Texts in Conversation
Psalm 30 and Psalm 108 follow an ancient Near Eastern belief that the “liver” was the source of intense emotion. In the psalms, the speaker’s “liver” praises, an image found in ancient Near Eastern literature where the liver swells with laughter.
Share:
Psalm 30:12
Hebrew Bible
10 Hear, O Lord, and have mercy on me. O Lord, deliver me.” 11 Then you turned my lament into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and covered me with joy. 12 So now my liver24 will sing to you and not be silent; O Lord my God, I will always give thanks to you.
Psalm 108:1
Hebrew Bible
1 A song, a psalm of David. I am determined, O God. I will sing and praise you with my liver3. 2 Awake, O stringed instrument and harp. I will wake up at dawn. 3 I will give you thanks before the nations, O Lord. I will sing praises to you before foreigners.
Tags:
Search:
Notes and References
"... Psalm 108:1 ... the Hebrew may also mean “my glory,” but this makes little sense in the context. Some view the term כָּבוֹד (kavod, “glory”) here as a metonymy for man’s inner being, but it is preferable to emend the form to כְּבֵדִי (kvedi, “my liver”). Like the heart, the liver is viewed as the seat of one’s emotions. See also Psalm 16:9; 30:12; 57:9. For an Ugaritic example of the heart/liver as the source of joy, compare “her [Anat’s] liver swelled with laughter, her heart was filled with joy, the liver of Anat with triumph" ..."
* The use of references are not endorsements of their contents. Please read the entirety of the provided reference(s) to understand the author's full intentions regarding the use of these texts.
Your Feedback:
Leave a Comment
Anonymous comments are welcome. All comments are subject to moderation.