More Against the Days

[David Morris]

On 10/17/06, Ya Sam <takoitov at hotmail.com> wrote:
> from
> http://www.calvin.edu/weblogs/language/comments/against/
>
> Against 'Against': One Hymn's Indecent Preposition
>
> But I know Whom I have believèd,
> And am persuaded that He is able
> To keep that which I've committed
> Unto Him against that day.
>
> -I Know Whom I Have Believed
>
> In the hundred or so times I've sung this hymn, I've wondered how you can "commit" something "against" a day. Does this preposition indicate that God is keeping/protecting the commitment against the threat of judgment day? Or is "against" an old-fashioned preposition approximating "until"? And is it the keeping that's against that day, or the commitment?

Wow.  Long post, to which I'll only respond to one poit right now.

The hymn's item which has been committed to God/Jesus is the singer's
soul who has committed/given it to God in trust that the the promised
redemption, positive Judgement, and ressurrection (not unto Hell) will
be fulfilled.

So in this regard "until" is not the most accurate understanding.  An
action (trust) has been made by the singer in preparation for a
foreseen future day.

David Morris