Offend - Psalm 119:165

A word study that demonstrates the benefit and value of loving the law of God.

Psalm 119:165 Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.

The word translated offend here in Psalm 119:165 is the hebrew word lAvk.mi

This word is found 14 times in the Old Testament

Leviticus 19:14 Thou shalt not curse the deaf, nor put a stumblingblock before the blind, but shalt fear thy God: I am the LORD.

This verse is a valuable resource in pictorially demonstrating the idea of the result of not loving the law of God! God's word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path, but when we do not love God's law, we stumble as the blindman over a stumbling block!

1 Samuel 25:31 That this shall be no grief unto thee, nor offence of heart unto my lord, either that thou hast shed blood causeless, or that my lord hath avenged himself: but when the LORD shall have dealt well with my lord, then remember thine handmaid.
Abigail's request of David concerning the mal-treatment of her husband toward him demonstrates how this idea of stumbling includes more than the physical obstacle of Lev. 19:14.
Isaiah 8:14 And he shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

Here we find the LORD a sanctuary for the righteous and a stumbling stone for the ungodly.

This verse demonstrates how the a study of the original languages can be of help to the believer.

The word stumbling is the hebrew word @g<n< which means 1) blow, striking, plague 1a) blow, plague (fatal) 1b) striking, while the word offense is the word we are considering lAvk.mi a stumbling, means or occasion of stumbling, stumbling- block

Isaiah 57:14 And shall say, Cast ye up, cast ye up, prepare the way, take up the stumblingblock out of the way of my people.
Here the LORD himself will take away the offense from the way of the humble! See vs 13-15
Jeremiah 6:21 Therefore thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will lay stumblingblocks before this people, and the fathers and the sons together shall fall upon them; the neighbour and his friend shall perish.

          Contrasting Is 57:14 is this verse! Where the call to the old paths (vs 16) is made.

The Book of Ezekiel finds this word to be a theme which declares:
1. the responsibility of people to do righteousness.
2. the reality of sin as a stumbling block to people.
3. the ruin of an people who fail to do righteousness.
Ezekiel 3:20  Again, When a righteous man doth turn from his righteousness, and commit iniquity, and I lay a stumblingblock before him, he shall die: because thou hast not given him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he hath done shall not be remembered; but his blood will I require at thine hand.
Ezekiel 7:19 They shall cast their silver in the streets, and their gold shall be removed: their silver and their gold shall not be able to deliver them in the day of the wrath of the LORD: they shall not satisfy their souls, neither fill their bowels: because it is the stumblingblock of their iniquity.
Ezekiel 14:3 Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their heart, and put the stumblingblock of their iniquity before their face: should I be enquired of at all by them?
Ezekiel 14:4 Therefore speak unto them, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Every man of the house of Israel that setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to the prophet; I the LORD will answer him that cometh according to the multitude of his idols;
Ezekiel 14:7 For every one of the house of Israel, or of the stranger that sojourneth in Israel, which separateth himself from me, and setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to a prophet to enquire of him concerning me; I the LORD will answer him by myself:
Ezekiel 18:30 Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, saith the Lord GOD. Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin.
Ezekiel 21:15 I have set the point of the sword against all their gates, that their heart may faint, and their ruins be multiplied: ah! it is made bright, it is wrapped up for the slaughter.

Ezekiel 44:12 Because they ministered unto them before their idols, and caused the house of Israel to fall into iniquity; therefore have I lifted up mine hand against them, saith the Lord GOD, and they shall bear their iniquity.

We find then in the study of this word, the full scope of the offense to an individual who does not love God's law.