angela hormberg

Tag: Samech

  • Psalm 119:113-120

    Psalm 119:113-120

    Samech or Samekh

    Commonplace –

    “Thou art my hiding place and my shield: I hope in thy word” (Psalm 119:114).

    In regard to the second half of this verse, Matthew Henry notes,

    “I hope in thy word, which has acquainted me with thee and assured me of thy kindness to me” (Henry 581).

    It is appropriate that this section falls under the letter Samech. Hebrew4Christians comments on “The Miracle of Samekh”.

    “The letter Nun, which immediately precedes the letter Samekh in the alphabet, suggests someone who is “bent”, or someone who humbles himself in brokenness and submission to the Lord God. Putting [Nun and Samekh] together, we have the Hebrew word nes, miracle. A person of faith is a walking miracle! The LORD gives support to the fallen and broken ones who put their trust in Him” (“Samekh”).

    We only have access to God’s kindness when we are humble. We are humbled in the face of His Word.

    Works Cited

    Henry, Matthew. “Psalm 119.” Matthew Henry’s Commentary On the Whole Bible: New Modern Edition. Volume 3, Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., March 1996.

    Holy Bible: Giant Print with Study Aids. Dugan Publishers, Inc., 1984.

    “Samekh”. Hebrew4Christians. John J. Parsons. accessed 5 July 2025.

    © 2025 Angela Hormberg

  • Psalm 119:Samech or Samekh

    Psalm 119:Samech or Samekh

    Part 15:Samech or Samekh verses 113-120

    The fifteenth part is Samech or Samekh, which is the fifteenth letter of the Hebrew alphabet.

    The following information is from the website BJE:Your Jewish Journey.

    “The letter SAMECH equals the number sixty in Hebrew numerology. Its circular form is symbolic of the endless cycle of life.

    The letter SAMECH is a symbol of support and protection. This is inferred by its all-encompassing shape, and asserted by its meaning: ‘support’.

    The letter SAMECH is one of the only two fully closed letters of the Hebrew alphabet, the other being the letter mem in final form.

    SAMECH stands for soolam, meaning ‘ladder’, a key symbol in Jewish mysticism (Kabbalah), referring to one’s inner journey.

    The number sixty represents completeness. This is due to it being the greater part of the number one hundred, which signifies perfection.

    The circular shape of the letter SAMECH alludes to the wedding ring, with all its symbolism” (“Samech”).

    The point about the circular shape is very interesting. I found more information about that on the Hebrew4Christians website.

    “According to the Chaz’l (sages), Samekh is said to represent the endless and ever ascending spiral of God’s glory in the universe. This cycle is hinted at in the divine (seder) of creation, and is revealed in both the seasons and in the rhythm of the Jewish mo’deim (festivals)” (“Samekh”).

    Works Cited

    Henry, Matthew. “Psalm 119.” Matthew Henry’s Commentary On the Whole Bible: New Modern Edition. Volume 3, Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., March 1996.

    Holy Bible: Giant Print with Study Aids. Dugan Publishers, Inc., 1984.

    “Samech”. BJE: Your Jewish Journey. NSW Board of Jewish Education, https://bje.org.au/knowledge-centre/jewish-languages/hebrew-alphabet/samech/ , Accessed 5 July 2025.

    “Samekh”. Hebrew4Christians. John J. Parsons. accessed 5 July 2025.

    © 2025 Angela Hormberg