Happy is the Man Charles Moore The longest book of the Bible reveals the state that God wishes for man
T he Founding Fathers of America often compared their task to that of ancient Israel entering the Prom- ised Land, even proposing a nation- al seal depicting the Exodus from Egypt. These men were well-versed in their Bibles. Thomas Jefferson, the author of the Declaration of In- dependence, may well have been inspired by some of the words of Moses’ farewell address found in the book of Deuteronomy. Jefferson’s phrase, “Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness,” is profoundly biblical when viewed from the correct perspective. Mo- ses advised Israel to choose life and led them into liberty from Egyptian oppression. He also concluded his blessing on the individual tribes by stating they would be happy as a result of God’s backing their entry into the land. His word choice was likely deliberate, as the name of the last tribe he blessed was Asher, from the Hebrew Ashrei , meaning “happy” or “happiness.” King David was inspired to take up this same theme of happiness, be- ginning the book of Psalms with the word “happy.” The Hebrew word, Ashrei , is an underlying theme that shapes the entire book. The concept of happiness is a fundamental part of every Christian’s biblical founda- tion and way of life. Happiness is a part of actively wor- shipping God. It is an established tradition for His people to sing words from the Psalms—found in
their hymnals—every Sabbath and Holy Day service. A Distinction in Meaning Concerning Psalms and the word “happiness” translators sometimes obscure the intended meaning of words from the original Hebrew. In both the King James (KJV) and New King James (NKJV) versions, the Hebrew word Ashrei is most often translated as “blessed.” In contrast, translations like Young’s Literal Translation and the Chris- tian Standard Bible consistently use “happy” or “happiness.” While Ashrei certainly implies a blessing, it is distinct from Barak , which indicates the act of bless- ing—such as when a patriarch, priest, or even God Himself confers a blessing on someone. Ashrei , as used in the Bible, demands thought and action from the one who experi- ences its desirable consequences. It is the result of doing the right thing. In Psalms, Ashrei conveys a sense of
successful achievement combined with profound gratitude for what enabled that success. This feeling of happiness should be expressed as often as it is felt. The Hebrew root for Ashrei comes from a verb meaning “to step, to go forward, or to make progress.” The Book of Praises The book of Psalms is special. It is well-quoted in the New Testament and serves as the head of the third major division of the Hebrew Old Testament: the Writings. It is also a very personal book. Expressions of deep emotions in poetry and song are found throughout the Psalms. A descriptive example is found in Psalms 6:6: I am weary with my groaning; All night I make my bed swim; I drench my couch with my tears. In addition this powerful book also contains both national and Messian-
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