Psalm 23, Lost in translation

Psalm 23 “for thou art with me”

Numbers were important for the biblical writers and a recent biblical study reveals that a play on the structure may have been worked into the structure of the psalms to reinforce their meaning.[1]

יהוה (read right to left) is the four-letter Hebrew word for the name of God “I Am”. Commonly referred to as the Tetragrammaton. The four letters are

                                      י yodh, ה hey, ו waw, and ה hey

Each letter in the Hebrew alphabet has a numerical value associated with it,

                                       10    +    5     +    6    +    5    =    26

Meaning, יהוה “I am” has a numerical value of 26

Psalm 23 is a perfect example of numbers being worked into the structure of the psalm to reinforce its meaning, as there are 26 words that lead to the three-words at the heart of the psalm “for thou art with me”, and then there are 26  words leading out after this three-word heart. *But it only works if you read the psalm in Hebrew!

So what is special about the number 26?

Well, as we see in the chart above, each letter in the Hebrew alphabet has a numerical value, and it just happens that the letters Y H W H (the name of God) add up to 26. (as shown above)

The three Hebrew words kee ah-tah ee-mah-dee at the centre of the psalm mean “for thou art with me”. And so, the number play within the psalm helps to reinforce the central message of the psalm that YHWH is with me!

Psalm 23 (KJV)

¹ The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

² He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

³ He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

⁴ Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

⁵ Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

⁶ Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

Psalm 23 (Transliteration, how the Hebrew letters sound)

1. Miz-mohr leh-dah-vid, ah-doh-noi roh-ee loh ekh-sar.
2. Bin-oht deh-sheh yahr-bee-tzay-nee, ahl may meh-noo-khoht yeh-nah-hah-lay-nee.
3. Nahf-shee yeh-shoh-vayv, yahn-chay-nee veh-mah-geh-lay tzeh-dek leh-mah-ahn sheh-moh.
4. Gahm kee ay-laykh beh-gay tzahl-mah-veht, loh ee-rah rah, kee ah-tah ee-mah-dee, shiv-teh-khah oo-mish-ahn-teh-khah hay-mah yeh-nah-khah-moo-nee.
5. Tah-ah-rohkh leh-fah-nai shool-khahn neh-gehd tzoh-reh-rai, dee-shahn-tah vah-sheh-mehn roh-shee, koh-see reh-vah-yah.
6. Ahkh tohv vah-kheh-sehd yir-deh-foo-nee kohl yeh-may khah-yai, veh-shahv-tee beh-vayt ah-doh-noi leh-oh-rehch yah-mim.

Psalm 23 (Hebrew)

1.   מִזְמור לְדָוִד ה׳ רֹעִי לֹא אֶחְסָר.

2.   בִּנְאוֹת דֶשֶׁא יֵרְבִּיצֵנִי, עַל-מֵי מְנֻחוֹת יְנַהֲלֵנִי.

3.   נַפְשִׁי יְשׁוֹבֵב, יַנְחֵנִי בְמַעְגְלֵי-צֶדֶק לְמֵעֵן שְׁמו

4.   גַם כִּי-אֵלֵךְ בְּגֵיא צַלְמָוֶת לֹא-אִירָא רָע כִּי-אַתָּה עִמָדִי, שִׁבְטְךָ וּמִשְׁעַנְתֶּךָ הֵמָה יְנַחֲמֻנִי

5.   תַּעֲרֹךְ לְפָנַי שֻׁלְחָן נֶגֶד צֹרְרָי, דִשַנְתָּ בַשֶמֶן רֹאשִי כּוֹסִי רְוָיָה

6.   אַךְ, טוֹב וָחֶסֶד יִרְדְפוּנִי כָּל-יְמֵי חַיָי, וְשַׁבְתִּי בְּבֵית-ה׳ לְאֹרֶךְ יָמִים

Have a super day and God bless,

Trev.

[1]Clare Amos:  “Setting our Hearts on Fire”