although the section from the Gemara lists eleven spices that comprised the Ketoret, the Torah lists only four – Nataf, Shehelet, Helbena, Lebona Zaka (Shemot 30:34). The Sages arrived at a total of 11 because the Torah introduces its list with the word "Samim" (spices), which implies the inclusion of an additional two spices. And, after listing the first three spices – Nataf, Shehelet and Helbena – the Torah repeats the word "Samim," indicating another five in addition to the five that were already mentioned. The Torah then mentions the final spice, Lebona Zaka, bringing the total to 11. Hacham Baruch Ben-Haim would count the eleven spices with his fingers not only when reading the Gemara's list, but also when reading these verses. He counted the first instance of the word "Samim" as two, then Nataf, Shehelet and Helbena, followed by five for the second instance of "Samim," and then the eleventh when reading the word "Lebona Zaka." Hacham Baruch noted that the Gemara, when listing the eleven spices, adds the preface "Ha" when mentioning the first four spices: "Ha'sori, Ve'ha'siporen, Ha'helbena, Ve'halebona." The preface "Ha" is the definitive article "the," and thus the Gemara is identifying these four spices as ingredients that we are already familiar with, as though saying, "The Sori that was already mentioned, the Siporen that was already mentioned," and so on. Hacham Baruch explained that these are the four spices mentioned explicitly in the Torah, and so the Gemara refers to them with the definitive article "Ha."

If you want to better understand the heart of God and see how His love is consistently at work from Genesis to today, this conversation will deepen your biblical understanding and strengthen your hope in His unchanging character. Jennifer Matheny came onto my podcast to talk about her book Hesed, the Seed of the Biblical Story and the powerful, often overlooked theme of God’s steadfast love woven throughout Scripture. We explore what hesed really means in the Old Testament and how it reveals God’s faithful, covenantal love in every season of our lives.

The Rambam, in Hilchot Talmud Torah (3:12), writes that one cannot achieve success in Torah learning if he learns in a relaxed manner, and only when learning is convenient and comfortable. Like anything else in life, a person excels only through persistence, diligence, and hard work. "Dabbling" in Torah will not result in Torah scholarship – just like "dabbling" in any other field will not lead to mastery or excellence in that field. There are no shortcuts to achievement in Torah study. Rav Mordechai Gifter (1915-2001), Rosh Yeshiva of the Telz Yeshiva in Cleveland, would say that a lot of students want to learn the entire Shas in one night – and also manage to sleep eight hours that night…and to learn while sipping soda… Quite obviously, this is not how it works. A person can succeed in Torah learning only if he is prepared to put in the time, work and effort, and to learn even when conditions are far less than ideal. This includes learning even when one feels tired. Although a person should certainly sleep as much as he needs, he should ensure to use the rest of his time for Torah learning, and not for sleeping beyond what he needs for his physical and emotional wellbeing. Many sources emphasize the particular importance and value of learning Torah during the nighttime hours. In fact, the Gemara (Erubin 65a) states explicitly that the nighttime period was designated specifically for Torah learning. And the Rambam writes in Hilchot Talmud Torah (3:13): "Even though it is a Misva to study both during the day and at night, it is only at night that a person acquires the majority of his wisdom. Therefore, whoever wishes to merit the "Crown of Torah" should be careful with all of his nights, not wasting even one of them on sleep, eating, drinking, idle chatter, or the like—rather, [spending them] in the study of Torah and words of wisdom." The Rambam concludes: "And any house in which the words of Torah are not heard at night will be consumed by fire." If one's "fire" – his passion, his excitement and energy – is directed somewhere else other than Torah, then his home runs the risk, Heaven forbid, of being consumed by fire. The Torah tells (Bereshit 28:11) that when Yaakob was leaving Eretz Yisrael, and he reached the site where the Bet Ha'mikdash would be built, he went to sleep ("Va'yalen Sham"). The Midrash comments that Yaakob slept there – but did not sleep at all during the fourteen previous years, which he spent learning Torah in the yeshiva of Shem and Eber. The commentators explain that this cannot mean that he literally remained awake for fourteen years. Rather, it means that during that period, Yaakob never actually went to sleep in a bed. When he needed to, he put his head down, or found a place to lie so he could get the small amount of sleep that he needed. In order to achieve in Torah learning, one must be prepared to sacrifice physical comfort, and to keep his sleep to a minimum. A different passage in the Midrash tells that King David would go to sleep at nightfall, but he kept a musical instrument by his bedroom window, that served as a kind of "alarm clock." At Hasot (midnight), the wind would blow the strings, producing music, and David would wake up to learn Torah. The Yeser Ha'ra (evil inclination) would try to convince him to go back to sleep, saying that kings normally enjoy the luxury of sleeping late, as they do not have to rise early for work like the commoners. But David would ignore the Yeser Ha'ra and spend the rest of the night engrossed in Torah study. The Gemara (Sukka 26b) instructs that if a person needs to sleep during the day, he should sleep for only a brief amount. Elsewhere (Erubin 65a), the Gemara relates that Rav Hisda's daughter asked why he slept so little, and he replied that soon – after his passing – he would have plenty of time for sleep… Our limited time here in this world should be used productively, and not wasted on excessive rest and relaxation. The Midrash Tanhuma (Parashat Noah, 3) warns that in order to succeed in learning the intricate material of the Torah She'be'al Peh, one cannot aspire to wealth and luxuries; the only way to excel in Torah learning is by sacrificing physical and material comforts. Similarly, Tana De'beh Eliyahu Zuta (14) warns that excessive eating and sleeping leads to "poverty" in the area of Torah knowledge. Normally, when a person stays up late at night and sleeps only the minimum that he requires, he is likely to appear the next day pale, drained, and bleary-eyed, and might not be very pleasant to look at. However, the Gemara (Hagiga 12a) promises that if a person spends his night learning Torah, Hashem "casts a cord of Hesed" over him. This means that he will have a certain "charm" the next day, earning people's admiration and favor despite his fatigue. In a different passage (Sanhedrin 71b), the Gemara teaches that when the righteous sleep, they and the entire world suffer a loss. As the Sadikim spend their time productively, involved in meaningful pursuits that benefit them and the entire world, they and the world lose as a result of the time they spend sleeping. (Conversely, then, when the wicked sleep – and thus are not engaged in their sinful behavior – they and the entire world benefit from their inactivity.) The Gemara in Masechet Menahot (110a) teaches that scholars who spend their nights learning Torah are considered as though they offer sacrifices in the Bet Ha'mikdash. And in Masechet Tamid (32b), the Gemara states that if a person learns Torah at night, the Shechina accompanies him wherever he goes. The Talmud Yerushalmi (Ta'anit 3a) cites Rav Ada Bar Ahaba as avowing that he never slept an entire night, as he always rose early to learn Torah. The Reshit Hochma ( Rabbi Eliyahu de Vidas, 1518–1587) writes that when one learns Torah at night, he is not seen; his study is private, without publicity and fanfare, and this lends it a very special quality. Since he learns secretly, he is worthy of having the hidden secrets of the Torah revealed to him. An especially stern passage appears in Abot De'Rabbi Natan (29:3), warning that if a person is awake at night and not involved in Torah learning, "he would be better off had he been strangled at birth." Rabbenu Yona (Spain, 1200-1263) writes that if a person stays awake at night learning Torah, then he obviates the need for Yisurin (punishments). Since he subjects himself to the discomfort of remaining awake to learn Torah, this counts for whichever kinds of suffering he needs to experience. This is alluded to by the verse in Tehillim (94:12), "Ashreh Ha'geber Asher Teyaserenu Y-ah U'mi'Toratecha Telamedenu" – "Fortunate is the man whom G-d punished, and teaches him from his Torah." This can be read to mean that a person is fortunate if he receives his punishments by immersing himself in intensive Torah learning, exerting hard work and effort. Rabbenu Yona further notes that Moshe Rabbenu did not sleep at all throughout the forty days he spent atop Mount Sinai receiving the Torah – setting an example of minimizing sleep for the sake of Torah learning. If, Rabbenu Yona adds, a king invited someone to his treasury to collect as many riches as he could for a specific period of time, this man would certainly not sleep at all during that time, and would use every moment he could to collect riches. We, too, should use as much of our limited time in this world as we can for Torah learning, collecting spiritual "riches," rather than waste our time indulging in physical comforts. Rav Besalel Ashkenazi (Israel, 1520-1592) writes that in his youth, he spent his nights engaged in Torah study, often learning throughout the night without sleeping. He also occasionally skipped meals. It was through this sacrifice of physical comforts for Torah learning that he achieved Torah scholarship. The Reshit Hochma writes that his esteemed mentor, Rav Yosef Taychik (1465-1546), did not sleep in a bed for forty years, and would instead sit on an elevated piece of furniture with his legs dangling, such that he would not stay asleep for an extended period. He rose every night at midnight and spent the rest of the night learning Torah. And a disciple of Rav Yehonatan Eibshutz (1694-1764) testified that throughout the years he spent learning under him, Rav Yehonatan never slept in a bed, and instead dozed for brief periods in his chair. Rav Chaim Brim (Jerusalem, 1922-2002) related that the Hazon Ish (Rav Abraham Yeshaya Karelitz, 1878-1953) was once found sleeping on his bed in the wrong position – with his feet on the side where the head was supposed to be. The people told him to turn around, and he said, "If I had the strength to turn myself around, I would learn another Tosafot." The Hazon Ish continued learning Torah until he had no strength left, not even to turn his body around. Rav Haim Palachi (Turkey, 1788-1868) wrote that if a person could see into the future, to the time when he would be in the grave, and understand the extent of the regret he would experience for not having used his time properly, he would never waste time, and he would minimize his sleep in order to spend more time learning Torah. Rav Palachi added that a person who rises at midnight to learn Torah earns the status of a "friend" of Hashem and of the Nation of Israel, and he will be spared punishments that befall the rest of the world. The Reshit Hochma notes that when rising at midnight to learn Torah, one should be driven solely by his genuine love for Hashem, and not by any ulterior motives. Only if his intentions are pure will he reap the precious rewards for learning Torah at night. The Reshit Hochma says that as a teenager, he devoted himself entirely to Torah study, engaging in virtually no other activities. The Peleh Yoetz (Rav Eliezer Papo, 1785-1828) urges us to train ourselves to sleep fewer hours and to learn Torah even when we feel drowsy, in order to maximize the amount of time we have to devote to Torah. The Ben Ish Hai (Rav Yosef Haim of Baghdad, 1833-1909) discusses the great value of learning Torah in the predawn hours, adding that one's intentions should be for the sake of Hashem, and not to earn reward. The Tchebiner Rav (1881-1965) had the practice on Shabbat afternoons of testing schoolchildren on their Torah studies. One Shabbat afternoon, a boy knocked on his door, but there was no answer, as the Rabbi was sleeping. The youngster continued knocking until the Rabbi answered. The Rabbi gently told the boy that if nobody answers the door on Shabbat afternoon, this usually means that the people in the home are asleep. "I didn't think that the Rabbi slept on Shabbat afternoon!" The Tchebiner Rav committed to never sleep again on Shabbat afternoon, acknowledging that this was the expectation of a sage of his stature. From all these sources, we see the importance of learning Torah even when one feels tired, and that we must try to push ourselves to achieve to the best of our ability rather than spend our free time relaxing and learning only when it is easy and convenient.

The Mishna at the end of Masechet Menahot (110a) teaches: "Ehad Ha'marbeh Ve'ehad Ha'mam'it, U'bilbad She'yechaven Libo La'Shamayim" – "Whether one does much or one does little, as long as he directs his heart toward Heaven." The point made by the Mishna is that the most important factor is not the amount that one actually manages to accomplish, but rather the extent to which he maximizes his potential and does his best. A person who is able to learn six hours a day is not necessarily greater than a person who is able to learn just one hour day, as these two individuals might face very different circumstances. If the first individual learns for six hours but has the ability to learn even more, whereas the second only has an hour for learning and takes full advantage of that hour, then the second is greater than the first. This is true also of scholarly achievement, charity, Hesed, community involvement, and so on. Not everyone is in the position to do the same amount. Every individual has his unique set of strengths, weaknesses, talents, struggles, challenges and circumstances, and no two people's expectations are thus exactly alike. The most important thing is "She'yechaven Libo La'Shamayim" – that one sincerely invests the greatest effort that he can and achieves to the very best of his ability. Hacham Ovadia Yosef noted that the word "Leb" ("heart") consists of the letters Lamed and Bet. These two letters are preceded by the letters Kaf and Alef – which spell the word "Ach" ("only"), and are followed by the letters Mem and Gimal – which spell the word "Gam." Now the Gemara teaches us that the word "Ach" implies a "Mi'ut," an exclusion, and when it appears in the Torah in the context of a Halacha, it indicates that something is excluded from the law in question. Conversely, the word "Gam" implies a "Ribui," an extension, that the law includes something that we might not have expected it to. The word "Leb" is thus "surrounded" by both "Marbeh" and "Mam'it," by an allusion to a large amount and an allusion to a smaller amount. This reinforces the notion that the most important thing is the heart, one's sincerity, one's genuine quest for excellence and devoted efforts to do the most he can. This – and not the bottom-line result – is what matters to Hashem and what should matter to us.

Welcome to Day 2845 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2845 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 119:145-152 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2845 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2845 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. The Title for today's Wisdom-Trek is: The Qoph of Calling – The Nearness of the King in the Dark Watch In our previous episode on this grand expedition, we climbed through the eighteenth stanza of Psalm One Hundred Nineteen, the “Tsadhe” section. We found a massive, unyielding anchor for our souls in the absolute, unbending justice of the Creator. We learned that when the pressure and stress of this hostile world bear down upon us like a vice grip, we do not have to panic. Instead, we can retreat into the thoroughly tested, perfectly refined promises of Yahweh, finding a supernatural, defiant joy in His eternal righteousness. Today, we take a deep breath, adjust our packs, and continue our ascent into the nineteenth stanza of this magnificent, alphabetical mountain. We are exploring the “Qoph” section, covering Psalm One Hundred Nineteen, verses one hundred forty-five through one hundred fifty-two, in the New Living Translation. In the ancient Hebrew alphabet, the letter “Qoph” was often depicted as the back of a head, or the eye of a needle. It carries the imagery of calling out, of drawing near, and of things coming full circle. This stanza is intensely atmospheric. The psalmist takes us into the darkest, most vulnerable hours of the night. He is surrounded by the approaching footsteps of his enemies. He is exhausted, and he is crying out with every ounce of strength he has left. But in the midst of this terrifying darkness, he makes a breathtaking discovery about the proximity of God. Let us step onto the trail, and learn how to call out to the King when the shadows close in. The first segment is: The Wholehearted Cry for Rescue Psalm One Hundred Nineteen: verses one hundred forty-five and one hundred forty-six. I pray with all my heart; answer me, Lord! I will obey your decrees. I cry out to you; rescue me, that I may obey your laws. The stanza opens with an intense, raw explosion of spiritual desperation. “I pray with all my heart; answer me, Lord!” We must remember the context of the previous stanzas. The psalmist has been hunted by the arrogant, smeared with lies, and pushed to the absolute limits of his endurance. When you reach this level of exhaustion, polite, casual prayers evaporate. You do not offer God a half-hearted request. You cry out with the totality of your being. To pray “with all my heart” means that his intellect, his emotions, and his will are entirely unified, and laser-focused on the throne of Yahweh. Notice the beautiful symmetry in his bargaining. He says, “Answer me, Lord! I will obey your decrees. I cry out to you; rescue me, that I may obey your laws.” Many times, when human beings are in pain, we cry out for rescue simply because we want the pain to stop. We want relief, comfort, and an easy life. But the psalmist elevates his prayer far beyond mere self-preservation. He is asking for deliverance with a highly specific, cosmic goal in mind. He wants to be rescued, precisely so that he can continue his mission as an obedient imager of the Most High God. He is saying, “Lord, if my enemies destroy me, my voice of obedience is silenced in this world. Save my life, cut the ropes of the wicked, and deliver me from this trap, so that I can get back to the business of walking in Your cosmic blueprint. My rescue is tied directly to Your glory.” The second segment is: The Vigil of the Night Watches Psalm One Hundred Nineteen: verses one hundred forty-seven and one hundred forty-eight. I rise early, before the sun is up; I cry out for help and put my hope in your words. I stay awake through the night, thinking about your promise. The psalmist details the grueling, physical reality of his spiritual vigil. He is caught in a cycle of sleepless desperation. He declares, “I rise early, before the sun is up; I cry out for help and put my hope in your words.” Literally, the Hebrew text says, “I anticipate the dawn.” Before the first rays of light crest the horizon, before the rest of the camp is awake, the psalmist is already on his knees. He beats the sun to the battlefield. He knows that if he waits until the chaotic noise of the day begins, his mind might be hijacked by fear. So, he preemptively anchors his soul, crying out for help in the predawn stillness, and forcibly attaching his hope to the solid rock of God's words. But the battle is not just in the morning; it consumes his nights as well. “I stay awake through the night, thinking about your promise.” In the ancient world, the night was divided into military watches. It was the time of greatest vulnerability. The darkness was considered the domain of chaos, the hunting ground of predators, and the operational hour of the dark, rebellious spiritual forces of the Divine Council. The wicked, who operate under the influence of these rebel gods, do their best work in the dark. The psalmist cannot sleep because the threat is so imminent. His eyes are wide open through every single watch of the night. But instead of letting his mind spin into a vortex of anxiety, he engages in active, defensive warfare. He stays awake, “thinking about your promise.” Other translations say, “meditating on your word.” He uses the quiet, terrifying hours of the darkness to chew on the eternal promises of the Creator. He weaponizes his insomnia, turning his midnight terror into a sanctuary of deep, theological reflection. The third segment is: The Plea for Hesed and the Approaching Threat Psalm One Hundred Nineteen: verses one hundred forty-nine and one hundred fifty. In your unfailing love, hear my prayer; Lord, revive me by your justice. Lawless people are coming to attack me; they live far from your instructions. As the night drags on, the psalmist makes his ultimate appeal. “In your unfailing love, hear my prayer; Lord, revive me by your justice.” Once again, we encounter the bedrock word of the Old Testament: Hesed. The psalmist does not demand a hearing based on his own perfect performance; he asks for an audience based entirely on God's loyal, covenant-keeping affection. He is exhausted, and his spirit is fainting, so he asks Yahweh to “revive” him. He needs the breath of life—chayah—to be pumped back into his collapsing lungs. And he trusts that God's justice, His unbending commitment to making things right, will act as the defibrillator for his dying hope. The urgency of this revival is suddenly made clear in verse one hundred fifty. The abstract fears of the night have materialized into a terrifying, physical reality. He whispers, “Lawless people are coming to attack me; they live far from your instructions.” Literally, the Hebrew says, “They draw near who follow after wickedness.” The footsteps are getting louder. The shadows are moving. The enemy is closing the distance. Notice how the psalmist describes these attackers. They are not just political opponents; they are “lawless people.” They have severed themselves from the Torah of God. To live “far from your instructions” is to live in the chaotic, rebellious wasteland of the fallen world. By rejecting the cosmic blueprint of the Creator, these individuals have become willing agents of the dark principalities. They are bringing the chaos of the void directly to the psalmist's doorstep. The threat is imminent, and the trap is about to spring. The fourth segment is: The Ultimate Proximity and the Eternal Foundation Psalm One Hundred Nineteen: verses one hundred fifty-one and one hundred fifty-two. But you are near, O Lord, and all your commands are true. I have known from my earliest days that your laws will last forever. In the very moment when the lawless attackers draw near, when the tension is at its absolute peak, the psalmist experiences a stunning, supernatural revelation. He looks past the approaching shadows, and he declares a massive, paradigm-shifting truth: “But you are near, O Lord, and all your commands are true.” The wicked are drawing close, but Yahweh is...

Welcome to Day 2840 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2840 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 119:121-128 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2840 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2840 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. The title for today's Wisdom-Trek is: The Ayin of Anticipation – Eyes Straining for Cosmic Justice In our previous episode on this grand expedition, we navigated the fifteenth stanza of Psalm One Hundred Nineteen, the “Samekh” section. We witnessed the psalmist draw a hard, unyielding boundary line in the sand. He declared his absolute hatred for divided loyalties, and he begged the Creator to prop him up, acting as a sturdy pillar and a protective shield against the relentless pressure of a compromised culture. We learned what it means to tremble in the holy, bristling awe of God's justice, realizing that the Sovereign Lord will ultimately skim the wicked off the earth, just like dross is skimmed from a boiling crucible of silver. Today, we take our next courageous step forward, transitioning from the imagery of a sturdy shield, to the piercing reality of human vision. We are entering the sixteenth stanza of this magnificent, alphabetical mountain. We are exploring the “Ayin” section, covering Psalm One Hundred Nineteen, verses one hundred twenty-one through one hundred twenty-eight, in the New Living Translation. In the ancient Hebrew alphabet, the letter “Ayin” was originally depicted as an eye. It represents seeing, perceiving, understanding, and even weeping. This visual imagery is woven perfectly into the very fabric of this stanza. The psalmist is standing on the edge of his endurance. He is looking out at a world that is deeply broken, straining his eyes to see the promised rescue of Yahweh. He is begging for the spiritual vision, the discernment, to understand the cosmic blueprint, and he is watching, with righteous indignation, as the rebel forces violate the Creator's laws. Let us step onto the trail, open our eyes, and learn how to watch for the intervention of the King. The first segment is: The Plea for a Cosmic Guarantor Psalm One Hundred Nineteen: verses one hundred twenty-one and one hundred twenty-two. Don't leave me to my enemies, for I have done what is right and just. Please guarantee a blessing for me. Don't let the arrogant oppress me! The stanza opens with a bold, legally framed petition. The psalmist stands before the throne of the universe, and he submits his record for inspection: “I have done what is right and just.” This is not a boast of sinless perfection. In the Ancient Israelite worldview, doing what is “right and just” meant maintaining covenant loyalty. It meant that, despite the overwhelming pressure to adopt the idolatrous practices of the surrounding pagan nations, the psalmist had maintained his integrity. He had refused to participate in the corrupt, oppressive systems governed by the rebel gods of the Divine Council. Because he has maintained his allegiance to Yahweh, he asks for the reciprocal protection of the covenant: “Don't leave me to my enemies.” He then makes a fascinating, highly specific request: “Please guarantee a blessing for me.” The Hebrew word translated as “guarantee” is 'arab, which means to act as a surety, to pledge, or to co-sign. In the ancient commercial world, if a person owed a massive debt they could not pay, or faced a powerful opponent they could not defeat, a wealthier, stronger individual could step in as their surety. The guarantor would place their own reputation, and their own assets, on the line to protect the vulnerable person. The psalmist realizes that he is completely outmatched by his enemies. The “arrogant” individuals oppressing him are not just schoolyard bullies; they are the wealthy, powerful proxies of the dark spiritual realm. Therefore, he looks up to the Most High God, and essentially prays, “Lord, I need You to co-sign my life. I need You to step in as my cosmic Guarantor. Put the infinite weight of Your reputation between me and my oppressors, so that they cannot destroy me.” The second segment is: The Exhaustion of the Watchman Psalm One Hundred Nineteen: verse one hundred twenty-three. My eyes strain to see your rescue, to see the truth of your promise fulfilled. Here, we encounter the direct connection to the Hebrew letter “Ayin,” the eye. The psalmist confesses, “My eyes strain to see your rescue.” Other translations render this, “My eyes fail, looking for your salvation.” This paints a vivid, heartbreaking picture of spiritual and physical exhaustion. Imagine a watchman standing on the high wall of a besieged city. The enemy army has surrounded the gates, the food supplies are running out, and the watchman is staring out at the distant horizon, looking for the dust cloud of a rescuing army. He stares for hours, days, and weeks, until his eyes burn, blur, and literally begin to fail from the sheer intensity of the vigil. This is the agonizing reality of living in the “already, but not yet” phase of God's redemption. The psalmist knows that God has promised deliverance. He knows the character of Yahweh. But the waiting is taking a devastating toll on his physical body. He is straining to see the truth of the promise materialize in real time. It is a profound comfort to realize that the Bible does not gloss over the fatigue of the faithful. It is incredibly tiring to live a life of integrity in a world that rewards corruption. It is exhausting to keep your eyes fixed on the horizon of God's justice, when the present moment is filled with the taunts of the arrogant. Yet, even as his eyes fail, the psalmist refuses to stop looking. He will not lower his gaze to the mud; he keeps his vision locked on the heavens, anticipating the arrival of the King. The third segment is: The Privileges of the Servant Psalm One Hundred Nineteen: verses one hundred twenty-four and one hundred twenty-five. I am your servant; deal with me in unfailing love, and teach me your decrees. Give discernment to me, your servant; then I will understand your laws. In the midst of his exhaustion, the psalmist re-establishes his identity. Twice in these two verses, he declares, “I am your servant.” In our modern, democratic culture, we often view the title of “servant” as something degrading, or lowly. But in the ancient Near East, to be the direct servant of a sovereign king was a position of immense privilege, authority, and protection. A king was legally and morally obligated to provide for, and protect, the members of his royal household. By claiming the title of “servant,” the psalmist is invoking the royal obligations of Yahweh. He is saying, “Lord, I belong to Your administration. I work for Your kingdom. Therefore, deal with me in unfailing love.” Here is our bedrock, anchor word once again: Hesed. He is not asking God to deal with him based on his own merit, or his own strength, because his strength is currently failing. He asks God to treat him according to His loyal, stubborn, covenant-keeping affection. And what does this weary servant request from his Master? He does not ask for gold, silver, or an immediate, magical escape from his problems. He asks for education. “...and teach me your decrees. Give discernment to me... then I will understand your laws.” The psalmist realizes that his physical eyes might be failing, but his spiritual eyes desperately need to be sharpened. The Hebrew word for discernment means to separate, to distinguish, or to perceive with clarity. He wants the ability to look at the chaotic, confusing events of his life, and perceive the underlying, cosmic architecture of God's plan. He knows that true comfort does not come from a change of circumstances; true comfort comes from a deep, profound understanding of the Creator's laws. The fourth segment is: The Courtroom Demand for Cosmic Justice Psalm One Hundred Nineteen: verse one hundred twenty-six. Lord, it is time for you to act, for these evil people have violated your instructions. This single verse is one of the most remarkable, audacious prayers in the entire Psalter. The psalmist shifts from the posture of a weary servant, to the posture of a prosecuting attorney in the divine courtroom. He looks up at the throne, and declares, “Lord, it is time for you to act.” This is a direct, legal petition to the Divine Council. The psalmist is not being disrespectful; he is being intensely prophetic. He is surveying the cultural landscape, and he sees that the rebellion of the arrogant has reached a critical, unsustainable tipping point. He presents his evidence: “...for these evil people have violated your instructions.” Literally, the Hebrew says, “They...