Hebrew Class 2014 Psalm 119:9-16 Hebrew Word Studies Lesson Two

Psalm 119: בַּמֶּ ֣ ה יְזַכֶּה־נַּ ֭ עַר אֶת־אָרְח ֑ וֹ לִ ֝ שְׁמֹ ֗ ר כִּדְבָרֶֽךָ׃ 10 בְּכָל־לִבִּ ֥ י דְרַשְׁתִּ ֑ יךָ אַל־תַּ ֝ שְׁגֵּ ֗ נִי מִמִּצְוֹתֶֽיךָ׃ 11 בְּ ֭ לִבִּי צָפַ ֣ נְתִּי אִמְרָתֶ ֑ ךָ לְ ֝ מַ ֗ עַן לֹ ֣ א אֶֽחֱטָא־לָֽךְ׃ 12 בָּר ֖ וּךְ אַתָּ ֥ ה יְהוָ ֗ ה לַמְּדֵ ֥ נִי חֻקֶּֽיךָ׃ 13 בִּשְׂפָתַ ֥ י סִפַּ ֑ רְתִּי כֹּ ֝֗ ל מִשְׁפְּטֵי־פִֽיךָ׃ 14 בְּדֶ ֖ רֶךְ עֵדְוֹתֶ ֥ יךָ שַׂ ֗ שְׂתִּי כְּעַ ֣ ל כָּל־הֽוֹן׃ 15 בְּפִקֻּדֶ ֥ יךָ אָשִׂ ֑ יחָה וְ ֝ אַבִּ ֗ יטָה אֹרְחֹתֶֽיךָ׃ 16 בְּחֻקֹּתֶ ֥ יךָ אֶֽשְׁתַּעֲשָׁ ֑ ע לֹ ֭ א אֶשְׁכַּ ֣ ח דְּבָרֶֽךָ׃ Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia: with Westminster Hebrew Morphology. (1996). (electronic ed., Ps 119:916). Stuttgart; Glenside PA: German Bible Society; Westminster Seminary.

Psalm 119:9-16 א – Aleph (ah-lef) (vs. 1-8) – an ox – generally refers to prosperity; strength under an agricultural economy. Reminder – we must keep our focus on the source of the prosperity, and not the prosperity itself; on the source of things, and not on the things themselves. Do the opposite, and you will lose your blessing; your prosperity (that is what has happened in this country). Principle – there is no stability in the details of life, the stability is in the source (I Corinthians 4:7). The only prosperity in life worth having; the only prosperity in life that counts is the riches in the Word of God that causes you to know who & what the Lord is; to orient to His grace; to respond so that you can fulfill this principle – I WILL ADORE THE LORD!

Psalm 119:9-16 בּ ( ב ) – Beth (bayth) – a house; a tent – generally refers to the plan of God; living, or, being at home in the plan of God for your life. Principle – God has a wonderful plan for your life & desires to have you dwell in that plan; to be at home in it.

Psalm 119:9-16 Vs. 9 – בַּמֶּ ֣ ה – b (prep. in; at; among; upon; with) (TWOT 193) plus mā(h) (what?; which; that; how) (S 4078 & 4100 – TWOT 425). Vs. 10 – בְּכָל – b (see above) plus kōl (all; the whole) (S 3605 – TWOT 985a). Vs בְּ ֭ לִבִּי – b (see above) plus lēb (the heart; one’s inner self) (S 3820 – TWOT 1071a). Vs. 12 – בָּר ֖ וּךְ – barak (bless; to bless) (S 1288 – TWOT 285) - verb, qal, passive participle, masculine, singular, absolute. Vs. 13 – בִּשְׂפָתַ ֥ י - b (see above) plus saphah (lips) (S8193 – TWOT 2278a). Vs. 14 – בְּדֶ ֖ רֶךְ – b (see above) plus derek (way; road; journey) (S 1870 – TWOT 453a). Vs. 15 – בְּפִקֻּדֶ ֥ יךָ - b (see above) plus piqquwd (precept; statute; a mandate of God) (S 6490 – TWOT 1802e). Vs. 16 – בְּחֻקֹּתֶ ֥ יךָ - b (see above) plus chuqqah (statute; ordinance) (S 2708 – TWOT 728b).

Psalm 119:9-16 Vs. 11 – “heart” (also vs. 10) lēb – heart; understanding; mind (one’s inner self). Use TWOT (1071a) to develop the doctrine of the heart. For example: Doctrine of The Heart (Old Testament) – 1.Meaning of the word lēb – Heart, understanding, mind (also used in idioms such as “to set the heart upon,” meaning “to think about” or “to want.” 2.Concrete meanings referred to the internal organ & to analogous physical locations (very few usages refer to concrete, physical meanings – see I Sam. 25:37; Ps. 38:10 for examples). 3.In its abstract meanings, “heart” became the richest biblical term for the totality of man’s inner, or immaterial nature.

Psalm 119:9-16 Doctrine of The Heart (Old Testament) (cont’d) – 4.The whole spectrum of emotion is attributed to the heart… 5.There are numerous idioms relating the heart to fear & bravery… 6.Thought functions may be attributed to the heart… 7.Wisdom & understanding are seated in the heart… 8.The heart is the seat of the will… 9.The heart is the seat of moral responsibility… 10.Some typical personality dispositions located in the heart are…

Psalm 119:9-16 Vs. 9 – “cleanse” – zakah (zaw-kaw’) (S TWOT 549) - verb, piel, imperfect, third person, masculine, singular. To make clean; make pure; keep clean; keep pure. Used only in poetry, & always in a moral sense. Doctrine of Purity Vs. 9 – “taking heed” - shamar (shaw-mar’) (S 8104 – TWOT 2414) - verb, qal, infinitive construct. To keep; guard; keep watch & ward; protect; have charge of; to exercise great care over. Doctrine of Guarding

Psalm 119: גְּמֹ ֖ ל עַֽל־עַבְדְּךָ ֥ אֶֽחְיֶ ֗ ה וְאֶשְׁמְרָ ֥ ה דְבָרֶֽךָ׃ 18 גַּל־עֵינַ ֥ י וְאַבִּ ֑ יטָה נִ ֝ פְלָא ֗ וֹת מִתּוֹרָתֶֽךָ׃ 19 גֵּ ֣ ר אָנֹכִ ֣ י בָאָ ֑ רֶץ אַל־תַּסְתֵּ ֥ ר מִ ֝ מֶּ ֗ נִּי מִצְוֹתֶֽיךָ׃ 20 גָּרְסָ ֣ ה נַפְשִׁ ֣ י לְתַאֲבָ ֑ ה אֶֽל־מִשְׁפָּטֶ ֥ יךָ בְכָל־עֵֽת׃ 21 גָּ ֭ עַרְתָּ זֵדִ ֣ ים אֲרוּרִ ֑ ים הַ ֝ שֹּׁגִים מִמִּצְוֹתֶֽיךָ׃ 22 גַּ ֣ ל מֵֽ ֭ עָלַי חֶרְפָּ ֣ ה וָב ֑ וּז כִּ ֖ י עֵדֹתֶ ֣ יךָ נָצָֽרְתִּי׃ 23 גַּ ֤ ם יָֽשְׁב ֣ וּ שָׂ ֭ רִים בִּ ֣ י נִדְבָּ ֑ רוּ עַ ֝ בְדְּךָ ֗ יָשִׂ ֥ יחַ בְּחֻקֶּֽיךָ׃ 24 גַּֽם־עֵ ֭ דֹתֶיךָ שַׁעֲשֻׁעָ ֗ י אַנְשֵׁ ֥ י עֲצָתִֽי׃ Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia: with Westminster Hebrew Morphology. (1996). (electronic ed., Ps 119:1624). Stuttgart; Glenside PA: German Bible Society; Westminster Seminary.

Psalm 119:17-24 גּ ( ג ) – Gimel (ghee-mel) – gimel is a camel; camel’s neck; soul. The camel is a beast of burden; well-traveled. Represents an extensive knowledge of Bible doctrine (cf. Matthew 11:29, 30).