דְּחִי

דְּחִי

a push, i.e. (by implication) a fall

Definition

The Hebrew noun דְּחִי (dᵉchîy) refers to a forceful push or thrust that results in a fall. It describes a violent action that causes someone to stumble or be cast down, implying a loss of footing or stability. In its two biblical occurrences, it is used metaphorically to describe God's deliverance of the psalmist from a state of peril or death, effectively 'pushing away' the threat of the grave (Psalm 56:13, Psalm 116:8). The word thus encapsulates both the cause (a push) and the consequence (a fall), specifically a fall from life into death.

Biblical Usage

This word is used exclusively in the Psalms, appearing only in Psalm 56:13 and Psalm 116:8. In both contexts, it is part of a praise declaration for divine rescue. The psalmist thanks God for delivering his soul from death, using דְּחִי to poetically describe being saved from the 'fall' into Sheol. The pattern is consistent: it denotes a perilous, life-threatening stumble from which God provides rescue.

Etymology

Derived from the root verb דָּחָה (dāchâ, H1760), meaning 'to push, thrust, or drive away.' The noun form דְּחִי specifically denotes the act or result of that pushing—a thrust that causes a fall. Cognate words in related Semitic languages carry similar meanings of casting down or thrusting away.

Semantic Range

This word is theologically significant as it vividly portrays salvation as a rescue from a fatal stumble. It emphasizes human vulnerability and the active intervention of God to prevent a fall into death (Sheol). Understanding this Hebrew term enriches the reading of these psalms by highlighting the imagery of God catching the believer from a deadly push, underscoring themes of divine preservation, trust, and gratitude for life itself. In the ancient Near Eastern context, a 'push' leading to a fall could symbolize sudden disaster, military defeat, or mortal danger. Being saved from such a דְּחִי would be understood as a dramatic, life-preserving act of divine favor, contrasting with a modern, more abstract concept of 'deliverance.' מִכְשׁוֹל (mikshôl, H4383) — a stumbling-block or cause of falling, more about an obstacle than the act of pushing. כָּשַׁל (kāshal, H3782) — the verb to stumble, falter, or fail, focusing on the stumble itself rather than the external force causing it.

Word Details