HEBREW WORD STUDY – SHOOT THE ARROW – YOREH  ירה  

Psalms 25:8b: “Good and upright [is] the LORD: therefore will he teach sinners in the way.”

God is a good God or a God who wishes to be in harmony with us and he is upright or the standard of what is correct. Because of this God desires that sinners also be in harmony and walk a correct path.  Thus, He will teach sinners the way.  In an earlier chapter we learned that the word way or derek in the Hebrew is a pathway or doorway to something or someone and in this context, the way is the doorway to the presence of God.  We can only experience the presence of God if we are good tov or in Harmony with God.

So God will teach the sinners.  The word teach in Hebrew is usually the word Lamed, but in this case, it is the word yoreh from the root word yarah.  The Psalmist uses this word to do a cute little wordplay that is not apparent in the English but is very obvious in the Hebrew.  The word sinners is chatahim from the word chatah which is used as a plural noun.  Yet it is still the same root word for sin.  We know that chatah or sin is an archer’s term for missing the mark, target or bullseye.  It is interesting that the Psalmist uses the word yarah for teach because it is also an archer’s word for shooting the arrow. 

Therefore teach sinners creates a poetic picture here.  If God is going to teach sinners then He is going to shoot the arrow of the sinners, the ones who will miss the mark without Him.  But if He does the shooting the sinner will be in the derek or way or in the pathway or doorway that leads to God’s presence.  In short, we are that arrow and if it is not shot by God as the yarah – teacher we will miss that mark. 

The Psalmist is also making another play on words here that is only apparent in the Hebrew.  The word yarah the root word for teacher sounds identical to the word yara’.  In English, we have what are called homonyms which are words that sound the same but have different meanings.  For instance, my nephew has a doctorate. He married a woman who also has a doctorate.  So when my brother said he was going to visit my nephew and his wife I said: “So  you are going to visit  your paradox.”   You know like a pair of docs, paradox, ah – forget it my brother is a linguist and he didn’t pick up it either. 

In English, we like to play around with homonyms creating cute little puns but we rarely consider the possibility of a relationship between the two words.  Yet in the Semitic language, the use of homonyms are often used to show a relationship and create a broader meaning or understanding, particularly when you are dealing with poetry like in this verse. Thus, we can assume that it is highly possible that the Psalmist in writing this poem in Psalms 25 was using such a device to create alternative or deeper understandings.  Under the inspiration of God, I would consider such a use to be more than likely. 

Thus when considering the relationship between yarah – teacher and yara’ we need to pause and ask if there is a relationship between these two words.  Yara’ conveys the idea of respect and honor.  A teacher is often respected and honored for their knowledge and studious lifestyle.  In respect to the shooting of an arrow – yarah it is the shooter that aims and provides the strength and power behind the arrow and guides the arrow to its target. Again that is similar to the role of a teacher who tries to aim his student and guide his student in the right direction and convey the knowledge that will guide him to his target in life.  Note the yara’ honor and respect goes to the archer, not the arrow.

Now let’s make that application to God.  If God is the Archer who is shooting the arrow which is us, it will be He who will give us the direction and guidance to our target. So if we reach the target and score the victory, who is it that gets the credit.  It certainly is not the arrow.   Nobody is going to make a fuss over that arrow and want to hire or borrow that arrow, that arrow is usually forgotten.  It is the archer who receives all the honor and praise and it is the archer who is the one everyone wants to follow and receive instruction. No one pays much attention the pretty feathers that make up the fletching or how straight and smooth the shaft of the arrow is.  It is the Archer who gets all the praise.