View source for Method:Story Behind the Psalm

{{Creator Guidelines}}
Overseer: Elizabeth Robar
=Introduction=

The "Story behind the Psalm" is the capstone of our semantic analysis. The first three steps of our semantic analysis ([[Lexical Semantics]], [[Phrase-Level Semantics]], [[Verbal Semantics]]) have focused on the level of words and phrases. In the "Story behind the Psalm" we analyze the meaning of sentences and larger units of discourse, up to and including the entire psalm.

==Example: Psalm 6==
When we come to Psalm 6, we read about God’s anger (v. 2), discipline (v. 2), troubled bones (v. 3b), a prayer for healing (v. 3b), and a plea for God to “turn” (v. 5a). We read about death and Sheol (v. 6), weeping in the night (v. 7), beds that float and melt (v. 7), and an eye that is wasting away (v. 8). Finally, near the end of the psalm, we read about opponents and “evildoers (v. 8b-11) who, after a jarring shift in mood, are told to leave because “YHWH has heard” (vv. 9b-10).

What is going on in Psalm 6? How do all of these elements fit together? Throughout the centuries, there have been a number of explanations.<ref>For a history of interpretation of this Psalm through the 20th century, see Knuth, [https://archive.org/details/zurauslegungsges0000knut/mode/2up ''Zur Auslegungsgeschichte von Psalm 6''].</ref> Gregory of Nyssa is typical of early Christian interpreters, who read Psalm 6 literally as a Davidic psalm of penitence and allegorically as referring to the return of the Messiah to judge the world and restore all things.<ref>Casimir McCambley Ocso, “On the Sixth Psalm, Concerning the Octave by Saint Gregory of Nyssa,” ''Greek Orthodox Theological Review'', Vol. 32, No. 1, 1987. “The venerable Bede, Hilary, Athanasius, and Augustine all took the "eighth" to refer to the eighth day, that is, the first day of the new creation when the dead should rise to everlasting punishment or eternal life; so Psalm 6 came to be equated with the final coming, the last judgment, and the eternal kingdom” (Achtemeier 78).
</ref> Rabbinic exegesis connected Psalm 6 with the covenant of circumcision, and David sang it when he got out of the bathtub.<ref>Talmud (TB Menahot 43b). “As David entered the bath and saw himself naked, he exclaimed: ‘Woe is me, that I stand naked without any precepts around me!’ But when he reminded himself of the circumcision in his flesh, his mind was set at ease; and when he came out, he sang a hymn of praise, as it is written, La-menatze'ah [bi-neginot] al ha-sheminit – For the Leader; [with string music] on the Eighth. A Psalm of David (Ps. 6:1) – that is to say, regarding circumcision, which was given eighth” (Arie Folger, “Midrashic Interpretations of Psalms 6 and 20,” ''JBQ'' Vol. 42, No. 3, 2014).</ref> Ibn Ezra interpreted this as a psalm of David when he was sick, though he claimed it could also be read as a prophecy about Israel in exile.<ref>Ibn Ezra, Abraham ben Meïr, and H.Norman Strickman. ''Rabbi Abraham Ibn Ezra’s Commentary on the First Book of Psalms : Chapters 1-41''. Academic Studies Press, 2009, 55.</ref> Most interpreters in the last two centuries would agree that Psalm 6 presupposes a situation of sickness, even if, according to some, the author is someone other than David.<ref>E.g., Kirkpatrick, Gunkel, Mowinckel, Dahood, Craigie, Kraus, Bratcher & Reyburn, Achtemeier, Goldingay, Longman, et. al.</ref> Some, however, don’t see sickness here at all.<ref>Calvin, Hengstenberg, Rogerson & McKay.</ref> The primary problem, they would say, is not sickness, but enemies.<ref>Delitzsch, Ross</ref> Those who do think there is real sickness in Psalm 6 have explained the enemies variously as bad friends (like those of Job),<ref>Gunkel, Craigie, Achtemeier, et. al.</ref> sorcerers who caused the illness with their magic,<ref>Mowinckel, Terrien.</ref> rebels who plot against the king on his sickbed,<ref>Waltke.</ref> demons that cause sickness, or even as the personification of the sickness itself.<ref>These last two interpretations are mentioned in Hossfeld and Zenger.</ref>

==Key Concepts==
What all of the above interpretations of Psalm 6 have in common is the assumption that the psalm is '''coherent.''' According to Dooley and Levinsohn, “a text is said to be coherent if, for a certain hearer on a certain hearing/reading, he or she is able to fit its different elements into a single overall mental representation” (Dooley and Levinsohn 2001:11). A '''mental representation''' is “a reflection of how content comes together and is stored in the mind.” Each of the above interpretations of Psalm 6 is an attempt at constructing a viable mental representation of the text of Psalm 6 - an attempt at building a conceptual framework in which all of the elements of the Psalm fit together. This is the goal of the "Story behind the Psalm."

The elements that go into a mental representation are not limited to what the text actually says. If this were the case, then we might expect more agreement among the interpreters of Psalm 6. The fact is that “hearers may bring as much to their understanding of a discourse as they get from what the speaker actually says; ‘discourses... force us to draw upon all we know about our culture, language, and world’ (Everett 1992:19)” (Dooley and Levinsohn 2001:21). For this reason, the further removed one is from the culture and language of a discourse, the more difficult it becomes to construct a mental representation of that discourse. This is why the "Story behind the Psalm" focuses so much on the Biblical and Ancient Near Eastern backgrounds of each psalm.

==Recommended Resources==
* [https://semanticdictionary.org SDBH]
* [https://archive.org/details/the-context-of-scripture/page/351/mode/2up?view=theater The Context of Scripture: Canonical Compositions from the Biblical World (vol. 1)]
* [https://archive.org/details/contextofscriptu0002unse/mode/2up?view=theater The Context of Scripture: Monumental Inscriptions from the Biblical World (vol. 2)]
* [https://archive.org/details/contextofscriptu0003unse/page/352/mode/2up?view=theater The Context of Scripture: Archival Documents from the Biblical World (vol. 3)]
* [https://archive.org/details/the-symbolism-of-the-biblical-world-ancient-near-eastern-iconography-and-the-boo/page/413/mode/2up?view=theater The Symbolism of the Biblical World: Ancient Near Eastern Iconography and the Book of Psalms]
* [https://archive.org/details/dictionary-of-biblical-imagery-ryken-wilhoit-temper-longman-iii/mode/2up Dictionary of Biblical Imagery]
* [https://www.zotero.org/groups/2588207/cdbr_-_the_psalms_layer_by_layer/collections/AMEBMWPQ CDBR Zotero library, Psalms commentaries]

=Steps=
==1. Complete the propositions and assumptions table.==
The propositions and assumptions table is a tool we use to gather and store information for "the story behind the psalm." It is foundational to the rest of our analysis at this layer.

[[File: Propositions and assumptions table.jpg|825px|class=img-fluid]]

Complete the following steps for your psalm:
#Copy the propositions and assumptions table from the [https://miro.com/app/board/uXjVO3MkiUs=/?moveToWidget=3458764530960247398&cot=14 template board] and paste it onto the board for your psalm.
#Copy and paste the Close-but-Clear translation of your psalm into the second column of the table. Each clause of the text (regardless whether it is independent or dependent) should have its own row on the table. Add as many rows to the table as is necessary.
#In the leftmost column ("Verse #"), list the verse number for each clause (1, 2, 3, etc.). If there are multiple clauses in a verse, use letters to distinguish them (2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, etc.)
#In the third column of the table ("Propositional Content"), rewrite the [[#Propositional Content|propositional content]] of each clause using third-person present-tense indicative sentences and full noun phrases for any pronouns in the text (e.g., "do not discipline me" >> "YHWH disciplines David").
# In the fourth, fifth, and sixth columns of the table, write out [[#Assumptions|assumptions]] for each proposition.
</br>
Here is an example of the proposition–assumptions table with one verse completed.<ref>In this particular example, the rows have been combined for each of the assumptions columns. This is because the propositional content of 2a and that of 2b are so similar to one another that the same assumptions apply to both.</ref>
[[File: Propositions and assumptions 2.jpg|825px|class=img-fluid]]
===Propositional Content===
Propositional content is "that part of the meaning of a clause or sentence that is constant, despite changes in such things as the voice or illocutionary force of the clause."<ref>“Proposition,” SIL Glossary of Linguistic Terms. Propositional content is sometimes called simply “proposition,” but to minimise the risk of confusion with a different sense of the term (“declarative statement”), the preferred term here is ''propositional content.''</ref> It refers to “the kind of situation or event described by the underlying proposition.”<ref>Kroeger 2018:186.</ref> Consider, for example, the following sentences.
* John threw the ball to Bill.
* It was John who threw the ball to Bill.
* The ball was thrown to Bill by John.
* John throws the ball to Bill.
* John will throw the ball to Bill.
* John, throw the ball to Bill!
* Did John throw the ball to Bill?
* John will not throw the ball to Bill.
* (Bill says), "John, throw me the ball!"
</br>
These sentences vary in voice, tense, illocutionary force, negation, person, and pragmatic marking, but they all share the same propositional content: "John throws the ball to Bill." (For the sake of convenience and consistency, we will use third person present tense indicative sentences to express the propositional content of a sentence.)

Consider now the first eight clauses of Psalm 6 (verses 2-4). The propositional content of these clauses may be expressed as follows.

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Verse # !! Text (CBC) !! Propositional content
|-
| '''2a''' || YHWH, do not correct me in your anger, || YHWH corrects David in his anger.
|-
| '''2b''' || and do not discipline me in your wrath. || YHWH disciplines David in his wrath.
|-
| '''3a''' || Have mercy on me, YHWH, || YHWH has mercy on David.
|-
| '''3b''' || for I am languishing. || David languishes.
|-
| '''3c''' || Heal me, YHWH, || YHWH heals David.
|-
| '''3d''' || for my bones have become dismayed. || David's bones are dismayed.
|-
| '''4a''' || And my soul has become very dismayed. || David's soul is very dismayed.
|-
| '''4b''' || And you, YHWH, how long? || ...<ref>Verse 4b is a sentence fragment and, therefore, does not express a proposition.</ref>
|}

===Assumptions===
Once we have identified the propositional content, we ask, “what would the world have to be like for this [proposition] to be true?”<ref>Kroeger 2018:47.</ref> That is, what does this proposition presuppose about the world? What does it entail? What might be implied? In what kind of situation does this make sense? In other words, what assumptions are bound up with this proposition? We distinguish three kinds of assumptions:
# Common-ground assumptions
# Local-ground assumptions
# Playground assumptions
</br>
====Common-Ground====
Common-ground assumptions include information shared by the speaker and hearers. In our analysis, we mainly use this category for '''Biblical/ANE background''' - beliefs and practices that were widespread at this time and place. This is the background information necessary for understanding propositions that do not readily make sense to those who are so far removed from the culture in which the proposition was originally expressed. 

For example, the propositional content of Ps. 6:2a is "YHWH disciplines David in his wrath." This proposition assumes the following cultural background information: 
*David is the king.
*YHWH is the king's father, and the king is his son (cf. Pss. 2:7; 89:27; 2 Sam. 7:14).
*Fathers discipline their sons when they disobey (cf. Prov. 13:24; 23:13-14; cf. 2 Sam. 7:14).
The Old Testament itself is often the best source to use for understanding the background of a proposition. Look up instances in the OT where similar language or imagery occurs; check cross-references; and check SDBH, which will sometimes include common-ground associations in its definition of a word. In addition to the OT itself, it is helpful to check other ancient texts related to the OT. As a starting point, you might browse the indices of each of the [https://psalms.scriptura.world/w/Semantics/Story_behind_the_Psalm#Required_Tools above books] for references to your psalm. Write out as many common-ground assumptions as are useful for understanding the proposition, and cite any sources used.

====Local-Ground====
Local-ground assumptions are those propositions which are necessarily true if the text is true. They include both '''presuppositions''' and '''entailments.''' Presuppositions are those implicit propositions which are assumed to be true by an explicit proposition. Entailments are those propositions which are necessarily true if a proposition is true. Consider, for example, the following proposition: "the man killed his cat." This proposition ''presupposes'' that "the man has a cat." An ''entailment'' of this proposition is that "the cat is dead."

In Ps. 6:2b, the proposition, “YHWH disciplines David in his wrath” presupposes that YHWH is in a state of wrath.<ref>Traditionally, presuppositions of this kind are included as "common-ground" assumptions. But because entailments and presuppositions are sometimes difficult to distinguish, and because it is useful to devote a single category exclusively to ANE/Biblical background material, we have classified presuppositions, along with entailments, as local-ground assumptions (i.e., things that a later reader can infer from the text by logical necessity).</ref> The proposition that "YHWH heals David" (v. 3a) presupposes that "David was in need of healing." The same proposition also entails that (having been healed) "David is well and no longer needs healing."

====Playground====
Whereas local-ground assumptions are inferences which are necessarily true if the text is true, play-ground assumptions are those inferences which ''might'' be true if the text is true. For example, knowing that the verb "discipline" in Ps. 6:2b usually implies negative behavior and that fathers discipline their sons for disobedience and not for no reason, the reader (familiar with the common-ground) might infer that David has sinned.<ref>Cf. Pss. 38; 41. E.g., NET Bible note on v. 2 (2001): “The implication is that the psalmist has sinned, causing God to discipline him.” Cf. Anderson 1972:88; Rogerson & McKay 1977:32; Kraus 1988:162; et al.</ref> This inference could be confirmed as we continue to read, if, for example, David goes on to confess some sin. The inference could also be canceled, if, for example, David goes on to state his innocence. The nature of play-ground assumptions is that they may be challenged and negated as the text progresses, forcing us to revise our mental representation. Another playground assumption might be that "if YHWH disciplines in wrath, then David will die" (cf. Ps. 118:18).

==2. Create a table for imagery.==
In addition to the Propositions-Assumptions table, create a new miniature table for each instance of metaphorical language in your psalm. In each table, specify the following information:
* the source domain (e.g. a lion)
* the target domain (e.g. enemies)
* the source parts involved (e.g. predator, prey, rescuer)
* the mappings to the target domain (e.g. enemies, psalmist, God)
* entailments 
[[File:Imagery example.jpg|class=img-fluid|Example of analysing an image]]

Watch [https://youtu.be/IZ7IgjBs4RM this monthly meeting on Conceptual Metaphors] for more background.

==3. Create story triangles.==
Next, all of the information in the Propositions–Assumptions table needs to be structured in a meaningful and visual way. The chosen tool for this task is a story triangle. The story triangle is the scaffolding on which we attempt to construct, clause by clause, our mental representation of the psalm. The purpose is to understand how the propositional content of each clause along with its assumptions relates to each of the other propositions and to the psalm as a whole.

:'''1'''. Copy the story triangle from the [https://miro.com/app/board/uXjVO3MkiUs=/?moveToWidget=3458764530960247398&cot=14 template] board and paste it onto the board for your psalm.
:'''2'''. Copy the text from the first row of column 3 ("Propositional Content") and paste it as a text box near the story triangle. Bold the text and include a verse number in parentheses.
:'''3'''. Copy the text from the first row of columns 4-6 ("Assumptions") and paste it as a series of text-boxes near the story triangle. Each assumption should have its own text-box. The text of each should be placed inside parentheses and coloured according to the type of assumption it represents. (Use the same colours as the table in the template). So far, it should look something like this:
[[File: Psalm 6 - story 1.jpg|825px|class=img-fluid]]
:'''4'''. Begin to organize the material along the story triangle, identifying each proposition/text-box either as an '''event''' or an '''explanation'''. Events occur in sequence and move the story forward, increasing tension, decreasing tension, or acting as a turning point. They go along the edge of the story triangle. Explanations (often abstract ideas, verbal states, or timeless truths) function to explain ''why'' certain events take place. They float around the story triangle, connected to the events which they explain by arrows labeled "that's why."<ref>Occasionally, you may need to use some other logical connector than "that's why." Sometimes, "therefore" is more appropriate, especially when a series of explanations functions as an argument for another explanation.</ref> Sometimes, multiple explanations function together to form an explanatory chain. It will look something like this:
[[File: Psalm 6 - story 1.5.jpg|825px|class=img-fluid]]
:Notice that some of the assumptions were reworded in order to fit as events on the triangle. E.g., "YHWH is angry" >> "YHWH becomes angry; "Discipline in anger could lead to death" >> "David dies."
:Not all of the assumptions will be used, and, vice-versa, some assumptions may need to be added which were not originally in the table. This is an iterative process.
:'''5'''. Within the triangle itself, write a summary of the story. This particular story triangle might be summarised as, "YHWH's discipline in anger leads to death." 
:'''6'''. Include a star icon along the edge of the story-triangle to indicate the point of the story in which the psalm itself (as a speech event) takes place. At this point, the triangle should look something like this:
[[File: Psalm 6 - story 2.jpg|825px|class=img-fluid]]
:'''7'''. Because this particular story triangle presents the story which the psalmist does ''not'' want to take place, we can strike through this triangle with a red "X."
[[File:Psalm_6_-_story_X.jpg|825px|class=img-fluid]]
:'''8'''. In addition to the red "X", another visual tool that you might find useful when creating your story triangles is the "repeat" arrow (⟲). The semantic logic of Ps. 34:23, for example, may be structured in terms of a story that repeats over and over.
[[File:Psalm 034 - v. 23.jpg|class=img-fluid|825px]]
:'''9'''. The process of structuring the material using a story triangle is a clause-by-clause process. Work through each clause/row in the table and repeat steps 1-6 for each. The information for a new clause may be incorporated into an existing story triangle, or it may require a new story triangle. For example, the next clause in Ps. 6 (v. 2b) is so similar to the previous clause (v. 2a) that the information can be incorporated into the same triangle with little change; the new proposition "YHWH disciplines David in wrath" can be placed directly underneath the proposition "YHWH corrects David in anger," since the two propositions are synonymous. The information in v. 3, however, requires a new triangle; this story does not end in death but in mercy and healing.
[[File: Psalm 6 - story 4.jpg|825px|class=img-fluid]]
:Note that some of the assumptions from the previous triangle are included here as well. This is a cumulative process in which each clause builds on the previous. Work through each clause until you have finished the psalm.
:The semantic logic of some psalms may require only a single story triangle.<ref>See e.g., [https://miro.com/app/board/uXjVP1aWLQg=/?moveToWidget=3458764549608228822&cot=14 Ps. 110]</ref> Other psalms may require several story triangles.<ref>See e.g., [https://miro.com/app/board/uXjVP1aWLXM=/?moveToWidget=3458764550284194310&cot=14 Ps. 34].</ref> Oftentimes, story triangles will be embedded within other story triangles. See, for example, a portion of the analysis of Ps. 34:
[[File:Psalm 034 - triangle.jpg|class=img-fluid|825px]]
:'''10'''. Once you have analysed every verse, create a single story triangle that summarises the story of the whole psalm. Use the same colour scheme as in [[Participant Analysis]]. Include a theme at the bottom of the story. The theme is the main message conveyed by the story-behind. The theme of the story behind Psalm 6 might be "YHWH will not be angry forever" (cf. Ps. 30:6 ["A moment in his anger; a lifetime in his favor..." ] or "YHWH's loyalty to David is stronger than sin and death." The following is a summary of the story behind Psalm 11:
[[File: Psalm 11 - Overview-story behind.jpg|825px|class=img-fluid]]

==4. Write an expanded paraphrase.==
Next, we return to the text itself. The goal is to create an expanded paraphrase of the text that captures the most valuable information represented in the story triangles. The base of the paraphrase is the CBC.

# Copy and paste the CBC, one text-box per verse, and make the text bold.
# Add assumptions in and around the CBC. Each assumption should be contained within parentheses and coloured according to its type (common-ground, local-ground, or playground. Reword each assumption so that it flows along with the text.
# The expanded text should reflect the perspective of whoever is speaking at that point in the psalm; the assumptions should be phrased in such a way so that they sound as though they are part of the psalm.
</br>
For example, the expanded paraphrase of Psalm 6:2 is as follows:

'''YHWH''', <span style="color:#808080">(you are my father and I, the king, am your son.)</span><span style="color:#2D9BF0">(I have sinned against you,)</span><span style="color:#414BB2">(and you have become angry,)</span> <span style="color:#2D9BF0">(and you have begun to discipline me)</span><span style="color:#808080">(as a father disciplines his son)</span><ref>cf. Prov. 13:24; 23:13-14; cf. 2 Sam. 7:14</ref>. <span style="color:#2D9BF0">(I accept your fatherly discipline, but I only ask that you)</span> '''do not correct me in your anger''' <span style="color:#2D9BF0">(lest I die)</span> '''and do not discipline me in your wrath.'''

See the rest of the Psalm 6 paraphrase [https://psalms.scriptura.world/w/Psalm_6_Story_behind_the_Psalm#Expanded_Paraphrase here.]

==5. Select background ideas.==
Identify the common-ground assumptions which are the most helpful for making sense of the psalm. List them and elaborate on them as necessary. For example, the following common-ground assumptions are important for understanding Psalm 6:
* The King is God's son, and, just as a father disciplines his son, so God promised to disciple the king when he disobeyed. "I will be his father, and he will be my son. When he does wrong, I will punish him...  But my love will never be taken away from him (2 Sam. 7:14-15).
* Sickness is a common form of divine punishment, and it was interpreted as a sign of divine rejection.
* The king's enemies would always be seeking an opportunity to seize power.

==6. Visualise the background situation.==
The background situation is the series of events leading up to the time in which the psalm is spoken. These are taken from the story triangle – whatever lies to the left of the star icon. 

# Copy the background situation diagram from the [https://miro.com/app/board/uXjVO3MkiUs=/?moveToWidget=3458764530960247398&cot=14 template board] and paste it onto the board for your psalm.
# Fill in each box (however many are necessary) with a brief description of an event. The names of any participants should be bolded and coloured according to the scheme in Participant Analysis.
</br>
For example, the background situation for Psalm 6 is as follows:
[[File: Psalm 6 - background.jpg|825px|class=img-fluid]]

=Additional Resources=

Kroeger, Paul. Analyzing Meaning: An Introduction to Semantics and Pragmatics. Textbooks in Languages Sciences 5. Language Science Press, 2018. This title can be downloaded [https://langsci-press.org/catalog/book/231 here].

=Rubric=
{| class="wikitable" 
|- style="font-weight:bold;"
! Dimension
! Description
|-
| Completeness
| 
* Every element required by the creator guidelines is included.
** Complete propositions and assumptions table.
** A complete imagery chart for each instance of metaphorical language in the psalm.
** Complete story triangles which account for all of the psalm's propositional content.
** Complete summary story triangle.
** Complete expanded paraphrase.
** List of key background ideas.
** Visualised sequence of background events.
|-
| Quality of analysis
|
* Common ground assumptions have been thoroughly researched and are well grounded in evidence.
* Each story triangle, including the summary triangle, tells a coherent and compelling story.
* [https://psalms.scriptura.world/w/Semantics/Story_behind_the_Psalm#Appendix:_Common_Mistakes Common mistakes] are avoided.
* The expanded paraphrase makes sense of the psalm.
|-
| Engagement with secondary literature
| 
* For areas of difficulty and debate, an effort was made to engage with secondary sources.
|-
| Clarity of language
| 
* Prose is clear and concise (especially the expanded paraphrase).
* Language is not too technical so as to be inaccessible to [https://psalms.scriptura.world/w/Personas Sarah].
|-
| Formatting/Style
| 
* Propositional content is correctly represented as statements which are present/timeless, indicative, third person, and positive. Furthermore, all pronouns are replaced by full noun-phrases.
* All colours, fonts, and shapes match those which are given in the template and creator guidelines.
|}

==Submitting your draft==
Copy this text into your forum submission post, entitled '''Story Behind the Psalm- Psalm 999''':
 <nowiki>[Story Behind the Psalm Layer Rubric](https://psalms.scriptura.world/w/Semantics/Story_behind_the_Psalm#Rubric)

|Guardian Review|Overseer Review|Final Checks|Description|
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
|||| **Completeness**
|[ ]|[ ]|[ ]|  Every element required by the creator guidelines is included.
|[ ]|[ ]|[ ]|  Complete propositions and assumptions table.
|[ ]|[ ]|[ ]|  A complete imagery chart for each instance of metaphorical language in the psalm.
|[ ]|[ ]|[ ]|  Complete story triangles which account for all of the psalm's propositional content.
|[ ]|[ ]|[ ]|  Complete summary story triangle.
|[ ]|[ ]|[ ]|  Complete expanded paraphrase.
|[ ]|[ ]|[ ]|  List of key background ideas.
|[ ]|[ ]|[ ]|  Visualised sequence of background events.
|||| **Quality of analysis**
|[ ]|[ ]|[ ]|  Common ground assumptions have been thoroughly researched and are well grounded in evidence.
|[ ]|[ ]|[ ]|  Each story triangle, including the summary triangle, tells a coherent and compelling story.
|[ ]|[ ]|[ ]|  [Common mistakes](https://psalms.scriptura.world/w/Semantics/Story_behind_the_Psalm#Appendix:_Common_Mistakes) are avoided.
|[ ]|[ ]|[ ]|  The expanded paraphrase makes sense of the psalm.
|||| **Engagement with secondary literature** 
|[ ]|[ ]|[ ]|  For areas of difficulty and debate, an effort was made to engage with secondary sources.
|||| **Clarity of language** 
|[ ]|[ ]|[ ]|  Prose is clear and concise (especially the expanded paraphrase).
|[ ]|[ ]|[ ]|  Language is not too technical so as to be inaccessible to [Sarah](https://psalms.scriptura.world/w/Personas).
|||| **Formatting/Style**
|[ ]|[ ]|[ ]|  Propositional content is correctly represented as statements which are present/timeless, indicative, third person, and positive. Furthermore, all pronouns are replaced by full noun-phrases.
|[ ]|[ ]|[ ]|  All colours, fonts, and shapes match those which are given in the template and creator guidelines.|</nowiki>

=Appendix: Common Mistakes=
Of all of the steps in this process, the [https://psalms.scriptura.world/w/Semantics/Story_behind_the_Psalm#3._Create_story_triangles. third step] is probably the hardest. While the story triangles are an invaluable tool for capturing the semantic logic of a psalm, they can be difficult to understand at first. Here are some common mistakes to avoid as you work with story triangles.

* '''Not properly distinguishing events from explanations.''' Events are things that ''happen''. Explanations are things that do not happen. Events belong directly on story triangles. Explanations hover outside of the story triangles, though each explanation should ultimately be connected to some event on some triangle. For example, the expression "Thank YHWH, for he is good, for his loyalty endures forever" (Ps. 136:1; etc.) includes three propositions, the content of which can be expressed as follows: (1) People thank YHWH; (2) YHWH is good; (3) YHWH's loyalty endures forever. The first of these propositions is an event, and so it belongs on a story triangle (along with other events). The second and third of these propositions are explanations which explain some event(s) in the triangle.
* '''Incomplete story triangles.''' A story necessarily consists of multiple events. Therefore, each story triangle should include multiple events. Furthermore, stories necessarily include some ''tension'' (i.e., some rising action) which gets resolved. Therefore, each story triangle should include at least one event on the left side of the story triangle (rising action) and a turning point at the tip of the triangle (climax). If either of these elements is missing, then the "story" is not actually a story.
* '''Using explanations to explain why some event was mentioned in the psalm and not why the event itself happened within the story.''' Each explanation should ultimately be connected to an event on the triangle with a "that's why" arrow. The explanation ("that's why") should explain why the event itself takes place ("that's why X happened") and not why the speaker of the psalm might refer to that event ("that's why the psalmist refers to X").
* '''Analysing speech acts instead of propositional content.''' Consider, for example, the common expression, "Thank YHWH, for he is good, for his loyalty endures forever" (Ps. 136:1; etc.). The story triangle analysing this expression should ''not'' say, "The psalmist says, 'Thank YHWH, for he is good, for his loyalty endures forever'" or "the psalmist summons the people to thank YHWH," but rather (1) "People thank YHWH, (2) "YHWH is good", (3) "YHWH's loyalty endures forever." The goal of this analysis is not to analyse what the psalmist is ''doing'' but rather the content of what the psalmist is ''saying.''

=References=
[[Category:Creator Guidelines]]
{{#set: Workflow Order=26}}
{{DISPLAYTITLE:Story Behind the Psalm}}