Journal for Christ: We WILL See The Goodness Of The LORD In The Land Of The Living

July 17, 2018

Worship: Be Still My Soul, Words: Katharina A. von Schlegel; translated to English by Jane L. Borthwick

Music: "Finlandia" by Jean Sibelius.

Be still, my soul: the Lord is on thy side.
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain.
Leave to thy God to order and provide;
In every change, He faithful will remain.
Be still, my soul: thy best, thy heavenly Friend
Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

Be still, my soul: thy God doth undertake
To guide the future, as He has the past.
Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake;
All now mysterious shall be bright at last.
Be still, my soul: the waves and winds still know
His voice Who ruled them while He dwelt below.

Be still, my soul: when dearest friends depart,
And all is darkened in the vale of tears,
Then shalt thou better know His love, His heart,
Who comes to soothe thy sorrow and thy fears.
Be still, my soul: thy Jesus can repay
From His own fullness all He takes away.

Be still, my soul: the hour is hastening on
When we shall be forever with the Lord.
When disappointment, grief and fear are gone,
Sorrow forgot, love's purest joys restored.
Be still, my soul: when change and tears are past
All safe and blessed we shall meet at last.

Be still, my soul: begin the song of praise
On earth, be leaving, to Thy Lord on high;
Acknowledge Him in all thy words and ways,
So shall He view thee with a well pleased eye.
Be still, my soul: the Sun of life divine
Through passing clouds shall but more brightly shine.

Video: https://youtu.be/_s3S3E00rYA

Video: https://youtu.be/pwkPsKe-39Y

Witness:

I believe it has taken me over two hours to find a song to open up in worship. Within the first hour, I had decided on this song. It fit perfectly with the words of David in verse 13. Especially the second verse of the song. However, as typical with old hymns, no one sang all of the verses. They either skipped verse 2 or 3 and most skipped the last stanza. I was frustrated but determined to find one that would sing the complete song. With great tenacity, I forged on through version after version, but to no avail. What a sneaky rabbit I chased today. How much time was wasted when the words of the hymn are what I should have been focusing on. I was choosing toon over truth, and this old song packs a lot in it.

Each verse drips with hope amidst the painful path I trod these past few years. There is not one line that does not minister to me.

There is assurance – The Lord is on my side
There is perseverance – Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain
There is surrender – Leave to thy God to order and provide
There is stability – In every change, He faithful will remain
There is relationship – My best, my heavenly Friend
There is promise – Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end
There is action – God doth undertake
There is guidance – To guide my future as He has in the past
There is exhortation – My hope, my confidence let nothing shake
There is illumination – All now mysterious shall be bright at last
There is sovereignty – The wind and waves still know the voice of their ruler

When loved ones depart through death or desertion and sorrow overwhelms my soul it is then I will know even better the loving heart of my God who soothes my sadness and hurt. And then there are these amazing words full of

Power – Jesus can

Provision – Repay from His own fullness

And yes…

Providence – All He takes away

Time moves on to the day when all sorrow ceases, and we will be with the Lord eternally. A time when:

When disappointment, grief and fear are gone,Sorrow forgot, love's purest joys restored.

A time:

when change and tears are past
All safe and blessed we shall meet at last.

But in the meantime, let my praise begin now. Let my life be pleasing in His sight. Let me see and know He is there even when dark clouds seek to block His light.

Be still, my soul: the Sun of life divineThrough passing clouds shall but more brightly shine.

When I was driving home from work the other day, I saw this phenomenon displayed before me. The rain clouds stretched across the sky, but in the midst of them was a space through which the sun shone through with blinding light.

God moves in a mysterious way

His wonders to perform;

He plants His footsteps in the sea,

and rides upon the storm.
Deep in unfathomable mines

of never-failing skill,

He treasures up His bright designs,

and works His sovereign will.
Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take,

the clouds ye so much dread,

are big with mercy, and shall break

In blessings on your head.
Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,

but trust Him for His grace;

Behind a frowning providence,

He hides a smiling face.
His purposes will ripen fast,

unfolding every hour;

The bud may have a bitter taste,

but sweet will be the flower.
Blind unbelief is sure to err, a

nd scan his work in vain;

God is His own interpreter,
and He will make it plain.

William Cowper 1774

https://albertmohler.com/2005/08/31/behind-a-frowning-providence-the-christians-confidence-in-the-face-of-sorrow/

WORD:

Ps 27:11-14

11 Teach me your way, O LORD;

lead me in a straight path

because of my oppressors.

12 Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes,

for false witnesses rise up against me,

breathing out violence. *

13 I am still confident of this:

I will see the goodness of the LORD

in the land of the living.

14 Wait for the LORD;

be strong and take heart

and wait for the LORD.

NIV (1984)

* spouting malicious accusations

NIV (2011)

Ps 27:11-14

11 Teach me how to live, O Lord.

Lead me along the right path,

for my enemies are waiting for me.

12 Do not let me fall into their hands.

For they accuse me of things I've never done;

with every breath they threaten me with violence.

13 Yet I am confident I will see the Lord's goodness

while I am here in the land of the living.

14 Wait patiently for the Lord.

Be brave and courageous.

Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.

Ps 27:11-14

11 Teach me thy way, O Lord, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies.

12 Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty.

13 I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.

14 Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.

KJV

Ps 27:11-28:1

11 Teach me your way, O Lord,

and lead me on a level path

because of my enemies.

12 Give me not up to the will of my adversaries;

for false witnesses have risen against me,

and they breathe out violence.

13 I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord

in the land of the living!

14 Wait for the Lord;

be strong, and let your heart take courage;

wait for the Lord!

ESV

There is a textual issue in verse 13. The Masoretic Text translated reads:

“unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.”

The words “I had fainted” were added by the translators of the KJV (the ASV and NASB follow the same line of thinking) because they felt it made more sense and was implied by the context. However, because of the way the word “unless” is marked in Hebrew [ aç„lç„@Wlç„ – notice the tree dots atop and bottom of the word] many textual critics believe this indicated that the Masoretes questioned its authenticity. That is why many translations do not include it.

Commentators have come out on both sides of the issue.

Barnes says:

The words "I had fainted" are supplied by the translators, but they undoubtedly express the true sense of the passage.(from Barnes' Notes, Electronic Database Copyright © 1997-2014 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Clarke on the other hand says retains the “unless” but rejects the insertion:

The words in italics are supplied by our translators; but, far from being necessary, they injure the sense. Throw out the words I had fainted, and leave a break after the verse, and the elegant figure of the psalmist will be preserved: "Unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living"-What! what, alas! should have become of me!(from Adam Clarke's Commentary, Electronic Database. Copyright © 1996, 2003, 2005, 2006 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Example: NET translation:

Where would I be if I did not believe I would experiencethe Lord's favor in the land of the living?
(from The NET Bible®, Copyright © 1996-2006 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C., Dallas, Texas, www.bible.org. All rights reserved. Used by permission.)

E. W. Bullinger commenting on this issue, says:

"I had fainted unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living."The words, "I had fainted," both in the A.V. and R.V., are an arbitrary addition in order to make sense.The difficulty arises from disregarding the fact that the word "unless" is dotted in the printed text and should be cancelled in reading. It is cancelled in the LXX. Syriac and Vulgate, and the clause should be rendered:"I believe that I shall see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living."

Figures of Speech Used in the Bible. PC Study Bible formatted electronic database Copyright © 2013 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.

Example: ESV (notice they cover the emphatic force of the sentence by adding and exclamation point:

I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lordin the land of the living!

The USB OT Handbook says:

The first word in the Masoretic text of verse 13 usually means "unless." That it was difficult to understand is shown by the dots which mark it in the Masoretic text, indicating doubts as to its genuineness; it is omitted by five Hebrew manuscripts and by the Septuagint. It is probably best understood as a way of saying "I would give up hope unless (I believed)"; so FRCL; and NJV similarly, "Had I not had the assurance that I would enjoy the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living...." RSV, TEV, TOB, and NEB omit the word.(from UBS Old Testament Handbook Series. Copyright © 1978-2004 by United Bible Societies. All rights reserved.)

With or without “unless” the sentence translated literally into English would be awkward. However, in light of verse 12, it is not difficult to see that David is turning his eyes away from his troubles and looking to His Lord. He is confident that he will “see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.” David is perhaps choked up and cannot utter what he is feeling. “I would have fainted” then could be a possibility. “I would have lost hope” or “despaired” another.

JFB says:

Psalms 27:13-14 His heart is too full of confidence in God actually to utter the language of despair, "I had fainted:" he therefore leaves it to be understood.(from Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown Commentary, Electronic Database. Copyright © 1997-2014 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Gill taking his cues from Jewish interpreters may have it correctly:

This clause is not in the original text, but is a supplement of our translators; and it is generally agreed there is a defect of expression, which must be supplied in some way or other: the Jewish interpreters generally refer it to the preceding words; one supplies thus, those false witnesses would have rose up against me, and consumed me; another after this manner, mine enemies had almost got the dominion over me; a third, I had almost perished at their sayings: and a fourth, and they would have destroyed me. Perhaps it may be as well supplied from Ps 119:92; I should then have perished in mine afflictionGill's Exposition of the Old and New Testaments, PC Study Bible formatted electronic database Copyright © 2011 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.

“I believe,” what a loaded phrase this is. For in it is contained all that David had declared positively in all the preceding verses.

I believe!

The LORD is my light and my salvation

The LORD is the stronghold of my life

When evil men advance… when my enemies and my foes attack me, they will stumble and fall.

In the day of trouble, He will keep me safe in His dwelling

My head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me

At His tabernacle I will sacrifice with shouts of joy

I will sing and make music to the LORD

You HAVE been my helper

God [is] my Savior

Though my father and mother forsake me, the LORD will receive me.

Therefore, I WILL see the GOODNESS of the Lord in the land of the living and I will surely:

DWELL in the house of the LORD all the days of my life

GAZE upon the beauty of the LORD

SEEK Him in his temple

The believer walks in the now and not yet. The present life and the next. We understand there is “an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison.” (2 Cor. 4:17 ESV) We know experientially that we will experience “momentary affliction.” [ibid] But amidst the soreness and suffering and shortcomings, the clouds will break apart and the light of His glory will shine through, and showers of blessings will fall.

Ours is not just a “pie in the sky by and by” religion. We know we “will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.” (v. 13) We will travel the wilderness and also rest in verdant fields of green and waters serene. We will traverse valleys dark, gloomy, and stark and also relax at tables of plenty though surrounded by enmity. And in all this, we will be pursued by God’s goodness and mercy. (Psalm 23:2-6)

Goodness, which protects us from the enemy who seeks our ill.
Mercy, when the winds of sorrow and pain bring a chill.
Goodness not bought by money nor healed by a pillMercy that was displayed and wrought on Calvary’s Hill

http://tracystella.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Beyond-the-Shadow-of-a-Doubt-MODIFIED-e1405637666117.jpg

Journal for Christ

Sunday, July 22, 2018

We WILL See The Goodness Of The LORD In The Land Of The Living

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