Psalm 1/Phonology

Phonology

Consonants

What date do we have for the introduction of final consonants, to know if it could have been original to the psalm?,

Sound combinations

Alliteration with אַשְׁרֵי and the play on sounds with רָשָׁע may be the reason the relative pronoun אֲשֶׁר is used so many times (3x) within this poem.,

Infrequent letters or sounds

Phonological Overview

Phonological Overview 2

ק appears three times, ג two times, שׂ only one time; sibilants ז and ס do not appear in this Psalm.,

Patterns in beginnings

The opening of the second section (לֹא כֵן הָרְשָׁעִים) contains a number of sonic correspondences with the opening of the first section (אַשְׁרֵי הָאִישׁ) (an instance of structural anaphora). There is a repetition of consonants (א/ע, שׁ, ר) in both, and the pattern of stressed vowels (ā, ē) is the same in both.,

Patterns in endings

masculine plural ending ים at the end of lines 1b, 4a, 5b, 6a,

Similar sounds in adjacent lines

יֶהְגֶּה יוֹמָם וָלָיְלָה (v.2b) --> עַל־פַּלְגֵי מָיִם (v.3a); note alliteration of ל(x2), מ(x2), ג, and י

עדת (v.5b) --> יודע (v.6a); repetition of ע + ד,

Other observations

• The psalm ends with a word starting with the last letter of the Hebrew alphabet (תאבד), just as it began with a word starting with the first letter (אשרי), thus forming a phonological inclusio: “The end result is that the fates of the two ways are juxtaposed by placing them at the opposite ends of the alphabet: one is beatitude, the other is perdition. ...The A—Z guide to being a commendable person” [before God] (cf. Deut. 5:32-33).
• v. 1a. אַשְׁרֵי הָאִישׁ ("the blessings of the man") sounds like אֲשֻׁרֵי הָאִישׁ ("the footsteps of the man), a likely wordplay given the pathway imagery in v.1 (...אשׁר לא הלך). "Given the controlling metaphor of a journey in this poem, as indicated by the threefold repetition of the word דרך (“way”; vv. 1a, 6a, 6b) and the reference to walking (v. 1a), the אשרי formula is especially appropriate in the title of the poem since the term, whatever its etymology, recalls the verb אשר, which means “walk” (qal) and “make way, lead” (piel). Note the frequent association of אשׁרי with walking (Pss 89:16; 119:1; 128:1; Prov 20:7) and with a journey (Pss 84:6; 119:1; 128:1; Prov 8:32)." The connection between אַשְׁרֵי and אֲשֻׁרֵי may be etymological (thus, possibly a root-play) as well as phonological. "The Hebrew root אשר is related to Arabic ⁾atara (“to make a mark/an impression”), which in the fourth form means “prefer, select, honor.” Hence, one finds the Arabic term ''⁾atirun (“honored, favored”). One may surmise, therefore, that the original sense of Hebrew אשר is “mark (leave a trace/footprint),” hence “step, walk’ (qal, Prov 9:6), and so the piel אשר means “lead” (Isa 1:17; 3:12; 9:16) but also “declare (someone as being) ahead,” thus, to be admired, envied, or congratulated."
• v. 2. Word play on יהוה (v.2a) and יהגה (v.2b)
• vv. 2-3. "the word-play on חפץ and צלח interchange ח with ץ"
• v. 5b. the phrase בַּעֲדַת צַדִּיקִים sounds like the earlier phrase בַּעֲצַת רְשָׁעִים (v. 1). This phonological correspondence highlights the contrast between the righteous and the wicked: the righteous do not "walk" in the עֲצַת רְשָׁעִים, and the sinners will not stand in the עֲדַת צַדִּיקִים.