Property: Text
From Psalms: Layer by Layer
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'''Poured out'''. In Biblical Hebrew, the verb נסך almost always means to “pour out.” In the ''qal'' stem, it can refer to the pouring out of libations (Ex. 30:9 %5Bpatient: נֵסֶךְ%5D; Isa. 30:1 %5Bpatient: מַסֵּכָה%5D; Hos. 9:4 %5Bpatient: יַיִן%5D) or to the casting of metal (Isa. 40:19 %5Bpatient: פֶּסֶל%5D; 44:10 %5Bpatient: פֶּסֶל%5D).'"`UNIQ--ref-00000000-QINU`"' Since ancient times, translators have struggled with this concept; what would it mean for YHWH to "pour out" his king on mount Zion? As noted above, the verb נסך may refer to the act of pouring out liquid metal into a mold in order to fashion an image/idol (e.g. Isa. 40:19; 44:10). In the Ancient Near East, the king was said to be a living "image" of God, since he resembled God's character and functioned as his earthly representative. Thus, in Psalm 2:6, YHWH declares to the rebellious nations that he has forged his king as his image. For more information, see the Exegetical Issue %5B%5BThe Meaning of נָסַכְתִּי in Ps 2:6%5D%5D. +
"'''My king'''" indicates "the king who is mine, whom I made to be king" (%5Bhttps://mg.alhatorah.org/Full/Tehillim/2.6#e0n6 Malbim%5D: מלך שלי שהמלכתיו). +
"On my mountain of holiness" >> "'''on my holy mountain'''" indicates the mountain that is devoted to me as holy (cf. Joel 4:17; Obad 16; Pss 3:5; 15:1; 43:3; 48:2; 99:9; Dan 9:16; etc.). +
The preposition '''אֶל''' modifying the verb of speaking ספּר indicates the topic of the discourse: "tell of the decree" (ESV, NJPS) or "tell about the decree" (cf. Gen 20:2—"And Abraham said of (אֶל) Sarah his wife, 'She is my sister'" %5BESV%5D; cf. Isa 29:22; Ezek 21:33; Job 42:8. Similarly, with verbs of speaking, the preposition עַל can indicate "the focus of attention" (i.e., "about," "concerning").'"`UNIQ--ref-00000000-QINU`"' +
The word "'''decree'''" (חֹק) here refers to a "god-given" "prescription" or "rule" (HALOT), though "the emphasis is on the right and privilege that it brings about, rather than upon the call for its observance and obedience."'"`UNIQ--ref-000000F1-QINU`"' Specifically, in this context, "the ''ḥōq'' of Yahweh to the king appears to be the %5Bcovenantal%5D promise of sonship pronounced at the king’s enthronement,"'"`UNIQ--ref-000000F2-QINU`"' the “personal covenant document, renewing God’s covenant commitment to the dynasty of David.”'"`UNIQ--ref-000000F3-QINU`"' On the close relationship between "covenant" and "decree," see e.g., Ps 105:9-11 (ESV):
* "He remembers his covenant forever, the word that he commanded, for a thousand generations, the covenant that he made with Abraham, his sworn promise to Isaac, which he confirmed to Jacob as ''a statute'', to Israel as an everlasting covenant, saying, 'To you I will give the land of Canaan as your portion for an inheritance.'"
* As in Ps 105, so here in Ps 2: the covenant with David is "confirmed as a statue (חֹק)" to one of David's descendants. +
The phrase "'''the ends of the earth'''" (part-divided whole) often refers to people (e.g., Pss 22:28; 67:8; 98:3) but here with the word אֲחֻזָּה ("property" or, more specifically, "landed property" %5BHALOT%5D) it probably refers to land (cf. Ps 72:8). +
"Scepter of iron" >> "'''an iron scepter'''" (CSB), indicates a scepter made of iron. +
"Vessels of a potter" >> "'''clay pottery'''" (cf. NIV, NLT, GNT). +
"Rulers of earth" >> "'''earthly rulers'''" (see v. 2) +
The verb '''הִוָּסְרוּ''' has been translated variously as "be warned" (NIV, ESV, NLT, NRSV), "be instructed" (KJV), "submit to correction" (NET), "learn this lesson" (GNT), and accept discipline" (NJPS). According to SDBH, the word means "literally: to be disciplined; hence: %3D action by which humans bring themselves to a position of submission before God, as a result of his disciplinary actions." This definition works well for all of the occurrences of this word (see Lev 26:18; Jer 6:8; 31:18; Prov 29:19). Cf. LXX: "be instructed" (παιδεύθητε). +
To "'''serve'''" YHWH in this context is to submit to his authority, his lordship (cf. the word אדני in v. 4), and to embrace his "decree" (vv. 7-9). So SDBH: "action by which humans, either as individuals or as groups, assume a position of subservience towards a deity, perform the required rituals, and live in accordance with the requirements of that deity." +
The ''bet'' prepositions in the phrases "'''with fear'''" and "'''with trembling'''" indicate the mode of the actions.'"`UNIQ--ref-00000004-QINU`"' +
For the verb "'''kiss'''," see the Venn diagram. The use of the piel (instead of the usual qal) probably implies repeated kissing (event-internal plurality).'"`UNIQ--ref-00000000-QINU`"'
:%5B%5BFile:Nasheq - to kiss.jpg%7C500px%7Cclass%3Dimg-fluid%5D%5D +
-20probably-20implies-20repeated-20kissing-20(event-2Dinternal-20plurality).%27%22%60UNIQ-2D-2Dref-2D00000000-2DQINU%60%22%27-0A:-255B-255BFile:Nasheq-20-2D-20to-20kiss.jpg-257C500px-257Cclass-253Dimg-2Dfluid-255D-255D){kind=link}
Interestingly, the verb translated "'''become angry'''" in v. 12 is "almost exclusively used with God as the subject."'"`UNIQ--ref-00000001-QINU`"' Psalm 2:12 is the only exception. The human king, as YHWH's image and son (vv. 6-7) has divine characteristics (cf. Pss 110, 111-112).
:%5B%5BFile:Psalm 002 - Anaf - become angry.jpg%7C500px%7Cclass%3Dimg-fluid%5D%5D +
The adverbial accusative "'''way'''" (דֶּרֶךְ) could be "in the way"'"`UNIQ--ref-00000005-QINU`"' or "from the way."'"`UNIQ--ref-00000006-QINU`"' The expression is probably synonymous with "the way of wicked people will come to an end."'"`UNIQ--ref-00000007-QINU`"' Both expressions are figures of speech for death and destruction: "a person comes to an end on his way/life" %3D "a person's way/life comes to an end" %3D "a person dies." Thus, GNT: "you will suddenly die." +
On the word "ignite" cf. Ps 79:5—תִּבְעַ֥ר כְּמֹו־אֵ֝֗שׁ קִנְאָתֶֽךָ. According to BDB, the verb means, "specifically begin to burn, be kindled." Hence, "ignite" (so CSB, NET). +
The adverbial phrase כִּמְעַט is translated variously as "but a little" (KJV; cf. NJPS: "in the mere flash of his anger;" so DCH : "and you die along the way when his anger hardly blazes, i.e. at the very onset of his anger"), "easily" (cf. ELB, ZÜR %5Bleicht%5D; so Jenni 1994, #94; SDBH), "quickly" (ESV, NRSV, GNT, NET, HFA, NGÜ, GNB, LXX trans. NETS %5Bἐν τάχει%5D; cf. NIV, NLT), "soon" (NASB; cf. CSB, LUT; cf. Rashi: כי ברגע מועט יבער אפוב עליכם פתאום). Thus we have the following three options (the second and third of the above translations resulting in the same meaning):
* "when his wrath has only just been ignited" ( %3D his anger is extremely powerful)
* "for/when his anger quickly/easily ignites" (%3D it does not take much for him to get angry, so tread lightly!)
* "for his anger will soon ignite" (%3D the time of his wrath is immanent, so hurry and submit to him!)
The second of these options ("quickly/easily") seems the most likely, given the context and the use of the phrase elsewhere (e.g., Ps 81:15—"How quickly I would then subdue their enemies!" %5BNIV, cf. NLT%5D; Job 32:22—"otherwise, my Maker would remove me in an instant."'"`UNIQ--ref-00000000-QINU`"' In spoken English, we might paraphrase: "'cause his anger ignites like that (snap fingers)." The clause is explaining why it is that they will perish in the way if they refuse to submit to the son; it is because his anger ignites quickly/easily. The clause is reminiscent of YHWHs' warning to Moses in Exod 33:3—"But I will not go with you, because you are a stiff-necked people and I might destroy you on the way (פֶּן אֲכֶלְךָ בַּדָּרֶךְ)" (Exod 33:3). +
On "happiness," see notes on %5B%5BPsalm 1/Verse by Verse %7C Psalm 1:1%5D%5D. +
The verbal conjugations in vv 1-2 form a chiasm:
''qatal'' (v. 1a),
''yiqtol'' (v. 1b),
''yiqtol'' (v. 2a),
''qatal'' (v. 2b).
The meaningful difference between the two forms in this context is difficult to determine, however.'"`UNIQ--ref-000000ED-QINU`"' Most translations smooth out the differences by translating all of the verbs using the same tense. Most English translations, for example, use a series of four present-tense verbs. The Septuagint uses four past tense (aorist) verbs "Why did the nations grow insolent and peoples contemplate... stood... gathered" (NETS). Others have tried to determine some meaningful difference between the forms in these verses. According to Niccacci, the alternation of qatal-yiqtol in these verses, in addition to creating the chiasm, "is likely intended to add depth of field to the presentation of the event."'"`UNIQ--ref-000000EE-QINU`"' He argues that the first clause of each verse presents foreground information, and the second clause of each verse presents background information—all within a past-tense time frame. He thus translates these verses as follows: "Why did the nations conspire, while the peoples were plotting in vain? <Why> were the kings of the earth setting themselves, while the rulers took counsel together...".'"`UNIQ--ref-000000EF-QINU`"' Another way to express a meaningful difference between the ''qatals'' and ''yiqtols'' is to understand the ''yiqtols'' as modals: "Why are nations in an uproar, and %5Bwhy%5D would peoples plot emptiness?" This interpretation would allow us explain the difference between the verbal forms in a way that respects the semantic contribution of each form (''qatal'' as typically past/perfective/realis; ''yiqtol'' as typically future/imperfective/irrealis) and works well in the context (see esp. the initial interrogative pronoun לָמָּה; cf. 1 Sam 19:5, 17, 28; Jer 40:15; BDB: "with an impf., often deprecating, or introducing rhetorically, the reason why something should, or should not, be done, why should …?" Finally, another interpretation of the ''yiqtol'''s would be to understand them as expressing the ongoing nature of the events: "%5Bwhy%5D do peoples plot emptiness...?"
(The first ''qatal'' verb רָגְשׁוּ is understood as semantically stative and is thus translated with the present tense; cf. HALOT: "to be restless;" Gesenius 2013, 1220: "unruhig sein").
"In first-person plural %5Bcohortatives%5D, the speakers usually seek to instigate or encourage each other to some action."'"`UNIQ--ref-00000004-QINU`"' +