Psalm 23 Poetic Structure

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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 strophes, strophes into stanzas, 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

Psalm 023 - Poetic structure.jpg

  • v. 6c: For the revocalization of *וְשִבְתִּי*, see exegetical issue The Text of Ps. 23:6b (MT: וְשַׁבְתִּ֥י).


Notes

Most interpreters of Psalm 23 tend to divide the psalm into two major sections: vv. 1-4 // vv. 5-6.[1] This division corresponds to the imagery of shepherding and hospitality.

  • The first section (vv. 1-4) is bound together by the portrayal of YHWH as David's shepherd. The presence of similar sounds (cf. below) also binds vv. 1-4:
v. 1 רֹ֝עִ֗י לֹ֣א אֶחְסָֽר and v. 4 לֹא־אִ֘ירָ֤א רָ֗ע
vv. 2-4 - יְנַֽחֲמֻֽנִי - יַֽנְחֵ֥נִי - מֵ֖י מְנֻח֣וֹת יְנַהֲלֵֽנִי
  • This first section is further subdivided into two smaller sections (vv. 1-3 // v. 4). The following items bind vv. 1-3:
    • Participant analysis: David and YHWH are the participants in this section.
    • YHWH is spoken of in the 3rd person.
    • Ascending number of lines-per-verse (from monocolon to bicolon to tricolon).
    • Distribution of verb stem: Hiphil (יַֽנְחֵ֥נִי - יַרְבִּיצֵ֑נִי) and polel (יְשׁוֹבֵ֑ב) verbs occur only in this section.
    • References to the divine name frame this section: שְׁמֽוֹ / יְהוָ֥ה (cf. Ps 100: 1 and 4c for a similar case).
  • vv. 1-3 is also characterized by the passivity of the psalmist as he is "herded" by YHWH. Verse 4 interrupts the series of "herding" verbs as the psalmist acts (אֵלֵ֨ךְ - I walk).[2]
  • Unlike vv. 1-3 where YHWH is spoken of in the 3rd person, in v. 4 YHWH is addressed directly. Moreover, line 4c stands at the center of the psalm. The Hebrew words כִּי־אַתָּ֥ה עִמָּדִ֑י (“for you are with me”) in v. 4c are preceded and succeeded by 26 words, placing them at the very center of the psalm.[3]
  • The second section (vv. 5-6) is bound together by the portray of YHWH as David's host and by the repetition of sounds in תַּעֲרֹ֬ךְ ל and לְאֹ֣רֶךְ which forms an inclusio around vv. 5-6. Furthermore, this section is also linked by a static number of cola (both verses contain four lines each).
  • The two sections (vv. 1-4 // vv. 5-6) are joined together by a chiasm: The A-items present YHWH being spoken of in 3rd person and two participants (YHWH and David). The B-items, on the other hand, present YHWH being addressed directly (2nd person) and three participants (YHWH, David, and harm/adversaries).
A. YHWH 3rd person / Participants: David and YHWH
B. YHWH 2nd person / Participants: David, YHWH, potential harm
B'. YHWH 2nd person / Participants: David, YHWH, adversaries
A'. YHWH 3rd person / Participants: David and YHWH
  • In addition to the chiasm, the psalm as a whole is bound together as a unit by an inclusio of the divine name (which occurs at beginning and end of the psalm), the repetitions of 1cs suffix pronoun, and the preposition bet.
  • Concerning the structure of the psalm, Smith commented, "The opening of Psalm 23, vv. 1-3, depicts God before the psalmist. The middle of the poem, v. 4, describes God with the psalmist. The end of the poem, vv. 5-6, invokes divine goodness and mercy to follow after the psalmist. The structure of the psalm, beginning, middle and end, represents how the divine presence goes before, with and after the psalmist, as the psalmist Journeys to the temple. The recognition of this pattern also highlights v. 4, the turning point of the psalm."[4]


Other observations

  • Psalm 23 is marked by a series of phonological connections; i.e., several words present similarity of sounds:
    • v. 1 (אֶחְסָֽר) and v. 6a (וָחֶ֣סֶד)
    • v. 2ab (בִּנְא֣וֹת) and (מְנֻח֣וֹת)
    • v. 2 (יְנַהֲלֵֽנִי) and v. 3 (יַֽנְחֵ֥נִי)
    • v. 2 (מְנֻח֣וֹת) and v. 4 (יְנַֽחֲמֻֽנִי) - Fokkelman commented, "the word יְנַֽחֲמֻֽנִי in v. 4 echoes the word מְנֻח֣וֹת in v. 2."[5]
    • v. 2 (דֶּ֭שֶׁא) and v. 5 (דִּשַּׁ֖נְתָּ)
    • v. 2 (מֵ֖י) and v. 6 (יְמֵ֣י)
    • v. 3 נַפְשִׁ֥י יְשׁוֹבֵ֑ב - The "feature-sharing sounds are š and p/b."[6]
    • v. 3 (יַֽנְחֵ֥נִי) and v. 4 (יְנַֽחֲמֻֽנִי)
    • v. 3 (בְמַעְגְּלֵי־צֶ֝֗דֶק) and v. 4 (בְּגֵ֪יא צַלְמָ֡וֶת)
    • v. 4 שִׁבְטְךָ֥ וּ֝מִשְׁעַנְתֶּ֗ךָ
    • v. 5 (תַּעֲרֹ֬ךְ לְ) and v. 6 (לְאֹ֣רֶךְ)
    • v. 5 alliteration of the letter shin: דִּשַּׁ֖נְתָּ בַשֶּׁ֥מֶן רֹ֝אשִׁ֗י
  • Lexical parallelism
    • vv. 1 and 4c: Repetition of the negative particle לֹא.
    • vv. 2 and 5: semantic parallelism related to liquids (v. 2 מֵ֖י [waters of] and v. 5 שֶּׁ֥מֶן [oil]).
    • vv. 3a and 6c: Repetition of the root שׁוּב (restore/return) if following the MT. One of the most debatable issues of Psalm 23 concerns the verb וְשַׁבְתִּי in v. 6c. Although the Masoretic text reads וְשַׁבְתִּי (from the root שׁוּב - "to return"), we have followed the majority position in revocalizing the MT וְשַׁבְתִּי to וְשִבְתִּי (from the root יָשַב - "to dwell"). See The Text of Ps. 23:6b for a detailed discussion.
    • v. 6bd: repetition of יוֹם (days).

Line Divisions

(For more information, click "Line Division Legend" below.)

Psalm 023 - Line division.jpg

  • v. 6c: For the revocalization of *וְשִבְתִּי*, see exegetical issue The Text of Ps. 23:6b (MT: וְשַׁבְתִּ֥י).


Notes

  • The proposed line division fully agrees with Jacobson, Fokkelman, Kissane, and Kraus.[7] For modern translations supporting this division, you may confer ESV, NRSV, etc.). It also accords with Van der Lugt's, Pardee's, and Wilson's divisions with the exception of v. 4ab (גַּ֤ם כִּֽי־אֵלֵ֨ךְ בְּגֵ֪יא צַלְמָ֡וֶת // לֹא־אִ֘ירָ֤א רָ֗ע) which they take as a tricolon (גַּ֤ם כִּֽי־אֵלֵ֨ךְ // בְּגֵ֪יא צַלְמָ֡וֶת // לֹא־אִ֘ירָ֤א רָ֗ע).[8] We favored reading גַּ֤ם כִּֽי־אֵלֵ֨ךְ בְּגֵ֪יא צַלְמָ֡וֶת as a single line for three main reasons: (1) there is no clause boundary between, (2) the accent on אֵלֵ֨ךְ is a conjunctive, (3) the LXX, Berlin Qu 680, and Nahal Hever scroll keep אלךְ and בגיא together on the same line.
  • vv. 1-3 present an ascending number of lines-per-verse (from monocolon to bicolon to tricolon).[9] The proposed division of Ps 23:1-3 into lines is reflected in the LXX according to Rahlfs' 1931 edition.
  • v. 4 is composed of one bicolon and one tricolon.
  • vv. 5 and 6 have two bicola each
  • Psalm 23 has four subsections (vv. 1-3 // v. 4 // v.5 // v.6) containing 19 lines arranged in a descending series of 6-5-4-4 cola.[10] Moreover, the psalm has 52 words with an average of 2 words per line.
  • Line 4c stands at the center of the psalm. The Hebrew words כִּי־אַתָּ֥ה עִמָּדִ֑י (“for you are with me”) in v. 4c are preceded and succeeded by 26 words, placing them at the very center of the psalm.[11] The centrality of v. 4c and the occurrence of the divine name in the first and last verses may serve to emphasize YHWH's presence with the psalmist. There was not one day of the psalmist's life when he was alone. YHWH is always with us.
  • vv. 1, 4a, and 6a are the longest lines of the psalm (4 prosodic words each).
  • The proposed division of Psalm 23 into lines is reflected in the LXX according to Rahlfs' 1931 edition with the exception of three verses (vv. 4, 5, and 6):
    • While the LXX divides v. 4 into one tricolon, we have divided this verse into one bicolon and one tricolon. This division is supported by the MT accents as well as the pausal forms. For example, the LXX places שִׁבְטְךָ֥ וּ֝מִשְׁעַנְתֶּ֗ךָ הֵ֣מָּה יְנַֽחֲמֻֽנִי׃ into one single line, but we divided this line into two lines because of the pausal form in וּ֝מִשְׁעַנְתֶּ֗ךָ.
    • Although the LXX has three lines for v. 5 and two lines for v. 6, we have divided both verses into four lines (=4 bicolic verselines). This division is supported by the MT accents, and it maintains the b-line with two words (all b-lines except v. 2b are composed of two words).
  • For an overview of other structural analyses, see Van der Lugt 2006, 252-253.[12]
  1. ↑ E.g., Craigie 2004, 204; VanGemeren 2008, 252; Jacobson 2014, 239; Kissane 1953, 103-104; Van der Lugt 2006, 250; Fokkelman 2003, 38; etc.
  2. ↑ Pardee 1990, 271-272.
  3. ↑ Cf. Van der Lugt 2006, 252.
  4. ↑ Smith 1988, 62 and 63.
  5. ↑ Fokkelman 2003, 39.
  6. ↑ Grosser 2023, 296.
  7. ↑ Jacobson 2014, 240; Fokkelman 2003, 38; Kissane 1953, 103-104; Kraus 1988, 303-304.
  8. ↑ Cf. Van der Lugt 2006, 250; Pardee 1990, 240-241; Wilson 2002, 430.
  9. ↑ Cf. Fokkelman 2003, 38.
  10. ↑ Fokkelman 2003, 40.
  11. ↑ Cf. Van der Lugt 2006, 252.
  12. ↑ See also O'connor, Charles. 1985. "The Structure of Psalm 23." LS 10: 206–230.