Two blogs in the top 50

Amazing - two of my blogs in the top 50 (Biblioblogs)- and I haven't posted on this one for 3 months. Thank you- readers. Feel free to comment and criticize. (with relevance please)

I am updating these translations (a little) as I search sequentially through the psalter for a framework.

The psalm translations are also emerging side by side with Hebrew text and automated transliteration and periodic summaries here.

If you are reading on Bob's Log and enjoy the challenge of matching the Hebrew sparseness with English sparseness, please join me on this rapid read over three months through the psalter, frame by frame.

Questions

Why have my visits gone from 0 to 50 when I am no longer posting here? - whoever is visiting - stick around and enjoy the psalms - a worthwhile study. Also see what it's like to learn Hebrew and translation from scratch. For later work related to translation see my new blog e.g. here.

I have posted a change in direction - a bunch of questions here

Me afar out - update your links

Please update your links and readers to http://meafar.blogspot.com.That's where I will be posting 95% of the time - one person one blog till I run out of room again.  I am working through the Song of Songs - No one should miss a verse or be averse to correcting me if necessary.

Blog getting too large

Like Sufficiency, this blog is approaching 4 MB in size, so I will be posting on my formerly Matthew blog now Poetry of Christ blog.  Just to get more stuff on the other side of this teeter totter before I bash my nose.

Please update your links and readers to http://meafar.blogspot.com. I hope I don't lose any friends with this move :(

Psalm 119 - Part 22 Grammar

תִּקְרַב רִנָּתִי לְפָנֶיךָ יְהוָה כִּדְבָרְךָ הֲבִינֵנִי	To your presence let my cry come near יְהוָה in your word give me understanding
תָּבוֹא תְּחִנָּתִי לְפָנֶיךָ כְּאִמְרָתְךָ הַצִּילֵנִי	To your presence let my supplication come in your promise deliver me
תַּבַּעְנָה שְׂפָתַי תְּהִלָּה כִּי תְלַמְּדֵנִי חֻקֶּיךָ	Tumble will my lips with praise for you teach me your statutes
תַּעַן לְשׁוֹנִי אִמְרָתֶךָ כִּי כָל מִצְו‍ֹתֶיךָ צֶּדֶק	Testify will my tongue of your promise for all your commandments are righteous
תְּהִי יָדְךָ לְעָזְרֵנִי כִּי פִקּוּדֶיךָ בָחָרְתִּי	There your hand will be to help me for I have chosen your precepts
תָּאַבְתִּי לִישׁוּעָתְךָ יְהוָה וְתוֹרָתְךָ שַׁעֲשֻׁעָי	To your salvation I have longed to come יְהוָה and your teaching is my delight
תְּחִי נַפְשִׁי וּתְהַלְלֶךָּ וּמִשְׁפָּטֶךָ יַעְזְרֻנִי	To live let my being and it will praise you and you will help me from your judgments
תָּעִיתִי כְּשֶׂה אֹבֵד בַּקֵּשׁ עַבְדֶּךָ כִּי מִצְו‍ֹתֶיךָ לֹא שָׁכָחְתִּי	Time and again I am straying like a sheep that has perished seek your servant for your commandments I do not forget

The 22nd part. And notice how that lost sheep knows what it says. Baaahhh ! And I managed to avoid saying the opposite of what I meant most of the time.

BTW, the blogger editor is full of bugs in the Firefox browser. I have no idea where to report them, but the keyboard and mouse in the WSIWIG component will not allow typing in a null table cell, but it will allow paste and then typing. They changed it a few weeks ago much for the worse. I wonder who's using this besides me. Certainly they have let loose a programmer on it who does not have adequate testers (I know the feeling).

Details - I am sure we could predict taf as the prefix to the verb in this poem - and sure enough, we get it. Taf occurs as the first letter of the second and third person singular and plural of the imperfect - right across the board.

tiqràb	תִּקְרַב	let come near	third person singular qal imperfect - read as jussive - must be feminine
rinaty	רִנָּתִי	my cry	singular noun with first person singular possessive pronoun
lpaneyka	לְפָנֶיךָ	to your presence	preposition+singular noun with second person singular possessive pronoun
yy	יְהוָה	O LORD	Divine name
kidbarka	כִּדְבָרְךָ	in your word	preposition+singular noun with second person singular possessive pronoun (in could be according to if you prefer)
habynény	הֲבִינֵנִי	give me understanding	Imperative hiphil with first person pronoun as object
tabvo)	תָּבוֹא	let come	jussive - third person imperative (=imperfect form)
txinaty	תְּחִנָּתִי	my supplication	singular noun with first person singular possessive pronoun
lpaneyka	לְפָנֶיךָ	to your presence	preposition+singular noun with second person singular possessive pronoun
k)imratka	כְּאִמְרָתְךָ	in your promise	preposition+singular noun with second person singular possessive pronoun
hàcylény	הַצִּילֵנִי	deliver me	Imperative hiphil with first person pronoun as object
tàbà`nah	תַּבַּעְנָה	tumble will	third person plural feminine qal imperfect
spatày	שְׂפָתַי	my lips with	plural noun subject
thilah	תְּהִלָּה	praise	singular noun, object of verb
ky	כִּי	for	conjunction
tlàmdény	תְלַמְּדֵנִי	you have taught me	imperfect second person singular with singular first person object
xuqeyka	חֻקֶּיךָ	your statutes	plural noun with first person singular possessive pronoun
tà`àn	תַּעַן	testify will	third person singular qal imperfect
lshvony	לְשׁוֹנִי	my tongue	singular noun with first person singular possessive pronoun
)imrateka	אִמְרָתֶךָ	of your promise	singular noun with second person singular possessive pronoun
ky kal micvoteyka	כִּי כָל מִצְו‍ֹתֶיךָ	for all your commandments	preposition + adjective + plural noun with second person singular possessive pronoun
cedeq	צֶּדֶק	are righteous	adjective predicate, implied copula
thy yadka	תְּהִי יָדְךָ	there will be your hand	imperfect third person singular of 'to be' i.e. an explicit use of this verb + singular noun with second person singular possessive pronoun
l`azrény	לְעָזְרֵנִי	to help me	preposition+infinitive+first person singular pronoun
ky	כִּי	for	conjunction
piqvudeyka	פִקּוּדֶיךָ	your precepts	plural noun with second person singular possessive pronoun
baxarty	בָחָרְתִּי	I have chosen	first person singular qal perfect
ta)àbty	תָּאַבְתִּי	I have longed to come	first person singular qal perfect
lyshvu`atka	לִישׁוּעָתְךָ	to your salvation	preposition+singular noun with second person singular possessive pronoun
yy	יְהוָה	O LORD	Divine name
vtvoratka	וְתוֹרָתְךָ	and your instruction	conjunction+singular noun with second person singular possessive pronoun
shà`ashu`ay	שַׁעֲשֻׁעָי	is my delight	singular noun with first person singular possessive pronoun - predicate, implied copula
txy nàpshy	תְּחִי נַפְשִׁי	To live let my being	jussive - third person imperative + singular noun with first person singular possessive pronoun
vuthàlleka	וּתְהַלְלֶךָּ	and it will praise you	connector+third person imperfect qal+second person pornoun as object
vumishpa+eka	וּמִשְׁפָּטֶךָ	and from your judgments	conjunction+plural noun with second person singular possessive pronoun
yà`zruny	יַעְזְרֻנִי	you will help me	second person imperfect qal with singular first person object
ta`yty	תָּעִיתִי	Time and again straying I	I needed the T+ qal perfect first person
kseh	כְּשֶׂה	am like a sheep	preposition + singular noun
)obéd	אֹבֵד	that has perished	participle
bàqésh	בַּקֵּשׁ	seek	imperative
`àbdeka	עַבְדֶּךָ	your servant	singular noun with second person singular possessive pronoun
ky micvoteyka	כִּי מִצְו‍ֹתֶיךָ	for your commandments	preposition+plural noun with second person singular possessive pronoun
lo)	לֹא	not	negative particle
shakaxty	שָׁכָחְתִּי	do I forget	qal perfect first person

Psalm 119 - Part 21 Grammar

שָׂרִים רְדָפוּנִי חִנָּם וּמִדְּבָרְךָ פָּחַד לִבִּי	Sultans persecute me for nothing but from your word my heart stands in awe
שָׂשׂ אָנֹכִי עַל אִמְרָתֶךָ כְּמוֹצֵא שָׁלָל רָב	Singing I sing for your promise as finding great booty
שֶׁקֶר שָׂנֵאתִי וַאֲתַעֵבָה תּוֹרָתְךָ אָהָבְתִּי	Scandal I hate and abhor I love your teaching
שֶׁבַע בַּיּוֹם הִלַּלְתִּיךָ עַל מִשְׁפְּטֵי צִדְקֶךָ	Seven times a day do I praise you for the judgments of your righteousness
שָׁלוֹם רָב לְאֹהֲבֵי תוֹרָתֶךָ וְאֵין לָמוֹ מִכְשׁוֹל	Such great peace to those loving your teaching and there is no stumbling for them
שִׂבַּרְתִּי לִישׁוּעָתְךָ יְהוָה וּמִצְו‍ֹתֶיךָ עָשִׂיתִי	Steadfast is my hope in your salvation יְהוָה and I have done your commandments
שָׁמְרָה נַפְשִׁי עֵדֹתֶיךָ וָאֹהֲבֵם מְאֹד	Savors my being your testimonies and I love them greatly
שָׁמַרְתִּי פִקּוּדֶיךָ וְעֵדֹתֶיךָ כִּי כָל דְּרָכַי נֶגְדֶּךָ	So I keep your precepts and your testimonies for all my ways are near you

How is our poet feeling after 21 parts of the poem? Happy to be nearing its end? Still has trouble from external sources and internal sources will be evident in part 22. Likes the superlative in this section.

Details

sarym	שָׂרִים	sultans		plural noun
rdapvuny	רְדָפוּנִי	persecute me		third person plural qal+object first person pronoun
xinam	חִנָּם	for nothing		adverb - derived from grace חֵן
vumidbarka	וּמִדְּבָרְךָ	but from your word		prefix conjunction+singular noun with possessive second person singular pronoun
paxàd	פָּחַד	stands in awe		third person (root) form qal perfect
liby	לִבִּי	my heart		singular noun with first person singular pronoun
sas	שָׂשׂ	singing		its even a participle!
)anoky `àl )imrateka	אָנֹכִי עַל אִמְרָתֶךָ	I for your promise		stand-alone pronoun+preposition+singular noun with possessive second person singular pronoun
kmvocé)	כְּמוֹצֵא	as finding		preposition+participle
shalal rab	שָׁלָל רָב	great booty		noun+modifier
sheqr	שֶׁקֶר	scandal		noun
sané)ty	שָׂנֵאתִי	I hate		first person singular qal perfect
và)atà`ébah	וַאֲתַעֵבָה	and abhor		connector+first person singular qal imperfect
tvoratka	תּוֹרָתְךָ	your instruction		singular noun with possessive second person singular pronoun
)ahabty	אָהָבְתִּי	I love		first person singular qal perfect
shebà`	שֶׁבַע	seven times		number
bàyvom	בַּיּוֹם	a day		preposition+noun
hilàltyka	הִלַּלְתִּיךָ	do I praise you		first person singular must be piel perfect + object second person singular pronoun
`àl	עַל	for		preposition
mishp+éy	מִשְׁפְּטֵי	the judgments of		plural noun in construct (loses its ending)
cidqka	צִדְקֶךָ	your righteousness		singular noun with possessive second person singular pronoun
shalvom	שָׁלוֹם	peace		noun
rab	רָב	such great		modifier
l)ohabéy	לְאֹהֲבֵי	to those loving		preposition+participle in construct
tvorateka	תוֹרָתֶךָ	your instruction		singular noun with possessive second person singular pronoun
v)éyn lamvo	וְאֵין לָמוֹ	and there is for them no		conjunction+particle of not being+ preposition+archaic third person possessive pronoun
mikshvol	מִכְשׁוֹל	stumbling		noun (derived from verb)
sibàrty	שִׂבַּרְתִּי	steadfast my hope		qal perfect first person phrased for the S
lyshvu`atka	לִישׁוּעָתְךָ	in your salvation		preposition+singular noun with possessive second person singular pronoun
yy	יְהוָה	O LORD		divine name
vumicvoteyka	וּמִצְו‍ֹתֶיךָ	and your commandments		prefix conjunction+plural noun with possessive second person singular pronoun
`asyty	עָשִׂיתִי	I have done		qal perfect first person
shamrah	שָׁמְרָה	savours		third person qal perfect feminine
nàpshy	נַפְשִׁי	my being		singular noun+possessive first person pronoun
`édoteyka	עֵדֹתֶיךָ	your testimonies		plural noun with possessive second person singular pronoun
va)ohabém	וָאֹהֲבֵם	and I love them		connector+first person imperfect+object pronoun
m)od	מְאֹד	greatly		adverb
shamàrty	שָׁמַרְתִּי	so I keep		qal first person perfect (extra s)
piqvudeyka	פִקּוּדֶיךָ	your precepts		plural noun with possessive second person singular pronoun
v`édoteyka	וְעֵדֹתֶיךָ	and your testimonies		prefix conjunction+plural noun with possessive second person singular pronoun
ky kal drakày	כִּי כָל דְּרָכַי	for all my ways		conjunction+modifier+plural noun - truncated ending from possessive first person pronoun
negdeka	נֶגְדֶּךָ	are before you		preposition+second person possessive pronoun

The Psalms used in Hebrews

The psalms are getting some mixed press in the bloggosphere stimulated by this post from David Ker on vengeance in the Old Testament - so I write what has been brewing these last four years on the use of the psalms in the NT - particularly Hebrews. (This search ht JK Gayle will find several of the recent essays on the vengeance texts of the Psalms. They are not absent from the context of Hebrews - but you will find my spin encouraging I hope.)
 
The writer of the letter to the Hebrews takes the substance of the dialogue between the Father and the Son almost exclusively from the Psalms. This fact alone should make us rethink our reading of the Old Testament. If we read the Psalter as the writer to that letter did, there is a conversation going on between God the Father and God the Son and we who read are somehow in it.

Here are the uses of the Psalms in Hebrews sorted in the order of their occurrence in the text. I realize, by the way, that several of the psalms are cited from the Greek version, but I don't do Greek and the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews was not ignorant of some Hebrew, at least as far as glossing Melchizedek and Salem. (And the author took that word apart into its pieces to explain its meaning too -tsk tsk - a translation trap!) If I notice a significant difference between the Hebrew and the Greek which I reference from 'A Comparative Psalter' Ed John R. Kohlenberger III, it will emerge...

Text	Translation		Reference	Meanderings
Above the Angels
יְהוָה אָמַר אֵלַי בְּנִי אַתָּה אֲנִי הַיֹּום יְלִדְתִּיךָ	יְהוָה said to me My son you are, I today have birthed you		Psalm 2:7 Hebrews 1:5 (also Acts 13:33)	It is the Son speaking and declaring the decree concerning himself (see also 2 Samuel 7:14). Today is the one day of creation and redemption. There is but one and that one ever. (Geo. Herbert) i.e. this is not 'adoptionism' unless you want to limit your perception in time.
הִשְׁתַּחֲווּ־לֹו כָּל־אֱלֹהִים (The grammar is hithpael imperative of שחה. reflexive / reciprocal? See Lambdin p 249 - incomprehensible!)	Worship him all gods		Psalm 97:7 [or Deut 32:43 LXX HT Brian Small] Hebrews 1:6	The context of these few words of verse 7 is idolatry. This psalm is one of the royal sequence in the middle of Book 3. It is about the worship of  יְהוָה as king. Hebrews implies that the Son is to be worshiped as יְהוָה himself. The king of Psalm 2 is identified implicitly then with יְהוָה.We are not distant, however, and should consider ourselves represented in the person of the Son - not by our presumption but by his choice. (Otherwise, how could we be a part of this conversation?)
עֹשֶׂה מַלְאָכָיו רוּחֹות  מְשָׁרְתָיו אֵשׁ לֹהֵט	making his angels spirits, his ministers,  fire flaming		Psalm 104:4 Hebrews 1:7	This is the first of the last three psalms of Book 3 - It is downplaying angels.
כִּסְאֲךָ אֱלֹהִים עֹולָם וָעֶד שֵׁבֶט מִישֹׁר שֵׁבֶט מַלְכוּתֶֽךָ אָהַבְתָּ צֶּדֶק וַתִּשְׂנָא רֶשַׁע עַל־כֵּן מְשָׁחֲךָ אֱלֹהִים אֱלֹהֶיךָ שֶׁמֶן שָׂשֹׂון מֵחֲבֵרֶיךָ	Your throne O God is now and for ever a sceptre of equity the sceptre of your kingdom You have loved righteousness and hate wickedness therefore God your God has anointed you with oil of rejoicing with your companions		Psalm 45:6-7 Hebrews 1:8-9	Like Psalm 2, Psalm 45, (My heart is inditing...) of the royal wedding, is addressed to the king of Israel. So the writer to the Hebrews is interpreting the address to the king as an address to the Son of whom he speaks.
לְפָנִים הָאָרֶץ יָסַדְתָּ וּֽמַעֲשֵׂה יָדֶיךָ שָׁמָיִם הֵמָּה יֹאבֵדוּ וְאַתָּה תַעֲמֹד וְכֻלָּם כַּבֶּגֶד יִבְלוּ כַּלְּבוּשׁ תַּחֲלִיפֵם וְיַחֲלֹֽפוּ	in the face of the earth you established and the work of your hands, the heavens. These will perish but you - you will stand and they all like clothing will decay as a garment you will change them and they will be changed but you are the same - and your years will not end		Psalm 102:25-26 Hebrews 1:10-12	Psalm 102 is about faces- A prayer of the poor when disabled, before the face of יְהוָה he pours out his talk. The Greek misses the sounds of the Hebrew as any translation almost inevitably does. But the Lord of psalm 102 is not the complainant (the poor) - for the days of the complainant vanish like smoke (v3) in contrast to unending years. So in this case is the writer to the Hebrews allowing the end of the psalm to be a promise addressed to the poor who complains? This becomes a Messianic psalm under such a reading.
נְאֻם יְהוָה לַאדֹנִי שֵׁב לִימִינִי עַד־אָשִׁית אֹיְבֶיךָ הֲדֹם לְרַגְלֶיךָ	a proclamation of יְהוָה to my Lord Sit at my right hand till I make your enemies your footstool		Psalm 110:1 Hebrews 1:13 (also Matthew 22:44, Acts 2:34-35, 1 Peter 3:22)	Another royal psalm of a king is applied to the Son. At an earlier time I wrote: let the one who was wounded for us and whose head is lifted up judge those who rule and lead them to drink from the torrent of life-giving water that flowed from his side. May the king live these words into us so that we can understand.
כִּי מַלְאָכָיו יְצַוֶּה־לָּךְ לִשְׁמָרְךָ בְּכָל־דְּרָכֶיךָ	for he will instruct his messengers about you to keep you in all your ways		Psalm 91:11-12 Hebrews 1:14 (also Matthew 4:6, Luke 4:10-11)	This is barely an allusion but puts the place of angels clearly in service to humanity.
Humanity and its role in creation from suffering to praise
מָה־אֱנֹושׁ כִּי־תִזְכְּרֶנּוּ וּבֶן־אָדָם כִּי תִפְקְדֶנּוּ וַתְּחַסְּרֵהוּ מְּעַט מֵאֱלֹהִים וְכָבֹוד וְהָדָר תְּעַטְּרֵהוּ תַּמְשִׁילֵהוּ בְּמַעֲשֵׂי יָדֶיךָ כֹּל שַׁתָּה תַחַת־רַגְלָיו	What is humanity, that you remember it? and the child of the dust that you visit? Yet you filled it less just a little less than God and with glory and adorning crown it. You give it reign over the works of your hands, all you put under its feet		Psalm 8:4-6 (5-7 MT) Hebrews 2:6-9 (also 1 Corinthians 15:27, Ephesians 1:22)	The service note leads the writer directly to Psalm 8 (somewhere there is a passage!) And the identification of Jesus with the אֱנֹושׁ of Psalm 8 lets us consider his role in tasting death for all.
אֲסַפְּרָה שִׁמְךָ לְאֶחָי בְּתֹוךְ קָהָל אֲהַלְלֶֽךָּ	I will declare your name to my kin In the midst of the congregation I will praise you		Psalm 22:22 (23 MT) Hebrews 2:12	The tasting of death leads immediately to Psalm 22 where the motif of death and resurrection is clear. (see also Psalm 35:18, 40:9, 149:1)
Entering the Rest - re-framing Torah through a reading of the Psalms
הַיֹּום אִם־בְּקֹלֹו תִשְׁמָעוּ אַל־תַּקְשׁוּ לְבַבְכֶם כִּמְרִיבָה כְּיֹום מַסָּה בַּמִּדְבָּר אֲשֶׁר נִסּוּנִי אֲבֹותֵיכֶם בְּחָנוּנִי גַּם־רָאוּ פָעֳלִי אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה אָקוּט בְּדֹור וָאֹמַר עַם תֹּעֵי לֵבָב הֵם וְהֵם לֹא־יָדְעוּ דְרָכָי אֲשֶׁר־נִשְׁבַּעְתִּי בְאַפִּי אִם־יְבֹאוּן אֶל־מְנוּחָתִי	Today if you hear his voice do not harden your heart in rebellion as if it was the day of testing in the wilderness when your fathers tested me examined me and saw my work forty years I put up with a generation and I said these people wander in their hearts and they do not know my ways so I swore in my anger they will not come to my rest		Psalm 95:7-11 Hebrews 3:7-11, 15, 4:7, 4:3-5	Having laid out for us the exaltation of this man, Jesus, the Son as noted in Hebrews 1:2, we are then invited to consider our situation as 'his house'. Using Psalm 95, the Venite of traditional Mattins, the writer redefines the meaning of 'today' again. There must be a rest to be reached. (Note the anticipation of rest in the story of Ruth. בִּתִּי הֲלֹא אֲבַקֶּשׁ-לָךְ מָנוֹחַ my daughter do I not seek for you rest) There is work for us, and it is easy to get discouraged. But there also is fruitfulness, rest, and the oil of gladness. Is Psalm 95 one of the 'nice' psalms? Note how it redefines a false literal 7 day creation (as if it was necessary for the centuries to come). This redefinition is confirmed by the NT writers - particularly the writer of this letter and the writer of the Gospel of John.
אַתָּה יָדַעְתָּ שִׁבְתִּי וְקוּמִי בַּנְתָּה לְרֵעִי מֵרָחֹֽוק אָרְחִי וְרִבְעִי זֵרִיתָ וְֽכָל־דְּרָכַי הִסְכַּֽנְתָּה	You - you know my sitting and my rising; you understand my thought from afar; my path and my lying down you sift; and all my ways you know intimately		Psalm 139:2-3 Hebrews 4:13	The allusion is indirect to Psalm 139 and perhaps more fearful than the psalm, but it illustrates that we are known if indeed we allow such openness as is demonstrated continuously in the human psalmist. Let it never be said "I did not know you" for such knowledge is too precious. Not of the flesh, it is nonetheless truly and fully known in this earthen vessel.
The High Priest as taught in the Psalms
אֲסַפְּרָה אֶל חֹק יְהוָה אָמַר אֵלַי בְּנִי אַתָּה אֲנִי הַיֹּום יְלִדְתִּיךָ	I will declare the decree: יְהוָה said to me: My son you are, I today have birthed you		Psalm 2:7 Hebrews 5:5	The sonship and priesthood are both declared by God
נִשְׁבַּע יְהוָה וְלֹא יִנָּחֵם אַתָּֽה־כֹהֵן לְעֹולָם עַל־דִּבְרָתִי מַלְכִּי־צֶדֶק	יְהוָה has sworn and will not repent you are a priest for ever of the order of Melchizedek		Psalm 110:4 Hebrews 5:6, 7:17, 21	This little psalm is very important to the NT writers.
זֶבַח וּמִנְחָה לֹֽא־חָפַצְתָּ אָזְנַיִם כָּרִיתָ לִּי עֹולָה וַחֲטָאָה לֹא שָׁאָֽלְתָּ אָז אָמַרְתִּי הִנֵּה־בָאתִי  בִּמְגִלַּת־סֵפֶר כָּתוּב עָלָי לַֽעֲשֹֽׂות־רְצֹונְךָ אֱלֹהַי חָפָצְתִּי וְתֹורָתְךָ בְּתֹוךְ מֵעָי	sacrifice and offering you did not delight in, ears you have dug for me, burnt offering and sin offering you did not require, then I said Here I come, in the roll of the writing is inscribed of me, to do your will my God I delighted		Psalm 40:6-8 Hebrews 10:5-7	Ears you have dug - or a body you have prepared. Ears reminds me of the servant song in Isaiah 50. Body is good too - the whole body is taught through the ear opened. Psalm 40 is delightful. This human is like the one who created Psalm 119. It is not piety but joy that moves a person so.
נְאֻם יְהוָה לַאדֹנִי שֵׁב לִימִינִי עַד־אָשִׁית אֹיְבֶיךָ הֲדֹם לְרַגְלֶיךָ	a proclamation of יְהוָה to my Lord Sit at my right hand till I make your enemies your footstool		Psalm 110:1 Hebrews 10:12-13	This psalm carries the thought of the author through 5 chapters.
כִּי־יָדִין יְהוָה עַמֹּו וְעַל־עֲבָדָיו יִתְנֶחָם	for יְהוָה will judge his people and all his servants he will console		Psalm 135:14 Hebrews 10:30	In the end, it should be noted that the judgment of יְהוָה is wholly positive.
Confidence and Praise also learned from the Psalms
בֵּֽאלֹהִים בָּטַחְתִּי לֹא אִירָא מַה־יַּעֲשֶׂה אָדָם לִי	In God I will trust I will not fear What will humus do to me?		Psalm 56:11 Hebrews 13:6	on the disabled, mute, bound dove in the distance, of David, a miktam - the Psalms are the biggest and best book of the Bible. Read them all.
יְהוָה לִי לֹא אִירָא מַה־יַּעֲשֶׂה לִי אָדָם	יְהוָה for me - I will not fear What can a human do to me?		Psalm 118:6 Hebrews 13:6	Read a little further in Psalm 118 and you find destruction by circumcision. How does the Created order overcome its self-centered self-destructive actions? It chooses the sign of circumcision and in such prefigures the death of Jesus (Colossians 2:11).The gospel then invites self-destruction in Christ Jesus establishing our death and passage through judgment. The new life that follows confirms the rightness of the choice. Our choice - our being chosen. This is the narrow door of election and the means of digging our ears.
זְבַח לֵאלֹהִים תֹּודָה וְשַׁלֵּם לְעֶלְיֹון נְדָרֶיךָ	Sacrifice thanksgiving to God and pay your vows to the Most High		Psalm 50:14 Hebrews 13:15	A Sacrifice of thanksgiving is all that is left to do. Today was not an easy day - again I made lots of mistakes and had to undo them. My logic needs the cutting edge of others' criticism. I know it is no easier for anyone else. I will find thanksgiving in the blooms of the garden and in a restful weekend.