Psalms 118:13-14: “Thou pushed me hard and I nearly fell, But the Lord helped me. The Lord is my strength and my song and He has become my salvation.”
Songs in the daytime, songs in the night
Songs of devotion, songs of delight.
In my heart singing, A melody ringing
Jesus sings me a song and
He gives me a song.
-Unknown-
I purchased a new Hebrew syntax book recently. It was pretty much the same old same old, however, I did discover something interesting I learned from this book when reading Psalms 119:`13-14. This hasn’t been tested or faced peer review so I am just presenting this as a possible rendering. I personally would render Psalm 118:14 as: “The Lord is my strength and He is singing to me because He is my salvation.” That alone is worth the cost of that new Hebrew syntax guide I purchased. I love that rendering because I believe God does sing to us. I hear Him singing everytime I go outdoors. I hear Him singing with each song by every robin. Yes, even Kia the parrot makes a joyful noise unto the Lord, ghastly annoying as it is but I hear God singing through Kia.
Everything in nature has a certain rhythm. I remember hearing an interview of Andre Crouch and he told how some woman came up to him and said she did not like his music because of the beat or rhythm he used. He said: “Oh, you mean a rhythm like this?” He began to play a certain rhythm on the piano and the woman said: “Yes, that’s it, that rhythm and beat, that’s of the devil.” Andre Crouch answered and said; “That’s strange, because that is the rhythm of your heart beat.”
In the context of Psalms 118, David is being tempted by the enemy to kill Nabal and Saul and he almost did, but the Lord helped him. The Lord delivered him giving him strength and a song. How many of us can testify as to how we were going through a real trial and then we heard a Gospel song on the radio which literally brought us joy and peace in the midst of that trial.
In this Psalm the word used in Hebrew for song is zamar. Oddly, this word is also used to describe pruning or cutting. The Talmud teaches that God sang a song to David to cut away his yetzer hara (evil inclinations). It is interesting that the Hebrew word good tov is a musical word and means to be in harmony. When God created the world He saw that it was tov, good or in harmony with Him. I believe He and the world sang together in harmony. Scientist have proven that everything that exist vibrates. Add some atmosphere and that vibration will give off a sound a musical sound. David is saying that the Lord is His strength and His song. Who wants a song when you are doing battle and need strength? Well, Onward Christians Soldiers did fairly well in arousing warriors to battle. I believe God not only gave David strength but a song as well to rouse his spirits, to spur him on to victory such that the enemy could no longer overcome David with temptation.
What? You think God is just sitting up there in heaven with his arms crossed legs folded listening to us sing our praises to Him when we worship. I swear, in some worship services I feel like we are singing to God to entertain Him and He is sitting up there in heaven like some judge on American Idol. I can clear a room pretty quick when I sing. I can even make a dog howl in pain. But there is one person I can sign in harmony with and He will sing in harmony with me and that is God. If God doesn’t like it that is His tough luck as He is the one who gave me this totally off key voice to begin with.
Do you ever watch those hooky old musicals from the thirties and forties on You Tube? I remember watching Jeannette McDonald singing the Indian Love Call to Nelson Eddy encouraging him to return to her. Of course he does return but not before returning his love call to her in perfect pitch. Look in Zephaniah 3:17 there is no mistaking the syntax here. He will rejoice over us with singing. He will sing over us. The word for song here is ranan which is a song of praise. There are many different songs, songs of praise, songs of devotional, songs of correction and songs of pruning. Ever find yourself suddenly just singing some song of praise or worship? Perhaps that is God’s Indian Love Call, Jeannette McDonald singing out to Nelson Eddy to return to her. God is singing out to you to return to Him or as in David’s case to not yield to temptation. Like Nelson Eddy singing back to Jeannette McDonald, we too sing back to God and when we resonate with God, the enemy has not a chance with his temptations.
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