NOTES for Pro 16:2

The image of God weighing a person's life ("soul") as if on scales has its roots in deep, pre-biblical antiquity. This image became central for describing what in the pagan world was called the judgment of the gods, and in some biblical books it appears as an element in the description of the Last Judgment.

It is entirely natural that such weighing becomes a moment of truth for a person. Each of us is inclined in one way or another to justify ourselves and our actions; for a truly sober spiritual analysis of one's own life, a special revelation is needed, and not everyone receives it. But for God all the movements of our heart, all our motives and intentions, are transparent. He understands at first glance "how much we weigh," or, using images more familiar to us, what we are worth.

It would seem that sufficient life experience and elementary honesty with oneself should free anyone from illusions about oneself. But things are not so simple: the real causes of one's actions, those very motives and intentions that determine them, usually are indeed hidden from the inner sight of a fallen person. Life experience alone is not enough here, just as the ordinary honesty available to a person who does not wish to deceive himself is not enough.

It is no accident that both Jewish and Christian prayer practices know special kinds of appeals to God asking Him to show the one who prays the true state of his soul, to let him understand the real causes of his actions, and to see the sins that obstruct normal relationship with God. It is surely better to be freed now from everything that prevents full spiritual life than to learn about it at the Last Judgment.

The roots of an image of God weighing the life ("the spirits") of man, as on a balance, come far away, in the antiquity before Bible. This image became key for the description of what is called in the heathen world the judgment of the gods, and in certain biblical books it is met as an element of the description of the last Judgment. It is completely natural, that such a weighing becomes for man the moment of truth.

Each of us tend somehow or other to justify himself and his acts, for a really sober spiritual analysis of the personal life, is needed a special revelation, of which not each receives. But for God, all the movements of our heart, all our motives and intentions are transparent. It is clear to Him at first sight "how much we weigh", or, using a more usual image for us, what we are worth. It would seem, a rich enough experience of life and the basic honesty before oneself should have delivered whoever from illusions on his own account. But the situation is not simple: because, the real reasons of personal acts, these same motives and intentions, which define them, usually turn out really hidden from the internal glance of the fallen man.

And a single experience of life is little here, quite as is little and this ordinary honesty, which is accessible to the person, not wishing to deceive himself. It is not accidentally, in the Jewish and Christian practice of the prayer, are known a special way of addressing God with the request to show to the one who addresses the original state of his soul, to let know the real reasons of the committed acts and see the sins, disturbing the normal relationships with God. For, it is better all the same to de freed from all which disturb to live a complete spiritual life, now, than to know about it on the terrible Judgment.