Hebrew Word Study – Dancing – Chyil  –  Cheth Yod Lamed

Psalm 18:32: “It is God that girdeth me with strength, and makes my way perfect.”

God girds us with strength. The English word gird means to encircle with a belt or band. Some translations say that the Lord arms us with strength, some will say He clothes us with strength and other says He encircles us with strength. Encircles seems to be the best English word here.  The word in Hebrew is ‘azar which means to join together and hold together. As a noun, it is used for a belt or girdle.  

The girdle was an important part of the Eastern dress, it is sort of like a belt used to draw the garment tightly to the body, particularly while on a journey or doing battle.  Here the word is used as a verb which is in a Piel (intensive) form and as a Piel (intensive) it forms a double accusative.  That is why you have a definite article (the) before the word God, to show that both God and strength are the direct objects.  It is just not God’s strength that is tightly wrapped around us but it is God Himself that is wrapped around us. As a Piel it is intensive which means He is hugging us with His strength. The word ‘azar is used tropically that is it is used comparatively for strength to indicate that He has a very strong grip around us.  The word El is used for God rather than the word YHWH for a good reason according to Jewish scholars.  Unlike Christian scholars who explain the different or interchangeable use of the words Elohim and YHWH for God in Biblical criticism as an indication of different authors of the text, Jewish scholars teach that the word Elohim is in a masculine form and the word YHWH is in a feminine form and when El or Elohim is used it is to indicate the masculine nature of God, his provision and protection.  The word YHWH is in a feminine form and used to express the feminine nature of God, his mercy, love, and nurturing characteristics. Thus when it is El or Elohim who warps his arms around us to protect us.

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What is very curious is the Hebrew word used for the word strength which God grips us with to protect us. The common word in Hebrew for strength is ozaz but here the Hebrew word that is used is chyil which has the idea of twirling, or spinning around in a circle and dancing. God is the lead partner in a dance with you as He keeps a tight grip on you leading you as you dance with Him through your problems and through your life. 

People will spend a lot of money going to an amusement park or carnival where they have numerous rides that do nothing more than spin you around in a circle. There is something very pleasurable about being spun in a circle. It is not unusual to see children on a playground just spinning around in a circle. In ancient times children often worshipped God by chyil – spinning in a circle.  I once attended a worship service where people were expressing heartfelt worship with uplifted hands. Suddenly I saw a little child run into the aisle and begin to spin around in a circle, just smiling, singing, and twirling out of pure joy.

I recall reading a story about a Christian pastor in a country with a repressive government that imprisoned him for nothing more than being a Christian.  He was placed in a solitary prison cell and he wrote that his strength was truly the “joy of the Lord.”  Nehemiah 8:10. God filled him with such joy that he began to dance in that prison cell worshipping God.  The cell was so small that all he could do was chyil – dance or twirl around in a circle singing praise to God out of pure joy. The thing is He was not just dancing alone. Jesus was right there with him, ‘azar – holding him, hugging him and chyil dancing right along with him. 

For many of us, the cares of this world so weigh us down that we can only sit and wring our hands in despair. Yet, why do we just sit worrying and fretting when we could be dancing with God who will lead us around all our problems?

 

  

 

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