View source for The Grammar and Participants of Ps. 91:2

Back to [[Psalm 91]]
=Introduction=

The first two verses of Ps 91 read as follows:

יֹ֭שֵׁב בְּסֵ֣תֶר עֶלְי֑וֹן בְּצֵ֥ל שַׁ֝דַּ֗י יִתְלוֹנָֽן׃ 
אֹמַ֗ר לַֽ֭יהוָה מַחְסִ֣י וּמְצוּדָתִ֑י אֱ֝לֹהַ֗י אֶבְטַח־בּֽוֹ׃

Although there are larger issues of participant analysis and discourse coherence (which are addressed [https://psalms.scriptura.org/w/The_Discourse_of_Ps._91 here]), in this exegetical issue we focus on the verb א–מ–ר (''say'') at the beginning of verse 2. Only once its form, and thus meaning, has been established, can it inform the larger picture of the participants and discourse of the psalm. Consider the following translations of the verb:

* You who dwell in the shelter of the Most High, who abide in the shade of the Almighty, '''say''' to the Lord, “My refuge and fortress, my God in whom I trust.” (NABRE)
* '''Whoever''' goes to the LORD for safety, whoever remains under the protection of the Almighty, '''can say''' to him, "You are my defender and protector. You are my God; in you I trust." (GNT)
* '''He who''' dwells in the shelter of the Most High, who abides in the shadow of the Almighty, '''will say''' to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress; my God, in whom I trust.” (RSV)
* He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. '''I will say''' to the LORD, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” (ESV)

Each of the four possibilities discussed in the argument maps below represents a different vocalisation (vowel-pointing) of the verb's consonants א-מ–ר. These are reconstructed as follows:

* 2ms Imperative: אֱמֹר (''emor'')
* ms Participle: אֹמֵר (''omer'')
* 3ms qatal: אָמַר (''amar'')
* 1cs yiqtol: אֹמַר (''omar'')

The NABRE's '''say''' represents the imperative form אֲמֹר; the GNT's '''Whoever... can say to him''' and RSV's '''He who... will say''' could be either the ms participle or 3ms qatal readings, אֹמֵר/אָמַר; while the ESV's '''I will say''' represents the most common take of modern translations, following the MT's 1cs yiqtol, אֹמַר.

Since the imperative is a minority position, it will be dealt with first.

=Argument Maps=

===Imperative===

If the verb is read as an imperative, אֱמֹר, it requires that v. 2 be a direct address to the person introduced by the participial phrase in v. 1, such as that cited in the CEI below: ''You who live sheltered by the Most High and dwell in the shade of the All Powerful, say to the Lord''. The CEV also seems to read v. 2 this way, though also requires the participle and verbal forms in v. 1 to be read as imperatives: ''Live under the protection of God Most High and stay in the shadow of God All-Powerful. Then '''you will say''' to the LORD''.

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[The verb is an imperative]: The verb with consonants א–מ–ר at the beginning of v. 2 should be read as a 2ms imperative (אֱמֹר) (Ehrlich 1905:220-221 :C:; Dahood 1968:328-330 :C:; Alonso Schökel 1993 :C:). #dispreferred
 + <Person continuity>: Directing vv. 1-2 to a second person addressee provides continuity with the 2nd person suffixes throughout vv. 3-8, 10-13 (Ehrlich 1905:220 :C:). #dispreferred
 + <Textual evidence>: The vocalisation of the Peshitta's ܐܡܪ as ''emar'' in both Eastern and Western Syriac texts could be parsed as an imperative (Nöldeke 1904 §174 :G:). #dispreferred
 + <Substantival Participles>: There are occasions in which a substantival participle is coreferential with the addressee. #dispreferred
  <_ <Vocative>: Reading א–מ–ר as the imperative אֱמֹר requires interpreting vv. 1-2 as an extended vocative.
   <_ <Substantival Participle with a vocative>: This is unproblematic, as it occurs elsewhere.
    + [Substantival Participle with a vocative]: וְאַתָּ֥ה קָד֑וֹשׁ י֝וֹשֵׁ֗ב תְּהִלּ֥וֹת יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (Ps. 22:4), "Yet You are holy, You who are enthroned upon the praises of Israel" (NASB); וַֽיהוָ֤ה צְבָאוֹת֙ שֹׁפֵ֣ט צֶ֔דֶק בֹּחֵ֥ן כְּלָי֖וֹת וָלֵ֑ב אֶרְאֶ֤ה נִקְמָֽתְךָ֙ מֵהֶ֔ם כִּ֥י אֵלֶ֖יךָ גִּלִּ֥יתִי אֶת־רִיבִֽי׃ (Jer. 11:20), "But, O LORD of hosts, who judges righteously, who tests the heart and the mind, let me see your vengeance upon them, for to you have I committed my cause" (ESV); בָּרֲכ֣וּ אֶת־יְ֭הוָה כָּל־עַבְדֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה הָעֹמְדִ֥ים בְּבֵית־יְ֝הוָ֗ה בַּלֵּילֽוֹת (Ps. 134:1), "Bless YHWH, all servants of YHWH, those standing in the house of YHWH by night". #dispreferred
     <_ <Clear vocative, unclear imperative>: Though Jer. 11.20 probably has deontic modality, it is not an imperative form, while the substantival participial phrase in Ps 134:1 is appositive to a clear vocative.
     + <No clear vocative>: Unlike Ps. 22:4, Ps. 134:1 and Jer. 11:20, Ps. 91:1-2 do not contain a nominal vocative form.
 - <The referent of substantival participles>: Most commonly, generalised substantival participles are followed by a third person referent.
  + [Substantival Participles with a 3rd Person Referent]: Gen. 4.15; 9:6, Ex. 12:15; Num. 35:30; Isa. 5:8; Prov. 19:26 etc. This is even the case if a directive verb is to follow (2 Sam. 5.8, כָּל־מַכֵּ֤ה יְבֻסִי֙ וְיִגַּ֣ע בַּצִּנּ֔וֹר, "Whoever would strike the Jebusites, let him get up the water shaft," ESV).
   <_ <No verbal form>: None of these cited passages have deontic modal verbs. #dispreferred
    - <Accompanying verbal form>: If a substantival participle is accompanied by a deontic modal verb, it will be a third person jussive.
     + [Third person jussive]: See כָּל־מַכֵּ֤ה יְבֻסִי֙ וְיִגַּ֣ע בַּצִּנּ֔וֹר,(2 Sam. 5:8), "Whoever would strike the Jebusites, let him get up the water shaft," ESV); יָ֭שֹׁמּוּ עַל־עֵ֣קֶב בָּשְׁתָּ֑ם הָאֹמְרִ֥ים לִ֝֗י הֶאָ֥ח׀ הֶאָֽח׃ (Ps. 40:16; cf. Ps. 70:4), "Let those who say to me, "Aha, aha!" be appalled in their shame."

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===Participle (preferred)===
Perhaps not ''clearly'' represented in any major modern translation (though GNT, RSV, Luther 2017, GNB, PDV, NFC and DHH may be read as such),<ref> In these modern versions it is unclear whether they have understood the text as a ms participle, 3ms qatal, or followed the proposed emendation in BHS to read a 3ms yiqtol, יֹאמַר.</ref> the interpretation of א–מ–ר as a participle is unambiguous in Jerome's ''dicens Domino'' ("He who lives in the hiding place of the Most High, in the shadow of the Lord will abide, '' (is) saying to the Lord'',").<ref>It's also possible that the Hebrew ''Vorlage'' for the LXX's ἐρεῖ is אמר vocalised as a participle. Although the future ἐρεῖ could perhaps be better understood as free rendering of a qatal in the LXX's parent text (as argued by Vreugdenhil 2020:124), it is in fact never the case that ἐρεῖ, in its 47 instances in the LXX, is used to translate a qatal. It is used, however, to render the participle אֹמֵר in Isaiah 41.7 (וַיְחַזֵּ֤ק חָרָשׁ֙ אֶת־צֹרֵ֔ף מַחֲלִ֥יק פַּטִּ֖ישׁ אֶת־ה֣וֹלֶם פָּ֑עַם אֹמֵ֤ר לַדֶּ֙בֶק֙ ט֣וֹב ה֔וּא וַיְחַזְּקֵ֥הוּ בְמַסְמְרִ֖ים לֹ֥א יִמּֽוֹט׃ > Ἴσχυσεν ἀνὴρ τέκτων καὶ χαλκεὺς τύπτων σφύρῃ ἅμα ἐλαύνων· ποτὲ μὲν ἐρεῖ Σύμβλημα καλόν ἐστιν· ἰσχύρωσαν αὐτὰ ἐν ἥλοις, θήσουσιν αὐτὰ καὶ οὐ κινηθήσονται). So, apart from conjecturing a dropped yod in the supposed yiqṭol יֹאמַר (which is, of course, a possibility), out of the various vocalisations available to us with א–מ–ר, the ms participle is the only attested from the LXX data (cf. Tate [1990, 447]: "ἐρεῖ indicates either... simple [qal] participle or... 3d sing. impf"). As for participles translated as future verbs in the LXX Psalter, see 
** חֹנֶ֤ה מַלְאַךְ־יְהוָ֓ה סָ֘בִ֤יב לִֽירֵאָ֗יו וַֽיְחַלְּצֵֽם׃ (Ps. 34:8) as παρεμβαλεῖ ἄγγελος κυρίου κύκλῳ τῶν φοβουμένων αὐτὸν καὶ ῥύσεται αὐτούς
** פּוֹדֶ֣ה יְ֭הוָה נֶ֣פֶשׁ עֲבָדָ֑יו (Ps. 34:23) as λυτρώσεται κύριος ψυχὰς δούλων αὐτοῦ
** זֹמֵ֣ם רָ֭שָׁע לַצַּדִּ֑יק (Ps. 37:12a) as παρατηρήσεται ὁ ἁμαρτωλὸς τὸν δίκαιον
** וְחֹרֵ֖ק עָלָ֣יו שִׁנָּֽיו (Ps. 37:12b) as καὶ βρύξει ἐπʼ αὐτὸν τοὺς ὀδόντας αὐτοῦ·
** יִ֝צְבֹּ֗ר וְֽלֹא־יֵדַ֥ע מִי־אֹסְפָֽם (Ps. 39:7b) as θησαυρίζει καὶ οὐ γινώσκει τίνι συνάξει αὐτά.
** אֵ֤ל יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל ה֤וּא נֹתֵ֨ן׀ עֹ֖ז וְתַעֲצֻמ֥וֹת לָעָ֗ם (Ps. 68:36b) as ὁ θεὸς Ισραηλ αὐτὸς δώσει δύναμιν καὶ κραταίωσιν τῷ λαῷ αὐτοῦ
** אֵֽין־ע֥וֹד נָבִ֑יא וְלֹֽא־אִ֝תָּ֗נוּ יֹדֵ֥עַ עַד־מָֽה׃ (Ps. 74:9b) as οὐκ ἔστιν ἔτι προφήτης, καὶ ἡμᾶς οὐ γνώσεται ἔτι
** שָׂ֣שׂ אָ֭נֹכִֽי עַל־אִמְרָתֶ֑ךָ (Ps. 119:162) as ἀγαλλιάσομαι ἐγὼ ἐπὶ τὰ λόγιά σου
** יְהוָ֥ה שֹׁמְרֶ֑ךָ (Ps. 121:5) as κύριος φυλάξει σε</ref> 

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[The verb is a participle]: The verb with consonants א–מ–ר at the beginning of v. 2 should be read as a ms participle (אֹמֵר) (Hupfeld 1871: 17 :C:; Briggs 1907:278-279 :C:; Vreugdenhil 2020, 123-125 :M:).
 + <Common syntactic pattern>: The equation of two participial phrases is a common construction in BH.
  + [Common syntactic pattern]: See נֹצֵ֣ר פִּ֭יו שֹׁמֵ֣ר נַפְשׁ֑וֹ (Prov. 13:3), "He who guards his mouth keeps his life"; שֹׁמֵ֥ר נַ֝פְשׁ֗וֹ נֹצֵ֥ר דַּרְכּֽוֹ (Prov. 16:17), "He who watches his life guards his steps"; שֹׁמֵ֣ר מִ֭צְוָה שֹׁמֵ֣ר נַפְשׁ֑וֹ (Prov. 19:16), "He who keeps a commandment keeps his life"; גּֽוֹלֶה־סּ֭וֹד הוֹלֵ֣ךְ רָכִ֑יל (Prov. 20:19), "He who reveals a secret walks around slandering"; שֹׁמֵ֣ר פִּ֭יו וּלְשׁוֹנ֑וֹ שֹׁמֵ֖ר מִצָּר֣וֹת נַפְשֽׁוֹ (Prov. 21:23), "He who watches his mouth and tongue, keeps his life from trouble"; מַ֥עֲדֶה בֶּ֨גֶד׀ בְּי֣וֹם קָ֭רָה חֹ֣מֶץ עַל־נָ֑תֶר וְשָׁ֥ר בַּ֝שִּׁרִ֗ים עַ֣ל לֶב־רָֽע׃ (Prov. 25:20), "He who takes off a garment on a cold day is (like) vinegar on soda and (like) one singing songs with a heavy heart"; מְקַצֶּ֣ה רַ֭גְלַיִם חָמָ֣ס שֹׁתֶ֑ה שֹׁלֵ֖חַ דְּבָרִ֣ים בְּיַד־כְּסִֽיל (Prov. 26:6), "He who cuts off feet, drinking violence, sends messages in the hand of a fool."
  + <Predicative participle>: Predicative participles involving א–מ–ר are not unheard of in the Psalms.
   + [Predicative participle]: See כֻּ֝לּ֗וֹ אֹמֵ֥ר כָּבֽוֹד׃ (Ps. 29:9).
 + <Coherence>: Reading א-מ-ר as a participle makes best sense of the coherence between v.1 and v.2 (Vreugdenhil 2020, 124 :M:).
  + <Two participles>: There is consistency between the יֹשֵׁב in v. 1 and the אֹמֵר in v. 2.
  <_ <Harmonisation>: Presented with the text אמר and an "o" vowel in the reading tradition, the ancient witnesses containing a participle misunderstood the "o" vowel (and, in the case of 11Q11 added the mater lectionis holem waw) as indicating a participle on account of its coherence with v. 1, rather than the more difficult 1cs yiqṭol reading, as read in the MT. #dispreferred
 + <The Textual Evidence of 11Q11>: 11Q11, the earliest Hebrew witness, contains not only the ''mater lectionis'' waw for the holem ("o") vowel (which could also be read as the MT's 1cs yiqṭol), but also an article, ה, leaving no alternative but to understand the form as a substantival participle.
  + [11Q11]: האומר (Tov, E. ed., Dead Sea Scrolls Electronic Library Non-Biblical Texts. Leiden: Brill, 2016, dx.doi.org/10.1163/2542-3525_dsselbt_DSS_EL_NBT_11q11).
 + <The Textual Evidence of Iuxta Hebraeos>: Jerome shifted from his (natural) rendering of the LXX's ἐρεῖ as ''dicet'' (he will say) to ''dicens'' (saying) in his Psalterium Iuxta Hebraeos. If only reading the consonantal text, אמר, he would have had no reason to shift from '''dicet''', which indicates that either the ''holem'' (waw) was the common reading tradition, or that there was an explicit waw acting as ''mater lectionis''.
  + [Iuxta Hebraeos]: dicens Domino spes mea et fortitudo mea (saying to the Lord, my hope and my strength).
 + <Other Hebrew manuscripts>: A number of medieval Hebrew manuscripts also contain the holem waw, which would indicate either a ms participle or a 1cs yiqtol.
  + [Other Hebrew manuscripts]: Kennicott mss 30, 35, 37, 38, 43, 73, 74, 76, 97, 101, 125, 156, 158, 172, 216, 245, 249, 681.

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===3ms qatal===

The 3ms qatal reading is (probably) represented by the Peshitta,<ref> The vocalisation could be read either as a 3ms perfect verb or a 2ms imperative.</ref> and possibly in the GNT, RSV, Luther 2017, GNB, PDV, NFC, DHH.<ref> In these modern versions it is unclear whether they have understood the text as a ms participle, a 3ms qatal, or followed the proposed emendation in BHS to read a 3ms yiqtol, יֹאמַר.</ref> Just like the participle reading, the 3ms qatal maintains the third person singular from the first verse, as illustrated by the GNT's (modal) rendering: ''Whoever goes to the LORD for safety, whoever remains under the protection of the Almighty, '''can say''' to him, "You are my defender and protector. You are my God; in you I trust."''<ref> By "modal", we are referring to the rendering ''can say'', rather than simply, ''says'', which would use the same verbal form: ''Whoever goes to the LORD for safety has (effectively) said to him''... >> ''can say to him''.</ref>

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[The verb is 3ms qatal]: The verb with consonants א–מ–ר at the beginning of v. 2 should be read as a 3ms qatal (אָמַר) (Kittel 1922:301 :C:; Kraus 1960 :C:). #dispreferred
  + <Ancient Versions>: The Peshitta has a 3ms suffix-conjugation verb. #dispreferred
   + [The Peshitta]: ܐܡܪ ܠܡܪܝܐ ܬܘܟܠܢܝ܂ ܒܝܬ ܓܘܣܝ ܐܠܗܐ ܕܬܟܝܠ ܐܢܐ ܥܠܘܗܝ܂ ("(He who sits...) said to the Lord, 'You are my confidence; God is my refuge in whom I trust"; Taylor 2020, 379).#dispreferred
   - <The vocalisation of ܐܡܪ>: The Syriac does not provide firm evidence one way or the other, as its vocalisation could be interpreted as a 2ms imperative (see the "Imperative" argument map) or a 3ms suffix-conjugation verb.
   <_ <The LXX's ἐρεῖ>: Similarly to the Vulgate's rendering of the LXX's ἐρεῖ as 'dicet', the Peshitta, if understood as a 3ms suffix-conjugation verb, may also have depended on the LXX and misunderstood its 3sg future ἐρεῖ (see introduction to "Participle" argument map).

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===1cs yiqtol===

As read by the MT and Targum, the majority of major modern translations favour a shift to the first person, as illustrated by the ESV: ''He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. '''I will say''' to the LORD, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”''  

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[The verb is 1cs yiqtol]: The verb with consonants א–מ–ר at the beginning of v. 2 should be read as a 1cs yiqṭol (אֹמַר) (Ibn Ezra :C:; Rashi :C:; Radak :C:; Calvin 1557 :C:; Delitzsch 1877:60 :C:; Baethgen 1904:285 :C:; Tate 1990:446 :C:; Zenger 2005:427 :C:; Goldingay 2008 :C:; VanGemeren 2008 :C:; Tanner 2014 :C:; van der Lugt 2014:32-33 :M:; Alter 2019:219 :C:). #dispreferred
 + <Ancient Versions>: The MT and Targum both read 1cs prefix-conjugation. #dispreferred
  + [The MT and Targum]: MT: אֹמַ֗ר לַֽ֭יהוָה מַחְסִ֣י וּמְצוּדָתִ֑י; Targum: אֲמַר דָוִד אֵימַר לַיְיָ רוּחְצָנִי וּכְרַךְ תּוּקְפִי (David said, 'I will say to the Lord, "My security and my strong fortress," Stec 2004: 174).#dispreferred
   + <The Nature of Targum Psalms>: The Targum's expansion in order to interpret the 1cs more smoothly in the discourse is both typical of its translation technique (Flesher & Chilton 2011:40 :M:) and testament to the probability that 1cs yiqtol was the best way to read Vorlage. #dispreferred
 + <Other Hebrew manuscripts>: A number of medieval Hebrew manuscripts also contain the holem waw, which would indicate either a 1cs yiqtol, or a participle. #dispferred
  + [Other Hebrew manuscripts]: Kennicott mss 30, 35, 37, 38, 43, 73, 74, 76, 97, 101, 125, 156, 158, 172, 216, 245, 249, 681. #dispreferred
 <_ <Harmonisation>: Presented with the text אמר, and a reading tradition with an "o" vowel in the first syllable, the MT (and subsequently Targum) understood the waw as indicating a 1cs yiqtol on account of its coherence with the first person suffixes throughout the rest of the verse.
  - <Earlier Witness>: Although the presence of waw in אומר in the oldest Hebrew manuscript evidence shows the "o" vowel in the first syllable is likely original, the 1cs yiqtol reading does not explain the article in 11Q11, nor the Vorlage of Jerome and possibly the LXX. 
 - <Person shift>: The person shift from the generalised third person participial phrase in v. 1 to the first person yiqṭol in v. 2 is very abrupt.
  <_ <Other person shifts in Ps 91>: Such abrupt and unmarked person shifts are common throughout the psalm (see vv. 3, 9, 10, 14). #dispreferred
   <_ <Consistent use of 1sg>: V. 1 could be adapted to use in the first person: "As one who dwells in the protection of the Most High, abides by night in the shadow of the Almighty, I say to YHWH:" (Zenger 2005:426 :C:). #dispreferred
 - <Shape of the discourse>: With the person shift in v. 2, v. 1 is left as an independent unit, whose tautology across its two clauses has long been observed (Goldingay 2008), since it would effectively say the same thing twice: "The one living in the shelter of the Most High rests in the shade of the Almighty."
  - <The Introductory Function of v. 1>: While, "If verse 1 seems tautological, it is the tautology of emphasis" (Grogan 2008 :C:), its content nonetheless provides a thematic introduction to the psalm (van der Lugt 2014:32 :M:) before providing the wisdom element of a first-hand account of the ideal author's journey of faith (Calvin 1557 :C:; VanGemeren 2008 :C:). Alternatively, the first person speaker provides the words of v. 2 direct towards whoever would be characterised by the content of v. 1 (Ibn Ezra :C:; Radak :C:). #dispreferred

</argdown>

=Conclusion=

Out of the four possible vocalizations of א–מ–ר presented here, the participle reading is preferred. It enjoys '''the earliest textual attestation''' of 11Q11, with the article on האומר ridding us of any ambiguity. The participle reading also best '''explains Jerome's''' switch from ''dicet'' in his translation of the LXX, to the participle '''''dicens''''' in his Psalterium iuxta Hebraeos.<ref>Ironically, his rendering of the LXX's ἐρεῖ as ''dicet'' may not be quite accurate, in any case (unless we are to posit that a yod has somehow dropped out of the 3ms yiqtol יֹאמַר in the ''Vorlage''), as the LXX never employs the future ἐρεῖ for the qaṭal conjugation, but does indeed render a participle אֹמֵר as ἐρεῖ in Isaiah 41.7. For participles rendered as future verbs in the LXX Psalter Pss. 34:8; 34:23; 37:12a; 37:12b; 39:7b; 68:36b; 74:9b; 119:162 and 121:5.</ref> Finally, the participle provides better sense of '''the coherence of vv. 1-2''' (see [https://psalms.scriptura.org/w/The_Discourse_of_Ps._91 The Discourse of Ps. 91]) while the 1sg suffixes throughout v. 2 do not pose a problem as they are embedded within direct speech. Treating יִתְלוֹנָֽן as the finite verb of verse 1 as an independent syntactic unit is not only semantically tautological (see above), but leaves the participle of א–מ–ר in an incomplete clause.<ref>García Martínez's rendering of 11Q11 leaves verse 2 in such an incomplete state: ''He that lives in the shelter of the Most High, in the shadow of the Almighty he stays. He who says to YHWH: 'My refuge and my fortress, my God is the safety in which I trust.''' (García Martínez 1998: 203), though the second participial clause may be understood as loosely appositional to the first.</ref> Thus, following GKC §116x, the Peshitta, RSV, GNT, Luther 2017 and NFC, it should be read as an asyndetic relative modifier of the previous participle יֹשֵׁב (as the structure of Isa. 5.8 and Prov. 19:26). In conclusion, we recommend an interpretation which treats the two participles beginning v. 1 and v. 2 as the subject and predicate of a verbless clause: '''''He who lives''' in the shelter of the Most High, who rests in the shade of the Almighty, '''says /is the one saying''' to YHWH: “You are my refuge and fortress.”''

=Research=

==Manuscripts==


:11QapocrPs [https://scholarlyeditions.brill.com/reader/urn:cts:ancJewLit:dss.11q11.dsno-eng2:dVI fragment dVI].

:Kennicott [https://archive.org/details/kennicott_vetus-testamentum-hebraicum-cum-variis-lectionibus-1776/page/387/mode/2up?view=theater mss] 30, 35, 37, 38, 43, 73, 74, 76, 97, 101, 125, 156, 158, 172, 216, 245, 249, 681.

==Translations==

===Ancient===

* LXX: Ὁ κατοικῶν ἐν βοηθείᾳ τοῦ ὑψίστου ἐν σκέπῃ τοῦ θεοῦ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ αὐλισθήσεται. ἐρεῖ τῷ κυρίῳ 
** "He who lives by the help of the Most High, in a shelter of the God of the sky he will lodge. He will say to the Lord,"<ref>[https://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/nets/edition/24-ps-nets.pdf NETS].</ref>
* Peshitta: ܝܬܒ ܒܣܬܪܗ ܕܡܪܝܡܐ܂ ܘܒܛܠܠܗ ܕܐܠܗܐ ܡܫܬܒܚ܂ ܐܡܪ ܠܡܪܝܐ <ref>https://cal.huc.edu</ref> 
** "He who sits in the secret place of the Most High and offers praise in the shadow of God said to the Lord,"<ref>Taylor 2020:379. As Taylor's rendering indicates, both Eastern and Western Syriac pointed texts read ''emar'', a 3ms perfect verb (David, Clemens Joseph [ed.]. 2010. ''The Syriac Bible According to the Mosul Edition: Volume 2''. Piscataway, NJ: Gorgias Press; Bali, Joseph and George Kiraz [eds.]. 2020. ''The Psalms According to the Syriac Peshitta Version with English Translation.'' Piscataway, NJ: Gorgias Press). Such pointing could, however, also be an imperative (Nöldeke, Theodor. 1904. ''Compendious Syriac Grammar'' London: Williams & Norgate, §174), which is, apparently, how Bar Hebraeus understood it (Baethgen 1904:285). Vreugdenhil's (2020:124) reading of ''emar'' as a participle is erroneous - being a third-radical guttural, the vocalisation in this case would be ''amar'' (Thackston, Wheeler M. 1999. ''Introduction to Syriac: An Elementary Grammar with Readings from Syriac Literature''. Bethesda, MA: IBEX, §8.1).</ref>

* Jerome: Qui habitat in abscondito Excelsi in umbraculo Domini commorabitur dicens Domino 
** "He who lives in the hiding place of the Most High, in the shadow of the Lord will abide, saying to the Lord,"

* Targum: דאשרי שכנתיה ברזא עילאה בטלל ענני יקרא דשדי יבית אמר דוד אימר לייי.<ref>[https://cal.huc.edu]</ref>
** "He who has made his residence in the secret place of the Most High will abide in the shade of the clouds of the glory of the Almighty. David said, "I will say to the Lord,"<ref>Stec 2004:174.</ref>


===Modern===

====1cs yiqṭol verb====

* He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the LORD, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” (ESV)
* As for you, the one who lives in the shelter of the sovereign One, and resides in the protective shadow of the mighty king-- I say this about the LORD, my shelter and my stronghold, my God in whom I trust-- (NET)
* O you who dwell in the shelter of the Most High and abide in the protection of Shaddai— I say of the LORD, my refuge and stronghold, my God in whom I trust, (JPS)
* Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust." (NIV)
* Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. This I declare about the LORD: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him. (NLT)
* Wer unter dem Schutz des Höchsten wohnt, der kann bei ihm, dem Allmächtigen, Ruhe finden. Auch ich sage zum HERRN: »Du schenkst mir Zuflucht wie eine sichere Burg! Mein Gott, dir gehört mein ganzes Vertrauen!« (HFA)
* Wer im Schutz des Höchsten wohnt, bleibt im Schatten des Allmächtigen. Ich sage<ref> LXX: der sage</ref> zum HERRN: Meine Zuflucht und meine Burg, mein Gott, ich vertraue auf ihn! (ELB)
*  Wer unter dem Schutz des Höchsten wohnt, darf bleiben im Schatten des Allmächtigen. Darum sage ich zum HERRN: »Du bist meine Zuflucht und meine sichere Festung, du bist mein Gott, auf den ich vertraue.« (NGÜ)
* Wer im Schutz des Höchsten wohnt, der ruht im Schatten des Allmächtigen. Ich sage zum HERRN: Du meine Zuflucht und meine Burg, mein Gott, auf den ich vertraue. (EÜ)
* Wer im Schutz des Höchsten wohnt, der ruht im Schatten des Allmächtigen. Ich spreche zum HERRN: Meine Zuflucht und meine Burg, mein Gott, auf den ich vertraue. (ZÜR)
* Celui que habite là où se cache le Très-Haut passe la nuit à l'ombre de Shaddai. - Je dis du SEIGNEUR: (TOB ≈ NBS, NSVR, BDS, SG21)
* El que habita al abrigo del Altísimo morará bajo la sombra del Todopoderoso. Diré yo al SEÑOR: (RVA2015)
* El que habita al abrigo de Elyon morará bajo la sombra de El-Shadday. Diré yo a YHVH: (BTX4ª)

====3ms qaṭal/ms participle====

* Whoever goes to the LORD for safety, whoever remains under the protection of the Almighty, can say to him, "You are my defender and protector. You are my God; in you I trust." (GNT)
* He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High, who abides in the shadow of the Almighty, will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress; my God, in whom I trust.” (RSV)
* Wer unter dem Schirm des Höchsten sitzt und unter dem Schatten des Allmächtigen bleibt, der spricht zu dem HERRN: Meine Zuversicht und meine Burg, mein Gott, auf den ich hoffe. (Luther 2017)
* Wer unter dem Schutz des höchsten Gottes lebt, darf ruhen bei ihm, der alle Macht hat. Er sagt<ref> So mit G; H "Ich sage."</ref> zum HERRN: »Du bist meine Zuflucht, bei dir bin ich sicher wie in einer Burg. Mein Gott, ich vertraue dir!« (GNB)
* Celui qui se met à l’abri près du Dieu très-haut se repose à l’ombre du Tout-Puissant. Il dit au Seigneur: (PDV)
* Celui qui se place à l'abri auprès du Dieu très-haut et se met sous la protection du Dieu souverain, celui-là dit au Seigneur: (NFC)
* El que vive bajo la sombra protectora del Altísimo y Todopoderoso, dice al Señor: (DHH)

====Imperative====

* You who dwell in the shelter of the Most High, who abide in the shade of the Almighty, say to the Lord, “My refuge and fortress, my God in whom I trust.” (NABRE)
* Live under the protection of God Most High and stay in the shadow of God All-Powerful. Then you will say to the LORD, “You are my fortress, my place of safety; you are my God, and I trust you.” (CEV)
* Tu che abiti al riparo dell'Altissimo e dimori all'ombra dell'Onnipotente, dì al Signore: (CEI)

==Secondary Literature==

===Monographs===

:Flesher, Paul & Chilton, Bruce. 2011. ''The Targums: A Critical Introduction''. Waco, TX: Baylor University Press.
:Van der Lugt, Pieter. 2014. ''Cantos and Strophes in Biblical Hebrew Poetry III: Psalms 90-150 and Psalm 1.'' Leiden: Brill.
:Vreugdenhil, Gerrit C. 2020. ''Psalm 91 and Demonic Menace''. Leiden: Brill.

===Commentaries===

:Alonso Schökel, Luis. 1993. ''[https://archive.org/details/luisalonsoschokelceciliacarnitisalmosiisalmos73150traduccionintroduccionesycomentario/page/n229/mode/2up Salmos II (Salmos 73-150): Traducción, Introducciones y Comentario]''. Navarra: Verbo Divino.
: Alter, R. 2019. ''The Hebrew Bible (Volume 3): The Writings: A Translation with Commentary''. New York, NY: W. W. Norton & Company.
:Baethgen, Friedrich. 1904. ''[https://archive.org/details/diepsalmen00baet/page/284/mode/2up?view=theater Die Psalmen]''. Göttingen: Vandenhoeck und Ruprecht. 
:Briggs, Charles. 1907. ''[https://archive.org/details/criticalpsalms215briguoft/page/n289/mode/2up A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Book of Psalms, Volume 2]''. Edinburgh: T&T Clark.
:Calvin, John. 1557. [https://ccel.org/ccel/calvin/calcom10/calcom10.xxvi.i.html Commentary on the Psalms].
:Dahood, Mitchell J. 1968. ''[https://archive.org/details/psaml20000unse/page/328/mode/2up Psalms II, 51-100: Introduction, Translation, and Notes]''. Garden City, NY: Doubleday.
:Delitzsch, Franz. 1877. ''[https://archive.org/details/biblicalcommenta03deli/page/60/mode/2up Biblical Commentary on the Psalms: Vol. 3]''. Edinburg: T&T Clark.
:Ehrlich, Arnold B. 1905. ''[https://archive.org/details/diepsalmenneuueb00ehrl/page/220/mode/2up?view=theater Die psalmen; neu uebersetzt und erklaert]''. Berlin: Poppelauer.
:Goldingay, John. 2008. ''[https://www.perlego.com/book/2039635/psalms-volume-3-baker-commentary-on-the-old-testament-wisdom-and-psalms-psalms-90150-pdf Psalms 90-150]''. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic.
:Grogan, Geoffrey. 2008. ''[https://www.perlego.com/book/2015760/psalms-pdf Psalms]''. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans.
:Hupfeld, Hermann. 1862. ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=ykEHAAAAQAAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false Die Psalmen: Übersetzt und Ausgelegt]''. Gotha: Friedrich Andreas Perthes.
:Ibn Ezra, Abraham [https://www.sefaria.org/Ibn_Ezra_on_Psalms?tab=contents on Psalms].
:Kittel, Rudolf. 1922. ''Die Psalmen''. Leipzig: A. Deichertsche Verlagsbuchhandlung Dr. Werner Scholl.
:Kraus, Hans-Joachim. 1960. ''Psalmen: 2 Teilband''. Neukirchen-Vluyn: Neukirchener Verlag.
:Radak (Kimchi, David) [https://www.sefaria.org/Radak_on_Psalms.91.1?lang=bi on Psalms].
:Rashi (Yitzchaki, Shlomo) [https://www.sefaria.org/Rashi_on_Psalms.91.1?lang=bi on Psalms].
:Tanner, Beth L. in De-Claisse-Walford, Nancy et al. 2014. ''[https://www.perlego.com/book/2015638/the-book-of-psalms-pdf The Book of Psalms]''. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans. 
:Tate, Marvin E. 1990. ''Psalms 51-100''. Dallas, TX: Word Books.
:VanGemeren, Willem A. 2008. ''[https://www.perlego.com/book/560264/psalms-pdf The Expositor's Bible Commentary: Psalms]''. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.
:Zenger, Erich. 2005. ''A Commentary on Psalms 51-100''. Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press.

===Grammars===

:Gesenius, Wilhelm & Kautsch, Emil. 1909. A. E. Cowley (trans.) ''[https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Gesenius%27_Hebrew_Grammar/116._The_Participles Gesenius' Hebrew Grammar]''. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
:Nöldeke, Theodor. 1904. ''Compendious Syriac Grammar''. London: Williams & Norgate.
:Thackston, Wheeler M. 1999. ''Introduction to Syriac: An Elementary Grammar with Readings from Syriac Literature''. Bethesda, MA: IBEX.

===Texts, Editions, Translations===
:David, Clemens Joseph [ed.]. 2010. ''The Syriac Bible According to the Mosul Edition: Volume 2''. Piscataway, NJ: Gorgias Press. 
:Pietersma, Albert (tr.) 2009. [https://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/nets/edition/24-ps-nets.pdf NETS translation of the Psalms]. 
:Stec, David M. 2004. ''The Targum of Psalms: Translated, with a Critical Introduction, Apparatus, and Notes''. Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press.
:Taylor, Richard A. in Bali, Joseph & George Kiraz [eds.]. 2020. ''The Psalms According to the Syriac Peshitta Version with English Translation.'' Piscataway, NJ: Gorgias Press

=References=

[[Category:Argument maps]]

[[Chapter::91]]:[[Verse::2]]