The Eighth String

Every Sunday, we begin the week with an inspirational lesson from the beloved Book of Psalms. Written by King David and others, these ancient songs and prayers have given voice to God’s people in moments of joy, sorrow, praise, and thanksgiving for thousands of years—and remain at the heart of both Jewish and Christian worship today.

Psalm 6

For the director of music. With stringed instruments. According to sheminith. A psalm of David.

Have you ever had a bad habit that you just couldn’t break? It can be disheartening and even depressing to fail over and over and over again as we try to correct something that has become so ingrained in us. It can feel like that bad habit will always be a part of who we are.

If you feel this way about yourself and some problem you just can’t seem to overcome, know that you’re not alone.

But even worse than struggling with a habit we can’t break is rationalizing that habit. People often tell themselves that their habit isn’t so bad in order to feel better about themselves. But is this really better than realizing the truth? How many times have I heard someone try to justify themselves by saying, “It’s just the way God made me.”

It’s true that God made us with weaknesses. We’re all human, and we’re all imperfect. But the fact that sin is natural doesn’t make it good. Recognizing our weaknesses opens us up to God’s mercy and to His help in overcoming them.

We see this in the opening words of Psalm 6, even before verse 1 begins. We read the following instructions: “For the director of music. With stringed instruments. According to sheminith. A psalm of David.”

This may look like a simple musical instruction, but these “superscriptures” that open most psalms actually contain deep teachings about the verses that follow.

Sheminith literally means “eighth.” According to the Talmud, this was an eight-stringed harp used in the Temple. But there’s a deeper symbolism to this biblical instrument.

According to Jewish tradition, the number eight is symbolic of going beyond the laws of nature. That’s why the covenant of circumcision is on the eighth day. That’s why the Hannukah miracle lasted eight days in the wake of a seemingly impossible victory. Seven, the number of days in the week, represents nature. Eight is supernatural.

In Psalm 6, King David pours out his soul, pleading with God to rescue him from his own sin. David doesn’t rationalize. And he doesn’t even beg for forgiveness. Instead, he recognizes his human weakness and pleads with God to deliver him from the anguish caused by his own behaviour.

Do you have any doubt that God listened to David?

The message of Psalm 6 is that no matter our natural weaknesses, when we draw close to God, we become supernatural. That is the lesson of the sheminith.