Psalm 110 Poetic Structure
Sit at my right side
Psalm 110
Poetic Structure
In poetic structure, we analyse the structure of the psalm beginning at the most basic level of the structure: the line (also known as the “colon” or “hemistich”). Then, based on the perception of patterned similarities (and on the assumption that the whole psalm is structured hierarchically), we argue for the grouping of lines into verses, verses into strophes, strophes into stanzas, etc. Because patterned similarities might be of various kinds (syntactic, semantic, pragmatic, sonic) the analysis of poetic structure draws on all of the previous layers (especially the Discourse layer).
Poetic Macro-structure
If an emendation or revocalization is preferred, that emendation or revocalization will be marked in the Hebrew text of all the visuals.
| Emendations/Revocalizations legend | |
|---|---|
| *Emended text* | Emended text, text in which the consonants differ from the consonants of the Masoretic text, is indicated by blue asterisks on either side of the emendation. |
| *Revocalized text* | Revocalized text, text in which only the vowels differ from the vowels of the Masoretic text, is indicated by purple asterisks on either side of the revocalization. |
Notes
- The psalm consists of two sections (vv. 1-3 // vv. 4-7).
- Each section has a similar beginning.
- YHWH's name + quotative frame + direct speech: נְאֻ֤ם יְהוָ֨ה ׀ (v. 1) // נִשְׁבַּ֤ע יְהוָ֨ה ׀ (v. 4).
- Verse 1 and v. 4 are almost identical in terms of their prosodic structures according to the Masoretic accents.
- Each section has a similar ending.
- The first section ends with the mention of "dew" (v. 3), and the second section ends with the mention of a "wadi" (v. 7). Both "dew" and a "wadi" are sources of water that give refreshment.
- The two sections are of similar lengths (26 words // 27 words).
- The first section (vv. 1-3) is bound together by the repetition of the 2ms suffix, which occurs 8 times in this section (as apposed to one time in the second section) and multiple times in each verse.
- The second section (vv. 4-7) is bound together by the psalm's allusion to Gen. 14. Like Genesis 14, Ps. 110 features Melchizedek (cf. v. 4) and describes a battle against wicked kings (cf. vv. 5-7).
- Each section has a similar beginning.
- The first two verses are bound together as a unit by the repetition of the word אֹיְבֶיךָ (vv. 1b, 2b) and by a chiasm: a imperative, b yiqtol, c "footstool" // c' "strong staff", b' yiqtol, a' imperative.
- Verses 5-6 are similarly bound together into a unit by the repetition of the rare word מחץ and by the similar sounds with which each verse begins: אֲדֹנָ֥י and יָדִ֣ין both have the consonants d and n.
- Verse 7 is added to vv. 5-6 to form a larger unit. The grouping of v. 7 with vv. 5-6 is supported by the repetition of the word רֹאשׁ (vv. 6b, 7b) and the fact that vv. 5-7 seem to describe a single scene, a dream report in which YHWH, like a warrior, crushes his enemies and refreshes himself with a drink.
- Verse 3 and v. 4, though they belong to different sections, are juxtaposed in the centre of the psalm. They are the only two tricola in the psalm and thus bear some resemblance to one another.
Line Divisions
Line division divides the poem into lines and line groupings. We determine line divisions based on a combination of external evidence (Masoretic accents, pausal forms, manuscripts) and internal evidence (syntax, prosodic word counting and patterned relation to other lines). Moreover, we indicate line-groupings by using additional spacing.
When line divisions are uncertain, we consult some of the many psalms manuscripts which lay out the text in lines. Then, if a division attested in one of these manuscripts/versions influences our decision to divide the text at a certain point, we place a green symbol (G, DSS, or MT) to the left of the line in question.
| Poetic line division legend | |
|---|---|
| Pausal form | Pausal forms are highlighted in yellow. |
| Accent which typically corresponds to line division | Accents which typically correspond to line divisions are indicated by red text. |
| | | Clause boundaries are indicated by a light gray vertical line in between clauses. |
| G | Line divisions that follow Greek manuscripts are indicated by a bold green G. |
| DSS | Line divisions that follow the Dead Sea Scrolls are indicated by a bold green DSS. |
| M | Line divisions that follow Masoretic manuscripts are indicated by a bold green M. |
| Number of prosodic words | The number of prosodic words are indicated in blue text. |
| Prosodic words greater than 5 | The number of prosodic words if greater than 5 is indicated by bold blue text. |
If an emendation or revocalization is preferred, that emendation or revocalization will be marked in the Hebrew text of all the visuals.
| Emendations/Revocalizations legend | |
|---|---|
| *Emended text* | Emended text, text in which the consonants differ from the consonants of the Masoretic text, is indicated by blue asterisks on either side of the emendation. |
| *Revocalized text* | Revocalized text, text in which only the vowels differ from the vowels of the Masoretic text, is indicated by purple asterisks on either side of the revocalization. |
Notes
The line division proposed above is identical to the division in the 13th century Babylonian manuscript Or 2373.
- v. 1. Some scholars parse v. 1 into four lines (e.g., BHS, Fokkelman, van der Lugt, von Nordheim). A line break between שֵׁ֥ב לִֽימִינִ֑י and נְאֻ֤ם יְהוָ֨ה ׀ לַֽאדֹנִ֗י may supported by by the Masoretic accentuation (revia gadol following a precursor; cf. Sanders and de Hoop 2022); the Aleppo Codex also has a space between these clauses. Other manuscripts, however, present שֵׁ֥ב לִֽימִינִ֑י נְאֻ֤ם יְהוָ֨ה ׀ לַֽאדֹנִ֗י as a single line and the entire verse as a bicolon (LXX mss, Codex Amiatimus, Babylonian ms Or2373). This latter division is probably correct, because (1) it is supported by the oldest manuscript traditions, (2) bicola are generally far more common than tetracola, and (3) there are quite a few examples of bicola in which the a-line contains a quotative frame and the beginning of the direct speech, which is then resumed and concluded in the b-line (Pss. 10:6, 11; 68:23; 91:2; Job 10:2; 34:5, 9; Prov. 22:13; 26:13).
- v. 4. It is difficult to decide whether v. 4 consists of three or two lines. The MT accents suggest three lines (cf. Sanders and de Hoop 2022), which is how the text is divided in the Aleppo Codex, the Babylonian ms Or2373, and the Codex Amiatinus (so also van der Lugt and Fokkelman). A division into two lines, however, is supported by the LXX mss, by the syntax—v. 4bc is one clause—and by the word count—2 lines would yield a balanced 4/4 structure.