Read Psalm 18 at Bible Gateway.
Psa 18:30-32 Chiasm
1A) Psa 18:30a As for God, His way is PERFECT; {n}
1B) Psa 18:30b The word of YHVH is proven; He is a SHIELD to all who trust in Him;
CENTRAL AXIS) Psa 18:31 FOR WHO IS GOD, EXCEPT YHVH? AND WHO IS A ROCK, EXCEPT OUR GOD?
2B) Psa 18:32a It is God who arms me with STRENGTH;
2A) Psa 18:32b And makes my way PERFECT.
Hebrew root word parables
18:30 WAY. Strong’s H1870 דרך derek, a concrete object; from Strong’s H1869 דרך darak, a primitive root meaning, “to tread.”
dalet ד = the door, thus enter, move, hang
resh ר = the head of man, thus head, first, top, beginning, man
kaph כ ך = the open palm, thus bend, open, allow, tame
The story: The back and forth movement (dalet) of the ox to turn the grindstone and tread out the grain, when the man (resh) has tamed him (kaph) to his way. The same word is also found in vs. 32.
18:30 PERFECT Strong’s H8549 תמים tamiym (the same word is also found in vs. 32). Don’t miss this story: The cross (tav) covered by the mighty (mem) blood (mem) of Yeshua finishes and makes complete.
My way, or habitual course of action that I tread again and again, has been perfected by the cross covered by the mighty blood. This is its definition from the foundation of the world, millennia before the advent of Yeshua. It is yet another testimony from Scripture that when man receives Yeshua, he is receiving atonement covering his way, the mercy seat covering the law, and forgiveness covering his sins. It is this kindness which leads him to repentance of his former way without God, and strength girded about him to tread a new path, a right path, in YHVH’S footsteps.
18:30 SHIELD Strong’s H4043 מגן magen;
18:30 TO TRUST, TAKE REFUGE Strong’s H2620 חסה chasah; a primitive root meaning, “to seek or find refuge.” The 3-letter root is chet + sin + hey.
chet ח = the wall, thus outside, divide, half
sin ס = the thorn, thus grab, hate, protect
hey ה = man w/ raised arms, thus look, reveal, wonder, worship, breath
The story: When the wall (chet) which protects (sin) is found (hey, in the sense of pointing out a discovery). Our English word “house” comes from the CH-S root.
18:32 STRENGTH Strong’s H2428 חיל chayil; an abstract concept meaning, “strength, ability, or virtue;” from Strong’s H2342 חול chuwl, a primitive root meaning, “to twist or writhe,” “to be strong or firm.” The ancient pictographs are chet + vav + lamed.
chet ח = the wall, thus outside, divide, half
vav ו = the tent peg, thus add, secure, hook
lamed ל = the shepherd’s staff, thus teach, yoke, to, bind
At the heart of this verb (and all cognate words) is a tool used in the ancient world called a bow drill. The bow string wrapped around (chet) the drill shaft (lamed) and by twirling the string, the shaft bored the hole. Thus the meaning of twisting or writhing. How is this related to valor? When an army is faced with a wall, as in a walled city, or a man is faced with a giant, who is as a wall, an obstacle to overcome, it is valor that enables him to concentrate power or resources to bore a hole into that wall, and make a breach. Another way to look at it is as a wall (chet) secures (vav) authority (lamed), so strength, ability, and virtue are as a firm wall securing the man.
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