Psalm 133 Poetics

Psalm Overview

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

About the Poetics Layer

Exploring the Psalms as poetry is crucial for understanding and experiencing the psalms and thus for faithfully translating them into another language. This layer is comprised of two main parts: poetic structure and poetic features. (For more information, click 'Expand' to the right.)

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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 Features

In poetic features, we identify and describe the “Top 3 Poetic Features” for each Psalm. Poetic features might include intricate patterns (e.g., chiasms), long range correspondences across the psalm, evocative uses of imagery, sound-plays, allusions to other parts of the Bible, and various other features or combinations of features. For each poetic feature, we describe both the formal aspects of the feature and the poetic effect of the feature. We assume that there is no one-to-one correspondence between a feature’s formal aspects and its effect, and that similar forms might have very different effects depending on their contexts. The effect of a poetic feature is best determined (subjectively) by a thoughtful examination of the feature against the background of the psalm’s overall message and purpose.

Poetics Visuals for Psalm 133

Poetic Structure

Poetic Macro-structure

Notes

• This psalm has three sections: a 4-line section in the middle (vv. 2-3a), sandwiched by two 2-line sections (1b-c and 3b-c).
• Verses 2-3a are united as a group for the following reasons:
  • Use of of a nominal clauses (an elided subject and verb) followed by a simile using כְּ and a liquid (either oil or dew; boxed in light blue).
  • The frequent repetition of the key words עַל and יֹרֵ֗ד (in participle form)
• The first section (1b-c) is linked to the last section (3b-c) by the following features:
  • Deictic terms (הִנֵּ֣ה and שָׁ֨ם)
  • Alliteration (אַחִים "brothers" and חַיִּ֗ים "life") followed by an emphatic/intensified expression (גַּם־יָחַד "indeed together" and עַד־הָעוֹלָם "until forever").
  • (Note: both the previous features not only serve as connections between the first and last sections of the psalm, but also as inclusios for the whole psalm as a unit.)
• There is an important repetition of the key word טּוֹב (tov) in 1b and 2a, which could be considered similar beginnings between the first two sections, especially with the two טּוֹב being preceded by an 'ah' sound (mah and ha).
• The last section is linked to the second section by similar beginnings in 2a and 3b: כַּשֶּׁ֤מֶ and כִּ֤י שָׁ֨ם, which have similar sounds (k + sh + m).
• There is an additional sound play at work creating a pivot between v. 3a and v. 3b: צִיּ֥וֹן and צִוָּה (see Poetic Feature #3 below for more on this).

Line Division

Poetic Features

1. Liquids

Feature

In the field of phonetics, there are certain types of sounds that are made with minimal air restrictions; this means that air can flow relatively unobstructed through the mouth and nose. These sounds include vowels, as well as a type of consonant called approximants, which are smooth, vowel-like sounds.

Of the 7 most frequently occurring consonants in this poem, 6 are approximants, which include all of the approximant consonants that exist in Hebrew:

• lamedh ל
• resh ר
• mem מ
• nun נ
• yod יּ
• waw ו

Additionally, the vowel sound o (marked with a star) is frequently used and significant in this psalm. It occurs in the first and last lines of the body of the poem (1b and 3c), linking these two lines that are also connected in other ways. O also occurs frequently in 2a-3a, which is an important section because it gives the two pieces of imagery (oil and dew) which are crucial to the message of the psalm.

Also interesting to note is the high frequency of the sounds ל and ר in this section with the liquid imagery (and their total absence in 1b-c). These two sounds are a subclass of approximants called liquids.

Effect

Though certainly the psalmist did not have our modern understanding of, and labels for, phonetic sounds in language, a skilled poet like David would be able to identify the softer and harsher sounds in their language, and use them to their poetic advantage. There's good evidence that the Hebrew poets often employed sound play to imitate real-life sounds--often called "text painting" by musicians and artists. Here, these "flowy", unobstructed sounds mimic the sound of flowing of water or other liquids (like oil) (cf. Eccl. 1:7, which uses lamedh and mem to imitate the rolling and depth of moving waters). The sounds of lamedh and resh, especially, are associated with the flowing of liquid, so it's not surprising to see that the section with the liquid metaphors of oil and dew (2a-3a) are filled with these consonants, as well as the rounded O vowel.

It's also significant that these same sounds are included in two of the key repeated words in this psalm, עַל and יֹרֵד, which will be explored in the next feature....

2. Go with the Flow

Feature

The most-repeated words in this psalm are significant. First, there is an unusual candidate for most-repeated root: a preposition! עַל, meaning "on" or "onto", is repeated four times in just two verses (see also מַּעֲל֗וֹת in the superscription). Then, in a psalm that has only three distinct verbs, the participle יֹרֵ֗ד ("flowing/flows down") is repeated three times. These two words appear only in the middle section of the poem, 2a-3a.

Effect

The words that the psalmist chose to repeat (quite significant for such a short psalm) contribute to the liquid imagery (oil and dew) that is being conveyed. As the audience hears the repeated verbal idea of flowing down, combined with the frequent onto....onto....onto...it reinforces the mental image of liquids cascading downward, much like the blessing of life everlasting that YHWH gives. The end, or destination, of this downward movement is Zion (v. 3a), the place where YHWH has sent his blessing.

3. Word Chain

Feature

Throughout the psalm, repeated words and sounds link adjacent (or nearly adjacent) lines to one another.

v. 1a (מַה־טּ֭וֹב)—v. 2a (הַטּ֨וֹב) v. 2b (יֹרֵ֗ד)—v. 2c (שֶׁ֝יֹּרֵ֗ד) v. 2c (שֶׁ֝יֹּרֵ֗ד)—v. 3a (שֶׁיֹּרֵד֮) v. 3a (צִ֫יּ֥וֹן)—v. 3b (צִוָּ֣ה)

The only two lines which are excluded from the chain are v. 1b (שֶׁ֖בֶת אַחִ֣ים גַּם־יָֽחַד) and v. 3c (חַ֝יִּ֗ים עַד־הָעוֹלָֽם), and these two lines correspond to one another (note esp. the alliteration between אַחִ֣ים and חַ֝יִּ֗ים).

Effect

The 'word chain' in Ps. 133 functions as a cohesive device "to form a unified poem." In addition to forming cohesion, it also creates a sense of movement, as each repeated word/sound pair is replaced by another until the psalm reaches its end: the blessing of life everlasting. Finally, the feature draws attention to the connection between 'brothers dwelling together' and 'life everlasting' and ties the ending of the psalm back to its beginning.

Repeated Roots

The repeated roots table is intended to identify the roots which are repeated in the psalm.

For legend, click "Expand" to the right

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Legend for Repeated Roots

Bibliography

Berlin, Adele. 1987. “On the Interpretation of Psalm 133.” In Directions in Biblical Hebrew Poetry, edited by Elaine R. Follis, 141ff. Journal for the Study of the Old Testament. Supplement Series, 40. Sheffield, England: JSOT Press.

Fokkelman, J.P. 2003. Major Poems of the Hebrew Bible: At the Interface of Prosody and Structural Analysis (Vol 3: The Remaining 65 Psalms). Vol. 3. Studia Semitica Neerlandica. Van Gorcum.

Kirtchuk, Pablo. 2011. "Onomatopoeia and Phono-Iconicity in Hebrew in the framework of LUIT: Language - a Unified and Integrative Theory."

Lugt, Pieter van der. 2013. Cantos and Strophes in Biblical Hebrew Poetry III: Psalms 90–150 and Psalm 1. Vol. 3. 3 vols. Oudtestamentische Studiën 63. Leiden: Brill.

Zogbo, Lynell, and Ernst R. Wendland. 2020. Hebrew Poetry in the Bible: A Guide for Understanding and for Translating. Second. UBS Helps for Translators. Miami, FL: United Bible Societies.