Cause Me to Hear ...

From the Desk of Cheryl Hauer

One of my favorite scriptures of all time is Psalm 143:8, a verse I pray every morning before my feet even hit the floor. The NIV translates it as:

Let the morning bring word of Your unfailing love, for I put my trust in You; show me the way I should go, for to You I entrust my life.

It’s a wonderful way to start the day, filling me with peace and reminding me who is truly in charge. I actually memorized it as a child in Sunday School, and I sometimes find myself unconsciously reverting to the King James translation we used back then. There are several songs and choruses based on this verse, some of which incorporate that same KJV language:

Cause me to hear Your lovingkindness in the morning, for in Thee do I trust; cause me to know the way wherein I should walk, for I lift up my soul unto Thee.

While meditating on it this morning, I found myself intrigued by the idea of hearing God’s lovingkindness. How can one “hear” something as intangible as “kindness?”

In digging into the topic, I read the thoughts of many current bloggers along with articles by Christian greats of the past and realized, much to my disappointment, that they mostly missed the point. To "hear" God's lovingkindness, they all with one voice told me, you should engage in spiritual practices such as reading scripture, praying, and listening in quiet stillness, allowing your heart to become sensitive to God's voice through the Holy Spirit's work. Recognizing that God's kindness is constant, you should look for it in circumstances, listen for His guidance through wise counsel, and distinguish His voice from worldly influences by aligning thoughts with Christ's character. Spend time reading about Jesus, they said, and seek wise counsel. And don’t forget to take every thought captive.

Don’t get me wrong, I loved what I was reading—great advice that we should all heed. However, I don’t believe it is what David had in mind when he wrote Psalm 143. The Hebrew word he used for “hear” is shema, a term straight out of the greatest commandment, which emphasizes acts of obedience rather than simply receiving auditory signals. And “know” is a translation of the Hebrew word “yada,” which can refer to an intimate, experiential relationship rather than merely accumulating information. 

So, I believe what we're facing here is a clash of worldviews. Our Western, Greco-Roman perspective emphasizing abstract thought and correct reasoning isn't wrong, but it lacks the depth and realism found in the Hebraic worldview's focus on right action.

This was David’s heartfelt prayer for God’s intervention to ensure his life was characterized by righteous actions, obedience to his Father’s loving guidance and instruction. It was a deep cry for God’s love and goodness to permeate every area of his life and keep him on the right path. Yeshua said it, too. “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.”

Blessings and Shalom,

Issachar Community