The Precepts of the Lord

The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart.
-Psalm 19: 8a

My word study book tells me that the Hebrew word for "precepts" (piqudi) is one of the most difficult words relating to the commandments to translate. Its root meaning is to "supervise" or "oversee." Precepts, therefore, are guidelines or responsibilities given by an authority figure to a subordinate, and it can also mean the subsequent visitation and inspection of the subordinate by his superior. The inspection can be both benevolent or harsh, merciful or wrathful, depending on the subordinate's faithfulness to his responsibilities. One cannot help but think of a drill sergeant, and shudder.

But we are delivered from the drill sergeant image by the next word. God's precepts are said to be "straight" (yashar--also translated "upright" or "blameless"). The root meaning is to clear a pathway (or road) of obstacles so that travel is as easy as possible. While it is often used to mean the preparation of our hearts for God's visitation, the opposite is also true. Proverbs 3: 5-6 comes to mind:

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and do not lean to your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths."

In this sense, God Himself prepares us for his visitation, which becomes a joy rather than an object of dread. The Overseer takes upon himself the task that we in our weakness cannot complete. One thinks of Augustine's prayer, "Grant what Thou commandest, and then command what Thou wilt." St. John, in a New Testament context, reminds us that the love of God so transforms us that "his commandments are not burdensome," and that we "overcome the world" because Christ has removed the obstacles between us and the Father.

Because God visits to us, removing all obstacles as He comes, we no longer dread the visitation, but long for it. Therefore the Psalmist ends this line with "rejoicing the heart." We joy in His finished work, and rest, because we "were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of our souls."

More on Decadence

For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end--it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay.
-Habakkuk 2:3

I recently saw a segment of a TV show in which a character who was running for office was practicing a speech. It went something like this: "We must press on to the fulfillment of the American dream by recapturing our core values and making sure that all Americans are free from want in their quest for that dream.” When asked what that meant, he replied, “Who cares? It keeps me from having to deal with sticky issues that might cost me the election.”

This is a parody of what we all know: political language is becoming increasingly decadent, meaning that familiar words have strong emotional, but weak intellectual, content. I wrote about this in more detail in my 2008 blogs. Those dealt with Rosenstock’s analysis of what is necessary for cultural revolutions (good or bad) to occur: decadence of language, followed by a search for an articulate word, followed by the bringing forward of a lost word into the future. We are in a period of decadence in America, in the culture, but also in the church. Both are looking for an articulate word.

I know I’ve beaten this decadence/articulation horse to death. Two things have revived it in me. One is, of course, the fact that this is an election year. I am so cynical that I don’t want to hear the debates. Is there a real native son out there who isn’t mouthing the old mantras? I don’t think I’m the only one who feels that way.

The other reason I can’t leave this horse alone is a well done ad by the Orthodox Church that has been popping up on Facebook. It reminded me of Nathan Bedford Forrest’s explanation of why he won so many battles: “Get there fustest with the mostest.” Orthodoxy is telling us that whatever doctrine or experience we may have, it has beat us to it. They are the fustest with the mostest. I have no bone to pick with Orthodoxy. I like to think that my life as a Christian has been enriched by exposure to it. What I do roll my eyes over is another call to the True Church. Rome has been doing the same thing in its ads lately, though they are aimed more at lapsed Catholics than at converts. Salt Lake too is in the ad business.

All this proves that we are in a decadent period that is experiencing the loss of articulation, and we are trying to fill the void with what is at hand. The word, which is old and new at the same time, has not come forth yet, that is, the word that takes the church beyond her divisions and pre-conceptions. All this foment is proof of its absence. Our assumption is that we have it hidden somewhere and have some control over it. It certainly will come, because the word is the Word, but it will come in its own time and on its own terms. Prayer may be more useful now than a quest.