Property: Text
From Psalms: Layer by Layer
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P
* For the significance of the adverbial "throughout the night," see the Lexical note.
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'''v. 1''' – The construct chain אַשְׁרֵי is a Biblical Hebrew idiom, literally: "The happiness of ''x''." It is an exclamative fragment, though has been translated more idiomatically as "Happy is" as early as the Septuagint.'"`UNIQ--ref-00000002-QINU`"' We follow this implied copular reading, though maintain the exclamative flavor of the Hebrew idiom. +
* Another option is to interpret v. 8 as follows: "I have set YHWH before me forever; // yes %5BI have set him%5D at my right hand! I will not be shaken."'"`UNIQ--ref-00000000-QINU`"' According to this interpretation, כִּי is an asseverative particle: "yes." This use of כִּי is admittedly rare,'"`UNIQ--ref-00000001-QINU`"' but a good example is found in Ps 49:16 (מִיַּד־שְׁאוֹל כִּי יִקָּחֵנִי, see %5B%5BThe Syntax and Meaning of Ps 49:16%5D%5D) and perhaps also Ps 128:2 (יְגִיעַ כַּפֶּיךָ כִּי תֹאכֵל).'"`UNIQ--ref-00000002-QINU`"' This interpretation would have the advantage of explaining why there is no pronoun (הוּא).
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'''v. 9''' – Radak suggests that the object ''your heads'' has been elided in the second line, as indicated by the alternative addition to the diagram. It is preferable, however, in light of the parallel in v. 7, to understand this instance of וּ֭שְׂאוּ (the parallel is ''niphal'' וְֽ֭הִנָּשְׂאוּ) as an intransitive unaccusative ''qal'' → ''lift '''yourselves''' up''. +
'''v. 6''' – For these alternative interpretations of the syntax of v. 6, see the exegetical issue, %5B%5BThe Text, Grammar, and_Meaning of Ps. 24:6%5D%5D. This diagram reads "Jacob" as a vocative: "... those seeking your face, Jacob." +
'''v. 6''' – For these alternative interpretations of the syntax of v. 6, see the exegetical issue, %5B%5BThe Text, Grammar, and_Meaning of Ps. 24:6%5D%5D. This diagram reads "Jacob" in apposition to "those seeking your face." +
'''v. 6''' – For these alternative interpretations of the syntax of v. 6, see the exegetical issue, %5B%5BThe Text, Grammar, and_Meaning of Ps. 24:6%5D%5D. This diagram reads the second line of the verse as a verbless clause "those seeking your face are Jacob." +
'''v. 6''' – The first alternative diagram of this verse places the נפל verb with the third clause and emends the MT's יִפְּל֑וּ בְּ֝לֵ֗ב to read יִפֹּל לְבֵב (as the REB; see Brockington 1973, 130). For a full discussion, see the exegetical issue https://psalms.scriptura.org/w/The_Syntax_of_Psalm_45:6. +
Led by the verb's morphology, we are inclined to view the return to an explicit indicative in נָרִ֥יעַֽ as intentional. See, however, the continuation of subjunctives in the LXX (ἀλαλάξωμεν); Symmachus (σημάνωμεν) and Jerome's Hebr. (iubilemus). +
Though the iii-ה morphology of נִשְׁתַּחֲוֶ֣ה makes ambiguous the indicative/cohortative reading, we have preferred the cohortative as that following the formulaic exhortation headed by the second-plural imperative בֹּ֭אוּ (and לְ֭כוּ in v. 1—see further the phrase-level notes there). +
For the modality of agent-oriented desire in the protasis of the conditional, see Khan (forthcoming, "Yiqṭol," 147; cf. IBHS §31.4h), in which case the protasis and apodosis often contain similar semantics, so there is no tautology involved. For similar examples, cf. "But if you want to make a burnt sacrifice to the Lord, you should offer it" (Judg 13:16, NET); "If you want to take it for yourself, then take it" (1 Sam 21:10, CSB); "If you want to ask, ask" (Isa 21:12, NET); "Israel, if you want to come back, then come back to me" (Jer 4:1, ERV); "if he wants to do his duty as your guardian-redeemer, good; let him redeem you" (Ruth 3:13, NIV); "If you want to exercise your right to redeem it, then do so" (Ruth 4:4, NET). For further details, see the exegetical issue %5B%5BThe Syntax of Ps 95:7-8%5D%5D. +
For the past perfect interpretation of the qatal רָא֥וּ, see the CEB as illustrative (though this reading is shared by most modern translations): "they had already seen my acts." +
The temporal adverb אַרְבָּ֘עִ֤ים שָׁנָ֨ה׀ provides an uncontroversial habitual reading of the yiqtol אָ֘ק֤וּט. The past time context has led the LXX (προσώχθισα) and both Aquila and Symmachus (δυσηρεστήθην) to translate with aorists, and TgPs to employ a suffix conjugation (מאסית), as, also the Syr., with its impersonal ܡܐܢܬ ܠܝ "it was wearisome to me." +
The wayyiqtol of וָאֹמַ֗ר adopts the TAM values of the previous finite verb, of which see the previous verbal note. +
Modern translations vary on whether to display the speech of v. 11b as direct or indirect speech (see, e.g., RSV "Therefore I swore in my anger that they should not enter my rest" and the NJPS "Concerning them I swore in anger, 'They shall never come to My resting-place!'"). Meier opines that it is best rendered as direct discourse (hence our updated reference time), since "God in this case, as in the preceding DD in v. 10, is describing his earlier behavior and his oath that he enunciated at an earlier time" (1992, 201). +
Note that the paragogic nun on יְ֝בֹא֗וּן is not present in the Pentateuchal predecessors of the present oath (see, e.g., Num 14:21-23; Deut 1:34-35), suggesting it was a contribution of the poet to add prominence to the content of the oath in the final line of the psalm. +
For the modality of agent-oriented desire in the protasis of the conditional in v. 7c, see Khan (forthcoming, "Yiqṭol," 147; cf. IBHS §31.4h), in which case the protasis and apodosis often contain similar semantics, so there is no tautology involved. For similar examples, cf. "But if you want to make a burnt sacrifice to the Lord, you should offer it" (Judg 13:16, NET); "If you want to take it for yourself, then take it" (1 Sam 21:10, CSB); "If you want to ask, ask" (Isa 21:12, NET); "Israel, if you want to come back, then come back to me" (Jer 4:1, ERV); "if he wants to do his duty as your guardian-redeemer, good; let him redeem you" (Ruth 3:13, NIV); "If you want to exercise your right to redeem it, then do so" (Ruth 4:4, NET). For further details, see the exegetical issue %5B%5BThe Syntax of Ps 95:7-8%5D%5D. +
Ps 95:9 is a rare instance in which בחן is used for humans testing God (perhaps only elsewhere in Mal 3:10, 15), not vice versa (as in Pss 7:10; 11:4f; 17:3; 26:2; 66:10; 81:6; 139:23, among others). The Venn diagram below shows the overlap between the English gloss of "test" and the meaning of בחן:
%5B%5BFile: Psalm 95 - Test - Bakhan.jpg%7Cclass%3Dimg-fluid%5D%5D +
DiscourseUnit %5Bv. 12–13 alternatives%5D
Fragment
Conjunction
conjunction: וְ and <status%3D"alternative">
Fragment
Clause <status%3D"alternative">
Predicate
verb: הִשְׁתַּחֲוִי bow down
Adverbial
PrepositionalPhrase
Preposition
preposition: ל to
Object
suffix-pronoun: וֹ him
Conjunction
conjunction: וּ and <status%3D"alternative">
Clause <status%3D"alternative">
Subject
Apposition
ConstructChain <gloss%3D"Daughter Tyre">
noun: בַת daughter
noun: צֹר Tyre
ConstructChain <gloss%3D"richest people">
noun: עֲשִׁירֵי rich
noun: עָם people
Predicate <gloss%3D"will seek your favor">
verb: יְחַלּוּ will weaken
Adverbial
PrepositionalPhrase
Preposition
preposition: בְּ with
Object
noun: מִנְחָה a gift
Object
ConstructChain <gloss%3D"your face">
noun: פָּנַי face
suffix-pronoun: ִךְ you
Fragment
Conjunction
conjunction: וְ and <status%3D"alternative">
Fragment
Clause <status%3D"alternative">
Predicate
verb: הִשְׁתַּחֲוִי bow down
Adverbial
PrepositionalPhrase
Preposition
preposition: ל to
Object
suffix-pronoun: וֹ him
Conjunction
conjunction: וּ and <status%3D"alternative">
Clause <status%3D"alternative">
Subject
ConstructChain <gloss%3D"Daughter Tyre">
noun: בַת daughter
noun: צֹר Tyre
Predicate
verb: is
Adverbial
PrepositionalPhrase
Preposition
preposition: בְּ with
Object
noun: מִנְחָה a gift
Fragment <status%3D"alternative">
Clause
Subject
ConstructChain <gloss%3D"richest people">
noun: עֲשִׁירֵי rich
noun: עָם people
Predicate <gloss%3D"will seek your favor">
verb: יְחַלּוּ will weaken
Object
ConstructChain <gloss%3D"your face">
noun: פָּנַי face
suffix-pronoun: ִךְ you
Fragment <status%3D"alternative">
particle: וּ and
Fragment <status%3D"alternative">
Vocative
Nominal
ConstructChain
noun: בַת daughter
noun: צֹר Tyre
Fragment <status%3D"alternative">
Clause
Subject
ConstructChain <gloss%3D"richest people">
noun: עֲשִׁירֵי rich
noun: עָם people
Predicate <gloss%3D"will seek your favor">
verb: יְחַלּוּ will weaken
Object
ConstructChain <gloss%3D"your face">
noun: פָּנַי face
suffix-pronoun: ִךְ you
Adverbial
PrepositionalPhrase
Preposition
preposition: בְּ with
Object
noun: מִנְחָה a gift
'''v. 12–13''' – For the alternative readings of the syntax of this verse, see the exegetical issue, %5B%5BThe Text and Grammar of Psalm 45:12–13%5D%5D. Our preferred reading follows the LXX, as above.
The alternative diagrams reflect the following interpretations:
# The first diagram reads the constituents "daughter of Tyre" and "richest of people" in apposition, such as the CSB: "...and the king will desire your beauty. Bow down to him, for he is your lord. '''The daughter of Tyre, the wealthy people,''' will seek your favor with gifts."
# The second diagram supplies a copula to create a clause of וּבַֽת־צֹ֨ר ׀ בְּ֭מִנְחָה, such as the KJV: "So shall the king greatly desire thy beauty: for he is thy Lord; and worship thou him. '''And the daughter of Tyre shall be there with a gift'''; even the rich among the people shall intreat thy favour."
#Finally, the third diagram interprets וּבַֽת־צֹ֨ר ׀ as a vocative such as the JPS: "and let the king be aroused by your beauty; since he is your lord, bow to him. '''O Tyrian lass,''' the wealthiest people will court your favor with gifts." +