Saturday, January 03, 2004
scornful, scorner
Psalm 1 - word study continued...
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.
The Hebrew word here is luwts {loots}, translated by the KJV scholar-team as scornful.
Luwts {loots} is actually a rare word, only found 27 times (in these OT manuscripts), and translated scorner 14 times, scorn 4 times, interpreter twice, mocker twice, derision once, mock once, and scornful only one time. This is according to the blue-letter bible, but your mileage may differ... my vvn.net/bible shows 12 usages of scorner and 3 usages of scornful. Meanings of luwts {loots}: to scorn, make mouths at, talk arrogantly, to boast, to mock, deride, to interpret, interpreter, ambassador (fig.), to be inflated, scoff, act as a scorner, show oneself a mocker.
-- It's interesting that the first occurence of luwts {loots} (found in Genesis 42:23 ) is translated interpreter -- "And they knew not that Joseph understood [them]; for he spake unto them by an interpreter(luwts)." And when I ask myself why, I can only surmise that sin has seperated us from God, and sin seperated us from our brothers (just as sin seperated Joseph from his brothers) and so much so, that even our language seperates us from eachother and we can't walk and talk with eachother... "Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the LORD did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the LORD scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth." - Genesis 11:9
-- Perhaps a large part of scorn, and being scornful, is just that people don't understand, and sometimes (because of pride) they just don't want to understand. See for instance, in Job 16:29 "My friends scorn (luwts) me: [but] mine eye poureth out [tears] unto God."
-- There is a definate connection between pride and scorn (pride == foolish delight) -- see for instance Psalm 119:51 "The proud have had me greatly in derision (luwts): [yet] have I not declined from thy law." And also Proverbs 3:34 "Surely he scorneth (luwts) the scorners (luwts): but he giveth grace unto the lowly."
-- NLT, NASB, RSV, and ASV all translate luwts as scoffers, NKJV uses scornful, the NIV uses mockers, and the Contemporary English Version (CEV) uses the phrase "sneering at God".
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.
The Hebrew word here is luwts {loots}, translated by the KJV scholar-team as scornful.
Luwts {loots} is actually a rare word, only found 27 times (in these OT manuscripts), and translated scorner 14 times, scorn 4 times, interpreter twice, mocker twice, derision once, mock once, and scornful only one time. This is according to the blue-letter bible, but your mileage may differ... my vvn.net/bible shows 12 usages of scorner and 3 usages of scornful. Meanings of luwts {loots}: to scorn, make mouths at, talk arrogantly, to boast, to mock, deride, to interpret, interpreter, ambassador (fig.), to be inflated, scoff, act as a scorner, show oneself a mocker.
-- It's interesting that the first occurence of luwts {loots} (found in Genesis 42:23 ) is translated interpreter -- "And they knew not that Joseph understood [them]; for he spake unto them by an interpreter(luwts)." And when I ask myself why, I can only surmise that sin has seperated us from God, and sin seperated us from our brothers (just as sin seperated Joseph from his brothers) and so much so, that even our language seperates us from eachother and we can't walk and talk with eachother... "Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the LORD did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the LORD scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth." - Genesis 11:9
-- Perhaps a large part of scorn, and being scornful, is just that people don't understand, and sometimes (because of pride) they just don't want to understand. See for instance, in Job 16:29 "My friends scorn (luwts) me: [but] mine eye poureth out [tears] unto God."
-- There is a definate connection between pride and scorn (pride == foolish delight) -- see for instance Psalm 119:51 "The proud have had me greatly in derision (luwts): [yet] have I not declined from thy law." And also Proverbs 3:34 "Surely he scorneth (luwts) the scorners (luwts): but he giveth grace unto the lowly."
-- NLT, NASB, RSV, and ASV all translate luwts as scoffers, NKJV uses scornful, the NIV uses mockers, and the Contemporary English Version (CEV) uses the phrase "sneering at God".
Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God
Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God - Audio here ...
Friday, January 02, 2004
Judgement Seat vs. Mercy Seat
seat, sitting
Psalm 1 - word study continued...
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.
Yesterday we looked at the Hebrew word for sit ( yashab {yaw-shab'} ) and today we will look at seat ( mowshab {mo-shawb'} ). The two words come from the same root ( yashab ) and both are used in the phrase we are studying in Psalm 1:1 "nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful". The word mowshab {mo-shawb'} occurs only 44 times in the OT scriptures and means seat, assembly, dwelling-place, dwelling, dwellers, sitting, those sitting, sitting company or assembly, situation, and location. Let's look at a few passages that use the word mowshab {mo-shawb'}...
-- The first instance of the word mowshab is found in Genesis 10:30 where the scripture records the geneology of Noah and his children ... "And their dwelling (mowshab) was from Mesha, as thou goest unto Sephar a mount of the east."
-- The second occurence of the word mowshab is found in Gen 27:39 where Isaac is giving a blessing to Esau (and it is the lesser blessing, since Jacob had already received the greater blessing) ... "And Isaac his father answered and said unto him, Behold, thy dwelling (mowshab) shall be the fatness of the earth, and of the dew of heaven from above;" Again, the word here is not seat, but dwelling.
-- A seat is not a chair (sitting device) as we know it. The modern invention of chairs (wooden, plastic, metal chairs) is not the focus, for indeed it is a totally modern concept or invention. The emphasis is not on the object of the chair, couch, blanket or sitting device, but on dwelling place, habitation, the home situation. We find God giving His people detailed instructions for the Passover, when all the firstborn of Egypt will be killed and the all the people of Israel will be saved and set free -- Exodus 12:20 "Ye shall eat nothing leavened; in all your habitations (mowshab) shall ye eat unleavened bread." The NIV says "Wherever you live (mowshab), you must eat unleavened bread."
-- It appears that mowshab has a connotation of position and situation (good dwelling place vs. bad dwelling place; good seat vs. bad seat; right hand seat vs. left hand seat; a good situation vs. an evil or bad situation) although this must be determined from context.
-- SEAT - The first place I can locate where the KJV translators use seat is found in 1st Samuel 20:18 where Jonathan and David are thinking of a way for David to escape from King Saul who has 'gone mad' in his hatred of God's plan and they wonder if Saul will try to kill David... "Then Jonathan said to David, Tomorrow [is] the new moon: and thou shalt be missed, because thy seat (mowshab) will be empty."
-- SITTING - An interesting corollary is found when the queen of Sheba comes from the east to observe the great wisdom of Solomon... 1st Kings 10:4 "And when the queen of Sheba had seen all Solomon's wisdom, and the house that he had built, and the meat of his table, and the sitting (mowshab) of his servants..." The queen of Sheba declares in words similar to Psalm 1 that even the servants are happy and blessed because they sit/stand around the throne of Solomon and daily hear his wisdom... 1st Kings 10:8 "Happy [are] thy men, happy [are] these thy servants, which stand continually before thee, [and] that hear thy wisdom."
-- Finally, In Ezekial's prophecy of the restoration of Israel, and establishing of an everlasting covenant... in Ezekial 37:23 "but I will save them out of all their dwellingplaces (mowshab), wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them: so shall they be my people, and I will be their God."
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.
Yesterday we looked at the Hebrew word for sit ( yashab {yaw-shab'} ) and today we will look at seat ( mowshab {mo-shawb'} ). The two words come from the same root ( yashab ) and both are used in the phrase we are studying in Psalm 1:1 "nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful". The word mowshab {mo-shawb'} occurs only 44 times in the OT scriptures and means seat, assembly, dwelling-place, dwelling, dwellers, sitting, those sitting, sitting company or assembly, situation, and location. Let's look at a few passages that use the word mowshab {mo-shawb'}...
-- The first instance of the word mowshab is found in Genesis 10:30 where the scripture records the geneology of Noah and his children ... "And their dwelling (mowshab) was from Mesha, as thou goest unto Sephar a mount of the east."
-- The second occurence of the word mowshab is found in Gen 27:39 where Isaac is giving a blessing to Esau (and it is the lesser blessing, since Jacob had already received the greater blessing) ... "And Isaac his father answered and said unto him, Behold, thy dwelling (mowshab) shall be the fatness of the earth, and of the dew of heaven from above;" Again, the word here is not seat, but dwelling.
-- A seat is not a chair (sitting device) as we know it. The modern invention of chairs (wooden, plastic, metal chairs) is not the focus, for indeed it is a totally modern concept or invention. The emphasis is not on the object of the chair, couch, blanket or sitting device, but on dwelling place, habitation, the home situation. We find God giving His people detailed instructions for the Passover, when all the firstborn of Egypt will be killed and the all the people of Israel will be saved and set free -- Exodus 12:20 "Ye shall eat nothing leavened; in all your habitations (mowshab) shall ye eat unleavened bread." The NIV says "Wherever you live (mowshab), you must eat unleavened bread."
-- It appears that mowshab has a connotation of position and situation (good dwelling place vs. bad dwelling place; good seat vs. bad seat; right hand seat vs. left hand seat; a good situation vs. an evil or bad situation) although this must be determined from context.
-- SEAT - The first place I can locate where the KJV translators use seat is found in 1st Samuel 20:18 where Jonathan and David are thinking of a way for David to escape from King Saul who has 'gone mad' in his hatred of God's plan and they wonder if Saul will try to kill David... "Then Jonathan said to David, Tomorrow [is] the new moon: and thou shalt be missed, because thy seat (mowshab) will be empty."
-- SITTING - An interesting corollary is found when the queen of Sheba comes from the east to observe the great wisdom of Solomon... 1st Kings 10:4 "And when the queen of Sheba had seen all Solomon's wisdom, and the house that he had built, and the meat of his table, and the sitting (mowshab) of his servants..." The queen of Sheba declares in words similar to Psalm 1 that even the servants are happy and blessed because they sit/stand around the throne of Solomon and daily hear his wisdom... 1st Kings 10:8 "Happy [are] thy men, happy [are] these thy servants, which stand continually before thee, [and] that hear thy wisdom."
-- Finally, In Ezekial's prophecy of the restoration of Israel, and establishing of an everlasting covenant... in Ezekial 37:23 "but I will save them out of all their dwellingplaces (mowshab), wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them: so shall they be my people, and I will be their God."
Thursday, January 01, 2004
sit, sits, sitteth
Psalm 1 - word study continued...
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.
This morning I will examine the word sit, or sitteth as found in Psalm 1. The Hebrew word here is yashab {yaw-shab'} which occurs 1088 times in the OT and means: to dwell, remain, sit, abide, to sit, sit down, to be set, to remain, stay, to dwell, have one's abode, to be inhabited. yashab {yaw-shab'} is translated 437 times as dwell in the KJV. Yashab {yaw-shab'} is translated 221 times as inhabitant, 172 times as sit, and 70 times as abide. So we see that the rendering of sit or sitteth is not as common as dwell or inhabit.
-- There are times when it is not possible for men to sit and dwell together, and times when it is not wise to continue dwelling together (even if desired). Abraham's herds and flocks were so great and so large and Lot's also that they agreed to dwell at some distance apart from one another... Genesis 13:6 "And the land was not able to bear them, that they might dwell (yashab) together: for their substance was great, so that they could not dwell (yashab) together." And we see in Genesis 13:12 "Abram dwelled (yashab) in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled (yashab) in the cities of the plain, and pitched [his] tent toward Sodom."
-- In some instances, the sit or sat refers to a position of power... In Exodus 12:29 we see that the seat or position of power is no protection from the judgement seat of God... "at midnight the LORD smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat (yashab) on his throne unto the firstborn of the captive that [was] in the dungeon;"
-- There is more figurative meaning here than simply a man sitting on a wooden chair. The meaning is deeper.... Psalm 1:1 ..."nor sitteth (yashab) in the seat of the scornful". See also in the messianic psalm, quoted by the apostles ... Psalm 2:4 "He that sitteth (yashab) in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision."
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.
This morning I will examine the word sit, or sitteth as found in Psalm 1. The Hebrew word here is yashab {yaw-shab'} which occurs 1088 times in the OT and means: to dwell, remain, sit, abide, to sit, sit down, to be set, to remain, stay, to dwell, have one's abode, to be inhabited. yashab {yaw-shab'} is translated 437 times as dwell in the KJV. Yashab {yaw-shab'} is translated 221 times as inhabitant, 172 times as sit, and 70 times as abide. So we see that the rendering of sit or sitteth is not as common as dwell or inhabit.
-- There are times when it is not possible for men to sit and dwell together, and times when it is not wise to continue dwelling together (even if desired). Abraham's herds and flocks were so great and so large and Lot's also that they agreed to dwell at some distance apart from one another... Genesis 13:6 "And the land was not able to bear them, that they might dwell (yashab) together: for their substance was great, so that they could not dwell (yashab) together." And we see in Genesis 13:12 "Abram dwelled (yashab) in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled (yashab) in the cities of the plain, and pitched [his] tent toward Sodom."
-- In some instances, the sit or sat refers to a position of power... In Exodus 12:29 we see that the seat or position of power is no protection from the judgement seat of God... "at midnight the LORD smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat (yashab) on his throne unto the firstborn of the captive that [was] in the dungeon;"
-- There is more figurative meaning here than simply a man sitting on a wooden chair. The meaning is deeper.... Psalm 1:1 ..."nor sitteth (yashab) in the seat of the scornful". See also in the messianic psalm, quoted by the apostles ... Psalm 2:4 "He that sitteth (yashab) in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision."
Wednesday, December 31, 2003
Some Sinners so unreasonable and so wicked...
THERE are some Sinners so unreasonable, and so wicked. Ask them why they don't reform their Lives, why don't you turn over a new leaf, and amend your ways and your doings, they will answer, God does not give me Grace. I can't Convert myself, and God does not Convert me. Thus do they insinuate as if God were in fault, and the blame of their Unconversion to be imputed unto him. But as Elihu speaks, Suffer me a little, and I will shew you what I have yet to say on God's behalf...[more] - from Increase Mather (1710)
sinner, sinners, sinful
Psalm 1 - word study continued... 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.
Several days ago I looked at the word sinners, but only briefly, so I will continue now.... The Hebrew word is chatta' {khat-taw'} and is found only 18 times in the OT; 16 times translated sinner (noun) ; 1 time as sinful (adj.) and 1 time as offender (adj.)
-- The first occurence of sinners is found in Genesis 13:13 "But the men of Sodom [were] wicked and sinners (chatta' ) before the LORD exceedingly."
-- In another instance, we find Saul arguing with Samuel about his obedience to God's command -- because God's wrath is so great against sinners... 1 Sam 15:18 "And the LORD sent thee on a journey, and said, Go and utterly destroy the sinners (chatta') the Amalekites, and fight against them until they be consumed."
-- Another two instances of the word sinners (chatta') occur in Psalm 1 (vs. 1 and 5).
-- There is mercy and forgiveness for sinners, as we see in Psalm 51:13 "[Then] will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners (chatta') shall be converted unto thee. "
-- I find it interesting that this word sinners and warnings to flee or stay away from (have no fellowship with) sinners is found in the gateway to the Psalms (Ps.1) and the gateway to the Proverbs (Prov.1) See Proverbs 1:10 "My son, if sinners (chatta') entice thee, consent thou not."
Why does God's wrath burn so hot against these sinners and this sinfulness?
Read this story of murder/rape victims and then compare to Proverbs 1:10-16 "For their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood." The wicked, sinful boys in the story are exactly described in the Proverb. No warning can be strong enough to stay away from such extreme evil.
Several days ago I looked at the word sinners, but only briefly, so I will continue now.... The Hebrew word is chatta' {khat-taw'} and is found only 18 times in the OT; 16 times translated sinner (noun) ; 1 time as sinful (adj.) and 1 time as offender (adj.)
-- The first occurence of sinners is found in Genesis 13:13 "But the men of Sodom [were] wicked and sinners (chatta' ) before the LORD exceedingly."
-- In another instance, we find Saul arguing with Samuel about his obedience to God's command -- because God's wrath is so great against sinners... 1 Sam 15:18 "And the LORD sent thee on a journey, and said, Go and utterly destroy the sinners (chatta') the Amalekites, and fight against them until they be consumed."
-- Another two instances of the word sinners (chatta') occur in Psalm 1 (vs. 1 and 5).
-- There is mercy and forgiveness for sinners, as we see in Psalm 51:13 "[Then] will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners (chatta') shall be converted unto thee. "
-- I find it interesting that this word sinners and warnings to flee or stay away from (have no fellowship with) sinners is found in the gateway to the Psalms (Ps.1) and the gateway to the Proverbs (Prov.1) See Proverbs 1:10 "My son, if sinners (chatta') entice thee, consent thou not."
Why does God's wrath burn so hot against these sinners and this sinfulness?
Read this story of murder/rape victims and then compare to Proverbs 1:10-16 "For their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood." The wicked, sinful boys in the story are exactly described in the Proverb. No warning can be strong enough to stay away from such extreme evil.
Tuesday, December 30, 2003
Way
Psalm 1 - word study continued... Blessed [is] the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners....
The Hebrew word derek {deh'-rek} occurs 705 times in the O.T. scriptures and is translated way 590 times by the KJV translators. Derek (way) also means path, road, distance, journey, manner, direction, habit, course of life, or of moral character. Derek is translated 'toward' 31 times, and 'journey' 23 times.
-- We find the first occurence of way (derek) in Genesis 3:24 when God has cast Adam and Eve out of the Garden of Eden and sets up angels to guard the way back to the tree of life... "and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way (derek) of the tree of life."
-- The second occurence of way (derek) is when God tells Noah that all the world has become so full of sin -- that He will destroy it with a flood... Genesis 6:12 "And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way (derek) upon the earth."
-- When Abraham's servant went looking for a wife for Isaac (Abraham's son), the servant wondered... "whether the LORD had made his journey (derek) prosperous or not." Genesis 24:21
-- There are many other instances of way that we have no time to investigate, but you can look at here...
-- However, our study of way in Psalm 1 would not be complete without looking at a parallel passage in Joshua 1:8 "This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way (derek) prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success."
The Hebrew word derek {deh'-rek} occurs 705 times in the O.T. scriptures and is translated way 590 times by the KJV translators. Derek (way) also means path, road, distance, journey, manner, direction, habit, course of life, or of moral character. Derek is translated 'toward' 31 times, and 'journey' 23 times.
-- We find the first occurence of way (derek) in Genesis 3:24 when God has cast Adam and Eve out of the Garden of Eden and sets up angels to guard the way back to the tree of life... "and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way (derek) of the tree of life."
-- The second occurence of way (derek) is when God tells Noah that all the world has become so full of sin -- that He will destroy it with a flood... Genesis 6:12 "And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way (derek) upon the earth."
-- When Abraham's servant went looking for a wife for Isaac (Abraham's son), the servant wondered... "whether the LORD had made his journey (derek) prosperous or not." Genesis 24:21
-- There are many other instances of way that we have no time to investigate, but you can look at here...
-- However, our study of way in Psalm 1 would not be complete without looking at a parallel passage in Joshua 1:8 "This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way (derek) prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success."
Monday, December 29, 2003
stand, stood, standeth
Psalm 1 - word study continued... Blessed [is] the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners....
We consider today the most complex Hebrew word so far encountered in the word study. Is it complex, or does it just have a larger definition than many other words? The Hebrew word is `amad {aw-mad'} -- which is translated as stands or standeth (1600's KJV style english). The word `amad occurs 521 times and means to stand, remain, endure, take one's stand, be in a standing attitude, stand forth, take a stand, present oneself, attend upon, be or become servant of, to stand still, stop (moving or doing), cease, to tarry, delay, remain, continue, abide, endure, persist, be steadfast, hold one's ground, to stand upright, remain standing, stand up, rise, be erect, be upright, to arise, appear, come on the scene, stand forth, appear, rise up or against, to stand with, take one's stand, be appointed, grow flat, grow insipid, to station, set, to cause to stand firm, maintain, to cause to stand up, cause to set up, erect, to present (one) before (king), to appoint, ordain, establish.
-- The first occurrence of this word `amad (stand, stood) occurs in Gen. 18:8 when Abraham receives the angel visitors who bring the message that he will soon become a father (his wife will have a baby) and inform him of the coming destruction of Sodom. There we find the phrase "and he stood (`amad) by them [the messengers from God] under the tree, and they did eat."
-- The second occurrence of `amad (stood) is Gen 18:22 "And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood (`amad) yet before the LORD." It appears to me from the context here that this type of standing involves a good dose of determination, resolve, and firmness -- for we see Abraham pleading with the LORD several times to spare the righteous as he destroys the wicked.
-- There is real deep imagery in this word `amad (stand,stood) We see Joseph standing before pharaoh in Gen 41:46 "And Joseph [was] thirty years old when he stood (`amad) before Pharaoh king of Egypt." And we see Josephs brothers returning to Egypt - to be saved - in great humbleness... Gen 43:15 "and they took double money in their hand, and Benjamin; and rose up, and went down to Egypt, and stood (`amad) before Joseph." Deeper still is the imagery of Moses standing before God in the burning bush... Exodus 3:5 "put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest (`amad) [is] holy ground." -- or the imagery of Aaron (the priest, a pre-figurement of Christ) in Numbers 16:48 "and he stood (`amad) between the dead and the living; and the plague was stayed."
-- I am saying this twice to emphasize the point -- There is a definite pattern of boldness, firmness, constancy of purpose, determination, and resolution in many usages of this word `amad (stand, stood). As we see when the angel of the LORD confronted the wayward prophet Balaam in Numbers 22:26 "And the angel of the LORD went further, and stood (`amad) in a narrow place, where [was] no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left." Of the priesthood of the Levites it is said: "For the LORD thy God hath chosen him out of all thy tribes, to stand (`amad) to minister in the name of the LORD, him and his sons for ever." Deut. 18:5 See also as recorded in Joshua 3:17 "And the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firm (`amad) on dry ground in the midst of Jordan, and all the Israelites passed over on dry ground, until all the people were passed clean over Jordan."
-- Finally, let's keep in mind, the phrase in Psalm 1 is about NOT standing -- as in Joshua 21:44 "and there stood not (`amad) a man of all their enemies before them; the LORD delivered all their enemies into their hand."
We consider today the most complex Hebrew word so far encountered in the word study. Is it complex, or does it just have a larger definition than many other words? The Hebrew word is `amad {aw-mad'} -- which is translated as stands or standeth (1600's KJV style english). The word `amad occurs 521 times and means to stand, remain, endure, take one's stand, be in a standing attitude, stand forth, take a stand, present oneself, attend upon, be or become servant of, to stand still, stop (moving or doing), cease, to tarry, delay, remain, continue, abide, endure, persist, be steadfast, hold one's ground, to stand upright, remain standing, stand up, rise, be erect, be upright, to arise, appear, come on the scene, stand forth, appear, rise up or against, to stand with, take one's stand, be appointed, grow flat, grow insipid, to station, set, to cause to stand firm, maintain, to cause to stand up, cause to set up, erect, to present (one) before (king), to appoint, ordain, establish.
-- The first occurrence of this word `amad (stand, stood) occurs in Gen. 18:8 when Abraham receives the angel visitors who bring the message that he will soon become a father (his wife will have a baby) and inform him of the coming destruction of Sodom. There we find the phrase "and he stood (`amad) by them [the messengers from God] under the tree, and they did eat."
-- The second occurrence of `amad (stood) is Gen 18:22 "And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood (`amad) yet before the LORD." It appears to me from the context here that this type of standing involves a good dose of determination, resolve, and firmness -- for we see Abraham pleading with the LORD several times to spare the righteous as he destroys the wicked.
-- There is real deep imagery in this word `amad (stand,stood) We see Joseph standing before pharaoh in Gen 41:46 "And Joseph [was] thirty years old when he stood (`amad) before Pharaoh king of Egypt." And we see Josephs brothers returning to Egypt - to be saved - in great humbleness... Gen 43:15 "and they took double money in their hand, and Benjamin; and rose up, and went down to Egypt, and stood (`amad) before Joseph." Deeper still is the imagery of Moses standing before God in the burning bush... Exodus 3:5 "put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest (`amad) [is] holy ground." -- or the imagery of Aaron (the priest, a pre-figurement of Christ) in Numbers 16:48 "and he stood (`amad) between the dead and the living; and the plague was stayed."
-- I am saying this twice to emphasize the point -- There is a definite pattern of boldness, firmness, constancy of purpose, determination, and resolution in many usages of this word `amad (stand, stood). As we see when the angel of the LORD confronted the wayward prophet Balaam in Numbers 22:26 "And the angel of the LORD went further, and stood (`amad) in a narrow place, where [was] no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left." Of the priesthood of the Levites it is said: "For the LORD thy God hath chosen him out of all thy tribes, to stand (`amad) to minister in the name of the LORD, him and his sons for ever." Deut. 18:5 See also as recorded in Joshua 3:17 "And the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firm (`amad) on dry ground in the midst of Jordan, and all the Israelites passed over on dry ground, until all the people were passed clean over Jordan."
-- Finally, let's keep in mind, the phrase in Psalm 1 is about NOT standing -- as in Joshua 21:44 "and there stood not (`amad) a man of all their enemies before them; the LORD delivered all their enemies into their hand."
