Lexical Summary nod: Wandering, exile, fugitive Original Word: נוֹדּ Strong's Exhaustive Concordance wandering (only defect. Nod {node}); from nuwd; exile -- wandering. see HEBREW nuwd NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom nud Definition wandering (of aimless fugitive) NASB Translation wanderings (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs I. [נוֺד, נֹד] noun [masculine] wandering of aimless fugitive; — only suffix נֹדִי Psalm 59:9 my wandering (word-play with נאֹדֶ֑ךָ vb). Topical Lexicon Physical Object and Everyday Function In ancient Israel a nod was a small skin-bottle fashioned from the hide of a goat or sheep, sewn and sealed so that liquids could be carried without leakage. Travelers and shepherds slung such containers over the shoulder, keeping water, wine, milk, or oil cool and portable in the arid climate (Joshua 9:4, Genesis 21:14). Its flexibility allowed it to be tied shut and opened repeatedly, yet the tanned hide resisted decay and protected the precious contents from evaporation. Because it safeguarded what would otherwise be lost in the desert, the skin-bottle naturally assumed metaphorical value for preservation, security, and personal care. Biblical Occurrence and Immediate Context Psalm 56:8 is the sole canonical appearance of the word: “You have taken account of my wanderings; put my tears in Your bottle. Are they not in Your book?” Composed during David’s captivity in Gath, the psalm pairs the skin-bottle with “Your book,” uniting the imagery of collection and written record. Every tear that falls in exile is gathered and catalogued by the covenant-keeping God. The container recalls the wilderness journey, while the inscription recalls legal testimony; together they assure the sufferer that nothing is overlooked or forgotten. Theological Themes Preservation of Sorrow Just as a wineskin prevents evaporation, so the Lord preserves each tear until the appointed day of vindication. The believer’s grief is neither wasted nor dismissed (Psalm 34:18). Divine remembrance does not diminish human pain but gives it eternal significance within God’s redemptive plan. Intimate Participation A skin-bottle was carried close to the body; likewise God remains near to the contrite (Psalm 51:17). The psalmist’s request that the Lord “put” the tears there implies a gentle, personal act, foreshadowing the promise, “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes” (Revelation 21:4). Record and Accountability Linking bottle and book underscores divine justice. The collected tears become a testimony against oppressors and a guarantee that God will act righteously (Romans 12:19). Within Psalm 56 the theme culminates in confident praise: “For You have delivered my soul from death” (verse 13). Intertextual Echoes • Job’s lament, “My eye pours out tears to God” (Job 16:20), anticipates their safe deposit in the nod. Historical and Cultural Insights Archaeology confirms goat-skin vessels throughout the Levant from the Bronze Age onward. They were essential on campaigns and pilgrimages, making the metaphor especially poignant for David, a fugitive commander. Contemporary Near Eastern cultures also collected tears in small terracotta lachrymatories, but the Hebrew nod evokes domestic familiarity rather than ceremonial mourning, reinforcing the personal nature of God’s care. Pastoral and Devotional Application 1. Assurance in Affliction – Congregations may meditate on Psalm 56:8 during intercession for the persecuted, reminding sufferers that their anguish is seen and stored. Christological Fulfillment Jesus, “a man of sorrows” (Isaiah 53:3), wept openly (John 11:35) and gathered the tears of humanity at the cross. His resurrection validates the promise implicit in the nod: what is preserved will be transformed. The risen Lord now intercedes “always” (Hebrews 7:25), presenting the saints’ tears before the Father until that day when mourning is abolished. Eschatological Hope The final removal of tears (Revelation 21:4) does not cancel the earlier collection; rather, it completes it. The nod affirms that God gathers grief now and God will eliminate grief then, maintaining both continuity and consummation in His salvific work. Summary The nod in Psalm 56:8, though mentioned only once, offers a rich tapestry of meaning—historical utility, poetic comfort, theological assurance, and eschatological promise. By picturing the Lord preserving every tear as carefully as a traveler guards water in the wilderness, Scripture grants enduring consolation and fuels steadfast faith amid suffering. Forms and Transliterations נֹדִי֮ נדי nō·ḏî noDi nōḏîLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Psalm 56:8 HEB: נֹדִי֮ סָפַ֪רְתָּ֫ה אָ֥תָּה NAS: You have taken account of my wanderings; Put KJV: Thou tellest my wanderings: put INT: of my wanderings have taken you |
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