Lexical Summary eyal: Strength, might, power Original Word: אֱיָל Strong's Exhaustive Concordance strength A variation of 'ayil; strength -- strength. see HEBREW 'ayil NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originof Aramaic origin Definition help NASB Translation strength (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs אֱיָל noun masculine help (loan-word from Aramaic  help, so LagOr ii. 7, BN 175, NöZMG 1883, 528) only in simile ׳כְּגֶבֶר אֵין א Psalm 88:5. Topical Lexicon Semantic Range and Imagery The noun אֱיָל conveys the idea of innate vigor, capacity, or might. In Psalm 88 the psalmist employs the term paradoxically—he confesses himself “without strength” (Psalm 88:4), highlighting the utter depletion of personal resources in the face of overwhelming affliction. The word therefore functions less as a descriptor of potency and more as a poignant marker of its absence. Literary Setting in Psalm 88 Psalm 88 stands among the darkest laments in the Psalter, notable for its unrelieved sorrow. The single appearance of אֱיָל intensifies the mood: the sufferer is relegated to the realm of the powerless, bordering on the grave. The psalm’s placement within the collection underscores that even seemingly unanswered anguish is welcomed into the inspired canon, affirming the legitimacy of pleading before God when strength has failed. Theology of Human Weakness and Divine Strength 1. Human frailty is acknowledged throughout Scripture. The psalmist’s confession resonates with Job 6:12 and Psalm 31:10, where physical and emotional depletion drive the faithful to seek God. Historical and Cultural Backdrop In Ancient Near Eastern warfare and royal ideology, strength was a prized attribute of kings and deities alike. Israel’s prophets repeatedly redirected that cultural expectation, insisting that true power resides in the LORD. The psalmist’s admission of no אֱיָל repudiates self-reliance, aligning the covenant community with a counter-cultural dependence on God. Pastoral and Devotional Applications • Honest Lament: Psalm 88 legitimizes transparent prayer when vitality is gone. Believers can voice despair without fear of dismissal. Intertextual Links Psalms 22:19; Psalms 28:8; Psalms 46:1 Summary Although אֱיָל appears only once, its contextual force in Psalm 88:4 illuminates a pervasive biblical motif: the confession of personal impotence that drives the faithful to seek the LORD’s all-sufficient strength. Forms and Transliterations אֱיָֽל׃ איל׃ ’ĕ·yāl ’ĕyāl eYalLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Psalm 88:4 HEB: כְּגֶ֣בֶר אֵֽין־ אֱיָֽל׃ NAS: like a man without strength, KJV: I am as a man [that hath] no strength: INT: A man without strength |
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