The Grammar and Meaning of Ps. 67:3

Back to Psalm 67

Introduction

The text of Ps. 67:2-4 reads as follows:

2 ‏ אֱלֹהִ֗ים יְחָנֵּ֥נוּ וִֽיבָרְכֵ֑נוּ| May God be gracious to us and bless us.
יָ֤אֵ֥ר פָּנָ֖יו אִתָּ֣נוּ סֶֽלָה׃ | May he make his face shine on us {Selah},

3 לָדַ֣עַת בָּאָ֣רֶץ דַּרְכֶּ֑ךָ | ? to know ? your way on earth,
בְּכָל־גּ֝וֹיִ֗ם יְשׁוּעָתֶֽךָ׃ | your salvation among all nations.

4 יוֹד֖וּךָ עַמִּ֥ים ׀ אֱלֹהִ֑ים | Let the peoples praise you, O God.
י֝וֹד֗וּךָ עַמִּ֥ים כֻּלָּֽם׃ | Let the peoples praise you, all of them.

There are three main options for understanding לָדַעַת in this verse. The first option reads לָדַעַת as introducing a purpose clause continuing from v.2. Furthermore, where the psalmist prays in v. 2 for God to make his face shine on "us", this 1st person plural object ("us") becomes the implied subject of לָדַעַת in v. 3 (that we may know...). In the second option, לָדַעַת is also understood as introducing a purpose clause, but as having an impersonal subject, in the sense "that one may know", or specifically "that those on earth may know...". According to the third option, לָדַעַת has a completely different function, not continuing from v. 2 but instead circumstantially prefacing v. 4.

• 1. Purpose Clause with first person plural subject ("We")

May he make his face shine on us {Selah},

that we may know your way on earth...

• 2. Purpose Clause with Impersonal Subject

May he make his face shine on us {Selah},

that those on earth may know your way...

• 3. Circumstantial Clause

May he make his face shine on us {Selah}.

Knowing your way on earth, your salvation among all nations,

let the peoples praise you, O God...

Each of these readings has an impact on the overall message of the psalm. According to the first, Israel is blessed (v. 2) so that they might know God's ways (v. 3). According to the second reading, Israel is blessed so that the nations (those on earth) might know God's ways. According to the third reading, there is no connection between God's blessing in v. 2 and the knowledge of his ways in v. 3. Instead, it is the assumed preface to the nations praising God in v. 4.

The argument maps below address this issue in the following order:

A. Should we read v.3. as a purpose clause or a circumstantial clause?
B. What is the subject of לָדַ֣עַת? Is it first personal plural ("we") or an impersonal subject?

Argument Maps

A. Purpose Clause or Circumstantial Clause?

The first question to be resolved is whether v. 3 is a purpose clause following v.2 or a circumstantial clause prefacing v. 4.

Purpose Clause (Preferred)

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[Purpose Clause]: The לָדַעַת of v.3 should be read as introducing a purpose clause continuing from v.2. 
 - <''Selah''>: The ''Selah'' appearing between v.2 and v.3. breaks them apart and discourages reading them as one sentence.  #dispreferred
  <_ <Parallel Uses of ''Selah''>: In Ps.55:20 Selah appears in the middle of a sentence. Also possibly in Ps. 68:8.
 + <Default Reading>: This is the default reading of an infinitive construct with a ל-prefix.
  + [ל-prefix indicating purpose]: "It is with the preposition ל that the infinitive construct is mainly used... with a strong value for the direction, the aim, the purpose of an action" (JM §124l :G: Cf. BHRG :G: §20.1.4.1.)
  + [Cf. Almost all modern translations]: E.g. ESV: "May he make his face to shine upon us {Selah}, that your way may be known on earth..." (See also NASB, NIV, KJV, NET, NRSV, JPS, ASV, CSB, REB, RSV, TLV, and more). 
 + <Ancient Support>: Ancient translations follow this reading.
  + [e.g. Targum]: " ינהיר זיו אנפוי עמנא לעלמין׃ 3 להודעא בארעא אורחך" (...make the splendor of his face shine on us forever, to make known your way in the land...).

Circumstantial Clause

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[Circumstantial Clause]: The לָדַעַת of v.3 should be read as introducing a circumstantial clause prefacing v.4. "Reading the infinitive construct לדעת as circumstantial (GKC §114o); "then" is understood: "then knowing your ways....";" (Tate 1998 :C:)  #dispreferred 
 + <''Selah''>: The ''Selah'' appearing between v.2 and v.3. breaks them apart and discourages reading them as one sentence. It is therefore preferable to connect v.3 with v.4. #dispreferred
   <_ <Parallel Uses of ''Selah''>: In Ps.55:19 Selah appears in the middle of a sentence. Also possibly in Ps. 68:8.
 + <Hebrew Usage>: Infinitive constructs are sometimes circumstantial #dispreferred
  + [E.g. 1 Sm. 12:17]: וּדְע֣וּ וּרְא֗וּ כִּֽי־רָעַתְכֶ֤ם רַבָּה֙ אֲשֶׁ֤ר עֲשִׂיתֶם֙ בְּעֵינֵ֣י יְהוָ֔ה לִשְׁא֥וֹל לָכֶ֖ם מֶֽלֶךְ׃ And you shall know and see that your wickedness is great, which you have done in the sight of the LORD, in asking for yourselves a king. (ESV, cf. 1 Sm. 14:33, 19:5, 20:36, Gn 3:22, 18:19, 34:7, 15, Ex 23:2, Lv 5:4, 22, 26, 8:15, Nu 14:36, 2 S 3:10, 1 K 2:3 f, 14:8, Jer 44:7 f, Ps 63:3, 78:18, 101:8, 103:20, 104:14 f., 111:6, Pr 2:8, 8:34, 18:5, Neh 13:18 (GKC §114o :G:)). #dispreferred 
   <_ <Main Clause > Infinitive-Circumstantial Clause>: In GKC §114o :G: there are 34 examples of circumstantial-infinitive constructs listed as evidence. However, in every single one the infinitive-circumstantial clause occurs after the main clause, whereas in Ps.67:3 it would precede the main clause. 
  <_ <Unusual Order>: There is no precedent for an infinitive-circumstantial clause occurring BEFORE its main clause.

B. Purpose Clause Options: First Person Plural Subject ("We") or Impersonal

Having clarified why לָדַעַת should be read as a purpose clause, we must now consider options 1 and 2, with special focus on who the subject of the לָדַעַת is.

1. First Person Plural Subject ("We")

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[1st Person Subject]: The subject of לָדַעַת is first person plural ("we"). #Dispreferred
 + <Implied Subject Supplied from v. 2>: In v.2 the Psalmist prays for God to be gracious to "us", to bless "us", and to make his face shine on "us". The 1st-person plural object of these verbs in v.2. becomes the implied subject of לָדַעַת in v.3 #Dispreferred
  + <Possible Similar Constructions Exist>: Possible similar constructions exist. #Dispreferred
   + [E.g. Dt. 4:35]: "אַתָּה֙ הָרְאֵ֣תָ לָדַ֔עַת כִּ֥י יְהוָ֖ה ה֣וּא הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים" (To you it was shown that you might know that the LORD, He is God.). Here there is no grammatical object but the grammatical subject of the passive Hofal verb (אַתָּה֙ הָרְאֵ֣תָ - to you it was shown) becomes the subject of לָדַעַת. See also Jer. 24:7 and Ezek. 20:12, although there the indirect object becomes the subject of לָדַעַת. #Dispreferred
   <_ <No Exact Parallels>: There are no existing examples where an explicit grammatical direct object becomes the implied subject of a following verb. 
  + <Common Phrase>: Knowing (or not knowing) God's way(s) is a common phrase. #Dispreferred
   + [E.g. Jer. 5:4]: "...וַאֲנִ֣י אָמַ֔רְתִּי אַךְ־דַּלִּ֖ים הֵ֑ם נוֹאֲל֕וּ כִּ֣י לֹ֤א יָדְעוּ֙ דֶּ֣רֶךְ יְהוָ֔ה" (Then I said, “These are only the poor; they have no sense; for they do not know the way of the LORD...). See also Ps. 95:10.  #Dispreferred
 <_ <Less Coherent in Context>: This reading changes the meaning of the Psalm so that Israel is blessed for their own sake ("Bless us that WE may know your way..."). However, the overall message of the Psalm is that Israel is blessed for the nations' sake ("Bless us that THEY may know your way...").

2. Impersonal Subject (Preferred)

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[The subject of לָדַעַת is Impersonal]: "לָדַעַת is conceived with the most general subject: that one may know, that may be known Thy way" (Delitzsch 1871: 240 :C:).
 + <Precedent>: Reading לָדַעַת as having an impersonal subject in Ps 67:3 corresponds with similar Hebrew usage.
  + <Infinitive Constructs can have impersonal subjects>: "The logical subject of an action expressed by an infinitive without a grammatical subject can be the vague subject one/they" (JM §155i :G:) 
   + [E.g. Ex. 9:16]: "בַּעֲב֥וּר זֹאת֙ הֶעֱמַדְתִּ֔יךָ...לְמַ֛עַן סַפֵּ֥ר שְׁמִ֖י בְּכָל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃" (...for this purpose I have raised you up... that my name may be proclaimed (lit. to proclaim my name) in all the earth). In this example the one "raised up" (Israel) in the preceding clause is not the active subject of the infinitive "to proclaim". Israel is not raised up to then be the ones who literally go and proclaim God's name in all the earth. Rather, they are "raised up" so that YHWH's name might be proclaimed in all the earth in a general and non-specific way. This explains the use of an English passive form in the translation here ("...may be proclaimed..."). See also 2 Sam. 1:18; Gen. 33:10; Ps. 42:4.
  + <Infinitive Constructs can exhibit variation in subject from the preceding verb>: "The infinitive being apersonal, the subject is only indicated by the context". This can lead to "variation of the subject" with preceding verbs (JM §124s :G:).
   + [E.g. Ex. 5:21]: "הִבְאַשְׁתֶּ֣ם אֶת־רֵיחֵ֗נוּ בְּעֵינֵ֤י פַרְעֹה֙ וּבְעֵינֵ֣י עֲבָדָ֔יו לָֽתֶת־חֶ֥רֶב בְּיָדָ֖ם לְהָרְגֵֽנוּ׃" (You (Moses and Aaron) have made us stink in the sight of Pharaoh and his servants, and have put a sword in their hand to kill us). 
 + <Coherent in Context>: This reading fits with the overall message of the Psalm that Israel is blessed for the nations' sake ("Bless us that THEY may know your way...").

Conclusion

In these argument maps we have considered two key questions.

A. Should we read v.3. as a purpose clause or a circumstantial clause?
B. What is the subject of לָדַ֣עַת? Is it a first personal plural ("We") or an impersonal subject?

Regarding (A) the syntax of לָדַעַת, it has been shown that it is most likely introducing a purpose clause following on from v.2. This is the default reading of an infinitive construct with a ל prefix, and a circumstantial reading has no clear precedent. The fact that Selah would then appear in the middle of this sentence is not a sufficient reason to challenge this. There is at least one other example of Selah in the middle of a sentence.

When considering (B) the subject of לָדַעַת, both the option of the first personal plural ("We") and the option of an impersonal subject are plausible on a grammatical level. However, the second reading (impersonal subject) is stronger for two reasons. First, it has much stronger precedent and aligns with clear parallel usage of the infinitive construct. Secondly, it fits more coherently with the overall structure and message of the Psalm. One of the main thrusts of the Psalm is that Israel is blessed not for their own sake, but the sake of the nations, leading the nations to praise the God of Israel (v.4-6, 8b). Therefore Israel prays here for God's blessing upon them (using the language of the Aaronic blessing (Num. 6), so that the nations may come to know God's way and salvation in his dealings with Israel.

Based on these arguments, Ps. 67:3 is best understood as a purpose clause with an impersonal subject. As noted above (see footnote #4), this can be rendered in a number of legitimate ways in translation:

May God be gracious to us and bless us.
May he make his face shine upon us {Selah},
2a. that those on earth may know your way,
2b. that your way may be known on earth,
2c. that the earth may know your way,
2d. to know on the earth Your way,
and your salvation among all nations.

OPTION 1

We have chosen 2a, which simply includes an impersonal subject ("those") to clarify the implied subject of the verb. This clearly expresses the meaning of the verse and remains close to the original syntax and grammar of the Hebrew. Therefore, slightly modifying and simplifying the NET translation, we have chosen to translate the verse as follows:

2 May God be gracious to us and bless us.
May he shine his face toward us {Selah},
3 that those on earth may know your way,
your salvation among all nations.

4 Let the peoples praise you, O God.
Let the peoples praise you, all of them.

OPTION 2

We have chosen to follow 2d, primarily for its poetic quality and the way it stays as close as possible to the words of the original text. In other layers (e.g. Ps. 67 Story Behind the Psalm) clarification is made that it is the nations of the earth, not Israel, who come to know God's ways here. Ps. 67:2-4 is then translated as follows:

2 May God be gracious to us and bless us.
May he shine his face toward us {Selah},
3 in order to understand your way on earth,,
your salvation among all nations.

4 Let the peoples praise you, O God.
Let the peoples praise you, all of them.

Research

Translations

Ancient

• LXX: τοῦ γνῶναι ἐν τῇ γῇ τὴν ὁδόν σου (NETS: that we may know your way upon the earth)
• Jerome: ut nota fiat in terra via tua (Douay-Rheims: that we may know thy way upon earth)
• Targum: להודעא בארעא אורחך (TARG-E: To make known your way in the land)
• Peshitta: ܕܢܕܥ ܒܐܪܥܐ݂ ܐܘܪ̈ܚܬܗ. (English: So that we may know your way on earth)

Modern (English)

1. Purpose Clause with First Personal Plural Subject ("We"):

• Coverdale (1535): Sela. That we maye knowe yi waye vpo earth, yi sauynge health amonge all Heithen.

2a. Impersonal Subject Added:

• NET: Then those living on earth will know what you are like...
• CEV: Then everyone on earth will learn to follow you...

2b. Way as subject and verb as passive:

• NIV: so that your ways may be known on earth...
• ESV: that Your ways may be known on earth...
• NASB: that Your way may be known on the earth...
• NRSV: that your way may be known upon earth...

2c. Earth as subject

• GNT: so that the whole world may know your will...
• NJB: Then the earth will acknowledge your ways...

3. Circumstantial Clause:

• Tate (WBC): Knowing your way on the earth...

Other Languages

• LSG: Afin que l’on connaisse sur la terre ta voie...
• BDS: afin que sur la terre on reconnaisse tu interviens...
• SG21: Ainsi l’on connaîtra ta voie sur la terre...

• RVR95: para que tu camino sea conocido en la tierra...
• LBLA: para que sea conocido en la tierra tu camino...
• DHH: para que todas las naciones de la tierra...

• NGU: Denn so erkennt man auf der ganzen Erde dein Wirken, o Gott...
• SCH2000: damit man auf Erden deinen Weg erkenne...

Secondary Literature

Grammars

• BHRG §20.1.4.1.: Infinitive Construct As Part of an Adjunct: Adjunct of Purpose, explication or result: Purpose (very frequent).
• GKC §114o: 4. Finally, the infinitive with לְ is very frequently used in a much looser connexion to state motives, attendant circumstances, or otherwise to define more exactly. In English, such infinitive constructions (like the Latin gerund in -do; cf. f) must frequently be turned by that or a gerund; e. g. 1 S 12:17 לִשְׁאֹל לָכֶם מֶלֶךְ in asking you a king; 14:33, 19:5, 20:36, Gn 3:22, 18:19, 34:7, 15, Ex 23:2, Lv 5:4, 22, 26, 8:15, Nu 14:36, 2 S 3:10, 1 K 2:3 f, 14:8, Jer 44:7 f, Ps 63:3, 78:18, 101:8, 103:20, 104:14 f., 111:6, Pr 2:8, 8:34, 18:5, Neh 13:18. Sometimes the infinitive with ‏לְ is used in this way simply by itself, e. g. 1 Ch 12:8 as the roes upon the mountains ‏לְמַהֵר (as regards hasting) in swiftness; Gn 2:3, 2 S 14:25 (‏לְהַלֵּל‎); Is 21:1 (‏לַֽחֲלוֹף‎); Jo 2:26, Pr 2:2, 26:2 and so very frequently the infinitive ‏לֵאמֹר dicendo which has become stereotyped as an adverb to introduce direct narration (in the sense of thus, as follows).
• Joüon-Muraoka §124l: It is with the preposition ל that the inf. cst. is mainly used. The ‏ל can have various nuances: strong, weak, or even almost nil; thus לַעֲשׂוֹת may have the following nuances: in order to do, in doing, by doing, and simply to do. ל is used with a strong value for the direction, the aim, the purpose of an action.
• Joüon-Muraoka §124s: Observation. The infinitive being atemporal, the time and the aspect [p. 409] of the action can only be ascertained from the context. Likewise, the infinitive being apersonal, the subject is only indicated by the context. Note that the inf. cst. is often used instead of a finite tense in spite of the ambiguity concerning the subject33: Ru 2.10 לְהַכִּירֵנִי as a result of which you have been interested in me (§ l); Ex 5.21 לָ֫תֶת־חֶרֶב בְּיָדָם לְהָרְגֵנוּ “in that you have given a sword in their hand in order that they might kill us” (variation of the subject); Dt 24.4 (variation of the subject); 1Sm 2.36 in order that I may eat; 2Sm 13.11 in order that he might eat; 1Kg 1.20; 2.15; 8.59; 18.9; 22.8. Quite often the subject is a vague they = one (cf. § 155 i): 2Sm 1.18 וַיּא֫מֶר לְלַמֵּד and he ordered that they (= one) should teach; Gn 33.10; Ex 9.16; Lv 14.57; Jdg 14.6; 1Sm 18.19; Is 10.14; 28.20; Ps 42.4; Ezr 9.1 וּכְכַלּוֹת (= 2Ch 29.29; 31.1).

References

67:3