Menuhah Mayim

Those old Hebrew words are translated as quiet waters in Psalm 23:2  “He leads me beside quiet waters”

Menuhah is a Hebrew word that was used often in scriptures to describe quiet and peacefulness, places where trust was present within. 



For example, Naomi prayed for her widowed daughter-in-laws to find menuhah in the house another husband. 

Another example, the promised land of Canaan was the intended place of menuhah for the people of Israel to find rest.  “…the LORD has given rest to His people Israel according to all that He promised….” (1 Kings 8:5 NASB). But the appointed people of God did not live according to God’s standard.  They were corrupt and disobedient, and therefore forfeited that blessed rest. The rest of God cannot cohabitate with uncleanliness.

“Up! Begone! This is no longer your land and home, for you have filled it with sin and ruined it completely.“ (Micah 2:10 NLT)


Rest isn’t just enjoying a nap, it encompasses protection from enemies, or threatening environments.


David wrote this psalm and he sure didn’t live a conflict free life, so these words don’t mean that when God leads, you will always walk by calm peaceful streams of life and never raging currents.  

I think even when the river of our life is raging, even flooded, we can have rest. We can have peace in our hearts and minds, knowing that what is happening is fully known by God and He will bring us thru in His perfect time.  





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