Property: Text
From Psalms: Layer by Layer
"Text" is a predefined property that represents text of arbitrary length and is provided by Semantic MediaWiki. This property is pre-deployed (also known as special property) and comes with additional administrative privileges but can be used just like any other user-defined property.
P
* The phrase '''to me''' (עָלָי) modifies the verb "is beautiful" and describes a relationship of perception: "is beautiful to me" >> "I perceive that it is beautiful" (cf. Ps 104:34; Mena 2012, §5.4.5).
+
* "In poetry לֵילוֹת sometimes seems to mean '''''parts of the night''', nocturnal hours'' Is 21.8 (cf. LXX); Ct 3.1,8; Ps 16.7; 92.3; 134:1" (JM §136b). The Septuagint translates לֵילוֹת here as a singular, "night" (νυκτός), as do most modern translations (cf. NRSVue, NJPS, CEB, NEB, NIV, NLT, ESV).
+
* The ''lamed'' preposition in the phrase לִשְׁאוֹל could indicate Sheol as the ''recipient'' of the psalmist's life; YHWH "hand's over" the psalmist '''to Sheol''', releasing him to the power of Sheol. For the use of ''lamed'' with other verbs of "giving" (e.g., נתן) or "handing over" (e.g., סגר) see Jenni 2000, Rubrik 31. According to this interpretation, "Sheol" is personified (cf. Isa 5:14; 28:15, 18; Hab 2:5; Prov 1:12).
* Alternatively, the ''lamed'' preposition could indicate "Sheol" as the ''place'' in which YHWH "leaves" the psalmist. A good example of this usage is in Job 39: "%5BThe ostrich%5D leaves (תַעֲזֹב) its eggs to the earth (לָאָרֶץ) and lets them be warmed on the ground, forgetting that a foot may crush them and that a wild animal may trample them" (Job 39:14–15, NRSVue). See, for example, NKJV: "For You will not leave my soul in Sheol" (cf. NLT).
+
*The preposition '''toward''' (אֶל) indicates ''goal of emotional process''. "The landmark ''y'' may be the goal of an act of observation or that of an emotional process" (BHRG §39.3.(1).(c)). NLT translated אֶל as "for" - "They care nothing '''for''' what the LORD has done or '''for''' what his hands have made."'"`UNIQ--ref-00000001-QINU`"' The preposition '''אֶל''' could be understood as "an ethical dative of interest, advantage, or disadvantage (‘for, against’) . . . Jer. 15:2 אֵין נַפְשִׁי אֶל־הָעָם הַזֶּה I have no heart for this people."'"`UNIQ--ref-00000002-QINU`"' In Ps 28:5, the wicked people have no regard for the deeds of YHWH or ''for'' the work of his hands.
+
*'''According to the work/deed of them >> according to "their work"'"`UNIQ--ref-00000000-QINU`"'/"their deeds" ''''"`UNIQ--ref-00000001-QINU`"' (כְּפָעֳלָם֮): In Ps 28:4, the singular כְּפָעֳלָם (according to their deed) refers to a plurality of deeds; therefore, it is translated in English as "deeds".'"`UNIQ--ref-00000002-QINU`"' The gloss "deed>>deeds" maintains the parallel with פְּעֻלֹּ֣ת יְ֭הוָה ("the deeds of YHWH") in v. 5. We have chosen to use the English gloss "work" for the Hebrew word מַעֲשֵׂה (vv.4 and 5). A few modern translations have opted to translate כְּפָעֳלָם as "according to their work".'"`UNIQ--ref-00000003-QINU`"'
+
* The "path of life" (אֹרַח חַיִּים) is '''the path ''to'' life''' (cf. LUT, NGÜ, GNB: Weg zum Leben), i.e., "the path that leads to life" (GNT, cf. Prov 10:17; 15:24; cf. the same idea expressed in Matt 7:14—"the way that leads to life" %5Bἡ ὁδὸς ἡ ἀπάγουσα εἰς τὴν ζωήν%5D).
+
* The preposition אֶת, in the phrase אֶת־פְּנֵי, "indicates that a trajector ''x'' %5Bhere %3D abundant joy%5D is positioned in front of a landmark ''y'' %5Bhere %3D YHWH%5D" (BHRG §39.5(b); cf. Pss 21:7; 140:14). Most English translations have '''in your presence''' (ESV, NIV, NLT, NET, NJPS).
+
* The ''bet'' prepositional phrase '''in your right hand''' (בִּימִינְךָ) could either mean "''at'' your right hand" (ESV, NIV, CSB; cf. LUT) or "''in'' your right hand" (NASB, NJPS; cf. ELB, EÜ, ZÜR, HFA, NGÜ, GNB). According to the former, "delights" (נְעִמוֹת) are in YHWH's presence, next to him, at his right side. According to the latter, "delights" are said to be ''in'' (and, by implication, come ''from'') YHWH's hand: "eternal happiness comes from your hand" (cf. GNB, HFA; Ibn Ezra: "like one who gives delightful gifts"). This second interpretation – "''in'' your right hand" – better explains the use of the ''bet'' preposition (cf. Isa 44:20; Prov 3:16; so DCH; see also Ps 48:11). For the interpretation "''at'' your right hand," we might have expected the preposition ''lamed'' (1 Kgs 2:19; Pss 45:10; 110:1) or עַל (Pss 109:6; 110:5; Zech 4:11; 1 Chr 6:24; 2 Chr 18:18).
+
* The כִּי in v. 9b is diagrammed as a discourse particle (rather than a clausal subordinator), because its scope spans multiple clauses (vv. 9b–10).
+
* If the word הַשְּׁמִינִית (lit.: "the eighth") means "the octave" (see Lexical note), then the preposition עַל probably means "according to" (the "Norm Sense" of עַל; see Mena 2012 §5.4.10). According to this sense of עַל, the trajector (here %3D stringed instruments %5Bimplied%5D) must meet the standard specified by the landmark (here %3D "the octave"). In other words, the stringed instruments should be tuned (or played) '''according to the octave'''.
+
* The ''bet'' prepositional phrases '''in your anger''' and '''in your wrath''' specify the ''mode'' of the discipline/correction (cf. BHRG §39.6(4)). The psalmist does not reject discipline/correction ''per se'', but discipline/correction that is carried out in a state of anger/wrath.
+
* The preposition לְמַעַן "functions to designate a causal relation" (Hardy 2022, 161). The object of the preposition, YHWH's "loyalty" (חַסְדֶּךָ), serves as the grounds or basis for the psalmist's request.
+
* The ''bet'' prepositional phrase in v. 7a (בְּאַנְחָתִי) indicates ''cause'': '''because of my groaning''' or "from my groaning" (NIV, CSB, cf. NLT; so Jenni 1992, 111).
+
* The ''bet'' prepositional phrase in v. 8b (בְּכָל־צוֹרְרָי) indicates ''cause'': "because of all my foes" (ESV, NIV, NJPS; cf. NLT, KJV, CSB, GNT, NET; so Jenni 1992, 111).
+
* The ''min'' prepositional phrase in v. 8a (מִכַּעַס) indicates ''cause'': "by vexation" (NJPS) or "because of grief" (KJV, ESV). Note that the prepositional phrase in the following line (בְּכָל־צוֹרְרָי) also indicates cause, though it uses a different preposition (בְּ): "because of all my adversaries." Staszak argues that there is a meaningful difference between the use of ''bet'' and ''min'' to express cause: "The difference is defined by the question of dominance: Prepositional constructions with מִן express causes of full dominance over a logical target point... מִן marks dominant causes, whereas ב marks non-dominant causes which do not have full effect" (Staszak 2024, 128). Applied to Psalm 6, this would mean that "vexation" (כַּעַס) rather than "adversaries" is the dominant cause of the psalmist's deteriorating condition.
+
* Most modern translations analyze v. 11 as three separate clauses (see the alternative diagram for v. 11bc). E.g., ESV: "You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore" (cf. NJPS, NRSVue, CSB, KJV, NET, REB, LUT, ZÜR). According to this interpretation, the first clause is verbal, and the second and third clauses are verbless.
* Others interpret v. 11 as one long clause. E.g., Craigie (1983, 154): "You make me to know the path of life, the full rejoicing of your presence, the perpetual pleasantness by your right hand" (so also Jerome %5BHebr.%5D: ''ostendes mihi semitam vitae, plenitudinem..., decores... aeternos''). According to this interpretation, the noun phrases in v. 11bc are in apposition to "the way to life" in v. 11a. YHWH will show the psalmist the way to life, i.e., fullness of joy in his presence and delights in his right hand. The word "forever" could either modify "delights" (so Jerome) or modify the clause as a whole: "You will show me... forever."
* The second of these two interpretations makes for stronger cohesion within the verse and fits better in the context.
+
* The ''lamed'' prepositional phrase '''you''' (לָךְ), modifying the verb "praise" (ידה), refers to the recipient of the praise (see also Pss 33:2; 75:2; 79:13; 92:2; 100:4; 105:1; 119:62, etc.).
+
* The article on the noun "death >> world of the dead"—"'''the''' world of the dead" (GNT)—probably indicates uniqueness; there is only one world of the dead.
+
* The prepositional phrase לָבֶטַח expresses a qualitative relationship (BHRG §39.11.6.b; cf. Jenni 2000, 280), i.e., "in security" >> '''securely'''. "To dwell securely" (שׁכן לָבֶטַח) is a common expression (cf. Deut 33:12, 28; Jer 23:6; 33:16; Prov 1:33).
+
* For the appositional relationship between "way to life" and the following noun phrases, see the Grammar note.
+