Psalm 19 Test Macrosyntax
From Psalms: Layer by Layer
Psalm 19/Test/Macrosyntax
Nothing Is Hidden
Psalm 19
Macrosyntax
The macrosyntax layer rests on the belief that human communicators desire their addressees to receive a coherent picture of their message and will cooperatively provide clues to lead the addressee into a correct understanding. So, in the case of macrosyntax of the Psalms, the psalmist has explicitly left syntactic clues for the reader regarding the discourse structure of the entire psalm. Here we aim to account for the function of these elements, including the identification of conjunctions which either coordinate or subordinate entire clauses (as the analysis of coordinated individual phrases is carried out at the phrase-level semantics layer), vocatives, other discourse markers, direct speech, and clausal word order.
For a detailed explanation of our method, see the Macrosyntax Creator Guidelines.
Macrosyntax Diagram
(For more information, click "Macrosyntax Legend" below.)
| Macrosyntax legend | |
|---|---|
| Vocatives | Vocatives are indicated by purple text. |
| Discourse marker | Discourse markers (such as כִּי, הִנֵּה, לָכֵן) are indicated by orange text. |
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The scope governed by the discourse marker is indicated by a dashed orange bracket connecting the discourse marker to its scope. |
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The preceding discourse grounding the discourse marker is indicated by a solid orange bracket encompassing the relevant clauses. |
| Subordinating conjunction | The subordinating conjunction is indicated by teal text. |
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Subordination is indicated by a solid teal bracket connecting the subordinating conjunction with the clause to which it is subordinate. |
| Coordinating conjunction | The coordinating conjunction is indicated by blue text. |
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Coordination is indicated by a solid blue line connecting the coordinating clauses. |
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Coordination without an explicit conjunction is indicated by a dashed blue line connecting the coordinated clauses. |
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Marked topic is indicated by a black dashed rounded rectangle around the marked words. |
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The scope of the activated topic is indicated by a black dashed bracket encompassing the relevant clauses. |
| Marked focus or thetic sentence | Marked focus (if one constituent) or thetic sentences[1] are indicated by bold text. |
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Frame setters[2] are indicated by a solid gray rounded rectangle around the marked words. |
| [blank line] | Discourse discontinuity is indicated by a blank line. |
| [indentation] | Syntactic subordination is indicated by indentation. |
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Direct speech is indicated by a solid black rectangle surrounding all relevant clauses. |
| (text to elucidate the meaning of the macrosyntactic structures) | Within the CBC, any text elucidating the meaning of macrosyntax is indicated in gray text inside parentheses. |
If an emendation or revocalization is preferred, that emendation or revocalization will be marked in the Hebrew text of all the visuals.
| Emendations/Revocalizations legend | |
|---|---|
| *Emended text* | Emended text, text in which the consonants differ from the consonants of the Masoretic text, is indicated by blue asterisks on either side of the emendation. |
| *Revocalized text* | Revocalized text, text in which only the vowels differ from the vowels of the Masoretic text, is indicated by purple asterisks on either side of the revocalization. |
(Click diagram to enlarge)
Paragraph Divisions
- The topic of vv. 2-5b is הַשָּׁמַ֗יִם, the first word of this section.
- In v. 5c, the topic changes (or rather narrows) to the sun (לַשֶּׁמֶשׁ), the first word of this section, which remains the topic up through v. 7.
- In v. 8a, the topic changes to תּ֘וֹרַ֤ת יְהוָ֣ה, the opening phrase of this section, and it remains the topic throughout vv. 8-11.
- Verse 12 also introduces a new topic ("your servant").
Word Order
- v. 2. The word order in the a-line is default (Subject, Verb-participle, Object). The word order in the b-line is arranged to form a chiasm with the a-line: S-V-O // O-V-S.
- v. 3. The predicates in v. 3 ("pours out speech... imparts knowledge") are presupposed, and the phrases י֣וֹם לְ֭יוֹם (v. 3a) and לַ֥יְלָה לְּ֝לַ֗יְלָה (v. 3b) are fronted for marked focus. If the grammatical analysis of v. 3 is correct and these phrases are the subjects of the clause, then the verse is explaining how the sky is speaking. In other words, v. 2 raises the question: "how is it that the sky is speaking?" Verse 3 provides the answer: "It's the movement of day to day that pours forth speech and the movement of night to night that imparts knowledge." Alternatively, if the PP's are adverbial (they pour out speech day after day..."), then the verse is highlighting the constancy of the sky's communication. Cf. Lunn 2006, 143—"Having stated the fact of the revelation of God in the universe (v. 2), the psalmist then expands upon this through these two bicola giving salience firstly to the time (day and night, v. 3) and then place (everywhere, v. 5) where this revelation is discernible. The initial M constituent in each instance is therefore made the dominant focal element."
- v. 5ab. The PP בְּכָל־הָאָ֨רֶץ׀ is fronted for marked focus (cf. Lunn MKD 2006, 299). The previous verse has stated (in negative terms) that not a single word of the heavens goes unheard. Verse 5 now states, in positive terms, that their words have gone forth throughout the whole earth (v. 5a), to the very edge of the world (v. 5b). There is no place on earth where their words are not heard.
- v. 5c. The fronted PP לַ֝שֶּׁ֗מֶשׁ is the topic of a new poetic paragraph (vv. 5c-7) (cf. Lunn MKD 2006, 299).
- v. 7ab. The word order in v. 7ab forms a chiasm (Sub-PP // PP-Sub), beginning and ending with the word קצה ("edge"). Verse 7ab thus iconically represents the sun's course from one edge to another. It may also be that the predicate complement מִקְצֵ֤ה הַשָּׁמַ֨יִם ׀ is fronted for marked focus. The subject of the clause, "his starting point" (מֽוֹצָא֗וֹ), is presupposed from the previous clause which mentions the sun's "course." The focus of v. 7a is, then, the location of the starting point: "from one edge of the sky."
- v. 12b. The PP בְּ֝שָׁמְרָ֗ם introduces a new topic. The first half of the verse is about what YHWH's word does to someone who doesn't keep it—they are warned. The second half of the verse then addresses what happens when YHWH's Word is kept. The word order in v. 12 also forms a chiasm (Subject—Pred with beth PP // Predicate with beth PP—Subject). (It would also be possible to read בְּ֝שָׁמְרָ֗ם as marked for focus—it's only in keeping YHWH's rules that one experiences great reward; those who fail to keep them have no hope of reward."
- vv. 13-14a. These three lines clauses discuss three different kinds of sin (see notes on lexical semantics). Each kind of sin is fronted as the topic of each clause (cf. Lunn MKD 2006, 299): "As for mistakes (שְׁגִיא֥וֹת), who can realize them? As for hidden sins (מִֽנִּסְתָּר֥וֹת), clear me from their guilt! And as for presumptuous sins (גַּ֤ם מִזֵּדִ֨ים), prevent me from committing them!"
Vocatives
- The psalm's only vocative is in the last clause (v. 15), and the vocative itself constitutes the last line of the poem: יְ֝הוָ֗ה צוּרִ֥י וְגֹאֲלִֽי. This seventh mention of YHWH's name in the final line of the poem is a poetic feature. Prior to this line, YHWH's name is mentioned six times (vv. 8-10). In a psalm that highlights the theme of "perfection" (cf. תמם in vv. 8, 14), the number six is a glaring imperfection. The tension is resolved in the final line of the poem (v. 15c), where YHWH's name is mentioned for the seventh time. This time, however, YHWH is not only the perfect lawgiver (vv. 8-10), but the one who protects and redeems his servant.
Discourse Markers
- v. 12. The particle גם in v. 12a signals that the information in v. 12a is an addition to the information in v. 11 (and perhaps also to the information in vv. 8-10) (cf. ESV: "Moreover...", CSB: "In addition..."). The preceding verse has elaborated on the value, desirability, and sweetness of YHWH's Word. Verse 12 then introduces new information about YHWH's Word: not only is it desirable and sweet, but it also warns those who fail to keep it (v. 12a) and rewards those who do (v. 12b).
- v. 14. The particle גם in v. 14 introduces the final request to round off the psalmist's plea for blamelessness. First, he requests forgiveness from hidden sins (v. 13b), and then he (in addition) requests protection from presumptuous sins (v. 14a) (cf. NET and CSB: "Moreover..."). The particle has scope over the entire clause; i.e., the entire proposition is marked as an addition.
- v. 14. אז. See note on grammar.
Conjunctions
- Waw conjunctions are used to coordinate clauses within a line (v. 4a) and lines within a verse (vv. 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 11, 14).
- The waw in v. 6a (וְה֗וּא) probably indicates that the verbless clause (וְה֗וּא כְּ֭חָתָן יֹצֵ֣א מֵחֻפָּת֑וֹ) is providing some background information, as often happens, e.g., in narrative passages (e.g., Gen 14:8 וּמַלְכִּי־צֶ֙דֶק֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ שָׁלֵ֔ם הוֹצִ֖יא לֶ֣חֶם וָיָ֑יִן וְה֥וּא כֹהֵ֖ן לְאֵ֥ל עֶלְיֽוֹן).
- On the definite article in v. 11, see notes on grammar. Formally, the article functions like a relative marker. Semantically, it introduces a conclusion: "For all of these reasons (vv. 8-10), they are..."
- ↑ When the entire utterance is new/unexpected, it is a thetic sentence (often called "sentence focus"). See our Creator Guidelines for more information on topic and focus.
- ↑ Frame setters are any orientational constituent – typically, but not limited to, spatio-temporal adverbials – function to "limit the applicability of the main predication to a certain restricted domain" and "indicate the general type of information that can be given" in the clause nucleus (Krifka & Musan 2012: 31-32). In previous scholarship, they have been referred to as contextualizing constituents (see, e.g., Buth (1994), “Contextualizing Constituents as Topic, Non-Sequential Background and Dramatic Pause: Hebrew and Aramaic evidence,” in E. Engberg-Pedersen, L. Falster Jakobsen and L. Schack Rasmussen (eds.) Function and expression in Functional Grammar. Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter, 215-231; Buth (2023), “Functional Grammar and the Pragmatics of Information Structure for Biblical Languages,” in W. A. Ross & E. Robar (eds.) Linguistic Theory and the Biblical Text. Cambridge: Open Book Publishers, 67-116), but this has been conflated with the function of topic. In brief: sentence topics, belonging to the clause nucleus, are the entity or event about which the clause provides a new predication; frame setters do not belong in the clause nucleus and rather provide a contextual orientation by which to understand the following clause.