View source for The Grammar and Meaning of Ps. 119:126

Back to [[Psalm 119]].

Exegetical issues for Psalm 119: 
{{ExegeticalIssues}}

=Introduction=
The syntax of Ps. 119:126 has been interpreted a number of different ways. The Masoretic Texts reads as follows:<ref>[https://hb.openscriptures.org/read/ OSHB].</ref>
:עֵ֭ת לַעֲשׂ֣וֹת לַיהוָ֑ה הֵ֝פֵ֗רוּ תּוֹרָתֶֽךָ׃

The primary question involves the word לַיהוָ֑ה and particularly the function of the preposition לְ. There are three primary options represented in ancient and modern translations: (1) The phrase לַיהוָ֑ה should be understood as a vocative, as in the NIV: 

* It is time for you to act, '''Lord'''; your law is being broken (NIV) 

(2) the preposition לְ communicates the benefactor of the 'time to act' (עֵ֭ת לַעֲשׂ֣וֹת), as in the NJPS:

* It is a time to act '''for the LORD''', for they have violated Your teaching (NJPS)

or (3) the preposition לְ communicates the experiencer of this 'time to act', i.e., the person on whom the responsibility of action falls, as the ESV:

* It is time '''for the Lord to act''', for your law has been broken (ESV)

A final possibility is understanding the ''time to act'' as belonging to YHWH, that is, the preposition לְ indicating possessor.

The preferred reading must satisfy the clausal syntax, but also make best sense of the verse's second clause, 'they have broken your law' (הֵ֝פֵ֗רוּ תּוֹרָתֶֽךָ), the 'therefore' (עַל־כֵּ֭ן) conjunction beginning the next verse, and the context of the psalm as a whole. Let us consider these possibilities in turn.

=Argument Maps=

==Reading לַיהוָה as a Vocative==

The understanding of לַיהוָה as a vocative could involve either reading the preposition לְ as a vocative particle or emending the text to get rid of it. Note that the vocative reading can carry the sense of either 'acting '''for''' YHWH' or 'YHWH acting' (options (2) and (3) above, respectively), as illustrated by the difference between the SG21 and the NIV:

*  Il est temps d’agir pour toi, Eternel, car on viole ta loi (SG21; ''It is time '''to act for you, Lord,''' for your law is transgressed'')

* It is time '''for you to act, Lord'''; your law is being broken (NIV)<ref>Among those translations taking לַיהוָ֑ה as a vocative, the understanding that 'YHWH is to act' is much more frequent that 'acting for YHWH' (besides the NIV, see also the BDS, BTX4ª, DHH, EÜ, GNT, NFC, REB, KJV, PDV, RVA, ZÜR).</ref>

[[File:Screenshot 2024-04-23 at 1.34.55 PM.png|class=img-fluid|500px]]

<argdown>
===
model:
    removeTagsFromText: true
    shortcodes:
      ":C:": {unicode: "🄲"}
      ":G:": {unicode: "🄶"}
      ":A:": {unicode: "🄰"}
      ":I:": {unicode: "🄸"}    
      ":L:": {unicode: "🄻"}
      ":D:": {unicode: "🄳"}    
      ":M:": {unicode: "🄼"}   
selection:
    excludeDisconnected: false
dot:
    graphVizSettings:
        concentrate: true
        ranksep: 0.2
        nodesep: 0.2
=== 
[Vocative]: The phrase לַיהוָ֑ה should be read as a vocative (Deissler 1955, 223 :M:; Dahood 1970, 187 :C:; Terrien 2003, 794 :C:; Zenger 2011, 256 :C:). #dispreferred 
 + <Ancient witnesses>: Jerome's Iuxta Hebreaeos, some Greek translations and one Hebrew Manuscript read the phrase as a vocative. #dispreferred 
  + [Ancient witnesses]: Jerome: 'Domine'; Field's Ἄλλος: κύριε (see Rahlfs' La-R and Aug-aur); Kennicott 76: יהוה. #dispreferred 
 + <Second-person>: The second-person address is very consistent throughout the psalm, so another vocative in this verse is unsurprising (Zenger 2011, 256 :C:). #dispreferred
  <_ <Bare Vocatives>: None of the other vocatives throughout the psalm contain a lamed.
   + [Bare Vocatives]: Ps. 119:12, 31, 33, 41, 52, 55, 64, 65, 75, 89, 107, 108, 137, 145, 149, 151, 156, 159, 166, 169.
   <_ <Lamed not original>: The lamed in v. 126 should not be considered original (Zenger 2011, 256 :C:) as it has crept into the text through harmonization with similar passages, such as עֵ֨ת נְקָמָ֥ה הִיא֙ לַֽיהוָ֔ה in Jer. 51:6 (Deissler 1955, 233 :M:). #dispreferred 
    - <Slim textual evidence>: Only one medieval manuscript (Kennicott 76) lacks the לְ, which does not constitute significant textual support.
 + <Vocative lamed>: The consonant 'l' functioning as a vocative particle is well attested in Ugaritic (Bordreuil & Pardee 2009, 58 :M:) so should be understood this way in Biblical Hebrew (Dahood 1970, 187 :C:). #dispreferred
   + [Vocative lamed]: See v. 122: עֲרֹ֣ב עַבְדְּךָ֣ לְט֑וֹב אַֽל־יַעַשְׁקֻ֥נִי זֵדִֽים ('O Good (one)', Dahood 1970, 187 :C:) and 33:1: רַנְּנ֣וּ צַ֭דִּיקִים בַּֽיהוָ֑ה לַ֝יְשָׁרִ֗ים נָאוָ֥ה תְהִלָּֽה ('O you upright, praise is fitting', IBHS §11.2.10). #dispreferred
    - <Unconvincing examples>: The phrase לְט֑וֹב in 119:122 is better understood as result, 'for good' (BHRG §39.13) and לַ֝יְשָׁרִ֗ים in 33:1 is better understood as the specification 'fitting for X' (see our exegetical issue titled "The meaning of Ps. 93:5b").
   + <Abrupt shifts>: Problem cases in which there appears to be an abrupt shift of address can be 'solved' by reading lamed as a vocative particle instead of as a preposition (e.g., Ps 33:1). #dispreferred
    + [Vocative lamed]
    - <Common style>: The abrupt shifting of addressee is common style in the Psalter (Miller 1979 :A:; Suderman 2015 :A:).
     + [Abrupt shifts of address]: See also the third-person reference to YHWH followed by the second-person address in v. 57: חֶלְקִ֖י יְהוָ֥ה אָמַ֗רְתִּי לִשְׁמֹ֥ר דְּבָרֶֽיךָ ('My lot is YHWH; I intend to keep your words').

</argdown>

==YHWH as benefactor==

Without a vocative, the same sense of 'acting for YHWH' as the SG21 above is reflected in the NJPS's benefactive reading (see also the TOB):

* It is a time to act '''for the LORD''', for they have violated Your teaching (NJPS)

[[File:Screenshot 2024-04-23 at 1.35.05 PM.png|class=img-fluid|500px]]

<argdown>
===
model:
    removeTagsFromText: true
    shortcodes:
      ":C:": {unicode: "🄲"}
      ":G:": {unicode: "🄶"}
      ":A:": {unicode: "🄰"}
      ":I:": {unicode: "🄸"}    
      ":L:": {unicode: "🄻"}
      ":D:": {unicode: "🄳"}    
      ":M:": {unicode: "🄼"}   
selection:
    excludeDisconnected: false
dot:
    graphVizSettings:
        rankdir: LR
        concentrate: true
        ranksep: 0.2
        nodesep: 0.2
=== 
[YHWH as benefactor]: The preposition לְ in לַיהוָ֑ה indicates YHWH as the benefactor of the 'acting' in the phrase עֵ֭ת לַעֲשׂ֣וֹת (Rashi :C:; Delitzsch 1877, 259 :C:). #dispreferred
 + <Straightforward Syntax>: This is the most natural reading of a לְ complement to an עשׂ׳׳ה verb phrase. #dispreferred
  + [Straightforward Syntax]: See, for example, Exod. 12:48; Josh. 24:31; Judg. 6:26; 2 Kgs. 4:2, among many others. #dispreferred
  - <Missing Constituent>: In all of the examples of a benefactive reading of לְ in an עשׂ׳׳ה verb phrase, the object argument is explicitly named, whereas here we do not have one.
   + [Missing Constituent]: Exod. 12:48: וְעָ֣שָׂה פֶסַח֮ לַיהוָה֒ ('he will perform Passover to YHWH'); Josh. 24:31: אֵ֚ת כָּל־מַעֲשֵׂ֣ה יְהוָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשָׂ֖ה לְיִשְׂרָאֵֽל ('every act of YHWH which he did for Israel'); Jer. 6:26: אֵ֤בֶל יָחִיד֙ עֲשִׂ֣י לָ֔ךְ ('Grievance for an only son do for yourself'); and 2 Kgs. 4:2: מָ֣ה אֶֽעֱשֶׂה־לָּ֔ךְ ('What shall I do for you?').
   <_ <Elision>: The constituent is elided, but retrievable from the discourse co-text. #dispreferred
    - <No obvious candidates>: The instances of explicit object arguments in 'people acting for YHWH' are primarily religious festivals, which does not fit here.
     + ['Do' פֶסַח]: See Exod. 12:48; Num, 9:10, 14; Deut. 16:1, 10; 2 Kgs. 23:21; 2 Chr. 30:1, 5; 35:1.
 + <Similar construction>: Hosea 10:12 provides a similar construction with YHWH unambiguously not as the agent of the infinitival phrase. #dispreferred
  + [Hosea 10:12]: עֵת֙ לִדְר֣וֹשׁ אֶת־יְהוָ֔ה ('It is time to seek YHWH'). #dispreferred
  <_ <Object marker>: The object marker is explicit in Hos. 10:12; no such clarity is offered in the current verse.
 - <The next clause>: The second clause in v. 126, stating, "they have broken your law," would indicate that YHWH (rather than YHWH's followers) has the responsibility to do something about it.
  - <Nehemiah>: A Post-exilic setting under the rule of Ezra and Nehemiah is highly plausible for the psalm (Freedman 1999, 91 :M:). When lawbreakers were identified by Nehemiah, he took matters into his own hands (Neh. 13:15-27). #dispreferred
 + <'Doing' in v. 121>: The stanza begins in v. 121 with the psalmist stating that he has done 'justice and righteousness' (v. 121); acting "for YHWH" in v. 126 would simply be an application of that justice and righteousness (cf. Eusebius :C:). #dispreferred
 - <The next verse>: The logical conjunction "therefore" (עַל־כֵּן) in the next verse (v. 127) followed by "I love your commandments" makes little sense if v. 126 says 'I will do something for YHWH'; "because" would be more appropriate than "therefore".
 - <The message of the Psalm>: Ps. 119 is an individual lament (Soll 1991, 2 :M:), so the idea of 'acting for God' does not fit the message of the psalm (Goldingay 2008, 428 :C:; Firth 2023, 123 :A:) as the psalmist is said to have no strength on a number of occasions.
  + [Message of the psalm]: See, for example, v. 25 דָּֽבְקָ֣ה לֶעָפָ֣ר נַפְשִׁ֑י ('My life sticks to the dust'); v. 81 כָּלְתָ֣ה לִתְשׁוּעָתְךָ֣ נַפְשִׁ֑י ('My soul wastes away for need of your salvation'); v. 82 כָּל֣וּ עֵ֭ינַי לְאִמְרָתֶ֑ךָ ('My eyes fade for need of your ); v. 109 נַפְשִׁ֣י בְכַפִּ֣י תָמִ֑יד ('My life is always in my hand'); v. 123 עֵ֭ינַי כָּל֣וּ לִֽישׁוּעָתֶ֑ךָ ('My eyes fade for need of your salvation').

</argdown>

==YHWH as Actor (Preferred)==

The third possibility is to interpret YHWH as the one 'to act' (לַעֲשׂ֣וֹת), in which case the function of the preposition in לַיהוָ֑ה would be a ''lamed of experience'' (Jenni 2000, 111):

* It is time '''for the Lord to act''', for your law has been broken (ESV)

[[File:Screenshot 2024-04-23 at 1.15.54 PM.png|class=img-fluid|500px]]

<argdown>
===
model:
    removeTagsFromText: true
    shortcodes:
      ":C:": {unicode: "🄲"}
      ":G:": {unicode: "🄶"}
      ":A:": {unicode: "🄰"}
      ":I:": {unicode: "🄸"}    
      ":L:": {unicode: "🄻"}
      ":D:": {unicode: "🄳"}    
      ":M:": {unicode: "🄼"}   
selection:
    excludeDisconnected: false
dot:
    graphVizSettings:
        rankdir: LR
        concentrate: true
        ranksep: 0.2
        nodesep: 0.2
=== 
[YHWH as actor]: The preposition לְ in לַיהוָ֑ה indicates YHWH as experiencing the time (עֵ֭ת) and thus most naturally as the agent of the 'acting' in the phrase עֵ֭ת לַעֲשׂ֣וֹת, woodenly rendered: "A time to act is upon YHWH" (cf. Theodoret of Cyrus :C:; Ibn Ezra :C:; Alonso-Schökel 1993 :C:; Allen 2002, 190 :C:; Goldingay 2008, 428 :C:; DeClassé-Walford 2014 :C:).
 + <Valid Syntax>: The preposition לְ can indicate the 'experiencing person' (BHRG §39.11.2(e) :G:; cf. Jenni 2000, 111 :M:). 
  + [Lamed of experience]: See also חָדַל֙ לִהְי֣וֹת לְשָׂרָ֔ה אֹ֖רַח כַּנָּשִֽׁים ('The way of women stopped being to Sarah' = 'Sarah stopped experiencing the way of women') in Gen. 18:11, דֶ֥רֶךְ נָשִׁ֖ים לִ֑י ('The way of women is to me' = 'I am experiencing the way of women') in Gen. 31.35; מִקְרֶ֥ה ה֖וּא הָ֥יָה לָֽנוּ ('It was chance that happened to us') in 1 Sam. 6:9, כִּי֩ מִקְרֶ֨ה בְֽנֵי־הָאָדָ֜ם וּמִקְרֶ֣ה הַבְּהֵמָ֗ה וּמִקְרֶ֤ה אֶחָד֙ לָהֶ֔ם ('The fate of people and the fate of animals, but there is one fate to them' = 'They experience the same fate') in Eccl. 3:19, מִקְרֶ֨ה אֶחָ֜ד לַצַּדִּ֤יק וְלָרָשָׁע֙ ('One fate is to the righteous person and to the wicked person' = 'The righteous and wicked experience the same fate') in Eccl. 9:2, and הַעֵ֤ת לָכֶם֙ אַתֶּ֔ם לָשֶׁ֖בֶת בְּבָתֵּיכֶ֣ם ('It is time for you to live in paneled houses?') in Hag. 1.4. 
  <_ <Less natural syntax>: Without regard to the surrounding context, the benefactor reading is the most natural reading of a לְ constituent in an עשׂ׳׳ה verb phrase. #dispreferred
 + <Similar constructions>: There are similar constructions, both syntactically and semantically, in Jer. 18:23 and 51:6, a book which is noted for its similar thematic concerns and perspective to that of Ps 119 (Deissler 1955, 223-224 :M:). In Jer. 51:6, the agent is unambiguously YHWH, encoded by לַֽיהוָ֔ה.
  + [Similar Constructions]: See בְּעֵ֥ת אַפְּךָ֖ עֲשֵׂ֥ה בָהֶֽם ('In the time of your wrath act against them') in Jer. 18:23 and עֵ֨ת נְקָמָ֥ה הִיא֙ לַֽיהוָ֔ה ('Time of vengeance is to YHWH') in Jer. 51:6.
 + <Explicit Subject Pronoun>: In a similar passage (Hag 1:4), where there is an explicit subject pronoun, it is coreferential with the לְ constituent.
  + [Hag 1:4]: הַעֵ֤ת לָכֶם֙ אַתֶּ֔ם לָשֶׁ֖בֶת בְּבָתֵּיכֶ֣ם סְפוּנִ֑ים ('It is time for you to live in paneled houses?').
 + <Missing object constituent>: Although there is not an explicit object constituent in the עשׂ׳׳ה + לְ verb phrase of the present verse, something like מִשְׁפָּט would fit the context here.
  + [Explicit examples]: Compare both Ps. 119.84, מָתַ֬י תַּעֲשֶׂ֖ה בְרֹדְפַ֣י מִשְׁפָּֽט ('When will you bring about justice against my persecutors?') and Ps. 146.7, עֹשֶׂ֤ה מִשְׁפָּ֨ט׀ לָעֲשׁוּקִ֗ים ('He brings about justice for the oppressed') for מִשְׁפָּט against the oppressors and for the benefit of the oppressed.
 + <The next verse>: 'I love your commands' follows logically in the 'Therefore' of v. 127 as a result of YHWH carrying out justice for lawbreakers.
 + <Surrounding co-text>: The rest of the 'ayin' stanza is dominated by requests for YHWH to act. So too, indeed, are ninety verses of the psalm (Soll 1991, 70 :M:; Freedman 1999, 93 :M:).
  + [Surrounding co-text]: See עֲרֹ֣ב עַבְדְּךָ֣ לְט֑וֹב ('Take responsibility for the good of your servant') in v. 122 and עֲשֵׂ֖ה עִם־עַבְדְּךָ֥ כְחַסְדֶּ֗ךָ ('Deal with your servant according to your loyalty') in v. 124.
 + <Genre of the psalm>: As an individual lament (Soll 1991, 2 :M:), asking YHWH to act is expected. 

</argdown>

==YHWH as Possessor==

Our final consideration reads the prepositional phrase לַיהוָ֑ה as possessor, i.e., ''The time to act belongs to YHWH''. 

[[File:Screenshot 2024-04-23 at 1.35.15 PM.png|class=img-fluid|500px]]

<argdown>
===
model:
    removeTagsFromText: true
    shortcodes:
      ":C:": {unicode: "🄲"}
      ":G:": {unicode: "🄶"}
      ":A:": {unicode: "🄰"}
      ":I:": {unicode: "🄸"}    
      ":L:": {unicode: "🄻"}
      ":D:": {unicode: "🄳"}    
      ":M:": {unicode: "🄼"}   
selection:
    excludeDisconnected: false
dot:
    graphVizSettings:
        concentrate: true
        ranksep: 0.2
        nodesep: 0.2
=== 
[Possessor]: The phrase לַיהוָ֑ה should be read as possessor, "...(belongs) to YHWH". #dispreferred 
 + <Parallel text>: There is an analogous text in Jer. 51.6. #dispreferred
  + [Parallel text]: Jer. 51.6: עֵ֨ת נְקָמָ֥ה הִיא֙ לַֽיהוָ֔ה could be read as "The time of vengeance belongs to YHWH." #dispreferred
   <_ <Ancient versions>: Neither the LXX, Peshitta, nor Targum Jonathan read Jer. 51.6 this way.
    + [Ancient versions]: LXX: καιρὸς ἐκδικήσεως αὐτῆς ἐστιν παρὰ κυρίου ("it is a time of vengeance upon her from the Lord"; NETS); Peshitta: ܙܒܢܐ ܗܘ ܕܦܘܪܥܢܗ̇ ܡܢ ܡܪܝܐ ("this is the time of her retribution from the Lord"; Greenberg & Walter 2013, 323); Targum Jonathan: עִידָן פֹורעָנוּתָא הִיא קֳדָם יוי ("the time of punishment is before the Lord"; Hayward 1987, 184).
 + <Simple syntax>: A possessor phrase is a very common use of the preposition לְ followed by a proper noun. #dispreferred
 - <Discourse context>: The implication if "the time to act belongs to YHWH" is that he will act when he decides to and the psalmist must therefore trust and wait patiently. This is somewhat foreign to the driving thrust of Ps 119's message as a whole, and the ayin stanza in particular, which contains a number of imperatives directed towards YHWH to act.
  + [Surrounding imperatives]: Ps. 119:122; עֲרֹ֣ב עַבְדְּךָ֣ לְט֑וֹב ('Take responsibility of the good of your servant'); v. 124: עֲשֵׂ֖ה עִם־עַבְדְּךָ֥ כְחַסְדֶּ֗ךָ ('Deal with your servant according to your loyalty'); cf. also the urgency in the question מָתַ֬י תַּעֲשֶׂ֖ה בְרֹדְפַ֣י מִשְׁפָּֽט ('When will you bring about judgment against my persecutors?') in v. 84. 
 - <עֵת plus לְ>: No other instances of עֵת plus a לְ prepositional phrase indicates a possessor.
  + [עֵת plus לְ]: See Hos 10:12; Hag 1:2, 4; Ps 102:14.

</argdown>

=Conclusion (B)=

Though the vocative reading of the constituent לַיהוָ֑ה would seem most natural in Ps. 119, we have seen that a לְ as a vocative particle is unlikely, so this reading would require the loss of the לְ in the text, as evidenced by only one Hebrew manuscript (Kennicott 76; cf. Jerome and Field's Ἄλλος, perhaps Rahlfs' La-R and Aug-aur). 

More acceptable syntactically and textually, then, are the interpretation of לַיהוָ֑ה as YHWH being either benefactor (''for'' YHWH) or agent (i.e., YHWH to act). While the benefactor reading on face value seems to make best sense of the clausal syntax, with the elided object constituent, there are no clear cases of man "acting for" YHWH in the Bible which would fit the context here (limited, in fact, to לַעֲשׂוֹת פֶּסַח, to 'do Passover'), whereas we could imagine something like מִשְׁפָּט being intended if it were YHWH acting for man (as in Pss. 119.84; 146.7). 

The preferred – though rarer – use of לְ as the experiencer, fits syntactically, but also makes better sense of the second clause of the verse, the conjunction "therefore" leading into v. 127, the ''ayin'' stanza and the message of the lament psalm as a whole. In line with the majority of Ps 119, the psalmist is appealing to YHWH to do something about his situation.

=Research=

==Translations==

===Ancient===

* LXX: καιρὸς τοῦ ποιῆσαι τῷ κυρίῳ· διεσκέδασαν τὸν νόμον σου.<ref>[https://archive.org/details/PsalmiCumOdis/page/n279/mode/2up?view=theater Rahlfs 1931]. Though the LXX is quite ambiguous, some of the daughter versions show a slightly more explicit 'YHWH as benefactor' reading: 
* ⲡⲉⲟⲩⲟⲉⲓϣ ⲡⲉ ⲛⲣϩⲱⲃ ⲙⲡϫⲟⲉⲓⲥ (it is the time to do the work for the Lord)
* ጊዜ ፡ ለገቢር ፡ ለእግዚአብሔር (it is time to act for God) 
* ჟამი არს მსახურებად უფლისა (it is time to serve God)</ref>
** "It is time for the Lord to act; they scattered your law."<ref>[https://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/nets/edition/24-ps-nets.pdf NETS].</ref>

* Symmachus: καιρὸς πρᾶξαι τῷ κυρίῳ ὄταν διασκεδαννύουσι τὸν νόμον σου.
** "It is time for the Lord to act, when they will scatter your law."

* Ἄλλος (Field): καιρὸς κατορθώσεως κύριε.
** "It is time for right action, Lord"<ref>[https://septuaginta.uni-goettingen.de/hexapla Hexapla]; Perhaps La-R and Aug-uar as listed in Rahlfs' apparatus (1931, 299).</ref>

* Peshitta: ܙܒܢܐ ܗܘ ܠܡܦܠܚܗ ܠܡܪܝܐ ܘܗܐ ܒܛܠܘ ܢܡܘܣܟ <ref>[https://cal.huc.edu CAL]</ref> 
** "It is time to serve the Lord. But look! They have made your law of no effect."<ref>Taylor 2020, 521.</ref>

* Jerome (Hebr.): tempus est ut facias Domine praevaricati sunt legem tuam<ref>Weber 1983.</ref>
** "It is time for you to act, Lord; they have violated your law."

* Targum: עידן למעבד רעותא דיהוה אפישו תלמידיא אורייתך.<ref>[https://cal.huc.edu CAL]</ref>
** "It is time to perform the will of the Lord; the scholars have increased your Law"<ref>Stec 2004, 216.</ref>

===Modern===

====Acting on behalf of YHWH====

* It is a time to act for the LORD, for they have violated Your teaching (NJPS)
* Pour le Seigneur, il est temps d'agir: on a violé ta Loi (TOB)

====Acting on behalf of YHWH + vocative====

*  Il est temps d’agir pour toi, Eternel, car on viole ta loi (SG21)

====YHWH acting====

* It is time for the Lord to act, for your law has been broken (ESV ≈ CEB, CSB, NABRE, NASB, NET)
* Es ist Zeit, dass der HERR handelt; sie haben dein Gesetz zerbrochen (Luther 2017 ≈ ELB)
* Il est temps que le Seigneur agisse: on viole ta loi (NBS ≈ NVSR)

====YHWH acting + vocative====

* It is time for you to act, Lord; your law is being broken (NIV ≈ GNT, REB, KJV)
* HERR, es ist Zeit zu handeln. Sie haben deine Weisung gebrochen (EÜ ≈ ZÜR)
* Ya es hora de actuar, oh SEÑOR, porque han violado tu ley (RVA ≈ BTX4ª, DHH)
* C’est le moment d’agir, ô Eternel, car on viole ta Loi! (BDS ≈ PDV, NFC)

==Secondary Literature==

:Allen, Leslie, C. 2002. ''Psalms 101-150''. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson. 
: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.
:Bordreuil, Pierre & Pardee, Dennis. 2009. ''A Manual of Ugaritic''. Winona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns.
:Dahood, Mitchell J. 1970. ''[https://archive.org/details/psaml20000unse/page/328/mode/2up Psalms III, 101-150: Introduction, Translation, and Notes]''. Garden City, NY: Doubleday.
:DeClaisse-Walford, Nancy in DeClaisse-Walford, Nancy et al. 2014. ''[https://www.perlego.com/book/2015638/the-book-of-psalms-pdf The Book of Psalms]''. NICOT. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans. 
:Deissler, Alfons. 1955. ''Psalm 119 (118) und Seine Theologie''. Munich: Karl Zink Verlag.
:Delitzsch, Franz. 1877. ''[https://archive.org/details/biblicalcommenta03deli/page/60/mode/2up Biblical Commentary on the Psalms: Vol. 3]''. Edinburg: T&T Clark.
:Firth, J. 2023. "The Suffering Servant in Book V of the Psalter." Pages 111-126 in ''Reading the Psalms Theologically''. Edited by D. M. Howard Jr. & A. J. Schmutzer. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Academic Press.
:Freedman, D. N. 1999. ''Psalm 119: The Exaltation of Torah''. Winona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns. 
: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.
:Hayward, Robert. 1987. ''The Targum of Jeremiah: Translated, with a Critical Introduction, Apparatus, and Notes''. Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press.
:Hill, Robert C., trans. 2001. ''Theodoret of Cyrus Commentary on the Psalms''. Washington, D.C: Catholic University of America Press.
:Ibn Ezra, Abraham. [https://www.sefaria.org/Ibn_Ezra_on_Psalms?tab=contents ''Ibn Ezra on Psalms''].
:Jenni, Ernst. 2000. ''Die Hebräischen Präpositionen. Band 3: Die Präposition Lamed''. Stuttgart: Verlag W. Kohlhammer.
:Kiraz, George A., and Joseph Bali, eds. 2013. ''Jeremiah According to the Syriac Peshitta Version with English Translation.'' Translated by Gillian Greenberg and Donald M. Walter.  Piscataway, NJ: Gorgias Press.
:________. 2020. ''The Psalms According to the Syriac Peshitta Version with English Translation.'' Translated by Richard A. Taylor. Piscataway, NJ: Gorgias Press.
:Miller, Patrick, D. Jr. 1979. “Vocative Lamed in the Psalter: A Reconsideration.” ''Ugarit-Forschungen'' 11: 617-637.
:Pietersma, Albert, trans. 2009. [https://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/nets/edition/24-ps-nets.pdf NETS translation of the Psalms]. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
:Pietersma, Albert, and Marc Saunders, trans. 2009. [https://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/nets/edition/34-ieremias-nets.pdf NETS translation of Jeremiah]. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
:Rashi. [https://www.sefaria.org/Rashi_on_Psalms.119.3.2?lang=bi ''Rashi on Psalms''].
:Risch, Franz X. ed. 2022. ''Eusebius von Caesarea, Werke Band X der Psalmenkommentar, Teil 3: Fragmente zu Psalm 101-150''. Berlin: De Gruyter.
:Soll, Will, 1991. ''Psalm 119: Matrix, Form and Setting''. Washington, DC: Catholic Biblical Association of America.
:Stec, David M. 2004. ''The Targum of Psalms: Translated, with a Critical Introduction, Apparatus, and Notes''. Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press.
:Suderman, W. Derek. 2015. "The Vocative ''Lamed'' and Shifting Address in the Psalms: Reevaluating Dahood's Proposal." ''VT'' 65: 297-315.
:Terrien, Samuel. 2003. ''The Psalms: Strophic Structure and Theological Commentary''. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans. 
:Zenger, Erich. 2011. ''A Commentary on Psalms 101-150''. Translated by Linda M. Maloney. Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press.

=References=
[[Category:Argument maps]]
[[Chapter::119]]:[[Verse::126]]
[[Status::Approved]]