23:1: “The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want.” He lays us on his shoulders and carries us home, rejoicing. Expanded Translation: These three hidden Hebrew treasures show us that, no matter how well we think we know this poem, there’s always more layers to uncover. Bro. Summary of verse 6: Learn Psalm 23 in Hebrew! The Hebrew title for the book of Psalms is called Tehillim, meaning "songs of praise." He has served as a pastor, professor, and guest lecturer in Old Testament and Hebrew. Hebrew for Christians 2 www.hebrew4christians.com Mizmor Kaf-Gimmel (Psalm 23) Notes: Menuchah means rest, quietness, and derives from (nachat), from which the name (noach, meaning “rest”) comes. Psalm 37 is an alphabetic psalm, so verses 21-22 start with Hebrew consonant 'l', 23-24 with 'm', and 25-26 with 'n'. To obtain a true understanding of this word these scriptures need to be meditated on and notes made of their meaning in different contexts. Have you ever had your breath knocked out? Like many others, this beloved psalm bears the simple title A Psalm of David. What’s fascinating, however, is what forms the numerical center of this psalm. The Hebrew term for "table" is שֻׁלְחָן šulḥān (71× in the Hebrew Bible), still the common word in use in Israeli Hebrew. However, in Psalm 22:6, the word for “worm” is towla’ or tola’ath. A constant companion. This is a thorough word study about the meaning of the Hebrew word בָּרָא, 'bara' translated 'create' Strong's 1254, and gives every verse where the Hebrew word "bara" appears. At the heart of Psalm 23 are the words, “For Thou art with me.” Tears were easy to come by as he thought of his late wife, their mother. But in the world of the psalmist, it isn't certain whether this is a "slab top supported by three or more legs" piece of furniture. 119:176). Soul - the Hebrew word means a breathing creature; it is used in the sense of body and mind; also person, or self. In Hebrew the word psalms [tehilìm] derivates from the root He-Lamed-Lamed that produces the words to praise; to shine, i.e. He restores my soul. Expanded Translation: Green: The word deshe (Strong's #1877) is the green grasses that spring up from the soil, the food staple of the flock. “He restores my soul” For many Christians, Psalm 23 is their most beloved Scripture passage. Here are three such stories from Psalm 23, that lifelong friend to so many of us. If we were raised in church, we probably can’t even remember a time when we didn’t know them. "The valley of the shadow of death" symbolizes any hard situation of life that makes us fear, including death. I will lie down in green pastures. This Hebrew poster includes the Biblical Hebrew text with complete and accurate transliteration and translation into English. There are … To many, this is a Psalm of desperation, resignation, and gloom. In verse 6, we read, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.” The verb for “follow” is radaph. Yahweh is my shepherd and I will not be lacking in anything. My - this is personal. Yahweh will not let his followers down. In fact, very few of the hallmarks of Hebrew poetry translate at all into English and when they do seem out of character to poetry in general (e.g. As long as Yahweh is their shepherd he will always provide for them and take care of them. So it is with familiar Scriptures. Individual psalms are referred to as Mizmorim: Mizmor Aleph (Psalm 1), Mizmor Bet (Psalm 2), and so on. He has contributed articles to Christianity Today, The Gospel Coalition, Modern Reformation, The Federalist, Lutheran Forum, and other journals and websites. It is a sure thing that bountiful and beautiful things and kindness will chase after me all the days of my life: I will remain and settle down in the palace of Yahweh a very long number of days. Then one day, a pastor or teacher shows us another side to these Scriptures, something not so easily seen in English, but clearer in Greek or Hebrew. At our church, we often sing this psalm before the Gospel reading in the liturgy during Trinity Season. He is also the author of several books, including Night Driving & Your God Is Too Glorious. At the heart of Psalm 23 are the words, “For Thou art with me.” There are exactly 26 Hebrew words before that phrase, and exactly 26 words after it. See Psalm 139:23-24 as this applies to Christians. In fact, the grammatical form of this Hebrew verb (called Po’el) is also used in Jeremiah 50:19 to describe how God acts as a divine shepherd: “I shall bring back [shuv] Israel to his pasture.” The same verb occurs at the end of Lamentations, “Restore [shuv] us to yourself, O LORD, that we may be restored [shuv]!” Literally, we might say, “Cause us to be repented to you, O Yahweh, that we may be repented” (Lam. What does being free from sin, which is obviously a good thing, have to do with being free from the Law, which sounds dangerous? “He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters” – Jehovah Shalom (The Lord is my Peace — my calm in the midst of a storm) – “Now may the God of PEACE Himself sanctify you completely” 1 Thess. During our study, it is important to remember that the truth contained in this Psalm—which indeed is the very Person of Jesus Christ (John 14:6)—is the “the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). Psalm 23 is a Psalm for all occasions- death, birthday, marriage etc. maketh. First is that in English we always put the word "The" in front of the "LORD." No one can "pull the wool over God's eyes! When life had us doubled over with laughter or drenched in tears, they were right there beside us. It is also perhaps the most misinterpreted. But, as we all know, sheep are prone to stray. Isaiah 30:23 Then shall he give the rain of your seed, that you shall sow the …. We even have a saying for this behavior: “Saving the best for last.” God Himself has a way of saving the best for last. In Ancient Israel the shepherd would spend a great deal of his time with his flock and often times many days away from the family camp. Seeing Psalm 1 and Psalm 37 together. The word "LORD" in Hebrew is Yahweh. Summary of verse 1: Rather, they gallop after us like a celestial stallion. Psalm 1 begins with aleph (א), the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Bin'ot deshe yarbitseini, He maketh me to lie down in green pastures, Al mei m'nuhot y'nahaleini, He leadeth me beside the still waters, Naf'shi y'shovev, He restoreth my soul, (elohei khol-nechamah), the “God of all comfort” is the term the Apostle Paul uses in 2 Cor 1:3. In addition to all of this when I travel through a deep dark narrow gorge covered in the shadow of the dead, I will not be afraid of the bad things because you are beside me, your staff of correction and your walking stick of support, they give me a sigh of relief and I am consoled Psalm 23:2 Psalm 23:2 NIV Psalm 23:2 NLT It is a sure thing that goodness and kindness will chase after me all the days of my life: I will settle in the house of YHWH for a long number of days. Psalm 23:2 Not long ago, a dear friend forwarded a video link created by a relatively well-known Bible historian and pastor named Ray Vander Laan. At least we think we do. green pastures [heb.] For a few moments it's a scary experience. They stay hot on our heels. Therefore, with minimal effort, you will be able to recite these verses in Hebrew and gain a deeper understanding of the Word of God. On the other hand, imagery works well in both and Psalm 23 has evocative images of shepherding that are surprising and yet easy to imagine and understand the significance of. Just as the shepherd leads his flock to fresh green pastures to provide them with ample sustenance, so will YHWH lead us to a beautiful place of restoration. The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. In other words, this Good Shepherd repents us. In the Ancient Hebrew mind, the staff was also a symbol of authoritiy. -- WWW The Hebrew term? Purchase a ready-to-frame print or download the PDF file. In Hebrew it simply reads, "Yahweh is my shepherd." He restores us, causes us to return, brings us back to the fold. He leads me beside peaceful waters. He leads me beside still waters. The flock, be they sheep or goats, would be his companions and the shepherd would be their protector and provider. It is an extremely important word because it tells us something about the role of the leader that we absolutely must know. Expanded Translation: The divine love and grace of our shepherd radaph us all the way to heaven’s gate and into the arms of our waiting Father. Our breath is our life. Second, we read the "LORD" with a certain complacency unimaginable to early readers of this. English ; Adonai ro-i, lo ehsar. Hebrew: Strong's: Origin: He makes me lie down: ... GOD'S WORD® Translation He makes me lie down in green pastures. Literal Translation: So, as you can see, our old friend, Psalm 23, has some new stories to tell us. He used it to guide a member of the flock as well as use it as a weapon to defend the flock. What’s more, in the verses leading up to that phrase, the poet speaks of God in the third person: “he” does this and “he” does that. He leads me beside the still waters Psalm 23:2 Still – Actually, the Hebrew word here isn’t “still,” although that could be one of the nuances. As the BDB definition makes clear, … These treasures show us that, no matter how well we think we know this poem, there’s always more layers to uncover. chiastic arrangement). It’s also the word frequently used for “repent,” as in Jeremiah 3:22, “Return [shuv], O faithless sons; and I will heal your faithlessness.” In fact, in the Jewish tradition, the noun used for repentance is teshuva, from this root. But the second word, once we’ve removed the definite article at the beginning also begins with aleph, and so does the third word. And we’re all familiar with the parable that Jesus tells about the shepherd who leaves the ninety-nine sheep to search for the one, lost lamb (Luke 15:3-7). In its basic form, it means to turn, turn back, or return. And so he led his children in reciting the 23rd Psalm. Learn Psalm 23 in Hebrew! Welcome to 40 Minutes in the Old Testament, a show that moves chapter by chapter through the Old Testament, diving into scripture, and conversing about the sinner and saint aspects of God's Word. Then one day, they tell us a story about themselves that we’ve never heard before. Psa 23:2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. No prior knowledge of Hebrew is necessary! Were we to translate the Alpha and Omega from Greek it would be Alef/Tav, the grammatical marker of the direct object in Hebrew and the very center-word of Genesis 1:1, the most important mathematical verse in the Bible. The word is menuhot (plural) from nuah (to rest, to repose, to be quiet). They’ve been with us for as long as we can remember. The 23rd Psalm is perhaps the most quoted Psalm in the Bible. He will lead me over to still waters. Additional Notes: In fact, they’ve been with us so long we know them inside out. Yahweh is being compared to a shepherd. David's confidence in God's grace. 5:21). In addition, when I travel in the gorge of the shadow of the dead, I will not be afraid of bad things, because you are beside me, your staff and stick, they give me relief and I am consoled, Psalm 23:2: “He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters.” He makes me lie down… continually. He will return my breath to me and I will be restored. So in Psalm 23, not only does the Lord lead us in green pastures, down righteous paths, and beside quiet waters. But I want to point out the 7 names of God hidden in this beautiful Psalm. The 23rd Psalm is no exception, starting with the number 23. He guides his flock in righteous paths. 1st & 22nd Hebrew letter = 23. Biblical Commentary (Bible study) Psalm 23 EXEGESIS: CONTEXT: "A Psalm by David." Chad Bird is a Scholar in Residence at 1517. Certain sections of the Bible are like an old friend. 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