Question:

Is PSALM 14 7 ” someone out of zion ” or “salvation out of zion”

Answer:

The Hebrew word in question here is yeshua.  It is the word translated as salvation in most Bibles, which is the word equivalent of the names Joshua and Jesus, both of which are yeshua in Hebrew.  The word Jesus means salvation.

The literal translation of this passage is that “Salvation for Israel will come out of Zion.”  The question is whether this “salvation” is a reference to a person who brings salvation or whether it is simply reference to an historical event of the people being saved.  This is a matter of interpretation.  Many Christians see this as a messianic prophecy, and for very good reason!  I agree with this interpretation.

However, Jews may interpret this passage as a prophecy about the restoration of Israel to the Promised Land after being sent into captivity in Babylon. This restoration was allowed by Cyrus of Persia and carried out by Ezra, Zerubbabel, Nehemiah and others.  This is not an unreasonable interpretation, but the fact that the passage says the salvation will “come out of Zion” makes it more likely that this salvation is brought by a person in Zion–in Israel, not by someone outside Zion such as Cyrus.

Here is what I would say.  In this passage, God is telling his people that salvation for Israel will come from Zion.  I and many others believe that this “salvation” comes in the form of the Messiah, and that this Messiah is Jesus, who just so happens to have a name which literally means salvation.  Therefore, I believe the passage is talking about someone who will come for Zion, but this is an interpretation, and it is not what the passage says literally.

So, the passage does NOT say “someone out of Zion” but it is the most reasonable interpretation of the passage.

John Oakes