O Lord, I am oppressed; undertake for me.
Isaiah 38:14 KJV
Daily Strength for Daily Needs, written by Mary Tileston in 1884 uses the KJV for its scripture references. I wasn't sure how to interpret "undertake for me", so it was off to my on-line resource, Bible Gateway, with its multiple-translation feature.
Here is a variety of interpretations of "undertake for me".
"be my pledge of safety!" ESV
"Lord, come to my aid!" NIV
"I am oppressed; come and help me!” The Voice
"take my side and be my security [as of a debtor being sent to prison]." Amplified Bible
"Lord, rescue me from all this trouble." Good News Translation
A variety of word choice, but the gist remains the same. God is to be our salvation. He is to be our rescuer. It is okay to cry out to Him. He wants us to request His assistance. In fact, only He can provide the relief, release, and rest necessary to get us through times of sorrow and trouble.
I find it interesting that three of the translations use an exclamation point for punctuation. In my life I have asked God for assistance with both an exclamation point and a period.
Panicked! Frantic! Distraught!
But other times a period was more appropriate.
Worn out. Beat down. Bewildered.
There have even been times of question marks.
"Will you really come to my aid again?" "You'll help me even though I created this mess?"
God doesn't care about punctuation. He wants our conversation. He desires our interaction. He cherishes the relationship.
Go to Him with a period, exclamation point, or question mark. God is our safety, aid, help, and security.
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