Psalm 24 Emotional
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Psalm 24/Emotional
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Meeting the king
Psalm 24
Please note: Resources for Psalm 24 are in the process of being reformatted for visual consistency and improved functionality.
Emotional Analysis
This layer explores the emotional dimension of the biblical text and seeks to uncover the clues within the text itself that are part of the communicative intent of its author. The goal of this analysis is to chart the basic emotional tone and/or progression of the psalm.
For a detailed explanation of our method, see the Emotional Analysis Creator Guidelines.
Emotional Analysis Chart
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. |
| Verse | Text (Hebrew) | Text (CBC) | Proposition (Emotional Analysis) | The Psalmist Feels | Emotional Analysis Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | לְדָוִ֗ד מִ֫זְמ֥וֹר | By David. A psalm. | • "Our psalm opens with a declaration of ownership which... emphasizes the identity of the divine owner rather than the act of creation itself" (Sumpter, 2014, 46) | ||
| לַֽ֭יהוָה הָאָ֣רֶץ וּמְלוֹאָ֑הּ תֵּ֝בֵ֗ל וְיֹ֣שְׁבֵי בָֽהּ׃ | The earth and its fullness belong to YHWH, the world and the inhabitants in it, | The earth belongs to YHWH | • Sober and reverential that YHWH has all authority over creation and therefore establishes the boundaries of worship | ||
| 2 | כִּי־ה֭וּא עַל־יַמִּ֣ים יְסָדָ֑הּ | because he has founded it upon the seas | YHWH establishes the earth | • awe at YHWH's creative power | • See verbal semantics for ongoing preservation of the world |
| וְעַל־נְ֝הָר֗וֹת יְכוֹנְנֶֽהָ׃ | and keeps it established upon the currents. | ||||
| 3 | מִֽי־יַעֲלֶ֥ה בְהַר־יְהוָ֑ה | Who may go up on the mountain of YHWH? | Someone goes up on YHWH's mountain | • In awe and unworthy to stand within his holy place on his own account • Humbled and thankful that he may stand within his holy place • Confident that he may stand within his holy place • Zealous for others to meet the requirements |
• The challenge of entering ➞ unworthy + simultaneously thankful (Mowinckel 1962; Wilson 2002) |
| וּמִי־יָ֝קוּם בִּמְק֥וֹם קָדְשֽׁוֹ׃ | And who may stand within his holy place? | Someone stands within YHWH's holy place | |||
| 4 | נְקִ֥י כַפַּ֗יִם וּֽבַר־לֵ֫בָ֥ב | One with clean hands and a pure heart, | Someone has integrity | • Zealous for others to have clean hands and a pure heart | |
| אֲשֶׁ֤ר׀ לֹא־נָשָׂ֣א לַשָּׁ֣וְא *נַפְשׁוֹ* | who has not delighted in falsehood, | Someone delights in idols | • Contempt for those who have delighted in falsehood or taken an oath deceitfully | ||
| וְלֹ֖א נִשְׁבַּ֣ע לְמִרְמָֽה׃ | nor taken an oath deceitfully. | Someone swears by idols | |||
| 5 | יִשָּׂ֣א בְ֭רָכָה מֵאֵ֣ת יְהוָ֑ה וּ֝צְדָקָ֗ה מֵאֱלֹהֵ֥י יִשְׁעֽוֹ׃ | He will receive blessing from YHWH and privilege from the God of his salvation. | YHWH gives someone blessing and privilege | • Thankful and joyful that this blessing is promised to the pure • Assured that he will receive justice from the God of his salvation |
• See verbal semantics for indicative ישׂא • By declaring this reality the hearer receives an implicit promise |
| 6 | זֶ֭ה דּ֣וֹר דֹּרְשָׁ֑יו מְבַקְשֵׁ֨י פָנֶ֖יךָ יַעֲקֹ֣ב סֶֽלָה׃ | Such is the generation—those seeking him, those who seek your face—of Jacob. Selah. | YHWH gives those seeking him blessing and privilege | • Thankful and joyful that he forms part of those who seek YHWH's face • Assured that seeking YHWH's face with right character results in blessing and justice | |
| 7 | שְׂא֤וּ שְׁעָרִ֨ים׀ רָֽאשֵׁיכֶ֗ם | Lift up your heads, gates, | The elders receive the king | • Confident that the glorious king is uniquely authoritative and worthy to be enthroned • Joyful that the glorious king meets with his people • Zealous that the city's inhabitants lift up their heads and open (= anticipate YHWH's entry and welcome him) • Expectantly hopeful that he will enter |
• See story behind for lift up your head as encouragement • The psalmist aligns himself with the city's response to YHWH's entrance: hopeful anticipation • If the warrior is returning from a battle already won, the city's reception will be relief, assurance & joy |
| וְֽ֭הִנָּשְׂאוּ פִּתְחֵ֣י עוֹלָ֑ם | and be lifted up, eternal doorways, | ||||
| וְ֝יָב֗וֹא מֶ֣לֶךְ הַכָּבֽוֹד׃ | so that the glorious king might enter! | ||||
| 8 | מִ֥י זֶה֮ מֶ֤לֶךְ הַכָּ֫ב֥וֹד | Who is this, the glorious king? | Someone is the glorious king | • Confident that YHWH is the glorious king who has been victorious • In awe that YHWH is the God of his people | |
| יְ֭הוָה עִזּ֣וּז וְגִבּ֑וֹר | YHWH, a mighty one and a warrior; | YHWH is the glorious king | |||
| יְ֝הוָ֗ה גִּבּ֥וֹר מִלְחָמָֽה׃ | YHWH, a battle warrior. | YHWH is a battle warrior | |||
| 9 | שְׂא֤וּ שְׁעָרִ֨ים׀ רָֽאשֵׁיכֶ֗ם | Lift up your heads, gates, | The elders receive the king | • Confident that the glorious king is uniquely authoritative and worthy to be enthroned • Joyful that the glorious king meets with his people • Zealous that the city's inhabitants lift up their heads and open (= anticipate YHWH's entry and welcome him) • Expectantly hopeful that he will enter | |
| וּ֭שְׂאוּ פִּתְחֵ֣י עוֹלָ֑ם | and lift up, eternal doorways, | ||||
| וְ֝יָבֹא מֶ֣לֶךְ הַכָּבֽוֹד׃ | so that the glorious king might enter! | ||||
| 10 | מִ֤י ה֣וּא זֶה֮ מֶ֤לֶךְ הַכָּ֫ב֥וֹד | Who is this, the glorious king? | Someone is the glorious king | • Confident that YHWH is the glorious king who has been victorious • In awe that YHWH is the God of his people | |
| יְהוָ֥ה צְבָא֑וֹת ה֤וּא מֶ֖לֶךְ הַכָּב֣וֹד סֶֽלָה׃ | YHWH of armies, he is the glorious king. Selah. | YHWH of armies is the glorious king |
Summary Visual
(Click visual to enlarge).
This resource is forthcoming.
Affective Circumplex
The affective circumplex locates emotions on two axes: (1) positive vs. negative valence; and (2) active vs. passive activation. Since emotional terminology often carries unintended cultural connotations, the purpose of the circumplex is to ease translation of emotions across different languages and cultures.
