דְּחִי (de.chi)
de.chi
falling
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The noun dechi describes a stumble or fall, capturing the physical act of losing one’s footing. In the Hebrew Bible, it appears only once, in Psalm 37:24, where it conveys the assurance that even if the righteous person trips, they will not suffer a catastrophic collapse.
This single occurrence highlights a key distinction in biblical thought: stumbling is treated as a temporary mishap rather than a permanent state of ruin. The verse promises that the Lord upholds the fallen, turning a momentary loss of balance into an opportunity for divine support. Translators typically render this word as "stumble" or "fall," preserving the image of physical instability to illustrate spiritual resilience.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word dechi describes a momentary loss of balance, like tripping on uneven ground. It appears only once in Scripture, in Psalm 37:24, where it assures us that even when we stumble, we do not fall into permanent ruin. This single occurrence highlights a key distinction in biblical thought: stumbling is treated as a temporary mishap rather than a state of defeat.
When life feels unstable, this verse reminds us that the Lord upholds the fallen. A trip is not the end of the story; it is an opportunity for divine support. The promise is not that we will never lose our footing, but that God’s hand remains steady beneath ours, turning a momentary loss into a chance to experience His faithfulness.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- from/ stumbling1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- מִ/דֶּֽחִי\׃1×
Key Verses
-
Psalms 116:8
For you have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, and my feet from falling.
This verse uses the same concept of 'falling' to highlight God's protective role in preventing spiritual or physical collapse, reinforcing the theme of divine preservation found in the word dechi.