HEBREW WORD STUDY – ABIDE BEFORE GOD–ע ולמ לפני 

Psalms 61:7:  “He shall abide before God for ever: O prepare mercy and truth, [which] may preserve him.”

I find a very troubling word in our study verse.   The verse is not saying abiding in God or even with God.  It is saying to abide yashav before God.  Actually, the word for before is a very common word that is usually, almost always rendered as before or as a noun it is rendered as face, it is the word lapani.  It literally means “to the face of.”   There are many cases where pani is rendered as the present when used with God since God does not have a face but He does have a presence.  So we would more accurately render this as we will forever abide toward the presence to God.  

I find that a little disappointing, I was hoping to spend eternity in the presence of God, not toward the presence of God.  The passage is clear, it is not in but before or toward.  I know how to put a spin on the rendering of Hebrew words, but I am afraid that even I cannot make this mean anything but abiding toward or before God.  We shall abide forever toward the presence of God.  

Wait a minute, yes, I think I can put a spin on it after all. When the Muslims pray they practice what is known as the Qibla, which is when they pray five times a day they all face the same direction usually toward Mecca. It is not that Mecca is so special (well it is) but that is just an agreed upon location.  The reason for this is to symbolize the Ummah or the unity of all Muslims of the world under Sharia (Law of God).  They have their own problems with unity just as we Christians do.  They use Qibla like we Christians use our potluck dinners.  I am convinced that 3,000 years from now Archaeologist will dig up a church and find the all the cooking utensils, refrigerators, stoves and figure 21^st Century man worshipped cafeteria style.

Perhaps this passage is giving us some hint about unity.  By saying that we abide toward the presence of God it is suggesting that in eternity the redeemed will all be in total and complete unity when facing the presence of God.  Now, judging from our churches today, this idea is major.  Imagine, all Christendom facing the presence of God in total and complete unity.  That’s a real hoot.

We can most certainly strive toward this and perhaps achieve some success, but I tend to think this will not happen until we all abide yashav in God.  What does that mean to yashav or abide in God?   The word yashav simply means to sit, but it has multiple usages in our English language.  It has been rendered as to sit, to dwell, to remain, to stay, to inhabit, to marry or to consummate, to settle or to encamp.   It is rarely used to mean to enthrone, but if the context calls for it, it would be a proper English word to use.  Oddly, I can find no usages of yashav as standing or bowing. The word contains the idea of taking up permanent residence.  I think if we are all honest we will have to admit that Jesus, by our personal invitation has taken up permanent residence in us He abides in us.  But note 1 John 4:13:  “Hereby know we that we abide in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.”  I wonder, He abides in us but do we really abide in Him all the time?  It is the Spirit that creates this unity in abiding and how often do we ignore the Spirit of God?  Most of us tend to have an on again and off again relationship.  When Jesus enters our heart, He takes up permanent residence, has His own room and pretty much has the say of how the house is run.  Sometimes, we leave that house to engage in activities that He and the Spirit of God are not in favor of.  So He may dwell or abide in us, but do we really abide in Him on a permanent basis.  One day we shall.  

So can we come up with one English word to fit this?  Who says we can’t use all the English words applied to yashav – abide?  We will not only abide before his presences for eternity but we will also dwell, reside, inhabit, be enthroned and yes, we will be married into His presence and consummate that marriage in His presence for eternity. We will be like Jesus in the sense that when we take up residence with Him in eternity, we will never leave like we do today, it will not be an on again and off again relationship, we will lock ourselves into His presence and never leave.