Translations
Psalm 119:17 (ESV) – Deal bountifully with your servant, that I may klive and keep your word.
Psalm 119:17 LX
ανταπόδος τω δούλω σου ζήσόν με και φυλάξω τους λόγους σου
Recompense to. your servant. enliven. me and I will keep. your words
Psalm 119:17 Interlinear from the Hebrew – Deal bountifully with Your servant [that] I may live and keep Your word.
Connections
Psalm 13:6 [ESV] I will sing to the Lord, beacuse he has dealt bountifully with me.
Psalm 119:144 [ESV] Your testimonies are righteous forever; give me understanding that I may live.
ανταπόδος (antapodos) recompense
ἀνταποδίδωμι (antapodidomi) – to repay, to recompense, to render, to give back. This word appears seven times in the New Testament. We have a clear example in Romans 12:19 [ESV] Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay (ἀνταποδώσω), says the Lord. There are certain repayments that we are not required to make, that if we do try to make these, then we are interfering directly with God and his ways. The idea of “amending” ourselves, is one of “executing justice, or punishment”. That’s not our role as Christians.
Reflections
There are times in life when events unfold that are extremely unfair, we are impacted by the intentional or thoughtless actions of another, and we have to carry a great price as a result of those actions. There is a part of us internally that understands what is right and what is wrong, and also desires that justice will be done. Our emotional response can be to demand justice with a loud voice. there may even be a temptation to manufacture our own stream of justice. All of that is human and understandable. Yet, God has put His Holy Spirit in us, so that we can live above the carnal nature and instead have an eternal and spiritual view.
I have seen both on TV’s – families that swear they can never forgive, and I see how eaten up they are, and families who quickly and publicly offer forgiveness, and I see how peaceful they are. I wonder in Romans 12:19 is for our wellbeing more that the wellbeing of the perpretrator?
Strength Coaches comment – The talent of Consistency is keenly aware of the need to treat all people equally fairly, even setting up rules and adhering top them. The creation of these “rules” benefits from a healthy spiritual input.
Blessings
Allan