February 11 Bible Reading

Today’s Old Testament chronological reading is in Genesis 41 and 42.

The Psalms/ Proverbs reading is in Psalm 42.

The New Testament reading is in Mark 2.

Today’s notes.

My study today was in Psalm 42. The new chiastic structure (below) answered a nagging question for me, namely, why does every Psalm bounded by the {p} or strong paragraph marker make its own structure but this one? It does, it turns out, just in an alternate form.

But what struck me today, is that often things may look bleak while the enemy taunts us with, “Where is your God?” Our tears are our food day and night in that interim while we wait for His salvation. But while we weep by day, by day He commands His lovingkindness toward us. While we weep by night, by night He gives us His song, to sing as a prayer to Him. How many times have I awoken to find my heart had already been singing His song while I slept, that He has given me as a prayer by His Spirit? And it is the perfect prayer to answer the attack of the enemy against my soul.

Hebrew root words.

Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? {n} Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him for the salvation of His countenance. Psa 42:5

TO CROUCH or CAST DOWN. Strong’s H7817 שחח shachach; a primitive root meaning, “to sink down, to be bowed down.”

shin ש = two front teeth, thus sharp, press, eat, two, again
chet ח = wall, thus outside, divide, half
chet ח = wall, thus outside, divide, half

The story: When a pit is dug, it is dug deeply with sharp (shin) walls (chet + chet, that is, plural) going straight down so that what falls in cannot make its way out again unless by being lifted out from above.

SOUL. Strong’s H5315 נפש nephesh; a continual blowing through the front teeth; i.e., to breathe.

TO BE DISQUIETED. Strong’s H1993 המה hamah; a primitive root meaning, “to hum,” as the sound of bees.

hey ה = man w/ raised arms, so look, reveal, wonder, worship, breath
mem מ = water, thus chaos, mighty, blood
hey ה = man w/ raised arms, so look, reveal, wonder, worship, breath

The story: Looking toward (hey) the water of the sea (mem) as a place of constant movement, as the constant in and out of the breath (hey) of a man. The constant movement of the waves creates the sound of the surf which is never quiet.

TO HOPE. Strong’s H3176 יחל yachal; to work outside with the yoke, in the expectation of a return for the labor.