Property: Text
From Psalms: Layer by Layer
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P
'''v. 3''' – The two most plausible readings of the prepositional phrase מִבְּנֵ֬י אָדָ֗ם following "you are attractive" are partitive, i.e., ''from among'' mankind, and graduability, which can function on a scale from mere comparison, i.e., ''more than'' mankind, to superlative (Staszak 2024, 182), i.e., ''the most'' of mankind. The latter, superlative reading, can subsume the partitive interpretation, since it requires the king to belong to the set of "mankind."'"`UNIQ--ref-00000006-QINU`"'
# The comparative reading is found in the LXX (as well as Symmachus and Quinta): ὡραῖος κάλλει παρὰ τοὺς υἱοὺς τῶν ἀνθρώπων "Youthful in beauty you are, '''beyond''' the sons of men" (NETS).
# The superlative reading is found in the CSB: "You are '''the most''' handsome of men."
Due to the reduplicative stem of the preceding verb, *יְפֵיפִיתָ* (see the grammar notes), which often communicates intensification of an action, though in this case it is the state of being attractive, the superlative interpretation has been favored.'"`UNIQ--ref-00000007-QINU`"' +
'''v. 4''' – The constituents ה֝וֹדְךָ֗ וַהֲדָרֶֽךָ function as nominal adverbs, rendered by the CEB as comitative: "''Strap on your sword, great warrior, '''with''' your glory and grandeur''," and the JPS as manner: "''Gird your sword upon your thigh, O hero, '''in''' your splendor and glory'," as we have preferred here.'"`UNIQ--ref-00000011-QINU`"' +
'''v. 5''' – Just as ה֝וֹדְךָ֗ וַהֲדָרֶֽךָ in the previous verse, if the text has not suffered dittography (see the grammar notes), the initial וַהֲדָ֬רְךָ֨׀ in our present verse should also be interpreted as a nominal adverb, such as the JPS's "'''''in your glory''', win success''" and TOB's "'''''With splendor''', ride and triumph''."'"`UNIQ--ref-00000004-QINU`"' +
'''v. 5''' – A number of ancient and modern translations have interpreted צְלַ֬ח רְכַ֗ב as a serial verb construction, such as Targum Psalms תצלח למרכב "succeed to ride" and the ESV's "ride out victoriously." Although such a function of the verb צלח is nowhere else attested in the Bible, this widely held interpretation is reflected also in the conjunctive accents between צְלַ֬ח רְכַ֗ב, such that the mono-eventive reading is quite persuasive and we have preferred the gloss, ''ride victoriously''.'"`UNIQ--ref-00000001-QINU`"' +
'''v. 5''' – The prepositional phrase עַֽל־דְּבַר־אֱ֭מֶת וְעַנְוָה־צֶ֑דֶק is headed by עַל דְּבַר, which most commonly communicates "on account of" in the Bible (i.e., causal; see Gen 20:11; Num 25:18; Deut 4:12; 2 Sam 3:8; 13:22; 2 Kgs 6:11; Ezra 10:9), but in the Psalms the sense of "for the sake of" (i.e., purpose), is also found. See עַל־דְּבַ֥ר כְּבֽוֹד־שְׁמֶ֑ךָ "for the glory of your name" (Ps 79:9, NIV; cf. Prov 29:12).'"`UNIQ--ref-00000002-QINU`"' This latter reading best fits the context here, as reflected in the NET's "for the sake of," among others.'"`UNIQ--ref-00000003-QINU`"' +
'''v. 5''' – As discussed in the grammar notes, phrase-level ''waw'' typically exhibits "final coordination," that is, only between the final two constituents of a list (Scheumann 2020). Nevertheless, as in אֱ֭מֶת וְעַנְוָה־צֶ֑דֶק, coordinate ''waw'' in the antepenultimate position and lacking prior to the last entity of the list is not unheard of (GKC §154a; Fassberg 2019, §319), as also in v. 9's מֹר־וַאֲהָל֣וֹת קְ֭צִיעוֹת (such that וְעַנְוָה־צֶ֑דֶק is semantically equivalent to וַעֲנְוָה וָצֶדֶק; so Ḥakham 1979, 258). +
'''v. 7''' – The construct chain שֵׁ֥בֶט מִ֝ישֹׁ֗ר communicates a scepter ('''entity''') of uprightness ('''characteristic-quality'''), that is, ''a scepter characterized by uprightness'', while שֵׁ֣בֶט מַלְכוּתֶֽךָ is similarly a scepter ('''entity''') of ruling ('''characteristic-quality'''), though the verbal notion ''ruling'' is carried out by "you." +
'''v. 8''' – The prepositional phrase מֵֽחֲבֵרֶֽיךָ could be interpreted as a comparison, as "exclusive difference" (Staszak 2024 §6.15), i.e., an extension of detachment, or as source.'"`UNIQ--ref-00000015-QINU`"'
The comparative reading is found in the CSB: "God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of joy '''more than''' your companions."'"`UNIQ--ref-00000016-QINU`"'
The detachment/exclusive difference is found in Luther 2017: "God, your God, anointed with joyful oil like none of your companions."'"`UNIQ--ref-00000017-QINU`"'
The source interpretation has been suggested by a number of commentators, to read "God has anointed you with the oil of rejoicing of your companions."'"`UNIQ--ref-00000018-QINU`"'
Although a common function of מִן is comparison, it makes little sense in the psalm that the king's colleagues would also be anointed by God, though only to a lesser degree (Gaster 1955, 244). Similarly, though attractive in light of the following wedding scene (vv. 11-16), the friends as those who provide the oil is also unlikely. The best interpretation thus seems to be the exclusive difference/detachment reading of מִן. Staszak (2024, 202) explains this function as an extension of comparative/superlative מִן, which, rather then finding its comparee on the scale, it is off the scale completely, so that direct comparison is impossible and the characteristic belongs exclusively to the standard of comparison, in this case "you," the king. This function is extremely rare following a verb, however, as Staszak (2024, 203) only lists the present verse and 2 Chr 20:27: שִׂמְּחָ֥ם יְהוָ֖ה מֵֽאוֹיְבֵיהֶֽם "the Lord had given them cause to rejoice over their enemies" (NIV) ➞ "the Lord caused them to rejoice to the exclusion of their enemies' rejoicing."'"`UNIQ--ref-00000019-QINU`"' Thus the present prepositional phrase should be rendered "God has anointed you without/to the exclusion of your companions." +
'''v. 9''' – On the position of the ''waw'' in the list מֹר־וַאֲהָל֣וֹת קְ֭צִיעוֹת, see the grammar and phrase-level notes at v. 5. +
'''v. 13''' – See the grammar notes for the interpretation of the construct chain בַת צֹר as the inhabitants of the city of Tyre, rather than one individual daughter, i.e., a princess. +
'''v. 13''' – The construct chain עֲשִׁ֣ירֵי עָֽם communicates the wealthiest עֲשִׁ֣ירֵי ('''superlative-part''') of people עָֽם ('''divided whole'''), in apposition to the inhabitants of Tyre at the beginning of the clause. +
'''v. 8''' – One possible interpretation of שֶׁ֥מֶן שָׂשׂ֗וֹן is '''entity-synonym''', which employs the imagery of anointing oil to refer to the giving of something else, namely joy. An analogous use is found in Isa 61:3, in which abstract ideas (gladness, praise) are described with concrete images (oil, garment):
לָשׂ֣וּם ׀ לַאֲבֵלֵ֣י צִיּ֗וֹן
לָתֵת֩ לָהֶ֨ם פְּאֵ֜ר תַּ֣חַת אֵ֗פֶר
שֶׁ֤מֶן שָׂשׂוֹן֙ תַּ֣חַת אֵ֔בֶל
מַעֲטֵ֣ה תְהִלָּ֔ה תַּ֖חַת ר֣וּחַ כֵּהָ֑ה
%5BYHWH has anointed me . . .%5D to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. (NIV)
Nevertheless, it is unclear in Ps 45 what it would mean to be anointed with joy, where his peers had not been (see the note on the final phrase of the verse, מֵֽחֲבֵרֶֽיךָ). Rather, the construct relationship is plausibly that of '''entity-result''', such that the anointing oil of the king results in joy—not only his but also those witness both his coronation and wedding. Indeed, the righteous and just nature of his rule cause his subjects to rejoice, as possibly asserted also in Proverbs 29:2: "When the righteous are in power the people rejoice" (REB). +
* The grammar and meaning of v. 2b are one of the top three exegetical issues in this psalm. See %5B%5BThe Text, Grammar, and Meaning of Ps. 8:2b%5D%5D for a detailed discussion of the issue.'"`UNIQ--ref-00000001-QINU`"' In short, although the form תְּנָה ("'''bestowed'''") looks like an imperative,'"`UNIQ--ref-00000002-QINU`"' it is probably an infinitive construct from the root נתן (lit.: "the bestowing of your glory is on the heavens").'"`UNIQ--ref-00000003-QINU`"' While this view is not without problems, it seems to be the least problematic of the proposed options.'"`UNIQ--ref-00000004-QINU`"' The psalmist may have chosen the anomalous form for the sake of alliteration (compare תְּנָה and מָה) and/or to express the ongoing nature of YHWH's bestowal of glory on the heavens.'"`UNIQ--ref-00000005-QINU`"'
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* The meaning of this verse is one of the top three exegetical issues. See %5B%5BThe Meaning of Ps. 8:3%5D%5D for a detailed discussion of the issue.
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* Verse 4 is a dependent temporal clause: '''When I see'''...'"`UNIQ--ref-00000000-QINU`"' The next verse (v. 5) constitutes the "then" clause: "When I see... %5B''then'' I think/exclaim%5D what is mankind...?'"`UNIQ--ref-00000001-QINU`"'
* The phrase your heavens" (שָׁמֶיךָ) refers to "the heavens which you %5BYHWH%5D created." The pronominal suffix on שָׁמֶיךָ (your heavens) is omitted in the LXX (τοὺς οὐρανούς - “the heavens”). We preserve the MT reading (cf. Lam 3:66; Pss 20:6; 115:16; 144:5).
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* Verse 4 is a dependent temporal clause: '''When I see'''...'"`UNIQ--ref-000000B4-QINU`"' The next verse (v. 5) constitutes the "then" clause: "When I see... %5B''then'' I think/exclaim%5D what is mankind...?'"`UNIQ--ref-000000B5-QINU`"'
* The phrase '''your heavens'''" (שָׁמֶיךָ) refers to "the heavens which you created." The pronominal suffix on שָׁמֶיךָ (''your'' heavens) is unusual (cf. Lev 26:19; Deut 28:23; 33:28; Ps 144:5).'"`UNIQ--ref-000000B6-QINU`"' Because "your heavens" sounds unnatural in English, translations often have "the heavens" (CEV, GNT, NET, NLT).
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*The morphologically stative verb חסר in the ''qal'' stem can be transitive ("to lack something") or intransitive (a: "to be lacking" or b: to diminish %5Bonly in Gen 8:3, 5 according to BDB and DCH%5D). When the subject is a ''person'' or ''persons'', the verb is always transitive (Gen 18:28; Deut 2:7; 8:9; 1 Kgs 11:22; Jer 44:18; Ezek 4:17; Ps 32:11; Prov 31:11), though a direct object is not grammatically required in every instance (e.g., Ps 23:1). When the subject is a ''thing'' (usually a material good), the verb is usually intransitive (1 Kgs 17:14, 16 %5Bjar of oil%5D; Isa 51:14 %5Bbread%5D; Eccl 9:8 %5Boil%5D; 10:3 %5Bsense%5D; Song 7:3 %5Bwine%5D; cf. Gen 8:3, 5 %5Bwater%5D). In Ps 8:6, the experiencer of the state חסר is a person (humanity). Therefore, the verb (in the ''piel'' stem) means "to cause to lack," not "to cause to be lacking" or "to cause to be less." The ''piel'' stem of verbs that are morphologically stative (like חסר) are usually factitive (i.e., the object of the verb is placed into the state indicated by the verb in the qal). "For such verbs, the ''Piel'' is an accreting stem or transitivizer, adding a core argument..." (Boyd 2017, 101).</ref> and that which is lacking is indicated by the ''min'' prepositional phrase מֵאֱלֹהִים.
* In Ps 8:6, that which is lacked is either indicated by the noun '''מעט''', so that the verb is ditransitive: "cause him to lack a little bit"'"`UNIQ--ref-00000005-QINU`"' or by the ''min'' prepositional phrase (מאלהים), as in Eccl 4:8. In the first case, מעט would be a second object on the mainline of the grammatical diagram ("you caused him to lack ''a little''"). However, מעט can also function adverbially.'"`UNIQ--ref-00000006-QINU`"' This seems more likely in light of Eccl 4:8 (the only other instance of חסר in the ''piel'' stem), where חסר ("cause to be lacking") takes only one object (''my soul'') and the thing which is lacked is syntactically encoded not as a second object but as a ''min'' prepositional phrase (מטובה). As Delitzsch explains in his commentary on Psalm 8, "חסר מן signifies to cause one to be deficient in something, so that it is wanting to him (Eccles 4:8). מן is neither comparative (''paullo inferiorem ewm fecisti Deo'') nor partitive (''paullum derogasti ei divine naturae''), but, seeing that אלהים is never used in an abstract manner so as to be equivalent to divine essentiality, negative (''paullum derogasti ei ne esset Deus''), so that אלהים is equivalent to מהיות אלהים, cf. 31 in 1 Sam. 15:23, מעם in Isa 7:8."'"`UNIQ--ref-00000007-QINU`"' So also BDB 583.7b(b).
* The word '''גִּתִּית''' (Gittith) occurs in the heading of Psalms 8, 81, and 84. The meaning of this word is unknown. It might refer to the name of either a musical instrument or a tune from the Philistine city Gath.'"`UNIQ--ref-00000000-QINU`"' This view is supported by the Targum, כינורא דאייתי מגת'"`UNIQ--ref-00000001-QINU`"' (“the lute that he brought from Gath”)'"`UNIQ--ref-00000002-QINU`"' as well as by Rashi, כְּלִי זֶמֶר שֶׁבָּא מִגַּת'"`UNIQ--ref-00000003-QINU`"' (“a musical instrument that came from Gath”). Since David spent some time as a vassal of the king of Gath, he could have become familiar with the instrument or tune then.'"`UNIQ--ref-00000004-QINU`"' Some interpreters think the term גִּתִּית could actually be derived from the word גַּת meaning “winepress,”'"`UNIQ--ref-00000005-QINU`"' in which case the term גִּתִּית would refer to “the celebration of the grape harvest at the Feast of Tabernacles.”'"`UNIQ--ref-00000006-QINU`"' This view is supported by the LXX, ὑπὲρ τῶν ληνῶν'"`UNIQ--ref-00000007-QINU`"' (“over the wine vats”)'"`UNIQ--ref-00000008-QINU`"' and Jerome Gall. and Heb., Pro torcularibus'"`UNIQ--ref-00000009-QINU`"' (“for the winepresses”).
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* Most translations interpret '''my good''' (טוֹבָתִי) as the subject of the clause: "my good is not above/beyond you" (see v. 2b alternative diagram). It is more likely, however, that "my good" (טוֹבָתִי) is in apposition to "my Lord:" "You are my Lord, my good." The words בַּל עָלֶיךָ then constitute their own clause: "There is no one above you." See %5B%5BThe Text and Grammar of Ps 16:2%5D%5D for a detailed discussion of the issue.
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*YHWH is identified as '''our lord.''' A "lord" (אָדוֹן) is someone who exercises authority over a people or place.'"`UNIQ--ref-00000000-QINU`"' Kings could be called "lords" (e.g., Gen 40:1; 1 Kgs 22:17; 1 Chr 12:20), and here in Ps 8:2 the title assumes YHWH's kingship; the word "majestic" (אַדִּיר) in v. 2a is used to describe the majesty of kings (e.g., Ps 136:18), as is the word "glory" (הוֹד) in v. 2b (e.g., Pss 21:6; 45:4).
*YHWH's '''name''' (שֵׁם) is not only the word by which he is "known, addressed, or referred to," but also "the information generally known about him;"'"`UNIQ--ref-00000001-QINU`"' "name" (שֵׁם) can signify "the nature or attributes of the person named."'"`UNIQ--ref-00000002-QINU`"' Thus, to say that YHWH's "name" is majestic in all the earth is to say that YHWH is characterized by and known by his majesty which is on display throughout all the earth.
%5B%5BFile: Psalm 8 - Shem.jpg%7C500px%7Cclass%3Dimg-fluid%5D%5D
*The sphere of YHWH's lordship, in which his "majesty" is displayed, is '''all the earth.'''
%5B%5BFile: Psalm 8 - Erets.jpg%7C500px%7Cclass%3Dimg-fluid%5D%5D
*YHWH's majesty is bestowed '''on the heavens'''. Other passages in the Bible talk about someone "bestowing" (נתן) "glory" (הוֹד) "on" (על) someone (e.g., Num 27:20 %5BMoses to Joshua%5D; Dan 11:21 %5Bsomeone to new king%5D; 1 Chr 29:25 %5BYHWH to Solomon%5D; cf. Ps 21:6 %5BYHWH to king%5D). In each of these passages the phrase means "to confer or transmit authority," usually of a king/leader to another king/leader. Thus, it is used here to speak of "heaven as the bearer and manifestation of the divine majesty"'"`UNIQ--ref-00000003-QINU`"' and perhaps of the dominion which YHWH has given to the heavenly bodies (cf. Gen 1:16-18) or to divine beings.'"`UNIQ--ref-00000004-QINU`"' Some translate the phrase "above the heavens" (ESV) or "higher than the heavens" (NLT) instead of "on the heavens"'"`UNIQ--ref-00000005-QINU`"' Yet, given the clear and consistent meaning elsewhere of נָתַן הוֹד עַל ("bestow glory ''on'' someone") as well as the fact the heavens become the object of marvel in v. 4f (which assumes that they are glorious), the interpretation "on the heavens" is to be preferred.'"`UNIQ--ref-00000006-QINU`"' YHWH bestows "glory" (הוֹד) on the heavens (v. 2) just as he bestows "glory" (הוֹד) on humans (v. 6).
* '''The heavens''' (הַשָּׁמיִם) at the end of v. 2b is parallel with '''the earth''' (הָאָרֶץ) at the end of v. 2a. Together, the pair "heaven" and "earth" refer to the entire created world (cf. Gen 1:1) as the sphere of YHWH's lordship.
%5B%5BFile: Psalm 8 - Shamayim.jpg%7C500px%7Cclass%3Dimg-fluid%5D%5D