Hebrew Word Study – The Master’s Hand – Yad ‘Ha’adonihem יד האדניהם Yod Daleth Hei Aleph Daleth Nun Yod Hei Mem
“Psalms 123:2: “Behold as the eyes of the servant look unto the hand of their masters, and the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress: so our eyes wait upon the Lord our God until that he have mercy upon us.”
In oriental culture, a servant is called by the clapping of hands, and to show what is required of the servant, the master will gesture but not speak a word. They are not to make eye contact with the master, but to watch the hands very closely and to understand each gesture of the hand. As the servant becomes more intimate with his master, the slightest gesture of the master’s hand will bring an immediate and proper response. The servant needs to see nothing more than the master’s hand. In a world where life was much simpler, this was much easier than in our modern culture, yet the servant still had to watch the gestures of his master’s hands very closely, and or he would fail in his service.
For most Christians, they have a real problem hearing God’s voice, although they will never admit it. Those that do admit it are not sure what they are looking for when they do hear God’s voice. I know for myself, I like things to be concrete, like finding it in the Word of God. So, look to appearances of certain numbers, signs, coincidences and indeed God does speak to Christian this way, except not with this old boy.
“Behold as the eyes of the servant look unto the hand of their masters.” The word for eyes is ayin, like in the Hebrew letter Ayin. This word means not only means seeing with physical eyes but spiritual eyes as well. The Psalmist is saying in this verse that he is focusing his eyes on his master’s hands until he has mercy on him. The word “mercy” is chanan with a shin prefix (this prefix turns a verb into the person who does the action). Chanan is used to express mercy and favor, but the Cheth in this word also indicates that this favor is a unity of heart. The writer is expressing that we are closely watching the hand of God, our master so that we will be one with Him and perform the service that is of His heart’s desire. Just as the servant closely watches his master’s hand for the slightest gesture that would be meaningless to anyone else around except for the servant. The servant knows his master’s heart so well that he sees his master’s heart in every gesture.
Would you like Chaim Bentorah as your personal Hebrew teacher?
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Right now I am trying to make a decision. My physical ears hear my pet doves singing which is odd. In the four years, I have had these little pets I never really hear them sing at this time of day. Perhaps it is just a coincidence that as I formulate my decision I hear my doves singing as if to be in agreement with my decision and God is using my little friends to confirm that I am about to make the right decision. Then again just a coincidence. Perhaps my doves have sung at this time of day and I just did not notice. Yet, if I am watching my Master’s hand very closely through my spiritual eyes, it will not be a coincidence for me, but a very slight gesture of my master’s hand telling me His heart’s desire. Not voice out of heaven, not bolt of lightning striking my computer, just the quiet peace song of a dove. But, you see, only I can determine if it is a gesture from my Master or just mere coincidence, for it is up to me alone to understand my Master’s heart.
The servant is devoted to his master. He loves, honors, and respects his master and thus he watches his every move, he seeks every opportunity to learn his master’s heart, so that when his master gives a very slight gesture, he and only he the servant will know what it means. He will not have to see his master or hear his voice, all he will need is that slight little gesture.
God is speaking to us all the time through many gestures of His divine hand. Most of us miss these gestures because we do not have the eyes of a servant watching his master’s hand as given to us by the writer of this Psalm.
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Thanks & Blessings, it means a lot to me!
Teacher,
This is liberating truth!
Thank you.
Thank you Dear Teacher,
Again what you write is wonderful , beautiful and very very true .
God has taught me many things through birds . Where I live in the city there is only one bird that has a real song other than peep peep or chirp chirp . I only hear it in early spring and summer . I was in my sixties and had never even seen this bird and I imagined it to be a big bird in order to have such song . So I asked God to let me see this bird .Then one day I was standing by a tree while waiting for a bus a very small bird landed so near to me that could have touched him . He began to sing his heart out to me and that was unusual . What I learned from that bird is that you don’t have to be big and powerful for your voice to be heard and have meaning.
God wasn’t through with me concerning the little bird . A friend and I were in a park when the same type of little bird landed very close to us and began to sing . This was not the first time God had answered a prayer twice . The number 2 kept coming to me . Then it dawned on me to look for 2 in the Bible and not only 2 words in a sentence but 2 stories that are much the same but have something different . These stories have a deeper meaning . Chaim I know that you know these deeper meanings but some of your new readers may not.
May God teach us to see how interwoven the ” Old Testament “and the “New Testament” really are .
A short time after entering into Covenant with the Lord many years ago He began to highlight the sound of a distant train whistle to me. Through the years He has used that most beautiful sound at divinely appointed moments to confirm His keeping presence, direction and summons. He has also used the repetition of specific times on a clock as well.
So very beautiful! Thank you for your knowledge and insight. God bless you all-ways
This is very helpful, thank you!