What Does Psalm 63:5 Mean?
My living soul is filled as with fat and richness, and my mouth praises you with ringing lips.
Key words are shown with the Hebrew or Greek and what each word meant.
Selah Decoded Version The Selah Decoded Version renders what the Hebrew and Greek words meant to the people who first heard them.
King James wording
King James Version
My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips:THE KEY
The living soul is filled as by rich food, and that fullness becomes the joyful sound of praise.
THE MEANING
Your living soul is pictured filled as by the richest food, with that fullness reaching your mouth as joyful praise. Nourishment and praise form one movement.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
It dissolves the belief that spiritual fullness must be abstract or disembodied: the verse portrays satisfaction through rich food and lets the mouth join that fullness in joy.
THE ROOT
תִּשְׂבַּע
tisbaʿ
GROWS FROM
שבע
s-b-ʿ
To be sated, filled to satisfaction.
“is filled” in this verse is tisbaʿ. The root names fullness that reaches satiety. Beside the language of marrow and fatness, it makes the soul’s satisfaction as tangible as rich food.
ALSO GROWS
sabeaʿ: Full, sated
שָׂבֵעַ
It shows that the verse describes a state of being filled, not a passing taste of pleasure.
sobaʿ: Fullness, satiety
שֹׂבַע
This noun makes the verse’s image of complete nourishment explicit.
נַפְשִׁי
nafshi
GROWS FROM
נפשׁ
n-p-sh
The living self or person, including life and appetite.
“living soul” in this verse is nafshi. The word translated “soul” names the living self. A related verb can mean to be refreshed, keeping this image of satisfaction close to a life that can be nourished and restored.
ALSO GROWS
nephesh: Living soul, person, or life
נֶפֶשׁ
It holds together the person’s living self rather than isolating an immaterial part.
naphash: To be refreshed or take rest
נָפַשׁ
This related verb echoes the renewal implicit in a living self being satisfied.
יְהַלֶּל
yehallel
GROWS FROM
הלל
h-l-l
To praise, celebrate, or commend.
“praises” in this verse is yehallel. The root names voiced praise. With joyful lips beside it, the verse shows fullness finding expression in speech.
ALSO GROWS
hillel: Praised or celebrated
הִלֵּל
It keeps the focus on praise as an expressed response.
hallelu-yah: Praise Yah
הַלְלוּיָהּ
This familiar praise-word carries the same root into a direct exclamation.
THE PATTERN
God’s provision fills the living self, and that fullness becomes joy, praise, and life.
For he sates the thirsting living soul, and fills the hungry living soul with goodness.They are drenched with the fatness of your house; and you make them drink from the stream of your delights.Jesus said to them, I am the bread of life. The one who comes to me shall never hunger, and the one who leans their full weight into me shall never thirst.THE THREAD
For he sates the thirsting living soul, and fills the hungry living soul with goodness.Psalm 107:9 repeats the שׂבע (sabaʿ, be sated) word family and נֶפֶשׁ (nephesh, living soul). It makes explicit what Psalm 63 pictures: the hungry living self is filled with goodness.
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