Psalm 19/Test/Phrasal
From Psalms: Layer by Layer
Psalm 19 Phrase-Level Analysis & Diagrams
The following grammatical diagrams are zoomable, and the lexical and phrasal overlays can be toggled on/off. Notes on the semantic layers can be found beneath each verse's diagram.
About the Phrasal Layer
Phrasal Visuals for Psalm 19
V. 1
Preferred
Note for V. 1
Sample Phrase-level note for Ps 19:1
V. 2
Preferred
SimpleGrammar Fragment [v. 2] Clause Subject article: הַ the noun: שָּׁמַיִם sky Predicate verb-participle: מְסַפְּרִים is declaring Object ConstructChain noun: כְּבוֹד honor noun: אֵל God Conjunction conjunction: וּ and Clause Subject article: הָ the noun: רָקִיעַ firmament Predicate verb-participle: מַגִּיד is telling about Object ConstructChain <gloss="the workmanship of his hands"> noun: מַעֲשֵׂה workmanship noun: יָדָי hands suffix-pronoun: ו him Object <status="alternative"> noun: מַעֲשֵׂי <status="emendation">
Phrase-Level Notes
- 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 [characteristic]-Possessor").
V. 3
Preferred
SimpleGrammar Fragment [v. 3] Clause Subject Nominal ConstructChain noun: movement <status="elided"> noun: יוֹם day Adjectival PrepositionalPhrase Preposition preposition: לְ to Object noun: יוֹם day Predicate verb: יַבִּיעַ causes to bubble up >> pours out Object noun: אֹמֶר speech Conjunction conjunction: וְ and Clause Subject Nominal ConstructChain noun: movement <status="elided"> noun: לַיְלָה night Adjectival PrepositionalPhrase Preposition preposition: לְּ to Object noun: לַיְלָה night Predicate verb: יְחַוֶּה imparts Object noun: דָּעַת knowledge
Alternative 1: יוֹם//לַיְלָה as subjects and לְיוֹם and לְּלַיְלָה as adverbials
SimpleGrammar Fragment [v. 3 - alternative] <status="alternative"> Clause Subject noun: יוֹם day Predicate verb: יַבִּיעַ causes to bubble up >> pours out Adverbial PrepositionalPhrase Preposition preposition: לְ to Object noun: יוֹם day Object noun: אֹמֶר speech Conjunction conjunction: וְ and Clause Subject noun: לַיְלָה night Predicate verb: יְחַוֶּה imparts Adverbial PrepositionalPhrase Preposition preposition: לְּ to Object noun: לַיְלָה night Object noun: דָּעַת knowledge
Alternative 2: יוֹם לְיוֹם//לַיְלָה לְּלַיְלָה as adverbials
SimpleGrammar Fragment [v. 3 - alternative] <status="alternative"> Clause Subject Predicate verb: יַבִּיעַ causes to bubble up >> pours out Adverbial Nominal noun: יוֹם day Adjectival PrepositionalPhrase Preposition preposition: לְ to Object noun: יוֹם day Object noun: אֹמֶר speech Conjunction conjunction: וְ and Clause Subject Predicate verb: יְחַוֶּה imparts Adverbial Nominal noun: לַיְלָה night Adjectival PrepositionalPhrase Preposition preposition: לְּ to Object noun: לַיְלָה night Object noun: דָּעַת knowledge
V. 4
Preferred
SimpleGrammar Fragment [v. 4] Clause Subject noun: אֹמֶר speech Predicate Adverbial particle: אֵין there is no Conjunction conjunction: וְ and <height="200"> Clause Subject noun: דְּבָרִים words RelativeClause RelativeParticle particle: <status="elided"> whose Clause Subject ConstructChain <gloss="their sound"> noun: קוֹלָ sound suffix-pronoun: ם them <located="relative clause head"> Predicate verb-participle: נִשְׁמָע is being heard Adverbial particle: בְּלִי not Predicate Adverbial particle: אֵין there are no
Alternative - v. 4b as independent clause
SimpleGrammar Fragment [v. 4 - alternative] <status="alternative"> Clause Subject ConstructChain noun: קוֹלָ voice suffix-pronoun: ם them Predicate verb-participle: נִשְׁמָע is being heard Adverbial particle: בְּלִי not
Vv. 5-6a
Preferred
SimpleGrammar Fragment [vv. 5-6a] Clause Subject ConstructChain <gloss="their verse line"> noun: קַוָּ measuring line >> verse line suffix-pronoun: ם them Predicate verb: יָצָא has gone forth Adverbial PrepositionalPhrase Preposition preposition: בְּ throughout Object quantifier: כָל whole article: הָ the noun: אָרֶץ earth Conjunction conjunction: וּ and Clause Subject ConstructChain <gloss="their words"> noun: מִלֵּי words suffix-pronoun: הֶם them Predicate verb: יָצְאוּ <status="elided"> have gone forth Adverbial PrepositionalPhrase Preposition preposition: בִ throughout Object ConstructChain noun: קְצֵה edge noun: תֵבֵל world Fragment Clause Subject Predicate verb: שָׂם he has set up Adverbial PrepositionalPhrase Preposition preposition: לַ for Object article: הַ <status="elided"> the noun: שֶּׁמֶשׁ sun Adverbial PrepositionalPhrase Preposition preposition: בָּ in Object pronoun: הֶם them Object noun: אֹהֶל tent >> home Conjunction conjunction: וְ and Clause Subject pronoun: הוּא he Predicate verb: is Complement PrepositionalPhrase Preposition preposition: כְּ like Object noun: חָתָן a bridegroom Adjectival verb-participle: יֹצֵא coming out Adverbial PrepositionalPhrase Preposition preposition: מֵ of Object ConstructChain <gloss="his tent"> noun: חֻפָּת tent suffix-pronoun: וֹ him
Phrase-Level Notes
- On the first prepositional phrase (בְּכָל־הָאָרֶץ) with the verb יצא, cf. 1 Chron 15:3—וַיֵּצֵ֥א שֵׁם־דָּוִ֖יד בְּכָל־הָֽאֲרָצֹ֑ות. "Unlike English, Biblical Hebrew does not lexicalize the distinction between dynamic and static location" (BHRG 39.6). In this case, where the location is dynamic (verb יצא), it is glossed "throughout."
- The second prepositional phrase (וּבִקְצֵה תֵבֵל) is more difficult.
- Aquila translates it as καὶ εἰς τέλος (cf. LXX εις τα περατα), which might reflect the Hebrew text ולקצה (so BHS). The reading ולקצה would work well with the elided verb יצא (cf. Jer 23:15 יָצְאָ֥ה חֲנֻפָּ֖ה לְכָל־הָאָֽרֶץ). English translations—whether or not they are actually reading a different Hebrew text—gloss the PP in v. 5b similarly to Aquila: "into... to" (NIV), "throughout... to" (NLT), "through... to" (KJV, ESV, NET).
- Another solution would be to read the plural בקצי תבל (cf. LXX τα περατα; Jerome: finibus; Peshitta ܘܒܣܘ̈ܦܝܗܿ; Targum ובסייפי): "throughout the ends of the world."
- Another explanation is that the verb יצא is actually not elided in the b-line. Instead, the b-line is a verbless clause: "Their verse-line has gone out throughout the whole earth, and their words (are) in the end of the world" (cf. Deut 30:4—אִם־יִהְיֶ֥ה נִֽדַּחֲךָ֖ בִּקְצֵ֣ה הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם).
- Some scholars, however, suggest that the ב + singular is appropriate here (e.g., Craigie 1983; Kraus 1988, citing Brockelman 106a). An "edge" (קצה) is not just a thin border, but a space (cf. Gen 23:9—אֶת־מְעָרַ֤ת הַמַּכְפֵּלָה֙ אֲשֶׁר־לֹ֔ו אֲשֶׁ֖ר בִּקְצֵ֣ה שָׂדֵ֑הוּ), and the "edge" of the world is a large space. Just as the words of the heavens can travel "throughout" the whole earth, so that can travel "throughout" the world's edge. Cf. Jenni 1992, 222.
- The prepositional phrase לַ֝שֶּׁ֗מֶשׁ indicates the beneficiary (cf. Jenni 2000, rubric 3513 [lamed dativum]; cf. Mal 1:3).
- The prepositional phrase בָּהֶֽם refers to the heavens as the location of the sun's home (v. 2 'in them', so Theodoret 135; Hupfeld 1855, 412; Baethgen 1904, 56). This prepositional phrase connects the second strophe (which is about the sun) to the first strophe (which is about the heavens). It also corresponds poetically to the prepositional phrase בהם in v. 12 (גַּֽם־עַ֭בְדְּךָ נִזְהָ֣ר בָּהֶ֑ם).
Alternative - v. 5a read with קוֹלָם
SimpleGrammar Fragment <status="alternative"> Clause Subject ConstructChain noun: קוֹלָ <status="emendation"> voice suffix-pronoun: ם them Predicate verb: יָצָא has gone forth Adverbial PrepositionalPhrase Preposition preposition: בְּ in Object quantifier: כָל all article: הָ the noun: אָרֶץ earth Fragment <status="alternative"> Clause Subject ConstructChain <gloss="their words"> noun: מִלֵּי words suffix-pronoun: הֶם them Predicate verb: are Complement PrepositionalPhrase Preposition preposition: בִ in Object ConstructChain noun: קְצֵה edge noun: תֵבֵל world
V. 6b
Preferred
SimpleGrammar Fragment [v. 6b] Clause Subject Predicate verb: יָשִׂישׂ he is glad Adverbial PrepositionalPhrase Preposition preposition: כְּ like Object noun: גִבּוֹר a great one Adverbial PrepositionalPhrase Preposition preposition: לָ to Object Clause Subject Predicate verb-infinitive: רוּץ run Object noun: אֹרַח course
Phrase-Level Notes
- The prepositional phrase לָר֥וּץ modifies the verb ("is glad... to run"). Cf. 1 Sam 6:13—וַֽיִּשְׂמְח֖וּ לִרְאֹֽות (Jenni 2000, rubric 7924).
V. 7
Preferred
SimpleGrammar Fragment [v. 7] Clause Subject ConstructChain <gloss="his starting point"> noun: מוֹצָא starting point suffix-pronoun: וֹ him Predicate verb: is Complement PrepositionalPhrase <gloss="from the edge of the sky"> Preposition preposition: מִ from Object ConstructChain noun: קְצֵה edge Nominal article: הַ the noun: שָּׁמַיִם sky Conjunction conjunction: וּ and Clause Subject ConstructChain <gloss="his turning point"> noun: תְקוּפָת turning point suffix-pronoun: וֹ him Predicate verb: is Complement PrepositionalPhrase Preposition preposition: עַל at Object ConstructChain <gloss="its edges"> noun: קְצוֹתָ edges suffix-pronoun: ם them Conjunction conjunction: וְ and Clause Subject verb-participle: נִסְתָּר something hidden Adjectival PrepositionalPhrase Preposition preposition: מֵ from Object ConstructChain <gloss="his heat"> noun: חַמָּת heat suffix-pronoun: וֹ him Predicate Adverbial adverb: אֵין there is not
V. 8
Preferred
SimpleGrammar Fragment [v. 8] Clause Subject ConstructChain noun: תּוֹרַת instruction noun: יְהוָה YHWH Predicate verb: is Complement adjective: תְּמִימָה perfect Clause Subject <status="elided"> ConstructChain noun: תּוֹרַת instruction noun: יְהוָה YHWH Predicate Complement ConstructChain Nominal verb-participle: מְשִׁיבַת restoring noun: נָפֶשׁ life Fragment Clause Subject ConstructChain noun: עֵדוּת testimony noun: יְהוָה YHWH Predicate verb: is Complement verb-participle: נֶאֱמָנָה enduring Clause Subject <status="elided"> ConstructChain noun: עֵדוּת testimony noun: יְהוָה YHWH Predicate Complement ConstructChain Nominal verb-participle: מַחְכִּימַת making wise Nominal adjective: פֶּתִי simple
V. 9
Preferred
SimpleGrammar Fragment [v. 9] Clause Subject ConstructChain noun: פִּקּוּדֵי commandments noun: יְהוָה YHWH Predicate verb: are Complement adjective: יְשָׁרִים just Clause Subject <status="elided"> ConstructChain noun: פִּקּוּדֵי commandments noun: יְהוָה YHWH Predicate Complement ConstructChain Nominal verb-participle: מְשַׂמְּחֵי causing to rejoice noun: לֵב heart Fragment Clause Subject ConstructChain noun: מִצְוַת command noun: יְהוָה YHWH Predicate verb: is Complement adjective: בָּרָה flawless Clause Subject <status="elided"> ConstructChain noun: מִצְוַת command noun: יְהוָה YHWH Predicate Complement ConstructChain Nominal verb-participle: מְאִירַת giving light to noun: עֵינָיִם eyes
Vv. 10–11
Preferred
SimpleGrammar Fragment [vv. 10-11] Clause Subject ConstructChain <gloss="fearing YHWH"> noun: יִרְאַת fear noun: יְהוָה YHWH Predicate verb: is Complement adjective: טְהוֹרָה pure Clause Subject <status="elided"> ConstructChain <gloss="fearing YHWH"> noun: יִרְאַת fear noun: יְהוָה YHWH Predicate Complement verb-participle: עוֹמֶדֶת standing >> enduring Adverbial PrepositionalPhrase <gloss="forever"> Preposition preposition: לָ for Object noun: עַד forever Fragment Clause Subject ConstructChain Nominal noun: מִשְׁפְּטֵי rules RelativeClause RelativeParticle particle: הַ which Clause Subject Predicate Complement Nominal verb-participle: נֶּחֱמָדִים desirable Adjectival <gloss="more than gold, even much pure gold"> PrepositionalPhrase Preposition preposition: מִ more than Object noun: זָּהָב gold Conjunction conjunction: וּ and PrepositionalPhrase Preposition preposition: מִ more than Object noun: פַּז pure gold Adjectival adjective: רָב much Conjunction conjunction: וּ and Nominal adjective: מְתוּקִים sweet Adjectival <gloss="more than honey, even virgin honey from the honeycomb"> PrepositionalPhrase Preposition preposition: מִ more than Object noun: דְּבַשׁ honey Conjunction conjunction: וְ and ConstructChain noun: נֹפֶת virgin honey noun: צוּפִים honeycomb Nominal noun: יְהוָה YHWH Predicate Complement noun: אֱמֶת faithfulness >> true Clause Predicate verb: צָדְקוּ they are right Adverbial adverb: יַחְדָּו altogether
V. 12
Preferred
SimpleGrammar Fragment [v. 12] particle: גַּם also Fragment Clause Subject ConstructChain <gloss="your servant"> Nominal Adjectival <status="alternative"> adverb: גַּם even noun: עַבְדְּ servant suffix-pronoun: ךָ you Predicate verb-participle: נִזְהָר is warned Adverbial PrepositionalPhrase Preposition preposition: בָּ by Object pronoun: הֶם them Fragment Clause Subject Nominal noun: עֵקֶב reward Adjectival adjective: רָב great Predicate verb: is Complement PrepositionalPhrase Preposition preposition: בְּ in Object Clause Predicate verb-infinitive: שָׁמְרָ keeping Object suffix-pronoun: ם them
Phrase-Level Notes
- As Jenni notes, the suffix in בהם points back to the phrase משפטי יהוה and the preposition is a beth of realization --> beth of communication (Jenni 1992,169-170; cf. Pss 78:2; 119:46).
Vv. 13–14a
Preferred
SimpleGrammar Fragment [vv. 13-14a] Clause Subject pronoun: מִי who Predicate verb: יָבִין can realize Object noun: שְׁגִיאוֹת mistakes Fragment Clause Subject Predicate verb: נַקֵּ clear the guilt of Object suffix-pronoun: נִי me Adverbial PrepositionalPhrase Preposition preposition: מִ from Object Nominal verb-participle: נִּסְתָּרוֹת hidden things >> hidden sins Fragment particle: גַּם furthermore Fragment Clause Subject Predicate verb: חֲשֹׂךְ prevent Object ConstructChain <gloss="your servant"> noun: עַבְדֶּ servant suffix-pronoun: ךָ you Adverbial PrepositionalPhrase <gloss="from committing presumptuous sins"> Preposition preposition: מִ from Object adjective: זֵּדִים presumptuous sins Adverbial <status="alternative"> PrepositionalPhrase Preposition preposition: מִ from Object noun: זָּרִים <status="emendation"> foreigners
V. 14bc
Preferred
SimpleGrammar Fragment [v. 14bc] Clause Subject Predicate verb: יִמְשְׁלוּ let them rule Adverbial PrepositionalPhrase Preposition preposition: ב over Object pronoun: ִי me Adverbial adverb: אַל not Fragment particle: אָז then Fragment Clause Subject Predicate verb: אֵיתָם I will be blameless Conjunction conjunction: וְ and Clause Subject Predicate verb: נִקֵּיתִי I will be innocent Adverbial PrepositionalPhrase Preposition preposition: מִ of Object Nominal noun: פֶּשַׁע crime adjective: רָב great
V. 15
Preferred
SimpleGrammar Fragment [v. 15] Apposition Vocative noun: יְהוָה YHWH Vocative Nominal ConstructChain <gloss="my rock"> noun: צוּרִ rock suffix-pronoun: ִי me Conjunction conjunction: וְ and ConstructChain <gloss="my redeemer"> verb-participle: גֹאֲל redeemer suffix-pronoun: ִי me Fragment Clause Subject ConstructChain <gloss="the words of my mouth"> noun: אִמְרֵי words noun: פ mouth suffix-pronoun: ִי me Conjunction conjunction: וְ and ConstructChain <gloss="the meditation of my heart"> noun: הֶגְיוֹן meditation noun: לִבּ heart suffix-pronoun: ִי me Predicate verb: יִהְיוּ let them be Adverbial PrepositionalPhrase Preposition preposition: לְפָנֶי before Object pronoun: ךָ you Complement PrepositionalPhrase <gloss="acceptable"> Preposition preposition: לְ for Object noun: רָצוֹן acceptance
Phrase-Level Notes
- The preposition ל in the phrase לרצון is a lamed of reevaluation (cf. Jenni 2000, 40, rubric 133). Lit.: "let the words of my mouth... become acceptance" >> "be acceptable".