Clingy. In the Best Way
Y’all know I love words. They’re kind of my thing.
I was drawn to explore a Hebrew word last week after reflecting on the story of Ruth. The imagery of Ruth “clinging” to Naomi was compelling. Though Naomi had instructed her daughters-in-law to stay in their native Moab instead of accompanying her back to Bethlehem, Ruth clung to Naomi.
The women wept together, parting was clearly difficult—they’d buried their husbands together, too.
Clingy.
It’s a word that, in our modern use, seems to have connotations of desperation.
We often view desperation as a negative thing.
Yet in Ruth’s story, clinging (dabaq or דָּבַק in Hebrew) was clearly a good thing. Clinging to Naomi–and Naomi’s God!–took her to Judah, where she met and was “redeemed” by Boaz, and ultimately became part of Jesus’ earthly lineage.
The word itself means to stay close, stick with, or be joined to.
It’s the same word used in Genesis to describe the marriage relationship:
This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.
(Genesis 2:24 NLT, emphasis mine)
And it’s also the word used repeatedly in the Old Testament instructing God’s people to stay near to Him:
You shall walk after the LORD your God and fear him and keep his commandments and obey his voice, and you shall serve him and hold fast to him.
(Deuteronomy 13:4 ESV, emphasis mine)
It’s used to describe the just, godly reign of Hezekiah:
For he held fast to the LORD. He did not depart from following him, but kept the commandments that the LORDcommanded Moses.
(2 Kings 18:6 ESV, emphasis mine)
And again when the psalmist cries out to the Lord:
I cling to your testimonies, O LORD;
(Psalm 119:31 ESV, emphasis mine)
let me not be put to shame!
Maybe clinging to God is what we all need to do a little more of these days. Whether in desperation or not, clinging to Him will—as the psalmist says—never put us to shame.
Hold fast, friends. Hold fast.