Lexical Summary shillumah: Recompense, Reward, Reparation Original Word: שִׁלֻּמָה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance recompense Feminine of shilluwm; retribution -- recompense. see HEBREW shilluwm NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom shalem Definition requital, retribution NASB Translation recompense (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs [שִׁלֻּמָה] noun feminine requital, retribution; — construct שִׁלֻּמַת Psalm 91:8. Topical Lexicon Overview Shillumah appears once in Scripture (Psalm 91:8) and serves as a vivid emblem of divine recompense—God’s measured response to human conduct. Though rare as a term, the idea it represents permeates the biblical narrative, assuring the faithful that righteous judgment is neither arbitrary nor deferred indefinitely. Biblical Context Psalm 91 extols the security of the one who dwells “in the shelter of the Most High.” Verse 8 reads, “You will only see it with your eyes and witness the punishment of the wicked”. Here shillumah portrays a public, observable repayment: the wicked receive exactly what their deeds deserve, while the righteous remain untouched. The psalm thus links personal trust in God to a future unveiling of perfect justice. The Theology of Recompense 1. Moral Order: Scripture insists that the universe is morally structured (Genesis 18:25; Proverbs 11:31). Shillumah underscores this principle by highlighting outcomes that correspond to actions. Legal and Covenant Background Under the Mosaic Law, restitution guarded community integrity (Exodus 22:1-15). While shillumah itself is not used in those statutes, the conceptual backdrop of measured repayment shapes the psalmist’s assurance: the covenant-keeping God remains consistent in both cultic and cosmic arenas. Wisdom and Prophetic Echoes • Proverbs 24:12 affirms that God “repays” (yashiv) every man’s work. Christological Fulfillment At the cross, justice and mercy converge. Sin is fully recompensed in Christ’s substitutionary death (Isaiah 53:5-6; 1 Peter 2:24). Believers therefore view shillumah not merely as terror for the wicked but as the ground of their own deliverance—judgment borne by the Savior secures refuge analogous to Psalm 91’s promises. Pastoral and Devotional Implications • Assurance in Suffering: When evil prospers temporarily, Psalm 91:8 reminds believers that injustice is transient. Historical Reception Early Church fathers cited Psalm 91 in times of plague and persecution, interpreting shillumah as proof that God differentiates between those who cling to Him and those who defy Him. Throughout revivals and missionary movements, the verse has fortified believers confronting opposition, assuring them that visible vindication will ultimately accord with God’s unerring recompense. New Testament Parallels • Matthew 16:27—“The Son of Man is going to come… and then He will repay each one.” Conclusion Although shillumah is a single-occurrence term, its solitary appearance encapsulates a major biblical theme: God’s sovereign commitment to repay every deed, sustaining the righteous and unsettling the wicked until justice is fully revealed. Forms and Transliterations וְשִׁלֻּמַ֖ת ושלמת veshilluMat wə·šil·lu·maṯ wəšillumaṯLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Psalm 91:8 HEB: בְּעֵינֶ֣יךָ תַבִּ֑יט וְשִׁלֻּמַ֖ת רְשָׁעִ֣ים תִּרְאֶֽה׃ NAS: And see the recompense of the wicked. KJV: and see the reward of the wicked. INT: your eyes look the recompense of the wicked and see 1 Occurrence |
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