Chesed, Yeshu'ah, and Other Important Words: A Study in Psalm 118

Shalom from Yerushalayim (Jerusalem)!!


I am doing this particular blog post in a bit of a different way.
Usually it takes me quite a few hours of study and writing to put together a blog post.
This time I am going to publish the blog post at different points throughout the process of writing it (which means it could be days before it is completed!).  So you will be able to follow along with me as Psalm 118 unfolds before our eyes!

(Of course, this will not be an exhaustive study of Psalm 118, but rather, like all my other blog posts, it will be a collection of the things I am learning from YHVH's Word as I dig deeper into the different parts and meanings of this particular Psalm.)

You will know when the blog post is complete...I will make it clear when I have published it in its final form.

Let's begin!

Firstly, I will begin with a song I have learned in Hebrew:

Hodu l'Adonai ki tov, Ki le Olam chasdo
Hodu l'Adonai ki tov, Ki le Olam chasdo
Hodu, hodu, hodu, hodu, hodu l'Adonai ki tov
Hodu, hodu, hodu, hodu, hodu l'Adonai ki tov

Do you know the song?
(If you would like to hear it sung,
 click HERE for the link to the song.)

This song is straight out of YHVH's Word.
Guess where it is found.

Yes, how did you know?!
It is the beginning and the end of Psalm 118!
(And also the beginning of Psalm 136.)

Psalm 118:1 and 29 say,
"Give thanks to YHVH, for He is good!  
For His loving-commitment is everlasting.


And now we have, encompassing this Psalm from beginning to end, the first important word of this study.  Can you identify which word in the song it might be?

It is the word Chasdo (pronounced with the "ch" as in "Bach").  Chasdo (חסדו)  is a form of the word Chesed  (חסד ), which is defined as YHVH's loving-commitment or mercy.

Chesed is a Hebrew word that does not have just one English word to express its meaning completely.
Many translations use the word mercy, some use grace, some loving-kindness, some just use the word love.

If you use just one of these words, the true deeper and complete meaning of chesed is missed.
In reality, all of these words are incorporated in chesed.

Brown-Driver-Briggs' Hebrew Definitions defines chesed as goodness, kindness, and faithfulness.

Vine's Expository Dictionary says that the word chesed must include these three interactive and equally-important meanings:  strength, steadfastness, and love.

Chesed is a covenant word.  It is wrapped up inextricably with YHVH's faithfulness in His covenant with His people.  Although the people might break the covenant, YHVH will not.
His covenant is steadfast, strong, loyal, loving, and based on His truth....chesed!  

Consider these places in Scripture:

Deuteronomy 7:9, 12
"And you shall know that YHVH your Elohim, He is Elohim, the trustworthy God guarding covenant and loving-commitment (chesed) for a thousand generations with those who love Him, and those who guard His commands....and it shall be, because you hear these right-rulings, and shall guard and do them, that YHVH your Elohim shall guard with you the covenant and the loving-commitment (chesed) which He swore to your fathers..." 

Psalm 25:10; 89:14
"All the paths of YHVH are loving-commitment (chesed) and truth, to those who guard His covenant and His witnesses....Righteousness and right-ruling are the foundation of Your throne; loving-commitment (chesed) and truth go before Your face."


Micah 7:18-20

Who is a God like You – taking away crookedness and passing over the transgression of the remnant of His inheritance? He shall not retain His wrath forever, for He Himself delights in kindness (chesed). 

 He shall turn back, He shall have compassion on us, He shall trample upon our crookednesses! And You throw all our sins into the depths of the sea! 

 You give truth to Jacob, kindness (chesed) to Abraham, which You swore to our fathers from the days of old! 

Jeremiah 31:1-4

“At that time,” declares יהוה, “I shall be the Elohim of all the clans of Israel, and they shall be My people.”  Thus said יהוה, “A people escaped from the sword found favor in the wilderness, Israel, when it went to find rest.”   יהוה appeared to me from afar, saying, “I have loved you with an everlasting love, therefore I shall draw you with kindness (chesed).   

I am going to build you again. And you shall be rebuilt, O maiden of Israel!  Again you shall take up your tambourines, and go forth in the dances of those who rejoice. 

Now let's begin to look at Psalm 118 with the deeper meaning of this word chesed in mind.

 PSALM 118 
1 Oh give thanks to YHVH, for He is good!  
Because His chasdo (chesed) is everlasting. 
2 Let Israel now say, "His chasdo (chesed) is everlasting."  
3 Let the house of Aaron now say, "His chasdo (chesed) is everlasting." 
4 Let those who fear YHVH now say, "His chasdo (chesed) is everlasting." 


Isn't that a wonderful beginning?!


Let's stop here for a bit and look at something.

Repetition in YHVH's Word is important!

Here we have it repeated 3 times that people are to proclaim the everlasting chesed of YHVH.
Who does it say is to proclaim the chesed of YHVH?

1. Israel.  The chosen covenant people of YHVH.  The recipients of His chesed.  And Israel is commissioned by YHVH to be His light to the nations (we will get to that part soon).

2. The house of Aaron.  The line of priests.  Representing the servants of the nation of Israel.  The ones who serve YHVH on behalf of Israel.  Defenders of YHVH's truth; keepers of His Word.  They served Israel as Israel served as YHVH's light to the goyim (nations).

3. Those who fear YHVH.  This is where the goyim (nations, gentiles) come into the picture.  We (gentiles) are grafted into the nation of Israel, the commonwealth of YHVH's people, when we cling to Him and join in His covenant, obeying Him alone and trusting in His grace, mercy, steadfast faithful love...His chesed.

Isn't it exciting to be reminded of who are the recipients of YHVH's everlasting chesed?!

Let's continue...

 PSALM 118 continued ... 
5 I called on Yah ( יה)  in distress;
Yah answered me in a broad place.
6 YHVH  (יהוה) is on my side; 
I do not fear what man does to me!
7 YHVH is for me among those helping me;
therefore I look on those hating me.
8 It is better to take refuge in YHVH than to trust in man.
9 It is better to take refuge in YHVH than to trust in princes.
  
Before we continue, I want to point out something important about the Name of our Elohim, our God, our only Living Supreme Being, Mighty Lord, Adonai.
All of these that I just listed are only titles...none of them are His NAME!


His Name, according to Him, is YHVH (יהוה).  
Yah (יה) is a shortened form of His name.


These are His Names that are actually written, printed in the original Hebrew text AND in the modern Hebrew text.  (And this is true not just in Psalm 118, but also in thousands of other places throughout the Bible!)


If you would like to see for yourself (without the need to be able to read any Hebrew), go to this website and take a look at some of these verses in Hebrew and in English:
Biblos - Psalm 118...click HERE.   
You will see that the English translation of these 2 names inserts the words the LORD, which can then be mistranslated again with the equivalent Hebrew word Adonai.
(If you want to look at other verses, there is a pull-down menu in the uppermost left corner - for book, chapter, and verse.)....

I also want to quote part of the introduction of this version of the Bible that I have been using (called The Scriptures by the Institute for Scripture Research).  This particular version uses the name YHVH (in Hebrew it is יהוה), as well as the name Yahshua (in Hebrew יהושע).

From The Scriptures introduction, in the section "Restoration of the Name", page 15:
...it was the Almighty Himself who originally placed His Name in the scriptures at least 6823 times!  It was human beings who decided, for reasons that made sense to them, to delete His Name and to replace it with something "more appropriate" in their view.  This, in spite of the Creator's own statement to and through Mosheh (Moses) that:  "this is My Name forever, and this is My Remembrance to all generations."  (Shemoth/Exodus 3:15)


If you look at the introduction page of most Bibles (at least those in English), you will find an explanation that the Name of God, YHVH, has been replaced by the word LORD as a sign of respect (or for some other reason).

So let's take a look at this Name, YHVH, in the scriptures.
Exodus 3:15 was quoted above....let's look at the whole verse:
And Elohim said further to Moses, “Thus you are to say to the children of Israel, ‘יהוה Elohim of your fathers, the Elohim of Aḇraham, the Elohim of Isaac, and the Elohim of Jacob, has sent me to you. This is My Name forever, and this is My remembrance to all generations.’

Here it is obvious that God calls Himself by His Name, YHVH.  Then He tells Moses that this is His Name forever and is to how all generations know Him.

Exodus 6:3

 “And I appeared to Aḇraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, as Ěl Shaddai. And by My Name, יהוה, was I not known to them?"

Exodus 9:16

“And for this reason I have raised you up, in order to show you My power, and in order to declare My Name in all the earth. 

Exodus 33:19
And He said, “I shall cause all My goodness to pass before you, and I shall proclaim the Name of יהוה before you. And I shall favour him whom I favour, and shall have compassion on him whom I have compassion.” 

Leviticus 19:12
And do not swear falsely by My Name and so profane the Name of your Elohim. I am יהוה. 

Exodus 20:7  (from the Ten Commandments...stop and think about what this means in our daily usage of LORD to replace His Name)
You do not bring the Name of יהוה your Elohim to naught, for יהוה does not leave the one unpunished who brings His Name to naught. 

Isaiah 42:8
I am יהוה, that is My Name, and My esteem I do not give to another, nor My praise to idols. 

Isaiah 52:6-9
"And now, what have I here,” declares יהוה, “that My people are taken away for naught? Those who rule over them make them wail,” declares יהוה, “and My Name is despised all day continually. Therefore My people shall know My Name, in that day, for I am the One who is speaking. See, it is I.  How pleasant upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who proclaims peace, who brings good news, who proclaims deliverance, who says to Zion, 'Your Elohim reigns!'  The voice of your watchmen! They shall lift up their voices, together they shout for joy, because eye to eye they see the return of יהוה to Zion.  Break forth into joy, sing together, you waste places of Jerusalem! For יהוה shall comfort His people, He shall redeem Jerusalem. 

Jeremiah 16:20-21

Would a man make mighty ones for himself, which are not mighty ones?  Therefore see, I am causing them to know, this time I cause them to know My hand and My might. And they shall know that My Name is יהוה!

People may wonder why I am spending so much time in this blog post on the topic of the Name of YHVH (and, as we will soon explore, the Name He gave His Son).  For me, it has become obvious in these verses and the thousands of other verses in YHVH's Word where He uses His Name (YHVH) that He is serious about His Name!  I want to never again make His Name come to naught by substituting it with a title!

I think if we continue on further into Psalm 118, we can see this more clearly.

 PSALM 118 continued ... 
10 All the gentiles surrounded me, In the Name of יהוה I shall cut them off.   
11 They surrounded me, Yea, they surrounded me; In the Name of יהוה shall I cut them off. 
12 They surrounded me like bees; They were extinguished like burning thorns; In the Name of יהוה I shall cut them off.
13 Pushing, the enemy pushed me to fall, But יהוה helped me. 
14 Yah is my strength and song, And He has become my deliverance. 

I think in this passage it is clear that it is the Name of YHVH that comes against the enemies to cut them off.  But I also think using the Name of YHVH is important for deeper reasons.

I realize that I will come under some scrutiny and possible criticism from both Christians and Jews as I begin to speak and use the Name of YHVH.  Both Christians and Jews use titles in place of the Name of YHVH.  But I cannot continue to use substitutes for a Name that is SO very important and that is commanded for us to use!  (Note:  there are various interpretations of the proper pronunciation of the Name of YHVH, and while we might not be able to know with complete accuracy what the proper pronunciation is, I believe it is clear in Scripture that YHVH wants His Name to be used.)

Why is His Name so important?  So significant?
Let's look at something that comes next in this Psalm.

Look at the last word in verse 14:  Deliverance/ salvation.
Do you know which Hebrew word is used in this verse?

This is a word that still exists in modern Hebrew and is used on a daily basis for the English word "salvation."
This word is also related to the Name of the SON of YHVH.

The Hebrew word for deliverance/salvation is y'shu'ah or yeshu'ah.
In Hebrew it is written as ישׁועה. 


Do you know what the Name of the SON of YHVH is in Hebrew?  
(Of course, in English, His Name has been mistranslated as Jesus, which is not a correct transliteration.)

The Name of the SON of YHVH in Hebrew is actually the name Yehoshuah (Joshua).  It has been shortened by many to be read as Yeshua or Y'shua.
In Hebrew it is written as  יהושׁע  and it means "YHVH saves".

The Hebrew letters used here are so important.  The name of Yehoshuah has the first 3 letters of YHVH and then also part of the word for salvation (thus "YHVH saves").

When pronounced, the two words sound very similar....yeshu'ah (salvation) and Yehoshuah or Yeshua (the Name of the SON of YHVH).

So when a person reads Psalm 118:14 aloud in Hebrew, this is what is heard:  Yah is my strength and song, and He has become my yeshu'ah.

Isn't this so exciting!?  To see the Truth of the SON of YHVH written and spoken so clearly throughout the entire Word of YHVH is such an incredible reminder of His creation, His salvation, His work on behalf of His people from beginning to end...from HaRishon to HaAcharon (the beginning to the end).

But if we continue to read Psalm 118, it becomes even more clear and even more exciting!


 PSALM 118 continued ... 
15 The voice of rejoicing and deliverance (yeshu'ah) is in the tents of the righteous; the right hand of יהוה is doing mightily. 
16 The right hand of יהוה is exalted, the right hand of יהוה acts mightily.
17 Let me not die, but live, and declare the works of Yah. 
18 Yah has punished me severely, but did not give me over to death. 
19 Open to me the gates of righteousness; I enter through them, I thank Yah. 
20 This is the gate of  יהוה, the righteous enter through it. 
21 I thank You, for You have answered me, and have become my deliverance (yeshu'ah) . 

Do you see?  Do you see clearly?  Can you see the SON of YHVH clearly presented in these verses?
I am not just speaking about the Name of Yahshua appearing here in these verses.
I am also speaking about the RIGHT HAND of YHVH.

"The right hand of YHVH is doing mightily."  
"The right hand of YHVH is exalted."
"The right hand of YHVH acts mightily."

Earlier we looked at Isaiah 52:6-9 as one place where YHVH speaks strongly of using His Name.  If we add verse 10, we will also see the revelation of the arm of YHVH as the Messiah Yahshua.


Isaiah 52:7-10
 How pleasant upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who proclaims peace, who brings good news, who proclaims deliverance (yeshu'ah), who says to Zion, “Your Elohim reigns!”  The voice of your watchmen!  They shall lift up their voices, together they shout for joy, because eye to eye they see the return of יהוה to Zion.   Break forth into joy, sing together, you waste places of Jerusalem!  For יהוה shall comfort His people, He shall redeem Jerusalem. 

יהוה shall lay bare His set-apart arm in the eyes of all the nations. And all the ends of the earth shall see the deliverance (yeshu'ah) of our Elohim. 

Let us also look at Isaiah 62 for another clear picture of Israel and her Messiah.

Isaiah 62:1-2, 11-12

 For Zion’s sake I am not silent, and for Jerusalem’s sake I do not rest, until her righteousness goes forth as brightness, and her deliverance (yeshu'ah) as a lamp that burns. 

 And the nations shall see your righteousness, and all sovereigns your esteem. And you shall be called by a new name, which the mouth of יהוה designates....

See, יהוה has proclaimed to the end of the earth: “Say to the daughter of Zion, ‘See, your deliverance (yesha) has come; see, His reward is with Him, and His work before Him.’ ”  And they shall be called, “The Set-apart People, the Redeemed of יהוה.” And you shall be called, “Sought Out, a City Not Forsaken."

(If you would like to see all the verses that use the Hebrew word yeshu'ah for deliverance/salvation, go to the Blue Letter Bible Lexicon online at www.blueletterbible.org and type H3444 into the Bible/Dictionary Search box.  This is the Strong's number for yeshu'ah, and the search result will give you a list of all the verses that use this particular Hebrew word.  This list is amazing!)

Let's look at the next verses in Psalm 118....

 PSALM 118 continued ... 
22 The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief corner-stone. 
23 This was from יהוה, It is marvelous in our eyes. 
24 This is the day יהוה has made, Let us rejoice and be glad in it. 

Ah, yes, now it is all coming together!

  YAHSHUA!   

He is the Salvation of YHVH!

He is the Chesed of YHVH!

He is the Strong Right Hand of YHVH!

He is the Chief Cornerstone!

This is from YHVH!  This is the day YHVH has made!

I will not take time in this blog post to go into detail about how Yahshua is the Strong Arm, the Right Hand of YHVH throughout scripture.
If you do a word study of all the places the scriptures speak of the Right Hand and Strong Arm of YHVH, you can see for yourself.

Here are a few verses to look at (this is only the beginning!).

Exodus 15:1-6

Deuteronomy 33:1-3

Psalm 20; 44:1-4; 48:10

Psalm 80:17-19; 89:13-14; 98; 110

Psalm 136 (an entire chapter on the chesed of YHVH)
Isaiah 40:1-11; 41:8-14

Isaiah 52:10; 62:8-12

Jeremiah 27:5

Matthew 22:41-46
Matthew 26: 63-64
Acts 2:22-36
Ephesians 1:20-23
Hebrews 1

Let's continue on with the last part of this Psalm...and yet another clear picture of YHVH's faithfulness to His people through Yahshua the Messiah!


 PSALM 118 continued ... 
25 I pray, O יהוה, please save (hoshianah); I pray, O יהוה, please send prosperity.
26 Blessed is He who is coming in the Name of יהוה!  We shall bless you from the House of יהוה. 
27 יהוה is God, and He gave us light; bind the festal offering with cords to the horns of the altar. 
28 You are my God, and I praise You; You are my Elohim, I exalt You. 

29 Give thanks to יהוה, for He is good! For His kindness is everlasting. 

You are probably more familiar with this scripture than you realize.
Notice that verse 25 beseeches YHVH to save us and to send prosperity (as in "be good to us"; not in the same way that many charismatic "churches" use the word prosperity!).

Do you know what the Hebrew word for save us is in this verse?
Even if you answer "no" to this question, I think you will find out that you really are familiar with the word!
(But you should now answer "yes" to this question, because I included the Hebrew word in the verse above!)

The Hebrew word used here is HOSHIANAH.
You may know the spelling as HOSANNA.


Today's Christianity has turned this word into a word of praise and joyful celebration.
However, the word does not have that meaning.
The word hoshianah is a cry for salvation.  It is a desperate cry to be defended, to be rescued...a cry for help!  "Save us!"


And here in this Psalm, we see a cry for YHVH to work salvation (yeshu'ah) with His Strong Right Arm, with His loving-commitment/chesed, to rescue His people mightily from their enemies.


Of course, this is again a clear picture of the Strong Right Arm of YHVH, the promised Messiah Yahshua. 
Compare verses 25 and 26 from Psalm 118 with John 12:12-15:
 On the next day a great crowd who had come to the festival (Passover), when they heard that יהושע (Yahshua) was coming to Jerusalem, took the branches of palm trees and went out to meet Him, and were crying out, “Hoshiana! Blessed is He who is coming in the Name of יהוה, the Sovereign of Israel!” And יהושע, having found a young donkey, sat on it, as it has been written:   “Do not fear, daughter of Zion, see, your Sovereign is coming, sitting on the colt of a donkey.” 

There is a song in Hebrew based on Psalm 118:25-26.  It is called Ana Adonai.
It is a song that I have sung frequently in my own times of worship and in my own times of beseeching YHVH.
The words are in Hebrew, but they follow along the words of these two verses of Psalm 118, with verse 19 added at the end.


Ana Adonai
Ana Adonai hoshianah.  Ana Adonai hatzlichanah.  
Ana Adonai ha'er paneicha.
Baruch haba b'Shem Adonai. 
Mi beit Elohim avarech et shimchah.
Pitchu li sha'arei tzedek avo bam odeh ya, Ana Adonai


If you would like to hear this song being sung, 
click HERE to follow the link to the song.


And now we come to the end of Psalm 118, a psalm of the Messiah!
Verse 27 states that YHVH is God, that He gave us light...Yahshua, the LIGHT of the world!
And it says to bind the festival offering to the altar.  Yahshua was bound as the Passover Lamb, the sacrifice for His people!


Verses 28 and 29 end the Psalm just as it was begun...praising YHVH for Who He is and for His everlasting loving-commitment, His chesed, toward His people!


What can we say now at the end of this amazing Psalm?


  HalleluYAH ! !    (hallel = praise  YAH!)  




(and it is now finished)  

With All My Heart and Being...

                                                ...Praise YAH!

Tonight many people around the world are celebrating, and many of those will celebrate with much gusto, putting their hearts and souls into welcoming what is generally recognized as the New Year.

If you have looked at my blog post from this time last year, you will already know that I am NOT celebrating the New Year tonight.    However, I am celebrating tonight....I am celebrating my weekly Shabbat with my Adonai.  Shabbat Shalom!

This blog post will not go into great detail regarding what YHVH's Word says about celebrating the New Year.  You can read that in my blog post from January 1, 2010.  Basically, I won't be celebrating YHVH's New Year until the spring...around April - the time around Passover  (see Exodus 12).

Okay, so January is not the month that Adonai chose and commanded for the beginning of each year.
But it is the time chosen by much of the world to begin each year.
So the question remains:
Why don't I celebrate with my friends and family?
Why do I choose to treat this day like any other day?
Why won't I attend the parties and say the traditional greetings?

The question can continue further:
Why don't I celebrate the holidays that Christianity has promoted as times to commemorate Jesus and His life on earth (e.g., Christmas and Easter)?  Why won't I participate in those?
Why won't I "fellowship" with my fellow believers by participating during these special times of the Christian year?

This question can become a paragraph and even a small booklet of questions:
Why do I insist on using YHVH's and Yahshua's Hebrew names?
Why do I celebrate the Feasts of the Old Testament rather than the Christian holidays?
Why do I follow Adonai's menu rather than the commonly accepted menu of the people around me?
Why must I be so different?

And then that last question frequently leads to the underlying (and sometimes openly hinted at) questions of:
Why must I be so difficult?
Why must I be so rebellious against Christian tradition?
Why do I alienate the people around me by making these choices?

The answer to all of these is quite simple - profoundly important to me, yet simple...

I don't want to pour all my energy, my passion, my heart and soul into something that is not what Adonai wants from me, into some tradition that goes against His Word.  Rather I want to pour all that I am, my heart and soul, into who HE IS, what HE says to be and do, what His Word commands.  My greatest desire is to know, to love, and to live in relationship with YHVH, the King of the Universe, my Creator, my Redeemer, my Adonai, through Yahshua the Messiah!

Do you know how many times our Adonai tells His people to do something with all of their heart and soul...with all of their very being?

Let's take a look at some of the familiar places in YHVH's Word.

1.  Moses, in Deuteronomy, constantly reminded the Israelites of YHVH's words and commands:

Deuteronomy 6:1-6
And this is the command, the laws and right-rulings which יהוה (YHVH) your Elohim has commanded...so that you fear יהוה your Elohim, to guard all His laws and His commands which I command you, you and your son and your grandson, all the days of your life....Hear, O Israĕl: יהוה (YHVH) our Elohim, יהוה (YHVH) is one! And you shall love יהוה (YHVH) your Elohim with all your heart, and with all your being, and with all your might. And these Words which I am commanding you today shall be in your heart...

Deuteronomy 10:12, 13
And now, Israel, what is יהוה your Elohim asking of you, but to fear יהוה your Elohim, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, and to serve יהוה your Elohim with all your heart and with all your being, to guard the commands of יהוה and His laws which I command you today for your good? 

Deuteronomy 13:1-4
When there arises among you a prophet or a dreamer of dreams, and he shall give you a sign or a wonder, and the sign or the wonder shall come true, of which he has spoken to you, saying, ‘Let us go after other mighty ones – which you have not known – and serve them,’ do not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams, for יהוה your Elohim is trying you to know whether you love יהוה your Elohim with all your heart and with all your being. Walk after יהוה your Elohim and fear Him, and guard His commands and obey His voice, and serve Him and cling to Him.

Deuteronomy 30: 5-11
And יהוה your Elohim shall bring you to the land which your fathers possessed, and you shall possess it. And He shall do good to you, and increase you more than your fathers. And יהוה your Elohim shall circumcise your heart and the heart of your seed, to love יהוה your Elohim with all your heart and with all your being, so that you might live...And you shall turn back and obey the voice of יהוה and do all His commands which I command you today....For יהוה turns back to rejoice over you for good as He rejoiced over your fathers, if you obey the voice of יהוה your Elohim, to guard His commands and His laws which are written in this Book of the Torah, if you turn back to יהוה your Elohim with all your heart and with all your being. For this command which I am commanding you today, it is not too hard for you, nor is it far off.


2.  When Joshua blessed the tribes of Israel, he also reminded them:


Joshua 22:2-5
And [Joshua] said to them, “You, you have guarded all that Moses the servant of יהוה commanded you, and have obeyed my voice in all that I commanded you. You have not left your brothers these many days, up to this day, but have guarded the Charge, the command of יהוה your Elohim.  And now יהוה your Elohim has given rest to your brothers, as He promised them. So now, return and go to your tents and to the land of your possession, which Moses the servant of יהוה gave you beyond the Jordan. Only, diligently guard to do the command and the Torah which Mosheh the servant of יהוה commanded you, to love יהוה your Elohim, and to walk in all His ways, and to guard His commands, and to cling to Him, and to serve Him with all your heart and with all your being.

3.  David spoke these words to his son Solomon:

1 Kings 2:3-4

And guard the Charge of יהוה your Elohim: to walk in His ways, to guard His laws, His commands, His right-rulings, and His witnesses, as it is written in the Torah of Moses, so that you do wisely all that you do and wherever you turn; so that יהוה does establish His word which He spoke concerning me, saying, ‘If your sons guard their way, to walk before Me in truth with all their heart and with all their being,’ saying, ‘there is not to cease a man of yours on the throne of Israel.’ 

4.  King Josiah and King Asa both turned the people back to the commands of YHVH:

2 Kings 23:2-3, 25

And the king [Josiah] went up to the House of יהוה with all the men of Judah, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem with him, and the priests and the prophets and all the people, both small and great. And he read in their hearing all the words of the Book of the Covenant which had been found in the House of יהוה.   And the king stood by the column and made a covenant before יהוה, to follow יהוה and to guard His commands and His witnesses and His laws, with all his heart and all his being, to establish the words of this covenant that were written in this book. And all the people stood to the covenant....And before him there was no king like him, who turned back to יהוה with all his heart, and with all his being, and with all his might, according to all the Torah of Moses; and after him none rose up like him. 

2 Chronicles 15:12-15

And they entered into a covenant to seek יהוה Elohim of their fathers with all their heart and with all their being; and whoever would not seek יהוה Elohim of Israel would be put to death, from small to great, from man to woman.  And they swore to יהוה with a loud voice, with shouting and with trumpets and with rams’ horns.  And all Judah rejoiced concerning the oath, for they had sworn with all their heart and sought Him with all their being. And He was found by them, and יהוה gave them rest all around. 

5.  It is the cry of Psalm 84:2

My being has longed, and even fainted, 
For the courts of יהוה; 
My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.


6.  Yahshua confirmed that this is the greatest command of YHVH:

Matthew 22:36-40
 “Teacher, which is the great command in the Torah?” 
 And יהושע (Yahshua) said to him, “ 'You shall love יהוה your Elohim with all your heart, and with all your being, and with all your mind.'  This is the first and great command. And the second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commands hang all the Torah and the Prophets.” 

I would like to give an example of why I want to follow the Word of YHVH rather than just depending on and following tradition.  This example is something that at first glance seems simple and unimportant, but upon deeper understanding and reading of the Word of YHVH becomes so deeply significant.

The word "HALLELUYAH."
It is also commonly spelled Alleluia and Hallelujah and sometimes Halleluia.  I have even seen it spelled as Halaylooyah.  I guess it can be a tricky word to spell just by sounding it out!

I, too, have had difficulty remembering how to spell this word and never really knew which form to use...until I actually read enough of God's Word to realize how important this word is.

We throw it around as a "catch-all" religious phrase.  We use it casually, without even thinking about it...
"Hey look, there's a dollar on the ground!  Hallelujah!"
"The store had my favorite kind of ice cream...hallelujah!"
"Today is supposed to be sunny and warm.  Hallelujah!"

We alternate saying Hallelujah and PTL (stands for Praise the Lord, which is what Hallelujah is translated to mean in our English Bibles).

Why is this word so important?  Why am I making a seemingly "big deal" out of this?

Let's break it down...

Obviously (I hope it's obvious), it is a Hebrew word.

Hallel ( הלל)  means to boast about, give glory to, give praise to.


YAH (YH or יה) is the shortened name of YHVH  (יהוה), the first two letters of His four-letter name!  


Remember, Hebrew is read from right to left.  Compare the first two letters of YHVH with the spelling of YaH.

So Hallelu YaH means praise (to) YaH.        הללו  יה
This is different than saying "praise the Lord" because "Lord" is just a title that has been used to replace the NAME of YHVH for centuries!

And do you notice that YaH is also the beginning of Yahshua's name (יהושע)?
This is because Yahshua (also Yeshua) means "YHVH is salvation."  Pretty important, I think, to keep the name of YaH where it belongs...in His Name!

This is why I use the Name above all names when I am referring to Yahshua, and the Name our Adonai said to use for Him, YHVH.

And do you know that the names of many people in the scriptures included the name of Yah?
We miss so much when we translate these important names into "anglicized" names!
Eliyahu (Elijah) means YHVH is El (God). 
Yesha'yahu (Isaiah)  means YHVH is salvation ...notice how close it is to Yahshua.
Yirmeyahu (Jeremiah)  means YHVH will exalt.
Tz'Fanyah (Zephaniah)  means YHVH has hidden.
Z'Kharyah (Zechariah) means remembered by YHVH.
Yoshiyahu (Josiah) means YHVH will deliver.

These are only a few examples of the many names in the scriptures that incorporate the name of YHVH and part of His character.  Can you imagine if you knew the Hebrew names of these people, and every time you read that name in the scriptures you were reminded of the meaning, and therefore reminded of who YHVH is?!?


Do you see why I want to know and use the proper names of YHVH, and why HalleluYaH is such an important word to me?
Do you see why I don't want to use the spelling of Alleluia?  It has no meaning...it replaces the Name of Yah with "ia."   It is yet another tradition of man that has changed YHVH's Word (and Name) and therefore has lost part of the depth of understanding of who He is and how we are to live in relationship with Him!

Perhaps it still seems to you that I'm making a big deal out of a small thing.  I hope not.  I hope you can see my point.  I hope you can see the beginnings of a much deeper understanding of our YHVH and His Word with this one simple example.

I have said before in these blog posts, and I will say it again now...
the more I take YHVH's scripture at face value and the more I read it literally (and try to see the original language rather than the translated language), the more I understand that I have been embracing so many man-made traditions and understandings and beliefs that actually go against what YHVH says!

All I want is to know, love and obey Yah!


Gina


FYI...do you know about www.e-sword.net ?   You can download various translations of the Bible for free.  One of the free translations available is the Hebrew Old Testament (Tanach) with Strong's Numbers.  I use this frequently as a helpful way to get back to the original language, and it is always available for me on my laptop!