Read Psalm 36 here (text coming …) or at Bible Gateway.
The Hebrew paragraph:
36:1-12 {p} The excellence of YHVH contrasted with the deceptive pride of the wicked
Psalm 36:1-12 Chiastic Structure:
Let not the foot of pride overtake me, and let not the hand of the wicked drive me away. Psa 36:11
A “foot of pride” is like a foothold, a foot in the door. It is the beginning step taken down the highway of pride, which, we can see, is where the wicked traverse, and where they ultimately meet their downfall.
Pride is in Hebrew, Strong’s H1346, ga’ava, an abstract concept, from Strong’s H1342, גאה ga’ah, a primitive verb meaning, “to be lifted up, to be exalted.” The ancient pictographs are gimel + aleph + hey.
gimel ג = foot, thus foot, walk, gather
aleph א = ox head, thus strength, power, leader
hey ה = man w/upraised arms, so look, reveal, wonder, worship, breath
The parable being told by the Hebrew Root Word is to lift (gimel, i.e. something is lifted so that it can be carried by walking to another place) strongly (aleph) on high (hey, as the man’s upraised arms are held aloft).
The structure pairs the foothold of pride with flattery, with appealing to personal vanity. To flatter is in Hebrew, Strong’s H2505, חלק chalaq, a primitive verb meaning “to be smooth,” that is, “to divide by lot” (for the smooth stones used to cast lots). The ancient pictographs are chet + lamed + quph.
chet ח = the wall, thus outside, divide, half
lamed ל = the shepherd’s staff, thus teach, yoke, to, bind
quph ק = sun on the horizon, thus condense, circle, time
The partail is in lamed+quph, according to the Ancient Hebrew Lexicon: the shepherd (lamed) gathers the flock together at day’s end (quph); thus, the parable is of the sons who use smooth stones to cast lots dividing (chet) what has been gathered up (lamed + quph) by the father for their inheritance.
Flattery is smooth speech, in other words, that which doesn’t ruffle any feathers or create waves.
But the fact is that we humans will always need correcting in something or another.
For the commandment is a lamp, and the Law a light; reproofs of instruction are the way of life. Pro 6:23
God’s righteous judgments do ruffle feathers and do create waves. But they are a great deep of wisdom; they are a fountain of life and light. By them, He preserves us; by them, He gathers us for refuge under the shadow of His wings. When we only listen to that which exalts ourselves, then we are giving pride a foothold. The only One we should be exalting on high, is YHVH.
Leave a Reply