Lexical Summary yapheach: To breathe, to blow, to puff Original Word: יָפֵחַ Strong's Exhaustive Concordance such as breathe out From yaphach; properly, puffing, i.e. (figuratively) meditating -- such as breathe out. see HEBREW yaphach NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom yaphach Definition breathing or puffing out NASB Translation breathe (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs [יָפֵחַ] adjective breathing or puffing out, construct וִיפֵחַ חָמָס Psalm 27:12 puffing out violence (compare Che). יַפְלֵט see below פלט. יְפֻנֶּה see below פנה. Topical Lexicon Biblical Usage The term יָפֵחַ occurs once in the Old Testament at Psalm 27:12, where it characterizes hostile witnesses who are “breathing out violence” (Berean Standard Bible). The verb pictures the adversaries’ hostility as something exhaled—an active, continuous emission rather than a single outburst. Context in Psalm 27 Psalm 27 is David’s confession of trust amid danger. His petition, “Do not deliver me to the will of my foes” (Psalm 27:12), stands between earlier declarations of confidence and the climactic call to wait upon the Lord. The unique verb underscores the urgency: David’s enemies do not merely plot; they exude violence with every breath, poisoning the judicial atmosphere with perjury. The intensity of the word magnifies both the threat and David’s reliance on divine protection. Thematic Significance of “Breathing Out” 1. Inner Nature Revealed: Scripture often links breath with spirit or inner disposition (Genesis 2:7; Job 32:8). By describing violence as breath, the verse exposes an inward corruption that naturally vents in destructive speech. Historical and Cultural Background Ancient Israel treated testimony with grave seriousness; two or three witnesses established a matter (Deuteronomy 19:15). False testimony invited the very punishment intended for the accused (Deuteronomy 19:16-21). Within that legal framework, David’s plea reflects both the judicial peril of perjury and the covenantal demand for truth among God’s people. Connection to New Testament Teaching Psalm 27:12 resonates with New Testament depictions of false witnesses arrayed against Jesus Christ (Matthew 26:60) and Stephen (Acts 6:13). The same spirit that “breathes out” threats also surfaces in Saul before his conversion, who was “still breathing out threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord” (Acts 9:1). The intertextual echo emphasizes continuity in the biblical portrayal of opposition to God’s servants. Christological Implications David’s experience foreshadows the Messiah’s sufferings. Jesus faced accusers who, like those in Psalm 27, exhaled deceit and violence. Yet He entrusted Himself to the Father, providing the ultimate example of faith under duress and fulfilling the righteous response envisioned in the psalm. Application in Ministry 1. Integrity in Speech: Believers are called to let no corrupt communication proceed from their mouths (Ephesians 4:29). Recognizing the destructive power of breath-born words motivates pastoral emphasis on truth and edification. Prayer and Worship Psalm 27 models honest lament coupled with confident hope. Incorporating the psalm into liturgy or personal devotion fosters reliance on God amid slander. The singular occurrence of יָפֵחַ accents the uniqueness of each believer’s crisis, yet also points to the singular sufficiency of the Lord who silences every false breath with His truthful Word. Forms and Transliterations וִיפֵ֥חַ ויפח viFeach wî·p̄ê·aḥ wîp̄êaḥLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Psalm 27:12 HEB: עֵֽדֵי־ שֶׁ֝֗קֶר וִיפֵ֥חַ חָמָֽס׃ NAS: have risen against me, And such as breathe out violence. KJV: are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty. INT: witnesses false. breathe violence 1 Occurrence |
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