Psalm 2/Mathematical

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Mathematical

Fokkelman's prosody and syllable counts

The following table is from Fokkelman's Major Poems of the Hebrew Bible Volume 2, Appendix I.[1]

Strophe Verse Syllables per word Syllables per line Syllables per strophe
1 1 2.3.2 / 4.2.1 7 + 7 = 14 58
2 4.2.1 / 4.3.1 / 1.2.2.3 7 + 8 + 8 = 23
3 4.1.5 / 4.3.4 10 + 11 = 21
2 4 2.3.2 / 2! 2.2 7 + 6 = 13 47
5 1.3.3.3 / 5.5 10 + 10 = 20
6 3.3.2 / 1.2.1.2 8 + 6 = 14
3 7 4.1.1.2 / 2.2.2.2 / 2.2.4 8 + 8 + 8 = 24 63
8 2.3 / 4.2.4 / 6.2.1 5 + 10 + 9 = 24
9 3.2.2 / 2.2.4 7 + 8 = 15
4 10 3.3.3 / 4.3.1 9 + 8 = 17 56
11,12aα 2.1.2.3 / 3.3.3.1 8 + 10 = 18
12aβ,bcd 1.2.4.1 / 1.2.2.2 / 2.1.2.1 8 + 7 + 6 = 21
  • "28 cola with 224 syllables; average per colon 8.00"[2]
  • "I replace the word אדני in v.4b by the amply attested tetragrammaton and arrive at a division that yields the perfect 8."[3]
  • The inclusion of the divine name (יהוה) in 7a (along with the MT) instead of 7b "is supported by a good balance in words, 4 + 4 + 3, and an even better balance in syllables, 8 + 8 + 8 – the figure which is also the norm for the poem as a whole, and which is here realised at the moment of greatest intimacy, with a beautiful trio the total of which is repeated in v.8 (which is also the eight poetic line!)."[4]
  • "The total number of syllables in 8ab is 15, an excessively high number which prevents us from accommodating these five words in one colon."[5]
  • "The proportions at various levels underline the chiasm. First those of the strophes, measured in numbers of cola: strophes 1 + 4 = 7 + 7 cola = 14 // strophes 2 + 3 = 6 + 8 cola = 14. The inside pair contains 110 syllables, the outside pair 114 syllables, and the figures for A + A' are practically equal (58 and 56)."[6]
  • "Strikingly, Ps.97 shows the same proportions, at five levels:
    • Ps. 2: 4 strophes, 12 verses, 28 cola, 96 words, 224 syllables
    • Ps. 97: 4 strophes, 12 verses, 28 cola, 96 words, 224 syllables"[7],

Alternative prosody and syllable counts

Fokkelman counts 28 cola in Psalm 2, which gives the perfect 8.00 when dividing 224 (syllables). However, the delineation below below divides the text into 30 cola. If this is accepted, then the number of cola over syllables in psalm 2 is not a perfect integer. If, however, the number of syllables in psalm 2 are added to those of psalm 1 (224 + 144 = 368) and the total is divided by the total number of lines (16 + 30 = 46), then the result is the perfect integer 8.00.,

Cola distribution

Monocola

  • v.12d

Bicola

  • v.1ab
  • v.3ab
  • v.4ab
  • v.5ab
  • v.6ab
  • v.7ab ?
  • v.7cd ?
  • v.9ab
  • v.10ab
  • v.11ab

Tricola

  • v.2abc
  • v.8abc
  • v.12abc ?

Tetracola

  • v.7abcd ?
  • v.12abcd ?,

Classifying parallelisms

  • vv. 1-2. In v. 1, the a-line verb is qatal while the b-line verb is yiqtol, and in v. 2 the order is reversed: the a-line verb is yiqtol and the b-line verb is qatal. Thus, with respect to verb morphology, these two verses form a chiasm: A (רָגְשׁוּ – qatal), B (יֶהְגּוּ – yiqtol) // B’ (יִתְיַצְּבוּ – yiqtol), A’ (נֽוֹסְדוּ – qatal). The chiastic parallel structures in these first verses develop key “thoughts” in an aesthetically pleasing manner.
  • v. 1. Bicolon. Lines 1ab are parallel syntactically (Q – V – S // S – V – O), morphologically (רָגְשׁוּ [QPf3mp] // יֶהְגּוּ [QImpf3mp]; גוֹיִם [mpl]// לְאֻמִּים [mpl]), and semantically (גוֹיִם ≈ לְאֻמִּים; רָגְשׁוּ ≈ יֶהְגּוּ־רִיק), and together form a chiasm (a b // b’ a). The initial interrogative word לָמָּה is implicit in line B.
cגוֹיִ֑ם bרָגְשׁ֣וּ aלָ֭מָּה
b'יֶהְגּוּ־רִֽיק c'וּ֜לְאֻמִּ֗ים a'⟨⟩
  • v. 2. Tricolon (A/A'/B). Lines 2ab are parallel syntactically (V – S // S – V – M), morphologically (יִ֥תְיַצְּבוּ [DtImpf3mp] // נֽוֹסְדוּ [NPf3mp]; מְלָכִים [mpl]// רוֹזְנִים [mpl]), and semantically (יִתְיַצְּבוּ ≈ נֽוֹסְדוּ־יָחַד; מַלְכֵי־אֶרֶץ ≈ רוֹזְנִים), also forming a chiastic construction (ab // b’a’) that highlights the adversarial actions in this verse.
bמַלְכֵי־אֶ֗רֶץ aיִ֥תְיַצְּב֙וּ׀
a'נֽוֹסְדוּ־יָ֑חַד b'וְרוֹזְנִ֥ים
  • v. 2c The two parallel noun phrases at the end of this verse (יהוה, משׁיח) are critical to the Psalm. "The extra cola in v. 2 in the first strophe should be retained and read as a foundation for the theological development in this psalm. In the first strophe, vv. 1-3 each has two cola except v. 2 (cf. vv. 7, 8, 12). The extra cola in v. 2, על יהוה ועל משיחו is not in sync with the rest and hence is suggested to be a gloss, which by implication should be deleted. Yet this extra cola is the key that unlocks the rest of Psalm 2. It sets the stage for the text portraying these two characters, Yahweh and the messiah, interactively with each other and with the kings and the nations."[8]
‎עַל־יְ֜הוָה וְעַל־מְשִׁיחֽוֹ׃
  • v. 3. Bicolon. Syntax: (V – O // V – M – O); Morphology: (נְנַתְּקָה [DCoh1cp] // נַשְׁלִיכָה [HCoh1cp]; מוֹסְרוֹתֵימוֹ [mpl + מוsfx] // עֲבֹתֵימוֹ [mpl + מוsfx]); Lexical Semantics: (נְנַתְּקָה ≈ נַשְׁלִיכָה; מוֹסְרוֹתֵימוֹ ≈ עֲבֹתֵימוֹ). These lines are parallel though not chiastic.
bאֶת־מֽוֹסְרוֹתֵ֑ימוֹ aנְֽ֭נַתְּקָה
b'עֲבֹתֵֽימוֹ a'וְנַשְׁלִ֖יכָה מִמֶּ֣נּוּ
  • v.4. Bicolon. Like verse 3, verse 4 consists of two parallel lines which are not chiastic. The parallelism is semantic (paradigmatic), lexical, syntactic, and morphological.
bיִשְׂחָ֑ק aיוֹשֵׁ֣ב בַּשָּׁמַ֣יִם
b'יִלְעַג־לָֽמוֹ׃ a'אֲ֜דֹנָ֗י
  • v. 5. Bicolon. Verse 5 features another chiastic construction that syntactically puts the protagonists in angry, antithetical opposition: V-PP / PP- V.
bבְאַפּ֑וֹ aיְדַבֵּ֣ר אֵלֵ֣ימוֹ אָ֤ז
a'יְבַהֲלֵֽמוֹ׃ b'וּֽבַחֲרוֹנ֥וֹ
  • v. 6. Bicolon. The two poetic lines of v. 6 are syntactically dependent; together they form a single (7 word) clause. The prepositional phrase in the second half corresponds to the prepositional phrase in v. 2c: both begin with על (the only two occurrences of this preposition in the psalm) and both consist of four words.
‎מַלְכִּ֑י נָסַ֣כְתִּי וַ֭אֲנִי
‎עַל־צִ֜יּ֗וֹן הַר־קָדְשִֽׁי׃
  • v. 7. Tetracolon/two bicola. Verse 7 has two parallel statements: "You are my Son // I am your Father." The correspondences among the various constituents form a chiasm (see the colored text below). One may perhaps identify another set of parallelisms in 7ab (‎אֲסַפְּרָ֗ה אֶֽ֫ל חֹ֥ק יְֽהוָ֗ה // אָמַ֨ר אֵלַ֥י). Each of these lines has two constituents, both of which find parallels in the corresponding line: verbs indicating speech (אֲסַפְּרָ֗ה // אָמַ֨ר) and indirect objects marked by the same preposition (אֶֽ֫ל חֹ֥ק יְֽהוָ֗ה // אֵלַ֥י).
bאֶֽ֫ל חֹ֥ק יְֽהוָ֗ה aאֲסַפְּרָ֗ה
b'אֵלַ֥י a'אָמַ֨ר
d'אַ֑תָּה cבְּנִ֥י
c'יְלִדְתִּֽיךָ׃ הַיּ֥וֹם d'אֲ֜נִ֗י
  • v. 8. Tricolon (A/B/B'). The use of a tricolon at the center of Yahweh's 7-line decree may function to mark a climax.[9]
  • Lines 8bc, related to 8a syntagmatically (action/result) are parallel syntactically (V O OC // OC O [gapped V]), morphologically (נַחֲלָתֶךָ [fs noun / 2ms suffix] // אֲחֻזָּתְךָ [fs noun / 2ms suffix]), and semantically (נַחֲלָה ≈ אֲחֻזָּה) and form a chiasm (a b // b’ a’). There is gapping of the verb in 8c. Colon 8c is semantically heightened and a chiastic reversal of nominal expressions from 8b underscores the LORD’s promise.
שְׁאַ֤ל מִמֶּ֗נִּי
cנַחֲלָתֶ֑ךָ bג֭וֹיִם aוְאֶתְּנָ֣ה
b'אַפְסֵי־אָֽרֶץ׃ c'וַ֜אֲחֻזָּתְךָ֗ a'⟨⟩
  • v. 9. Bicolon. Lines 9ab are parallel syntactically (V+o M // M V+o), morphologically (תְּרֹעֵם/תִּרְעֵם [D/QImpf2ms / 3mp suf] // תְּנַפְּצֵם [DImpf2ms / 3mp suf]), and semantically (תְּרֹעֵם ≈ תְּנַפְּצֵם). The couplet forms a chiasm (a b // b’ a’).
bבְּשֵׁ֣בֶט בַּרְזֶ֑ל aתְּ֭רֹעֵם
a'תְּנַפְּצֵֽם׃ b'כִּכְלִ֖י יוֹצֵ֣ר
  • v. 10. Bicolon. Lines 10ab are parallel syntactically (S[voc] V // V S[voc]), morphologically (מְלָכִים [voc.n.mp] // שֹׁפְטִים [voc.n.mp]; הַשְׂכִּילוּ [H.Impv.2.m.pl.] // הִוָּסְרוּ [N.Impv.2.m.pl.]), and semantically (מְלָכִים ≈ שֹׁפְטֵי אָרֶץ; הַשְׂכִּילוּ ≈ הִוָּסְרוּ) and together form a chiasm (Voc. + Impv. // Impv. + Voc), thus observing the poet’s preference for chiastic arrangements.
bהַשְׂכִּ֑ילוּ aמְלָכִ֣ים וְ֭עַתָּה
a'שֹׁ֣פְטֵי אָֽרֶץ׃ b'הִ֜וָּסְר֗וּ
  • v. 11. Bicolon. Lines 11ab are parallel syntactically (V O M // V M), morphologically (עִבְדוּ [Q.Impv.m.pl] // גִילוּ [Q.Impv.m.pl]; בְּיִרְאָה [prep. בְּ + n.f.s.] // בִּרְעָדָה [prep. בְּ + n.f.s.]), and semantically (בְּיִרְאָה ≈ בִּרְעָדָה).
bבְּיִרְאָ֑ה אֶת־יְהוָ֣ה aעִבְד֣וּ
b'בִּרְעָדָֽה׃ a'וְ֜גִ֗ילוּ
  • v. 12abc' Tricolon? The lineation of this verse is difficult since there is no clear parallelism. The text below has thus been delineated syntactically.
נַשְּׁקוּ־בַ֡ר
פֶּן־יֶאֱנַ֤ף׀ וְתֹ֬אבְדוּ דֶ֗רֶךְ
כִּֽי־יִבְעַ֣ר כִּמְעַ֣ט אַפּ֑וֹ
  • v. 12e Monocolon. According to Watson, a monocolon may function structurally to "close a stanza or poem."[10]
‎‎אַ֜שְׁרֵ֗י כָּל־ח֥וֹסֵי בֽוֹ׃

,

Selah

The LXX has διάψαλμα (סלה) at the end of v. 2.,

Quotations / direct speech

Psalm 2 uses “direct discourse” to delineate the global structure.

  • Each stanza ends in a significant quotation (direct speech)—except for the last, where the silence of acquiescence is presupposed (the worldly kings have nothing more to say). See the table below.
  • The inner quotation of v. 3 brings stanza A to a close on an ironic note of defiance; it is incongruous for created beings to issue such self-commands (cohortatives) to their Creator!
  • The direct quotation of v. 6 both parallels and also dramatically responds to that of the enemies in v. 3. As in the case of stanza A, this quotation, now by Yahweh, brings stanza B to a close (parallel end closures, or structural epiphora). Fokkelman also notes that "verses 3 and 6 are both embedded speech that has not been marked by an inquit. The characters speaking here (the rulers of the earth versus God) do so in the first person (plural versus singular). In this way, the poetic lines form a parallelism at strophe level. Strophe 3 becomes even more explicit, as it announces in 7a + 7bα that God is quoted here."[11]
  • The speaker shifts from Yahweh in v. 6 to his chosen king in v. 7, thus also underscoring the support for a stanza break at this point. So Fokkelman writes, "The first person of the speaker in v.7a, who is expressly not the 'I' in v.6, marks the beginning of a strophe."[12]
  • The quotation of the LORD’s “decree” concludes the stanza (C) once more with embedded direct discourse (as in stanzas A and B). "God even speaks in seven clauses (here = cola) so that this strophe, after six introductory words, may be termed a complete divine oracle."[13],

Elision

  • vv.1-2. The interrogative לָמָּה is implied in v.1b and possibly also in v.2ab.
  • v.8bc. Verb gapping: אֶתְּנָה elided in b-line.,

Chiasms

The following sets of parallel lines are chiastic (the inclusion of v.7cd is questionable).

  • v.1ab
  • v.2ab
  • v.5ab
  • v.7cd
  • 8bc
  • 9ab
  • 10ab

See the above micro-structural analysis for details.,

Word order

  • v. 4a. יוֹשֵׁב בַּשָׁמַיִם is fronted to focus on the shift to a new topic/agent.
  • v. 4b. the subject/agent (אֲדֹנַי) is fronted for emphasis–It is the almighty ‘Lord’ (אֲדֹנַי—a form used only in reference to God) who mocks them!
  • v. 6a. The first person pronoun with preposed waw (וַאֲנִי) appears before the first person verbal form for emphasis (constituent focus), reflected in NET’s translation by “I myself”—which is reinforced also by the subsequent י alliteration.
  • v. 7ab. The divine name (יְהוָה) may be either the free member of the bound phrase חֹק יְהוָה or the preverbal subject of a new clause (יְהוָה אָמַר אֵלִי). According to the latter option, the subject, יְהוָה, is fronted as in v. 4ab.
  • v. 7c. The fronted subject complement (בְּנִי) is an instance of constituent focus.
  • v. 7d. The fronted temporal reference—“today!” (הַיּוֹם)—is an instance of constituent focus: “The emphasis on today also occurs in other types of covenant renewal ceremony; see Deut 26:17 and 30:19.”[14] The fronted personal pronoun (אֲנִי), an instance of [renewed] topic focus, corresponds to “my son” (בְּנִי) in the preceding line—also phonologically.,

Lunn on Word order

The following table has been adapted from Nicholas Lunn's Word-Order Variation in Biblical Hebrew Poetry, Appendix 2.[15] For a key to the various symbols and abbreviations, click here.

Ref. Text Constituent Order Colon-Type
1 לָמָּה רָגְשׁוּ גוֹיִם // וּלְאֻמִּים יֶהְגּוּ־רִיק Q V S // w-S V-O CAN//DEF
2 יִ֥תְיַצְּבוּ מַלְכֵי־אֶרֶץ // וְרוֹזְנִים נֽוֹסְדוּ־יָחַד / עַל־יְהוָה וְעַל־מְשִׁיחוֹ V S // w-S V-M / M w-M CAN//DEF/Nom
3 נְנַתְּקָה אֶת־מוֹסְרוֹתֵימוֹ // וְנַשְׁלִיכָה מִמֶּנּוּ עֲבֹתֵימוֹ V O // w-V M O CAN//CAN
4 יוֹשֵׁב בַּשָּׁמַיִם יִשְׂחָק // אֲדֹנָי יִלְעַג־לָמוֹ S V // S V M MKD//MKD
5 אָז יְדַבֵּר אֵלֵימוֹ בְאַפּוֹ // וּֽבַחֲרוֹנוֹ יְבַהֲלֵמוֹ C V M M // w-M V-o CAN//DEF
6 וַאֲנִי נָסַכְתִּי מַלְכִּי / עַל־צִיּוֹן הַר־קָדְשִׁי w-Spn V O / M MKD/Nom
7ab אֲסַפְּרָה אֶל חֹק / יְהוָה אָמַר אֵלַי V M / S V M CAN/MKD
7cd בְּנִי אַתָּה // אֲנִי הַיּוֹם יְלִדְתּֽיךָ Comp Spn // Spn M V-o Nom//MKD
8 שְׁאַל מִמֶּנִּי וְאֶתְּנָה גוֹיִם נַחֲלָתֶךָ // וַאֲחֻזָּתְךָ אַפְסֵי־אָֽרֶץ V M w-V O O // w-O O CAN2//Gap
9 תְּרֹעֵם בְּשֵׁבֶט בַּרְזֶל // כִּכְלִי יוֹצֵר תְּנַפְּצֵם V-o M // M V-o / CAN//DEF
10 וְעַתָּה מְלָכִים הַשְׂכִּילוּ // הִזָּסְרוּ שֹׁפְטֵי אָרֶץ w-M [Voc] V // V [Voc] CAN//CAN
11 עִבְדוּ אֶת־יְהוָה בְּיִרְאָה // וְגִילוּ בִּרְעָדָה V O M / w-V M CAN/CAN
12a-c נַשְּׁקוּ־בַר / פֶּן־יֶאֱנַף / וְתֹאבְדוּ דֶרֶךְ V-O / C-V / w-V M CAN/CAN/CAN
12de כִּֽי־יִבְעַר כִּמְעַט אַפּוֹ / אַשְׁרֵי כָּל־חוֹסֵי בוֹ C-V M S / Comp S CAN/Nom

,

Middle word (maqqef)

  • Total words: 77
  • Middle (39th) word: בְּנִי

This is indeed one of the most thematically important words/lines in the psalm.,

Middle word (independent lexemes)

  • Total words: 91
  • Middle (46th) word: אָמַר,

Middle line

  • v.7bc

יְֽהוָ֗ה אָמַ֨ר אֵלַ֥י
בְּנִ֥י אַ֑תָּה

  1. ↑ J.P. Fokkelman, Major Poems of the Hebrew Bible: At the Interface of Prosody and Structural Analysis, Vol. 2 (Assen: Van Gorcum, 2000), 388.
  2. ↑ J.P. Fokkelman, Major Poems of the Hebrew Bible: At the Interface of Prosody and Structural Analysis, Vol. 2 (Assen: Van Gorcum, 2000), 388.
  3. ↑ J.P. Fokkelman, Major Poems of the Hebrew Bible: At the Interface of Prosody and Structural Analysis, Vol. 2 (Assen: Van Gorcum, 2000), 57.
  4. ↑ J.P. Fokkelman, Major Poems of the Hebrew Bible: At the Interface of Prosody and Structural Analysis, Vol. 2 (Assen: Van Gorcum, 2000), 56.
  5. ↑ J.P. Fokkelman, Major Poems of the Hebrew Bible: At the Interface of Prosody and Structural Analysis, Vol. 2 (Assen: Van Gorcum, 2000), 56.
  6. ↑ J.P. Fokkelman, Major Poems of the Hebrew Bible: At the Interface of Prosody and Structural Analysis, Vol. 2 (Assen: Van Gorcum, 2000), 55.
  7. ↑ J.P. Fokkelman, Major Poems of the Hebrew Bible: At the Interface of Prosody and Structural Analysis, Vol. 2 (Assen: Van Gorcum, 2000), 57.
  8. ↑ Alan Kam-Yau Chan, Melchizedek Passages in the Bible (Warsaw/Berlin: De Gruyter Open Ltd., 2016), 233.
  9. ↑ Wilfred Watson, 'Classical Hebrew Poetry: A Guide to its Techniques (Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press, 2001), 170
  10. ↑ Wilfred Watson, 'Classical Hebrew Poetry: A Guide to its Techniques (Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press, 2001), 170.
  11. ↑ J.P. Fokkelman, Major Poems of the Hebrew Bible: At the Interface of Prosody and Structural Analysis, Vol. 2 (Assen: Van Gorcum, 2000), 55.
  12. ↑ J.P. Fokkelman, Major Poems of the Hebrew Bible: At the Interface of Prosody and Structural Analysis, Vol. 2 (Assen: Van Gorcum, 2000), 55.
  13. ↑ J.P. Fokkelman, Major Poems of the Hebrew Bible: At the Interface of Prosody and Structural Analysis, Vol. 2 (Assen: Van Gorcum, 2000), 55.
  14. ↑ Peter Craigie, Psalms. 1-50, Word Biblical Commentary (Waco: Word Books, 1983), 67.
  15. ↑ Nicholas Lunn, Word-Order Variation in Biblical Hebrew Poetry: Differentiating Pragmatics and Poetics (Milton Keynes: Paternoster, 2006).
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