The Heart Fears--Part 3

[continued from previous blog]

12. The Hebrew noun donag, "wax," appears once with heart in Psalm 22:14 [Heb. 22:15]:
       "I am poured out like water,
              all my bones are out of joint;
         MY HEART IS LIKE WAX;
              IT IS MELTED WITHIN MY BREAST."
Obviously, this is a simile indicating fear.

13. The Hebrew verb yare', "to fear," occurs once with heart in Psalm 27:3:
       "Though an army encamp against me,
               MY HEART SHALL NOT FEAR;
         though war rise up against me,
               yet I will be confident."
This context show that "my heart" means "I."

14. The Hebrew verb nua`, "to shake, move, be tender," appears once with heart in Isaiah 7:2:
       "When the house [dynasty] of David heard that Aram had allied itself with Ephraim
                                                                              [North Israel],   
         THE HEART OF AHAZ AND THE HEART OF HIS PEOPLE SHOOK
          AS THE TREES OF FOREST SHAKE BEFORE THE WIND."
For the heart to shake means that the heart fears.

15. The Hebrew verb ta`ah, "to flutter, reel," occurs with heart once in Isaiah 21:4. The prophet says:
      "MY HEART REELS, horror has appalled me;
           the twilight I longed for
           has been turned for me into trembling."

16. The Hebrew verb mug, "to melt, faint," appears once in Ezekiel 21:15:
      "Therefore HEARTS MELT and many stumble.
            At all their gates I have set the point of the sword.
        Ah! It is made for flashing,
             it is polished for slaughter."

17. The concept of standing in awe of Yahweh, reverential fear occurs with heart connected with two Hebrew words.
      a. The Hebrew verb pachadh, "to fear, breathe, pant," appears twice with heart.
           1. Psalm 119:161 says:
               "Princes persecute me without cause,
                    BUT MY HEART STANDS IN AWE OF YOUR WORDS."
In this context, "my heart" is equivalent to "I."
           2. Assuring Yahweh's people when they are in Babylonian exile, the prophet says:
               "Then you [Yahweh's people] shall see and be radiant;
                     YOUR HEART SHALL THRILL AND REJOICE,
                  because the abundance of the sea shall be brought to you,
                      the wealth of the nations shall come to you." Isaiah 60:5.
      b. The Hebrew noun yir'ah, "fear," appears twice with heart.
           1. The  prophet says in Isaiah 63:17:
                "Why, O Lord, do you make us stray from your ways
                       AND HARDEN OUR HEART, SO THAT WE DO NOT FEAR YOU?
                   Turn back for the sake of your servants,
                        for the sake of the tribes that are your heritage?"
           2. Yahweh contains this promise to his people through the prophet Jeremiah in Jeremiah 32:40:
                "I will make an everlasting covenant with them,
                  never to draw back from doing good to them;
                  AND I WILL PUT THE FEAR OF ME IN THEIR HEARTS,
                  so that they may not turn from me."

Cowardice is that fear which comes from a lack of courage and determination, and suggests an improper mental exercise of evaluation and consideration. On the other hand, reverence  is fear that is motivated by an appreciation for that which is superior to the individual, and suggests contemplation, meditation, and submission. In all these texts the "heart" is the seat of intelligence and sensitive emotions.

Share YOUR fears and thoughts and reversals and concerns and ideas with others. Let me hear from YOU.

John Willis


















     

I am not Afraid; What can Mortals do to Me?--Psalm 56

The superscription attempts to connect Psalm 56 with the Philistines seizing David at Gath. But elsewhere in the Hebrew Bible there is no reference to such an event. Apparently, the closest to this is 1 Samuel 21:10-15, according to which some of the soldiers of Achish king of Gath accused David as a traitor against the Philistines; David pretended that he was a madman, and Achish released him. The recurring theme of Psalm 56 is:
             "In God, whose word I praise,
                     in God I trust, I am not afraid;
               what can flesh [mortals] do to me?" (56:4, 10-11).
Psalm 56 falls into three brief stanzas.

1. The composer of Psalm begins by pleading to Yahweh, "O Most High," to be gracious to him.
     a. The reason for this is that people have trampled on him, foes oppress him, his enemies trample on him all day long, many fight against him.  56:1-2.
     b. The psalmist declares that when he is afraid, he puts his trust in Yahweh. He praises Yahweh's word. He declares he is not afraid, what can flesh do to him? 56:3-4.

2. The psalmist describes his enemies. 56:5-11.
     a. The psalmist explains that his enemies seek to injure his cause all day long. All their thoughts are against him for evil. They stir up strife, they lurk, they watch the psalmist's steps, they hoped to have his life. 56:5-6.
    b. The poet beseeches Yahweh to repay his enemies for their crime; cast down the peoples in wrath. 56:7.
    c. The composer declares that Yahweh has kept count of his tossings. Metaphorically, he asks Yahweh to put his tears in Yahweh's bottle to be a record. I f Yahweh does this, his enemies will retreat in the day when the psalmist calls, assured that Yahweh is FOR him. 56:8-9.
   d. The psalmist intones the recurring refrain or chorus in 56:4: the psalmist praises Yahweh's word; he trusts in Yahweh; he is not afraid; What can a MERE MORTAL do to me? 56:10-11.

3. The psalmist promises:
     a. He will perform his vows. 56:12a.
     b. Render thank offerings to Yahweh. 56:12b.
     c. Joyfully, the psalmist proclaims that Yahweh has delivered him from death and his feet from falling so that the psalmist may walk before God in the light of life. 56:13.

Share YOUR experiences and concerns and anxieties and cares and fears with others. Let me hear from YOU.

John Willis