February – Remember God’s Blessings
2. Psalm 34:17-18 – How He has answered your prayers:
There are many ways we can better understand and apply Scriptures. Here are some of those ways using this week’s verses.
I. Original Language. Sometimes we can understand a verse of Scripture better if we look at the original text. Translators add small words, sometimes, to help the English flow better. The added words in the following direct translations from the Interlinear Bible are in parentheses. Compare these minimalistic interpretations to how your favorite translation states these verses in Psalm 34:
CRY OUT! YAHWEH hears (and) delivers out of trouble. YAHWEH (is) near to broken-heartededness, and saves (a/the) contrite spirit.
II. Amplified. In contrast to the minimalist approach from direct translations, we can go the other direction and look at all of the different ways a particular word in the original lamguage is translated into English. Many of the Hebrew words are translated into more than one English word within the same translation, usually based on context, and dometimes translated as different English words between different translations of the Bible.
Every word in any language has an original, literal meaning (denotation), then a broader figurative meaning according to usage (connotation). Following are the expanded meaning and translation of key words from our verses:
A. Call with a loud voice. Literally ‘shriek.’ Figuratively appeal to, call together, cry out, gather together, shout, summon.
B. He will deliver. Literally to ‘snatch away’ or ‘pluck from.’ (Same as ‘rapture’!) Figuratively to defend, escape, preserve, recover, rescue, save, take from.
C. Out of all troubles. Literally a ‘tight spot.’ Figuratively = adversity, affliction, anguish, distress, tribulation.
D. God is near–in place (literal), kindred or time (figurative).
• Place–near at hand, a neighbor, next to, standing by.
• Kindred–close kin, kinsman redeemer, next of kin.
• Time–about to, ready, shortly, soon.
E. Broken. Literatly means to ‘burst into pieces’, also translated to break down, break off, break up, destroyed, shattered, smashed, or a modern simile–torn up into itty, bitty pieces. Used figuratively for when you feel that way mentally, emotionally, and/or physically. In other words, it is used to mean a complete and total breakdown.
F. Heart. Literally the center of anything i.e. ‘the core’. Used figuratively for the feelings, the will and even the intellect. In other words, our inner person.
G. Saves. Literally to be open, wide or free.
–by implication (noun) to be safe, preserved, victorious.
–causatively (verb) to deliver, free, help, rescue.
H. Contrite. Literally ‘crushed to powder,’ or completely destroyed. Figuratively means “feeling and showing sorrow and remorse for improper or objectionable behavior, actions, etc.” (Websters) Biblically that would be for a sin, transgression, trespass, etc.
I. Spirit. Literally moving air like breath or wind. Figuratively the spirit–personal as well as God’s. That is, something we cannot see, but gives or shows life (breath), or shows God is acting (see John 3 for Jesus comparing the movement of God’s Spirit to the wind).
III. Paraphrasing. Sometimes it’s helpful when trying to get a mental grasp of what a verse means to cycle through all of the alternate translations of each key word, and find what makes the most sense to you, and then state the verse in your own words.
The first English paraphrase I saw was The Living Bible in the 70’s. It made what the Bible was saying much clearer than the King James version I had grown up with. A more recently popular paraphrase has been The Message. Here is verse 18 as those authors paraphrased it:
Try paraphrasing the verses to reflect your own feelings and understanding.
IV. Personalization. Another way to make a verse part of your life is to personalize it. Here is an examples from this week’s verses that’s been personalized. Use your preferred translation and write your own personal version of Psalm 34:17,18:
V. Conclusion. Whichever way helps you to get a better grasp on a Bible verse, use it to remind yourself how this verse tells us God answers our prayers!
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