Wednesday, September 09, 2009
The Psalm of Nephi
This morning Kaitlin and I finished the Psalm of Nephi, 2 Nephi, chapter 4. It's one of my favorite chapters in the entire Book of Mormon. We kind of picked apart every verse and briefly discussed it. I am going to pose some questions here to all of you. When Nephi asks the Lord to help him "shake at the very appearance of evil," what do you think he means? Do you shake at the appearance of evil? Should we do anything about the evil we see? What kind of evil should we do anything about? I have some thoughts and reasons in my head, but I'm interested in hearing how you would interpret this verse.
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Yes, I am a firm believer that you can actually shake at the appearance of evil. I had a terrifying dream just 2 days ago that I really don't want to get into, but I'll tell you this - evil knows who we are and can make you feel sick to the point of feeling paralyzed. Anyone else had dreams like that? Where you know that there's an evil feeling there and you feel terrified and have to force yourself to wake up?
I have had dreams that made me feel an evil spirit--not like the dreams you have Chelsey. I agree with Chelsey though. I think you can shake at the appearance of evil. I think that to shake at the appearance of evil that you probably have to be very spiritual. I think we all see evil things around us and we know it is evil and it might disturb us or sicken us, make us sad, or whatever, but I think to "shake" you would have to be overcome with the idea of it and I think you would have to have a level of spirituality that you feel more than sad about the evil around you. I'm not sure.
Well, I can honestly say there have been two times in my life where I have shook (shaken? I'm not sure which one to use) uncontrolably. Both of them were immediately right after childbirth...does that mean my children are pure evil...hmm. Or/And does that mean I'm at an extremely high level of spirituality as to have litterally shaken at pure evil, aka, my children? Now there's a thought.
Lindsey :))
Come on, Lindsey, you can't be serious.
Dad Clark
I don't think the shaking part described by Nephi is what we're talking about here. I've always interpreted it as "I want to be so turned off by sin that I shake at the thought of giving in to it." I don't view it as a "It's so evil or scary it makes me shake."
I view it (shaking at the appearance of sin) more like disgust than fright.
And I have very normal dreams. -Jester
I agree with Jess. That is what I was trying to say though the part about the dream made it feel like I was saying frightened.
I figure that if the Lord can actually bleed from every pore because of pain from our sins, we can shake at the sight of evil in any sense of the word. I agree with the idea that the passage probably means to want to turn away from the slightest bit of evil, and not necessarily a physical thing though. That's how I've always thought of it too.
One of the words I thought about was "revulsion." I am revolted by some of the sights I see and hear. I struggle, internally, to know how to accept someone that has foul language, piercings all over, covered with tatoos and are so immodestly dressed as to actually embarrass me. I have seen this multiple times in the past week at the hospital. I tell myself that they have children there and are just as worried and love them just as much as we love our child. I most often feel great sorrow that they either don't know about the blessings of the gospel and resurrection or they don't care.
As a society we have accepted despicable, sinful behavior. And rather than be politically incorrect, we shut our mouths. How do we separate ourselves from what is repugnant (and wicked) and still try to be a missionary? Is it possible any more? It has to be possible!
If we don't pray to shake at the very (notice he doesn't say it generally, he says "very") appearance, then I fear we will become apathetic and will lose the spirit to fight against it.
I think dreams can be very real and can warn us. What about watching comedies (TV, movies) that make light of sinful behavior? Why do we watch it? Because we aren't praying to "shake at the very appearance of evil." I think I need to refine myself, what I watch, read and listen to. Would that I were like Nephi!
Oh, and you might think this is funny but we just finished reading 2 Nephi 5. Why is this funny you ask? Because we started reading the Book of Mormon as a family Jan of 08! I think we will be done when Will turns 18.
We're lucky to have older kids, so started 3 Nephi last night and will finish in mid-December. Our ward primary challenged each family to read the entire book with their kids during 2009. All those who do it get a "giant cookie." Can't wait!
Mom, I have some thoughts about what you wrote but don't have the time now to write them! -jess
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