Bible Reading for Day 84

Isaiah 51

God Promises Salvation for Zion

I am he who brings you comfort. What are you, that you fear men, who will die, and the sons of men, who are made like grass? You have Jehovah your creator, who stretched forth the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth.

Why do you live all the day in continual fear of men who oppress you, as they make ready to destroy? And where is the fury of the oppressor?

The captive exile will be freed quickly. He will not die and descend to the pit, nor run short of bread. For I am Jehovah your God, who stirs up the sea, so that the waves roar. Jehovah of hosts is his name. I have put my words in your mouth, and have sheltered you in the shadow of my hand, that I may plant the heavens, and lay the foundations of the earth, and say unto Zion, "You are my people."

Comment on the Scripture

Elijah uses a poetic form similar to that used in the Psalms. It consists of a verse followed by a response. The response may support or modify the verse in several ways. For example:

1. Very commonly, the response may be an artful restatement of the verse, using metaphor or other imagery: " There is nobody to guide her . . .: neither are there any to take her by the hand . . . .";
2. The opposite format is also common: a metaphor or other imagery, followed by a more declarative statement: "She is more precious than rubies: And none of the things thou canst desire are to be compared unto her." (Prov. 3:16)
3. The statement and response may be in the form or actual or rhetorical questions. Almost never does the response answer the question; rather it will rephrase or explain it. "Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of Jehovah; awake, as in the days of old, the generations of ancient times. Is it not thou that didst cut Rahab in pieces, that didst pierce the monster?"
4. The response may explain the verse: "Your sons have fainted . . .: they are full of the wrath of Jehovah . . . .";
5. The response may give a second idea that is related to the verse. This is most common in Proverbs, where the verse and response may be two examples of a larger principle, e.g. "To keep thee from the evil woman, From the flattery of the foreigner's tongue." (Proverbs 6:24).
6. The response may give a consequence of the verse, e.g. "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want." (Psalm 23:1);

There are two more basics to understand. First, the technique can be layered; the same technique can be used to form a single verse, and can also be used to relate two or more verses. For example, Psalm 1:2 is a statement with a response that expands upon the statement. Statement, "But his delight is in the law of the Lord,", and expansion/reiteration, "and upon it doth he meditate day and night." But the entire verse is also a response, this time a contrast to the preceding verse (Psalm 1:1), "Blessed is he that walketh not in counsel of the ungodly . . . "

Secondly, this is a poetic form, not a rigid logical structure. Like any poetic form, the poet can modify it. Again, looking at Psalm 23, the first verse is a statement and the response is a consequence: "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want". This verse is then used as a statement and the second verse is a response to it: " He maketh me to lie down in green pastures; he leadeth me beside the still waters." But instead of the basic statement-response, the psalmist uses the form statement-response-response, so that the third verse is another response to the first verse: "He restoreth my soul: He guideth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.".

The relationship of the response to the verse is the skill of the poet. Of course, much has been lost in translation from Aramaic or Hebrew. The important point is to remember that this is a poetic form not used today. Understanding this poetic form will give you an extra dimension of beauty and meaning when you read the Old Testament. Passages that seem ungainly or odd may fill with beauty and meaning for you.

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