ABCs of Praise Part 2
ABCs of Praise • Sermon • Submitted
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· 3 viewsUnderstanding the Hebrew Alef-Beit of Psalms 119.
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The Hand of God
The Hand of God
The historical interpretation of the sixth letter of the Hebrew Alef-Beit speaks of the power of God in Creation. It is as a single line of light, from the infinite source of all that exist, God Almighty Himself.
In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.
According to Rabbi Yitzchak Ginsburgh, “This property of the letter vav, in its usage in Hebrew, is referred to as vav hachibur, ‘the vav of connection” – ‘and’. The first vav of the Torah, found in Genesis 1:1, ‘In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth,’ - serves to join spirit and matter, heaven and the earth, throughout creation.”
So, as the Psalmist speaks of the steadfast love of God and the promise of His salvation, he trust in the eternal Word of God and in this he walks (halak) returning to God love for Him and His commandments (metvoh). In serving God according to His ways heaven and earth are connected by the power of the love of God Almighty.
And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.
In Hebrew, the vav serves the function of inversion. It inverts the apparent tense of a verb to its opposite. What was the future becomes the past when coming from the mouth of Adonai. And what was not now becomes what is and shall be. In Genesis, there was nothing but darkness, “And God said…and there was light. This power from the mouth of God to draw from the future into the past is the essence of teshuvah (repentance and turning back to God) because of His great love. When one returns to God, because of love, the desire to close the gap in the relationship becomes the kavanah (motivation) for running back to Him with a greater passion than ever before (Ginsburgh, Rabbi Yitzchak; The Alef-Beit, 1991; Gal Einai Publications; Northvale, New Jersey).
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
In relation to Jesus Christ, the vav represents absolute truth. The truth that laid the foundations of the earth and holds all things together. A lie can hold nothing for it sooner or later crumbles. If you are living a complete lie or a half truth, your life and peace cannot be sustained. Moral compromise is always unsustainable. Truth is the only sure foundation. There is and can be only one truth that holds all things together. You must build your entire life on nothing but the truth and the whole truth. This is the only way to stay connected to the Father.
The word vav (ואו) means “a hook” or “nail”. The curtains of the Tabernacle were suspended to pillars by “hooks”. The coverings and walls were anchored to the ground with nails [vav]. These represent our connection to God, our staying grounded, anchored, connected , sustained through the revelation of His Son Jesus Christ who was hung by nails on a tree for your redemption.
He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
In Hebrew the word “Law” (ḥōq חוק), relating to man’s laws, comes from the root ḥāqaq חקק, meaning “to engrave”. When these engraved letters of God’s Law (Torah תּוֹרָה) are engraved on our hearts, they point us to the will of God. It is then that the revelation of God becomes truth in our hearts as He desired from the beginning, “I am God your God…” (Ginsburgh, Rabbi Yitzchak; The Alef-Beit, 1991; Gal Einai Publications; Northvale, New Jersey).
“The Torah of God is perfect, restoring the soul. The testimony of God is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of God are right, rejoicing the heart. The commandments of God are bright, enlightening the eyes. The fear of God is pure, enduring forever. The judgments of God are true and are righteous altogether” (Ginsburgh, Rabbi Yitzchak; The Alef-Beit, 1991; Gal Einai Publications; Northvale, New Jersey)
“The Law of God links us to the will of God. This is the essence of vav hachibur (connecting our past and future to the will of God)” (Ginsburgh). Our past is forgiven, but the amazing and redeeming work of God is remembered with a thankful heart. We are then given a clean slate and a new future.
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.
The Word of God links us in relationship to Him like a covenant marriage relationship between a biological man and a biological woman.
Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.
Tradition states that God wrote the first set of tablets by His hand [yud] using His second finger, the finger upon which a Jewish bride accepts her betrothal ring.
Let your steadfast love come to me, O Lord, your salvation according to your promise; then shall I have an answer for him who taunts me, for I trust in your word. And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth, for my hope is in your rules. I will keep your law continually, forever and ever, and I shall walk in a wide place, for I have sought your precepts. I will also speak of your testimonies before kings and shall not be put to shame, for I find my delight in your commandments, which I love. I will lift up my hands toward your commandments, which I love, and I will meditate on your statutes.
This bring us to the letter zayin (ז). The initial letters of zakar זכר, “male,” and nequbah נקבה, “female,” spell zan(זן), “species” or “gender.” Thus, in both its form and its name, the letter zayin represents the covenant marital relationship of man to wife as in Genesis. It’s root word also means that which sustains in the context of being a support in one’s life. You can understand why Ha Satan seeks to pervert not just marriage but even gender. As well, the form of the zayin resembles both a golden scepter and the crown on the head of a king. Thus, as stated of the wife in Proverbs 12:4.
An excellent wife is the crown of her husband, but she who brings shame is like rottenness in his bones.
Let me tell you that my bones are healthy and I am blessed with the most excellent wife. And if you are as blessed to get a Barham girl as a wife, you have a most precious crown.
The word zayin (זין) means a “weapon”, especially “a sword”. The sword is a weapon but it was also used to cut bread on the battlefield. Jesus was the Bread of Life pierced with a sword as the water from His side flowed for the cleansing of your sins at the shedding of His blood.
“The Sages taught that each day when we say, 'Holy Holy Holy is God the Lord of Hosts, the whole world is full of His glory,' we make three crowns for God. God keeps one crown and returns two to us. The two are that we might 'hear and do His will' corresponding to the revelation of infinite and unconditional love for God. In this we become fitting vessels able to experience God’s Sanctity” (Ginsburgh, Rabbi Yitzchak; The Alef-Beit, 1991; Gal Einai Publications; Northvale, New Jersey).
To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
It has been said that, “The candle of God is the soul of man.” You are to be the light of Christ to this world.
Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.
Which brings us to Chet (ח). Chet is the letter of “life” (חיימ) from the root chey (חיה). Significant to this word for life is the letter chet. We see it’s source in Genesis 1:2.
The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.
The Sages taught that the vav and zayin, from the mouth of God in Creation, come together in past and future creating the “hovering” of the Spirit of God over the face of the deep. They believed that the power of God through His hovering Spirit referred to the soul of Mashiach (משיח: שמ חי, “the living name”- The name of Messiah). (Ginsburgh 1991)
Thus, the Psalmist states in Psalms 119:57 “The Lord is my portion.”
The Lord is my portion; I promise to keep your words.
“The word chet means (חית) means both 'life' (חיות), and 'fear' (as in חתת אלקימ, 'the fear of God'). Life and fear are related, as stated in Proverbs 19:23 'The fear of the LORD leads [is the source of] to life, and whoever has it rests satisfied; he will not be visited by harm.’” (Ginsburgh, Rabbi Yitzchak; The Alef-Beit, 1991; Gal Einai Publications; Northvale, New Jersey).
The fear of the Lord leads to life, and whoever has it rests satisfied; he will not be visited by harm.
The Psalmist put it this way in Psalms 119:64:
The earth, O Lord, is full of your steadfast love; teach me your statutes!
His steadfast love and statutes lead the Psalms in 119 to be expressed in the essence of the next letter Tet (ט).
The tet (ט) is the first letter of the word tov (טוב), which means “good”. In Genesis 1 God created the light and saw that it was “good”.
The tet resembles a vessel with an inverted rim, a vessel containing the blessing of peace. Peace is the only vessel capable of containing a blessing (as the Priestly Blessing concludes” “…and He shall grant you peace”).
We were given a choice between good and evil. The only real goodness comes from God. All that was good came from God. But man chose that which was not good. God then gave us His covenant ways and again giving us a choice between life and death, righteousness and unrighteousness. Thus, the Psalmist declares in Psalms 119: 65-68.
You have dealt well with your servant, O Lord, according to your word. Teach me good judgment and knowledge, for I believe in your commandments. Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep your word. You are good and do good; teach me your statutes.
In Psalm 119:72, he speaks of the “Law of God’s mouth.” The Tet (ט) in Hebrew is often considered relative to the nine months of pregnancy as it is the ninth letter of the Alef-Beit. It reflects the divine designed process of that which grows within. Thus, what is in your inner most being, or your heart, will be revealed in due time.
You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.
This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.
This brings us to our final letter in this session, Yod (י). This section of Psalms 119 begins with:
Your hands have made and fashioned me; give me understanding that I may learn your commandments.
The letter yod holds the numerical value of ten. There were Ten Commandments given to us. There were ten plagues used to deliver Israel from Egypt. There are ten days of repentance leading up to Yom Kippur. The Rabbi’s state that there were ten utterances of creation. And you were designed with ten toes and ten fingers for a reason. Throughout Leviticus God states, “The tenth shall be Holy for God.” Your are to be holy for God. It is said that the yod’s shape is the “forming point” creating a path by which man should live. As such the Psalmist declares:
Those who fear you shall see me and rejoice, because I have hoped in your word.
The word yod (יוד) means “a hand” or “to thrust.”
Let your mercy come to me, that I may live; for your law is my delight.
From the root yedah (ידה), “to thrust,” derives the meaning (ha’yada) הודיה, “to give thanks.” There is increasing knowledge of God in a thankful heart. After extending one’s hand to receive, one must “thrust,” in return, one’s expression of thanks. “To thank,” is in turn related to the word “splendor” (הוד) or “majesty”. In giving thanks one echoes and reveals the goodly intentions of the giver, previously “hidden” in the act of his giving. In Hebrew, “to thank” implies the acknowledgment of truth. (Ginsburgh, Rabbi Yitzchak; The Alef-Beit, 1991; Gal Einai Publications; Northvale, New Jersey)
The word “close friend (ידיד) is actually the word “hand” (יד) twice. This can be seen to symbolize friendship as two companions “shaking hands.” The extended hand of each friend to his companion is the secret of the extension of the soul’s power of malchut (kingdom) as personified by King David, whose name David (דוד) means “lover”. And numerically equals yud (יד), “hand”. The root of the word malchut (kingdom) means “the will to take counsel”; “giving one’s hand” to another is interpreted (in the book of Ezra) to mean promising to follow one’s advice. (Ginsburgh, Rabbi Yitzchak; The Alef-Beit, 1991; Gal Einai Publications; Northvale, New Jersey) Thus, to be a part of God’s Kingdom one must make Him the lover of their soul. One who lives by the counsel of the Word of the Almighty.
God’s hand is unlimited and restrained by no one. His hand alone sustains all of creation. When you engage in acts of loving kindness you are demonstrating the power of the yod (hand) of God. Truth then has pushed back a lie and light has overcome darkness. In charity, because you have exercised your Kingdom role of kohanim הכהנימ (the Priests) you have shook hands with God.
By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”