Psalm 118 Story Behind
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Psalm 118/Story Behind
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Tight place to thanksgiving
Psalm 118
Please note: Resources for Psalm 118 are in the process of being reformatted for visual consistency and improved functionality.
About the Story Behind Layer
The Story Behind the Psalm shows how each part of the psalm fits together into a single coherent whole. Whereas most semantic analysis focuses on discrete parts of a text such as the meaning of a word or phrase, Story Behind the Psalm considers the meaning of larger units of discourse, including the entire psalm.
The goal of this layer is to reconstruct and visualise a mental representation of the text as the earliest hearers/readers might have conceptualised it. We start by identifying the propositional content of each clause in the psalm, and then we identify relevant assumptions implied by each of the propositions. During this process, we also identify and analyse metaphorical language (“imagery”). Finally, we try to see how all of the propositions and assumptions fit together to form a coherent mental representation. The main tool we use for structuring the propositions and assumptions is a story triangle, which visualises the rise and fall of tension within a semantic unit. Although story triangles are traditionally used to analyse stories in the literary sense of the word, we use them at this layer to analyse “stories” in the cognitive sense of the word—i.e., a story as a sequence of propositions and assumptions that has tension.
Summary Triangle
The story triangle below summarises the story of the whole psalm. We use the same colour scheme as in Participant Analysis. The star icon along the edge of the story-triangle indicates the point of the story in which the psalm itself (as a speech event) takes place. We also include a theme at the bottom of the story. The theme is the main message conveyed by the story-behind.
| Story Triangles legend | |
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| Propositional content (verse number) | Propositional content, the base meaning of the clause, is indicated by bold black text. The verse number immediately follows the correlating proposition in black text inside parentheses. |
| Common-ground assumption | Common-ground assumptions[1] are indicated by gray text. |
| Local-ground assumption | Local-ground assumptions[2] are indicated by dark blue text. |
| Playground assumption | Playground assumptions[3] are indicated by light blue text. |
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The point of the story at which the psalm takes place (as a speech event) is indicated by a gray star. |
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If applicable, the point of the story at which the psalm BEGINS to take place (as a speech event) is indicated with a light gray star. A gray arrow will travel from this star to the point at which the psalm ends, indicated by the darker gray star. |
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A story that repeats is indicated by a circular arrow. This indicates a sequence of either habitual or iterative events. |
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A story or event that does not happen or the psalmist does not wish to happen is indicated with a red X over the story triangle. |
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Connections between propositions and/or assumptions are indicated by black arrows with small text indicating how the ideas are connected. |
| Note: In the Summary triangle, highlight color scheme follows the colors of participant analysis. | |
Background ideas
Following are the common-ground assumptionsCommon-ground assumptions include information shared by the speaker and hearers. In our analysis, we mainly use this category for Biblical/Ancient Near Eastern background. which are the most helpful for making sense of the psalm.
- In ancient Israel there was a specific temple sacrifice called the thanksgiving (toda) sacrifice which would be performed to give thanks to YHWH for his loyalty (hesed) to Israel and all of his blessings (Jer. 17:26; 33:11, 2 Chron. 29:31; 33:16).
- After victory in military conflicts, ancient Israelites would go up to Jerusalem to give thanks to YHWH for his salvation. For example, in 2 Chron. 20 King Jehoshaphat is surrounded by enemies, cries out to YHWH, and YHWH answers and grants victory. Jehoshaphat and the people then "came to Jerusalem with harps and lyres and trumpets, to the house of the LORD" (2 Chron. 20:28) to give thanks to YHWH and probably offer thanksgiving sacrifices in the temple.
- A temple ritual gave structure to this thanksgiving ceremony, beginning with the thanksgiving-refrain, "Give thanks to YHWH because he is good, because his loyalty is forever!" This refrain was often used as declaration accompanying a thanksgiving sacrifice (cf. Jer. 33:11).
Background situation
The background situation is the series of events leading up to the time in which the psalm is spoken. These are taken from the story triangle – whatever lies to the left of the star icon.
Expanded Paraphrase
The expanded paraphrase seeks to capture the implicit information within the text and make it explicit for readers today. It is based on the CBC translation and uses italic text to provide the most salient background information, presuppositions, entailments, and inferences.
| Expanded paraphrase legend | |
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| Close but Clear (CBC) translation | The CBC, our close but clear translation of the Hebrew, is represented in bold text. |
| Assumptions | Assumptions which provide background information, presuppositions, entailments, and inferences are represented in italics. |
| Text (Hebrew) | Verse | Expanded Paraphrase |
|---|---|---|
| הוֹד֣וּ לַיהוָ֣ה כִּי־ט֑וֹב כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃ | 1 | A leader, probably a king, of Israel stands outside the temple gates surrounded by the congregation of Israel, including priests, Levites, men, and probably even women and children, after experiencing YHWH's deliverance from enemies in a military situation, and a thanksgiving-sacrifice ceremony begins, with the thanksgiving chorus: Give thanks to YHWH because He is good, because his loyalty is forever as seen in his abundant covenant-fidelity to us, from taking us out of slavery in Egypt to his recent deliverance of me from distress! |
| יֹֽאמַר־נָ֥א יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃ | 2 | Let Israel the Israelite laity say,"Give thanks to YHWH because he is good, Because his loyalty is forever!" |
| יֹֽאמְרוּ־נָ֥א בֵֽית־אַהֲרֹ֑ן כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃ | 3 | Let the house of Aaron the priests say, " Give thanks to YHWH because he is good, Because his loyalty is forever!" |
| יֹֽאמְרוּ־נָ֭א יִרְאֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃ | 4 | Let those who fear YHWH all the people together say, " Give thanks to YHWH because he is good, Because his loyalty is forever!" |
| מִֽן־הַ֭מֵּצַ֥ר קָרָ֣אתִי יָּ֑הּ עָנָ֖נִי בַמֶּרְחָ֣ב יָֽהּ׃ | 5 | Having opened in joyful thanksgiving to YHWH, the crowd now begins a procession towards the temple gates, surrounding their leader, who may have been raised higher than the others, perhaps being carried. "As the joyful crowd proceeds, I (the leader) will now testify of YHWH's recent deliverance woven together with declarations of confidence in YHWH's present and future help. I will begin with a brief summary statement of his deliverance, telling of how From the tight place surrounded by enemies on every side I cried out to Yah. Yah answered me with spaciousness granting victory, bringing me out into freedom, expansion of life, and security. |
| יְהוָ֣ה לִ֭י לֹ֣א אִירָ֑א מַה־יַּעֲשֶׂ֖ה לִ֣י אָדָֽם׃ | 6 | YHWH is for me on my side as demonstrated when he delivered me, which is why I shall not fear. I have experienced enemies and I have seen YHWH deliver me from them all. Therefore, What can man do to me? Specifically, is there any enemy that can defeat me!? |
| יְהוָ֣ה לִ֭י בְּעֹזְרָ֑י וַ֝אֲנִ֗י אֶרְאֶ֥ה בְשֹׂנְאָֽי׃ | 7 | YHWH is for me as my helper in battle, as I've recounted, and I shall look in triumph upon those who hate me as YHWH brings about their downfall, as I have just done, when YHWH brought about my enemies' downfall. |
| ט֗וֹב לַחֲס֥וֹת בַּיהוָ֑ה מִ֝בְּטֹ֗חַ בָּאָדָֽם׃ | 8 | I can therefore testify that It is better to take refuge in YHWH than to trust in man. |
| ט֗וֹב לַחֲס֥וֹת בַּיהוָ֑ה מִ֝בְּטֹ֗חַ בִּנְדִיבִֽים׃ | 9 | And It is better to take refuge in YHWH than to trust in noblemen the powerful men of stature in society. |
| כָּל־גּוֹיִ֥ם סְבָב֑וּנִי בְּשֵׁ֥ם יְ֝הוָ֗ה כִּ֣י אֲמִילַֽם׃ | 10 | I learned how YHWH is a greater refuge than men when he, and he alone, gave me victories over my enemies. Here's what happened: There were so many enemies that it felt as though All nations surrounded me in battle against me. Despite being overwhelmed, I still trusted in YHWH, so I cried out in confidence, “With the name of YHWH as the one I represent and as my source of strength and victory, just like David against Goliath, yes, I shall drive them away!” |
| סַבּ֥וּנִי גַם־סְבָב֑וּנִי בְּשֵׁ֥ם יְ֝הוָ֗ה כִּ֣י אֲמִילַֽם׃ | 11 | This was no skirmish: my enemies were many. They surrounded me, indeed they surrounded me. |
| סַבּ֤וּנִי כִדְבוֹרִ֗ים דֹּ֭עֲכוּ כְּאֵ֣שׁ קוֹצִ֑ים בְּשֵׁ֥ם יְ֝הוָ֗ה כִּ֣י אֲמִילַֽם׃ | 12 | A three-fold telling conveys a superlative. My distress was so great I will relate it three times. T hey surrounded me like bees swarming around and overwhelming me. They burned up like a fire of thorns which blazes hot but dies out quickly coming to a quick defeat, despite their vicious onslaught. My distress was great, but my trust in YHWH was greater. Ultimate victory belongs to the one who keeps proclaiming that “With the name of YHWH, yes I shall drive them away!” |
| דַּחֹ֣ה דְחִיתַ֣נִי לִנְפֹּ֑ל וַ֖יהוָ֣ה עֲזָרָֽנִי׃ | 13 | I can view my struggle with my enemies from different perspectives. If I address my enemy directly, as a single abstract enemy - possibly even death personified which is often personified and occasionally addressed directly - I would say: You pushed me down hard so that I was falling into Sheol and death , but YHWH helped me rescuing me from death, as from every other enemy. |
| עָזִּ֣י וְזִמְרָ֣ת יָ֑הּ וַֽיְהִי־לִ֝֗י לִֽישׁוּעָֽה׃ | 14 | I’ve narrated an extreme case of danger and deliverance. I’ve then abstracted it to The Enemy. The paradigmatic enemy for Israel was Egypt, and the deliverance from Egypt is equally paradigmatic. Just as God delivered Israel then, so it is appropriate to celebrate my own deliverance with the same words as in the Song of the Sea, Exod. 15, which celebrated Israel’s deliverance from Egypt. I now quote the Song of the Sea which all present know very well, joining with our ancestors' confidence in YHWH's victorious help and declaring that Yah is my strength and song and he has become my salvation just as he was for Israel coming out of Egypt. |
| ק֤וֹל ׀ רִנָּ֬ה וִֽישׁוּעָ֗ה בְּאָהֳלֵ֥י צַדִּיקִ֑ים יְמִ֥ין יְ֝הוָה עֹ֣שָׂה חָֽיִל׃ | 15 | Narrating my own deliverance and quoting the Song of the Sea builds a joyful and celebratory atmosphere. In accord with this joyful excitement, I shall sing a victory song of Israel, declaring that A voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tents of the righteous those whom God has vindicated by granting them victory and salvation: The king and the joyful procession break out into Israel's victory song, singing, “The right hand of YHWH does valiantly the same right hand we celebrated in the Song of the Sea, "glorious in power, shattering the enemy!" (Ex. 15:6) |
| יְמִ֣ין יְ֭הוָה רוֹמֵמָ֑ה יְמִ֥ין יְ֝הוָה עֹ֣שָׂה חָֽיִל׃ | 16 | The right hand of YHWH exalts! The right hand of YHWH does valiantly!” |
| לֹֽא אָמ֥וּת כִּי־אֶֽחְיֶ֑ה וַ֝אֲסַפֵּ֗ר מַֽעֲשֵׂ֥י יָֽהּ׃ | 17 | In the battle I have recounted I did not die, but lived. Looking ahead, I am confident now in future battles and trials that I shall not die, but I shall live, and declare the deeds of Yah. |
| יַסֹּ֣ר יִסְּרַ֣נִּי יָּ֑הּ וְ֝לַמָּ֗וֶת לֹ֣א נְתָנָֽנִי׃ | 18 | In reflection upon my distress and and YHWH's deliverance, I am able to see that the whole trial was from YHWH himself. I can therefore retell the story from a new perspective: Yah disciplined me hard, but he has not given me over to death because he was in control, there really was and is no need to fear, no matter how great the trial. |
| פִּתְחוּ־לִ֥י שַׁעֲרֵי־צֶ֑דֶק אָֽבֹא־בָ֝ם אוֹדֶ֥ה יָֽהּ׃ | 19 | The leader arrives to the gates of the Temple, surrounded by the joyful throng. He calls out to the gatekeepers, an established role for priests who are guarding the gate, in order to only let in those considered worthy. Open the gates of righteousness the actual name of the gates to the temple complex, which are closed to keep the unrighteous out, for me because I am righteous and worthy to enter. I will enter through them. I will give thanks to Yah , whom I will only address directly when in his presence, within the temple gates, which I have not passed through yet, thanking YHWH not just with my words, but also by offering a thanksgiving sacrifice on the altar." |
| זֶֽה־הַשַּׁ֥עַר לַיהוָ֑ה צַ֝דִּיקִ֗ים יָבֹ֥אוּ בֽוֹ׃ | 20 | The priests at the gate reply, "This is the gate of YHWH who permits that only The righteous enter through it." Because the leader is seen as righteous, the gates are opened. |
| א֭וֹדְךָ כִּ֣י עֲנִיתָ֑נִי וַתְּהִי־לִ֝֗י לִֽישׁוּעָֽה׃ | 21 | The leader and the crowd enter through the gate into the temple complex. People had special access to YHWH's presence within the temple complex. Now in YHWH's presence in the temple complex, the leader directly addresses YHWH for the first time: "Again quoting the Song of the Sea, I acknowledge you as the God who answered Israel and saved us from Egypt, just as you have answered me and saved me from my distress. Therefore, I thank you for you have answered me and become my salvation." |
| אֶ֭בֶן מָאֲס֣וּ הַבּוֹנִ֑ים הָ֝יְתָ֗ה לְרֹ֣אשׁ פִּנָּֽה׃ | 22 | The crowd respond to the the leader's testimony from their perspective, crying out, "The stone common figurative language referring to YHWH's anointed leader that the builders men who are not to be trusted in rejected because they did not see its value has been vindicated by YHWH and become the top of the corner of the structure, exalted and raised up to a place of prominence and importance, visible to many. |
| מֵאֵ֣ת יְ֭הוָה הָ֣יְתָה זֹּ֑את הִ֖יא נִפְלָ֣את בְּעֵינֵֽינוּ׃ | 23 | This vindication and exaltation of the leader has been from YHWH; it is extraordinary in our eyes! Defeat seemed inevitable, but YHWH delivered him nonetheless. |
| זֶה־הַ֭יּוֹם עָשָׂ֣ה יְהוָ֑ה נָגִ֖ילָה וְנִשְׂמְחָ֣ה בֽוֹ׃ | 24 | This day of the leader's vindication is the day that YHWH has made. Let us be glad and rejoice in it, fulfilling our role as witnesses to the leader's testimony of YHWH's salvation. |
| אָנָּ֣א יְ֭הוָה הוֹשִׁ֘יעָ֥ה נָּ֑א אָֽנָּ֥א יְ֝הוָ֗ה הַצְלִ֘יחָ֥ה נָּֽא׃ | 25 | As witnesses to our leader's testimony, we now commit to join with him in looking to YHWH alone for salvation and success in coming trials, just as he has done in this trial. In anticipation of trials, with expectation that YHWH will answer, we will continually cry out: Please, YHWH, grant salvation, please! Please, YHWH, grant success, please!" |
| בָּר֣וּךְ הַ֭בָּא בְּשֵׁ֣ם יְהוָ֑ה בֵּ֝רַֽכְנוּכֶ֗ם מִבֵּ֥ית יְהוָֽה׃ | 26 | The priests respond with a two-fold blessing, confirming YHWH's acceptance. First they bless the leader with the words, "Blessed is the leader, he who comes in the name of YHWH , as one who is in unity with YHWH, demonstrated in his vindication and exaltation by YHWH. Then they turn to the crowd and respond to them with a blessing, saying, We bless you, the crowd, from the house of YHWH the source of blessing." |
| אֵ֤ל ׀ יְהוָה֮ וַיָּ֪אֶר לָ֥נוּ אִסְרוּ־חַ֥ג בַּעֲבֹתִ֑ים עַד־קַ֝רְנ֗וֹת הַמִּזְבֵּֽחַ׃ | 27 | The crowd accepts the priestly blessing with a covenantal declaration and celebration of YHWH's favour, declaring, "YHWH is God and he has made his light shine on us showing us favour". Inside the temple courtyard, where there is an altar with horns on its four corners, instructions are given to bind the sacrificial animal and bring it towards the altar. "Bind the festival sacrifice with cords, up to the horns of the altar!" The thanksgiving-sacrifice, part of which is placed on the altar as a burnt offering in the temple complex, where God is present, is placed on the altar. |
| אֵלִ֣י אַתָּ֣ה וְאוֹדֶ֑ךָּ אֱ֝לֹהַ֗י אֲרוֹמְמֶֽךָּ׃ | 28 | The leader closes his part of the ceremony with a final thanksgiving statement and covenant confirmation. "You are my God and I shall give thanks to you. You are my God. I shall exalt you in response to your right hand exalting me." |
| הוֹד֣וּ לַיהוָ֣ה כִּי־ט֑וֹב כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃ | 29 | The thanksgiving chorus is sung by the leader, the crowd, and the priests, altogether. Give thanks to YHWH because he is good, because his loyalty is forever!" The sacrifice is performed on the altar. |
Story Triangles
This resource is forthcoming.
Assumptions Table
This resource is forthcoming.
There are currently no Imagery Tables available for this psalm.
Bibliography
Footnotes
- ↑ Common-ground assumptions include information shared by the speaker and hearers. In our analysis, we mainly use this category for Biblical/ANE background - beliefs and practices that were widespread at this time and place. This is the background information necessary for understanding propositions that do not readily make sense to those who are so far removed from the culture in which the proposition was originally expressed.
- ↑ Local-ground assumptions are those propositions which are necessarily true if the text is true. They include both presuppositions and entailments. Presuppositions are those implicit propositions which are assumed to be true by an explicit proposition. Entailments are those propositions which are necessarily true if a proposition is true.
- ↑ Whereas local-ground assumptions are inferences which are necessarily true if the text is true, play-ground assumptions are those inferences which might be true if the text is true.