Tag Archives: providence

Who’s Step and Who’s Hand?

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The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand.                                           (Ps. 37:23-24 KJV)

Have you ever noticed, as you are reading the King James Version of the Bible that some of the words are in italics? The biblical translation editors did this to indicate those words were not in the original manuscripts and were added by the translators to clarify meaning. Now, while clarity was the original intent of the translation editors, in some cases, the addition of the italicized words doesn’t clarify, but actually change the meaning of the text completely! I believe such is the case in Psalm 37:23-24.

Note, in Psalm 37:23, the sentence: “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord.” The word: good is italicized, that means it is not part of the original text. The Hebrew actually translates: “The steps of a man are ordered by the Lord.” Now, this wouldn’t be much of a big deal if it wasn’t for the possibility of an alternate translation of the word “and” in the next phrase. The Hebrew particle conjunction that is translated as “and” in the KJV, can also be translated as; “when.” With these two possible variants, the meaning of the verse is completely different. The translation editors of the English Standard Version recognized this possibility and thus renders the verse: “The steps of a man are established by the LORD, when he delights in his way.”

Now, the last part of the verse is a bit ambiguous in any translation. For instance; Who is “he” and who is “his?” Is the verse saying that because or when the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, He; the Lord, delights in his; the good man’s way? Or is the verse saying that because or when the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, he; the good man, delights in His; the Lord’s way? Even when the italicized; good is dropped and the “and” is translated as “when,” the verse is no less ambiguous! This is illustrated in how the New International Version (NIV) renders the verse as opposed to how the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) renders the verse. The NIV says: “The LORD makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him.” The NRSV says: “Our steps are made firm by the LORD, when he delights in our way.” In the NIV; the Lord makes firm the steps of the one (the man) who delights in the Lord’s way. In the NRSV, the Lord makes firm the steps of the man (our) when He (the Lord) delights in (our) the man’s way. Which version is correct? Well, grammatically and theologically; both of them are! The Psalmist states in Psalm 1:1-2, “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.” (KJV) In Psalm 18:19, the psalmist said: “He brought me forth also into a large place; he delivered me, because he (the Lord) delighted in me.” (KJV) There are various other places in the biblical text, where man delights in the Lord and the Lord delights in man. By the way, in the two verses of the Psalm I just cited and in the text under consideration, the Hebrew word that is translated as “delight” is the same.

The next verse (Psalm 37:24) says: “Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand.” (KJV) Note in this verse, the words; “him” and “with” are italicized; meaning they were added by the biblical translation editors and were not in the original text. As the verse stands with the italicized words, the meaning is that the Lord upholds the good man with his (the Lord’s) hand. Without the italicized words, the meaning is; the Lord upholds or holds the man’s hand, as is stated in the New American Standard Bible (NASB): “When he falls, he will not be hurled headlong, Because the LORD is the One who holds his hand.” Once again, this is not a “this-not-that” case, but a “this-and-that” case! Both translations are theologically sound! Surely, the Lord holds us with His hand and I don’t know about you, but I also want the Lord to hold my hand while I run this race!

So, if both are correct and the italicized words don’t make a tremendous amount of difference, what was the point of this post? It was to point out the fact that too often we take for granted what people say the Bible says! We need to learn how to study the word for ourselves! Secondly, to point out the richness of meaning in the biblical text! Although the original authors had “one” meaning in mind when they wrote the text, that meaning is often obscured by language, culture, time, and context. Therefore, reading the Bible should not be just a devotional exercise, nor should it be just an academic exercise; it should be both! We should read the Bible with our minds and with our hearts! But most of all, we should read it, allowing the Spirit of God, through our diligent investigation of the text, to reveal the multifaceted deep thoughts of the mind of God!

The “Good” in Romans 8:28

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romans 828One of the first promises of scriptures I learned as a new Christian that became a great comfort to me in times of trouble and adversity was Romans 8:28! The precious promise of that passage, not only comforted me as a new Christian, but it has been a source of abiding comfort throughout the years and even to this present day! Paul wrote to the Romans: “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” (Rom 8:28 KJV)  The ESV (English Standard Version) puts it this way: “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” (ESV)  Yes! No matter what happens; the good, the bad, or the ugly, God is working it all together for our good!

Now, before we get to what the good is, I think it should be noted that this is not a blanket “everything is going to be alright” statement for everybody! Note that Paul didn’t say that all things work together for good for everybody! No! All things work together for good only for those that love God!  This “love” for God is not the emotional feeling that most people associate with love today, but rather it is a calculated faithful response to the grace of God.  The Apostle John wrote in 1 John 4:19: “We love him, because he first loved us.” (1John 4:19 KJV) In the very next verse, John further qualified what it really means to love God when he said: “If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?” (1John 4:20 KJV) In the Gospel of John, the writer equates loving God with obeying God. In John 14:15, Jesus said: “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” (ESV) So, we can gather from these passages that the ones who love God in Romans 8:28 are the ones who love their brothers and sisters and obey the commandments of God! Paul further stipulates who they are by identifying them as; “the called according to his purpose.” God’s purpose is God’s will, therefore, all things work together for good to and for them that live in accordance to the purpose and will of God.

Now, with all that being said, we still don’t really know what the “good” in verse 28 is! We know that all things work together for good to and for those that love (obey God and love their brothers and sisters) God and live according to God’s will. But, what is that good? Is the good; all things working together to turn out in favor of or to the advantage of those that love God? Is the good; all things working together for the health, wealth or prosperity of those that love God?  Just what is the “good” that all things work together for and to those that love God, who are called according to his purpose in Romans 8:28?

Well, we should note at this point that the Bible was not originally written in chapter/verse form! Therefore, the thought in verse 28 continues in verse 29! And I think the “good” of verse 28 is identified in verse 29! Roman 8:29 says: “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.” (KJV) “For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren.” (Rom 8:29 NASB [New American Standard Bible]) From verse 29, we can deduct the good in verse 28 is to be conformed to the image of his Son! The good that all things work together for in verse 28 is that we might be like Jesus! Therefore, all things work together in the believer’s life for the expressed purpose of molding and shaping the believer into the image of Christ!

Now, what’s really amazing is this: Genesis 1:27 says: “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.” (KJV) When man sinned, the image was not destroyed, but it was tarnished! Paul described Jesus in Colossians 1:15 as the one; “Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature.” (KJV) Therefore, since Jesus came to redeem man and Jesus was and is the image of God and all things work together to conform those who love God (accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior) into the image of Jesus. And it was always God’s purpose for those who love God to be conformed to the image of His Son. And man was originally created in the image and likeness of God, then the good in Romans 8:28 is all things working together to shape and mold those who love God into the image of God’s original intent!