מִכְלָל (mikh.lal)
mikh.lal
perfection
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The noun mikh.lal denotes a state of being whole, complete, or perfect. It appears only once in the Hebrew Bible, in Psalm 50:2, where it describes God’s glory emerging from Zion. In this context, the word emphasizes that God’s majesty is not partial or lacking; it is fully realized and entirely sufficient.
Its root relates to the idea of a boundary or limit, suggesting that something has reached its intended end or full measure. When applied to divine glory, mikh.lal conveys that God’s presence is undiminished and absolute. The term does not imply moral flawlessness in the human sense, but rather an aesthetic and ontological wholeness that leaves nothing out.
Translators often render this rare word as "perfection" or "beauty," capturing the sense of something brought to its full potential. By using mikh.lal, the psalmist highlights that God’s splendor is not an emerging quality but a complete reality, shining forth from His holy dwelling place with total integrity.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word mikh.lal appears only once in the Hebrew Bible, nestled in Psalm 50:2. It describes God’s glory not as something partial or growing, but as fully realized and entirely sufficient. When the psalmist speaks of the "perfection of beauty" shining from Zion, he points to a divine presence that is undiminished and absolute. This is not about human moral flawlessness, but an aesthetic wholeness that leaves nothing out.
For your faith, this offers a quiet comfort. You do not need to add to God’s glory or fix what is broken in His nature. His splendor is a complete reality, shining forth with total integrity from His holy dwelling place. In seasons where you feel incomplete or lacking, remember that the One you worship is perfectly whole. His presence is sufficient for every need.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- perfection of1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- מִכְלַל\־1×
Key Verses
-
Psalms 50:2
Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God shines out.
This sole occurrence uses mikh.lal to emphasize that God’s majesty is fully realized and entirely sufficient, not partial or lacking.