JOURNAL ~ PsalmsSample

THE GOD OF PEACE AND HOPE - Day 4

Our God is a God of countless beautiful, wonderful and mysterious characteristics. In Psalm 121:5 He is described as the shade at your right hand. In the original Hebrew, shade is the word Tzel. Tzel can literally mean shade—the kind that you stand under to be protected from the sun. But as is often the case when studying Hebrew, Tzel has multiple ways to be described. It can also be translated as protection, shadow and shelter.

The idea of God as our shade, protection, shadow and shelter is a theme throughout the Old Testament. In Psalm 91:4 we are told: He will cover you with his feathers. He will shelter you with his wings.

In Jonah 4:6, God creates literal shade for Jonah: “Now the LORD God appointed a plant and made it come up over Jonah, that it might be a shade over his head, to save him from his discomfort. So Jonah was exceedingly glad because of the plant.”

Looking at God as our Tzel may be a way that we've never seen Him before. At first glance, it can be a bit odd to refer to the Ruler of the Universe as our shade! After all, the need for shade is taken for granted in this modern world of air conditioning.

The unveiling of the word Tzel by looking at its original context is an example of why it is important to dive deeper into and really study God's word. As we learn more about the history and the meaning of the Bible, we learn more about God and who He is.