angela hormberg

Tag: Potential

  • Psalm 119:81-88

    Psalm 119:81-88

    Kaf or Khaf or Caph

    Commonplace –

    “My soul fainteth for thy salvation: but I hope in thy word” (Psalm 119:81).

    David is tired, yet he hopes. It’s interesting that he begins this section of Psalm 119 crying out to God in weariness, yet expressing his hope in God’s word. As noted in the post on Kaf, “The word KAF means ‘the palm of the hand’, implying productivity and potentiality” (“Kaf”). David is weary, but, despite his weariness, he continues to read God’s word and hope in God’s word. David does not put off his study or his work, even when he is tired. Matthew Henry that David longs for the help and he waits for it.

    “Waiting for that help, assured that it will come, and tarrying till it come: But I hope in thy word; and but for hope the heart would break. When the eyes fail ye the faith must not; for the vision is for the appointed time, and at the end it shall speak and shall not lie” (Henry 575).

    Even when the work is tiresome, we must persevere, never turning from our duty, continuing to hope in God’s word.

    Works Cited

    Henry, Matthew. “Psalm 119.” Matthew Henry’s Commentary On the Whole Bible: New Modern Edition. Volume 3, Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., March 1996.

    Holy Bible: Giant Print with Study Aids. Dugan Publishers, Inc., 1984.

    “Kaf”. BJE: Your Jewish Journey. NSW Board of Jewish Education, https://bje.org.au/knowledge-centre/jewish-languages/hebrew-alphabet/kaf/ , Accessed 24 June 2025.

    © 2025 Angela Hormberg

  • Psalm 119:65-72

    Psalm 119:65-72

    Tet or Teth

    Commonplace –

    “Teach me good judgment and knowledge: for I have believed thy commandments.

    Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now I have kept thy word” (Psalm 119:66-67).

    These two verses represent the idea of Tet or Teth, which is the potential of man, either for good or evil. Here David indicates that he had gone astray, but, then, he turned back to God.

    Matthew Henry notes the following regarding these verses:

    “Sin is going astray; and we are most apt to wander from God when we are easy and think ourselves at home in the world. Prosperity is the unhappy occasion of much iniquity; it makes people conceited of themselves, indulgent of the flesh, forgetful of God, in love with the world and deaf to the reproofs of the word” (Henry 572).

    Thankfully, God does not leave us in this unhappy state.

    “God often makes use of afflictions as a means to reduce those to himself who have wandered from him. Sanctified afflictions humble us for sin and show us the vanity of the world; they soften the heart, and open the ear to discipline. The prodigal’s distress brought him to himself first and then to himself” (Henry 572).

    Works Cited

    Henry, Matthew. “Psalm 119.” Matthew Henry’s Commentary On the Whole Bible: New Modern Edition. Volume 3, Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., March 1996.

    Holy Bible: Giant Print with Study Aids. Dugan Publishers, Inc., 1984.

    © 2025 Angela Hormberg