Psalms 16:5

With the Hebrew beneath

Psalms 16:5, word by word

YHWHיְהוָהyehva

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.

Where else “yehva” appears

is the portionמְנָתmenat

portion

Portion, the share that falls to someone.

Where else “menat” appears

of my shareחֶלְקִchelki

portion

What falls to one: "YHWH is what I receive".

Where else “chelki” appears

and of my cupכוֹסִchosi

cup

A drinking vessel; also the lot that falls to each one to drink, good or bad.

Where else “chosi” appears

upholdתּוֹמִיךְtomich

uphold

To hold someone up by the hand so he does not fall, as God does.

Where else “tomich” appears

my lotגּוֹרָלִgorali

lot

Small stones cast to decide something.

Where else “gorali” appears

Translation note

Images from the distribution of the land: the “share” and the “lot” are the piece of land that fell to each family (see Joshua 13–19). The psalmist says that what fell to him is YHWH himself.

The context