Read Psalm 41 here (text coming …) or at Bible Gateway.
The Hebrew paragraph:
41:1-13 {p} When enemies are against me, and even friends betray me, YHVH delights in me and is gracious to me
Psa 40:1-13 Chiastic Structure:
What YHVH will do for the man who considers the poor, according to the Hebrew Root Words:
Deliver is in Hebrew, Strong’s H4422, מלט malat, a primitive verb meaning, “to slip away, to escape.”
mem מ, ם = water, thus chaos, mighty, blood
lamed ל = shepherd’s staff, thus teach, yoke, to, bind
tet ט = basket, thus surround, contain, hold, mud
The parable is that when one is overwhelmed (mem, as water overwhelms a drowning man), the shepherd’s staff (lamed) draws him out of the chaos which encompassed (tet) him.
Preserve is Strong’s H8104, שמר shamar, a primtive verb meaning, “to keep, to watch, to guard as a husbandman or shepherd.” The Ancient Hebrew Lexicon reveals that the shin + mem were originally a sin + nun, the similar sounds becoming transposed over time.
sin ס = thorn, thus grab, hate, protect
nun נ ן = seed, thus continue, heir, son
resh ר = head of man, thus head, first, top, beginning, man
The parable is of shepherds who would surround their flocks at night with thorn branches to protect them from predators when they were pasturing them away from the fold. They kept or guarded their flocks so that their children would be provided for. Thus, to closely guard (sin) for the next generation (nun) that which is of first importance (resh).
Keep alive is Strong’s H2421, חיה chayah, a primitive root meaning, “to live, to have life.”
chet ח = wall, thus outside, divide, half
yud י = closed hand, thus work, throw, worship
hey ה = man w/ raised arms, thus look, reveal, wonder, worship, breath
The parable is of the outside (chet) work (yud) a man does provides food, thus breath (hey) or life, for himself and his family.
Bless is Strong’s H833, אשר ashar, a primitive root meaning, “to be straight.”
aleph א = ox head, thus strength, power, leader
shin ש = two front teeth, thus sharp, press, eat, two, again
resh ר = head of man, thus head, first, top, beginning, man
The parable is of strong (aleph) cord (shin + resh) as a plumb line, so also upright. In the patriarchal era, a cord was made when two (shin) strips of leather or sinew were attached at the top (resh) and then twisted together in such a fashion so as to lock their fibers. A plumb line was a cord with a weight attached to one end and held above the ground. The plumb line hung exactly vertical to the ground and was used to measure that a wall was being straightly built.
To be happy in the Hebraic worldview is to be upright. As well, righteousness creates happiness and blessing. See Deu 4:40, Deu 28:2, Psa 1:1-3, Psa 119:1, Pro 3:13-18, Pro 29:18.
Sustain is Strong’s H5582, סעד sa’ad, a primitive root meaning, “to support, to strengthen, to comfort.”
sin ס = thorn, thus grab, hate, protect
ayin ע = eye, thus watch, know, shade
dalet ד = door, thus enter, move, hang
The parable is that when a thorn (sin) troubles, someone who sustains shades (ayin) the afflicted enters his door (dalet) to provide comfort or support.
Overturn (sickness or calamity) is Strong’s H2015, הפך haphak, a primitive root meaning, “to turn.”
hey ה = man w/ raised arms, thus look, reveal, wonder, worship, breath
pey פ ף = mouth, thus open, blow, scatter, edge
kaph כ ך = open palm, thus bend, open, allow, tame
The parable is to upraise (hey) a flask (being a mouth (pey) opened (kaph) as a vessel for storing contents). You upraise a flask to overturn it to pour out its contents; so that the flask is turned in the complete opposite direction from its usual state.
Be gracious to is Strong’s H2603, חנן chanan, a primitive verb meaning, “to be favorably inclined.”
chet ח = wall, thus outside, divide, half
nun נ ן = seed, thus continue, heir, son
nun נ ן = seed, thus continue, heir, son
The parable is of the wall (chet) which continues (nun) to the benefit of the children (nun). In ancient days the family tents of the clan were arranged in a large circle, forming a wall. This circular wall which continues, enclosed the area of safety for the children of the clan within. This was their home: a place of safety, beauty, favor, and lovingkindness. According to the Ancient Hebrew Lexicon, the English word “home” is from the ch-n root, transposing the m sound for the n over time.
Raise up is Strong’s H6965, קום quwm, a primitive root meaning, “to arise.”
quph ק = sun on the horizon, thus condense, circle, time
vav ו = tent peg, thus add, secure, hook
mem מ ם = water, thus chaos, mighty, blood
The related words will help us find the story. The verb is “to arise,” and the concrete noun is a standing grainstalk. Other words are a stand, a height, or a decree as a standing word. A stalk or a plant arises and stands up when it gathers (quph, as light leaves the earth and sky to be gathered to the sun when it is on the horizon) to itself (vav, in the context of adding) water (mem) drawn up from the root.
Uphold is Strong’s H8551, תמך tamak, a primitive root meaning, “to grasp, hold up, support.”
tav ת = crossed sticks, thus mark, sign, signal, monument
mem מ ם = water, thus chaos, mighty, blood
kaph כ ך = open palm, thus bend, open, allow, tame
The parable is of the stake (tav) set in the midst of an unruly (mem) vine which tames (kaph) its growth habit and supports it.
Establish is Strong’s H5324, נצב natsab, a primitive root meaning, “to stand.”
nun נ ן = seed, thus continue, heir, son
tsadey צ ץ = trail, thus a man concealed, journey, chase, hunt
bet ב = house, thus house, household, family, in, within
The parable is that when a man conceals himself while hunting, he is often on his side. So the side (tsadey) of the house (bet) is a wall, one of the cognate words from this root. Thus an erect (nun) wall (tsadey + bet), i.e., standing firm as an erect wall.
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