Yet

...for I will yet give thanks to him...

 - From Psalm 42

Years ago, I was at a large gathering of extended family. We all got together, because our Great Uncle Albert, who was still healthy but had only a few years to live, had traveled to Ann Arbor, Michigan, from Western Illinois, to visit with all of us. Our Ann Arbor branch was the home to nine of Albert's nieces and nephews, and their families.

One member of the family, a guy named Jim, was there. He had a girlfriend there and was introducing my brothers, and sister, and I, to her, but from a distance. He said "This is Richard's son Gordie; and over there's his little brother Tim, and there's Ron, he's the oldest. And then over there is Norma. She's the oldest one yet."

I would tell this story to my Dad, who always laughed when he heard it. He thought the use of the word "yet," in this way, sounded humorous. There are some very vague difference and colorings to the word "yet." It can do a number of different things to a sentence, depending on how it's used. 

It can be an adverb, as in "I haven't told anyone yet." Or, "Rain, rain, and yet more rain."

And when you understand it in one of these other ways, it can change the meaning of the sentence. I'm not sure exactly how to explain how our friend Jim meant it, above.

But when used as a conjunction, as in this verse, it takes on great meaning in describing our God. As a conjunction, it joins two ideas together. The ideas might be contradictory. It can be used as the word "but" is used, except that "yet" has a little more edge to it. "She is horrible to me, yet I love her." It almost seems to be saying "Yes, everything you say is true. I am foolish to say so, but I love her."

Psalm 42 is about waiting, waiting, waiting on God. He once took care of us. Now He doesn't. He is far away. He is invisible. People are making fun of us. "Where is your God?" 

 ." . . . Yet, I will give thanks to Him."

Oh yes, He is nowhere near. And yet, I will praise Him.

It could have the adverb meaning too. "Oh I'm not praising Him now. But I will praise Him yet."

It has a couple of different meanings. And they are all good. The point is . . . we're going to give Thanks to Him, no matter what. In fact, we thank Him now.

How about sentences that begin "But yet . . . "? Well, my cousin Grant Johnson used to say that the two words when used together is such a way, make no sense,. 

But that's a different topic.

Ye