What Does Psalm 89:10 Mean in the King James?
Thou hast broken Rahab in pieces, as one that is slain; thou hast scattered thine enemies with thy strong arm.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
Rahab names the raging pride of chaos itself, and the verse shows it broken bodily and scattered by the strong arm.
THE MEANING
Rahab, the raging, proud force, is broken like a slain body, and the enemies are scattered by the LORD’s strong arm. The verse does not soften its violence: the force is crushed, not merely talked down. It speaks now to the experience of a power that swells until it seems to command the whole field.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
It undoes the belief that a force becomes invincible by growing loud, vast, or numerous; even what seems to command the field can be broken and scattered.
THE ROOT
רַהַב
rahab
GROWS FROM
רהב
To rage, swell, or act arrogantly.
Rahab is not a neutral label: its root also carries the sense of proud, insolent force. The name gathers the verse’s image of chaos swelling into apparent invincibility.
ALSO GROWS
rahab: The raging chaos-monster named Rahab.
רַהַב
In Isaiah 51:9, Rahab is paired with the dragon, making the name an image of overwhelming force.
rehavim: The proud or arrogant ones.
רְהָבִים
The same root describes the proud in Psalm 40:4, revealing the self-exalting nature carried by Rahab’s name.
דִּכִּאתָ
dikkita
GROWS FROM
דכא
To crush or bring low; the root דכא (d-k-ʾ) means to crush.
“broken in pieces” in this verse is dikkita. The root that describes Rahab being crushed also describes the contrite person. Its force is bodily: the swollen power is brought low, while the person left low is named as crushed.
ALSO GROWS
dakka: Crushed, contrite; one brought low.
דַּכָּא
Isaiah 57:15 uses this form for the contrite person with whom God dwells to revive.
nidka’im: Crushed or contrite ones.
נִדְכָּאִים
Isaiah 57:15 uses this plural form for those whose hearts are crushed, keeping the root’s concrete sense visible.
THE PATTERN
The force that appears untamable is brought under command, and its tumult gives way.
Thy right hand, O LORD, is become glorious in power: thy right hand, O LORD, hath dashed in pieces the enemy.Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the LORD; awake, as in the ancient days, in the generations of old. Art thou not it that hath cut Rahab, and wounded the dragon?And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.THE THREAD
For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.The word for broken in pieces here, דִּכִּאתָ (dikkita, you crushed), shares the root דכא (d-k-ʾ, to crush) with contrite in Isaiah 57:15. The same root marks Rahab brought low here and the crushed person met with reviving presence there.
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