Therefore, my heart is glad and my glory rejoices; also my flesh shall rest in confidence. Psalm 16:9

Glad – The Hebrew word sameach has a rich history; a history that we need to know in order to see the majesty in this simple idea. First, it’s found in Deuteronomy 16:15 where it describes the blessings of the Lord. In 1 Kings 1:40, it’s used to describe the great joy over the king’s anointing. In Psalm 126:3 it describes rejoicing over what God does for His people. In Proverbs 15:13, gladness produces health. Even in the dark book of Ecclesiastes (2:10), it finds a place in the description of satisfied labor. In fact, in terms of relative frequency, it occurs more often in Ecclesiastes than any other book. That seems pretty amazing.

The Theological Dictionary of the Old Testament tells us that this verb of “moving emotion” is so frequently combined with prepositional objects that it “is better classified as a verb of action.” This helps us understand what the Hebrew concept really means. It is about everything we do to express an inner feeling. It includes dancing, clapping, shouting, singing, and even “frisking about.” This is festival language. We took a look at the verb in a different form once before (March 24). What we learn is an essential aspect of the Hebrew view of human existence: Emotions are not separate from actions. My feelings and my behavior are intimately linked. Of course, we all know this, don’t we? You would think it is obvious. But consult with modern theories of psychology or behavior modification specialists or even medical practitioners and you get a very different view of human beings. The Hebrew view is one, unified person. Greek metaphysics divides us into parts – a body, a mind, a soul or spirit. You go to the doctor for one part, the psychotherapist for another and the minister for another. You are not an integrated whole. You are compartmentalized, and as a result, you are taught to live in little insulated boxes. Your job is in one box, your church life in another, your family life in another. Have you ever wondered why contemporary treatments of human ailments (all of them) usually break you into pieces? Now you know. Our view of the human being is fragmented, so our treatment of the human beings reflects our philosophy of fragmented compartmentalization.

But Hebrew is different. “I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord.” You could translate this: “I was singing, dancing, jumping up and down, laughing, horsing around, clapping and shouting. I was so excited.” Is that your expression about going to the house of the Lord? Of course, you probably don’t go to the temple. That would be something, especially since it doesn’t exist at the moment. But if you’re missing some of the sameach that goes along with setting God before you, then maybe you’re too Greek to enjoy an integrated existence. Just asking.

Topical Index: sameach, samach, glad, moving emotion, person, Psalm 16:9