When I was a child, I memorized the Twenty-third Psalm. It has been a comfort to me much of my life. There have been times, such as sitting in a courtroom over family struggles, I’m sorry to say, that I have recited it over and over and over in my head hundreds of times. The Bible version we used when I was growing up was the Revised Standard Version, and this is the version I learned:
Psalm 23 Revised Standard Edition
A Psalm of David.
23
1 The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want;
2 he makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters;
3 he restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness
for his name’s sake.
4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I 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 my enemies;
thou anointest my head with oil,
my cup overflows.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life;
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
for ever.
My daughter recently shared with me a version of Psalm 23 sung by a group in Hebrew. The group’s name is Miqedem. By now you know at least some about what their group name means.
The more common way would be מ + קדמ. By now you know the מ routine.
We met קדם very early on the website, 03. Hebrew Thought, speaking of “directions/spatial orientation.” You see here a number of ways you might understand what they are about
Let’s also approach the name how we have recently been doing and say it could also be מק + דם.
GV p.143 מקק decay; p.139 מיק foul
CM מקק dissolve (B52); (מיק none listed – BUT should be listed as dissolve (B52))
+
GV p.52 דמם quiet [refrain from speech or action]; p.51 דמה resemble; p.48 דום quiet
DV p.3 אדם – p.52 דמם quiet [refrain from speech or action]; p.51 דמה resemble; p.48 דוםquiet > p.3 אדם be earthly and solid
DV דהם – p.52 דמם quiet [refrain from speech or action]; p.48 דום quiet > p.47 דהם confuse
CM דמם repress (D31); דמה lose independence (D30); p.48 דום hold together (D19); אדםcontrol (A17); דהם clarify/confuse (D15)
I ask you to listen, and realizing you likely know little Hebrew, focus on the subtitles of the lyrics that are on the screen.
Studio Version
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=RWM8gSSnz_8
This is another version of Psalm 23, an interpretation done by the Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch whose works the EDBH is based upon.
From the Hirsch Tehilim
Tehilim 23
- A Psalm of David. God is my shepherd, I shall want for nothing.
- He makes me lie down in Pleasant green pastures; he leads me beside the peaceful waters.
- Again and again he restores my soul; he desires to lead me in the paths of justice for His Name’s sake.
- Yet though I walk in the valley overshadowed by death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; Your rod and your staff they comfort me.
- You prepare a table before me in the presence of my oppressors; Once You anointed my head with oil; my cup has been full ever since.
- Only goodness and loving-kindness shall follow me all the days of my life, and then I shall return into the House of God — for all the length of time.
•••••••
Now we are going to shift gears for just a moment, and then return again to Psalm 23. I have highlighted a couple of things from the Zechariah passage below, and also shared some word explanations.
Zechariah 8:11-23 ESV
11 But now I will not deal with the remnant of this people as in the former days, declares the Lord of hosts. 12 For there shall be a sowing of peace. The vine shall give its fruit, and the ground shall give its produce, and the heavens shall give their dew. And I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these things. 13 And as you have been a byword of cursing among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, so will I save you, and you shall be a blessing. Fear not, but let your hands be strong.”
14 For thus says the Lord of hosts: “As I purposed to bring disaster to you when your fathers provoked me to wrath, and I did not relent, says the Lord of hosts, 15 so again have I purposed in these days to bring good to Jerusalem and to the house of Judah; fear not. 16 These are the things that you shall do: Speak the truth to one another; render in your gates judgments that are true and make for peace; 17 do not devise evil in your hearts against one another, and love no false oath, for all these things I hate, declares the Lord.” (My emphasis)
18 And the word of the Lord of hosts came to me, saying, 19 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: The fast (h6685. צוֹם ṣôm) of the fourth month and the fast (h6685. צוֹם ṣôm) of the fifth and the fast (h6685. צוֹם ṣôm) of the seventh and the fast (h6685. צוֹם ṣôm) of the tenth shall be to the house of Judah seasons of joy and gladness and cheerful feasts. Therefore love truth and peace.
20 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: Peoples shall yet come, even the inhabitants of many cities. 21 The inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, ‘Let us go at once to entreat the favor of the Lord and to seek the Lord of hosts; I myself am going.’ 22 Many peoples and strong nations shall come to seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem and to entreat the favor of the Lord. 23 Thus says the Lord of hosts: In those days ten men from the nations (h1471. גּוֹיgôy) of every tongue shall {take hold} (h2388. חָזַק ḥâzaq) of the robe (h3671. כָּנָף ḵânâp̱) of a Jew, saying, ‘Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.’”
fast (h6685. צוֹם ṣôm)
nations (h1471. גּוֹי gôy)
{take hold} (h2388. חָזַק ḥâzaq)
robe (h3671. כָּנָף ḵânâp̱)
•••••••
The fasts the LORD refers to are other instances of a way of life that fosters and encourages self-discipline. A fast is challenging enough for all of us, but corporate fasting, sharing in the challenges, brings another level of meaning, as in “we are all in this together.” We are all in this together. And why would those from the nations of every tongue grasp the robe of Jews? What other nation has been through so much tribulation in life, including from their brothers and sisters, and yet learned to endure? The other nations have heard “that God is with them.”
If you don’t know a real-life Jew, maybe you should. But if you don’t, recall they are the tribe of Judah, the root word is ידה. Even more than just learning to endure, ידה, means praise, giving thanks, confessing.
•••••••
OK, one more time through Psalm 23. This time, pay no attention to the words at the bottom. Listen: Shema. Hear the words, hear the voices. If this does not touch your heart, then you really need to know one from the tribe of Judah. We all need to be ones who give thanks and praise, even in quarantine.
Quarantine Version
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=uvBcr4Em6CQ&feature=youtu.be
Did you have thoughts about what miqedem might mean?
Recall from 03. Hebrew Thought, all Hebrew orientation is based upon a person standing and facing the East, the rising sun. The future is behind, the past in front, at the face. קדם is listed in EDBH in many beautiful ways. It might also be the “dissolving” of the quiet of the night, with a new day dawning. Open your mind to possibilities and thank the LORD, for God is indeed with us. Give praise! And if you can’t find one from Judah, find one in your midst, you know who it is, who praises the LORD even in times of trouble. Even in quarantine.
And special thanks to my daughter who shared this quarantine version with me. I could hardly stop crying.
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