20150420 Monday, April 20 2015
Psalm 143: What Does The Bible Say About Perverts?

by Wayne Blank
See also 1 Year Holy Bible Reading Plan

"There be some that trouble you, and would pervert the Gospel of Christ ... If any man preach any other Gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed"

The English-language word "pervert" originated from a Latin word, perverto, that meant "to turn from truth, propriety or from its proper purpose; to distort from its true use or end; to misinterpret willfully; to turn from right; to corrupt" (The Consolidated Webster Encyclopedic Dictionary).

Notice that although the definition of "pervert" is today generally limited to anti-nature, self-destructive sexual behavior (see Sexual Abominations), the original meaning of the English word meant any other turning from the truth i.e. "to turn from truth" and "to distort from its true use."

What about the Hebrew and Greek words of the Holy Scriptures that are translated as "pervert"? There are seven:

The Hebrew word, pronounced saw-lawf, that means to twist (see also What Does Wicked Mean?). Example:

"16:19 Thou shalt not wrest judgment; thou shalt not respect persons, neither take a gift: for a gift doth blind the eyes of the wise, and pervert [saw-lawf, that means to twist] the words of the righteous." (Deuteronomy 16:19 KJV)

The Hebrew word, pronounced naw-taw, that means to bend out of correct shape. Example:

"17:23 A wicked man taketh a gift out of the bosom to pervert [naw-taw, that means to bend out of correct shape] the ways of judgment." (Proverbs 17:23 KJV)

The Hebrew word, pronounced aw-vawth, that means to turn upside down. Example:

"34:12 Yea, surely God will not do wickedly, neither will the Almighty pervert [aw-vawth, that means to turn upside down] judgment." (Job 34:12 KJV)

The Hebrew word, pronounced shaw-naw, that means to make a false copy of i.e. to counterfeit (see also Seed-Bearing Plants: For Food Or For Folly?). Example:

"31:4 It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink: 31:5 Lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert [shaw-naw, that means to make a false copy of i.e. to counterfeit] the judgment of any of the afflicted." (Proverbs 31:4-5 KJV)

The Hebrew word, pronounced aw-kawsh, that means a twisted and tangled mass. Example:

"3:9 Hear this, I pray you, ye heads of the house of Jacob, and princes of the house of Israel, that abhor judgment, and pervert [aw-kawsh, that means a twisted and tangled mass] all equity. 3:10 They build up Zion with blood, and Jerusalem with iniquity. 3:11 The heads thereof judge for reward, and the priests thereof teach for hire, and the prophets thereof divine for money: yet will they lean upon the LORD, and say, Is not the LORD among us? none evil can come upon us. 3:12 Therefore shall Zion for your sake be plowed as a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain of the house as the high places of the forest." (Micah 3:9-12 KJV)

The Greek word, pronounced dee-as-tref-oh, that means to distort and corrupt (see also Why Does Satan Love Liars?). Example:

"13:10 And said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert [dee-as-tref-oh, that means to distort and corrupt] the right ways of the Lord?" (Acts 13:10 KJV)

The Greek word, pronounced met-as-tref-oh, that means to disguise or cross dress (see How Does Satan Impersonate Jesus Christ?). Example:

"1:6 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: 1:7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert [met-as-tref-oh, that means to disguise or cross dress] the gospel of Christ. 1:8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. 1:9 As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed. 1:10 For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ." (Galatians 1:6-10 KJV)

King David knew many "perverts" in his life - people who twisted truth into iniquity for themselves (see the Fact Finder question below). David's prayers for them were nevertheless for their repentance before it was too late for them. David knew that Truth is going to triumph over perversion (see David's View Of Hell Fire and Paradise).

"143:1 A Psalm of David.

Hear my prayer, O LORD, give ear to my supplications: in thy faithfulness answer me, and in thy righteousness. 143:2 And enter not into judgment with thy servant: for in thy sight shall no man living be justified.

143:3 For the enemy hath persecuted my soul; he hath smitten my life down to the ground; he hath made me to dwell in darkness, as those that have been long dead. 143:4 Therefore is my spirit overwhelmed within me; my heart within me is desolate.

143:5 I remember the days of old; I meditate on all thy works; I muse on the work of thy hands. 143:6 I stretch forth my hands unto thee: my soul thirsteth after thee, as a thirsty land. Selah.

143:7 Hear me speedily, O LORD: my spirit faileth: hide not thy face from me, lest I be like unto them that go down into the pit. 143:8 Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee. 143:9 Deliver me, O LORD, from mine enemies: I flee unto thee to hide me. 143:10 Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness.

143:11 Quicken me, O LORD, for thy name's sake: for thy righteousness' sake bring my soul out of trouble. 143:12 And of thy mercy cut off mine enemies, and destroy all them that afflict my soul: for I am thy servant." (Psalm 143:1-12 KJV)

Fact Finder: (a) What is the only true Gospel? (b) What happens when people declare that anything that they lust to do or believe is the "gospel"?
(a) See What Gospel Did Jesus Preach?
(b) See Iniquity In History And Prophecy