What does Psalm 119:70 reveal about the nature of a hardened heart? Text of Psalm 119:70 “Their hearts are hard and callous, but I delight in Your law.” Original Hebrew Imagery “Hard and callous” renders לֵב שָׁמֵן (lēv shāmēn)--literally “heart fattened.” In ancient Hebrew, “fat” symbolized dullness or insensibility (cf. Deuteronomy 32:15). A “fattened” heart is cushioned by self-indulgence, insulated from conviction, and unresponsive to spiritual stimuli. The Biblical Motif of Hardness 1. Volitional resistance: Pharaoh (Exodus 9:12) repeatedly rejects plain evidence. 2. Moral dullness: Israel in the wilderness (Psalm 95:8). 3. Judicial consequence: persistent sin invites divine hardening (Isaiah 6:10). 4. Need for regeneration: God promises a heart of flesh (Ezekiel 11:19). Causes of a Hardened Heart • Pride and prosperity (Deuteronomy 8:12-14; Revelation 3:17). • Deliberate suppression of known truth (Romans 1:18-21). • Habitual sin creating neural pathways of callousness—modern fMRI studies show diminished emotional response in individuals repeatedly exposed to violent or immoral stimuli, illustrating what Scripture depicts spiritually (Hebrews 3:13). • Deception and false accusation (Psalm 119:69), indicating external lies can reinforce internal hardness when embraced. Psychological and Behavioral Dimensions Behavioral science observes that the prefrontal cortex can be desensitized by repeated disobedience, mirroring the biblical principle that sin “sears the conscience” (1 Timothy 4:2). Neuroplasticity confirms the human capacity either to entrench rebellion or, by repentance, to rewire toward righteousness. Moral and Spiritual Consequences A callous heart: • Loses sensitivity to God’s voice (Proverbs 28:14). • Grows indifferent to others’ suffering (Mark 3:5). • Becomes incapable of perceiving evidential truth—explaining why eyewitness data for the resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:3-8) often fails to persuade the willfully hardened. • Places one under divine judgment (Romans 2:5). Contrast: Delighting in the Law The psalmist’s “but I delight” sets the remedy. Immersion in God’s Word softens, enlightens, and re-sensitizes the heart (Jeremiah 23:29; Hebrews 4:12). Archaeological finds such as the Ketef Hinnom amulets (7th century BC) show early Israelites treasured Scripture, underscoring its heart-shaping role through millennia. Christological Fulfillment The resurrected Christ embodies the Torah in flesh (John 1:14) and, by the Spirit, writes the same law on believers’ hearts (Hebrews 10:16). Historical data—early creed in 1 Corinthians 15, empty-tomb attestation by women, post-crucifixion appearances verified by hostile witnesses like Paul—demonstrate that accepting the risen Lord is the watershed between hardness and renewal. Pastoral Diagnostics Signs of a hard heart: irritation at biblical correction, diminishing gratitude, numbness to sin, and cynicism toward miracles. Remedy: confession (1 John 1:9), Scripture meditation (Psalm 1:2), communal exhortation (Hebrews 3:13), and dependence on the Spirit (Romans 8:13-16). Conclusion Psalm 119:70 reveals that hardness of heart is a self-inflicted, spiritually desensitized state, fostered by pride and sin, yet reversible through humble delight in God’s authoritative Word and the regenerating power of the risen Christ. |
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