Psalm 150 Poetics
Back to Psalm 150
Poetic Structure
- The whole psalm is bound by an inclusio ("praise Yah").
- Within this unit, the "body" of the psalm is bound by another inclusio (beginning with alef and ending with tav) (cf. Pss. 1, 5, etc.).
- Within this unit (vv. 1b-5), there are three sub-units.
- The first unit (vv. 1b-2) is bound together by the repetition of 3ms pronoun suffixes at the end of each line as well as by similar sounds (b + q/g + d/t + l/r) (see below) and patterns in line length. The out-of-place כ preposition (v. 2b) marks the end of this section.
- The second unit (vv. 3-5) is bound by an inclusio: the phrases "blast of a horn" and "resounding cymbals" are both construct chains, and the words for "blast" (תקע) and "resounding" (תרועה) are closely related. The similar content of this section (musical instruments) also binds it together.
- This leaves v. 6 standing outside of this structure. This verse stands out in other ways as well (3rd person jussive verb; S-V-O word order).
Poetic Features (Top 3)
1. Praise and Praise Alone
Feature
The psalm is characterised by extreme repetition. The only verb in the psalm is "praise" (x13), and every clause (except for v. 6a) has the same grammatical structure (IMPV + PP) with its constituents in the same order.
Effect
Everything is muted compared to the resounding "praise him!" This embodies the idea that everything should be oriented to one goal: praising YHWH.
2. Poetic Party
Feature
Vv. 3-5 are distinguished by the listing of eight instruments.
The first of these, the "horn", was used to signal important events. The word that closes the section ("shout") is closely associated with the horn, and, like the horn, was also used to signal important events. The word "dancing" is the middle word of this section (8-1-8), and it is surrounded by four instruments on either side. Several of the names for these instruments are onomatopoetic. "Tof" (drum) sounds like the striking of a drum, "u" (in "ugab") like the sound of a wind instrument, and "ts-ts" like the crashing of cymbals. The cymbals are the loudest (both in terms of the instrument and the word itself), and they are repeated at the end.
Effect
Verses 3-5 are not just a call to celebrate; they embody a musical celebration in miniature, commencing with a "horn blast" (cf. 1 Kgs. 1:39-41), concluding with a "shout," and with a victory dance in the middle. The two crashes of the "tsiltsilim" at the end bring the celebration to a climax finish.
3. Overflowing Praise
Feature
The psalm begins, after the opening hallelujah, with the word "God", which begins with alef, the first word of the Hebrew alphabet. The psalm ends with the words "let [them] praise Yah," which begin with tav, the last letter of the alphabet. The words "Praise Yah. Praise... Yah. Praise Yah" occur outside of the boundaries set by the alef and tav.
Effect
The alphabet is a symbol of completeness. By starting with "A" and ending with "Z," Psalm 150 not only marks the completion of the Psalter, it is also a fitting psalm for praising him who is "the alpha and the omega, the first and the last," whose reign is universal (v. 2) and to whom "all living creatures" owe praise (v. 6). Yet even the alphabet cannot contain his praise, as the words "Praise Yah" (x3, also a symbol of completeness) overflow outside of the alphabet's boundaries.
Poetic Verses
v. 1
v. 2
v. 3
v. 4
v. 5
v. 6
Poetic Lines
Lineation
| Proposed lineation | Line | Supporting evidence | Conflicting evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| הַ֥לְלוּ יָ֨הּ׀ | v. 1a | Or2373 Sin Vat | Am[1] |
| הַֽלְלוּ־אֵ֥ל בְּקָדְשׁ֑וֹ | v. 1b | a MasPsb Or2373 Sin Vat Am | |
| הַֽ֝לְל֗וּהוּ בִּרְקִ֥יעַ עֻזּֽוֹ׃ | v. 1c | s MasPsb Or2373 Sin Vat Am | |
| הַֽלְל֥וּהוּ בִגְבוּרֹתָ֑יו | v. 2a | a MasPsb Or2373 Sin Vat Am | |
| הַֽ֝לְל֗וּהוּ כְּרֹ֣ב גֻּדְלֽוֹ׃ | v. 2b | s MasPsb Or2373 Sin Vat Am | |
| הַֽ֭לְלוּהוּ בְּתֵ֣קַע שׁוֹפָ֑ר | v. 3a | a Or2373 Sin Vat Am | |
| הַֽ֝לְל֗וּהוּ בְּנֵ֣בֶל וְכִנּֽוֹר׃ | v. 3b | s Or2373 Sin Vat Am | |
| הַֽ֭לְלוּהוּ בְתֹ֣ף וּמָח֑וֹל | v. 4a | a MasPsb Or2373 Sin Vat Am | |
| הַֽ֝לְל֗וּהוּ בְּמִנִּ֥ים וְעוּגָֽב׃ | v. 4b | s MasPsb Or2373 Sin Vat Am | |
| הַֽלְל֥וּהוּ בְצִלְצְלֵי־שָׁ֑מַע | v. 5a | P a MasPsb Or2373 Sin Vat Am | |
| הַֽ֝לְל֗וּהוּ בְּֽצִלְצְלֵ֥י תְרוּעָֽה׃ | v. 5b | s MasPsb Or2373 Sin Vat Am | |
| כֹּ֣ל הַ֭נְּשָׁמָה תְּהַלֵּ֥ל יָ֗הּ | v. 6a | ra Or2373 Sin Vat Am | |
| הַֽלְלוּ־יָֽהּ׃ | v. 6b | s Or2373 Sin Vat | Am[2] |
- The opening line (1a) is presented as a superscription in most of the manuscripts (Or2373, the Aleppo Codex, Sin, Vat).
Line Length Patterns
- The number of prosodic words in vv. 3-5 add up to 17, a number which may sometimes represent the tetragrammaton (1 + 0 + 5 + 6 + 5).[3]
- The number of words outside of this section (vv. 1-2, 6) also add up to 17.