The Psalms

Sexual Health Terms

Bridegroom, chah-THAWN (Psalm 19:5) Strong, H2860

Covenant, buh-REETH (Psalm 78:10) Strong, H1285

Virgin Companions, buh-tue-LAH (Psalm 45:14) Strong, H7464

Genital Sexual Intercourse, yah-CHAWM (Psalm 51:5) Strong, H3179

Gynecological Terms

Womb, BEH-ten

Breast, SHAWD

Birth, REH-chem and HOOL

Labor, yah-LAWD

Unhealthy Sexuality Terms

Egypt and Ham, (Psalm 78:51)

Baal, bah-AWL (Psalm 106:28) Strong, H1187

Sacred Sex Trade, zah-NAH (Psalm 106:39) Strong, H2181

Seven sexual health terms appear in the Psalms. The four sexual health terms are; bridegroom, covenant, virgin companions, and sexual intercourse. Bridegroom is the common word hah-TAWN. (Strong, H2860) Covenant is the Genesis sexual health positive term buh-REETH. (Strong, H1285) Virgin companions is comprised of virgin, buh-tue-LAH and ray-AH meaning friend or female confidante. (Strong, H7464) 

It is like a bridegroom (hah-TAWN) coming out of his chamber, like a champion rejoicing to run his course. (Psalm 19:5)

They did not keep God’s covenant (buh-REETH) and refused to live by his law. (Psalm 78:10)

In embroidered garments she is led to the king; her virgin (buh-tue-LAH) companions (ray-AH) follow her— those brought to be with her. (Psalm 45:14)

In Psalm 51:5 the genital sexual intercourse term is yah-CHAWM. (Strong, H3179) The range of meaning for yah-HAWM includes warm, hot, animals mating or in heat, and sexual intercourse. Yah-CHAWM appears 10 times in 9 verses of the Hebrew Old Testament. At no time does this word clearly read as conception. Yah-CHAWM used for sexual intercourse of animals appears four times out of ten occurrences. Could yah-CHAWM be a derogatory use of the word in David’s mind? Is he comparing his shame over his sexual misconduct to animals mating? Psalm 51 is David’s repentance prayer to God. After his affair with Bathsheba, the king ordered the assassination of her husband Uriah. In the fray of battle, an entire squad of Israel’s elite special operatives were killed along with Uriah, Bathsheba’s husband. Psalm 51 is David’s amends and reconnection with God. It may be fitting that in a state of remorse David connects the sinfulness of his birth and his mother’s intercourse with Jesse, his father. Is David reflecting his own sexual relationship with Bathsheba? A more fitting translation may be,

Surely I was sinful at birth (HOOL), sinful from the moment my mother had intercourse (yah-CHAWM). (Psalm 51:5)

Five words are gynecological; womb, breast, two terms for birth, and labor. Yah-LAWD appears 500 times in 403 verses of the Hebrew Old Testament. (Strong, H3205)

Yet you brought me out of the womb (BEH-ten) ; you made me trust in you, even at my mother’s breast (SHAWD). (Psalm 22:9)

From birth (REH-chem) I was cast on you; from my mother’s womb (BEH-ten) you have been my God. (Psalm 22:10)

Surely I was sinful at birth (HOOL), sinful from the moment my mother had intercourse (yah-CHAWM). (Psalm 51:5)

Trembling seized them there, pain like that of a woman in labor (yah-LAWD). (Psalm 48:6)

The unhealthy sexuality images and terms are Egypt and Ham, Baal, and the sacred sex trade (zah-NAH). Five times in the Old Testament Egypt is described as the “land of Ham”. (Psalm 78:51; 105:23, 27; 106:22; 1 Chronicles 4:40). The sexual health narratives of Egypt describe its deities and Pharaohs engaging in the practice of incest.  Ham is the lead character in the Noah snap shot  who committed incest with his mother in Genesis 9.  The offspring of that incestuous union was Canaan, who carried a curse throughout his life. Could David be eluding to incest in this passage? 

He struck down all the firstborn of Egypt, the firstfruits of manhood in the tents of Ham. (Psalms 78:51)

The term “first fruits” is ray-SHEETH appearing in the opening prologue of Genesis 1:1,”In the beginning (ray-SHEETH) God created the heavens and the earth.” (Strong, H7225) The word for manhood is the word ah-WONE meaning sexual virility or strength.  (Strong, H202) David may be speaking of the unhealthy sexuality incest by the use of euphemism or exchanging an explicit sexual term with softer language. The final two unhealthy sexuality images are Baal Peor and sacred sex trade participation (zah-NAH). Zah-NAH occurs only once in the Psalms.

They yoked themselves to the Baal of Peor and ate sacrifices offered to lifeless gods.  (Psalm 106:28)

They defiled themselves by what they did; by their deeds they prostituted (zah-NAH) themselves. (Psalm 106:39)

Baal Peor appears 5 times in 4 verses of the Hebrew Old Testament. (Numbers 25:3,5; Deuteronomy 4:3; Psalm 106:28) This Canaanite god was named for Mount Peor in Moab. (Numbers 23:28). According to Rabbinic Literature the Baal Peor cultus excelled in the sacred sex trade and the exposure of genitalia. One Jewish commentator states that on one occasion a strange ruler came to worship Baal Peor with sacrifice. When confronted with the ritual of exposure of genitalia, the ruler instead ordered his security team to kill all the Baal Peor worshippers as they unshrouded their genitals. https://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/2246-baal-peor