A Riddle Revealed
One psalm holds a riddle: I am a short psalm, only seven verses long. First equals last, second equals sixth, third equals fifth, yet all are connected to the fourth. I reveal Elohim’s light, yet I myself am a source of holy light. What am I? Now, let’s answer the riddle.
This psalm begins with a reference to ohr or light. The first creation of Elohim, the firstfruits to emerge from the dark chaos, was light. Darkness and light powerfully surface in the first 25 words of scripture. Genesis 1:2 describes black, primeval disorder. Genesis 1:3 introduces light.
This psalm, where every word is critical, begins with light. Its printed words create a pattern. The answer to our riddle lies in this Hebrew word pattern. The line length and the word count of each verse compose an emblem of light. They are synergistic. In other words, the verses relate to one another to produce a combined image of a seven branched Menorah. Yes, Psalm 67 is the Menorah Psalm!
The seven verses of Psalm 67 portray a true Menorah. Remarkably, the number of Hebrew words in each verse is symmetrically arranged. By verse, the word count is: 7, 6, 6, 11, 6, 6, 7. These words create specific line lengths and sketch a picture. By word count, verses one to three, and verses five through seven, match as the side branches of a Menorah. The first and last verses form the outside Menorah branches. They are both seven words long. The inside verses are shorter, with six words each. But, the longest verse is in the middle. It is eleven words long and functions as the Menorah’s middle branch.
The Psalm 67 Menorah has been known among the Hebrews for centuries. This literary Menorah has adorned synagogue walls, and even the doors of the Aron HaKodesh, the Torah cabinet. If a Hebrew reader is unable to perceive Elohim’s light in Psalm 67, they see it clearly in its word pattern. May we, too, enjoy the light of His countenance during the season of Chanukah.
Pslam 67