Psalm 20 Grammar
From Psalms: Layer by Layer
About the Grammar Layer
The grammar layer visually represents the grammar and syntax of each clause. It also displays alternative interpretations of the grammar. (For more information, click "Expand" to the right.)
The grammatical diagram provides a way to visualise how different parts of a sentence work together. It represents the “surface-level” grammar, or morphosyntax, of a sentence. Morphosyntax includes both the form of words (morphology) and their placement in the sentence (syntax). This approach to visualising the text, based on the Reed-Kellogg diagramming method, places the grammatical subject in one slot, the verb in another slot, and modifiers and connectives in other slots.
For a detailed description of our method, see the Grammar Creator Guidelines.
Grammar Visuals for Psalm 20
For legend, click "Expand" to the right
| Grammatical Term | Definition | Diagram | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clausal Additions | |||
| Subject | The subject performs the action of the active verb or receives the action of a passive verb. With intransitive verbs |
Indicated at the beginning of the main clausal line, and followed by a vertical line that crosses over the main clause line (separating the subject from the predicate). |
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| Direct Object | Object that receives the direct action of a (transitive) verb | Indicate with a vertical line up from main clausal line | 
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| Predicate adjective/ Subject complement |
A word used with a linking verb (ex. "to be"), renaming or restating the subject. Can be a whole prepositional phrase. |
Indicate with a vertical slanted line up from the main clausal line. It can be on a stand if it is an embedded clause. |
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| Object Complement | Word following a direct object to state what it has become. | Indicate with a vertical slanted line up from the main clausal line. |
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| Infinitives | Can be subject, adverbial, or an infinitive construct. | Indicate with double vertical lines that cross the main clausal line. If used adverbially (ie. an embedded clause), place on a stand. |
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| Participles | A verbal noun/adjective that can be used in three positions: (1) substantival; (2) attributive; (3) predicative. |
Indicate with a round vertical line. Substantival participles are placed on a stand (they are embedded). Attributive participles are placed with a rounded line underneath what is modified. |
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| Modifiers | |||
| Adjectives | A word modifying a noun to indicate quality, quantity, extent, or differentiating something from something else. |
Indicate with a slanted line down from what is modified. |
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| Adverbs | A word that modifies a verb, adverb, adjective, prepositional phrase, clause, or sentence to express a relation (ex. manner, quality, or time). |
Indicate with a slanted line down from what is modified. | 
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| Construct relationships | Construction can express many different relationships between two (or more) nouns. English grammarians call this construction a ‘Construct’ (our term) or ‘Genitive’ phrase; Hebrew grammarians call it smīḵūt (סְמִיכוּת). |
Indicate with a stair-step down from the modified word/clause/phrase. |
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| Prepositional phrases | A phrase that consists of a preposition and its object and has adjectival or adverbial value | Indicate with a slanted vertical line connecting to a new clause. |
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| Connectives | (1) Coordinating conjunctions join together words or word groups of equal grammatical rank (2) Subordinating conjunctions join a main clause and a clause which does not form a complete sentence by itself. |
Indicate with a dashed line down from a vertical line marker. |
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| Embedded clause | A clause inside another clause which can include substantival participles, adverbial infinitives, and prepositional phrases. |
Indicate using stilts. | 
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| Particles | |||
| Subordinating particle | Indicates a dependent clause. |
Indicate with a dashed line down from the antecedent to the pronoun. |
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| Apposition | A word that is functioning as an explanatory equivalent as another in the sentence | Place on a line apart from the diagram but next to the word it is the equivalent of with an equal sign in between. |
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| Vocative | Indicating a person being addressed (usually with a 2nd person verb) | Place on a line apart from the diagram next to the '()' indicating the gapped subject an equal sign in between. |
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Master Diagram
v. 1
v. 2
v. 3
- Instead of the MT reading (“From sanctuary” - מִקֹּדֶשׁ), the Targum and Syriac versions contain the suffix pronoun third person, masculine, singular (which in Hebrew would be מִקְדָּשֹׁו - “From his sanctuary”). Those in favor of the emendation suggest the suffix pronoun was omitted in the MT due to haplography because the word subsequent to מִקֹּדֶשׁ starts with a waw (מִקֹּדֶשׁ וּמִצִּיֹּון) (cf. Craige 2004: 184). Some modern translations (NLT: "from his sanctuary;" CEV, GNT, NET: "from his temple") follow the reading with the suffix pronoun (מִקְדָּשֹׁו) represented in blue as an emendation. Nevertheless, the MT reading is supported by the absence of the suffix pronoun in the Greek version.
v. 4
- Singular or plural?
- Offering (מִנְחֹתֶךָ) “is a plural written defectively: מִנְחֹתֶךָ. A few manuscripts write it fully: מִנְחֹתֶיךָ. The Greek text and Jerome have the singular, equal to מִנְחָתְךָ, which the form in the text without the yod would suggest to the translators” (Ross 2011, 489).
- Burnt-offering (וְעֹולָתְךָ) is read as singular in the MT; however, a few manuscripts along with the Peshitta and the Targum read the plural form עֹולֹתֶיךָ.
- Manuscript evidence can support reading the nouns as either singular or plural (cf. Jacobson and Tanner 2014, 217, and Craigie 2004, 184). However, we have chosen to follow the singular reading (מנחתך and ועולתך) instead of the plural reading (מנחתיך and ועולתיך) for several reasons. First, the consonantal text of the MT for both words uses singular orthography (i.e. the expected orthography of the plural would contain a yod - מנחתיך and ועולתיך). In turn, the LXX translates both nouns as singular. Second, when מִנְחָה and עֹלַה appear in parallel, they tend to be singular (cf. Num. 28:31, 29:6; Jer. 14:12). Third, the nouns should match in number because the grain offering and burnt offering would have been offered together (see Briggs 1906: 181). In this case, כָּל in כל־מנחתך is similar to the occurrences in Lev. 6:16 (וְכָל־מִנְחַת כֹּהֵן - every offering of a priest), Num. 18:9 (כָל־מִנְחָתָם - every offering of theirs), and 1 Sam. 2:29 (כָּל־מִנְחַת יִשְׂרָאֵל לְעַמִּי - every offering of my people Israel). Likewise, we opt to translate כל־מנחתך as "every offering of yours." This translation reflects the consonantal text of the MT (which uses singular orthography - מנחתך your offering and ועולתך your burnt offering). Hence, v. 4 translates as "May he remember every offering of yours and accept your burnt offering."
- The verb דשן in the Piel stem occurs only five times in the Bible (Ps. 20:4; 23:5; Exod. 27:3; Num. 4:13; Prov. 15:30), and it has four different senses (cf. SDBH and AnLexHeb). In Ps. 20:4, it occurs as a Piel yiqtol 3ms with an unusual ending: יְדַשְּׁנֶה (May he accept).
- Although we prefer the MT reading יְדַשְּׁנֶה, scholars have suggested three other alternatives. We will consider each of them before presenting the reasons for our preferred view.
- Based on the BHS critical apparatus, one alternative is to read the MT verb יְדַשְּׁנֶה as יְדַשְּׁנֶהָ (verb דשן plus a 3fs pronominal suffix, which could be written either as נֶהָ- or נָהּ- [cf. BDB]). This option would result in a translation as "May he accept it" (Gesenius [§48d, 130], Bauer and Leander [§45c, 329], BDB, and HALOT).
- A second option mentioned in the BHS critical apparatus is to emend יְדַשְּׁנֶה to יִדְרְשֶׁנָּה ("May he require it" cf. DCH; cf. Ehrlich 1905: 41), and assume that the ר has dropped out (Kraus 1988: 278; he translates as "May he ask about [it]" [277]). In this emendation, the 3fs pronominal suffix is accompanied by an energic nun resulting in the form נָּה. The energic nun would serve a phonetic purpose but would not have an effect on the meaning (see more on Joüon §61f, 160 and Gesenius §58i, 157-158).
- A third proposal (not included in BHS) is to read the word as יִרְצֶנָה (Cheyne 1904: 82), meaning "May he be pleased with it."
- We prefer the MT verb יְדַשְּׁנֶה and read it as a rare third-person cohortative/volitive form (Briggs 1906: 181) identical in meaning to a typical jussive ("May he accept"). Morphologically, Dallaire has identified some rare occurrences of the prefix and paragogic ה ָ occurring in second and third-person cohortative verbs. יְדַשְּׁנֶה is one of those occurrences (cf. Dallaire 2014: 108-109; other examples include Deut. 33:16 [תָּבֹ֨ואתָה֙]; Job 11:17 [תָּ֝עֻ֗פָה]; Isa. 5:19 [וְתָבֹ֗ואָה]). Additionally, the verb יְדַשְּׁנֶה ("May he accept") fits the context of the psalm better than יִדְרְשֶׁנָּה ("May he require it"). The petition was not for God to require the offerings but to accept them, which would result in divine protection and favor on the day of trouble (cf. Briggs 1906: 178, Barnes 1868: 179). Last, while the various alternative readings are mentioned in the scholarly literature, they are not reflected in modern translations.
- Although we prefer the MT reading יְדַשְּׁנֶה, scholars have suggested three other alternatives. We will consider each of them before presenting the reasons for our preferred view.
v. 5
v. 6
- The MT reads נִדְגֹּל ("May we array ourselves with banners") possibly from the root דגל (to raise, to lift up a banner). Based on the BHS critical apparatus, the LXX has the form μεγαλυνθησόμεθα (We shall be magnified), perhaps reading נַגְדִּל or נְגַדֵּל instead of נִדְגֹּל (MT reading). Therefore, the LXX as well as Jerome’s translations (magnificabimur - iuxta LXX) might be assuming the root גדל (be great) instead of דגל (raise a banner). The BHS suggests the emendation נָגִיל (we will/shall rejoice). According to Craigie, the LXX reading “μεγαλυνθησόμεθα ‘we shall be magnified,’ presupposing נגדל, is probably an error, or was based on a Heb. text in which (erroneous) metathesis had taken place” (Craigie 2004, 184). Some modern translations have opted to follow the LXX reading resulting in the following translations:
- "We will rejoice in the name of our God!" (NET).
- "and celebrate your triumph by praising our God" (GNT).
v. 7
v. 8
- From the verb boast נַזְכִּיר (v. 8b), the verb יַזְכִּירוּ or הִזְכִּירוּ could be supplied for v. 8a. In addition, for the verb נַזְכִּיר (v. 8b), the LXX has μεγαλυνθησόμεθα as in v. 6 (perhaps reading נַגְדִּל or נְגַדֵּל or נָגִיל - cf. note on v.6). Based on the BHS critical apparatus, Syriac translators seem to have read the MT word נַזְכִּיר (from the root זכר - to remember) as נַגְבִּיר (from the root גבר to be strong, to overpower). Syriac: ܢܥܫܢ - "ˁšn vb. e/a to be strong" (cf. CAL).
- Hiphil of זכר plus בְּ - "To make laudatory mention of a matter, to praise it, and therefore indirectly to boast of it, glory in it" Delitzsch 1883, 363). זכר verb hiphil "= causative action by which humans or deities cause information that is stored in someone else's mind to be reprocessed by speaking about it -- to bring to remembrance; to mention" (SDBH).
- LXX: "οὗτοι ἐν ἅρμασιν καὶ οὗτοι ἐν ἵπποις, ἡμεῖς δὲ ἐν ὀνόματι Κυρίου θεοῦ ἡμῶν μεγαλυνθησόμεθα."
- LXX reads μεγαλυνθησόμεθα from "μεγαλύνω, exalt; glorify; magnify" (LXGRCANLEX).
- μεγαλύνω: to praise a person in terms of that individual’s greatness—‘to praise the greatness of" (Louw-Nida 1996: 429).
- Jerome’s translation (iuxta LXX): "hii in curribus et hii in equis nos autem in nomine Domini Dei nostri invocabimus."
- It reads invocabimus from invocare (to call upon, pray for).
- Jerome’s translation (iuxta Hebraeos): "hii in curribus et hii in equis nos autem nominis Domini Dei nostri recordabimur."
- It reads recordabimur from recordare (to remember, call to mind).
- Targum: אילין ברתיכין ואילין בסוסון ואנחנא בשום ייי אלהנא נדכר
- נדכר from דכר to remember, recall, remind (CAL)
- Syriac: ܗܠܝܢ ܒܡܪ̈ܟܒܬܐ ܘܗܠܝܢ ܒܪ̈ܟܫܐ܂ ܘܚܢܢ ܒܫܡܗ ܕܡܪܝܐ ܐܠܗܢ ܢܥܫܢ
- ܢܥܫܢ܂ to be strong, to overcome, to be heavy (CAL)
- English translations also differ on their reading of the verb in v. 8b
- NIV, ESV, CEV, GNT, NET: to trust
- NLT, NEB, REB: to boast
- NASB: to praise
- CSB, NRSV: to take pride
- NJB, JPS, 1985: to call on
v. 9
v. 10
- The Masoretic accentuation includes an athnach below הוֹשִׁיעָה (Grant victory!), suggesting a break between יְהוָה הוֹשִׁיעָה (YHWH, grant victory!) and הַמֶּלֶךְ (the king). The BHS editors propose that the athnach should be placed under הַמֶּלֶךְ (the king) instead. Although both readings have supporting evidence, we have opted to place the division after הַמֶּלֶךְ (the king). As a result הַמֶּלֶךְ (the king) is the direct object of הוֹשִׁיעָה (YHWH, grant victory to the king!). Please see the exegetical issue The Division of Psalm 20:10 for detailed information.