129An Introduction to God
Towrah Mizmowr
…Towrah’s Song
4
Yowd Kaph Lamed Mem
Hand Palm Staff Water…
We have reached the 10th refrain of the Towrah’s Song. Dowd, our guide on this exploration through words and time. He has led us on an enlightening tour of Yahowah’s Word – beginning with the insights signaled by the Aleph and Beyth and then followed by those seen through the lens of a Gimal, Dalet, Hey, Wah, Zayin, Chet, and Theth.
Dowd’s remarkable Song was composed to teach us how to observe the Towrah. And since the Towrah is the map to heaven, this Psalm is a compass to help orient us and chart the proper course.
The first letter in Yahowah’s name is the next step in this journey through the Hebrew Alphabet. A Yowd | was drawn to depict an open and welcoming hand and arm reaching down and out to us. It presents Yahowah reaching down and out to His children, ready, willing, and able, to lift us up.
In Ancient Hebrew, the alphabet Dowd may have used to write these lyrics, a yad | hand was used to depict the authority, ability, and power to do whatever work was required. It is also the first letter of this next word…
“Your hands (yad ‘atah – Your authority and actions) have engaged and acted with me, making me who I am 130(‘asah ‘any – have accomplished this work with me, even created me (qal perfect)).
They have prepared and supported me, appointed and established me (wa kuwn ‘any – they have shaped, fashioned, and formed me so that I am ready to take a firm and enduring stand, steadfast, certain, resolved, and sure (polel imperfect)).
It is Your will to help me develop the mental acuity to understand (byn ‘any – You have chosen to work with me so that I realize the truth, scrutinize the evidence, and perceive what can be rationally discerned by making the proper connections and associations (hifil imperative)).
And I want to learn (wa lamad – I have chosen to acquire the information and training required to teach (qal imperfect cohortative)) the instructive conditions of Your relationship agreement delineating what You have offered along with what You expect in return (mitswah ‘atah – the authoritative directions which comprise the terms of what You have established).” (Mizmowr / Song / Psalm 119:73)
Dowd was inspired to share the single most relevant lesson which can be deduced from the Yowd | . It represents Yahowah’s | desire to reach out to and raise His children, lifting us up and engaging with us, preparing and supporting us so that we are ready for any occasion.
God wants to develop our intellect, nurturing our capacity to understand. His will is for us to realize the truth by scrutinizing the evidence He has provided.
In this way, we are prepared to learn and are trained to teach. And few things are as important as the mitswah | a knowledge of what Yahowah is offering and expects in return.
131Humankind was conceived to know, to understand, and to respond to God. This is by design. Moreover, this process takes place in our minds, not in our hearts. Dowd was focused upon knowing and understanding the content of Yahowah’s Towrah. This difference in perspective and attitude could not be more extreme.
A hand is comprised of four fingers and one opposable thumb. There is one prerequisite and four terms and conditions relative to our participation in the Covenant. We are required to reject religion, politics, and the traditions of man, walking away from babel | confounding commingling. Once we do, we can extend our fingers and grasp Yahowah’s hand by accepting the four remaining conditions of His Covenant.
We are asked to trust and rely upon Yahowah, something which requires us to know Him and understand what He is offering. We are encouraged to walk to God so that He can perfect our soul – a path that is facilitated by His Miqra’ey. Helping us keep our bearings along the way, Yah has asked us to closely examine and carefully consider His mitswah | terms and conditions of the Covenant. And as parents, we are encouraged to circumcise our sons, demonstrating that we are committed to teaching them the Towrah and raising them in the Covenant.
With the five hands in Yahowah’s | name, and the five fingers on our hands, it is evident that God fashioned us to remind us of the five most essential things we can do in this life.
Recognizing that Yahowah wants to “help us develop the mental acuity to know and understand” ought to shake the faith out of the religious. Knowing is infinitely superior to believing and understanding is better than faith. This symphony of Divine inspiration and human investigation was composed to teach us how to observe Yahowah’s 132Towrah | Teaching of Yahowah so that we can capitalize upon the Covenant.
I concur with Dowd’s next line. I have never been impressed with men, but I cannot wait to meet the man who wrote these words. His relationship with Yahowah is essential to understanding the Towrah and its Covenant – as well as to being redeemed by them.
“By respecting You (yare’ ‘atah – those who are inspired by You and come to appreciate You), they will choose to see me (ra’ah ‘any – they will have decided to look at, observe, and consider me (qal imperfect jussive)) and they will be delighted, even elated (wa samah – they will rejoice (qal imperfect)), because indeed (ky), according to (la) Your Word (dabar ‘atah – Your testimony), I have waited expecting this outcome (yachal – I have placed my confidence and trust in anticipation (piel perfect)).” (Mizmowr / Song / Psalm 119:74)
History is rife with wise men – but none who were brighter or more articulate. What makes this man and his witness unique is the fusion of his intellectual gifts and Yah’s Word – that and the fact he is the Son of God and the Messiah, a king and a prophet, a gifted songwriter and gift as our savior – which is a decent start to a good résumé.
More than this, Dowd is the living embodiment of the Covenant, the ultimate beneficiary of the Towrah, and God’s most devoted student. He is the closest person to God we will ever know. Therefore, those who are inspired by Yah see Dowd as he is and for what he represents.
This message is reflected throughout the Mizmowr, while it shines brightest in the 89th Psalm – Dowd’s Song. It is the Cornerstone of the Covenant Home which was and will be constructed atop Mowryah.
Also, the converse is true: those who fail to appreciate Dowd’s overall significance do not respect Yahowah. For 133example, there are 13 Pillars of Rabbinic Judaism – not a single one of which acknowledges Dowd – the Son of God and Messiah – even the Passover Lamb. Worse, the 12th pillar ascribes his Messianic title to an unidentified individual. Also proving my point, Judaism has written Yahowah out of every aspect of Jewish life while elevating rabbinic testimony above God’s revelations.
Christians have also disrespected Dowd. They robbed him of everything Yahowah professed about him. And as a result, they have replaced Yahowah, His Towrah, His Covenant, His Messiah, His Son, and His people with their own platitudes. In the process, a mythical misnomer became their god and their would-be savior would be their undoing.
These three words – yare’-‘atah ra’ah-‘any wa-samah – transform our understanding of Yahowah, His Word, and His Covenant. In his lyrics, we see God and come to appreciate the kind of relationship He wants to develop with us.
Dowd was chosen by Yahowah. And at the time, Yahowah said that His criteria for having selected this young man above all others were remarkably different than mankind’s preferences. He was a shepherd tending sheep living away from his father, brothers, and almost everyone else. As the Chosen One, he was anointed with oil on Yahowah’s direction and then immersed in the Spirit. He would immediately prove his courage along with his desire to verbally disparage his people’s adversaries. He grew into an exceptional defender of Yisra’el, God’s preferred poet and songwriter, as well as a prophet whose standing was rivaled only by Moseh.
As Messiah and King, he unified his people, then guided and protected them. He inspired their minds, impassioned their hearts, and he called them home to the Covenant, to Yisra’el, and to Shamaym. His first of three 134lives was the greatest ever lived, leaving behind the rich legacy of his Mizmowr and Mashal, and yet, this was just the beginning.
It is Dowd’s second life, the one culminating in year 4000 Yah / 33 CE, that this declaration is acknowledging. It was then that our King returned to serve as the Passover Lamb, allowing his body to be tortured by the Romans as his people walked past in ignorance of what he was doing. And this was inexcusable since he had laid it all out for them in graphic detail in his 22nd Psalm.
With the body his nepesh had occupied destroyed on Passover, Dowd’s soul was laden with the guilt of every Covenant member so that on the Invitation to be Called Out of UnYeasted Bread, he could take our guilt with him into She’owl | Hell and deposit it there – never to be seen again. This is the greatest gift ever given.
Then as Matsah became Bikuwrym, the Firstborn of Yahowah celebrated Firstborn Children with his Father, showing us the way Home. Seven Sevens thereafter, all who would avail themselves of what Father and Son had achieved would be enriched and empowered, enlightened and emancipated sons and daughters of the Almighty, following in the Messiah’s footsteps. He saved us, but not in the way Jews sought deliverance.
This is the message we Taruw’ah because we appreciate what Yahowah and Dowd have done so that we might live within the Family of God. We have become the living embodiment of Psalm 119:74.
We are rapidly approaching Dowd’s return with Yahowah on Yowm Kipurym | the Day of Reconciliations in year 6000 Yah – Sunday evening at sunset, 6:22 PM in Jerusalem, October 2nd, 2033. We are anticipating our Messiah and King shepherding Yahowah’s flock through the Millennial Shabat of Sukah and beyond.
135If you respect Yahowah sufficiently to become part of His Covenant Family, you will see Dowd as your brother and savior one day soon. He will have the seat of honor next to his Father. This is the outcome we cherish.
I had thought that the nom de plume I had chosen for this mission – Yada – as well as the title I had selected for these 30 volumes – Yada Yahowah – had been original. Turns out Dowd coined the declarative statement 3,000 years before I was born. And now, knowing that Dowd | David authored the phrase, rather than feeling trumped, I am elated. I think Dowd is pleased as well – as is our Father.
“Yada’ Yahowah | I know, recognize, acknowledge, and understand Yahowah (yada’ Yahowah – I am aware of and acquainted with Yahowah, I am familiar with Yahowah, I have discovered Yahowah, and I have personally experienced Yahowah, Yahowah and I are friends and family and, thus, I am in a relationship with Yahowah (qal perfect))!” (Mizmowr / Song / Psalm 119:75 in part)
Yada Yahowah is the most important declaration a man or woman can make during their lifetime. Those who can honestly proclaim these words know Yahowah. They have found God. Even better, they are friends and Family.
This is what the remnant of Yisra’el will proclaim on Yowm Kipurym | the Day of Reconciliations in year 6000 Yah (as the sun sets in Jerusalem on October 2nd, 2033). And some I suspect, perhaps many, will do so as a result of reading Yada Yahowah.
“This is because (ky – truly and surely, emphasizing this point and showing causality) Your approach to achieve justice, resolve disputes, and think rationally (mishpat ‘atah – Your means to exercise good judgment and make informed and rational decisions, along with Your sense of justice, morality, judgment) is correct, fair, 136vindicating, and right (tsadaq – just, honorable, straightforward, acquitting, equitable, righteous, and in complete accord with the standard).
Reliably and truthfully (wa ‘emuwnah – faithfully and dependably, consistently and firmly, in a manner which is certain and verifiable), You have responded to me, answering me with Your testimony (‘anah ‘any – You have replied to me (piel perfect)).” (Mizmowr / Song / Psalm 119:75)
Yahowah’s approach to exercise good judgment and deduce reasoned conclusions from the evidence He has provided is the reason Dowd could exclaim “Yada’ Yahowah | I know Yahowah!” The same is true for all of us.
Just as Yahowah asks us to answer His Invitations to be Called Out and Meet, when we reply, He responds to us. The Covenant is a reciprocal relationship.
But you would not know this by reading most English Bible translations. They are wont to render ‘anah as “You have afflicted me.” Their ignorance and animosity toward God are astonishing.
Dowd’s last three statements are among the greatest ever conveyed by man. He is clearly the Yad | hand of Yah | …
“Please let Your continual kindness and steadfast love always exist (y-hayah na’ chesed ‘atah – I want Your devotion and favor to continue to be genuine and everlasting (qal imperfect jussive)) to comfort me (la nacham ‘any – as a demonstration of compassion (piel infinitive)) in accordance with (ka – consistent with) Your Word and the promises You have made (‘imrah – Your message and testimony) to Your coworker (la ‘ebed ‘atah – to Your associate).” (Mizmowr / Song / Psalm 119:76)
Hayah conveys the idea of “existence,” and thus in a timeless lexicon like Hebrew, it can be rendered as “was, 137is, and always will be.” In this case, hayah was scribed in the qal stem, telling us that Dowd’s request should be interpreted literally and that his plea was genuine. As an imperfect verb, we know that David expected Yah’s love and mercy to continue unabated throughout time, producing ongoing results. And lastly, by using the jussive form, loyal love is seeking its own.
Chesed is among the Covenant’s most endearing terms. It speaks of “genuine mercy which flows out of a sense of enduring love.” To be chesed is to be “kind, affectionate, devoted, steadfast, reliable, and unfailing.” To receive chesed is to “benefit from an undeserved and unearned favor.”
Dowd recognized the importance of Yahowah’s ‘imrah | promises – as well as his role in fulfilling them. As a prophet, he knew that his Second Coming would establish redemption for his people and his Third Coming would not only coincide with the restoration of Yisra’el, but it would also usher in a return to Gan ‘Eden | the Garden of Great Joy.
Dowd is keenly aware that being the King of Yisra’el is a difficult job, so I do not think that he is asking any of this for himself. After all, in Shamaym, with the lone exception of Dowd, we will have total liberty without any responsibility, leaving the King accountable for us collectively. Therefore, I think the Messiah is being altruistic, pleading for Yahuwdym and not himself. And in this light, keep in mind that Dowd represents Yisra’el.
“Your mercy and favoritism come to me and through me (y-bow’ ‘any rachamym ‘atah – Your compassion and devotion continually pursue me (qal imperfect jussive)) because I live (wa chayah – I grow and flourish, remaining alive (qal imperfect)) for (ky – as a result of) Your Towrah | Teaching and Guidance (Towrah ‘atah – Your Source of Instructions and Directions). It is 138my greatest joy (sha’shuwa’ym ‘any – it is my delight and source of happiness).” (Mizmowr / Song / Psalm 119:77)
God is not capricious. Mercy does not fall out of trees. Even the Branch had to earn it – which he did by prioritizing Yahowah’s Towrah | Guidance and then by fulfilling the Miqra’ey.
With Yahowah being so forthright and generous, Dowd is naturally frustrated that God’s promises to him, many of which include the redemption of his people and the restoration of Yisra’el, are subverted, precluding billions from knowing his Father.
“Let the presumptuous, self-absorbed, and self-willed be disapproved and humiliated (y-bowsh zed – may the arrogant and haughty, the insolent who are self-motivated, the egotistical and self-important who are audaciously disrespectful by acting as if they and their pontifications are superior be frustrated and disappointed, made to feel ashamed (qal imperfect jussive)) because (ky) by misappropriating the truth with misleading claims and outright deceptions in this duplicitous sham (sheqer – with falsified and feigned testimony, an ignorant and irrational witness, a breach of faith and trust, with these lies), they have subverted what I represent by twisting and perverting who I am (‘awat – they have created an inverted impression of me and they have stooped to falsifying and corrupting this about me (piel perfect) [1QPs reads they subverted me rather than they undermined me in the Masoretic Text]).
I, myself, will think about and speak knowledgeably (‘any sych – I will actually and consistently study and make known, consider and contemplate, learn and teach, ponder and pontificate (qal imperfect)) on Your precepts, those instructions which You have entrusted to us, encouraging us to pay close attention to and examine for guidance so that we 139respond appropriately to You (ba piquwdym ‘atah – Your requirements and recommendations which guide our choices, actions, and moral decisions, which teach us how to respond appropriately, rationally, and morally to You). (Mizmowr 119:78)
Let those who are inspired by You and who respect You turn to me (y-shuwb la ‘any yare’ ‘atah – may those who choose to return and be restored along with me admire and revere You (qal imperfect jussive)) and they will come to know and understand (wa yada’ – and they will become familiar with, recognize, acknowledge, and comprehend (qal perfect)) Your eternal witness and restoring testimony (‘edah ‘atah – Your provisions and stipulations to return contingent upon Your enduring attestation).” (Mizmowr / Song / Psalm 119:79)
For those of you who began this journey reading this Introduction to God, or even Yada Yahowah up to the point of the Mow’ed | Appointments volume, you have been cheated out of a profoundly important revelation – one which is required to appreciate this prophetic outcry. This is not your fault but is similar to a student opening a textbook on calculus without having studied geometry, algebra, and trigonometry.
As the title suggests, and by design, An Introduction to God is an introductory class, while Coming Home is for graduate students. God’s story is being retold in this order, cognizant that Mizmowr / Psalm 119 is not simply an ode to the Towrah but is also a treatise on how Jews and Christians went wrong when they misrepresented Dowd’s place in God’s plan. By twisting and perverting the story of the Messiah and Son of God, Jews and Christians alike have been led away from Yahowah and to a horrible place – worse than Hell – where the world’s most popular religion has bludgeoned God’s children. As a result, every religious Jew and Christian, without exception, has been excluded from Heaven.
140Beginning in Observations and then throughout Coming Home, we find God systematically explaining Dowd’s contribution to the salvation and restoration of Yahuwdym. Then in Twistianity, we explore how the most presumptuous of men produced falsified testimony to misappropriate these promises – which were then irrationally transferred to “Jesus” and the “Church,” creating “Christianity” as the enemy of the “Jews.” And in the process, Yahowah is discounted and disparaged as a liar. Then Jews, chafing at the lies perpetrated in the name of the mythical Jesus Christ, have denied Dowd as the Passover Lamb, thereby rejecting God’s provision and ending their lives.
The kernel of it all is Dowd – and he knows it. The false impressions about him must be curtailed and denounced. Yahuwdym must return to the Towrah and renounce the Talmud and New Testament. Those who respect Yahowah, who wish to come Home, must also return to and respect His Son. It is only then that they will actually know and genuinely understand Yahowah’s restoring testimony.
To claim, as Paul does on behalf of his New Testament, that the promises God made to “David” were transferred to “Jesus” makes Yahowah out to be a liar and besmirches the reputation of His Son. The same is true of Paul’s claims that his Gentile Church has replaced Israel. Both propositions are ignorant, irrational, and falsified.
And let it be known, 1QPs reveals that a single solitary man would be responsible for subverting what Dowd accomplished by fulfilling the Mow’edym. And that man is Sha’uwl | Paul, the Plague of Death. With his poisoned pen, he scribed 14 of the New Testament’s letters, and with his jaundiced mind, he corrupted an additional four books – Matthew, Mark, Luke, and Acts – rendering the preponderance of the Christian Bible the demon-possessed rantings of the Father of Lies.
141By listening to Dowd | David, we come to know and understand Yahowah’s everlasting testimony. That is the purpose and beauty of this Mizmowr / Psalm.
“May my judgment and thinking continue to be (y-hayah leb ‘any – may my attitude and inclinations forever exist as (qal imperfect jussive)) right, entirely correct, and without deviation (tamym – unblemished and entirely sound, truthful and in complete accord) with regard to (ba) Your clearly communicated prescriptions for living (choq ‘atah – Your written thoughts and inscribed recommendations which allocate a share of what is Yours by cutting us into the relationship) so that (la ma’an) I am not confounded or wrong (lo’ bowsh – I do not experience the distress of being mistaken for having done something inappropriate).” (Mizmowr / Song / Psalm 119:80)
By calling Dowd tsadaq | right, Yahowah affirmed that we could trust him. And in particular, as a naby’ | prophet, Dowd’s testimony is inerrant.
Therefore, the tenth stanza of Dowd’s remarkable song encourages us to reach up for the | Hand of Yahowah and never let go. These lyrics are among the most important we will consider.
“Your hands (yad ‘atah) have engaged and acted with me, making me who I am (‘asah ‘any). They have prepared and supported me, appointed and established me, so that I am ready to take a firm and enduring stand, steadfast, certain, resolved, and sure (wa kuwn ‘any).
It is Your will to help me develop the mental acuity to understand, to realize the truth, scrutinize the evidence and perceive what can be rationally deduced by making the proper connections and associations (byn ‘any).
142As a result, I want to learn, acquiring the information and training needed to teach (wa lamad), the instructive conditions of Your relationship agreement, delineating what You have offered along with what You expect in return (mitswah ‘atah). (Mizmowr 119:73)
By respecting You, and by being inspired by You (yare’ ‘atah), they will come to see me, having decided to consider what I represent (ra’ah ‘any), and they will be delighted, even elated (wa samah), because indeed (ky), according to (la) Your Word (dabar ‘atah), I have waited, expecting this outcome (yachal). (Mizmowr 119:74)
Yada’ Yahowah | I know, recognize, acknowledge, and understand Yahowah (yada’ Yahowah)! This is because (ky) Your approach to achieve justice, resolve disputes, and think rationally (mishpat ‘atah) is trustworthy, correct, fair, vindicating, and right (tsadaq).
Reliably and truthfully (wa ‘emuwnah), You have responded to me, answering me with Your testimony (‘anah ‘any). (Mizmowr 119:75)
Please let Your continual kindness and steadfast love always exist (y-hayah na’ chesed ‘atah) to comfort me (la nacham ‘any) in accordance with (ka) Your Word and the promises You have made (‘imrah) to Your servant (la ‘ebed ‘atah). (Mizmowr 119:76)
Your mercy and favoritism come to me (y-bow’ ‘any rachamym ‘atah) because I live (wa chayah) for (ky) Your Towrah | Teaching and Guidance (Towrah ‘atah). It is my greatest joy (sha’shuwa’ym ‘any). (Mizmowr 119:77)
Let the presumptuous, self-absorbed, and self-willed, the self-important who are audaciously disrespectful by acting as if they and their 143pontifications are superior, be disapproved and humiliated (y-bowsh zed) because (ky) by misappropriating the truth with misleading claims and outright deceptions in this duplicitous sham, with falsified and feigned testimony as part of an ignorant and irrational witness (sheqer), these liars have subverted what I represent by twisting and perverting who I am, creating a false impression about me (‘awat).
I, myself, will think about and speak knowledgeably because I will study and make known, learn and instruct (‘any sych) on Your precepts, those instructions which You have entrusted to us, encouraging us to pay close attention to and examine for guidance so that we respond appropriately to You (ba piquwdym ‘atah). (Mizmowr 119:78)
Let those who are inspired by You, and who respect You, turn to me (y-shuwb la ‘any yare’ ‘atah) and they will come to know and understand (wa yada’) Your eternal witness and restoring testimony (‘edah ‘atah). (Mizmowr 119:79)
May my judgment and thinking continue to be (y-hayah leb ‘any) right, entirely correct, and without deviation, truthful and in accord (tamym) with regard to (ba) Your clearly communicated prescriptions for living which cut us into the relationship (choq ‘atah) so that (la ma’an) I am not confounded or wrong for having said or done something inappropriate (lo’ bowsh).” (Mizmowr / Song / Psalm 119:80)
This next chorus is distinguished by the letter Kaph | , which is an open hand. With the fingers out and palm up, the Kaph speaks of being open and receptive, even 144welcoming. So, we should not be surprised that the first two statements are introduced with kalah | to yearn.
Our souls matter while our physical bodies are essentially irrelevant in the hereafter.
“My soul yearns for, because it would cease to exist and vanish without (kalah nepesh ‘any la – my inner nature longs for and that part of me which is observant and responsive, animating my life, desires because it would perish without), Your deliverance and salvation (yashuw’ah – Your rescue and liberation).
In accordance with (la) Your Word (dabar ‘atah), I expect a favorable resolution (yachal – I confidently wait eagerly anticipating). (Mizmowr 119:81)
My eye longs for and actually grows weary finishing (kalah ‘ayn ‘any – my eyes are determined to fulfill and complete [eye is singular in 11QPs]) Your word and Your promises (‘imrah ‘anah – Your message and pronouncements) in order to declare and share (la ‘amar – to reveal and make the answer known) when (mathay) You will alleviate my consternation and comfort me (nacham ‘any – You will rectify these issues and transform me). (Mizmowr 119:82)
For (ky) You have acted and engaged with me, making me (‘asah ‘any – You have worked with me, doing [from 11QPs while the Masoretic Text reads ‘I have become’]) what could be compared to (ka – similar to) a scroll (no’d – a parchment prepared for writing) in the clouded opaqueness of this smoke (ba qytowr – within that which is obscured).
Your unfailing kindness and enduring love (chesed – Your unchanging devotion to the relationship, Your affection and the favor You have offered, the benefits You have promised to provide, Your goodness and mercy [from 11QPs whereas the MT has choq]) I have not overlooked 145or forgotten (lo’ shakach – I have not lost sight of the significance or failed to respond properly). (Mizmowr 119:83)
Accordingly, how many days (ka mah yowmym) will Your servant (‘ebed ‘atah – will Your associate and coworker) endure before (matay) You act (‘asah) in judgment, resolving this dispute by making an informed and rational decision (mishpat – deciding the sentence and bringing justice) against those who are systematically depriving me (ba radaph ‘any – against those who are overthrowing me and degrading me)?” (Mizmowr / Song / Psalm 119:84)
Our souls cease to exist apart from Yahowah. This is indicative of the third option, the seldom-considered fate of deceived souls. They do not go to heaven or hell but simply fade away. However, for souls like Dowd’s who trust and rely upon Yahowah’s Word, there is the confident expectation of salvation and liberation.
Since it is natural, even desirable, for us to relate to those providing these insights, I can attest that my eyes have become my weakest link. Twelve hours after I commence at sunrise, come sunset, they are weary. And yet, on evenings like this, on the cusp of another Shabat, I find myself longing to share what I have learned.
The religious remain clueless as to the ways they have “radaph – systematically deprived” Dowd of his accolades, attributes, and accomplishments. And while they remain ignorant of having robbed him of his titles and sacrifice, God is not unaware of what they have done to create their degrading and deceitful religion.
There would be no point in Dowd claiming to have been made into a “wineskin.” And yet, ignoring the witness of the Dead Sea Scrolls, and oblivious to the context of this discussion, that is what the majority of Bibles profess.
146God inspired: “For (ky) You have acted and engaged with me, making me (‘asah ‘any) what could be compared to (ka) a scroll and parchment prepared for inscribing (no’d) in the clouded opaqueness of this smoke (ba qytowr).” And yet, the religious publishers wrote: “Though I am like a wineskin in the smoke.” NIV, “I am shriveled like a wineskin in the smoke.” NLT “For I have become like a wineskin in the smoke.” ESV “for I have become like a bottle in the smoke.” KJV “I am as useless as a discarded wineskin.” GNT or “For I am become like a wine-skin in the smoke.” JPS
God’s Son isn’t being compared to a bottle of hooch. The point is that, in the midst of the religious smokescreen, Dowd’s words are here to be read. As the word of God, he has become like a scroll.
And soon he will be an enforcer, empowered to hold those who have demeaned him, and misled so many, accountable. There will be justice. Those who have systematically deprived the Son of God of his due will be exposed and condemned.
Once again, we see that the political and religious leaders who oppose Dowd are also in opposition to Yahowah…
“The arrogant and haughty, the insolent and presumptuous, those who are self-willed, self-absorbed, and self-motivated have dug a pit for me (karah zed la ‘any shychah – the egotistical and overconfident, the self-important and puffed up, those who are audaciously disrespectful and thus brashly impudent, those who are impertinent, acting as if they and their pontifications are superior when both they and their promises are actually irrelevant, have dug in and plotted against me) but that is not in accord with (‘asher lo’ ka) Your Towrah (Towrah ‘atah – Your Teaching and Guidance, Your Instruction and Direction). (Mizmowr 119:85)
147Each of (kol) the instructive conditions of Your relationship agreement delineating what You have offered along with what You expect in return (mitswah ‘atah – the authoritative directions which comprise the terms of what You have established) are trustworthy and reliable (‘emuwnah – are enduring and dependable, honest and steadfast).
Support and assist me (‘azar ‘any – I want You to help me (qal imperative)) against the liars who deceive and mislead (sheqer – those who profess that which is false, vain, and useless, engaging in fraudulent deceptions), who are systematically degrading me, depriving me of my status, to overthrow what I represent (ba radaph ‘any – who are devising a plot against me). (Mizmowr 119:86)
In accord with (ka) their diminutive worth and lowly and little nature (ma’at – their complete lack of value or merit), they are bent on eliminating me, such that I am dead and buried (kalah ‘any – they have schemed to eliminate consideration of me such that everything said of me is removed and my life concluded, wiping all memory of me) from (min – [from 11QPS]) the earth (ha ‘erets).
Therefore, I have not abandoned (wa ‘any lo’ ‘azab – and yet I have not rejected, disassociated from, forsaken, or neglected) Your precepts, those instructions which You have entrusted to us, encouraging us to carefully examine for guidance so that we respond appropriately to You (piquwdym ‘atah – Your procedures and directions which guide our choices, teaching us how to engage correctly and rationally to You; from paqaqd – to attend to, appoint, and look after, paying attention to while taking into account). (Mizmowr 119:87)
Consistent with (ka – according to) Your unfailing kindness and enduring love (chesed ‘atah – Your 148devotion to the relationship), You want me to live, to be brought back to life, revived and restored (chayah ‘any – it is Your will that I live again and forevermore (piel imperative)), so that I can choose to focus upon, closely examining and carefully considering (wa shamar – because I want to observe, to explore and evaluate, be circumspect regarding and attending to), the enduring witness and restoring testimony (‘eduwth – the revelation, attestation, and provision; from ‘uwd – to repeatedly lift up and restore while testifying and serving as a witness) of Your mouth (peh ‘atah – based upon what You have spoken).” (Mizmowr / Song / Psalm 119:88)
If ever there were an apt accounting of religious and political leaders, it is apparent in zed | arrogant and haughty, insolent and presumptuous, self-willed, self-absorbed, and self-motivated individuals who are not in accord with the Towrah. The zed | overconfident, self-important, and puffed up are audaciously disrespectful to God. The impudent are impertinent, acting as if they and their pontifications are somehow superior to God’s testimony.
And while that is all true, the point Yahowah is making is that the religious have dug a grave for themselves by putting His Son in the grave. Moreover, plotting against the Son of God is a bad idea. It is counter to the Towrah, too.
Now, then, and forevermore, Yahowah has Dowd’s back. To disparage the Messiah is an express ticket to She’owl | Hell. There is no greater offense to the Father. Therefore, Sha’uwl | Paul will be held accountable and condemned – along with the religion he founded – because he presented Dowd | David as dead and buried and, thus, forsaken. Then he felt at liberty to degrade the Son by transferring every promise and prophecy made about him to his mythical god.
It is once again Dowd vs. Sha’uwl. One will live and the other will die.
149Ma’at, which was translated as “diminutive worth and a lowly and little nature,” is a backhanded slap at Paul. His chosen Roman name, Paulos, means “Lowly and Little.”
One of the many benefits of working with Yahowah is that we never work alone. And while the vast majority of people, including all of those in positions of power and influence, are a formidable force against the relatively few anti-religious and apolitical who align themselves with Yah, it isn’t a fair fight.
The concluding declaration in this chorus is entirely prophetic and addresses the second and third lives of the Messiah, Dowd. Yahowah’s enduring love for His Dowd | Beloved will bring the Shepherd and King back to life to fulfill all seven Mow’ed Miqra’ey. The closest thing humankind will witness to a resurrection will occur on Yowm Kipurym in year 6000 Yah, a Sunday evening, 6:22 PM, at sunset in Yaruwshalaim, October 2nd, 2033. Not that any would survive his return, but if so, Christians would try to steal this from him, too.
Let it be known that Melek Dowd | King David has come again and is returning to set the right example on how to shamar | observe, exploring Yahowah’s ‘eduwth | enduring witness. His greatest role is that of Savior, followed by Teacher, both surpassing that of Mashyach and Melek, albeit part and parcel of Ra’ah and Zarowa’, even Ben.
This then concludes the refrain presented under the letter Kaph | . Drawn in the form of an open palm, it shows Yahowah committed to embracing His Son’s return and of Dowd accepting the challenge. And with the hand of God, the Towrah and the Covenant will be lifted up while Yisra’el’s religious foes will be slapped down.
“My soul yearns for, because it would cease to exist and vanish without (kalah nepesh ‘any la), Your deliverance and salvation (yashuw’ah). In accordance 150with (la) Your Word (dabar ‘atah), I expect a favorable resolution (yachal). (Mizmowr 119:81)
My eye longs for and actually grows weary finishing (kalah ‘ayn ‘any) Your word and Your promises (‘imrah ‘anah) in order to declare and share (la ‘amar) when (mathay) You will alleviate my consternation and comfort me (nacham ‘any). (Mizmowr 119:82)
For (ky) You have acted and engaged with me, making me (‘asah ‘any) what could be compared to (ka) a scroll and parchment prepared for inscribing (no’d) in the clouded opaqueness of this smoke (ba qytowr).
Your unfailing kindness and enduring love (chesed) I have not overlooked or forgotten (lo’ shakach). (Mizmowr 119:83)
Accordingly, how many days (ka mah yowmym) will Your servant (‘ebed ‘atah) endure before (matay) You act (‘asah) in judgment, resolving this dispute by making an informed and rational decision (mishpat) against those who are systematically depriving me (ba radaph ‘any)? (Mizmowr 119:84)
The arrogant and haughty, the insolent and presumptuous, those who are self-willed, self-absorbed, and self-motivated have dug in and plotted against me (karah zed la ‘any shychah) but that is not in accord with (‘asher lo’ ka) Your Towrah (Towrah ‘atah). (Mizmowr 119:85)
Each of (kol) the instructive conditions of Your relationship agreement delineating what You have offered along with what You expect in return (mitswah ‘atah) are trustworthy and reliable, enduring and steadfast (‘emuwnah).
I want You to support me, help and assist me (‘azar ‘any) against the liars who deceive and mislead (sheqer), 151who are systematically degrading me, depriving me of my status, to overthrow what I represent (ba radaph ‘any). (Mizmowr 119:86)
In accord with (ka) their diminutive worth and lowly and little nature (ma’at), they are bent on eliminating me, such that I am dead and buried, wiping all memory of me (kalah ‘any) from (min) the earth (ha ‘erets).
Therefore, I will never abandon (wa ‘any lo’ ‘azab) Your precepts, those instructions which You have entrusted to us, encouraging us to carefully examine for guidance so that we respond appropriately to You (piquwdym ‘atah). (Mizmowr 119:87)
Consistent with (ka) Your unfailing kindness and enduring love, especially Your devotion to the relationship (chesed ‘atah), You want me to live, to be brought back to life, revived and restored (chayah ‘any), because I want to focus upon, to closely examine and carefully consider (wa shamar), the enduring witness and restoring testimony (‘eduwth) of Your mouth (peh ‘atah).” (Mizmowr / Song / Psalm 119:88)
The second half of Dowd’s Song to the Towrah commences with the Hebrew Lamed | . Since Dowd is Yahowah’s Shepherd, and we are His sheep, this should be especially revealing. The letter was formed in the shape of a shepherd’s staff with the crook pointed down, to the left, and out. In this way, it shows Dowd in a position to rescue the wayward flock and defend his sheep. It depicts Dowd in a position of leadership, guiding the flock – moving from right to left which is the way we read Hebrew.
In the mode of Teacher, we read...
152“Forever (la ‘owlam – for the duration of time, eternally enduring), Yahowah (Yahowah – the proper pronunciation of YaHoWaH, our ‘elowah – God as directed in His ToWRaH – teaching regarding His HaYaH – existence and our ShaLoWM – restoration), Your Word (dabar ‘anah) stands, decreed and established (natsab – is appointed, firm, and unchanging), in the spiritual realm of the heavens (ba ha shamaym).” (Mizmowr / Song / Psalm 119:89)
These words were written in Hebrew. The language of heaven is and will always be Hebrew. Therefore, to understand it, we must either read Hebrew or translate it accurately into a more familiar language. But be assured, Yahowah said nothing in Greek, Latin, or Yiddish.
At this point, the faithful push back and protest, discounting the unique merits of Hebrew by asserting in a disingenuous and condescending tone: “So you are saying that I have to learn Hebrew to get into heaven.” To which I reply, “No, but you have to understand the message Yah revealed in Hebrew sufficiently to respond appropriately to it to get into heaven. And since you want to go there, why not start learning the language now?”
Also, since the Towrah is God’s Word, the Towrah stands forever. There is no room for dispensationalism, Replacement Theology, Halakhah, Kosher, Kabbalah, a New Testament, Talmud, or Zohar.
Should you disagree, think of how disorienting it would be to enter Heaven and see nothing of the faith which was followed in the hope of arriving. Expecting to meet rabbis or popes, pastors or priests, and see Bibles and Talmuds, Synagogue and Church members, it would be shocking to find no trace of them. There will be no Stars of David, no nine-candle Menorahs, no crosses, or crucifixes, either. There is nothing religious in Shamaym | Heaven because it cannot exist in the presence of Yahowah’s Word.
153“Throughout time and through the generations (la dowr wa dowr – with regard to all people, all places, and every era), Your trustworthiness and resolute honesty (‘emuwnah ‘atah – Your dependable and unwavering nature) have established and affirmed (kuwn – You have acknowledged and upheld (polel perfect)) the Land (‘erets) which persists and is enduring (wa ‘amad – which stands and remains (qal imperfect)).” (Mizmowr / Song / Psalm 119:90)
Throughout the generations, neither God nor His standard has changed. The terms and conditions of the Beryth remain the same. The path Yahowah prepared for us to walk to Him through the Miqra’ey endure. And the Land remains Yisra’el – the home of God’s people.
This means that the Towrah was not replaced by a Talmud. The teaching, instructions, directions, and guidance presented in the Towrah continue to be valid. There can be no New Testament under such circumstances, nothing that invalidates, alters, or contradicts the standards which were originally established by Yahowah. Just as the Land of Yisra’el remains, so too does the Word of God.
If Christians and Jews were rational, they would recognize that, for their religion to be reliable, God would have to be unreliable. He would have to change His standard, which would mean that He would no longer be trustworthy or dependable. A capricious god is not a reliable god.
Continuing to address the enduring nature of Yahowah’s word and truth, we read…
“As a result of Your decision and Your means to achieve justice and resolve disputes (la mishpat ‘atah – because of Your basis for exercising good judgment and making fair, moral, rational, and sound decisions), they stand and are sustained (‘amad – they [God’s word and His truth] are confirmed and established, remaining 154present, they endure and persist (qal perfect)) today (ha yowm – this day) because (ky – as a point of emphasis, surely) this all works on Your behalf (ha kol ‘ebed ‘atah – all things serve You).” (Mizmowr / Song / Psalm 119:91)
Yahowah established His Mow’ed Miqra’ey | Enduring Testimony and Restoring Witnesses to the Invitations to be Called Out and Meet as His Mishpat | means to render an informed and rational decision regarding the way to achieve justice and resolve disputes. There is no other way to God, no other path to Heaven. And it is predicated upon Yahowah’s enduring word and persistent integrity.
Sadly, Jews have made a religious mess of Yahowah’s Invitations to Meet. With only an inedible bone tossed upon a plate of vegetables, the Seder has made a mockery of Pesach | Passover and actually mimics Qayn’s | Cain’s rejected offering. Chag Matsah | UnYeasted Bread has been relegated to a missing ingredient and is, therefore, no longer celebrated. Bikuwrym has become an agricultural holiday. Shabuw’ah is largely ignored to avoid any association with Pentecost. And Taruw’ah was replaced with Rosh Hashanah. Then the purpose of Kipurym was inverted. Instead of reconciling their relationship with Yahowah, religious Jews torture and slaughter chickens. Even Sukah has been corrupted, as it is observed by overpaying rabbis for the “Four Holy Species,” including the ugliest, most overpriced, and bitter of useless fruit – the Etrog.
Christians have replaced the Mow’ed with pagan Babylonian festivals such as Lent, Easter, Halloween, and Christmas. And Muslims remain completely ignorant – as is the nature of Satan’s preferred religion.
If these passages are unreliable, then Judaism, Christianity, and Islam cannot be reliable because each of these religions overtly claims that their god inspired them. 155But if these statements are true, then Judaism, Christianity, and Islam cannot be trusted because each of these religions contradicts God’s inspired testimony.
Dowd could not have made this any more obvious. All one has to do to know the truth is to be observant. That said, showing a little enthusiasm for God’s Teaching will pay dividends…
“If not for (luwle’ – without) my enthusiasm for (sha’sha’ ‘any – my passionate and intense love affair with) Your Towrah (Towrah ‘atah – Your Source of Instructions and Directions, Your Teaching and Guidance, commonly transliterated as Torah), then (‘az) I would have squandered this opportunity, wandered away, becoming estranged, and would have perished, ceasing to exist (‘abad – I would have been directionless without a plan, would have wasted my life, would not be part of the relationship, and as a result, would have suffered the extermination of my soul (qal perfect)), in my unrighteousness (ba ‘aown | ‘awon ‘any – in my iniquity, perversity, and depravity, with the full effect of my guilt and resulting liability [from 11QPs transliterated ‘avon in Strong’s # 5771 with the Masoretic Text reading ‘ony – misery]).” (Mizmowr / Song / Psalm 119:92)
The Towrah is instrumental in keeping us from becoming lost, from wandering away from God. With Yahowah’s Guidance, we can stay on the straight and narrow path, never wavering from the Mow’ed Miqra’ey. Further, the Towrah precludes our mortality from being the end of our lives and enables us to live with God forevermore.
Reinforcing these lessons, the next line of this song reads…
“Concerning eternity (la ‘owlam – moving in the direction of everlasting life and time unconstrained by any limits), I will never ignore, overlook, forget, or lose sight 156of the significance of (lo’ shakach – I will not be unmindful of, fail to remember, or improperly respond to (qal imperfect)) Your precepts, those instructions which You have entrusted to us to respond appropriately to You (piquwdym ‘atah – Your directions which guide our choices and moral decisions, which teach us how to reply rationally and morally to You), so that indeed (ky – surely, truly, and reliably) by them (ba hem – with them and according to them), You will restore me to life (chayah ‘any – You will revive me, keeping me alive, raising me so that I flourish (piel perfect)).” (Mizmowr / Song / Psalm 119:93)
Yahowah provided these precepts so that we might have life and have it more abundantly. They exist to revive, renew, and restore our souls. By them, we are nurtured, and with them, we grow. And as a result of them, our souls are spared and preserved. But eternal life is only a benefit when it is spent in the company of God.
In this context, there are many ways the phrase la ‘atah ‘any can be rendered. This is because the personal pronoun ‘any | I or my can be verbalized as “I am” just as ‘atah | You or Your can be rendered as “You are.” Further, la is a robust preposition that conveys the ideas of moving toward someone, approaching them, and being near. It speaks of being directed toward a goal and having a purpose. La communicates intent, respect, concern, benefit, and accord. Therefore…
“I am Yours; I am approaching You and I am in accord with You because You are concerned about me (la ‘atah ‘any – You are my goal, I respect You, benefit from You, and want to be near You).
It is Your will to deliver and defend me, liberating me because You want to save me and then provide salvation through me (yasha’ ‘any – You have chosen to assist and avenge me because it is Your desire to work with 157me to be victorious (hifil imperative – it is God’s will to engage with Dowd such that they prevail)).
Indeed, this is because (ky) I have genuinely searched and pondered, diligently pursued and followed (darash – I have inquired about and investigated, explored and consulted, learned from and accounted for, looked to and petitioned, cared about and developed a relationship with (qal perfect)), Your appointments and responsibilities which You have enumerated, Your precepts and procedures, Your teaching, principles, and guidelines, Your instructions which You have entrusted to us to guide our responses to You (piquwdym ‘atah – Your recommendations and requirements, the principles You want us to care about and attend to; from paqad – to gather together and attend to, and appoint, to look after and care about).” (Mizmowr / Song / Psalm 119:94)
No matter how we render la ‘atah ‘any, it sings to the heart of God. His Son loved Him and wanted to be near Him.
While yasha’ is typically translated as “save,” that is actually a derivative of deliverance and liberation, of being free while kept out of harm’s way. Yasha’ speaks of rescuing, defending, and avenging as well as being victorious. Scribed in the hifil imperative, Dowd is saying that Yahowah has chosen to work with him such that he is delivered, defended, avenged, and victorious by what they accomplish together. By delivering Dowd on the cusp of the Mow’edym in year 4000 Yah, the Son was able to save the rest of us by fulfilling them.
The next verb, darash, is similarly dynamic. Rendered as “I have genuinely searched and pondered, diligently pursued and followed,” it could have been translated as “I have inquired about and I have investigated, I have explored and consulted with, learned from and accounted for, looked to and petitioned, cared about and developed a 158relationship with” Yahowah’s piquwdym. As such, it is a highly actionable variation of shamar | to explore and evaluate, examine and consider.
Piquwdym, along with mitswah, mishpat, and choq, defines Dowd’s approach to Yahowah’s Towrah | Guidance and Instructions. Following darash, Dowd pondered Yahowah’s responsibilities and pursued His annual appointments. He inquired about and learned from God’s precepts, principles, and procedures, and capitalized upon Yahowah’s guidance and guidelines.
What this all means is that approaching God and being saved by Him is a process replete with instructions. There are appointments and responsibilities. There are things to learn and procedures to follow. Approaching Yahowah is, therefore, about knowing, understanding, and responding appropriately. Faith will get us nowhere.
It is by fulfilling Yahowah’s Miqra’ey that Dowd was perfected while the religious retain their guilt…
“Expecting to constrain me (la ‘any qawah – waiting in ambush for me, looking forward to what they expected to do to me), the wicked who remain liable for being wrong (rasha’ – those who are guilty of violating the standard and, thus, the religious and political) are bent on destroying me (la ‘abad ‘any – are trying to diminish my existence and push me out of the way).
So I avoid such outside influences by seeking to understand (byn – on my own initiative and independently, I am influencing my own fate by continuously striving to comprehend (hitpael imperfect – reveals that Dowd on his own recognizance is consistently avoiding religious and societal pressure by his ongoing and due diligence and intelligent discernment regarding)) Your eternal Testimony and restoring Witness (‘eduwth ‘atah – Your everlasting revelation, Your provisions and attestations).” (Mizmowr / Song / Psalm 119:95)
159With his Father’s support, Dowd is invincible. Try as the religious counterfeiters might, they are fighting a losing battle. Dowd will return with his reputation restored while Paul’s soul will rot in Hell.
While Dowd and Sha’uwl are opposites, one of the many things which differentiate them is their understanding of Yahowah’s eternal Witness. Dowd | David reveled in it, sought to understand it, was influenced by it, and shared what he had learned through it. Sha’uwl | Paul misappropriated it and misquoted it so that he could mislead and deceive using it. It is the difference between an eternity in Shamaym or She’owl.
Passover is the doorway to eternal life, but it alone is not sufficient to enter heaven. To pass through that door and walk to Yahowah’s presence, to live with Him in His Home, we must respond to the Towrah’s Invitation to Meet with Yahowah on UnYeasted Bread. During the Miqra’ of Matsah, Dowd’s soul deposited the pervasive fungus of religion and politics staining our souls in She’owl, making us appear perfect in God’s eyes.
Dowd | David has already delineated the effect of one approach versus the other. Now he is framing the issue for us in the fullness of space and time...
“The determination to totally accomplish and complete everything worthwhile and good (la kol tiklah – the fulfillment of the means to perfect; from kalah – to determine, accomplish, and complete, to fulfill in the end) I have witnessed (ra’ah – I was shown and have seen and considered, even revealed (qal perfect)).
The extent (qets – the outermost boundaries, the intent over the duration of time) of the instructive conditions of Your relationship agreement specifying what You have offered and expect in return (mitswah ‘atah – the authoritative directions which comprise the terms of what You have established; from my – to consider the who, what, 160why, where, when, and how of tsawah – appointing and constituting the message, and enjoining it through the instructions regarding what You have authorized) is exceedingly liberating and expansive in spacetime (rachab me’od – is very extensive, tremendously spacious, comprehensive and without limit, broad and roomy, encouraging continuous growth).” (Mizmowr / Song / Psalm 119:96)
The life of a prophet is an extraordinary adventure. Dowd was allowed to witness the future so that he could reveal how Father and Son would accomplish and fulfill everything God had promised and Dowd had declared. We know this because Dowd provided the only eyewitness account of his fulfillment of Pesach, Matsah, and Bikuwrym in 33 CE, doing so in the 22nd Mizmowr / Psalm. And since he plays the starring role during Kipurym, too, he is providing an accounting of the events of this day.
And in this case, Dowd is announcing something which resonates with me: mitswah | the benefits as well as the instructive conditions of the Covenant relationship are rachab me’od | exceedingly liberating and expansive. We are la kol tiklah | totally perfected, enriched, and empowered through the Covenant, freeing us to transcend spacetime and enter the fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh dimensions. Freed from the constraints of gravity, mass, and time, this will be exceedingly liberating as we experience the expansive nature of the universe.
As we expected, the lyrics associated with the Hebrew Lamed | have been especially revealing. This shepherd’s staff has led us to God, teaching us that God does not change, thereby encouraging us to seek the protection and growth He alone provides.
“Forever (la ‘owlam), Yahowah (Yahowah), Your Word (dabar ‘anah) stands, decreed and established 161(natsab), in the spiritual realm of the heavens (ba ha shamaym). (Mizmowr 119:89)
Throughout time and through the generations (la dowr wa dowr), Your trustworthiness and resolute honesty (‘emuwnah ‘atah) have established and affirmed (kuwn) the Land (‘erets) which persists and is enduring (wa ‘amad). (Mizmowr 119:90)
Based upon Your decision and Your means to achieve justice and resolve disputes (la mishpat ‘atah – because of Your basis for exercising good judgment and making fair, moral, rational, and sound decisions), they stand and are sustained (‘amad) this day (ha yowm) because (ky) it all works on Your behalf (ha kol ‘ebed ‘atah). (Mizmowr 119:91)
If not for (luwle’) my enthusiasm for (sha’sha’ ‘any) Your Towrah (Towrah ‘atah), then (‘az) I would have squandered this opportunity, wandered away, becoming estranged, and would have perished, ceasing to exist (‘abad), in my unrighteousness (ba ‘aown | ‘awon ‘any). (Mizmowr 119:92)
Concerning eternity (la ‘owlam), I will never ignore, overlook, forget, or lose sight of the significance of (lo’ shakach) Your precepts, those instructions which You have entrusted to us to respond appropriately to You (piquwdym ‘atah) so that indeed (ky), through them (ba hem), You will restore me to life (chayah ‘any). (Mizmowr 119:93)
I am Yours; I am approaching You knowing I am in accord with You because You are concerned about me. I respect You, so I want to be near You and benefit from You (la ‘atah ‘any). It is Your will to deliver and defend me, liberating me because You want to provide salvation through me. You have chosen to assist and avenge me because it is Your desire to work with me to be victorious (yasha’ ‘any).
162Indeed, this is because (ky) I have genuinely searched and pondered, diligently pursued and followed, I have inquired about and investigated, explored and consulted, learned from and accounted for, looked to and petitioned, cared about and developed a relationship with (darash), Your appointments and responsibilities which You have enumerated, Your precepts and procedures, Your teaching, principles, and guidelines, Your instructions which You have entrusted to us to guide our responses to You (piquwdym ‘atah). (Mizmowr 119:94)
Expecting to constrain me (la ‘any qawah), the wicked who remain liable for being wrong (rasha’) are bent on pushing me out of the way (la ‘abad ‘any). So, I avoid such outside influences by seeking to understand (byn) Your eternal Testimony and restoring Witness (‘eduwth ‘atah). (Mizmowr 119:95)
The determination to totally accomplish and complete everything worthwhile and good, especially the fulfillment of the means to perfect (la kol tiklah) I have witnessed (ra’ah).
The extent (qets) of the instructive conditions of Your relationship agreement specifying what You have offered and expect in return (mitswah ‘atah) is exceedingly liberating and expansive in spacetime (rachab me’od).” (Mizmowr / Song / Psalm 119:96)
Mem | , the letter whose influence we will consider next, focuses on the life-giving, sustaining, and cleansing properties of water. Therefore, we should not be surprised that the next line speaks of the source of these things.
“Oh, how (mah – this is why and how, and to such a high degree) I love (‘ahab – I adore and desire, I am 163attracted to and have an appetite for) Your Towrah (Towrah ‘atah – Your Towrah Instruction and Teaching, Your Source of Guidance and Direction; synthesized from: tow – Your signed, written, and enduring, towrah – way of treating us, tuwr – giving us the means to explore, to find, and to choose, yarah – the source of instruction, teaching, guidance, and direction which flows from You, tuwb – providing answers to facilitate our restoration and my return, our response to that which is towb – good, pleasing, beneficial, healing, and right, and causes us to be loved, to become acceptable, and to endure, tahowr – purifying and cleansing us to provide us towr – with the opportunity to be transformed).
All day and every day (kol ha yowm) it (hy’ – she, addressing the feminine attributes of the Towrah) is what I study, providing me with the means to communicate and share my thoughts (sychah ‘any – inspires me to think, enriches my devotional meditations, encouraging my deep and abiding love and my thoughtful contemplation).” (Mizmowr / Song / Psalm 119:97)
When we gain an appreciation for the role interrogatories like mah and my play in composing the words which comprise Father’s and Son’s message to their people, common words like mitswah, mishpat, miqra’, and mow’ed, suddenly sing to our minds and hearts. When used in conjunction with terms like tsawah | to instruct, shaphat | to decide, qara’ | to invite, and ‘ed | to provide restoring testimony, the prefixed interrogatory encourages us to ponder the implications of these things. With mah and my, we are invited to consider the who, what, where, why, and when of the Covenant’s conditions, of the means to resolve disputes, of the Invitations God has provided, and of the restoring Meetings He has set upon His calendar.
Every word of the Towrah’s Song has been personal – written in first person. Dowd is sharing his thoughts with Yahowah, while allowing us to listen in and hopefully learn 164a thing or twenty-two. And from this perspective, there is nothing more endearing to God than admitting that we love His Towrah | Teaching and Guidance.
This was not flattery. Dowd had come to his conclusion by sychah | thinking his way to God. He was inspired through thoughtful contemplation.
Lyric after lyric, word after word, we are being regaled by genius. Dowd’s brilliantly inspired insights are matched only by his beautifully descriptive prose. This is among the most important pieces of literature ever written. Is it any wonder God loved this man? Is there any telling how much He would love us if we followed Dowd’s example?
Still addressing the nurturing aspects of the Towrah, and his appetite for it, Dowd shares…
“Separating myself from (min – distancing me from and staying away from) my adversaries (‘oyeb ‘any – those with rancor and animosity toward me and who are in opposition to me and rebelling over me) makes me wiser and intellectually astute (chakam ‘any – results in me being able to accomplish the mission while teaching).
This is because (ky) the instructive conditions of Your relationship agreement specifying what You have offered and expect in return (mitswah ‘atah – the authoritative directions which comprise the terms of what You have established) are always with me (la ‘owlam hy’ la ‘any – are eternally near and dear to me).” (Mizmowr / Song / Psalm 119:98)
In that Dowd represents both Yahowah and Yisra’el, his adversaries have rebelled against God and are hostile to his kin. And we must distance ourselves from these influences to be with Yahowah. Further, religion and politics are so effective in negating a person’s ability to think – to rely upon evidence and reason – it is only after separating from them that we become intellectually astute.
165“As a result of all (min kol – from everything which was part) of my instruction and training (lamad ‘any – of my education which has caused me to become a teacher based upon what I have been taught (piel participle)), I have gained insights and understanding (sakal – I am properly instructed, prudent, and wise, providing the capacity to comprehend so as to accomplish anything and everything, prosperous, practical, experienced, and successful (hifil perfect)).
Indeed (ky), Your enduring Testimony and restoring Witness (‘eduwth ‘atah – Your revelations and attestations) is what I study to inspire my thinking, providing me with the means to share my thoughts (sychah ‘any – enriches my devotional meditations, encouraging my deep and abiding love and my thoughtful contemplation and communication, enhancing my dedication and zealous enthusiasm for learning).” (Mizmowr / Song / Psalm 119:99)
To know God, to love God, to engage in a relationship with God, to be reconciled unto God, we must choose the proper source of information to examine and consider. That is why Dowd | David is consistently affirming that the proper resource is Yahowah’s ‘Eduwth | enduring Testimony and restoring Witness. Even now, Yahowah’s revelation is only found in the Towrah, Naby’, wa Mizmowr.
Dowd was unique among men. No man was more loved by God than he. And I suppose that is because love is reciprocal. But more than this, Dowd approached Yahowah intellectually. He learned and shared. Such is the essence of the 119th Psalm.
Even as a young man, Dowd was wise for his years…
“Much more than the leaders, chiefs, and authorities who have been prominent (min zaqen – above and beyond the elders and separated and distinct 166from those in positions of leadership and government), unencumbered by religious or political influences, I have made the connections needed to comprehend and have developed the skill to understand (byn – by avoiding societal pressures to conform and capitulate, I have continually focused on the evidence and have used my mental acuity to consider its implications such that I have become discerning and perceptive (hitpael imperfect – on his own recognizance, Dowd has continually disciplined himself to be astute and has come to embody the teaching he has come to comprehend)) because (ky – emphasizing this point) I have explored and evaluated, examined and considered (natsar – I have observed and focused upon, branching out and being kept out of harm’s way by (qal perfect)) Your appointments and responsibilities which You have enumerated, Your precepts and procedures, Your teaching, principles, and guidelines, especially Your instructions which You have entrusted to us to guide our responses to You (piquwdym ‘atah – Your recommendations and requirements, the principles You want us to care about and attend to; from paqad – to gather together and attend to, and appoint, to look after and care about).” (Mizmowr / Song / Psalm 119:100)
The moral of this bold statement is that we can learn more from Yahowah’s Towrah when we distance ourselves from the ways of men. Separation from religion and politics precedes knowledge of God. Dowd developed his relationship with Yahowah independently, on his own recognizance through the Towrah.
“From every evil way of my miserable countrymen (min kol ra’ ‘orach – from all of the displeasing and injurious, immoral and improper, harmful and undesirable, malignant and disagreeable, ideology of my troublesome and loudmouthed kin), I restrain and withhold (kala’ – I restrict and constrain (qal perfect)) my feet and steps 167(regel ‘any) so that (la ma’an) I can literally and continually examine and consider (shamar – I can consistently explore and genuinely evaluate, thoughtfully investigating (qal imperfect)) Your Word (dabar ‘atah).” (Mizmowr / Song / Psalm 119:101)
It is connection through separation, engagement through estrangement. We come to God by walking away from human influences.
Religiously- and politically-inspired individuals have crafted countless alternative routes – all of which lead away from God. So, if we don’t want to be misled by them, we must focus on Yahowah’s Word.
“From (min) Your approach to informed and reasoned decisions, exercising good judgment, and then justly resolving disputes (mishpat ‘atah – Your basis for being fair and just, correct and right), I will not depart or turn away (lo’ suwr – I will never take off in the opposite direction, turn aside, rebel or reject (qal perfect)), because (ky) You (‘atah), Yourself, have been the source of my instruction and teaching, providing me direction and guidance (yarah ‘any – You have shown me the proper way, educating and training me (hifil perfect – God facilitated Dowd’s education, enabling him to be properly guided, teaching him at this moment in time)).” (Mizmowr / Song / Psalm 119:102)
There is man’s way and God’s way, so we must reject, or at the very least ignore one, to choose the other. And to help us make the best possible decision in the direction we choose to walk, Yahowah provided His Towrah. It is based upon yarah, our Heavenly Father’s “Source of Teaching and Instruction, the place from which Guidance and Direction flow.”
Thus far this Psalm has provided a steady diet of mental nuggets for us to chew and ingest, and yet, 168considering the meal our Father is serving, it’s hard to refrain on occasion from offering a little symbolic prose.
“How (mah) palatable (malats – sweet, agreeable, pleasant, and smooth) to my lips and tongue (la chek ‘any – to my palate) are Your words and promises (‘imrah ‘atah – are Your instructions, statements, and message), more than (min – comprised of) honey (dabash) to my mouth (la peh ‘any). (Mizmowr 119:103)
From (min) Your recommendations and requirements, Your appointments and responsibilities which You have enumerated, Your precepts and procedures, teaching, principles, and guidelines, especially Your instructions which You have entrusted to us to guide our responses to You (piquwdym ‘atah – Your principles to attend to), I consistently and independently perceive insights and gain understanding (byn – apart from societal influences and on my own initiative, hone my mental faculties to consider the implications of the relationships between things, finding the common denominator by being discriminating and discerning (hitpael imperfect – apart from political or religious control, Dowd consistently disciplined himself to be astute and as a result, he made the connections to comprehend)).
So therefore (‘al ken – for this reason and as a result), I literally hate, and I am overtly hostile to (sane’ – I genuinely despise, abhor, detest, loathe, and I am actually opposed to (qal perfect)) every (kol) deceptive and misleading (sheqer – deceiving and mistaken, vain, useless, and false) way (‘orach – conduct and path, well-trodden route and popular thoroughfare).” (Mizmowr / Song / Psalm 119:104)
The proponents as well as the adherents of religion protest that we must respect the faith and beliefs of others. But that is the antithesis of God’s position. Yahowah 169realizes that our failure to expose and condemn unreliable routes needlessly squanders the souls of those who have come to trust them. Hating and being hostile and opposed to that which is deceptive and misleading are the best ways to demonstrate our love.
When we learn what, how, why, and when to hate, it is a virtue. Our abhorrence of that which is mistaken is courageous and compassionate. However, please be aware: Dowd expressed his animosity with words, not fists. And his argument was predicated upon the word of God.
As we know, the Hebrew letter Mem | was drawn to depict waves of water – and so naturally we find Dowd making waves with these bold statements. The life-giving, sustaining, and cleansing properties of water have inspired these lyrics.
“Oh how (mah) I love (‘ahab) Your Towrah Teaching and Guidance (Towrah ‘atah). All day and every day (kol ha yowm) it (hy’) is what I study, inspiring me to think while providing me with the means to communicate and share my thoughts (sychah ‘any). (Mizmowr 119:97)
Separating myself from (min) my adversaries (‘oyeb ‘any) makes me wiser and intellectually astute (chakam ‘any). This is because (ky) the instructive conditions of Your relationship agreement specifying what You have offered and expect in return (mitswah ‘atah) are always with me (la ‘owlam hy’ la ‘any). (Mizmowr 119:98)
As a result of all (min kol) of my instruction and training (lamad ‘any), I have gained insights and understanding (sakal). Indeed (ky), Your enduring Testimony and restoring Witness (‘eduwth ‘atah) is what I study to inspire my thinking, providing me with the means to share my thoughts on love and learning (sychah ‘any). (Mizmowr 119:99)
170Much more than the political leaders and religious authorities who have been prominent (min zaqen), unencumbered by these religious or political influences, I have made the connections needed to comprehend and have developed the skill to understand (byn) because (ky) I have explored and evaluated, examined and considered (natsar) Your appointments and responsibilities which You have enumerated, Your precepts and procedures, Your teaching, principles, and guidelines, especially Your instructions which You have entrusted to us to guide our responses to You (piquwdym ‘atah). (Mizmowr 119:100)
From every evil way of my miserable countrymen (min kol ra’ ‘orach), I restrain and withhold (kala’) my feet and steps (regel ‘any) so that (la ma’an) I can literally and continually examine and consider (shamar) Your Word (dabar ‘atah). (Mizmowr 119:101)
From (min) Your approach to informed and reasoned decisions, exercising good judgment, and then justly resolving disputes (mishpat ‘atah), I will not depart or turn away (lo’ suwr), because (ky) You (‘atah), Yourself, have been the source of my instruction and teaching, providing me direction and guidance (yarah ‘any). (Mizmowr 119:102)
How (mah) palatable and agreeable (malats) to my lips and tongue (la chek ‘any) are Your words and promises (‘imrah ‘atah), better than (min) honey (dabash) to my mouth (la peh ‘any). (Mizmowr 119:103)
From (min) Your recommendations and requirements, Your appointments and responsibilities which You have enumerated, Your precepts and procedures, teaching, principles, and guidelines, especially Your instructions which You have entrusted to us to guide our responses to You (piquwdym ‘atah), I 171consistently and independently perceive insights and gain understanding (byn).
So therefore (‘al ken), I literally hate, and I am overtly hostile to (sane’) every (kol) deceptive and misleading (sheqer) way, no matter how popular the path (‘orach).” (Mizmowr / Song / Psalm 119:104)
