Psalm 112 Discourse

Psalm Overview

• Grammar
• Semantics
• Story behind the Psalm
• Discourse
• Poetics

About the Discourse Layer

Our Discourse layer includes four analyses: macrosyntax, speech act analysis, emotional analysis, and participant analysis. (For more information, click 'Expand' to the right.)

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Macrosyntax

The macrosyntax layer rests on the belief that human communicators desire their addressees to receive a coherent picture of their message and will cooperatively provide clues to lead the addressee into a correct understanding. So, in the case of macrosyntax of the Psalms, the psalmist has explicitly left syntactic clues for the reader regarding the discourse structure of the entire psalm. Here we aim to account for the function of these elements, including the identification of conjunctions which either coordinate or subordinate entire clauses (as the analysis of coordinated individual phrases is carried out at the phrase-level semantics layer), vocatives, other discourse markers, direct speech, and clausal word order.

For a detailed explanation of our method, see the Macrosyntax Creator Guidelines.

Speech Act Analysis

The Speech Act layer presents the text in terms of what it does, following the findings of Speech Act Theory. It builds on the recognition that there is more to communication than the exchange of propositions. Speech act analysis is particularly important when communicating cross-culturally, and lack of understanding can lead to serious misunderstandings, since the ways languages and cultures perform speech acts varies widely.

For a detailed explanation of our method, see the Speech Act Analysis Creator Guidelines.

Emotional Analysis

This layer explores the emotional dimension of the biblical text and seeks to uncover the clues within the text itself that are part of the communicative intent of its author. The goal of this analysis is to chart the basic emotional tone and/or progression of the psalm.

For a detailed explanation of our method, see the Emotional Analysis Creator Guidelines.

Participant Analysis

Participant Analysis focuses on the characters in the psalm and asks, “Who are the main participants (or characters) in this psalm, and what are they saying or doing? It is often helpful for understanding literary structure, speaker identification, etc.

For a detailed explanation of our method, see the Participant Analysis Creator Guidelines.

Discourse Visuals for Psalm 112

Macrosyntax

Notes

Word Order

• v. 1b. The PP בְּ֝מִצְוֺתָ֗יו is probably fronted to fit the acrostic structure (ב line). The fronting of בְּ֝מִצְוֺתָ֗יו also creates an ABB'A' chiasm with v. 1a. In addition to these poetic effects, the fronting might also have a pragmatic effect, marking the topic of the clause. Whereas the preceding clause comments on YHWH, the present clause shifts the topic to that of his commandments.
• v. 2. The predicate complement גִּבּ֣וֹר בָּ֭אָרֶץ is probably fronted to fit the acrostic structure (ג line) (but see Lunn 2006:327 "MKD").
• v. 4. The post verbal fronting of בַּחֹ֣שֶׁךְ might be normal (cf. Isa. 58:10—וְזָרַ֤ח בַּחֹ֙שֶׁךְ֙ אוֹרֶ֔ךָ). In any case, it is normal for the heavier constituent אוֹר לַיְשָׁרִים to be placed at the end of the clause.
• v. 5. The predicate complement טוֹב is fronted to fit the acrostic structure (ט line), to strengthen the correspondence between v. 5 and v. 1 (see poetic structure), and probably also to focus the description of the man as טוֹב (cf. BHRG 47.3.2), a description which is singled out for comment in the following כי clause (v. 6, see note on כי below)
• v. 6a. The normal word order would be לֹא יִמּוֹט לְעוֹלָם (Ps. 15:5). The PP לְעוֹלָם is probably fronted for marked focus, as often elsewhere (cf. Pss. 5:12; 9:8; 30:13; 33:11; 37:18, 28; 44:9; 55:23; 89:37; 100:5; 102:13; 103:9; 125:1; cf. esp. Ps. 55:23 — לֹא־יִתֵּ֖ן לְעוֹלָ֥ם מ֗וֹט לַצַּדִּֽיק) (cf. Lunn 2006:357 "MKD").
• v. 6b. The predicate complement לְזֵ֥כֶר ע֝וֹלָ֗ם is probably fronted to fit the acrostic structure (but see Lunn 2006:327 "MKD")
• v. 7a. The PP מִשְּׁמוּעָ֣ה רָ֭עָה is probably fronted to fit the acrostic structure (מ line). It could also be read as topical.
• v. 7b. The participle נָכ֥וֹן is fronted to fit the acrostic structure (נ line) and probably also for marked focus. If the man does not respond to bad news with fear (v. 7a), then how does he respond; what is his emotional state? Verse 7b answers this question: "his heart is confident..."
• v. 8a. The participle סָמ֣וּךְ is fronted to fit the acrostic structure (ס line) and probably also for marked focus (see note on v. 7b).
• v. 9c. The S קַ֝רְנ֗וֹ is probably fronted to fit the acrostic structure (ק line). It could also be topical. Whereas v. 9b is about the man's 'righteousness', v. 9c is about his strength (i.e., 'his horn').
• v. 10a. The fronted subject רָ֘שָׁ֤ע is probably a marked topic: 'But as for the wicked...' (cf. Lunn 2006:327 "MKD").
• v. 10b. The DO שִׁנָּ֣יו is probably fronted to fit the acrostic structure (ש line) (but see Lunn 2006:327 "MKD").
• v. 10c. The placement of תֹּאבֵד ("come to an end") as the last word in the psalm is probably a poetic device used to bring closure (cf. Ps. 1:6) (but see Lunn 2006:327 "MKD").

Conjunctions

• The כִּי in v. 6 grounds the description of the man as טוב (Baethgen 1904). Why use the word fortunate to describe the man who lends generously? "Because [such a man] will never waver..." (cf. Locatell on metalinguistic causal כי—"Metalinguistic causal כי may provide the grounds for a more concrete linguistic element, like the use of a particular word" (2017:89). The semantics of v. 6b ('the righteous one will be remembered forever') suggest that it is included within the scope of כִּי (v. 6a), as an additional reason why the person is described as 'fortunate.'

Speech Act Analysis

Summary Visual

Speech Act Chart

Emotional Analysis

Summary visual

Emotional Analysis Chart

Participant analysis

There are 4 participants/characters in Psalm 112:

• Leader: The "man who fears YHWH" (v. 1), also referred to as the "righteous one" (v. 6b) and depicted as "a (source of) light" (v. 4a), is probably a king (see discussion here). The description of this man in Ps. 112 closely parallels the description of YHWH in Ps. 111.
• Upright Ones: The upright (v. 4a) are those who live their lives in accordance with YHWH's law. Also known as "the poor" (v. 9a), they are those who lack life's basic necessities and are therefore financially dependent upon others, including especially YHWH (cf. SDBH). Because poverty leads to dependence on YHWH, poverty and uprightness are, in the Biblical world, closely related realities (cf. Ps. 37:14). In Psalm 112, both the upright are the beneficiaries of the man's justice and generosity.
• Wicked: The wicked (v. 10) are those who do not live according to YHWH's law (cf. SDBH). Instead of serving YHWH, they serve their desires (v. 10c), which, under the reign of the man who fears YHWH, will come to an end. The man's adversaries (v. 8b) are probably a foreign power that represents a military threat (see Story behind). In the psalm, both the wicked and the adversaries play a similar role—they both express hostility towards the man—and so they are grouped together here.

Participant Relations Diagram

The relationships among the participants may be abstracted and summarized as follows:

Participant Analysis Table

Notes

v. 4: Man who fears YHWH or YHWH?

• See discussion here.

Speaker and Addressee

• The speaker and addressee for Ps. 112 are unspecified. But because the psalm is so similar to Ps. 111, the speaker and addressee are probably the same as in that psalm (speaker = the psalmist; addressee = the congregation).

Distribution Table

Notes

• Verse 10 features a new participant ("the wicked person"), who also functions as a new subject. This shift is highlighted by the fronted topic רָשָׁע (see Macrosyntax notes).