HEBREW WORD STUDY – TRY ME – BACHANI בחני Beth Cheth Nun Yod

Psalms 139:23: “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me and know my thoughts:

David gives this statement in Psalms 139:23 right after telling the Lord he hates those who hate God. I did a study on this passage a few years ago and now that I look at that study I am amazed at how my interpretation of this passage expanded. I wonder what prompted David to ask God to search his heart out. The other day I did a study on Psalms 32:3: “When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long.” In this I shared my understanding that David has some sin in his life that was hindering his relationship with God and he did not know what that sin was.

Remember those high school or college years when you were searching for the right person to marry. You start dating your dream date and everything is wonderful, birds are singing, flowers are blooming and your time together is magic. Then you start to notice something, it is more of a feeling that something is not right. Although you still date, you enjoy your talks and your time together there is that nagging feeling that something is not right. Then one day you beloved springs it on you and you find out that you are not the only person in that individual’s life, but there is also someone else. Somehow you knew it all the time and it is almost a relief to find out and talk it out.

I believe this is what David is feeling. He enjoyed a close, intimate relationship with God. They enjoyed some wonderful times together just sharing each other’s heart. Then one day David notices that God seems distant, that something is just not right. In Psalm 32:3 David likens it to a roaring hunger or a groaning inside of him. David has enough sense to know it is not God’s fault, but he is at a loss as to what he had done to wound the heart of the God he loved. Perhaps there is another god in his life and he has not resolved that relationship with that god. I believe this is the occasion for Psalms 139:23.

“Search me Oh God.” God knows his heart He does not need to search it out. But David needs God to search it out for him. The word search in the Hebrew is chakar which does mean to investigation examine or to search out. However, this is in a Qal imperative form. A Qal is a simple verb and an imperative is a command form. There is a Piel form that David loves to use in the Psalms, it is an intensive form. For chakar to be in a Qal form I would suggest that the imperative is more of an invitation rather than a command. David is requesting an internal audit of his heart. He is seeking to merge his heart with God’s heart. Yet, it can’t be done for there is something blocking the merger. This particular verbal form would suggest He is inviting God into his heart take a tour and to clear out any foreign god which might be still lurking in his heart. That is pretty bold. I mean would invite the IRS to do an audit on you when you are aware that something is not quite right? Inviting God to do an audit on your heart might not be a pleasant experience but the reward of heart merged with God’s heart just might be worth it.

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Then David invites God to try him. Here the word try could have two possible root words. Traditionally we use the root word bakan which means to try or put to a test. However, the root word banak could also be used. This word expresses the idea of instruction or to train. I think David had both words in mind. In other words, as this internal audit turns up some real problems, David is asking to be trained and instructed in the way rid this foreign god from his heart for good.

David is basically saying: “God something is wrong in our relationship, I know it is me but I don’t know what it is. Come into my heart, do what you have to do to clean it up, and then instruct me in the way I should go so this breach in our relationship does not happen again.” Now tradition teaches the root word for try is bakan. Ok, I will accept that and if that is the case what David is saying is: “Put me to the test, do a biopsy of my heart and if you find cancer that is another god then get rid of it. Even if it means chemotherapy or radiation treatment which will be discomforting and painful just get this foreign god out of me.” David is saying: “I am ready to endure what I must to re-establish our relationship.

Then David asks God to know his thoughts. I mean come on, doesn’t God know his thoughts already, why does he need to give God permission to know his thoughts? That word to know is yadah which is an intimate knowing. David is well aware of the fact that God knows what he is thinking. What David is asking is that God will become intimate with His thoughts. He is asking that he only think thoughts that are compatible with God. He wants to think only thoughts that will make God comfortable.

Ask my study partner, she will tell you how I hate to waste any time, even a minute. This evening as I approached the end of my shift on my disability bus I was told to go to a clinic and wait for my passenger. My passenger would be out in ten minutes. Ten minutes of waiting for someone. Ten minutes of my life, ten minutes of doing nothing. I could not stand that. So, I started a conversation with a pigeon. You will need to read my article on yiredeu on our Learning Channel to know what I mean by that. Anyways, it that little bit of God’s creation focused my attention on God. He/he told me some wonderful things about God and before long my passenger arrives and my friend took flight. I believe this is what David meant in asking God to be intimate with his thoughts. To be a part of his thoughts whenever or wherever he had moments of idleness.

Are you finding that your relationship with God is not what it once was? It is like something is wrong and you just can’t put your finger on it? Are you willing to risk an audit of your heart by God? It might not be too comfortable but the reward will be wonderful.

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