Translations.

Today I watched this sermon:



It's old but great. So much wisdom to chew on. This wasn't the first time I've listened to this sermon, but I have gotten more out of it listening to it again.

A verse Dr. Munroe brings up constantly is Proverbs 19:21.
This verse has been on my mind constantly over the last year, but I have finally gotten down to the original Hebrew and it makes even more sense than before.

Many | רב
plans | מחשבה
are in a man's | איש
heart | לב
but the counsel | עצה
of the LORD | יהוה
will stand. | קום

I wanted to focus on two words: "counsel" and "stand."

The word "counsel" isn't used in the more common versions like NIV, NLT, or ESV. But the Hebrew 'etsah stands for counsel, advice or purpose.

"Stand" is also commonly replaced with the word "prevail." To better describe the word, is the Hebrew (obviously) quwm (said like küm). It means to maintain itself, be established or confirmed, stand, endure, be fixed, valid, proven fulfilled; to persist, to be set or fixed.

I don't know if you're beginning to see what I am now seeing. I guess I just wasn't getting the same message from "the LORD's purpose will prevail," at least in my mind. I had seeing it as 'Oh ultimately/eventually the Lord's purpose wins out; He'll use the circumstance for what He meant it for,' which is true to a degree, but going to the base makes it richer.

Now I find this scripture saying, "Look, you can plan all you want according to what you feel is right or where your inclinations are taking you in this moment. However, as you pursue these things, you are going to realize that the advice (through His Spirit and the Word) the LORD is trying to impress upon you along the way will always trump your human propensity."

Make sense?


Anyway, that's enough for today. What a good day. Thank God for the stability He brings to our lives when we simply make time to spend with Him. Ahh, so good.

Be blessed to be a blessing!