Psalm 19/2

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Psalm 19/22
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Psalm 19/Diagrams/V. 2.Grammatical Diagram2V. 2
Psalm 19/Notes/Grammar.V.2Exegetical Note2V. 2
  • Option 1 (preferred): singular מעשה (abstract noun: 'workmanship, skill' or collective noun: 'work'); so MT, LXX, Aquila, Jerome IH, Peshitta. The singular might refer to collectively to YHWH's works, specifically to YHWH's creation of the world, or to the abstract quality of YHWH's craftsmanship (Isa 5:12; 29:23; Ps 28:5; Eccl 5:5; cf. HALOT). It makes for a fitting parallel to the abstract noun 'honor.'
  • Option 2: plural מעשי ('works, deeds'); so Sym (καὶ τὰ ἔργα τῶν χειρῶν αὐτοῦ), Tg (ועובדי ידוי). This option works well with the verbs ספר and נגד, which often imply a plurality of deeds (cf. ספר + מעשים in Pss 107:22; 118:17). However, Symmachus and Targum Pss might just be interpreting the singular מעשה as a collective (cf. Ps 90:17 מעשה ידינו; Judg 2:7 כָּל־מַעֲשֵׂ֤ה יְהוָה֙ הַגָּד֔וֹל אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשָׂ֖ה לְיִשְׂרָאֵֽל %5Balso v. 10%5D). In any case, the first option has the better attestation. Furthermore a move from singular/collective מעשה to explicitly plural can be documented frequently in the tradition. 11Q5, for example, regularly reads such singulars as plurals (Pss 102:26; 143:5; additions in 146:9; 145:13%5Bnun line%5D; 151A:4).
Psalm 19/Notes/Lexical.V. 2.731315Exegetical Note2V. 2{%7C class%3D"wikitable"

%7C colspan%3D3 %7C The Sky Declaring God's Honor (vv. 2-5) %7C- ! style%3D"width:20%" %7C ! style%3D"width:40%" %7C Input 1: Sky ! style%3D"width:40%" %7C Input 2: Poet %7C- ! Topic described %7C The sky (specifically the continuation of the created order which is observable in the sky) shows God's honor (cf. v. 2). %7C Poets can declare (ספר) the honor of YHWH (cf. Ps 9:2) or the honor of a king (cf. Ps 45:2). %7C- ! Means %7C The sky communicates through the continued sequence of day and night (cf. v. 3). %7C Poets communicate rhythmically, generally through song. %7C- ! Skill level %7C The sky is beautiful and awe-inspiring (cf. Ps 8). %7C Poets communicate with skill (e.g., prosody, alliteration, word play, images, etc.). %7C- ! Audience %7C Everyone can see the sky (cf. v. 5ab). %7C Poets recite to an audience. %7C- ! Blend

%7C colspan%3D2 %7C
Sky acting as a poet

%7C- ! Implicatures

%7C colspan%3D2 %7C
  • The sky is constantly reciting (even singing) a poem.
  • The topic of the sky's poem is God's honor and skill (cf. v. 2).
  • The rhythm of the sky's poem is the rhythmic alternation of day and night (cf. קַו %5B'measured verse line'%5D in v. 5a).
  • The sky has a universal audience; everyone can listen to the sky's poem.
  • The artistry of the sky's poem lies in the power and beauty of the celestial bodies (sun, moon, and stars) and their patterned movements across the sky (cf. Ps 8:4).
  • Just as poems are characterized by patterned repetition, so the movements of the sun, moon, and stars are characterized by patterned repetition.

%7C- ! Figure Prominence %7C colspan%3D2 %7C HIGH. Personification itself, which is very common in Hebrew poetry, is low in prominence. The image here, however, which is sustained and developed across several verses (vv. 2-5), grows to a point of high prominence. It contributes to the theme of speech which is key to understanding the psalm. The psalm begins with the glorious speech of the sky (vv. 2-7), moves on to discuss the perfect speech of YHWH's Word (vv. 8-11), and closes with the inglorious and imperfect speech of YHWH's servant (vv. 12-15). Thus, the personification of the sky as a poet not only contributes to the poem's liveliness and beauty, it also contributes to the main theme of the psalm. %7C}

%5B%5BCategory:Imagery tables%5D%5D
Psalm 19/Notes/Lexical.V. 2.803569Exegetical Note2V. 2
  • Articles: Every use of the article in this psalm (vv. 2ab, 5ac, 7a) is real-world identifiable/unique, besides v. 11, which is resuming a previously identified entity.
  • The singular מעשה might refer collectively to YHWH's deeds (so perhaps Symmachus and Targum Pss), to the product which YHWH has created (cf. Ps 102:26; so GNT and CEV: "what he has done"), or to the abstract quality of YHWH's workmanship (cf. Ps 28:5; cf. HALOT; Baethgen 1904, 55: "das Tun Gottes, was er zu tun vermag und zu tun pflegt"). The context (and the parallel with the abstract noun כבוד) suggests the latter. So NLT: "his craftsmanship."
  • The first noun in the construct phrase מַעֲשֵׂה יָדָיו, the abstract noun מַעֲשֵׂה (meaning "workmanship, skill") specifies a characteristic which "his hands" possess (cf. BHRG 25.4.1, "Possession %5Bcharacteristic%5D-Possessor").
Psalm 19/Notes/Lexical.V.2Exegetical Note2V. 2
  • Sky (הַשָּׁמַיִם):

%5B%5BFile: Psalm 8 - Shamayim.jpg%7Cclass%3Dimg-fluid%7C700px%5D%5D

  • Declaring honor (מְֽסַפְּרִ֥ים כְּבֽוֹד): Cf. Psa 96:3 - סַפְּר֣וּ בַגּוֹיִ֣ם כְּבוֹד֑וֹ בְּכָל־הָֽ֝עַמִּ֗ים נִפְלְאוֹתָֽיו׃.
  • Honor (כְּבוֹד):

%5B%5BFile: Psalm 29 - Kabod.jpg%7Cclass%3Dimg-fluid%7C700px%5D%5D

  • Firmament (הָרָקִיעַ):

%5B%5BFile: Reqia - firmament.jpg%7Cclass%3Dimg-fluid%7C700px%5D%5D

  • For the parallel of ספר and הגיד, see Job 12:7-8.
  • Telling about (מַגִּיד): "The most frequent content of such recounting, however, is Yahweh’s mighty salvific deeds; this is especially the case in the psalms... The salvific deeds themselves are described in a summary fashion as nip̱lāʾôṯ (Ps. 9:2%5B1%5D; 26:7; 75:2%5B1%5D; 96:3 %5B1 Ch. 16:24%5D) or as maʿaśîm (Ps. 107:22; 118:17; cf. ʿāśâ in 66:16), or are circumscribed with the noun šēm as an expression of Yahweh’s greatness and might as manifested in such deeds (22:23%5B22%5D; 102:22%5B21%5D; Sir. 51:1; cf. also geḏullâ in Ps. 145:6, kāḇôḏ in 96:3 %5B1 Ch. 16:24%5D..." (TDOT).
Psalm 19/Notes/Verbal.V. 2.428473Exegetical Note2V. 2
  • For the participles מְסַפְּרִים and מַגִּיד, cf. NASB1985: "The heavens are telling of the glory of God; And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands." Most other English versions have generic presents. E.g., NIV: "The heavens declare the glory of God" (cf. ESV, NLT, NET). The CEV has a habitual translation: "The heavens keep telling the wonders of God." The participles, however, suggest continuous action in the actual present ("is declaring... is telling") (cf. BHRG 20.3.3(1)).
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Psalm 19/TextsEnglishText2and the firmament is telling about the workmanship of his hands.
Psalm 19/TextsEnglishText2The sky is declaring God’s honor,
Psalm 19/TextsHebrewText2הַשָּׁמַ֗יִם מְֽסַפְּרִ֥ים כְּבֽוֹד־אֵ֑ל
Psalm 19/TextsHebrewText2וּֽמַעֲשֵׂ֥ה יָ֝דָ֗יו מַגִּ֥יד הָרָקִֽיעַ׃