"I will love Thee O Lord my strength!" is my theme verse. (Psalm 18:1)
I was researching the words "will love" in this verse.... and stumbled across something that spoke to my heart in a mighty, mighty way. (I say stumbled, but we know that God's hand and Spirit guides us in the study of His Word, and we never "stumble" upon things!)
Psalm 18:1 is now glued upon my very soul. David is not just saying "I love you God".
This word:רחם , translated "love" *does* mean to love, have mercy or have great compassion, but it is much deeper. It is derived from this word: רחם which is a masculine noun referring to a womb! When the plural form this word was used, the author had in mind the idea of compassion, tenderness, or mercy as seen in Psalm 18:1 - my theme. Okay, now to the deeper part!
The Old Testament authors thought of the womb or bowels as the seat of warm and tender emotions. For example, when Joseph saw his brother Benjamin, he became overwhelmed with tender affection. This is oft translated in the KJV as "bowels". An example is in Gen 43:30 And Joseph made haste; for his bowels did yearn upon his brother: and he sought where to weep; and he entered into his chamber, and wept there.
It was then I realized the depth of David's cry to God. He loved God intensely. His love penetrated him. Do you see the picture too?
He loved God with everything he had - from the depth of his soul, from his bowels. With every fiber in his body he cried, "I LOVE YOU O LORD MY STRENGTH!!!"
Hallelujah!
I was researching the words "will love" in this verse.... and stumbled across something that spoke to my heart in a mighty, mighty way. (I say stumbled, but we know that God's hand and Spirit guides us in the study of His Word, and we never "stumble" upon things!)
Psalm 18:1 is now glued upon my very soul. David is not just saying "I love you God".
This word:רחם , translated "love" *does* mean to love, have mercy or have great compassion, but it is much deeper. It is derived from this word: רחם which is a masculine noun referring to a womb! When the plural form this word was used, the author had in mind the idea of compassion, tenderness, or mercy as seen in Psalm 18:1 - my theme. Okay, now to the deeper part!
The Old Testament authors thought of the womb or bowels as the seat of warm and tender emotions. For example, when Joseph saw his brother Benjamin, he became overwhelmed with tender affection. This is oft translated in the KJV as "bowels". An example is in Gen 43:30 And Joseph made haste; for his bowels did yearn upon his brother: and he sought where to weep; and he entered into his chamber, and wept there.
It was then I realized the depth of David's cry to God. He loved God intensely. His love penetrated him. Do you see the picture too?
He loved God with everything he had - from the depth of his soul, from his bowels. With every fiber in his body he cried, "I LOVE YOU O LORD MY STRENGTH!!!"
Hallelujah!
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