Psalm 133 Story behind the Psalm

Psalm Overview

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

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. (Click 'Expand' to the right for more information.)

Expand

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.

Story Behind Visuals for Psalm 133

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.

Background Ideas

• A fine, spiced oil was applied to the head (anointing) to mark special occasions, such as the ordination of a priest (Ex. 30:23–25, 30), or to welcome guests and refresh their skin in an arid climate (Pss 23:5; 92:10; 141:5). It was associated with joy and beauty.
• Mount Hermon was the tallest mountain in the region, located in the far north, and was known for producing copious amounts of dew (Lexham Bible Dictionary)--an important water source for the arid land of the ANE.
• Zion, another name for Jerusalem, was where the Temple was located and was considered the meeting place between heaven and earth (cf. Psalm 2).

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.

(For more information, click "Expanded Paraphrase Legend" below.)

Expanded Paraphrase Legend

Expanded paraphrase legend
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.

v. 1

The song of the (Israelites') ascents (up to Jerusalem, where the temple was, for holy festivals). (This psalm was written) By David. Look! How good and delightful (it can be) when brothers (whether biological family or the nation of Israel as a whole) dwell together in unity(, inhabiting the land together with pilgrimage to Jerusalem a representation of living daily life together and carrying out the covenantal obligations that provide for the whole community, including preserving family lines when a man dies without children, which then lead to abundant blessing for the entire nation).

v. 2

[(The blessing that flows from this kind of) dwelling together is] like the good (special anointing) oil on the head (which designates people for tasks to which YHWH has called them), (the oil) which flows down on the beard (because the oil is abundant and extravagantly poured out, to announce to all the delightfulness of the occasion by means of its all-pervading scent), the beard of Aaron (who was consecrated as high priest at Sinai, where God first made a covenant with the nation of Israel, a covenant that was to lead to abundant and extravagant blessing for all); which flows down on the collar of his (priestly) garments (consecrating not only the man but the very garments that mark his office, illustrating again the abundance and extravagance of the blessing and delight).

v. 3a

[(The blessing that flows from) brothers dwelling together is] like the (life-giving) dew of (Mount) Hermon (that is, rainfall from a source that never dries up but has enough precipitation to supply the entire Jordan River), which flows down on the hills of Zion (where YHWH's presence is located and which prospers thanks to his presence, receiving the blessing of abundant rainfall in contrast to surrounding areas that regularly experience drought).

v. 3bc

(All this blessing comes to Zion) Because there (on Zion, the place YHWH chose for his presence,) YHWH has commanded the blessing (of being in covenant with him, which starts with the law and proper worship and leads to temporal blessings, such as the joy of living in unity, and climaxes in the blessing) of life everlasting (all demonstrating that YHWH's favor is upon Israel. It is YHWH's favor upon Israel that explains why such abundant blessing is coming upon the nation. We commemorate that favor and blessing as we make our pilgrimage to Jerusalem).

Story Triangles

Assumptions Table