Post by Mark on Jan 14, 2008 5:48:00 GMT -8
One of the things that I'm working on in our community is trying to help those coming from the gentile Church see the beauty and value of the Messianic Liturgy, as taken out of the Jewish Synagogue. I've been writing a paper each week on different prayers and thought some of you might be interested in what I've shared thus far. I'll start posting them in this area, as I go along, hoping that these generate some response of praise to Adonai our God, or stimulate questions on the Judaic perspective of our faith.
Hodoo
Oh give thanks to the Lord for He is good.
His mercy forever endures.
The Hebrew word "ow-lahm" is translated forever. Immediately, our minds form out speculations reaching into the vastness of space and time: way out there. There should be no question that the power and influence of Adonai reaches from and into the farthest reaches, beyond our imagination. Yet, in our intimate prayers, it is not there that we are proclaiming His infinite mercy. The word picture that represents the word "ow-lahm" is the horizon of a hill. Ow-lahm represents that which is just over: out of sight, beyond our reach, the unknown. This is an important understanding because it doesn’t tend to be the things that lie way out in the vastness of space that tend to frighten us. It is the thing that we fear waits for us, just over the horizon of the next hill. We can give thanks to the Lord for He IS good… not will be, someday. His mercy endures forever, beginning now and stretching on over the horizons that threaten us.
The Hebrew word Chasdoe is translated mercy. It tends to mean kindness; but also may carry the idea of reproof. This can be taken several ways. His reproof of us lies over the horizon (we’re not going to get away with the things that we are prone toward which are destroying us), His reproof our enemies is just beyond where we can see, or His benevolence is there towards us: meeting our needs. In any of these respects, the Hodoo is a prayer of faith. It doesn’t matter how things may seem, right now. God’s faithfulness will prevail.
Psalm 136 is typically accredited as the source of this prayer. This is probably because the phrase, "His mercy endures forever" is repeated 26 times in the Psalm. Yet, it also occurs 11 other places in Scripture. Each use of the phrase holds a common theme: that which appeared to be an impossible circumstance revealed the goodness of Adonai toward His people.
One cannot help but have brought to mind the circumstances that loom in life when singing the Hodoo; yet we continue singing as a declaration that His goodness is greater than and goes beyond my circumstances. Adonai is good… today. And He will prove Himself faithful and good as I go over each horizon.
Hodoo
Oh give thanks to the Lord for He is good.
His mercy forever endures.
The Hebrew word "ow-lahm" is translated forever. Immediately, our minds form out speculations reaching into the vastness of space and time: way out there. There should be no question that the power and influence of Adonai reaches from and into the farthest reaches, beyond our imagination. Yet, in our intimate prayers, it is not there that we are proclaiming His infinite mercy. The word picture that represents the word "ow-lahm" is the horizon of a hill. Ow-lahm represents that which is just over: out of sight, beyond our reach, the unknown. This is an important understanding because it doesn’t tend to be the things that lie way out in the vastness of space that tend to frighten us. It is the thing that we fear waits for us, just over the horizon of the next hill. We can give thanks to the Lord for He IS good… not will be, someday. His mercy endures forever, beginning now and stretching on over the horizons that threaten us.
The Hebrew word Chasdoe is translated mercy. It tends to mean kindness; but also may carry the idea of reproof. This can be taken several ways. His reproof of us lies over the horizon (we’re not going to get away with the things that we are prone toward which are destroying us), His reproof our enemies is just beyond where we can see, or His benevolence is there towards us: meeting our needs. In any of these respects, the Hodoo is a prayer of faith. It doesn’t matter how things may seem, right now. God’s faithfulness will prevail.
Psalm 136 is typically accredited as the source of this prayer. This is probably because the phrase, "His mercy endures forever" is repeated 26 times in the Psalm. Yet, it also occurs 11 other places in Scripture. Each use of the phrase holds a common theme: that which appeared to be an impossible circumstance revealed the goodness of Adonai toward His people.
One cannot help but have brought to mind the circumstances that loom in life when singing the Hodoo; yet we continue singing as a declaration that His goodness is greater than and goes beyond my circumstances. Adonai is good… today. And He will prove Himself faithful and good as I go over each horizon.
