Psalm 1/Context

Context

Translation advice

• Translate as a “conceptual metaphor”
  • Walk, stand, sit = relationship, being under the influence of
  • What would be a conceptual metaphor appropriate for this comparison of lives led?
    • It could be a different set altogether
    • It could be a rendition of the ones being used (e.g. walking = walking together for a chat; sitting = sitting together in pleasant conversation; etc.)
• Translate with agricultural metaphors if it fits the culture. Otherwise use something else.
  • Trees, fruit vs. chaff,

Figures of Speech

The imagery of Psalm 1 corresponds to and reinforces the Psalm’s structure:

a. Pathway imagery (v. 1)

b. Botanical simile (v. 3)

b.’ Botanical simile (v. 4)

a.’ Pathway imagery (v. 6),

Cultural background

• הָאִישׁ – As in the case of all ANE literature, Hebrew wisdom texts often assume and reflect the male-oriented perspective of ancient Israelite society. However, the principle of the psalm is certainly applicable to all people, regardless of their gender or age. To facilitate modern reference and application, one may translate the gender and age specific “man” with the more neutral “one”; “person” would also be possible. Since the godly person described in the psalm is representative of all followers of God (note the plural form צַדִּיקִים [“righteous, godly”] in vv. 5-6), one could translate the collective singular with the plural “those” both here and in vv. 2-3, where singular pronouns and verbal forms are utilized in the Hebrew text (cf. NRSV). However, here the singular form may serve to emphasize that godly individuals are usually outnumbered by the wicked and must bear the social consequences. Retaining the singular allows the translation to retain this common contrastive perspective.
  • On the other hand, the tree imagery of Psalm 1 may suggest identifying the blessed man (הָאִִישׁ) as Israel's king. Trees functioned as images of kings in the Ancient Near East. “In both biblical and ancient Near Eastern tradition, the individual most typically identified with a tree is a person of royalty.” This identification of the blessed man as Israel's king is supported by the fact that the king was expected to transcribe the Torah and spend his life studying it (Deut. 17:18-19). In other words, the ideal king was to "delight in Yahweh's Torah and muse on [it] day and night" (Ps. 1:2). This identification is also supported by the distinctly royal profile of the Psalter as a whole. It is only fitting that a book largely written by and focused on Israel's king should begin with a description of him. If this identification is correct, then it would be important to preserve the masculine referent in translation where possible.
• v.3. For a discussion of tree imagery in the Bible and in the Ancient Near East, see Osborne, Trees and Kings.
  • v.3a. The tree is said to be "transplanted" (שָׁתוּל) “on water channels” (עַל פַּלְגֵי מַיִם). The noun פֶּלֶג (from the verb which means “to divide”) refers to an “artificial water channel.” According to Bullinger, “the word פֶּלֶג is used for any little channel by which the water is distributed or divided, especially the channels which divide-up a garden.” The use of the phrase פַּלְגֵי מַיִם together with the attributive participle שָׁתוּל suggests a garden context for the tree.
• v.4b. Chaff is separated from grain and blown away by the wind during the winnowing process. “In winnowing, grain is threshed in order to separate the kernel of grain from the husk and straw. The mixture is thrown into the air with a winnowing fork or shovel. The wind blows the light husks away, the heavier straw falls near the edge of the threshing floor, and the grain falls back to the floor to be collected. Both the light husks and the heavier straw are referred to in the words translated ‘chaff’ in the Bible.”
• v.5. Is the “מִשְׁפָּט” of verse 5 (1) Ordinary court cases, (2) court cases accusing the wicked of exploiting the poor, or (3) the final judgment by God. If the first or second, perhaps we should describe the cultural background for how judgment against the wicked worked. Note the definite article here.,

Implicit information

• v. 1a. - God blesses that man
• v. 1d. - they mock God (+at God+ (CEV), no use +for God+ (TEV))
• v. 2. - in 'obeying' [the Torah] (TEV)
• v. 4. - chaff is 'worthless',

Reference/allusions

• Genesis 1-3: The imagery that opens the first book of Psalms is drawn from the beginning of the first book of Torah (i.e., Genesis).
  • In Genesis 1, the creation of trees on Day 3 parallels, in terms of the literary structure, the creation of humans (who are told to “be fruitful” [פְּרוּ]) on Day 6. So also, in Psalm 1, a human (הָאִישׁ) is compared to a tree.
  • In Genesis 2, Yahweh plants a garden (2:8) full of beautiful trees (2:9) and a river of water to nourish it (2:10). Similarly, Psalm 1 depicts a well-nourished tree planted (in a garden?) by water channels.
  • In Genesis 3, once humans are exiled from the garden, Yahweh sets “the Cherubim and the flaming sword turning in every direction to guard the “pathway” (דֶּרֶךְ) to the “tree of life” (עֵץ הַחַיִּים) (3:24). Psalm 1 also describes a "pathway" (v. 1, 6) that leads to a "tree" (of life?) (v. 3). Perhaps the pathway imagery and the tree imagery of Psalm 1 are conceptually linked via this verse (Gen. 3:24). Thus, according to the Psalm, meditation on Torah is the pathway that brings humanity back to Eden.

• Deuteronomy 17:18-20: ‎‎‎ וְהָיָ֣ה כְשִׁבְתּ֔וֹ עַ֖ל כִּסֵּ֣א מַמְלַכְתּ֑וֹ וְכָ֙תַב ל֜וֹ אֶת־מִשְׁנֵ֙ה הַתּוֹרָ֤ה הַזֹּאת֙ עַל־סֵ֔פֶר מִלִּפְנֵ֥י הַכֹּהֲנִ֖ים הַלְוִיִּֽם׃ וְהָיְתָ֣ה עִמּ֔וֹ וְקָ֥רָא ב֖וֹ כָּל־יְמֵ֣י חַיָּ֑יו לְמַ֣עַן יִלְמַ֗ד לְיִרְאָה֙ אֶת־יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהָ֔יו לִ֠שְׁמֹר אֶֽת־כָּל־דִּבְרֵ֞י הַתּוֹרָ֥ה הַזֹּ֛את וְאֶת־הַחֻקִּ֥ים הָאֵ֖לֶּה לַעֲשֹׂתָֽם׃ לְבִלְתִּ֤י רוּם־לְבָבוֹ֙ מֵֽאֶחָ֔יו וּלְבִלְתִּ֛י ס֥וּר מִן־הַמִּצְוָ֖ה יָמִ֣ין וּשְׂמֹ֑אול לְמַעַן֩ יַאֲרִ֙יךְ יָמִ֧ים עַל־מַמְלַכְתּ֛וֹ ה֥וּא וּבָנָ֖יו בְּקֶ֥רֶב יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
  • points of connection: הָאִישׁ = king?, תּוֹרָה (v.2ab), וְקָ֥רָא ב֖וֹ כָּל־יְמֵ֣י חַיָּ֑יו (יהגה יומם ולילה), (pathway imagery?) ס֥וּר מִן־הַמִּצְוָ֖ה יָמִ֣ין וּשְׂמֹ֑אול
• Joshua 1:8: ‎ לֹֽא־יָמ֡וּשׁ סֵפֶר֩ הַתּוֹרָ֙ה הַזֶּ֜ה מִפִּ֗יךָ וְהָגִ֤יתָ בּוֹ֙ יוֹמָ֣ם וָלַ֔יְלָה לְמַ֙עַן֙ תִּשְׁמֹ֣ר לַעֲשׂ֔וֹת כְּכָל־הַכָּת֖וּב בּ֑וֹ כִּי־אָ֛ז תַּצְלִ֥יחַ אֶת־דְּרָכֶ֖ךָ וְאָ֥ז תַּשְׂכִּֽיל׃
  • points of connection w/Ps. 1: תּוֹרָה, הָגָה, יוֹמָם וָלַיְלָה, צלח, דֶּרֶךְ
• Jeremiah 17:7-8: ‎ בָּר֣וּךְ הַגֶּ֔בֶר אֲשֶׁ֥ר יִבְטַ֖ח בַּֽיהוָ֑ה וְהָיָ֥ה יְהוָ֖ה מִבְטַחֽוֹ׃ 8 וְהָיָ֞ה כְּעֵ֣ץ׀ שָׁת֣וּל עַל־מַ֗יִם וְעַל־יוּבַל֙ יְשַׁלַּ֣ח שָֽׁרָשָׁ֔יו וְלֹ֤א (יִרָא) [יִרְאֶה֙] כִּֽי־יָבֹ֣א חֹ֔ם וְהָיָ֥ה עָלֵ֖הוּ רַֽעֲנָ֑ן וּבִשְׁנַ֤ת בַּצֹּ֙רֶת֙ לֹ֣א יִדְאָ֔ג וְלֹ֥א יָמִ֖ישׁ מֵעֲשׂ֥וֹת פֶּֽרִי׃
  • points of connection: בָּרוּךְ (Ps.1:1a, אשׁרי האישׁ), tree imagery, w/explicit verbal correspondence (...וְהָיָ֞ה כְּעֵ֣ץ׀ שָׁת֣וּל עַל־מַ֗יִם),

Other

Canonical Setting
Psalms 1 and 2 form the introduction to the Psalter. "The unique position of these two psalms at the beginning of the whole Psalter as well as Book One suggests we are likely dealing with a distinct editorial function for these psalms. While there is some textual evidence for the combination of these psalms, John T. Willis has shown conclusively that they are originally distinct compositions which function editorially as the introduction to the whole psalter and to Book One respectively."