Rabbi’s Reflections – Friday, September 27, 2024
(Early) Shabbat Shalom,
Psalms
Psalm 18:21,22(20,21) – Part 22
Psalm 18:21 Adonai rewarded me for my righteousness. For the cleanness of my hands He repaid me. 22 For I kept the ways of Adonai, and did not turn wickedly from my God.
What does this mean… “Adonai rewarded me for my righteousness?” Does it mean we are “rewarded” for doing the right thing (righteousness)? I thought “my righteousness” is worthless! Isaiah 64:5(6) For all of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteousness is like a filthy garment.
In Hebrew it is written, “Yig’m’layni Yehovah(YHVH) K’Tzid’ki.” That first word has the Shoresh, “Gamal” (Gimel-Mem-Lamed). In modern Hebrew, it is a word with two meanings. It can mean “payment or reward,” which is getting something in exchange for something. Or alternatively, it can mean “to be weaned” as a child is matured to grow beyond subsisting on only its mother’s milk. So, which is it here, an exchange or a statement of maturity? (Hint: We have nothing to exchange.)
It must be the latter. This is consistent with the first many uses of the word in Genesis. For example: Genesis 21:8 The child grew and was weaned—Abraham made a big feast on the day Isaac was weaned. Altogether, the word is used in the Hebrew Scriptures almost 40 times. God wants His people to mature in Him. The Messianic rabbi who wrote Hebrews must have been thinking of this when he wrote…
Hebrews 5:12 For although you ought to be teachers by this time, again you need someone to teach you the basics of God’s sayings. You have come to need milk, not solid food. 13 For anyone living on milk is inexperienced with the teaching about righteousness—he is an infant. 14 But solid food is for the mature, who through practice have their senses trained to discern both good and evil.
God is weaning (maturing) us LIKE OR AS (the Hebrew does not say “about” or “for” but “like” or “as”) our righteousness deepens and matures. This is not a salvation issue at all, but a growing to maturity issue… Psalm 23:3b He guides me in paths of righteousness for His Name’s sake. This is also the point of Ephesians 4:13 This will continue until we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of Ben-Elohim—to mature adulthood, to the measure of the stature of Messiah’s fullness.
And, what about our righteousness? We have none of our own. Our righteousness is His righteousness. (This is one of my favorite Messianic prophesies.) Isaiah 42:21 Adonai was pleased, for the sake of His righteousness, (He will) to make Torah great (magnify and law) and (make it) glorious. Shalom shalom.
Daily Bread, reading plan by Lars Enarson (https://www.thewatchman.org/)
24 Elul Friday 27-Sep-24
Deuteronomy 31:14-19 Nahum 1-2 2 Chronicles 17 Acts 10 Revelations 4