HEBREW WORD STUDY – EVEN WITH GLORY – ‘APH KEBODI אפ כבודי Aleph Pei Kap Beth Vav Daleth Yod
Psalms 108:1: “O God, my heart is fixed, I will sing and give praise even with my glory.”
What does that mean to praise, even with my glory. What is David talking about when he says “his glory.” Have you ever had one of those times when you carry a burden that is just so overwhelming that you can’t “even pray”? You try to pray, but it is just such an effort, you feel so “weighted” down. Note the word I used, “weighted down.” You seek a a diversion, watching a football game, going to a movie, a party or even indulging in addictions like alcohol or drugs just to get your mind off that kavod. You see that is the Hebrew word for glory. We think of glory as something awesome and wonderful but also means a weightiness or heaviness.
Would you like Chaim Bentorah as your personal Hebrew teacher?
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This is the way David felt when he started to write this Psalm. You read this Psalm and it appears like one of his lighter moments. He seems so joyful, so happy. Yet, this first verse gives his true emotions away.
He calls out to God saying that his heart is fixed. The word for fixed is kon which has the idea of being established or directed. Today we would say his heart was focused. His heart was not focus on God but on his burden. He knows, however, that all he has to do is just change his focus off his kavod and then sing and give praise.
The word for praise that is used here is zamar. It is a song of praise, but it is a very focused praised. The word also is used for cutting or pruning. This is a very direct praise, no fluff, no disjointed or meaningless words, but a very specific praise. The word is also in a piel form with a paragogic Hei. This makes this a very direct and focused praise. A praise coming from the very depths of his being, his soul. It is a very intense praise. David is putting every fiber of his whole being into this praise that cuts through or prunes aways all that kavod.
Then he says: “Even with my glory.” Let’s take a closer look at this word for glory which is kavod and means heaviness. It can also mean burdensome or grievous. For better understanding since we have such a positive view of the word glory perhaps we could substitute the word glory for burden or grievous. David will give praise even with his burden.
David is overwhelmed with some very heavy burden. His heart is so fixed on this issue that he can not praise or worship God. So, he says he will sing a song of praise. Not just any praise. He could praise God for His power, for His majesty, etc. David has done this many times, but right now that is not the praise that he can offer. So, the praise he offers is “even” with his burden. The word even is aph which is often translated as indeed or furthermore. “I will praise you indeed with my burden.” Aph is a demonstrative particle, an exclamation .
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Thank you! This is an eye opener.
Psalms 108:1 “My Glory”
Could glory be his tongue? Ps. 57:8 says “Awake up, my glory; awake, psaltery and harp: I myself will awake early.” Then David goes on to say in 57:9 I will praise thee, O Lord, among the people: I will sing unto thee among the nations. It appears that for David to wake up his glory and sing praises he is telling his voice, or tongue to wake up so that he can praise God.
Comparing today’s verse in Ps 108:1 with Ps 16:9, “Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope.” Again David is saying his glory rejoices or praises God and when he praises God he rests in hope. Peter appears to quote this verse in Acts 2:26 “Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope: again he is comparing his glory to his tongue or voice to praise God and rest in God’s provisions. It is interesting to note that in acts 2 the people heard the disciples praising God, “…we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.” Acts 2:11b
Returning to Chiam’s study today focusing on the word “burden” in relation to praise, Paul declares in Romans 5:3 “And not only so, but we glory (praise God with our voice and tongue) in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;” Praise coupled with patience here in Romans, leads to the hope David proclaims comes from praise in Ps. 16:9.
In looking at Romans 5:3, in the full context of verses 1-6 we learn the process of generating great faith through praise. It is developed in Romans 5: 1,2 “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” Our glory (praise) and hope is based in 1) being justified by faith 2) we have peace with God. 3) access by faith 4) into grace (God’s ability to do for us what we cannot do for ourselves). 5) therefore we rejoice in the hope of glory of God (i.e. God’s glory is shown by His goodness towards us).
Then in verses 3-6 we see that burdens and tribulations cause our praise, faith and hope to grow as we experience God’s faithfulness and love. “And not only so, but we glory (praise) in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts [THE LOVE OF GOD IS SHED ABROAD IN OUR HEARTS, i.e. it grows! Hallelujah!] by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.” Romans 5:3-6
So to sum up: Our glory is our tongue in praise (including speaking in tongues, Acts 2) in the midst of our “weights and burdens” or “tribulations. And we praise the Lord because of hope. Our hope is in remembering God’s goodness towards us and we know we will overcome our burdens and tr5ibulations with his tender mercies and grace because Jesus died for us. Our praise (remembering God’s goodness) brings us into the rest promised in Ps. 16:9 (Cp. Heb. 4). All of this causes us to grow in faith and trust in God and His promises. We also grow in self-confidence in our ability to trust God and rest knowing He will provide. (remember the song from 2 Cor. 3:18? “From glory to glory he’s changing me”) .
THANK YOU! SO GOOD.