Dalet
The 8 Opening Words
Each verse in this stanza opens with the letter Dalet. These are the 8 words — one per verse — that form the hidden sentence.
The Hidden Sentence
When you read only the opening word of each verse, a sentence emerges from the letter Dalet:
"Clings to dust — my ways — the way — weeps — the false way — the true way — I clung — the way (I will run in it)."
The Teaching
The stranger (Gimel) is on the ground — clinging to dust, weeping. But the door is right there. My ways are laid bare, I weep in the low place — then I remove the false way, choose the faithful way, cling, and RUN. Dalet is the door of the humble person who has hit the ground, looked up, chosen, and run through.
- My soul cleaveth unto the dust: quicken thou me according to thy word.
- I have declared my ways, and thou heardest me: teach me thy statutes.
- Make me to understand the way of thy precepts: so shall I talk of thy wondrous works.
- My soul melteth for heaviness: strengthen thou me according unto thy word.
- Remove from me the way of lying: and grant me thy law graciously.
- I have chosen the way of truth: thy judgments have I laid before me.
- I have stuck unto thy testimonies: O LORD, put me not to shame.
- I will run the way of thy commandments, when thou shalt enlarge my heart.
This Letter in the Complete Message
Here is where this letter's voice falls in the full 22-sentence narrative:
My soul clings to the dust as I declare my ways before You — the way I have sought, weeping — I remove the false way, choose the true way, I cling to Your testimonies — and in Your way I will run.
The narrative continues through 18 more letters — up to Tav, the final seal.