Daleth

My soul clings to the dust; revive me according to Your word.  Psalm 119:25  NASB

Clings – Before we start the next “chapter” of this poem, let’s take a quick look at the letter Daleth.  Here’s the text of this section:

דָּֽבְקָ֣ה לֶֽעָפָ֣ר נַפְשִׁ֑י חַ֜יֵּ֗נִי כִּדְבָרֶֽךָ

דְּרָכַ֣י סִ֖פַּרְתִּי וַֽ֜תַּֽעֲנֵ֗נִי לַמְּדֵ֥נִי חֻקֶּֽיךָ

דֶּֽרֶךְ־פִּקּוּדֶ֥יךָ הֲבִינֵ֑נִי וְ֜אָשִׂ֗יחָה בְּנִפְלְאוֹתֶֽיךָ

דָּֽלְפָ֣ה נַ֖פְשִׁי מִתּוּגָ֑ה קַ֜יְּמֵ֗נִי כִּדְבָרֶֽךָ

דֶּ֣רֶךְ שֶׁ֖קֶר הָסֵ֣ר מִמֶּ֑נִּי וְתוֹרָֽתְךָ֥ חָנֵּֽנִי

דֶּֽרֶךְ־אֱמוּנָ֥ה בָחָ֑רְתִּי מִשְׁפָּטֶ֥יךָ שִׁוִּֽיתִי

דָּבַ֥קְתִּי בְעֵֽדְו‍ֹתֶ֑יךָ יְ֜הֹוָ֗ה אַל־תְּבִישֵֽׁנִי

דֶּֽרֶךְ־מִצְו‍ֹתֶ֥יךָ אָר֑וּץ כִּ֖י תַרְחִ֣יב לִבִּֽי

In esoteric Jewish thought, the daleth represents a human figure.  Its shape tells us about important actions:

The Talmud² also tells us that when we observe the shape of the dalet, its single leg stretches toward the right—in the direction of the gimmel. This teaches the poor person that he has to make himself available to receive the charity of the benefactor. Similarly,³ the small extension on the right-hand side of the dalet’s horizontal bar looks like an ear, for the pauper must always be listening for the presence of the wealthy man. However the left side of this bar doesn’t confront the gimmel, the giver, but faces left, toward the letter hei, which represents G‑d. This instructs us that we must give charity discretely and not embarrass the poor person. The pauper must put his faith in G‑d, Who is the ultimate Giver of the universe.[1]

Perhaps we should approach this section of the poem with receptive listening and a desire to discretely give.  Let’s see how we can apply this.

“Cling” is the Hebrew dābaq.  “My soul cleaves, sticks to, joins.”  Of course, you know that “soul” isn’t correct.  Nepeš should be translated “person” or “personality,” not “soul” which is a Greek import and smacks of the division of the person into body, mind, and soul.  Not a Hebraic idea at all.  The “person” in Hebrew is fully homogenized.  So, “My being cleaves to the dust” is probably much better.  And that reminds us of two other important Hebrew ideas.  First, dābaq is the verb in Genesis 2:24, the joining (sticking) of man and woman in marriage.  It’s just the opposite of what idolatry does, breaking apart the designed relationship between God and man.

Secondly, dābaq is connected to “dust” (ʿāpār), not just because the psalmist feels like he’s dying—dissipating into the earth—but also because ʿāpār  is the basic constituent of the creation of Man.  A human being is ʿāpār plus the breath of God (Genesis 2:7).  So when the psalmist writes, “My very being clings to the dust,” he’s really reminding us about our earth-bound fragility.  Another psalm emphasizes this condition: “For He Himself knows our form;
He is mindful that we are nothing but dust” (Psalm 103:14), and even though this is true, it’s not very comforting.  In the end, the worms win.

Now we know why the next verb is ḥāyâ.  Our translation renders with as “Revive” but perhaps that isn’t strong enough because ḥāyâ is the basic word for being alive.  The psalmist isn’t asking to be refreshed.  He’s not saying that he needs Gatorade.  He’s saying that he’s dying and what he needs is life.  He needs to go back to the creation story and be resurrected.  And now the punch line, “according to Your word.”  The attached preposition (ki) tells us that this resurrection of his being must be in the like manner as the original use of ḥāyâ found in Genesis 2:7, the breath of life, something only God can provide.  Just remember the “word” (dābār) isn’t in written form.  It’s spoken word that forms Man in the first place, and since this verse is filled with references to the original creation, that’s how we should understand the use here.

God speaks.  We live.  God doesn’t speak.  We die.  Blessed be the word of the Lord.

Topical Index: ʿāpār, ḥāyâ, dābaq, nepeš, Psalm 119:25

[1] https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/137076/jewish/Dalet.htm