Hebrew Word Study – Make Complete – Galah: מָלֵא – Gimmel Lamed Hei
Psalms 20:5: “We will rejoice in your salvation and in the name of our God we will set up our banners. The Lord fulfill all your petitions.”
Syntax in the Classical Hebrew is not an exact science. Most of our Christian translators will opt for what works when there is a dispute over the syntax. In our Western scientific culture we tend to resist the idea that the ambiguity of the syntax in a passage, such as found in Psalms 20:6, would suggest a broader interpretation. Rather than embrace the ambiguity, we force it into a definitive and singular thought.
I am speaking of the last phrase in this verse, “The Lord will fulfill all your petitions.” This promise is just not true, at least in my case. I can not say that God has fulfilled all my petitions and it appears doubtful there are many, if anyone, who can honestly say God has fulfilled all their petitions. The KJV hedges on this by leaving the word “will” out of their rendering. By saying “The Lord fulfill all your petitions” is a cop out, but a good cop out. The reader could read this as “May the Lord fulfill all your petitions.” Indeed the NIV and NAS actually render it this way. Most of your modern translations prefer the KJV cop out and will leave it to you to decide. You see this is not in a cohortative form. That is in the form of a desire or wish. It clearly is in an imperfect form and in a piel form to boot. It would need to be in a qal form if it is to be cohortative. Not only will He fulfill your petitions but as a piel He will fulfill every single one of your petitions. That is great news except I do not see that this is happening. Besides, can you imagine what this world would be like if every single petition we make to God was fulfilled? I mean we would all be lottery winners. The translators know this so they do not translate it as it would literally be translated as: “The Lord will fulfill all your petitions.” By rendering it “the Lord fulfill your petitions” they are leaving it up to you to put the word “may” in there. At least the NIV and NAS don’t play those games, and they come right out and put the “may” in there. If you question why they do this when it is not cohortative they will simply say that this is what makes the most sense.
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The rabbis have a little shift in the syntax that Christians translators would avoid because if they did translate it with a Jewish syntax it would open up a can with more worms than their own rendering opens up. Yet, if you are really seeking the heart of God, perhaps it is a rendering to be considered.
First let me point out that the word gala’ (fulfill) raises an issue that no one seems to question. Gala’ does not mean to answer, or to grant. It means to make complete, to fill up to completion, as you would fill a cup of water up to the brim. I find it hard to make sense out of the idea that the Lord will make your petitions full or will fill your petitions up to the brim. You could imply “fulfill” from this, but there are a number of other Hebrew words that would express this idea much more clearly. I believe the use of the word gala’ would really be an indication as to the proper syntax. For this could be rendered not “The Lord fill or complete your petitions,” but rather “The Lord is complete or filled with your petitions.” Hence, this is not a promise that God will grant your every petition, but He will receive your petition, He will not ignore you.
The sages take this a step further. In the Tikkunei Zohar 7 it is taught that “They cry out like dogs, but there is no one to wake in their presence to break their prison house.” What the writer is saying is that the main repentance must be for God’s honor. We repent not to save our own gizzard, but to restore the honor of God. When God is restored to His rightful place in our hearts, He can then break the stronghold that sin holds on our lives. Rabbi Mevaser Chukas put it this way: “In all you request, have in mind the honor of Shechinah, that all God’s request be fulfilled.” In other words, all of your requests to God should be that God is fulfilled.
David is sharing some really nifty insight here if we accept this little spin on the syntax. We do not need God to fulfill all our petitions. If we seek to fulfill God and He is made complete through our petitions to Him, then should it not naturally follow that we also will be made complete if we abide in Him? Did not Jesus say: “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and then all these things will be added unto you.” Matthew 6:33. I think David is telling us Psalms 20:5 that we should also seek Him first in our prayer of petition.
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Thanks & Blessings, it means a lot to me!
Read this not three hours ago:
chaimbentorah.com/2023/05/hebrew-word-study-sovereign-power-malek/
2d ago in the middle of the night, I found myself doing a happy dance singing:
HE’s suffering through it too; HE is with us! [in the dark, in the bathroom]
That’s because it was an epiphany, it finally clicked in place that no matter what
we go through, suffering or pain that GOD is suffering thru it with us and worse
HE is not being cruel since HE HIMSELF has to endure it with us & carry us thru it,
an infinitely worse experience for HIM. But I guarantee you are not going to say
that when you are undergoing a prolonged hardship—I even woke up saying so
the past few months.
Over the years quite enjoy Psalm 42:7, had assumed it meant GOD was the deep
calling the deep issues within each of us to awaken or something like that since
att had an inexpressible need for HIM to respond to my plight, but had no clue
what it was—just some deep unknown longing, like something needed fixing bc
things were getting embarrassingly bad.
You know what’s crazy though C&L? Whenever my bosses tried to write me up for
being tardy, they got a black-eye for it—I had a boss get the royal treatment for
weeks no matter how early she tried to get up & beat her way to work on time.
One thing after another came up, did not catch on till week three, when she said
she’d be working from home.
I’ve had this thing GOD was doing to show me how useless I am at something as
tiny as waking up, I slept thru countless alarms: had 5 alarms set on nose-bleed
volumes, slept thru them all. Still did not get the memo. . . eventually developed
fear that resulted in trouble sleeping, which led to greater difficulty waking. It’s
kind of funny & stupid but I finally gave up & said I don’t care GOD, YOU wake me
—none of the strategies work, 17yrs. And I haven’t used an alarm since ~2016.
Point is I’m a little slow.
Four days before the epiphany, I had one of those GOD’s speaking to me—as I
read Psalm 41, grabbing 9 translations to see the spread in understanding.
Stomach pain level 1 started to climb up beyond normal, within 5 minutes it
went to level 3, & as it hit level 4 was no longer able to ignore it—interfered
with ability to concentrate on the passage. About to put head down or some-
thing, a knock on my door:
I’m presented with both a cure & a diagnosis followed by hot tomato soup…
Not joking you, split second before I can think, GOD is speaking, I should say
that the pressure in my life has reached Jonah in the storm, & it is starting to
endanger the lives of those in my community.
But check out GOD’s answer to my question & ailment, v.11 & 3 respectively.
[MSG] ³ Whenever we’re sick & in bed, GOD becomes our nurse, nurses us back
to health. or [Berean] The LORD will sustain him on his bed of illness & restore
him from his bed of sickness. Eugene has a way with words doesn’t he? LOL
Psalm 41:11 [LSV] ¹¹ By this I have known, that YOU have
delighted in me, because my enemy does not shout over me.
I should explain, GOD is taking me thru a financial drought for a 3rd time that is
pronounced & the thing has hit the fan for the ppl living in my housing estate so
from what I’ve read—GOD is making waves for us all.
Like it’s scary how this works: GOD still wants me humbled, but those who want
to slam me for the obvious crap performance/track record can eat pie & I didn’t
order it. I’d much prefer it that GOD helped me to stop being late for things, or
have trust issues, but no. This is why it’s scary to judge others, we don’t know
what we’re going to get in return for it. But we do it, & we have to go thru it…
But we can’t be told this, we have to experience it for ourselves first hand know-
ledge, not book smart tactics; probably why GOD said “You search the Scriptures
because you think that in them you have everlasting life & these are they which
testify about ME.” [John 5:39]
or the time JESUS scolds the holier-than-thou for how they spread the Gospel:
Matthew 23:15-16 “Woe to you Teachers of the Law & Pharisees, you hypocrites!
You travel over land and Sea to win a single convert, & when you have succeeded
—you make him twice as much a son of Hell as you are. 16 Woe to you, blind
guides! You say, ‘If anyone swears by the Temple, it means nothing but if anyone
swears by the gold of the Temple, he is bound by his oath.’
Again, I don’t have a firm grip on these passages, but they came to mind as I was
trying to nail down my disparate thoughts—it is hard to sleep with so many ideas
swimming around s/x…btw I enjoy so much of what you’ve written Chaim & Fam,
I love you guys so much for it—refreshing honesty.
[a] I couldn’t stop thanking GOD for HIS goodness, after the cure & experience
with HIM talking to me like that, so obviously instant & it was confirmation
to some Jewish literature I had read the night before that we are singing
HIS praises incessantly. Even if we do not consciously know it yet…
I’ve literally never had a clearer connection between life & the passage:
Are you not worth more than the swallows and the lilies of the field…?
Do I not clothe & feed & care for you better than they…? YES!!!
GOD is better than 1000 providers, HE is the MAN. [Psalm 50:10]
No seriously, we have our dark thoughts but GOD sings them away
HE is the reason we have brighter days ahead of us, no matter what
[b] But I had a few days before, that were worse than denying HIM, I refused to
comply to what HE asked of me, or seemed to be hinting at for me to do. . .
because it is no joke GOD wants us to go do what does not actually make
sense: What scares us, where abuse is going to be had… Like it is suicidal
from a logical stand point, and it’s not like HE fixes our situation so we can
have the faith to go into the storm, it’s like HE sends more & worse storms
smoke us out of the fox hole.
My point is, I’m Jonah again. But HE is still talking to me, and now I wonder
if I should put out a fleece, or just jump in & blindly pick someone to do the
deed with. It’s not like it matters who as long as we get the what done right?
After all that, I feel like I could Tom Cruise it off the cliff if HE asked me to now!!!
Here, I think, is one petition that He will not deny us..
“Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy.
O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console,
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.”
You bless me every time I read, or reread, so much of what you write. Thank you.
That is an outstanding explanation! As a retired professor of applied linguistics, I find your various analyses coherent and deeply encouraged.
How wonder full is He, the Word, in Spirit & Truth.
Such a powerhouse insight re prayer & restoration which will enable fellowship, heart to heart.
Thank you
Is the transliterated word galah or mala ??
Thank you for your wonderful lesson!
According to Radak this psalm was actually written by one of David’s musicians. Ibn Ezra says ii is referring to when the Messiah comes. I believe it was written by his musician and is said as a blessing like the word Shalom which means may you have all you need in life.
I believe that we must never say that God will do something or won’t do something. To do that is to take God’s name in vain. Look at Job’s so called friends and see what happened to them.
Interesting word. FYI: Whoever placed the Hebrew letters there for you actually put Mem, Lamed, Aleph, not Gimel, lamed, hey.
Beautiful!
This is so complete. Ultimate correct focus.
I have no words to describe what this truth means to me.