After Midnight

At midnight I will rise to give thanks to You because of Your righteous judgments.  Psalm 119:62  NASB

Midnight – Maybe we should start this one with a little Eric C. CLICK HERE

Does that put you in the mood?  Despite this great tune, the psalmist has another midnight in mind.  The Hebrew ḥēṣôt layĕlâ needs some history in order to understand why he rises to give thanks.

First, ḥēṣôt.

References to time include the expression “in the middle of the night.” While some translations render this “midnight,” it was not necessarily midnight when the Angel of the Lord slew the firstborn in Egypt (Ex 12:29). Nor did Samson carry off the gate of Gaza at precisely twelve o’clock AM (Jud 16:3). The Psalmist prays that God will not remove him “in the midst of my days” (102:24 [H 25]). It is rather the wicked who “will not live out half their days” (Ps 55:23 [H 24]). Fortunes illegally obtained will disappear in the middle of one’s life (Jer 17:11). ^[1]

Ah, there’s your clue: “it was not necessarily midnight when the Angel of the Lord slew the firstborn . . .”  The psalmist isn’t thinking about any midnight hour.  He’s reminding the reader of a particular middle of the night, celebrated over and over as the middle of the night hour.

Walter Kaiser adds another piece of the puzzle in a discussion of the second word, layĕlâ.

Unlike the Egyptian Hymn to the Aton in which the night is dreaded because the sun (Aton) has gone home, the otinsists that the darkness and night were created by God (Gen 1:4, 5; Ps 74:16). During the night God is awake, providing for the beasts of the forest (Ps 104:20–22) and protecting men from pestilence (Ps 91:5–6). Indeed the very alteration and regularity of day and night is the result of God’s covenant with each (Gen 8:22; Jer 33:20, 25) and thus each succeeding day and night is a reminder of God’s faithfulness to his other covenant with Abraham and David (Jer 33:21–26). To God, the night is as bright as the day (Ps 139:11–12).

Of all the 242 occurrences of this word, the most memorable night was the one in which God delivered his people from slavery (Ex 11:4; 12:12, 29). It is annually recalled in the passover.^[2]

And now we know why the psalmist uses mišpāṭ (judgments).  mišpāṭ isn’t just verdicts, it’s governance.  Of course, “judgment” might be a proper translation for the night of Passover, but the reason the psalmist can give thanks is not just for the rescue of his people a thousand years ago.  It is also for the continual exercise of governance over the people ever since.  Passover is an ongoing event.

“In the middle of the night, I will get up (oh, isn’t that also what happened) and give thanks (yādâ—confess, praise, thank).”  Even yādâ has historical connection.  “The primary meaning of this root is ‘to acknowledge or confess sin, God’s character and works, or man’s character.’”^[3] That’s also part of the Passover story.

“In the middle of the of the night, I will get up and give thanks for Your governing.”

Topical Index: ḥēṣôt layĕlâ, mišpāṭ, yādâ, Passover, Psalm 119:62

^[1] Wolf, H. (1999). 719 חָצָה. In R. L. Harris, G. L. Archer Jr., & B. K. Waltke (Eds.), Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (electronic ed., p. 313). Moody Press.

^[2] Kaiser, W. C. (1999). 1111 לַיְלָה. In R. L. Harris, G. L. Archer Jr., & B. K. Waltke (Eds.), Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament(electronic ed., p. 478). Moody Press.

^[3] Alexander, R. H. (1999). 847 יָדָה. In R. L. Harris, G. L. Archer Jr., & B. K. Waltke (Eds.), Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament(electronic ed., p. 364). Moody Press.