Property: Text
From Psalms: Layer by Layer
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P
* '''Pronominal suffix of בָּאַתְנוּ:''' While pronominal suffixes often indicate an accusative (i.e., direct object), they can also indicate datives with certain verbs (JM §125ba; see also Pss 36.12; 119.41, 77; Prov. 28.22; Job 22.21). This is the case here, where the 1cp suffix indicates location ("to us") with the intransitive ''qal'' of בוא.
* '''Clausal syntax:''' The negated clauses in this verse could be construed as subordinated circumstantial clauses, perhaps with a concessive force (so GKC §156f). However, in the absence of a subordinating conjunction, the parallel uses of ''qatal'' verbs throughout this verse suggest viewing these clauses as disjunctive, rather than subordinate (cf. Davidson 1902, §152).
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* '''Grammatical agreement of וַתֵּט and אֲשֻׁרֵינוּ:''' Feminine plural nouns of things (or animals) can sometimes function as collectives, and thus take a feminine singular verb, as here (JM §150g).
* '''Negative particle לֹא:''' Although the negative particle לֹא only occurs in the first half of this verse, its force is extended to the second, juxtaposed clause (JM §160q).
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* '''Textual issue on תַּנִּים:''' Some Hebrew manuscripts, along with the Syriac, read תנין "sea monster" instead of תַּנִּים. LXX reads κακώσεως "ill-treatment" (NETS), though it should be noted that LXX tends to be inconsistent in its rendering of תַּנִּים (cf. Isa 13:22; 34:13; 35:7; Jer 10:22), and appears to translate it as δρακόντων "dragons" (NETS) in Jer 9:10. While some have suggested that תַּנִּים itself can mean "sea monster" (deClaisse-Walford, et al 2014, 411n11; cf. DCH), most modern translations render the term as "jackal." Taken with the construct מְקוֹם, "jackal" makes better sense here, as "the place of the sea monster" would imply the sea as a setting, which does not seem to fit the present context.
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* '''Preposition בְּ:''' The preposition of בְצַלְמָוֶת indicates the instrument of covering (GKC §119q).
* '''בִּמְקוֹם תַּנִּים''' ("in the place of jackals"): Entity–characteristic (description, attribute, quality). In the place of jackals; i.e., the place inhabited by jackals. As jackals are typically associated with uninhabited wastes, this image depicts God's wrath (NIDOTTE, 4:310).
* '''עָלֵי-נוּ''' ("%5BCovered%5D us"): The preposition עַל can indicate a location "over" or "upon" an object (Arnold and Choi 2018, § 4.1.16a.1). The piel verb כסה regularly pairs with עַל to mean "cover" (DCH, 4:442).
* '''בְ-צַלְמָֽוֶת׃''' ("With deepest shadow"): The ב indicates the instrument (beth instrumenti) by which an action is realized (BHRG, §39.6.3a). In this construction, it indicates covering "by (means of)" deep darkness (so DCH, 4:442).
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* '''The interrogative לָמָּה:''' Interrogative particles may at times be found governing multiple clauses (cf. Pss 2:1–2; 4:3; 13:3), which appears to be the case here in v. 25. On the one hand, the lack of לָמָּה in v. 25b could be viewed as an ellipsis that helps to balance the meter of the poetic lines (cf. Tsumura 2017, 193). Perhaps a better explanation is that לָמָּה is functioning as a double-duty word that %5Bhttps://psalms.scriptura.org/w/Vertical_Grammar_of_Parallelism_in_Biblical_Hebrew vertically%5D modifies both clauses at the same time (Ibid).
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* '''The form of עֶזְרָתָה:''' The תָה◌ָ- ending of the noun עֶזְרָה "help" could be construed as a locative-ה ("to %5Bour%5D help"). However, it is more likely that the ending has been added to avoid the contact of two stressed syllables (in this case, עֶזְרָ֣ה לָּ֑נוּ; JM §93j). Nevertheless, in the present context, the adverbial accusative עֶזְרָתָה would have a similar sense to that of the locative, in that it indicates the goal of a directed activity ("to/for %5Bour%5D help"; IBHS §10.2.2b).
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* '''The meaning of מַשְׂכִּיל:''' The sense of this term is not fully understood. It is often associated with the hiphil form of the verb שׂכל "to instruct, teach" (cf. Ps 32:1, 8, which feature מַשְׂכִּֽיל in v. 1, and אַשְׂכִּילְךָ "I will instruct you" in v. 8). Thus the LXX translates 44:1 with εἰς σύνεσιν "regarding understanding" (NETS). However, given the overarching theme of lament in Ps 44, it is difficult to see how the psalm qualifies as instruction. It is also possible to render מַשְׂכִּיל as "meditation" or "skillful psalm" (Craigie 2004, 264). To further complicate matters, it is unclear as to whether the term refers to the psalm's musical accompaniment or its content (Ibid). Another possibility is that מַשְׂכִּיל should be associated with the rare II-שׂכל "to lay over cross-wise" (HALOT; cf. Gen 48:14), with the liturgical sense of alternating chants, or antiphony (Koenen 1991, 112). In the absence of definitive conclusions, most modern translations transliterate the term as maskil.
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* '''לַ(הַ)מְנַצֵּחַ''' ("for the %5Bmusical%5D director"): Inclusiveness - class. The article here can designate “a class of persons or things that are definite in themselves” (BHRG, §24.4.4%5B4%5D). If, however, there was only one director in Israel at any given time, it could be construed as a situationally unique referent (IBHS, §13.5.1b).
* The לְ in '''לִ-בְנֵי־קֹרַח''' ("by the Korahites") is the ל of authorship (lamed auctoris) is a subset of the quasi-locational use of the lamed (IBHS, §11.2.10d).
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* '''The meaning of אֲבוֹתֵינוּ:''' While the noun אָב most typically refers to a literal father, it is often used to refer to more remote ancestors, especially with respect to founders of tribal units (TWOT, 6). Here in 44:2, context and the plural form make clear that ancestors are in view. Given the imagery of dispossessed nations of vv. 3–4, this is most likely a reference to Israel in the era of the conquest (cf. VanGemeren 2008, 390).
* '''The number of פֹּעַל:''' The noun פֹּעַל is almost always grammatically singular, though the term is usually used in a collective sense of repeated or habitual acts (DCH).
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* The בְּ in '''בְּ-אָזְנֵינוּ''' ("with our ears") is an instrumental בְּ. The information reported comes into figurative contact with the speaker's ears (BHRG, §39.6b%5Bii%5D). Thus the ears become the figurative instrument of hearing.
* The בְּ in '''בִֽ-ימֵיהֶם''' ("in their time") as well as in '''בִּ-ימֵי קֶֽדֶם׃''' ("in days long ago") are temporal. The temporal use of ב marks actual time in, at, or when (IBHS, §11.2.5c).
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* '''The meaning of יָדְךָ (your hand >> your strength):''' The bodily term יָד functions in the contextual domain of ''strength'' to denote one's power (SDBH). The imagery of God's hand is used figuratively to refer to his strength and power.
* '''The sense of וַתִּטָּעֵם and וַתְּשַׁלְּחֵם:''' Depending on the referents of the 3mp pronominal suffixes on these verbs (see %5B%5BGrammar%5D%5D notes), the connotations of these terms could either be positive (i.e., "you planted... and set free %5Bour ancestors%5D") or negative (i.e., "you transplanted... and expelled %5Bthe nations%5D"). Although גּוֹיִם "nations" and לְאֻמִּים "peoples" are syntactically nearer to the verbs, the אֲבוֹתֵינוּ "our ancestors" of v. 2 constitute the major participants, or protagonists, of this section, and are thus more cognitively accessible (or proximate) to the reader (de Regt 2020, 8). Thus, these verbs most likely have the positive sense of God settling Israel in the land (cf. NIV, CSB, NET). See Participant Analysis for further discussion.
* '''The meaning of וַתְּשַׁלְּחֵם:''' The core sense of the verb שׁלח appears to be "to send," from which other uses of the term radiate (NIDOTTE, 4:119). If taken in a positive sense (see note above), this verb could have the sense of "to let go free" (HALOT) or "to cause spread out" (DCH, 8:384). It has been suggested that וַתְּשַׁלְּחֵם should be connected with IV-שׁלח "to put forth shoots" (Ibid, 8:389; cf. VanGemeren 2008, 390). However, this would likely require an emendation from the ''piel'' form to an otherwise unattested hiphil of IV-שׁלח "to cause to put forth shoots" (DCH, 8:389, emphasis added). In absence of textual evidence for such an emendation, the most likely sense here is that of God setting Israel free to settle the land. In this vein, the ''piel'' שׁלח occurs as a thematic term in Exod 3–20 in reference to Pharaoh allowing Israel to go free from Egypt (NIDOTTE, 4:120, 121).
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* '''Prepositions:''' The preposition בְּ of בְחַרְבָּם indicates the means or instrument by which the land is (not) possessed (GKC §119o). The לְ preposition of לָּמוֹ indicates a dative of advantage, expressing the party to whose advantage הוֹשִׁיעָה comes (JM §133d).
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* '''The meaning of הוּא:''' See Grammar notes.
* '''"Command" or "who commands"?''' Modern translations differ with regard to treating צוה as an imperative, "command!" (ESV, NASB, NET) or substantival participle, "the one who commands" (NIV, CSB). For further discussion, see the text-critical note on this issue under the %5B%5BGrammar%5D%5D layer.
* '''The meaning of יְשׁוּעוֹת:''' The verbal root ישׁע typically refers to the act of bringing help in the midst of trouble, rather than rescue out of it (NIDOTTE, 2:556). In the present context, the sense is that of God's provision of military victory over adversaries (Ibid, 2:560).
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* '''The meaning of נָבוּס:''' The LXX renders this term with ἐξουθενώσομεν "we shall despise" (NETS). Unlike other synonyms for trampling (e.g., דרך, רמס), the verb בוס typically denotes destructive action, accompanied with anger (TWOT, 96). This negative emotional component could help explain the LXX rendering.
* '''The meaning of קָמֵינוּ:''' The participial form of קום, used as a substantival, can have the sense of "one who rises up, adversary, enemy, opponent" (DCH). The suffixed 1cp pronoun is equivalent in meaning to the preposition עַל, i.e., "%5Bto rise%5D against" us (HALOT).
: '''קָמֵֽי-נוּ''' ("those who rise against us"): Entity–interested (favoured/injured) party. While the semantics of the verb קום suggest a relationship of entity-direction (i.e., "those who rise up towards us"), the substantival participle is used figuratively to denote adversaries (SDBH). Hence, the construct relationship is that of entity-interested party (i.e., "those who rise up against us").
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* '''The meaning of תוֹשִׁיעֵנִי:''' The verbal root ישׁע typically refers to the act of bringing help in the midst of trouble, rather than rescue out of it (NIDOTTE, 2:556). In the present context, the sense is that of God's provision of military victory over adversaries (Ibid, 2:560).
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* '''The meaning of הוֹשַׁעְתָּנוּ:''' The verbal root ישׁע typically refers to the act of bringing help in the midst of trouble, rather than rescue out of it (NIDOTTE, 2:556). In the present context, the sense is that of God's provision of military victory over adversaries (Ibid, 2:560).
* '''The meaning of הֱבִישׁוֹתָ:''' While most modern translations render this verb as "to put to shame," some translations opt for "to put to confusion" (NRSV, REB; cf. also Vulg., ''confudisti''). The verb בושׁ can indeed express confusion, in the sense of the embarrassment and dismay that occur when a situation goes contrary to one's expectations (TWOT, 98). When applied to the context of military defeat, the term can express a disgrace that involves nuances of "confusion, disillusionment, humiliation, and brokenness which the word connotes" (Ibid).
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* '''The meaning of נוֹדֶה:''' The concept of ידה involves confession, which could denote publicly admitting one's shortcomings before God (SDBH). However, in the present context, ידה appears to denote a declaration of God's attributes and works (TWOT, 365).
* '''The meaning of סֶלָה:''' While there have been a multitude of proposed explanations for the 71 occurrences of סֶלָה in the Psalms, the meaning of the term remains unclear (Kraus 1988, 28). Most likely, the term has some type of musical significance (Craigie 2004, 76). The LXX translates the term with διάψαλμα, "leading motif" (LEH) or "interlude on strings" (NETS); whereas most modern translations simply transliterate it as ''Selah''.
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* '''כָל־הַיּוֹם''' ("all day long"): Indication of duration of time. This noun phrase specifies the temporal duration of the psalmist's boasting in God. Read in parallel with לְעוֹלָם in the following line, the temporal frame is not limited to a single day. Rather, it communicates continual praise throughout the entirety of the day.
* '''בֵּֽ-אלֹהִים''' ("in God"): The preposition ב often introduces the object of a mental act (GKC, §119l) as the piel verb הלל requires a complement. Alternatively, this prepositional phrase could be read as specification (i.e., “boast with respect to God...”; Arnold and Choi, §4.1.5e).
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* '''The number of צִבְאוֹתֵינוּ:''' In BH, צָבָא as a reference to military men can occur in either the singular or the plural (HALOT). The distinction between the singular and plural of collective nouns is not always clear (Young 2013, 478; צָבָא would be a collective "group noun" in this analysis). In the case of צָבָא, it is possible that the feminine plural form denotes an armed military force, as opposed to the more abstract concept of military service or warfare (cf. TLOT, 1041–42).
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* '''בְּצִבְאוֹתֵֽי-נוּ''' ("with our armies"): Possession (concrete object)-possessor. While the construct relationship could be construed as part-divided whole (i.e., the portion of Israel's population that serves in the army), the broader context of the psalm suggests a corporate identification between the community and its army (see Exegetical Issue %5B%5BThe Speaker of Ps. 44:5, 7, and 16%5D%5D). Thus, the emphasis would not be on the army as a distinct subset of the community, but rather as belonging to the community.
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