Psalm 22 Poetic Structure
Have you forsaken me?
Psalm 22
Poetic Structure
In poetic structure, we analyse the structure of the psalm beginning at the most basic level of the structure: the line (also known as the “colon” or “hemistich”). Then, based on the perception of patterned similarities (and on the assumption that the whole psalm is structured hierarchically), we argue for the grouping of lines into verses, verses into sub-sections, sub-sections into larger sections, etc. Because patterned similarities might be of various kinds (syntactic, semantic, pragmatic, sonic) the analysis of poetic structure draws on all of the previous layers (especially the Discourse layer).
Poetic Macro-structure
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. |
Notes
- The macrostructure involving two "halves" of the psalm, from vv. 2–22 and vv. 23–32, with the first divided into vv. 2–11 and 12–22, is standard in the literature.[1]
- We differ only from van der Lugt's analysis in that where he considers vv. 15–16 and vv. 17–19 sections, we prefer to divide these verses into vv. 15–17 and 18–19, primarily in light of the person shift and line-initial אספר in v. 18, an indicator of a new section in this psalm (cf. v. 23).
Line Divisions
Line division divides the poem into lines and line groupings. We determine line divisions based on a combination of external evidence (Masoretic accents, pausal forms, manuscripts) and internal evidence (syntax, prosodic word counting and patterned relation to other lines). Moreover, we indicate line-groupings by using additional spacing.
When line divisions are uncertain, we consult some of the many psalms manuscripts which lay out the text in lines. Then, if a division attested in one of these manuscripts/versions influences our decision to divide the text at a certain point, we place a green symbol (G, DSS, or MT) to the left of the line in question.
| Poetic line division legend | |
|---|---|
| Pausal form | Pausal forms are highlighted in yellow. |
| Accent which typically corresponds to line division | Accents which typically correspond to line divisions are indicated by red text. |
| | | Clause boundaries are indicated by a light gray vertical line in between clauses. |
| G | Line divisions that follow Greek manuscripts are indicated by a bold green G. |
| DSS | Line divisions that follow the Dead Sea Scrolls are indicated by a bold green DSS. |
| M | Line divisions that follow Masoretic manuscripts are indicated by a bold green M. |
| Number of prosodic words | The number of prosodic words are indicated in blue text. |
| Prosodic words greater than 5 | The number of prosodic words if greater than 5 is indicated by bold blue text. |
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. |
Notes
- v. 4 – Rahlfs' LXX has only one line for this verse (see, e.g., Sinaiticus). BL Or 2373 has the two lines we have preferred here, following also the atnakh accent.
- v. 12 – The LXX (see Rahlfs, Sinaiticus), BL Or 2373 and Harley Ms 5711 all combine the first two lines of this verse. The three-line verse we have preferred here is supported by the clausal division.[2]
- v. 15 – Perhaps as an attempt to avoid the only four-line verse in the psalm, the LXX has combines the third and fourth lines of this verse (with a resultant word count of 2-2-6), while BL Or 2373 combines the first two lines (with a resultant word count of 4-3-3). Nevertheless, the four-line verse we have preferred here is supported by the clausal division.[3]
- v. 16 – Our three-line verse[4] is supported by the accents and the clausal divisions. (On the other hand, mss BL Or 2373 and Harley Ms 5711 combine the first two lines.)
- v. 25 – Despite a slight imbalance in prosodic words (6-3-3), our three-line division of this verse is supported by the clausal divisions, the accents, and the LXX and BL Or 2373.
- ↑ See, e.g., Auffret 1998, Fokkelman 2000, van der Lugt 2006.
- ↑ See also van der Lugt 2006, 239 and Labuschagne.
- ↑ See also van der Lugt 2006, 239 and Labuschagne.
- ↑ Cf. van der Lugt 2006, 239 and Labuschagne.