Introduction

The traditional Hebrew text of Ps. 98:9a reads as follows:^[1]

לִֽפְֽנֵי־יְהוָ֗ה כִּ֥י בָא֮ לִשְׁפֹּ֪ט הָ֫אָ֥רֶץ

Morphologically, the verb בָא can be taken as either a qatal verb or a participle. As a qatal verb, בָא “could be descriptive of characteristic action (‘he comes’) or refer to an advent that has already taken place (‘for he is come/has come/came’)” (Tate 1998: footnote 13b, 511-2). On the other hand, as a participle, בָא would express an unmarked imminent future (“he is coming”). These contrasting interpretations can lead to different translations.

The majority of modern translations render this verb as a simple present:

ESV: “Before the LORD, for he comes to judge the earth”

(Cf. NET; NIV; GNT; BTX IV; NVI; NTLH; TOB; NBS; NVSR; BDS; PDV; NFC; ARA; NTLH; Luther 2017; HFA; ZÜR).

Most ancient translations reflect the equivalent of the English present perfect. Interestingly, a significant number of commentaries suggest translating the verb with a present perfect, unlike most modern English translations:

LXX: ὅτι ἥκει κρῖναι τὴν γῆν

"Because he has come to judge the earth" ^[2]

Some opt for the participle:

NLT: “Before the LORD, for he is coming to judge the earth”

(Cf. CEV; NRSV; JPS, 1985).

At least one translates the verb as past:

RVR95: “Delante de Jehová, porque vino a juzgar la tierra”

It seems that most modern translations avoid choosing between a qatal and a participle by translating בָא in the simple present. On this page, we will seek to identify the implications of verb choice for how we understand Psalm 98 as a whole.

Argument Map(s)


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[Participle]: Reading בא as participle
 + <Imminent Future>: “The expectation of the coming of the Lord (with the participle, ‘for he is coming’ כִּי בָא) was introduced in Psalm 96:13; and the ending of this psalm is almost identical to that. Perowne explains that the participle is used to express more vividly the coming of the Lord; it sounds as if the coming is actually occurring at the time of speaking, but the point is that it is imminent—he is coming!” (Ross quoting Perowne 2016: 170-171)
  + <Vividly Expression>: “The participle is used to express more vividly the coming of Jehovah, as if actually taking place before the eyes of the Psalmist. It is a coming to judgement, but a judgment which is to issue in salvation” (Perowne 1966: 198).
  + < English Translations>: A number of English translations translated this participle as an imminent future—he is coming (cf. NLT; CEV; NRSV; JPS, 1985).
  - <Yhwh's rule>: Psalm 96 "more likely refers to the reality of Yhwh’s rule in the present, based on having already asserted kingly authority. Yhwh has come. If we then translate the yiqtol verb in v. 13c as future, this must not imply a postponing of that rule, as if Yhwh were not exercising *authority in the present. It must follow on Yhwh’s having come that Yhwh will indeed rule in the present over the tēbēl, the human world, as well as the earth” (107).#tag
 + <Understanding בא Eschatologically>: “A chain of summonses for hymnic veneration of Yahweh lies before us. The summonses to the praise of Yahweh all refer to the God who is coming, i.e., to an impending eschatological theophany (cf. לפני המלך in v. 6b and לפני יהוה in v.9a)” (Kraus 1993: 265).
 + <Modern Translations>: The majority of modern translations translate בָא with the present tense—he comes (cf. ESV; NET; NIV; GNT; BTX IV; NVI; NTLH; TOB; NBS; NVSR; BDS; PDV; NFC; ARA; NTLH; Luther 2017; HFA; ZÜR).

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[Qatal]: בא in Ps. 98:9 is a qatal verb
 + <Ancient Support>: Most ancient witnesses support this reading (cf. MT, Peshitta,LXX).
 + <Context>: "In the context of this psalm with its qatal verbs, it is clearer that bāʾ is qatal rather than a participle” (Goldingay 2008: 123).
  + [Qatal Verbs in Ps. 98:1-3]:  Qatal: v. 1a (עָשָׂה), v. 1b (הוֹשִֽׁעָה), v. 2a (הוֹדִעַ), v. 2b (גִּלָּה), v. 3a (זָכַר), v. 3b (רָאוּ)
 + <Reading בא as present perfect>: “The context requires the pf., referring to the advent celebrated, and not the ptc., referring to an impending advent, as EVs. The verb was repeated in the original, as attested by ancient Vrss.; though omitted by J^ and EVs., in order to state the purpose, — to Judge the earth]” (Briggs 1960: 308 :C:).
  + <Writer's Variation of Envisagement>: “In psalms of an eschatological character, the belief expressed in the future consummation of the present world-order is so firmly held that it is envisaged, after the prophetic style, as having already come to pass; hence the use of the verbs in the perfect tense in vv. 1-3.” (Oesterley 1959: 426 :C:) 
  - <Reading בא as participle>: “The participles express imminent action. If the perfect is read, the verbs could be descriptive of characteristic action (“he comes”) or refer to an advent that has already taken place (Briggs, II, 313), “for he is come/has come/came”). Gunkel (421) and Kraus (II, 833, 838) read the verbs as expressing an eschatological concept, which I take to be correct” (Tate 1998: footnote 13b, 511-2 :C:). #tag
 + <God’s Enthronement>: We must think of the festal drama which reflects both history and final vision, conveying to the worshipers there and then an experience of the ultimate reality. As in Pss. 93 and 96-99, the theme is almost exclusively the enthronement of God as the supreme, universal king, presupposing his conquest of rivals and processional ascent” (Eaton 1967: 129-130 :C:).

Key to Symbols:

A = article
C = commentary
D = dictionary
G = grammatical resource
L = lexical resource
M = monograph

Prose introductions to argument maps

Each argument map on the page should be introduced with a brief introduction. Each introduction should state/summarise the conclusion which is to be presented in the following argument map. The brief introduction might also cite any translations or notable secondary sources which reflect this conclusion.

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[Main point title]: Main point.

+ <Supporting argument title>: Type supporting argument here (Author Date:Page :C:).
 + [Supporting evidence title]: List supporting evidence here.
 <_ <Undercutting statement title>:Type undercutting statement here (Author Date:Page :C:).#dispreferred
 - <Refuting statement title>:Type refuting statement here (Author Date:Page :C:; Author Date:Page :A:).#dispreferred
+ <Supporting argument title 2>: Type supporting argument here (Author Date:Page :C:).
+ <Supporting argument title 3>: Type supporting argument here (Author Date:Page :G:).
- <Refuting argument title>: Type refuting argument here (Author Date:Page :G:).

</argdown>

Conclusion

Research

Translations

Ancient

LXX: ὅτι ἥκει κρῖναι τὴν γῆν

"Because he has come to judge the earth" ^[3]

Peshitta: ܩܕܡ ܡܪܝܐ܂ ܕܐܬܐ ܠܡܕܢܗܿ ܠܐܪܥܐ

"Before the Lord, because he has come to judge the earth”

Targum: קדם ייי ארום אתא למידן ארעא

"In the presence of the Lord, for he has come to judge the earth" ^[4]

"Before the Lord, for he is coming o judge the earth" ^[5]

Jerome: Ante Dominum quia venit iudicare terram

Modern

English

ESV: Before the LORD, for he comes to judge the earth.
NET: Before the LORD! For he comes to judge the earth!
NIV: Let them sing before the LORD, for he comes to judge the earth.
GNT: Because he comes to rule the earth.
NLT: Before the LORD, for he is coming to judge the earth.
CEV: Let them worship the LORD! He is coming to judge everyone on the earth.
NRSV: At the presence of the Lord, for he is coming to judge the earth.
JPS, 1985: At the presence of the LORD, for He is coming to rule the earth.

Spanish

RVR95: Delante de Jehová, porque vino a juzgar la tierra.
NVI: Canten delante del Señor, que ya viene a juzgar la tierra.
DHH: Delante del Señor, que viene a gobernar la tierra.
BTX IV: Porque Él viene a juzgar la tierra.

French

TOB: Devant le Seigneur, car il vient pour gouverner la terre.
NBS: Devant le Seigneur, car il vient pour juger la terre!
NVSR: Devant l'Éternel! Car il vient pour juger la terre.
BDS: Aux yeux de l’Eternel, car il vient gouverner la terre!
PDV: Oui, il vient pour juger la terre.
NFC: Devant le Seigneur, car il vient!

Portuguese

NVIP: Cantem diante do Senhor, porque ele vem, vem julgar a terra.
ARA: Na presença do Senhor, porque ele vem julgar a terra.
NTLH: Porque ele vem governar a terra!

German

Luther 2017: Vor dem HERRN; denn er kommt, das Erdreich zu richten.
HFA: Denn er kommt, um die Welt zu richten.
ZÜR: Vor dem HERRN, denn er kommt, um die Erde zu richten.

Secondary Literature

References

98:9 (Training page)

↑ Hebrew text taken from OSHB
↑ NETS
↑ NETS
↑ Translation by Edward M. Cook, "The Psalms Targum: An English Translation"
↑ Translation by David Stec The Targum of Psalms, 2004:182.

[1] Hebrew text taken from OSHB

[2] NETS

[3] NETS

[4] Translation by Edward M. Cook, "The Psalms Targum: An English Translation"

[5] Translation by David Stec The Targum of Psalms, 2004:182.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

Name of Exegetical Issue (Mari)