Happy Valentine’s Day! How is it already the middle of February? I can honestly say that I don’t care a thing about this holiday set aside for love. Sure, I used to, but it doesn’t rank as a favorite. It may sound cheesy, but I feel fully loved already, so celebrating Valentine’s Day just seems a bit unnecessary. Keep in mind though, that I can usually be found venturing to the store on February 15th for the discounted candy. I can definitely get on board with discounted chocolate.
The majority of posts out there for today will be focused on love, or rather a worldly view of what they think love is, but perhaps I’m just too much of a rebel for a Valentine’s Day post. Then again, every post I write is about love since God is love (I John 4:8), and it’s love according to the Word of God, so you’re welcome for that.
I’ve been knocking around different topics that have been going through my head and heart, but none of them felt ready. Sometimes the words will flow before I open my laptop, and other times I just have to start writing and then the flow will come. All of the inspiration has come from spending time in the Word. Then I will talk about it with my hubby and dig deeper (not always in that order). I’ve been putting most of my focus into what I’ve challenged myself to memorize.
Bless the Lord, o my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name. Bless the Lord, o my soul, and forget none of His benefits; who pardons all your iniquities; who heals all your diseases; who redeems your life from the pit; who crowns you with lovingkindness and compassion; who satisfies your years with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle. The Lord performs righteous deeds, and judgments for all who are oppressed. He made known His ways to Moses, His acts to the sons of Israel. Psalm 103:1-7 NASB (italics added for content focus)
I’m aiming to memorize Psalm 103:1-12, but this is what I’ve gotten so far. I’ve been looking into each verse as I go through them and wanted to share some insights with you on verse 6. There are so many translations out there that it can be a bit overwhelming. I love comparing translations because it seems to add a bit of depth to what is being communicated. And when digging into the original Hebrew and Greek text, there’s an added richness!
When I was reading through verse 6, the Lord performs righteous deeds… I couldn’t seem to contain the sarcastic thought of …of course God does righteous deeds… He’s righteous, so all of His deeds will be righteous. But to the surprise of my sarcasm, it also means the Lord performs deeds of vindication. You know I love words, so let’s look at a few today.
Vindication is the action of clearing someone of blame or suspicion. Apparently I’m not a very trusting person. I’m typically suspicious of people, their actions, and their motives. It’s definitely not something to brag about, but it’s what I’m working with at this point in my life. When someone lies or deceives me, they become my prime suspect for almost everything that seems amiss for a very long time.
Most people know about the kiddo who gets into the cookie jar, eats all the cookies and lies about it, but has failed to wash away the evidence from their hands and face. They’re caught. They might even come clean, but now there’s a cloud of suspicion. A treat goes missing and that cookie bandit is immediately the #1 suspect. No evidence needed before the questioning begins because they’ve already shown they are capable and willing to do something wrong. Then there’s God, the One who vindicates – He clears us of blame AND suspicion.
Reading on, I found myself wondering about the comma. I know there are times I need an editor, but this comma bugged me. I started looking at other translations and didn’t find a comma in the KJV, the NKJV, the NIV, the ESV, the YLT, or the NLT. There are many other translations, but I stopped with those. The Lord performs righteous deeds, and judgments for all who are oppressed… Then I started looking at what the words really mean.
The word judgments here means a verdict pronounced judicially, especially a sentence or formal decree. Other translations use the word justice – He vindicates and gives justice to… well, let’s look at what comes next. It’s the next bit that I want to share with you that had me taking a minute.
Oppressed is describing those who were defrauded, violated, deceived, and pressed down – oppressed. We live in a fallen world and it came to be fallen through Adam and Eve being deceived. They were tricked into believing that they were lacking even though they lacked nothing (Genesis 3:1-6). The deception led to them being defrauded, that led to being violated, that led to being pressed down.
This passage reiterates the answer to who the Lord performs deeds of vindication for. All who are oppressed. The entire world and all who have and will populate it was put into the sinful column as soon as Eve ate of the forbidden fruit. All of the sins of the entire world was dealt with when Jesus said It is finished (Tetelestai – John 19:30).
The Lord performs righteous deeds (deeds of vindication), and judgments (formal decree; justice) for all (all, the whole) who are oppressed (deceived, defrauded, violated, pressed down). Psalm 103:6 NASB
And He Himself is the propitiation (atonement; appeases anger and brings reconciliation) for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world (metonymically – men, mankind, inhabitants of the world). I John 2:2 NASB
When I was looking into this word – all – a bit more, I noticed something I had originally missed. This word is #3605 in the Strong’s and is from #3634 which means to complete, to make perfect. I kind of need a minute.
Imagine the absolute worst person in the entire world – some think of Adolf Hitler right off the bat – and realize that His sins were also spread as far as the east is from the west (Psalm 103:12, Hebrews 9:26, Isaiah 38:17). All, in Hebrew (#3605), means ALL. All, in Greek (#3956), means ALL. All means ALL. All sins, for all people, for all of the world, for all time (I Peter 3:18, Hebrews 10:10, I John 2:2). This does not mean all will go to Heaven when they pass from this life – all have a choice to make. But sin does not stand between you and our loving God. All sin has been dealt with.
All this time I was thinking I was a bit of a rebel in not writing a post on love for Valentine’s Day, but here I went and shared a post on the ultimate love story. While all the world was defrauded, violated, oppressed, and deceived – while all the world stood hating and in opposition of its Creator (Romans 5:8) – He stretched out His own arm for those who hated Him (Isaiah 59:16). It was a matter of love (John 3:16).
We’re able to come boldly to God because He has made us right with Him (Hebrews 4:16). His arms were stretched out on the cross that was meant for you, and His arms are stretched out now waiting to embrace you. It’s an invitation of love – will you accept?