Sermon Handout
- Ephesians 3:20
- Isaiah 42:14
- Psalm 139:1-24
- Psalm 62:1
Series: Talking With My Father
When we cry “God, help me!” and hear nothing, the Hebrew provides two distinct flavors of silence:
- Chashah: This means to be still, inactive, or to “hold one’s peace.” It describes a functional silence—God is not speaking or acting yet.
- KJV | Isaiah 42:14: “I have long time held my peace; I have been still, and refrained myself…”
- NLT | Isaiah 42:14: “I have been silent for a long time. I have restrained myself. But now, like a woman in labor, I will cry and groan and pant.”
- Damam: This means to be “dumb,” “silent,” or “still.” It often implies a silence that is heavy or waiting.
- KJV | Psalm 62:1: “Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from him cometh my salvation.”
- NLT | Psalm 62:1: “I wait quietly before God, for my victory comes from him.”
Summary of the Original Meaning
Concept | Hebrew Word | Core Meaning | What it teaches us |
God’s Silence | Chashah | To hold one’s peace; to refrain. | Silence is often a period of God’s self- restraint before a “new thing” happens. |
Prayer Silence | Damam | To be still or “dumb.” | Silence isn’t absence; it’s a space for the soul to wait and trust. |
God’s “silence” (chashah) is a deliberate pause, not a sign of deafness.
By looking at these words, we see that “unanswered” prayer is often just a season of chashah—where God is holding His peace until the perfect moment to act.
Remember: Delay is not necessarily denial and waiting time is not wasting time! (Sis. Cynthia Beacham)