Thinking About It
Blessed is he who considers the poor; YHWH does deliver him in a day of evil. Tehillim 41:1 ISR
Considers – Let’s think about the poor. First we have to know what word Hebrew uses to describe the “poor” since there are four different words with this same English translation. Here the word is dal. This is quite important for the following reasons:
Unlike ʿānî, dal does not emphasize pain or oppression; unlike ʾebyôn, it does not primarily emphasize need, and unlike rāš, it represents those who lack rather than the destitute. We might consider dāl as referring to one of the lower classes in Israel (cf. II Kgs 24:14; 25:12). In dāl the idea of physical (material) deprivation predominates. Compare, also, dallâ denoting the opposite of fatness (Gen 41:19), and the poorest and lowest of Israel whom the Babylonians left behind (II Kgs 24:14). Gideon cites the weakness (dal) of his clan when he questioned God’s call to him to deliver Israel (Jud 6:15, cf. II Sam 3:1). dal describes the appearance of Amnon as he pined for Tamar (II Sam 13:4).
dal denotes the lack of material wealth (Prov 10:15) and social strength (Amos 2:7). Such people are contrasted with the rich (Ex 30:15; Ruth 3:10) and the great (Lev 19:5). God enjoins their protection (Ex 23:3; Lev 14:21; Isa 10:2), and promises to them justice (Isa 11:4). Only infrequently is dal used of spiritual poverty (cf. Jer 5:4), and in most cases such usages parallel ʾebyôn, needy (Isa 14:30).”[1]
Now you know what to consider. Now you know that this is not about someone’s spiritual state, nor about their oppressed condition, nor about their extreme need. Those who are dal are not the starving in Ethiopia, nor the persecuted in Darfur, nor the welfare recipients in Wyandanch. The dal are the powerless – without financial leverage, without political patrons, without advocates. And there are plenty of them.
The psalmist asks us to consider these “poor.” What does that mean? Sakal isn’t exactly the same as bin. While bin means “to distinguish between, to make a judgment,” sakal implies “an intelligent knowledge of the reason” for something. In other words, to consider the dal is not to recognize how they differ from rash, ani and ‘ebyon. It is to consider why they differ. It is to grasp what makes them dal and that means unraveling the social, political and economic systems that allow such a condition to exist. It is to change the social order by dealing with the root causes of the social order, not the symptoms. The psalmist says that anyone who has such a grasp on the conditions of the powerless enters into a state of bliss. Why? Because this is the secret to social utopia? Not a chance. Bliss comes because once I see why things are this way, I can actually change the system rather than the symptoms.
So, have you considered the poor? Or have you just treated the results of systematic failure and endemic lack of compassion? Treat the symptoms – be happy for the moment. Consider the structure that supports the system – be blessed.
Topical Index: poor, dal, consider, maskil, sekel, Psalm 41:1
[1] Coppes, L. J. (1999). 433 דָּלַל. In R. L. Harris, G. L. Archer, Jr. & B. K. Waltke (Eds.), Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (R. L. Harris, G. L. Archer, Jr. & B. K. Waltke, Ed.) (electronic ed.) (190). Chicago: Moody Press.
I am quite passionate about this subject, and am engaged in this very work. I don’t necessarily LIKE it, but when I see friends ‘wake up’ about their obedience to a system of injustice, I am encouraged. The Father has shown us what to do.
Thank you for this, Skip.
Remember who finally kicked Jezebel out of the palace? The eunuchs. A righteous King will have eunuchs instead of czars. They kicked Jezebel out but left Nimrod.
Do you mean the mean and greedy Babylonian system that thinks power, status, pleasure and the bottom line are all that matters?
Thank you for this teaching today — I’ve spent several hours now pondering and reading the Torah verses in Hebrew with dal. I appreciate how TW prods me to research and rethink my positions. Often what my head has been taught is in conflict with how my heart thinks — it helps so much to have the leading of TW to help me clarify the conflict through the Hebrew. I’m not done with this word — Hebrew is such an enormous language — but you’ve helped me today. 🙂
This is challenging, Skip, so much to consider! Pun not intended 🙂
The dal are the powerless – without financial leverage, without political patrons, without advocates. And there are plenty of them.- This is such a sad state to be in, sort of down-under (LOL)
It is sort of like being lonesome, and neglected? And NO one can help.
It is a state of well-being, mentally/emotionally, that is void of truth?
Bliss comes because once I see why things are this way, I can actually change the system rather than the symptoms.
Have we gone too far to turn things around? We need ABBA’s help to return to His paths of light and righteousness, where there is Shalom-healing in every aspect!