Psalm 100/Test/Lexical
From Psalms: Layer by Layer
His Joyful Flock
Psalm 100
Psalm 100 Lexical Analysis & Diagrams
The following grammatical diagrams are zoomable, and the lexical and phrasal overlays can be toggled on/off. Notes on the semantic layers can be found beneath each verse's diagram.
About the Lexical Layer
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Lexical Visuals for Psalm 100
V. 1
Preferred
Note for V. 1
- תודה thank-offering / thanksgiving: The word תודה here can refer either literally to a thank-offering/sacrifice (a toda offering) (SDBH), or more generally to thanksgiving and praise. On its meaning in this context see The Meaning of לְתוֹדָה in Ps 100:1.
- ארץ the earth (= with all its inhabitants): To be sure, the OT is not concerned with the earth as part of the cosmos so much as with that which fills the earth (ʾereṣ ûmelōʾāh, Deut 33:16; Isa 34:1; Jer 8:16, etc.), its inhabitants (Isa 24:1, 5f., 17; Jer 25:29f.; Psa 33:14, etc.), peoples (Gen 18:18; 22:18; 26:4; Deut 28:10, etc.), kingdoms (Deut 28:25; 2 Kgs 19:15, etc.), and the like. Thus the term “earth” in some passages can indicate—as in other languages—both the earth and its inhabitants (Gen 6:11, etc.) (TLOT, 1:174). This focus on all the inhabitants of the earth is clearly the case in Ps. 100:1, made even more explicit by similar usage of כל הארץ in Ps. 96:7-9 where כל הארץ is parallel with משפחות עמים "families of the earth (see also the vocatives of address of כל הארץ "all the earth" in Ps. 96:1 and 98:4).
- הריעו shout joyfully / raise a shout / shout / shout triumphantly: The core meaning of the root רוע in the hiphil is connected to the act of shouting or crying out loud (HALOT), just as Israel 'shouts' "long live the king" when Saul becomes king (1 Sm. 10:24) or or an army 'shouts' before fleeing (Jdg. 7:21).
- Depending on the context, however, this verb can be used to describe two specific kinds of shouting. The first is shouting of a battle-cry in war contexts (e.g. Josh. 6:10, 16, 20 - the fall of Jericho, and 1 Sam. 17:52 - Israel's battle-cry after David kills Goliath).
- The second is kind of shouting is that of joyful praise or "cheering" in worship contexts. This usually occurs with the preposition ל and is very common throughout the psalms (e.g. Ps. 47:2; 66:1; 81:2; 95:1; 98:4). The joyful and worshipful nature of this shouting is clarified further with רוע being paralleled or joined with רִנָּה (joyful shouting/singing Ps. 47:2), זמרו (singing Ps. 66:1), זְמִירוֹת (songs Ps. 95), and other words associated with singing, joy, gladness, praise, and thanksgiving. The gloss "shout joyfully" thus captures both the shouting and the joyful elements.
V. 2
Preferred
SimpleGrammar
Fragment [v. 2]
Clause
Predicate
verb: עִבְדוּ serve
Adverbial
PrepositionalPhrase
Preposition
preposition: בְּ with
Object
noun: שִׂמְחָה joy
Object
particle: אֵת d.o.m.
noun: יהוָה YHWH
Fragment
Clause
Predicate
verb: בֹּאוּ come >> enter
Adverbial
PrepositionalPhrase
Preposition
preposition: לְפָנָי before
Object
noun: ו him
Adverbial
PrepositionalPhrase
Preposition
preposition: בִּ with
Object
noun: רְנָנָה exultation
Note for V. 2
- עבד serve / worship: The primary meaning of עבד is connected to the general idea of "work" or "labour" (HALOT, BDB). However, when a deity is involved, it becomes "an action by which humans... assume a position of subservience towards a deity, perform the required rituals, and live in accordance with the requirements of that deity" (SDBH). In this context, then, the call to "serve YHWH with joy" (עִבְד֣וּ אֶת־יְהוָ֣ה בְּשִׂמְחָ֑ה) is both expansive and specific: expansive in the sense of an all encompassing "position of subservience" towards YHWH, and specific insofar as this subservience involves the "performance of the required ritual" of accepting the invitation to enter YHWH's house with joyful worship.
- רננה exultation / singing / rejoicing: The word רננה comes from the root רנן, which refers primarily to calling out/shouting loudly (HALOT/DCH). It is most often used in joyful contexts, leading to common associations with "rejoicing" and "joyful singing". However, it is not always associated with joy, as seen in a lament context (e.g. Lam. 2:19) or in wisdom's call to be wise (Prv. 1:20; 8:3).
- This variation can also be seen with the more common synonym רִנָּה, which can be both a loud cry of joy (e.g. Ps 30:4; 42:5; 105:43) or a loud cry of lament (e.g. Ps. 88:3; 106:44) (HALOT).
- רְנָנָה, however, only occurs four times (Ps. 100:2; Jb. 3:7; 20:5; Ps. 63:6), all clearly expressing joy. There is never an explicit indication of singing. Therefore, "exultation" is an ideal gloss insofar as it expresses both the "loud shouting" and "joyful" elements.
V. 3
Preferred
SimpleGrammar
Fragment [v. 3]
Clause
Predicate
verb: דְּעוּ acknowledge
Object
ComplementClause
Conjunction
conjunction: כִּי that
ClauseCluster
Clause
Subject
CasusPendens
noun: יהוה YHWH
pronoun: הוּא he
Predicate
Complement
noun: אֱלֹהִים God
Clause <status="alternative">
Subject
noun: יהוה YHWH
Predicate
copula: הוּא is
Complement
noun: אֱלֹהִים God
Clause
Subject
noun: הוּא he
Predicate
verb: עָשָׂ has made
Object
suffix-pronoun: נוּ us
Conjunction
conjunction: וְ and
Clause
Subject
noun: אֲנַחְנוּ we
Predicate
Complement
Adjectival
PrepositionalPhrase <gloss="his">
Preposition
preposition: ל to
Object
noun: וֹ him <status="emendation">
Predicate
Complement
Nominal
ConstructChain <gloss="his people">
noun: ּעַמ people
suffix-pronoun: וֹ him
Conjunction
conjunction: וְ and
ConstructChain <gloss="the flock of his pasture">
noun: צֹאן flock
ConstructChain
noun: מַרְעִית pasture
suffix-pronoun: וֹ him
Conjunction <status="alternative">
conjunction: וְ and <status="alternative">
Clause <status="alternative">
Subject
noun: אֲנַחְנוּ we
Predicate
verb: עֲשִׂינוּ <status="elided"> made
Object
suffix-pronoun: נוּ <status="elided"> us
Adverbial
particle: לֹא not
Clause <status="alternative">
Subject
noun: אֲנַחְנוּ we <status="elided">
Predicate
Complement
ConstructChain <gloss="his people">
noun: ּעַמ people
suffix-pronoun: וֹ him
Conjunction
conjunction: וְ and
ConstructChain <gloss="the flock of his pasture">
noun: צֹאן flock
ConstructChain
noun: מַרְעִית pasture
suffix-pronoun: וֹ him
Note for V. 3
- דעו acknowledge (NET, NLT, CSB, REB, Tate) / know (almost all others) / recognise (Kraus): Although "know" is not an incorrect gloss, "acknowledge" brings out the specific thrust of this imperative, namely calling on all nations to acknowledge/recognise that YHWH, the God of Israel, is God and creator of all. See story behind for further details.
- מרעית pasture / pasturing / shepherding: The word מרעית here can either be a nominalisation of the verbal notion of shepherding, thus "the sheep of his pasturing/shepherding" (>> "the sheep he shepherds" [REV], "the sheep in his care" [GW]), or refer generally to the "pasture" as the location of the flock (for this meaning see Jer. 25:36 and perhaps also Is. 49:9). The two options are closely connected and express the same overall semantic import. Following the majority of modern translations, "pasture" is slightly preferred. This creates a parallel semantic role between the 3MS suffixes on מרעית and עם within the clause, both expressing possession.
Vv. 4-5
Preferred
SimpleGrammar
Fragment [v. 4-5]
Clause
Predicate
verb: בֹּאוּ enter
Adverbial
ConstructChain <gloss="his gates">
noun: שְׁעָרָי gates
suffix-pronoun: ו him
Adverbial
PrepositionalPhrase
Preposition
preposition: בְּ with
Object
noun: תוֹדָה thanksgiving
Fragment
Clause
Predicate
verb: בֹּאוּ <status="elided">
Adverbial
ConstructChain <gloss="his courts">
noun: חֲצֵרוֹתָי courts
suffix-pronoun: ו him
Adverbial
PrepositionalPhrase
Preposition
preposition: בִּ with
Object
noun: תְהִלָּה praise
Fragment
ClauseCluster
Clause
Predicate
verb: הוֹדוּ give thanks
Adverbial
PrepositionalPhrase
Preposition
preposition: ל to
Object
noun: וֹ him
Clause
Predicate
verb: בָּרְכוּ bless
Object
ConstructChain <gloss="his name">
noun: שְׁמ name
suffix-pronoun: וֹ him
SubordinateClause
Conjunction
conjunction: כִּי for
ClauseCluster
Clause
Subject
noun: יהוה YHWH
Predicate
Complement
adjective: טוֹב good
Clause
Subject
ConstructChain <gloss="his loyalty">
noun: ּחַסְד loyalty
suffix-pronoun: וֹ him
Predicate
Complement
PrepositionalPhrase <gloss="forever">
Preposition
preposition: לְ to
Object
noun: עוֹלָם eternity
Conjunction
conjunction: וְ and
Clause
Subject
ConstructChain <gloss="his faithfulness">
noun: אֱמוּנָת faithfulness
suffix-pronoun: וֹ him
Predicate
Complement
PrepositionalPhrase <gloss="continues through generation after generation">
Preposition
preposition: עַד until
Object
Nominal
noun: דֹּר generation
Conjunction
conjunction: וָ and
noun: דֹר generation
Note for Vv. 4-5
- ברכו bless: Blessing is a rich and multi-faceted concept in the Hebrew Bible, with a wide range of meaning and usage. One of the most central components of blessing, however, is that of "speaking well of" another (NIDOTTE 1997: 766-767). This applies both to God blessing humans and humans blessing God, as we have in this verse (Ps. 100:4). "God blesses human beings by speaking well of them, thereby imparting “blessing” (good things) to them, and so they are “blessed” (בָּרוּךְ); human beings bless God by speaking well of him, attributing “blessing” (good qualities) to him, and so he is “blessed” (בָּרוּךְ)—i.e., praised and praiseworthy" (NIDOTTE 1997: 764).
- In this verse, then, the addressees are called upon to "bless" YHWH by speaking well of him, celebrating and speaking of his attributes and excellencies. This is exactly what is taking place, with the following three clauses celebrating and speaking of YHWH's goodness (v. 5a), loyalty (v. 5b), and faithfulness (v. 5c).
- Furthermore, this blessing is almost always intertwined with thankfulness and praise, as seen with the call of הוֹדוּ (give thanks/praise) in the preceding clause.
- חסד loyalty / faithfulness / devotion / love / lovingkindness: The word for loyalty (חֶסֶד - hesed) refers to YHWH's faithful commitment towards fulfilling his covenantal obligations towards his people, even when they themselves are unfaithful (cf. SDBH). This loyalty (hesed) stretches all the way back through Israel's history (paradigmatically in the exodus from Egypt), and stretches all the way on "forever".
- אמונה faithfulness / reliability / trustworthiness / truth: The "state in which humans and deities are considered worthy of trust, because they are truthful and committed, with an unwavering disposition, which is reflected in their actions" (SDBH).
