Theological Themes of Psalms. Robert D. Bell

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or plural is used to refer to God’s law, omitting references to justice (like 119:121) or to judgment (like 119:84).

      The last two terms are interesting in that one is a very common noun that has produced a cognate verb and the other is a noun whose origin is from a very common verb. In meaning there is really little difference between them. The noun דָּבָר (davar), usually translated “word,” has generated the denominative verb⁶⁴ דבר (davar), “to speak,” used over a thousand times in the Hebrew Bible. The other noun, אִמְרָה (’imrah , “saying”), originated from the verb אמר (’amar), “to say,” and is usually translated “word”;⁶⁵ however, its usage in Psalm 119 points to the nuanced meaning of “promise”; the Geneva Bible translated it this way ten times, and the NAB used “promise” for all of its 19 occurrences in 119.⁶⁶ The singular and plural forms of דָּבָר (davar) occur 67 times in Psalms, but not all of these refer to God’s instructions. In Psalm 119 every occurrence but one (v. 42a) fits this theme, but in the rest of the Psalter this is not the case. Many refer to man’s words (for example, 55:21). Table 2.2 lists just those verses that treat in some way God’s instructions.

      Table 2.2 Synonyms for Instruction in Other Psalms

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Hebrew words:	תּוֹרָה	עֵדוּת	פִּקּוּדִים	חֻקִּים	מִצְוֹת	מִשְׁפָּטִים	דָּבָר	אִמְרָה
towrah	‘eyduwth	piqquwdiym	khuqqiym	mitswowth	mishpatiym	davar	’imrah
Psalm	law	witness	rules	statutes	commands	customs	word	saying
1:	2 [2]
2:				7
10:						5
12:								6 [2]
17:							4
18:				22		22		30
19:	7	7	8		8	9
25:		10
33:							4 6
36:						6
37:	31
40:	8
48:						11
50:				16
56:							4 10
72:						1
78:	1 5 10	5 56			7
81:		5		4		4
89:	30			31	31	30