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(The psalm I “stumbled” upon; the translation is my own. Bold text in parenthesis are words not present, but implied in the Hebrew. Non-bold text and italic text are interpretation / hypothesis based on textual context.)
This is a Messianic psalm of the Messiah’s description of his personal experience of his own life. It’s a quite fascinating insight into the psyche of Jesus, as to what he understood about his own existence and his experience with the Father as the plan unfolded.
Psalm 139
1. For the Chief Musician of David a psalm (of) the Lord. Search me and continue to (intimately) know me.
2. You completely know my (life) inhabitation; my rising (to where I stand); You completely understand my ideas (of my purpose / as opposed to Your ideas of my purpose) from the distance.
“… know my life habitation” has to do with the habitual every day grind of what Jesus did and his thoughts and attitudes toward life and his lot in it.
(“Rising to where I stand” seems to have some implication beyond the concept of taking a stand on things like moral or ethical issues. Although Jesus did that when confronted with such issues; doing what’s morally or ethically right is not something foreign to humanity. His “rising to where he stood” appears to have more to do with coming to conclusions on things and God’s understanding of Jesus’s motivations that drove behavior that was “culturally rude” - like throwing people and animals out of the temple.
Jesus did a lot of things that were “outside the box” so to speak and the Father understood his actions and reactions, even if other people didn’t. Jesus’s behavior was often judged and misperceived; to the point where Isaiah tells us he was condescended to, ignored and marginalized. Apparently though, he was aware of how God saw him and was comforted by the fact that the Father understood.)
3. In relation to my intended purpose; my laying down to sleep, you winnow (sift - throw in the air so the chaff flies away) all my doings in life; You are intimately involved in the care of.
4.For there is not a word of (all) my utterances - Wow - Lord; You (we) know the whole of.
(“Utterances” being both of intended communication using spoken words (both to God and man), but also of sighs, groans, other noises including body language that communicates to God feelings, thoughts and intents. This would include sorrow, frustration, joy, fear, excitement etc.)
5. Behind and before (surrounding), You have enclosed me in and have laid Your hand upon (around) me.
6. Great wonderful knowledge for me securely set upon high, that I can not overcome (resist) it.
7. Where could I ever go from the breath of Your Spirit; or where from (the direction of) Your face could I flee.
8. If I (determine) to ascend into heaven, there You own. If I strew myself across Sheol, (Wow) - You see that too.
9. If I take to the wings of (toward the sun) dawn, or dwell in the final end of the sea.
10. Also there, Your (powerful / possessive) hand shall lead me, seized upon by Your right hand.
11. And if I say: surely this darkness will overwhelm me, even that night shall be like sunrise about me.
12. Likewise, this darkness shall not grow darker than (to overpower) You, but that night as The Day (continually) grows brighter, for that darkness and The Day are the same to you.
(Language metaphorical of resurrection.)
13. Since You bought my inward parts and wove me together in the womb of my mother.
(Reference to those who (in the case of Christ) would be metaphorically begotten; yet if begotten in the flesh would be reference to female counterpart’s ovaries; since this word is “feminine plural”. This word (inward parts) is often translated “kidneys” although is often a reference to reproductive organs and I think the translation error comes from a misconception in the ancient world, that kidneys were somehow involved in reproduction. Those who would be begotten of Christ because of the sending of the Holy Spirit are “woven together” of him in that His human nature was necessary to be the appropriate sacrifice.)
14. I will heap praise upon You; for I am astonished of You and (perfectly complete) uniquely fashioned (by You). Extraordinary above all others is Your work (i.e. how You made me) that my (human) personhood (intimately) and abundantly knows.
15. Never was anything hidden of (denied) of (the way my) physical body (was made) than (coming from) You, by which I was made in secret, perfectly woven in the lowest lands of the earth.
(The first part of this verse … never was anything hid of the way I was made which came from You… because I was designed in secret…. seems to be a reference to the perfection of the creation plan which was laid out before creation was ever commenced.
The Messiah was never denied anything of his experience of the perfection of that creation plan, as was made known to him being directed from the Father. Jesus was not forbidden from exploring any aspect of life, although obviously staying within the confines of the parameters the Father put around him.
The second half of the verse …. perfectly woven in the lowest lands of the earth… being a reference to peoples and nations; that the Messiah would be birthed of those of the lowest estate of humanity, as Jerusalem is described in Ezekiel 16. Despite that “Jerusalem” believes themselves to be something special. God describes them as absolutely morally and ethically destitute above all other peoples.)
16. My body being not yet developed, You saw with Your eyes because of Your (massive) Book (prob. Book of life) all was written (in decree) the days formed for me though not the first of which had yet happened.
(This is probably a reference to the commencement of creation; in that God preordained the Messiah would be born of the seed of Eve. Even though at that point, creation had been completed, but Jesus hadn’t been conceived yet.)
17. And to me, why the preciousness of Your ideas (of my purpose) so important to me? God! Why so numerous (like comparing bones) are the heads (continuous emerging of my new thoughts) of them.
18. If I should count them, they would continue to multiply (being greater in number than all the grains of - infinitely) sand. When I awake, I would again be with You.
(Verses 17 & 18 in comparison to verses 2 & 3, give us an interesting insight to how apparently revelation about Messiah’s life purpose was brought to and processed by Jesus. One of the purposes of sleep, psychologically speaking is to “order our brains” as to help make sense out of our life experiences. Sleep helps our brains process what’s happened during our waking hours and when we don’t sleep; this causes a blurring in the brain’s function between waking reality and sleeping non-reality. This is the stuff hallucinations and psychiatric crisis which lead to breaks with reality are made of. We need to sleep. It’s vitally important to our mental health. So, as we apparently see from these four verses; much of how Jesus came to know and process what his purpose was, came though the apparent fact that he dreamt about it a lot.)
19. If You would slay God (probably reference to the Father because this is in the singular) the wicked one (probably reference to Satan because it’s also in the singular) than would blood guilty men (obey the command) Depart from me!
20. Whom of which continuously speak (against You), scheming to carry off (Your name) in shady (varieties with no good intent) do these enemies.
21. Nor now You (we) hate them Lord. I will always hate those who rise up against You. I will continue to snap them off.
(This hearkens to language in the epistle to the Romans about the branches who don’t bear fruit being broken off.)
22. To the consummation of my hatred, I face them in my wrath (non love). It has (come to pass that) they are my (personal) enemies, (as well as the enemies of my people - i.e. those I have redeemed).
23. Search me God (singular - probably Father). Know (intimately) my heart (soul). Try me and (intimately) know my anxious (secrets) of doubt.
24. Continue to search if there is any way of malice in me and lead me in the way of everlasting.
As we see, reading through this, there are some interesting truths that emerge.
First off, though Isaiah 53 describes the Messiah as contending with God over frustrations in his life; I don’t think Jesus was unhappy. By this psalm, he seems to be quite amazed, enthralled, humbled and feeling protected by this overshadowing of (the rest of) God’s presence.
He makes reference to the Holy Spirit being an Entity of operation of direction by His presence on earth, as well as a major presence in Jesus’s “space”. The Holy Ghost is described as a separate person, just like the Father. They are all present, but not existing as one another or “in” one another. They are all distinct in their Personhoods (all having distinct roles too). Which is an important point about the Trinity.
The other thing this psalm makes note of, is that this constant Divine presence was also described as overwhelming to the Messiah. It doesn’t appear though that Jesus was overwhelmed in a negative sense. Having a Divine nature, but also being the "possession" of the other Persons of the Trinity was a unique experience, differing from that of any other human.
This psalm describes that the Messiah knew he was different. That was probably the most obvious to him in not having a sinful nature, but having to interact with everyone else who does. This appears to be the source of much of his frustration we see recorded in the gospels. The rest of humanity doesn’t understand Jesus and they don’t understand God either. And apparently trying to figure out how to interact from a very different paradigm, was a source of a lot of aggravation for Jesus, because just as they didn’t understand him; having a sinful nature that motivates everything you do, was also foreign to Jesus’s experience.
So taking into account that Jesus did not have sin, gives an interesting perspective on God and what holiness is as it relates to things Jesus participated in which he wholly did having no hangups related to sin. Human being often “prescribe” for themselves ideas of what they think God is like and what is or isn’t “holy”. For example, Matthew 11 and Luke 7 tell us:
18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a devil.
19 The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children.
20 Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not:
Jesus had the ability to take pleasure in the creation and “do all things to the glory of God” that those who were not the “children of wisdom” understood. Not having sin, he freely enjoyed things given to him in the confines of the Father’s provision and because he had not sin, his experiences were “more full” than ours are.
John 10 says:
9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
Now obviously having life and having it more abundantly is not “license to sin”. We see this in Romans 6, starting with the first verse; but also, here is the contextualization of Jesus’s “more abundant life”.
10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.
11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.
12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.
Jesus’s joy and appreciation of good things in life came from the love of the Father which he was so intimately familiar with; that it amazed, enthralled, humbled, overwhelmed and comforted him. Because the “vertical” relationship was right, the “horizontal” ones were as well. Jesus was able to be what he was because of the loving nature of God; despite times when Jesus was frustrated, angry, sad, scared, disgusted, lonely, tired, hungry, sick or in pain and his behavior reflected his emotions. The love that amazed, enthralled, humbled, overwhelmed and comforted him was his primary motivating factor, not “duty”.
“Sense of duty” will only carry a person so far. Any soldier who’s been in combat can attest to this. When the rubber meets the road; it’s the guy next to you that you “lay your life down for”; not “patriotism”, some “political ideal” or “way of life”.
This is a Messianic psalm of the Messiah’s description of his personal experience of his own life. It’s a quite fascinating insight into the psyche of Jesus, as to what he understood about his own existence and his experience with the Father as the plan unfolded.
Psalm 139
1. For the Chief Musician of David a psalm (of) the Lord. Search me and continue to (intimately) know me.
2. You completely know my (life) inhabitation; my rising (to where I stand); You completely understand my ideas (of my purpose / as opposed to Your ideas of my purpose) from the distance.
“… know my life habitation” has to do with the habitual every day grind of what Jesus did and his thoughts and attitudes toward life and his lot in it.
(“Rising to where I stand” seems to have some implication beyond the concept of taking a stand on things like moral or ethical issues. Although Jesus did that when confronted with such issues; doing what’s morally or ethically right is not something foreign to humanity. His “rising to where he stood” appears to have more to do with coming to conclusions on things and God’s understanding of Jesus’s motivations that drove behavior that was “culturally rude” - like throwing people and animals out of the temple.
Jesus did a lot of things that were “outside the box” so to speak and the Father understood his actions and reactions, even if other people didn’t. Jesus’s behavior was often judged and misperceived; to the point where Isaiah tells us he was condescended to, ignored and marginalized. Apparently though, he was aware of how God saw him and was comforted by the fact that the Father understood.)
3. In relation to my intended purpose; my laying down to sleep, you winnow (sift - throw in the air so the chaff flies away) all my doings in life; You are intimately involved in the care of.
4.For there is not a word of (all) my utterances - Wow - Lord; You (we) know the whole of.
(“Utterances” being both of intended communication using spoken words (both to God and man), but also of sighs, groans, other noises including body language that communicates to God feelings, thoughts and intents. This would include sorrow, frustration, joy, fear, excitement etc.)
5. Behind and before (surrounding), You have enclosed me in and have laid Your hand upon (around) me.
6. Great wonderful knowledge for me securely set upon high, that I can not overcome (resist) it.
7. Where could I ever go from the breath of Your Spirit; or where from (the direction of) Your face could I flee.
8. If I (determine) to ascend into heaven, there You own. If I strew myself across Sheol, (Wow) - You see that too.
9. If I take to the wings of (toward the sun) dawn, or dwell in the final end of the sea.
10. Also there, Your (powerful / possessive) hand shall lead me, seized upon by Your right hand.
11. And if I say: surely this darkness will overwhelm me, even that night shall be like sunrise about me.
12. Likewise, this darkness shall not grow darker than (to overpower) You, but that night as The Day (continually) grows brighter, for that darkness and The Day are the same to you.
(Language metaphorical of resurrection.)
13. Since You bought my inward parts and wove me together in the womb of my mother.
(Reference to those who (in the case of Christ) would be metaphorically begotten; yet if begotten in the flesh would be reference to female counterpart’s ovaries; since this word is “feminine plural”. This word (inward parts) is often translated “kidneys” although is often a reference to reproductive organs and I think the translation error comes from a misconception in the ancient world, that kidneys were somehow involved in reproduction. Those who would be begotten of Christ because of the sending of the Holy Spirit are “woven together” of him in that His human nature was necessary to be the appropriate sacrifice.)
14. I will heap praise upon You; for I am astonished of You and (perfectly complete) uniquely fashioned (by You). Extraordinary above all others is Your work (i.e. how You made me) that my (human) personhood (intimately) and abundantly knows.
15. Never was anything hidden of (denied) of (the way my) physical body (was made) than (coming from) You, by which I was made in secret, perfectly woven in the lowest lands of the earth.
(The first part of this verse … never was anything hid of the way I was made which came from You… because I was designed in secret…. seems to be a reference to the perfection of the creation plan which was laid out before creation was ever commenced.
The Messiah was never denied anything of his experience of the perfection of that creation plan, as was made known to him being directed from the Father. Jesus was not forbidden from exploring any aspect of life, although obviously staying within the confines of the parameters the Father put around him.
The second half of the verse …. perfectly woven in the lowest lands of the earth… being a reference to peoples and nations; that the Messiah would be birthed of those of the lowest estate of humanity, as Jerusalem is described in Ezekiel 16. Despite that “Jerusalem” believes themselves to be something special. God describes them as absolutely morally and ethically destitute above all other peoples.)
16. My body being not yet developed, You saw with Your eyes because of Your (massive) Book (prob. Book of life) all was written (in decree) the days formed for me though not the first of which had yet happened.
(This is probably a reference to the commencement of creation; in that God preordained the Messiah would be born of the seed of Eve. Even though at that point, creation had been completed, but Jesus hadn’t been conceived yet.)
17. And to me, why the preciousness of Your ideas (of my purpose) so important to me? God! Why so numerous (like comparing bones) are the heads (continuous emerging of my new thoughts) of them.
18. If I should count them, they would continue to multiply (being greater in number than all the grains of - infinitely) sand. When I awake, I would again be with You.
(Verses 17 & 18 in comparison to verses 2 & 3, give us an interesting insight to how apparently revelation about Messiah’s life purpose was brought to and processed by Jesus. One of the purposes of sleep, psychologically speaking is to “order our brains” as to help make sense out of our life experiences. Sleep helps our brains process what’s happened during our waking hours and when we don’t sleep; this causes a blurring in the brain’s function between waking reality and sleeping non-reality. This is the stuff hallucinations and psychiatric crisis which lead to breaks with reality are made of. We need to sleep. It’s vitally important to our mental health. So, as we apparently see from these four verses; much of how Jesus came to know and process what his purpose was, came though the apparent fact that he dreamt about it a lot.)
19. If You would slay God (probably reference to the Father because this is in the singular) the wicked one (probably reference to Satan because it’s also in the singular) than would blood guilty men (obey the command) Depart from me!
20. Whom of which continuously speak (against You), scheming to carry off (Your name) in shady (varieties with no good intent) do these enemies.
21. Nor now You (we) hate them Lord. I will always hate those who rise up against You. I will continue to snap them off.
(This hearkens to language in the epistle to the Romans about the branches who don’t bear fruit being broken off.)
22. To the consummation of my hatred, I face them in my wrath (non love). It has (come to pass that) they are my (personal) enemies, (as well as the enemies of my people - i.e. those I have redeemed).
23. Search me God (singular - probably Father). Know (intimately) my heart (soul). Try me and (intimately) know my anxious (secrets) of doubt.
24. Continue to search if there is any way of malice in me and lead me in the way of everlasting.
As we see, reading through this, there are some interesting truths that emerge.
First off, though Isaiah 53 describes the Messiah as contending with God over frustrations in his life; I don’t think Jesus was unhappy. By this psalm, he seems to be quite amazed, enthralled, humbled and feeling protected by this overshadowing of (the rest of) God’s presence.
He makes reference to the Holy Spirit being an Entity of operation of direction by His presence on earth, as well as a major presence in Jesus’s “space”. The Holy Ghost is described as a separate person, just like the Father. They are all present, but not existing as one another or “in” one another. They are all distinct in their Personhoods (all having distinct roles too). Which is an important point about the Trinity.
The other thing this psalm makes note of, is that this constant Divine presence was also described as overwhelming to the Messiah. It doesn’t appear though that Jesus was overwhelmed in a negative sense. Having a Divine nature, but also being the "possession" of the other Persons of the Trinity was a unique experience, differing from that of any other human.
This psalm describes that the Messiah knew he was different. That was probably the most obvious to him in not having a sinful nature, but having to interact with everyone else who does. This appears to be the source of much of his frustration we see recorded in the gospels. The rest of humanity doesn’t understand Jesus and they don’t understand God either. And apparently trying to figure out how to interact from a very different paradigm, was a source of a lot of aggravation for Jesus, because just as they didn’t understand him; having a sinful nature that motivates everything you do, was also foreign to Jesus’s experience.
So taking into account that Jesus did not have sin, gives an interesting perspective on God and what holiness is as it relates to things Jesus participated in which he wholly did having no hangups related to sin. Human being often “prescribe” for themselves ideas of what they think God is like and what is or isn’t “holy”. For example, Matthew 11 and Luke 7 tell us:
18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a devil.
19 The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children.
20 Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not:
Jesus had the ability to take pleasure in the creation and “do all things to the glory of God” that those who were not the “children of wisdom” understood. Not having sin, he freely enjoyed things given to him in the confines of the Father’s provision and because he had not sin, his experiences were “more full” than ours are.
John 10 says:
9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
Now obviously having life and having it more abundantly is not “license to sin”. We see this in Romans 6, starting with the first verse; but also, here is the contextualization of Jesus’s “more abundant life”.
10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.
11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.
12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.
Jesus’s joy and appreciation of good things in life came from the love of the Father which he was so intimately familiar with; that it amazed, enthralled, humbled, overwhelmed and comforted him. Because the “vertical” relationship was right, the “horizontal” ones were as well. Jesus was able to be what he was because of the loving nature of God; despite times when Jesus was frustrated, angry, sad, scared, disgusted, lonely, tired, hungry, sick or in pain and his behavior reflected his emotions. The love that amazed, enthralled, humbled, overwhelmed and comforted him was his primary motivating factor, not “duty”.
“Sense of duty” will only carry a person so far. Any soldier who’s been in combat can attest to this. When the rubber meets the road; it’s the guy next to you that you “lay your life down for”; not “patriotism”, some “political ideal” or “way of life”.
