Psalm 56:9: “When I cry unto thee, then shall mine enemies turn back: this I know; for God is for me.”
It is clear both in English and Hebrew that David’s enemies were not going to turn back until he cried unto the Lord. He says he knows this. This knowing is the Hebrew word yada. It is the same word that is used when Cain knew his wife, it is an expression of intimacy. He has obviously had a lot of experience in this crying out to the Lord and he knows that the Lord is for him or to him. The preposition before the pronoun can be rendered as either to, for or unto. We need to be a little careful with that preposition that is embodied in a Lamed l which is used to express the English words to, for, or unto. Our first impression on reading this is that God is on David’s side, He is with him all the way. It does mean that but there is so much more to it than that. Remember, Hebrew is a relationship language and you must consider your understanding of a passage of Scripture in terms of relationships. This preposition or Lamed is expressing a relationship that God has with David. David is just not talking about his relationship to God, but God’s relationship to Him as well. God is for (Lamed) him.
The sages teach that this Lamed l is the tallest letter in the alphabet. It is a picture of reaching up to receive true knowledge and understanding. At the center of the lamed l lies a little bump. That bump is a picture of the heart. You must put all knowledge and understanding that comes from God into your heart for it to be of any value.
The occasion of this Psalm comes at a time when David found himself in the Philistine camp, he was surrounded by his enemies. Ever find yourself in a situation like that? Problems just seem to surround you. I don’t’ know about you, but I sure can sure related to that experience. I know the promises of God, I know what His Word says, yet I still fret and worry. David said: “This I know ( yada I am intimate with) that God is for (Lamed) me. When taken within the context of that Lamed l he is really saying, “I am intimate with the Divine knowledge because it is in my heart.”
Alas, that seems to be my problem. I know it, but I am not intimate – yada with it. I need to walk a few more miles in that knowledge, as I do not yet have that knowledge in my heart. How do you put this knowledge in your heart? Well you yada it, that is you become intimate with that knowledge. Now I am talking in circles because I am right back to my original question as to, how do you become intimate with that knowledge?
Therein lies the power of the Lamed l.. The ancient sages used to view the Lamed l as a picture of prayer, it is a picture of an uplifted hand. Oh well, I guess that is what the preachers have been telling us all along,. You become intimate with this knowledge and you put it in you heart through spending time in prayer, in the Word of God and by walking in it and experiencing it. You won’t experience it unless you occasionally get surrounded by the enemy.
But soft, David throws another little zinger into this. The enemy will not turn back until you cry to God. This word cry in Hebrew is the word qara’ which has the idea of calling out to God. In its Semitic root, however, it is a calling out to meet someone or to invite someone to share their presence with you. The word is spelled Qof, Resh and Aleph. The Qof speaks to us of God calling us. This is followed by a Resh which shows the power of God and the final letter Aleph represents unity with God. This calling or qara’ is a calling for the power of God which comes from being unified with Him.
It is interesting to note that in the Hebrew, the words unto thee are not found in the text. David is simply saying that “when I call” my enemies will turn back. When he calls for the power of God the enemy will turn away because he is intimate with this knowledge and it is in his heart and stays in his heart as he continues to pray and study the Word of God.
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