ALPHA MAAMA (A.M.)

 Falaite ‘Okatopa 6, 2023

A Long Time Ago and Ahead

Mei he Kuonga mu’a mama’o atu mo e Kaha’u taumama’o

PSALM 77:5-6

I CONSIDER THE DAYS OF OLD, THE YEARS LONG AGO. I SAID. "LET ME REMEMBER MY SONG IN THE NIGHT; LET ME MEDITATE IN MY HEART."

SAAME 77:5-6

5 Kuo u fakamanatu ki he ngaahi ‘aho fuoloa, Ki he ngaahi ta‘u ‘a e ngaahi kuonga. 6 Na‘a ku pehē, Ka u manatua ‘eku fa‘a hiva Ka u talanoa mo hoku loto: Ka na‘e hanga hoku laumālie ‘o fai ‘a e ngaahi ‘eke.

Though often translated "forever," the Hebrew temporal word olam does not refer to endlessness or eternity. In fact, it can designate the future or the past. For instance, in Psalm 77, when Asaph says he will consider the "years long ago," he uses the plural of olam for "long ago." Basically, olam means "a long time ago" or "a long time ahead," like a distant temporal horizon we can't quite see behind us or in front of us. Olam is a time hidden from present sight. When Hebrew wants to communicate something like eternity or endlessness, it will sometimes double the olam, such as in 1 Chronicles 29:10, where David says, "Blessed are you, O LORD, the God of Israel our father, forever [olam] and ever [olam]." Every time we pray the Lord's Prayer, we end up speaking like a Hebrew: "For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen."

Though written in Aramaic, not Hebrew, Daniel 7:18 piles up similar time words when describing the kingdom we, the saints, will inherit in the Messiah, the Son of Man (7:13). We will "possess the kingdom forever, forever and ever." Therefore, we pray:

"Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever" (Ps. 136:1).