Psalm 16 Grammar

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Back to Psalm 16

Psalm Overview

Overview

Grammatical Diagram

v. 1

v. 2

  • Instead of אָמַרְתִּי ("I said"), the MT reads a 2fs verb (אָמַרְתְּ), in which case the subject may be David's נפש (cf. Tg.: "You have spoken, O my soul, before the Lord..."; Radak), the congregation of Israel (Rashi), or an anonymous interlocutor (so Craigie). Barthelemy et. al. (CTAT) attribute the MT reading to an error of vocalization.[1]

v. 3

  • The syntax in this verse is difficult. The first issue regards the לְ preposition on לִקְדוֹשִׁים. Briggs lists three options for interpreting this prepositional phrase:
    • "ל in the sense of as for, as regards (G, J, De W., Ew., Dr.)[2]
    • belonging to (Calv., Hengst., Hu., Pe., Moll)
    • depending on אמר as a second indirect obj. in antith. ליהוה (Ki., De., RV.m).[3] This is most suitable to context if the present text be correct."[4]
  • We agree with Briggs that the last of these options is the most likely.[5]

v. 5

  • The word תּוׁמִיךְ looks like a hiphil 2ms yiqtol verb from the root ימך (unattested in BH)[6] or מכך/מוך "to sink low."[7] The ancient versions (LXX, Hier, Tg.), however, have interpreted the verb as a participle (תּׂמֵךְ). Kennicott lists two medieval Hebrew manuscripts which read תמך instead of תומיך.[8] According to Radak, "the word תומיך is written with hireq equivalent to sire"; cf. Isa. 38:5)."[9] See also סׂבֵיב in 2 Kgs. 8:21.[10]

v. 6

v. 7

v. 8

v. 9

v. 10

v. 11

Full diagram (vv. 1-11)

References

  1. ↑ See Psalm 16 Textual Criticism.
  2. ↑ E.g., ESV: "As for the saints in the land" (cf. NET).
  3. ↑ E.g., NIV: "I say of the holy people who are in the land..."
  4. ↑ Briggs 1906:123.
  5. ↑ Cf. Barthélemy (CTAT); Craigie: "לִקְדוֹשִׁים is parallel to ליהוה 'to the Lord,' and therefore implies the preceding verb of speech" (2004:155).
  6. ↑ So Delitzsch; Hengstenberg.
  7. ↑ So Rashi (citing Eccl. 10:18); Dahood (citing Prov. 5:5).
  8. ↑ Mss. 38, 73.
  9. ↑ Radak on Psalms.
  10. ↑ GKC §50e; HALOT; Perowne; Briggs