קָדַם -- qadam: "to come or be in front, meet"

I'm still not sure what to make of this post, other than I find the concept really interesting.

In researching another topic, I learned that the Hebrew root "qadam" has the following meanings in English:

anticipate (1), before (2), come (2), come to meet (1), come before (3), comes before (1), confront (3), confronted (4), forestall (1), given (1), go (1), meet (5), receive (1), rise (1), went (1) (source)

In light of this, it is worth noting that the words in bold stem from the same Hebrew root:


5 

5 The cords of the grave coiled around me; the snares of death confronted me.  (Psalm 18)

2 Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song. (Psalm 95)

I find this contrast quite beautiful -- we are told to "come before" the Lord with gratitude and praise due to the release from the bands of death which "came before/confronted" us. 

(More about Psalm 18 in this post...it contains some pretty clear connections to temple and covenant themes in the Book of Mormon.)

I reviewed some of the usages of various English words related to "qadam" in the Book of Mormon, several of which I'll outline below.  Although this could be simply due to selection bias on my part, it seems like the themes of judgment and deliverance dominate:

"Before"

11 And if they are not the words of Christ, judge ye—for Christ will show unto you, with power and great glory, that they are his words, at the last day; and you and I shall stand face to face before his bar; and ye shall know that I have been commanded of him to write these things, notwithstanding my weakness. (2 Nephi 33)

15 And it shall come to pass that when all men shall have passed from this first death unto life, insomuch as they have become immortal, they must appear before the judgment-seat of the Holy One of Israel; and then cometh the judgment, and then must they be judged according to the holy judgment of God. (2 Nephi 9)

6 Yea, it grieveth my soul and causeth me to shrink with shame before the presence of my Maker, that I must testify unto you concerning the wickedness of your hearts. (Jacob 2) 

22 And now I ask of you, my brethren, how will any of you feel, if ye shall stand before the bar of God, having your garments stained with blood and all manner of filthiness? Behold, what will these things testify against you? (Alma 5)

7 Yea, and the city of Onihah and the inhabitants thereof, and the city of Mocum and the inhabitants thereof, and the city of Jerusalem and the inhabitants thereof; and waters have I caused to come up in the stead thereof, to hide their wickedness and abominations from before my face, that the blood of the prophets and the saints shall not come up any more unto me against them. (3 Nephi 9) 

2 Behold, will ye believe in the day of your visitation—behold, when the Lord shall come, yea, even that great day when the earth shall be rolled together as a scroll, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, yea, in that great day when ye shall be brought to stand before the Lamb of God—then will ye say that there is no God? (Mormon 9)

"Meet"

7 I have charity for my people, and great faith in Christ that I shall meet many souls spotless at his judgment-seat. (2 Nephi 33)

34 And now I bid unto all, farewell. I soon go to rest in the paradise of God, until my spirit and body shall again reunite, and I am brought forth triumphant through the air, to meet you before the pleasing bar of the great Jehovah, the Eternal Judge of both quick and dead. Amen. (Moroni 10) 

"Come/come before"

9 And the Lord said unto him: Because of thy faith thou hast seen that I shall take upon me flesh and blood; and never has man come before me with such exceeding faith as thou hast; for were it not so ye could not have seen my finger. Sawest thou more than this? (Ether 3)

Other expressions with similar meanings:

14 Yea, and I had murdered many of his children, or rather led them away unto destruction; yea, and in fine so great had been my iniquities, that the very thought of coming into the presence of my God did rack my soul with inexpressible horror. (Alma 36)

Conclusion

Each of us will confront physical death, and each of us will also confront spiritual death -- a realization of our "awful state." If we repent, we can "come before" God with thanksgiving and praise. This is the essence of the "glad tidings" of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.