RR Psalm 31:4 Part 3
Rabbi’s Reflections - Tuesday, June 10, 2025
Shalom {{firstName}},
Psalms
Psalm 31:4(3) – Part 3
Psalm 31:4 Since You are my rock and my fortress, You lead me and guide me for Your Name’s sake.
Rabbi Trail: “It makes so much more sense in the original Hebrew.” Those were the words of my rabbi, Rabbi Joseph, (his last name). Remind me to tell you the whole story sometime. He was an orthodox (strictly observant) rabbi, leading a blended conservative and reform congregation in Corsicana, Texas (an hour south of Dallas). We would study together regularly. One day he takes a Hebrew New Testament off his bookshelf and says… “It makes so much more sense in the original Hebrew.” End RT.
So it is with our subject verse today. It makes so much more sense in the original Hebrew. “Sal’i” is “my craggy rock or fortress.” There are plenty of other words in Hebrew for rock. Like in English, there are stones, boulders, pebbles and more that can all be considered rocks. The first use of this word for rock is in a well known episode that cost Moses dearly.
Moses received this instruction from the Lord. Numbers 20:8 “Take the staff and gather the assembly, you and your brother Aaron. Speak to the rock (haSela) before their eyes, and it will give out its water.” But this wasn’t Moses’ first experience with the people complaining of thirst. Exodus 17:6 "Behold, I will stand before you, there upon the rock in Horeb. You are to strike the rock (haTzur), and water will come out of it so that the people can drink.” Then Moses did just so in the eyes of the elders of Israel.
Moses was punished for striking the rock the second time, after being commanded to speak to it. If this seems harsh to you (as it does to me) we must not miss God’s deeper purpose. We know from other Scripture, these “rocks” represent Yeshua. 1Corinthians 10:4 and all drank the same spiritual drink—for they were drinking from a spiritual rock that followed them, and the Rock was Messiah. The two “rocks” equals the first coming and the second coming. Yeshua was smitten in the first coming, but in the second coming He will not be smitten again, but blessed.
Matthew 23:39 For I tell you, you will never see Me again until you say, ‘Baruch ha-ba b’shem Adonai. Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’”
Now that we have that clarified, there is a lasting blessing for those who drink from that rock. We learn this from the experience of the Samaritan woman at the well… John 4:13 Yeshua replied to her, “Everyone who drinks from this water will get thirsty again. 14 But whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never be thirsty. The water that I give him will become a fountain of water within him, springing up to eternal life!”
When ancient Israel drank, they sang a song. Numbers 21:17 Then Israel sang this song, “Spring up, O well! Sing about it!” When we drink that spiritual drink, we must sing as well. Psalm 95:1 O come, let us sing for joy to Adonai. Let us shout for joy to the rock of our salvation. 2 Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving. Let us shout joyfully to Him with songs. Shalom shalom.
Daily Bread, reading plan by Lars Enarson (https://www.thewatchman.org/)
Tue10-June-202514th of Sivan, 5785
Nu 9:1-14Jer 25Dan 2 1 Co 8 (Mk 10:1-31)
Shalom {{firstName}},
Psalms
Psalm 31:4(3) – Part 3
Psalm 31:4 Since You are my rock and my fortress, You lead me and guide me for Your Name’s sake.
Rabbi Trail: “It makes so much more sense in the original Hebrew.” Those were the words of my rabbi, Rabbi Joseph, (his last name). Remind me to tell you the whole story sometime. He was an orthodox (strictly observant) rabbi, leading a blended conservative and reform congregation in Corsicana, Texas (an hour south of Dallas). We would study together regularly. One day he takes a Hebrew New Testament off his bookshelf and says… “It makes so much more sense in the original Hebrew.” End RT.
So it is with our subject verse today. It makes so much more sense in the original Hebrew. “Sal’i” is “my craggy rock or fortress.” There are plenty of other words in Hebrew for rock. Like in English, there are stones, boulders, pebbles and more that can all be considered rocks. The first use of this word for rock is in a well known episode that cost Moses dearly.
Moses received this instruction from the Lord. Numbers 20:8 “Take the staff and gather the assembly, you and your brother Aaron. Speak to the rock (haSela) before their eyes, and it will give out its water.” But this wasn’t Moses’ first experience with the people complaining of thirst. Exodus 17:6 "Behold, I will stand before you, there upon the rock in Horeb. You are to strike the rock (haTzur), and water will come out of it so that the people can drink.” Then Moses did just so in the eyes of the elders of Israel.
Moses was punished for striking the rock the second time, after being commanded to speak to it. If this seems harsh to you (as it does to me) we must not miss God’s deeper purpose. We know from other Scripture, these “rocks” represent Yeshua. 1Corinthians 10:4 and all drank the same spiritual drink—for they were drinking from a spiritual rock that followed them, and the Rock was Messiah. The two “rocks” equals the first coming and the second coming. Yeshua was smitten in the first coming, but in the second coming He will not be smitten again, but blessed.
Matthew 23:39 For I tell you, you will never see Me again until you say, ‘Baruch ha-ba b’shem Adonai. Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’”
Now that we have that clarified, there is a lasting blessing for those who drink from that rock. We learn this from the experience of the Samaritan woman at the well… John 4:13 Yeshua replied to her, “Everyone who drinks from this water will get thirsty again. 14 But whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never be thirsty. The water that I give him will become a fountain of water within him, springing up to eternal life!”
When ancient Israel drank, they sang a song. Numbers 21:17 Then Israel sang this song, “Spring up, O well! Sing about it!” When we drink that spiritual drink, we must sing as well. Psalm 95:1 O come, let us sing for joy to Adonai. Let us shout for joy to the rock of our salvation. 2 Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving. Let us shout joyfully to Him with songs. Shalom shalom.
Daily Bread, reading plan by Lars Enarson (https://www.thewatchman.org/)
Tue10-June-202514th of Sivan, 5785
Nu 9:1-14Jer 25Dan 2 1 Co 8 (Mk 10:1-31)
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