Trust

Ok. More word-nerding here. 😁

Trust is something that I think we all wrestle with, and we can have good days and less good days. There are seasons of peace in trusting and there are seasons of anxiety and feeling unsure. This past year has really put us all to the test.

For the past five-ish years, “Trust” has been one of my favorite words. Not because I have mastered it, but because I cling to it as something I need and something I constantly want to strengthen. I even had it tattooed on my arm as a reminder.

“Trust in the Lord” appears a bunch of times in the Bible.

בָּטַח (Batach) is the most common Hebrew word for trust, and is used 120 in the Old Testament.

Definition:
to trust, trust in
to have confidence, be confident
to be bold
to be secure
to cause to trust, make secure

The interesting things about words, is that when the original Hebrew text is translated, sometimes the hidden meanings don’t transfer across. Several Hebrew words are translated as trust but it’s just super cool to look at the layers and definitions behind those words.

In Psalm 20-22 trust appears seven times. (at least in my ESV translation)

Five of those times trust is translated from בָּטַח (Batach).

But just for added layers, let’s look at the other two words. 😊

Psalm 20:7 reads, “…but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.”

Here trust comes from the Hebrew word זָכַר (zakar), which means
to remember, recall, be brought to remembrance
to mention, record, make a memorial

I think this is a cool insight into a simple way to help us trust God.

Remember.

Remember what He has done.

His Word, the Bible, is a great place to see what He has done throughout the past few thousand years. But also, more personally, I need to recall what He has done in my own life. Humanly it is just too easy to forget, especially when the going gets rough. But if I can intentionally remember God’s faithfulness in my life in the past, it will help me to trust him in the present.

The other word for trust is found in Psalm 22:8. “He trusts in the Lord; let Him deliver…”
This word for trust is from the Hebrew word גָּלַל (galal). This word isn’t so simple, but I LOVE it. 😊

Here are some other Bible translations of this portion:
NET: “commit yourself to the Lord”
NLT: “relies on the Lord”
ERV: “call to the Lord for help.”

BUT… the actual definition of the word galal is… (hang in there with me)

***to roll, to roll up, to roll together***

I love this.

Think about how complete our trust is when we are totally “rolled up” in the Lord.

Like the best soft blanket with coffee on a crisp morning.

Like the comfort and familiarity of the safest place we can think of.

Like the one place we can be totally ourselves because we are completely loved.

💖