Calves of Our Lips

As God brings another year to a close, I hope that it ends for each of us with forgiveness, an increased vitality, clear direction, hope renewed, and joy restored. Throughout my years I have found no better way to achieve these things than through praise.
 
In Psalm 103 we read a Psalm of David that teaches us both how and why we should praise:

1 Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.

2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:

3 Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;

4 Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;

5 Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's.

6 The Lord executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed.

7 He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel.

8 The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.

9 He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever.

10 He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.

11 For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.

12 As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.

13 Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him.

14 For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.

15 As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth.

16 For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more.

17 But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children's children;

18 To such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them.

19 The Lord hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all.

20 Bless the Lord, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word.

21 Bless ye the Lord, all ye his hosts; ye ministers of his, that do his pleasure.

22 Bless the Lord, all his works in all places of his dominion: bless the Lord, O my soul.

What I love most about this passage is how God reminds us of his benefits. Such reminders should cause praise to burst forth from our lips. When praise ceases, we can easily forget His benefits. When we forget His benefits, praise will cease. 
 
Consider Hosea 14:2:
 
Take with you words, and turn to the LORD: say unto him, “Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously: so will we render the calves of our lips.”
 
Does that really say what I think it says? Let’s read that again. Yes, calves of our lips! At least, that is how it reads in the King James version.

Let’s take a deep dive into the etymology of the phrase, calves of our lips. The Hebrew word for calves here in Hosea 14 literally means ‘to tread,’ ‘bull,’ or ‘to be fruitful.’ The ancient Hebrew pictographic for this word ‘calves’ is symbolized by a mouth and a head. Do you see the connection yet? Let’s dig a little deeper. The mouth symbolizes something that opens. The head represents the head of grain. The calf or bull-calf would be used to open the heads of grain on a threshing floor. The word calves in ancient Hebrew then carries the idea of ‘open the head.’
 
The beauty of this expression, then, is found in the demonstration of what God is looking for in our praise. Through the crushing process, the useable part of the grain can be used to make bread and other foods. Without it, there is no fruit, and neither will there be anything worthy of praise.
 
As this year draws to a close, I invite you to consider if 2022 has been a year of this type of ‘crushing.’ Will 2023 present trials that will crush you? Although only God knows the answers to your future, we know that these trials are for the sole purpose of praise as well as a reminder of God’s benefits.
 
Remember, when we praise, we won’t forget His benefits or the reason for the trials. When we remember the reason for the crushing, praise will never end!

Blessings,
 
Mark Hamby
 
Recommended Reading:
            Sir Knight of the Splendid Way (Ages 12-99)
            The Basket of Flowers (Ages 9-14)
            The White Dove (Ages 6-11)
            The Little Lamb (Ages 9-14)