Psalm 29:11

Copyright Ó 2014 J. Neely

Psalm 29:11

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11 The LORD [Yahovah] will give [nathan] strength [`oz] unto his people [`am]; the LORD [Yahovah] will bless [barak] his people [`am] with peace [shalowm].KJV-Interlinear

11 The Lord will give strength to His people; The Lord will bless His people with peace.  NASB

The summary of this psalm, is that the Lord, who is Jesus Christ, who controls all of history, is more than able to plan for, take care of, provide for, and protect His people, and much, much more.  Unfortunately too many people play pretend games, and do not respect their own spiritual life, do not respect God, do not respect the scriptures, and certainly do not respect the design and will of God in and for their lives.

And they demonstrate this not by words, but by their everyday actions.  They do not engage in a daily study as mandated.  They do not confess in the proper way.  They do not grow up as God intends.

Gods intentions for you are spelled out right here. 

To receive strength from Him.

To receive blessings from Him.

To receive peace from Him.

Strength comes for the residence of doctrine in the soul, which is doctrine learned and processed and used, resulting in spiritual power in you.

Blessings come from Gods favor poured out on you, as a mature believer.

Peace comes in the form of a relaxed mental attitude, contentment, security and the resultant faith of a fulfilled and meaningful life.

All of this comes from God, and from no other source.

Psalm 29:10

Copyright Ó 2014 J. Neely

Psalm 29:10

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10 The LORD [Yahovah] sitteth [yashab] upon the flood [mabbuwl]; yea, the LORD [Yahovah] sitteth [yashab] King [melek] for ever [`owlam].  KJV-Interlinear

10 The Lord sat as King at the flood; Yes, the Lord sits as King forever.  NASB

The storm that has been described in these verses, along with the voices of God, indicate that Gods hand is in the storm, which is the judgment.  Judgment is not lacking in direction.  Judgment does not occur randomly or by chance.  And even though God has placed many physical laws in place to serve as boundaries for storms and disasters, they are still not without external controls.

When the flood occurred in Noah’s day, it came as a result of Gods command.

When the earth seemingly falls apart in the final days of history, that too is at Gods command.

And while the earth moves slowly and reconfigures itself over the millennia, the timing of mans evil and the worlds storms, though seemingly coincidental, really are not.

Remember that God set out the divine decrees for history a long time ago, which set forth all of the events of history, it is not without surprise that God would coordinate evil activities with natures storms.

God created the angels. God created the universe.  God saw the fall of angels which was by their decision. God saw the deterioration of the universe, including the earth. God saw the restoration of the earth and the creation of man to resolve the angelic conflict.  Gods saw mans fall and the need for a savior.  God saw all of the generations of humanity and the final need for a final judgment.

In eternity past, God saw all of these things and made provisions for each and every event no matter how small or large.  Nothing in history happens by accident.  Nothing in your life happens by accident, even though you may be your own worst enemy.

And what this verse is saying, is that God controls history. Nothing occurs without Gods knowledge.  Nothing occurs without Gods permission.  Even your own bad decisions are allowed, because God will let you make bad decisions.  Thus you have no one to blame, and especially not God.

Why does God allow so much evil and heartache and suffering in this world?  Because, God allows man to choose his own course in life, and man is his own source of pain and suffering.

When Adam and Eve were in the garden, the garden was beautiful and perfect.  In the garden there was no pain or suffering or heartache of any kind.  But man chose against God and brought sin and death upon himself.

But even in the bad, there is good, because that bad decision on Adam and Eve’s part, brought about the promise of a savior and eternal life, which is a life far better than what they would have had in the garden, had they lived there forever, but it also paved the way for you and me to be born into this world and have our opportunity for a life and a destiny with God.

Jesus Christ is God.  Jesus Christ controls history.  Nothing happens without His knowledge or permission, and all of His decisions and provisions for history are for the better for everyone.

Psalm 29:9

Copyright Ó 2014 J. Neely

Psalm 29:9

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9 The voice [qowl] of the LORD [Yahovah] maketh the hinds ['ayalah] to calve [chuwl], and discovereth [chasaph] the forests [ya`arah]: and in his temple [heykal] doth every one speak ['amar] of his glory [kabowd].  KJV-Interlinear

9 The voice of the Lord makes the deer to calve, And strips the forests bare, And in His temple everything says, "Glory!"   NASB

Here is the seventh voice of God.  All seven are summed up at the end of this verse with the word, everything.  We have seen the first voice from verse three, where Gods voice reaches everywhere and bounces off of everything.  The second voice, refers to power.  The third voice renders awe.  The fourth voice destroys the glory of all things natural in this world, and makes all things move to His will.  The fifth voice, divides paths and makes way for the word of God.  The sixth voice shakes all things as though they were nothing.  And the seventh voice, as we will see, brings confusion and consternation while at the same time brings order and safety.

Hinds to calve, is a phrase not for birth, but for confusion, to drive away, to scatter.

When a huge storm comes along, and is terrifying, then all of nature runs in all directions.  Moms are separated from their babies.  Confusion rules, and it is not until the storm comes to an end that both mother and baby are brought together again, if at all.  Many babies are lost to the laws of nature and do not survive.

A shepherd will collect together his flock and point them in the same direction so as to keep them together and moving in the same direction.  This cuts losses and keeps the flock safe.  Wild animals do not have a shepherd and are therefore at risk and left to their own devices and luck.  Nature has a high mortality rate as a result.

So, when the storm of God finally arrives, it will bring extreme fear, separating parents from children, and not just by accident, but parents will run from their children without thinking about their children. The mortality will be huge.

Those who are in the care of God, in those final days of history, as this portion of the prophecy states, will be safe and kept safe as the believers that are still alive, will have a focus on God, on Christ, and a clear direction for their life.

Discover the forest, means to make naked, to reveal that which is generally hidden, to shake the leaves from the branches and reveal all that is now bare and revealable.

And so, when the final days of the Tribulation finally arrive, and the seven thunders of God, from Revelation, are revealed then the true nature and depth and breadth and vastness of evil will finally be revealed.  Nothing will remain hidden.  Nothing will be kept from being seen.  The great corruption of humanity as well as satan will be made clear.

And while we do not know the details of those seven thunders, their magnitude will clearly be beyond the imaginable, such that they can not only drive the geography of the world out into the open, but they will drive the extremes of evil from deep within mans soul, out into the open as well.

From Gods temple, all things speak of His glory.

This is not the temple of Jerusalem, not some church, not even the temple which resides within the soul of each believer.

This temple is a reference to everything in creation.  Gods temple here referred to as creation, speaks out loud to the glory of Gods phenomenal plan for all of creation and all of history, bringing evil to its end and good to its proper place.

From all of genetics, to all of the structure of plants and animals, to the continents and the stars both near and far, to the phenomenal details of history and mans interactions within history, to everything you can possibly think of and far more.  All will finally speak of God and of Gods glory and Gods ability to bring it all together.

Unfortunately most people never get it.

They live their entire lives and then leave this world and never get it.

All of angelic history and all of pre-historic history which covers millions or billions of years, we do not really know that duration, will not figure it all out until the final days of the Tribulation.

All of human history, which is now over 6000 years and counting, then even all of history never gets it and won’t, until the final days of the Tribulation, which is still future.

People have the chance to read this study, or any study for that matter, but most do not.  And that is why they never learn, and never understand and always invent their own ideas, all of which are wrong.

And that is why history will head in the direction of those final and terrible days, still future.  People bring it all on to themselves.

And it will take one last and final huge biblical event, greater than all other events, to finally make it all clear.

But even then, most will continue to reject Christ.  And that is the really sad part of the human story.

You can be a part of that pathetic story, or you can get with a daily study, learn and grow up in your spiritual life, and have all that God intends for you to have.

Psalm 29:8

Copyright Ó 2014 J. Neely

Psalm 29:8

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8 The voice [qowl] of the LORD [Yahovah] shaketh [chuwl] the wilderness [midbar]; the LORD [Yahovah] shaketh [chuwl] the wilderness [midbar] of Kadesh [Qadesh].  KJV-Interlinear

8 The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness; The Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.  NASB

For the greater majority of people who do not comply with Gods mandate to pursue a daily study, there is no security.  Unfortunately they do not see their insecurity, because they are blinded by their own beliefs and their refusal to look beyond their entrenched ideas.

The wilderness being referred to here, is a reference to the open range and wild frontiers of the world, that people become accustomed to and comfortable within.  Their entrenched ideas close their eyes to the dangers of their situation until it becomes too late.

The open range concept here refers to the openness of the world and all of its vast enticements and opportunities as seen by people.

Kadesh is certainly a place, located in southern present day Syria, and is the location of one of the better known great chariot battles of all time between the Egyptians and the Hittite empires around the 13^th century B.C.

Kadesh means sanctuary.

And the open range and sanctuary concepts bring together the false impression of the opportunities and security of the world.  A world that seems to survive and continue without the help of God.

And, when you disregard Gods mandates, you are doing just what people who are not even interested in God, are doing, day in and day out of their lives.  There is no difference.

Placing your trust in your own ideas and abilities, is in fact placing your trust in the world as far as your own works or efforts go.

And here, we see that any and all efforts, any and all trust, any and all security expectations from this world are ill placed.

God is truth.  And truth will shatter the grip of the world, every time that they meet.

Gods voice is truth.  God will shatter the vast array of opportunities that the world presents.  Gods voice, which is truth, shatters the securities, the sanctuary, the safety that the world implies that it can provide.

For the worlds opportunities are not opportunities.  The worlds securities are not securities.

Everything in this world is temporary at best and will one day come to an end, either at the end of the world itself, or at the end of your life.  And in either case, whatever you have or think you have, you will lose.

Only Gods plan, only adherence to Gods mandates, offers hope and security and permanence forever.

Psalm 29:7

Copyright Ó 2014 J. Neely

Psalm 29:7

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7 The voice [qowl] of the LORD [Yahovah] divideth [chatsab] the flames [lehabah] of fire ['esh].  KJV-Interlinear

7 The voice of the Lord hews out flames of fire.  NASB

When watching a violent lightning storm, your eyes will inevitably be focused on the storm clouds.  You see the lightning striking across the sky and scattering among the clouds, as though it makes its own pathways through the clouds.  The storm seems to step aside for the power of God racing through it.

This is the symbolism being portrayed in the storm.  Even the violence of a giant storm, will part and make way for Gods will and power and voice.  There is nothing earthly that can bar Gods will.  Nothing on this earth that can deflect Gods will.  And certainly nothing on this earth that can stop Gods will.

His voice blasts through easily as though the storm was not even there.

This is the fifth voice of God.  Have you figured out where this, seven voices of God scenario is headed?

Psalm 29:6

Copyright Ó 2014 J. Neely

Psalm 29:6

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6 He maketh them also to skip [raqad] like a calf [`egel]; Lebanon [Labanown] and Sirion [Shiryown] like a young [ben] unicorn [ra'em]. KJV-Interlinear

6 And He makes Lebanon skip like a calf, And Sirion like a young wild ox. NASB

Both Lebanon and Sirion are references to the two principal mountains that exist in Palestine.  Sirion, also called Mt Herman, being visible almost throughout all of Palestine, and Lebanon sits to the north of Galilee.  Both covered with trees would seem to shake and move during the violence of a storm, where lightning lights up the sky and the thunder roars giving any onlooker the impression that the entire mountains are moving as the trees shake and move and sway wildly like young wild oxen.

When frightened by thunder and lightning, livestock will run and scatter and jump, and so it is the description of the mountains and thus the entire region that is scattering directionless and frightened trying to escape from something that they do not know or understand. The mere sound of thunder drives them in terror, swaying and whipping about as though they are out of control.

And since both mountains can be seen, then the analogy here conveys the concept making known to everyone the power of God.  Even the mighty cedars which are symbols of power and majesty in this world, are shaken and broken and scattered and become powerless before the thundering voice of God, which is merely sound.

And thus the fourth voice of God is revealed.

Psalm 29:5

Copyright Ó 2014 J. Neely

Psalm 29:5

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5 The voice [qowl] of the LORD [Yahovah] breaketh [shabar] the cedars ['erez]; yea, the LORD [Yahovah] breaketh [shabar] the cedars ['erez] of Lebanon [Labanown].  KJV-Interlinear

5 The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars; Yes, the Lord breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon.  NASB

The cedar trees of Lebanon are often referred to as lofty and grand especially in their size, Psalms 29:5

1 Kings 4:33; 5:6; Ps 92:12; Ezra 3:7.   And here the thunder of Gods voice, is sound and not a reference to the lightning behind the thunder, and when sound can cause a huge tree to collapse or break apart, then that sound is powerful indeed.  And obviously the lightning that caused the sound has to be phenomenal too.

Lightning and thunder are generally accompanied with wind and rain or hail or tornadoes and such other things.  And so it would be easy to understand the destruction that can be caused by a giant storm.  But no such reference is made to the other components of a storm.  This is not even a reference to a storm.  It is only a reference to the voice of God.

And not only is it referred to as dynamic and overwhelming, but it contains inherent destructive power.  Power that nothing can stand before it.

And as mentioned yesterday, there are seven references to Gods voice, molded in the form of thunder.  Just as in Revelation, there are mentioned seven thunders that will occur in the Tribulation, but their exact nature is sealed up and not disclosed.

We can speculate that this might refer to the seven continents being destroyed, or to seven meteors colliding into the world with huge and catastrophic results.  These would certainly be accompanied with noise in the extreme.  But of course any speculation would be only that.  Your imagination can probably picture many possible scenarios, but most likely none of our guesses will be right.

But we also have to interpret the passages as they were intended in the time in which they were written.  And back in Davids day, this type of power of sound was most likely unheard of and therefore intended to put anyone and everyone who might hear of it, in a state of overwhelming awe.

In our current day, we have seen many catastrophes.  We know that sound can break glass if focused correctly and at the right frequency.  But that would be manmade and on a very small scale.

So, when thunder rolls across a vast region and destroys everything in its path, then that should cause everyone to sit up and take notice.  But will it?  No.

When the Tribulation does occur, people will be so detached and disengaged and desensitized to awesome power, that when these things do occur, and when the world is literally coming apart, they will still resist looking to Christ as Lord.  And that is just how far down society will have fallen spiritually, and into evil, thus causing the need for the end of it all.

You and I can look at a storm and be in awe, and it probably does not take much to put us in awe, but there will come a time, when even the power and voice of God will not have any impact on people, except in their destruction.

Even now, people look to false religions and not see their flaws.  How much more will it take to not see any form of truth?

Psalm 29:4

Copyright Ó 2014 J. Neely

Psalm 29:4

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4 The voice [qowl] of the LORD [Yahovah] is powerful [koach]; the voice [qowl] of the LORD [Yahovah] is full of majesty [hadar].  KJV-Interlinear

4 The voice of the Lord is powerful, The voice of the Lord is majestic.  NASB

Recall that in our Revelation study, there is a reference to the seven thunders, Rev. 10:4, referring to a series of judgments that have been sealed up until the time when they are unleashed on humanity. And here we have seven references to the voice of God, which in turn have been described symbolically as thunder that can gain your attention as well as destroy all with which it comes into contact.

And even though those future seven thunders and their purpose have been sealed up, preventing us from knowing exactly what judgments they will be, we can easily conclude that since they come from God, and are of God, they will be the most powerful judgments ever unleashed onto planet earth.

In their doubling up in this verse, eludes to an advancing line of thunders, one right after another, the last being more close than the former, advancing closer and closer as a charging army advances along a wide front.

The thunder is powerful, and when God is behind the thunder, it is more than just sound or noise, it possesses inherent power of its own.

Power means might or strength.  The kind of power that can shatter trees or buildings, with the authority of the blast of its sound.

Majesty, refers to its awesomeness and overpowering volume and vastness. It has nothing to compare with, nothing that is like it.  It is unique as God is unique.  Its power is without limit, without containment, and against which there is no defense.

The flash of lightning and resulting thunder is virtually instant and can occur at any given moment without advanced warning.  By the time you hear it, it is too late.

Psalm 29:3

Copyright Ó 2014 J. Neely

Psalm 29:3

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3 The voice [qowl] of the LORD [Yahovah] is upon the waters [mayim]: the God ['el] of glory [kabowd] thundereth [ra`am]: the LORD [Yahovah] is upon many [rab] waters [mayim].  KJV-Interlinear

3 The voice of the Lord is upon the waters; The God of glory thunders, The Lord is over many waters.  NASB

Even though none of us have ever seen or heard God, He has given us many natural events in nature with which to understand Him and His glory and power.  Thunder, in a vast and violent storm, is described as the voice of God, demonstrating His awesome power, of which nothing can stop or prevent.

God is heavenward.  Thunder is always something that makes us look skyward when we hear it.  It can roll across the sky from one horizon to the other without restriction and with seeming ease.

Upon the waters, is plural, and indicates the echo effect or the complete significance that God has on the world.  His voice reaches everything, and affects everything, and is magnified when it touches reality.

Gods voice always comes from above.  It fills one with awe and emotion. 

Gods voice speaks to humanity, but only if humanity listens and takes notice.  One has to first comprehend the nature of God, then hear the sound of His voice within the many symbolisms that He has provided in nature, before one can really begin to fathom His vastness, His superiority, and His power, and then realize our insignificance and inferior place that we have in this world.

Over the waters, is again plural, and indicates that there is no restriction, no place from which Gods voice cannot reach.  God controls history.  God sustains history.  God has a plan, a divine plan that impacts everything and everyone.  Nothing is left to chance. Nothing is beyond His reach.

Psalm 29:1

Copyright Ó 2014 J. Neely

Psalm 29:2

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2 Give [yahab] unto the LORD [Yahovah] the glory [kabowd] due unto his name [shem]; worship [shachah] the LORD [Yahovah] in the beauty [hadarah] of holiness [qodesh].  KJV-Interlinear

2 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due to His name; Worship the Lord in holy array.  NASB

Far too often, people insult God by pretending to follow him, but instead they criticize or complain or just simply go through the motions of acting holy, but never really commit themselves to anything expected of them. Talking a good talk, they may fool people, but God knows what is really inside their phony soul.

And here we are commanded not to dishonor God with empty words or actions, but to honor Him by recognizing that which is due to Him.  And we do Him honor when we are obedient to His will.

But what is Gods will?

Believing in Christ, is obviously first, in order to be saved and thus become a member of His family.

Confession of ones daily sins, is a repetitive requirement in order to live in fellowship, for fellowship is the spiritual environment wherein your spiritual life functions.

Study to gain approval (maturity).  Which is to say, pursue a daily study so that you can learn and understand and grow up in your spiritual life.  Everyone has to grow up sooner or later, lest they remain immature and ignorant.

And, with some semblance of spiritual knowledge in you, then you might, repeat, just might be able to recognize the phenomenal splendor and honor due to Him, for not only creating an entire universe for human history to operate in, but to save your sorry rear from eternal condemnation, to give you an opportunity to grow up, to give you a destiny throughout eternity, and to fulfill your life with phenomenal meaning and purpose, lest you waste your life in useless pretense.

Worship, ‘shachah,’ means to prostrate, to bow down, to fall down, to obey.  And so worship is not your posture of body, but your posture of soul.  And not only that, but it means to be continually in worship mode.

You must surrender yourself to Gods mandates, and recognize that He is a lot smarter than you.  Thus, when God commands you to study, to confess, to learn and grow and be productive, spiritually productive that is, then why would you ignore that advice?

If you were to place a bet on a two horse race and one of the horses is dead, why would you place a bet on the dead horse to win?  And yet that is exactly what people do with their spiritual lives.  They bet on bad advice and ignore the good advice.  They pursue bad instruction and reject good instruction.

When you are expected to be responsible, and are held accountable for your thoughts and actions, then why would you try to get out of your responsibilities?  Why would you presume that all of these requirements are meant for others and not you?

In the beauty of holiness, means what?

Holiness, ‘qodesh,’ refers to something that is set apart, a safe sanctuary, a consecrated place, a dedicated place.

And to worship in holiness means that you need to go somewhere that is safe, set apart, consecrated and dedicated to your interaction with God.  Is that place a building made of wood and steel?  Is that place a tent?  Can you reside in a church 24/7?  No.

That place exists inside of your soul.  That place is attained by means of confession.

When you commit a sin, which could be a crime, or a social transgression, or a moral transgression, and a sin can also be a disobedient act against Gods truth.  Also merely remaining away from your spiritual responsibilities is in effect a sin.  Sins can be committed by doing things, but also by not doing things.  Arrogance is a sinful device that is as simple as disregarding God and Gods expectations.  Sin, in all of its forms, is the filth in your life.

Anyway, you must confess your sins on a regular basis, so that you wash away that filth and reinstate yourself into fellowship.  Fellowship is that set apart place, that consecrated place, that sanctuary, wherein you have a private and personal and meaningful relationship with God. 

Fellowship is the place where you establish your foundation for life.

Doctrine is the foundation, but you have to learn it.

Understanding is the structure, but you have to learn it.

Application of spiritual principles are the finish work and value, but it all has to be learned.

Wisdom is the insight you achieve by putting it all together.

And faith is the result, the epitome of spiritual maturity.  It is the ultimate recognition of who and what God is, and of what infinite things that he has done for us.  Especially when we can never earn or even deserve anything from God.

So, the next time you offer criticism against others, when you complain about anything, especially when you yourself do nothing, then you need to look in the mirror and see yourself for who and what you really are, and consider Gods phenomenal grace for even putting up with you.

Psalm 29:1

Copyright Ó 2013 J. Neely

Psalm 29:1

http://www.dailybiblestudy.org

1 A Psalm [mizmowr] of David [David].

Give [yahab] unto the LORD [Yahovah], O ye mighty [ben] ['el], give [yahab] unto the LORD [Yahovah] glory [kabowd] and strength [`oz].  KJV-Interlinear

1 A Psalm of David.

Ascribe to the Lord, O sons of the mighty, Ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.  NASB

The word for, Give, ‘yahab,’ means to ascribe, to give credit, to recognize, the attributes and essence that God already possesses.  Unfortunately too many people pretend to acknowledge God and Gods abilities, but they do not follow up by complying with Gods mandates that are so clearly delineated in the scriptures.

O ye mighty, ‘ben el,’ means, sons of the mighty.  Taken from the plural form, ‘eeliym,’ referring to the many sons or children of God, the word, ‘el,’ generally refers to strong, power, might, hero and then is applied to God as the almighty.

In a sense there are created beings, man and angels who can and do presume themselves as mighty, tough, smarter than the norm, but the toughest of the tough and the smartest of the smart are nothing when compared to God whose very essence far exceeds even time and space, within which we are all confined and extremely limited.

That which belongs to God, both glory and strength, already belong to Him.  We as creatures, did not give God, His attributes.  We did not invent them. God did not come into existence by means of mans imagination or invention.  And certainly God was not promoted to His status at the behest of mans permission.

And yet there are many who seem to approach the concept of God as though He would be nothing or irrelevant, were it not for mans recognition of Him.

Whether you are indeed strong or smart, or just a want-to-be and therefore delusional as to who and what you are in this life, really is irrelevant.  For without God, none of us would be anything.

It is we who receive our attributes from God, not the other way around.

It is our responsibility to recognize God and all that He is and does, and even more, to pursue the obligations that we have as created beings, toward God.

Just saying it does not mean that you really mean it.  For if anyone really meant their beliefs in God or their understanding of God or their desire to know God, then they would recognize that God has put forth many mandates that a wise person would follow with a passion.  Because it is God who is the smart one, not us, and we would be wise to follow His advice.  But unfortunately too many lack that passion and only fill their lives with words and no action and certainly no commitment behind those words.

Therefore, ascribe to God that which is already Gods, and then recognize His glory and power, and ultimately His superiority over you, and then begin your pursuit of knowledge by committing yourself to a daily study, a genuine daily study, in fellowship, and stick with it throughout your entire life.