Psalms 33:18–22
The eye of YHWH is on those who wait for his loyal love
Study it word by word18Look, the eye of YHWH is on those who fear him, on those who await his loyal love,
19to deliver from death their soul and to keep them alive in famine.
20Our soul is waiting for YHWH; our help and our shield is he.
21For in him our heart is glad, for in his holy name we have trusted.
22Let your loyal love, YHWH, be upon us, even as we have awaited you.
In its context
16The king is not saved by a great army; a mighty man is not delivered by great power.
17A lie is the horse for salvation, and by its great strength it does not let anyone escape.
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Its words in the original
- עֵיןen· eye
Eye. "In someone's eyes" means "in his opinion"; "find favor in the eyes of" is to please him. Also a spring of water.
- יְהוָהyehva· YHWH
The personal name of the God of Israel, written in Hebrew with four letters, Y-H-W-H, without vowels. Out of reverence Jews stopped pronouncing it and read "Adonai" (Lord), so many Bibles put "the LORD" or "Jehovah". This translation keeps the four letters. The name is related to the verb "to be" (Exodus 3:14-15). He is not a god other than Elohim: "YHWH Elohim" is the same Creator God, called by his name.
- יְרֵאָיyereay· fearing, God-fearing
Fearing; above all, one who reveres God and therefore obeys him.
- מְיַחֲלִיםmeyachalim· wait, hope
Wait patiently; hope.
- חַסְדּchasd· loyal love
"Chesed": love that stays faithful to a commitment. It is kindness that does not remain a feeling: it acts in favor of the other and does not abandon him. The Bible says it above all of God's love for his people.
- הַצִּילhatsil· rescue, deliver
Snatch away, take away; very often, deliver or rescue from danger. In another form, strip oneself of something.
- מָּוֶתmavet· death
Death; also the realm of the dead, or a deadly plague.
- נַפְשָׁnafsha· soul, living being, life
A breathing being, a living being. It is translated "living being" (people and animals), "life" (when living or dying is at stake), "person" (in counts and laws), "soul" (the person at the innermost: desires, joy, anguish) or "myself". In the Old Testament it names the whole living being, not only a part of it.
- חַיּוֹתָchayota· live
Live, have life; recover. In the causative form, give life, keep alive, revive.
- רָעָבraav· famine, hunger
Hunger; famine, a shortage of food in a region.
- חִכְּתָהchikta· wait, wait for
To wait, to wait for something to happen or for someone to act (2 Kings 7:9). In the Psalms and in Isaiah it is also used for waiting on God with trust (Isaiah 30:18).
- עֶזְרֵezre· helper, help
Help, aid; one who helps. It does not imply inferiority: the same word is often used for God as the helper of his people (Psalm 33:20; 121:1-2).
- מָגִנֵּmagine· shield
Shield. Figuratively, one who protects.
- יִשְׂמַחyismach· rejoice
Rejoice, be glad; make glad.
- לִבֵּlibe· heart
Heart. In Hebrew it is not only the place of feelings: it is the center of the person, where one thinks, decides and wills; also the middle of something.
- שֵׁםshem· name
Name. In the Bible a name says who someone is; so it also means fame, renown or reputation.
- קָדְשׁkadsh· holiness, holy place
Holiness: what is set apart for God. Also a holy place or a holy thing; "the holy of holies" is the most holy place.
- בָטָחְנוּvatachnu· trust
Trust: lean on someone or something and feel secure.
- יְהִיyehi· be, become, happen
Be, exist; also "become" or "happen". It is the verb of "there was", "it was" and "it came to pass".