The Meaning of ענותו in Ps. 132:1

Back to Psalm 132

Introduction

The Hebrew text of Ps. 132:1 (excluding the superscription) says,

זְכוֹר־יְהוָ֥ה לְדָוִ֑ד אֵ֝ת כָּל־עֻנּוֹתֽוֹ׃

Psalm 132 begins with a petition for YHWH to remember, but the difficult phrase ענותו makes the content of this remembrance challenging to understand. Ancient and modern versions, along with commentators, disagree on the interpretation of this phrase, as seen in the three representative English translations below:

• Douay-Rheims Bible (itself a translation of the Vulgate): "O Lord, remember David, and all his meekness."
• ESV: "Remember, O LORD, in David’s favor, all the hardships he endured."
• NIV: "LORD, remember David and all his self-denial."

The first option requires a vocalisation that differs from the MT (עַנְוָתוֹ instead of עֻנּוֹתוֹ), and the other two options represent two different ways of understanding the MT (עֻנּוֹתוֹ). The main possibilities for what exactly the psalmist asks YHWH to remember are as follows:

1. All David's humility (repoint the text as a noun—עַנְוָתוֹ)
2. All David's afflictions (general, perhaps including external opposition) (MT—עֻנּוֹתוֹ)
3. All David's self-inflicted hardship (MT—עֻנּוֹתוֹ)

Given the place of this phrase within the opening sentence of the psalm, and given its importance as a direct appeal to YHWH, its interpretation has a significant bearing on how one understands the rest of the psalm.

Argument Maps

'Humility' (עַנְוָתוֹ)

The first interpretive option takes the word ענותו as a noun, his humility, his meekness, vocalised as עַנְוָתוֹ (n. עֲנָוָה with a 3ms pronominal suffix). This reading is reflected in the Douay-Rheims Bible (itself a translation of the Vulgate): "O Lord, remember David, and all his meekness."

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[Character quality: humility]: The word ענותו should be vocalised as עַנְוָתוֹ, a noun that means 'humility.' #dispreferred
 + <Ancient support>: The nominal reading (עַנְוָתוֹ) ('his humility') is supported by some of the earliest versions of the psalm. #dispreferred  
  + [Ancient support]: LXX: πάσης τῆς πραΰτητος αὐτοῦ; Syr. ܡܘܟܟܗ; Quinta: ταπεινώσεως. #dispreferred
 + <Ideological consistency>: The quality of humility is stressed throughout the Psalter, and is demonstrated here in David's determination to find an appropriate home for the ark (cf. Johnson 1955:18 :M:). #dispreferred
 + <OT Narrative>: The sense of "humiliation" is reminiscent of David’s experience bringing the ark into Jerusalem (dancing before the ark and criticism from Michal) (2 Sam 6:16, 20–22)" (cf. VanGemeren, 2008: 926 :C:). #dispreferred
  _ <Ark journey as 'affliction'>: The same experience (2 Sam 6:16, 20–22) could be described in terms of 'hardship' or 'affliction' (עֻנּוֹתוֹ).

'Afflictions' (עֻנּוֹתוֹ)

The second interpretive option for this phrase understands it to refer generally to the hardships that David experienced (including external opposition) as he brought the ark to Jerusalem. This interpretation might be suggested by the ESV: "Remember, O LORD, in David’s favor, all the hardships he endured." At the very least, the ESV leaves the door open for such an interpretation.

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["Affliction" from outside sources]: The phrase כָּל־עֻנּוֹתוֹ refers generally to the hardships (including external opposition) which David experienced in connection with bringing the ark to Jerusalem. #dispreferred
 + <OT ark narrative>: The narratives in Samuel describe a variety of external pressures involved in bringing the ark to Jerusalem. #dispreferred
  + [OT ark narrative]: 2 Sam 5:17–25 (defeat of the Philistines); 6:1–11 (death of Uzzah), 20–23 (Michal's rebuke). #dispreferred
 + <OT succession narrative>: The narratives in Samuel describe the difficulties David experienced at the hands of Saul, after his anointing and before his coronation (cf. Futato 2009: 398 :C:). #dispreferred
 + <Lexical semantics>: The verb (pu. binyan) can refer to external affliction (e.g. Isa 53:4): 'to become degraded, humiliated' (HALOT :L:). #dispreferred
 - <Ps 132 context>: The immediately following text (vv.4–5) does not mention enemies or any other source of external affliction, but rather quotes a vow of self-denial.
 + <Ancient support>: Some of the early versions vocalised the text as עֻנּוֹתוֹ. #dispreferred
   + [LXX revisers]: Aquila: κακουχίας; Symmachus: κακώσεως; Jerome iuxta Hebr.: adflictionis eius #dispreferred

'Self-denial' (עֻנּוֹתוֹ) (preferred)

The third interpretive option for this phrase understands it to refer to voluntary hardship or deprivation. This interpretation is reflected in the NIV: "LORD, remember David and all his self-denial."

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[Voluntary hardship]: The word ענותו should be vocalised as עֻנּוֹתוֹ, and it refers to David's self-inflicted suffering.
 + <Lexical semantics>: The pu. inf. of the verb ענה connotes self-affliction ('his painstaking effort', Allen 2002 :C:)
  + [Similar uses of pu. verb]: Lev 23:29 (probably references to fasting; cf. Péter-Contesse and Ellington 1992 :C:); cf. pi. in Lev 23:27. 
   + [Lev. 23:29]: כִּ֤י כָל־הַנֶּ֙פֶשׁ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר לֹֽא־תְעֻנֶּ֔ה בְּעֶ֖צֶם הַיּ֣וֹם הַזֶּ֑ה וְנִכְרְתָ֖ה מֵֽעַמֶּֽיהָ׃
 + <Hardships associated with temple-building>: In Chronicles, the n. עֳנִי ('affliction, misery') is used to describe the (self-inflicted) suffering David endured as he made preparations for the temple, a sense which "matches the present context very well" (Goldingay 2008: 545 :C:; cf. Gerstenberger, 2001 :C:).
   + [1 Chron 22:14]: 1 Chron 22:14 - With 'affliction' (‏בְעָנְיִי) I prepared for the house of YHWH".
 + <Ps 132 context>: The immediately following text (vv. 4–5) quotes a vow of self-denial, suggesting that עֻנּוֹתוֹ in v. 1 refers to David's self-denial.
 + <Ancient support>: Some of the early versions vocalised the text as עֻנּוֹתוֹ.
   + [LXX revisers]: Aquila: κακουχίας; Symmachus: κακώσεως; Jerome iuxta Hebr.: adflictionis eius

Conclusion

All three exegetical options result in a coherent interpretation, and it appears that each has historic and translation precedent. However, the third option is preferred here since it does not require emendation, and since it best supports the subject matter of Psalm 132 as a whole and the content of the immediately following text (vv. 2–3). Although David did face many afflictions from enemies (both Israelite and non-Israelite), the focus of Psalm 132 is the vow that David voluntarily made to his God, and the lengths to which he went to fulfil that vow. Along with the use of the pual form of the verb ענה in Leviticus 23 in reference to fasting, it (option 3 - 'self-denial') best represents the sense of the word here in Ps 132:1.

Research

Translations

Ancient

• LXX: Μνήσθητι, κύριε, τοῦ Δαυιδ καὶ πάσης τῆς πραΰτητος αὐτοῦ
  • "O Lord, remember Dauid and all his meekness."
• Aquila: κακουχίας
• Symmachus: κακώσεως
• Quinta: ταπεινώσεως
• Targum: אידכר ייי לדוד ית כל סיגופיה׃
  • "Remember, O Lord, for David, all his affliction."
• Peshitta: ܐܬܕܟܪ ܡܪܝܐ ܠܕܘܝܕ ܘܠܟܠܗ ܡܘܟܟܗ
  • "O Lord, remember David and all his humiliation."
• Jerome (iuxta Hebraeos): Memento Domine David et omnis adflictionis eius

Modern

Humility

• Douay-Rheims: O Lord, remember David, and all his meekness. 

General (possibly external) Affliction

• KJV: LORD, remember David, and all his afflictions:
• NRSV: O Lord, remember in David's favor all the hardships he endured;
• ESV: Remember, O LORD, in David’s favor, all the hardships he endured,
• REB: LORD, remember David and all the adversity he endured,
• NLT: LORD, remember David and all that he suffered.
• NJB: Yahweh, remember David and all the hardships he endured
• CEB: LORD, remember David— all the ways he suffered.
• RVR60: Acuérdate, oh Jehová, de David, Y de toda su aflicción;
• NTV: Señor, acuérdate de David y de todo lo que sufrió.
• NBS: Seigneur, souviens-toi de David, de toutes ses afflictions!
• NFC: Seigneur, souviens-toi de David et de tout son tourment.
• BDS: O Eternel, souviens-toi de David et de toutes ses peines;
• PDV2017: Seigneur, souviens-toi de David et de toutes ses souffrances.
• LUT2017: Gedenke, HERR, an David und all seine Mühsal,
• ELB: Rechne, HERR, dem David alle seine Mühsal an!
• DHH94I: Acuérdate, Señor, de David y de todas sus aflicciones;
• BTX4: O YHVH, tenle en cuenta a David todas sus aflicciones

Cf.

• NEB: O LORD, remember David in the time of his adversity,

Self-inflicted Hardships

• NIV: LORD, remember David and all his self-denial.
• JPS85: O LORD, remember in David’s favor his extreme self-denial,
• NET: O LORD, for David's sake remember all his strenuous effort,
• HFA: HERR, erinnere dich doch, welche Mühe David auf sich nahm!
• NGÜ: Denke an all die Mühe, HERR, die David auf sich genommen hat!
• ZÜR: Rechne, HERR, dem David alle seine Entbehrungen an,
• EÜ: Gedenke, HERR, zugunsten Davids all seiner Mühen,
• GNB: HERR, denk doch an David, an alle Mühe, die er auf sich nahm!

Secondary Literature

Allen, Leslie. 2002. Psalms 101–150 (Revised). WBC. Dallas: Thomas Nelson.

Futato, Mark D. 2009. "The Book of Psalms." In Cornerstone Biblical Commentary, Vol 7: The Book of Psalms, The Book of Proverbs. Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House.

Gerstenberger, Erhard S. 2001. Psalms, Part 2, and Lamentations. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans.

Goldingay, John. 2008. Psalms: Psalms 90-150. Vol. 3. BCOT. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic.

Johnson, Aubrey. 1955. Sacral Kingship in Ancient Israel. Eugene, OR: Wipft and Stock.

Péter-Contesse, René and John Ellington. 1992. A Handbook on Leviticus. UBS Helps for Translators. New York: UBS.

VanGemeren, Willem. 2008. “Psalms.” Vol. 5 in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Psalms (Revised Edition). Edited by Tremper Longman III and David E. Garland. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

References

132:1