Psalm 105:3 Glory in his holy name;
    let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.

The first thing I noticed in reading this passage was that verses 8-11 completely settle the question of who the land of Israel belongs to. However, this verse seems applicable to believers around the world. It makes me think of the difference between “glory” as a noun, and “glory” as a verb, as it is here. That struck me, because the Japanese says, “make it your pride.” Language is vitally important, because it is one of our distinctives as human beings, but it can also be very confusing, not just between languages but even within the same language. I think we’re still suffering the fallout from the Tower of Babel! (Genesis 11) That said, we are to use what we have available, for good and not for evil. James talked about the incongruity of using our words both to bless and to curse. (James 3:1-12) Language changes constantly, and it seems like the pace has picked up. We have some trouble with Shakespeare or the King James Bible, but not too much. However, I recently watched a video of a college linguistics professor addressing a classroom full of students deliberately using their slang. It totally broke the students up, but there was also shock that their “code” had been broken! (Incidentally, I understood a little over half, and that mostly by context.) I’ve also recently read things written by ordinary people around the time of the American Revolution, and their spelling was creative to say the least. Language is an essential tool, but it is to be used carefully, intentionally. I’m not at all in favor of “political correctness,” but sometimes our words hurt completely needlessly, and we need to be careful of that. We are not to use our words to deceive or to promote lies. Agreeing with someone who insists they were “born in the wrong body” is not love! It is significant that several of the spiritual gifts mentioned in 1 Corinthians 12 involve speech, so we need to remember what Peter said about it. “If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 4:11) Our entire lives, explicitly including our words, should reflect the character of God and give Him glory.

This couldn’t be any closer to home for me. I grew up bilingual, speaking more Japanese than English when I first went to the US around the time I turned four. All of my schooling after kindergarten has been in English, so that is definitely stronger at this point, but Japanese is no less a “heart language” for me than English is. My father was linguistically gifted, getting his Masters in Hebrew and his PhD in Biblical Greek. He was even used as a reference for questions about Japanese in Board meetings of Seinan University! My family delighted in language, playing word games of all sorts. At one point we were deliberately using opposite adjectives for things, and my mother later recalled to me, very fondly, a time when she had cooked a particular dish, my father took a bite, his face lit up, and he said, “Foul!” It’s no surprise that I am “afflicted” with “the pun disease!” All that said, I have to be careful of how my words impact others. Misunderstandings are a part of life, but I am to seek to avoid them at all times. I am always to speak the truth in love, not deceiving by silence, but not injuring by verbosity, either. I need to do as Peter said!

Father, thank You for this reminder. This topic obviously triggers me, but not in a bad way. May my words be Yours indeed, working Your will in the hearts and lives of my hearers (and readers), for their blessing and Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!