Property: Discussion
From Psalms: Layer by Layer
P
*'''v.3ab.''' The above analysis has demonstrated the symmetrical structure of the poem based on its word count. The number of independent lexemes is distributed equally across the two halves of the poem (39 words, 39 words) and symmetrically across the poem's four sections (A: 24 words; B: 15 words; C: 15 words; D: 24 words). This feature argues for the originality of the tetragrammaton in both v.3a and v.3b. See [[#Alternative prosody and syllable counts|Alternative prosody and syllable counts]] and [[#Large-scale structures|Large-scale structures]].
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*'''v.3d.''' Is יַצְלִיחַ transitive or intransitive? In the ''Hiphil'' stem, הצליח may be either intransitive ("to be successful") or transitive ("to make something a success").'"`UNIQ--ref-000008D4-QINU`"'
:Collins argues that we should "take the ''Hiphil'' in the intransitive sense, since no causative agent is mentioned."'"`UNIQ--ref-000008D5-QINU`"'
:However, Delitzsch argues that the transitive reading with "the man" as the subject is the most natural. "This ''Hiph.'' (from צלח, Arab. ''tslh'', to divide, press forward, press through, vid., Psalm 45:5) signifies both causative: to cause anything to go through, or prosper (Genesis 34:23), and transitive: to carry through, and intransitive: to succeed, prosper (Judges 18:5). With the first meaning, Jahve would be the subject; with the third, the project of the righteous; with the middle one, the righteous man himself. This last is the most natural: everything he takes in hand he brings to a successful issue (an expression like 2 Chronicles 7:11; 2 Chronicles 31:21; Daniel 8:24)."'"`UNIQ--ref-000008D6-QINU`"'
:Goldingay makes a similar argument. "The verb ''ṣālaḥ'' (''hiphil'') can be used intransitively with an impersonal subject (see Judg. 18:5) but the transitive usage is much more common (e.g., Ps. 37:7; Deut. 28:29; Josh. 1:8; Isa. 48:15); 2 Chron. 7:11 is esp. similar to this instance. NRSV likely presupposes this understanding (cf. its rendering at Ps. 37:7). While God can be the subject of this verb, neither those parallels nor the present context points in this direction."'"`UNIQ--ref-000008D7-QINU`"'
:"The ''hiphil'' of the verb, which may be transitive, intransitive, or causative, allows a surfeit of meaning here, altogether performing the flourishing that is conveyed. The promise of flourishing is being played out in the abundance of lines and in the polyvalence of the text."'"`UNIQ--ref-000008D8-QINU`"'
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*'''v.4 (section 1) --> v.11 (section 4)'''
"Verse 11 is a subtle counterpart to v.4. Both verses conclude a strophe. In vv.4a and 11a ''bhl'' first works against the speaker, then against the enemies, and is both times emphasized by מאד. In the B-colon that follows in both cases, there are polar notions of time: 'how long?' the poet asks in strophe 1, elliptically, and in 11b ignominy comes 'in an instant.'"'"`UNIQ--ref-00000DB2-QINU`"' Note also the phonological similarities between וְ֭נַפְשִׁי and יֵבֹ֤שׁוּ (glide + labial + sibilant), the first words of each verse.
:'''v.4.''' וְ֭נַפְשִׁי '''נִבְהֲלָ֣ה מְאֹ֑ד''' // וְאַתָּ יְ֜הוָ֗ה '''עַד־מָתָֽי'''׃
:'''v.11.''' יֵבֹ֤שׁוּ׀ '''וְיִבָּהֲל֣וּ מְ֭אֹד''' כָּל־אֹיְבָ֑י // יָ֜שֻׁ֗בוּ יֵבֹ֥שׁוּ '''רָֽגַע'''׃
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*'''v.4.''' Yahweh sits (Yahweh is a king)
*'''v.6.''' Yahweh is a craftsman (see above on [[#Lexical Semantics|נָסַכְתִּי]]).
*'''v.7cd.''' Yahweh is a father
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*'''v.4a.''' Yahweh is referred to as יוֹשֵׁב בַּשָּׁמַיִם (v. 4a). The verb ישׁב may refer figuratively to “reigning” (i.e., sitting on a throne). It appears a number of times in the phrase ישׁב על כסא (Ex. 11:5; 12:29; Deut. 17:18; 1 Sam 1:9; 4:13; 1 Kgs. 1:13, 17, 20) and may have a similar meaning even when the prepositional phrase (על כסא) is omitted (cf. Isa. 40:22; Zech. 9:6). The word order of this sentence (v. 4a) is marked; the subject (יוֹשֵׁב בַּשָּׁמַיִם) appears in the preverbal position as the dominant focal element of the sentence. By this, a contrast is intended: whereas the rebellion is led by earthly kings (2a: מַלְכֵי־אֶרֶץ), the one who is about to respond rules “in the heavens” (בַּשָּׁמַיִם).
*'''v.4b.''' Fokkelman's syllable counting (see below) leads him to conclude that אֲדֹנָי in v.4b should instead be the tetragrammaton. This single change makes for a number of syllables that, when divided by the number of cola, yields the exact integer 9.00.
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*'''v.4b.''' Hands (כפים) are metonymic for doing/acting ("a metonymy of cause"'"`UNIQ--ref-00000E87-QINU`"'): "If there is injustice in my hands" = "If I have acted unjustly."
*'''v.6ab.''' Ground/Dust (ארץ // עפר) are metonymic for defeat and death – "a metonymy of adjunct for the grave."'"`UNIQ--ref-00000E88-QINU`"'
*'''v.6c.''' Honor (כבוד) stands for the person ("Metonymy of the effect"'"`UNIQ--ref-00000E89-QINU`"') and "emphasizes the noblest part of a person (cf. Ps. 4:2; 16:9; 30:12).'"`UNIQ--ref-00000E8A-QINU`"'
*'''v.7a.''' Rising (קוּם) is metonymic for taking action, in this case, judicial action (vv.7c-8). In Psalm 76, God, the judge (שֹׁפֵט), rises (קוּם) for the judgment (לַמִּשְׁפָּט) to rescue the poor in the land (Ps. 76:10).
*'''v.10c.''' "Hearts/minds and kidneys" (לבות וכליות) are metonymic for people's innermost thoughts and desires.
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*'''v.5a.''' רִגְזוּ – trembling is a metonymy of adjunct for deep emotion. It is most often associated with the emotion of fear, though sometimes it is used for anger (cf. LXX ὀργίζεσθε, so also Eph. 4:26). David is instructing the men of rank to "stand in awe" (KJV) at the deeds of Yahweh in history and to carefully consider and ponder things before acting rashly and sinfully. Paul's citation does not substantiate the LXX as the correct interpretation of רגז Ps. 4. Rather, what both Ps. 4:5 and Eph. 4:26 have in common is the curbing and limitation of sinful tendencies by prayer and reflection and before sundown as Ps. 4:9 shows.
*'''v.5b.''' “be silent” = listen to God’s conviction instead of defending your own evil behavior
*'''v.6a.''' זִבְחוּ– offering sacrifices is metonymic for worship, though it may also be a metaphor for contrition (cf. Ps. 51:19)
*'''v.7a.''' טוֹב is metonymic for rain (cf. Jer. 5:24-25; Ps. 85:13). The "grain" and "new wine" (v.8) create a context which warrant understanding טוב as rain in v.7. See [[#Historical background|historical background]].
*'''v.7b.''' פנים – face is metonymic for presence
*'''v.8b.''' דגנם ותירושׁם – grain and wine are metonymic for abundance/wealth. The reference is to “an abundant harvest of grain and grapes (for wine).”
*'''v.9a.''' אשׁכבה ואישׁן – lying down to sleep is metonymic for security (cf. v.9c); “sleep in peace” = denotes safety that allows people to sleep without worry since they are safe
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*'''v.5b.''' The adjective רַע, which functions as a substantive, may refer to "an evil person" (so LXX, πονηρευόμενος). Alternatively, this may be an instance of personification. "Evil (רע) may not sojourn" with Yahweh.
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*'''v.5b.''' The analysis above strongly confirms the reading אִמְרוּ. Every lexical item in the first clause of v.5b (אמר, לב, שׁכב) is repeated in the a-lines of the following units (vv.7a, 8a, 9a) in the order in which they occur in v.5b. Emendations only distort this intricate design.
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*'''v.5b.''' The phrase אמר בלב, though not technically an idiom (it is neither syntactically anomalous nor lexically unique), is a multiword figure of speech that appears often in the Psalms (Ps. 4:5; 10:6,11,13; 14:1; 35:25; 53:2; 74:8) as well as in other books of the Hebrew Bible (Gen. 17:17; 27:41; Deut. 7:17; 8:17; 9:4; 18:21; 1Kgs. 12:26; Isa. 14:13; 47:8,10; 49:21; Jer. 5:24; 13:22; Obad. 1:3; Zeph. 1:12; 2:15; Zech. 12:5; Qoh. 2:1,15; 3:17,18; Est. 6:6). It means "to think to oneself," i.e., reflect on your actions whether they were “godly” or not.
:Barré notes a potential problem with the use of this idiom here. Every other occurrence of the idiom in the Hebrew Bible "is followed immediately by ''oratio recta.'' The same holds true of instances of the idiom in later Jewish literature or the NT. This is true also of the Akkadian cognate ''qabu ina libbi'' (with variants) — it likewise introduces direct speech. The only conclusion that can be drawn from this evidence is that biblical Hebrew אמר בלב functions as a formula introducing direct speech. The fact that in Ps 4,5 no such speech occurs in conjunction with this idiom makes its presence in this verse highly suspect."'"`UNIQ--ref-00000BF2-QINU`"'
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*'''v.5b.''' וָאֲחַלְּצָ֖ה – The ''piel'' form of the verb חלץ has the concrete meaning "pull out" (Lev. 14:40, 43), which is figuratively extended in most cases (almost always in the Psalms) to mean "rescue" (i.e., "pull out" of danger; Ps. 6:5; 18:20; 34:8; 50:15; 81:8; 91:15; 116:8; 119:153; 140:2; Job 36:15). "This OT poetic usage is reflected in Phoenician theophoric names such as ''halsbaal'' (Baal has rescued)."'"`UNIQ--ref-00000E06-QINU`"' Accordingly, the Septuagint of Psalms consistently translates the verb as either ἐξαιρέω ("pull out" – Ps. 50[49:15; 91[90]:15; 116[114]:8; 119[118]:53; 140[139]:2) or ῥύομαι ("rescue" – Ps.6:5; 18[17]:20; 34[33]:8; 60[59]:7; 81[80]:8; 108[107]:7).
:In every instance, the verb refers to Yahweh rescuing his people from danger. This makes the occurrence in Ps. 7:5 unique, since, here, the agent of the verb is David, and the patient is his enemy (צֹרְרִי). The meaning "rescue" would seem to imply injustice in rescuing an enemy. Traditional solutions to this problem, ancient and modern, are discussed and critiqued by Tigay.'"`UNIQ--ref-00000E07-QINU`"' One common approach is to interpret חלץ to mean "plunder" or "despoil."'"`UNIQ--ref-00000E08-QINU`"' Yet "חלץ never otherwise means 'to plunder' (NRSV; cf. NIVI) in Biblical Hebrew (cf. BDB)."'"`UNIQ--ref-00000E09-QINU`"'
:Tigay's own solution, which involves a slight textual emendation, is summarized here in his own words: "The term שׁולם suggests that Ps 7:5 reflects an alliance. Extrabiblical and biblical sources show that failing to pursue the enemy of one's ally, or providing the enemy refuge, are fundamental violations of alliance duties. This is precisely what Ps 7:5b refers to when צררי is emended to צררו. The clause is now seen to deny an accusation that the speaker rescued his ally's enemy. The emended verse is to be translated, 'if I have repaid my ally with treachery and rescued his enemy...'"'"`UNIQ--ref-00000E0A-QINU`"' While the internal evidence for this view is strong and the confusion of י and ו is a common error,'"`UNIQ--ref-00000E0B-QINU`"', there is no external evidence for reading צררו.
:Goldingay, also recognizing the reference to a political alliance, offers a compelling interpretation of the text as it stands (צררי). "The second colon (v.5b) takes the point further by denying a form of capriciousness, as if disloyalty to allies were accompanied by unprincipled leniency to watchful foes, like the leniency Saul showed to Agag (1 Sam. 15). Such an act (perhaps mentioned only as a theoretical possibility) would underscore the enormity of the act referred to in the previous colon."'"`UNIQ--ref-00000E0C-QINU`"'
*'''v.6a.''' "'Death here refers metonymically to the realm of death where the departed spirits reside."'"`UNIQ--ref-00000D6E-QINU`"' Death (מָוֶת) does indeed sometimes refer to a place (cf. Ps. 9:14, "death's gates"). That this is the case here may be suggested by the parallel שְׁאוֹל. However, the (generic) use of the [[#Definiteness|definite article]] (בַּמָּוְת) may suggest that death here refers to a state rather than a place.
*'''v.9b.''' "The sound of my weeping" is metonymic for the Psalmist's multiplied agonies and perhaps also for his prayer to Yahweh.
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*'''v.6a.''' יִרַדֹּ֥ף is a mixed form, "combining the readings of יִרְדֹּף (impf. Qal) and יְרַדֵּף (impf. Piel)."'"`UNIQ--ref-00000E3B-QINU`"'
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*'''v.6ab.''' abb'a'
*'''v.7ab.''' abb'a'
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*'''v.6c.''' ''Selah'' marks a major break in this psalm.
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*'''v.7.''' עוּרָה – "Wake up" implies that God is sleeping and thus draws on the motif of the sleeping warrior (cf. Ps. 78:65-66).
*'''vv.7-14.''' Yahweh is a righteous judge (v.12, שֹׁפֵט). Rising up (v.7a), he decrees judgment (v.7c) and presides over the "assembly of peoples" (vv.8-9a). His judgment is upright, upholding the righteous (vv.9, 10b) and putting an end to wickedness (v.10a). This judicial imagery (vv.7-12) is blended with battle imagery (vv.11-14), as the Judge takes up sword and bow against the wicked. The two metaphorical schemas (Yahweh as Judge; Yahweh as Warrior) are intrinsically related: Israel's pre-monarchical judges (שֹׁפְטִים) were political/military leaders who enacted משׁפט on the battlefield (e.g., Jdg. 2:9-10) as well as in the courtroom (e.g., Jdg. 3:5). In Israel, "the civil officer (the שׁפט) had the executive as well as judicial powers. He also executed or caused to be executed judicial decisions."'"`UNIQ--ref-00000E90-QINU`"' Thus, in the book of Judges, שֹׁפֵט is practically synonymous with מוֹשִׁיעַ (Jdg. 2:16; 3:9, 15; etc.). This is the case also in Psalm 7: '''מ֝וֹשִׁ֗יעַ '''יִשְׁרֵי־לֵֽב (v.11b) / אֱ֭לֹהִים '''שׁוֹפֵ֣ט''' צַדִּ֑יק (v.12a).</br>
:The target domain for Yahweh's warring against the wicked is the dynamistic process described in vv.15-17. "One must observe the juxtaposition of the description of Yahweh as warrior (vss. 13f.) with that of the dynamistic process (vss.15-17). This very juxtaposition implies that the dynamistic process, though expressed in impersonal terms, is in reality the outward form which Yahweh’s warfare takes. Yahweh the warrior, cartying out his legal sentence, masquerades, as it were, in the dynamic. The omission of specific mention of him has a particular intention: it highlights the inevitability, equivalence, orderedness and even mysteriousness of the process; it stresses that such perversions of order as underlie this text boomerang upon the perpetrator."'"`UNIQ--ref-00000E91-QINU`"'
*'''v.7b.''' "Lit., 'I cause to swim through all the night my bed'—a graphic image of physical and mental suffering."'"`UNIQ--ref-00000D78-QINU`"'
*'''v.7c.''' His tears are so numerous as to dissolve his couch into liquid.
*'''v.8ab.''' His eye has swelled an aged.
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*'''v.7b.''' To be under one's feet is to be in subjection to their authority. "Feet... figure in situations in which someone has authority over a person or place... Vanquished enemies are under the feet of their conquerors (Josh. 10:24; 1 Kings 5:3; Ps. 8:6; 45:5; 110:1; Isa. 49:23; 60:14; Mal. 4:3)."'"`UNIQ--ref-00000F84-QINU`"'
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*'''v.7c.''' The king is Yahweh's son (בְּנִי אַתָּה).
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*'''v.8a.''' "Lit., 'my eye wastes away'—presumably (metaphorically speaking) from losing so much fluid through the shedding of tears (cf. the English idiom, 'I cried my eyes out')!"'"`UNIQ--ref-00000D7E-QINU`"'
*'''v.10b.''' To "take" (לקח) a petition is to accept it as satisfactory and to grant what is requested (cf. Ex. 22:10, accepting an oath).'"`UNIQ--ref-00000D7F-QINU`"'
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