Lexical Summary dumiyyah: Silence, stillness, quietness Original Word: דּוּמִיָּה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance silence, silent, waiteth From damah; stillness; adverbially, silently; abstractly quiet, trust -- silence, silent, waiteth. see HEBREW damah NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom the same as dumah Definition a silence, a quiet waiting, repose NASB Translation rest (1), silence (2), silent (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs דּוּמִיָּה, דֻּמִיָּה (Psalm 65:2) noun feminine silence, still waiting, repose — Psalm 39:3 silence; Psalm 62:2 still waiting, resignation (Dr§ 189. 2; but read probably, as Psalm 62:6, דֹּמִּי, Bi Gr Che); Psalm 65:2 id. (but Ew Che Bä and others דֹּמִיָּה is meet ? from I. דָּמָה, ᵐ5 πρέπει, see Che); Psalm 22:3 repose (from grief and tears: Jeremiah 14:17). Topical Lexicon Overview דּוּמִיָּה (dumiyyah) denotes a purposeful quietness—a still, expectant hush that looks to God. Far from passive muteness, it is poised, reverent silence that either laments unanswered prayer, restrains rash speech, anchors trusting hope, or hallows worship. Concentrated entirely in the Psalter, the word binds together a spectrum of devotion extending from the depths of anguish to the heights of praise. Occurrences in the Psalter • Psalm 22:2 — anguished silence when divine help seems delayed. Theological Themes Sanctified Silence before God Dumiyyah portrays a covenantal posture in which the creature yields the last word to the Creator. Whether in lament (Psalm 22) or praise (Psalm 65), silence acknowledges God’s sovereign prerogative to speak, act, and judge. Habakkuk later echoes the same spirit: “The LORD is in His holy temple; let all the earth be silent before Him” (Habakkuk 2:20). Lament and Longing In Psalm 22:2, silence is painful, marking the felt absence of God. The psalmist’s cries meet no immediate reply, yet the silence intensifies prayer rather than extinguishing it. Dumiyyah here legitimizes seasons when believers wait in the dark, confident that the silence itself is heard. Disciplined Speech Psalm 39:2 uses dumiyyah for self-imposed restraint. The psalmist guards his lips lest complaint dishonor God before onlookers. This anticipates New Testament counsel: “Be quick to listen, slow to speak” (James 1:19). Silence becomes a means of wisdom. Confident Waiting Psalm 62:1 shifts from restraint to repose. Silence is restful because faith has settled the issue of trust: “my salvation comes from Him.” The verb tenses underline habitual reliance; dumiyyah becomes the atmosphere of persevering hope, refusing to be agitated by external tumult. Worshipful Anticipation In Psalm 65:1 the hush precedes corporate praise in Zion. Silence is not the absence of worship but its vestibule. The people gather, vows ready, hearts stilled, awaiting the divine presence. Liturgically, dumiyyah frames thanksgiving and petitions alike. Historical and Liturgical Use In Second Temple worship, Psalm 65 was recited at harvest festivals; the silent pause would heighten the awe before the Levites began the songs of thanksgiving. Rabbinic tradition later emphasized contemplative silence as the highest form of praise, reflecting the psalm’s model. Early Christian communities adopted similar rhythms. Patristic writers such as Athanasius commended Psalm 62 for morning prayer, where dumiyyah instructs believers to start the day with composed trust rather than hurried speech. Practical Ministry Implications Personal Devotion Pastoral Care Corporate Worship Christological and Eschatological Considerations Messianically, Psalm 22 foreshadows the cross, where Christ endured the Father’s silence yet entrusted Himself to ultimate vindication. Dumiyyah thus frames the Passion narrative, culminating in resurrection praise. Revelation 8:1 portrays “silence in heaven for about half an hour” before final judgment, showing that holy stillness brackets the consummation of redemption. Related Concepts and Contrasts • Hebrew שָׁקַט (to be quiet) emphasizes calmness, but lacks dumiyyah’s purposeful expectancy. Summary דּוּמִיָּה binds lament, restraint, rest, and praise into one sacred silence. Whether brimming with questions or saturated with confidence, it calls the believer to still every competing voice, giving the floor to God alone. Forms and Transliterations ד֭וּמִיָּה דֻֽמִיָּ֬ה דּֽוּמִיָּ֣ה דֽוּמִיָּ֥ה דומיה דמיה dū·mî·yāh ḏu·mî·yāh ḏū·mî·yāh dumiYah dūmîyāh ḏumîyāh ḏūmîyāhLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Psalm 22:2 HEB: וְ֝לַ֗יְלָה וְֽלֹא־ דֽוּמִיָּ֥ה לִֽי׃ NAS: And by night, but I have no rest. KJV: not; and in the night season, and am not silent. INT: night have no rest Psalm 39:2 Psalm 62:1 Psalm 65:1 4 Occurrences |
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