Psalm 29 Speech Act
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Psalm 29/Speech Act
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The sound of YHWH
Psalm 29
Speech Act Analysis
The Speech Act layer presents the text in terms of what it does, following the findings of Speech Act Theory. It builds on the recognition that there is more to communication than the exchange of propositions. Speech act analysis is particularly important when communicating cross-culturally, and lack of understanding can lead to serious misunderstandings, since the ways languages and cultures perform speech acts varies widely.
For a detailed explanation of our method, see the Speech Act Analysis Creator Guidelines.
Summary Visual
Speech Act Analysis Chart
The following chart is scrollable (left/right; up/down).
| Verse | Hebrew | CBC | Sentence type | Illocution (general) | Illocution with context | Macro speech act | Intended perlocution (Think) | Intended perlocution (Feel) | Intended perlocution (Do) |
| Verse number and poetic line | Hebrew text | English translation | Declarative, Imperative, or Interrogative Indirect Speech Act: Mismatch between sentence type and illocution type |
Assertive, Directive, Expressive, Commissive, or Declaratory Indirect Speech Act: Mismatch between sentence type and illocution type |
More specific illocution type with paraphrased context | Illocutionary intent (i.e. communicative purpose) of larger sections of discourse These align with the "Speech Act Summary" headings |
What the speaker intends for the address to think | What the speaker intends for the address to feel | What the speaker intends for the address to do |
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) | Sentence type | Illocution (general) | Illocution with context | Macro speech act | Intended perlocution (Think) | Intended perlocution (Feel) | Intended perlocution (Do) | Speech Act Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | מִזְמ֗וֹר לְדָ֫וִ֥ד | A psalm by David. | Superscripton | |||||||
| הָב֣וּ לַֽ֭יהוָה בְּנֵ֣י אֵלִ֑ים | Ascribe [glory and strength] to YHWH, divine beings; | Imperative | Directive | Summoning the divine beings to ascribe all glory and strength to YHWH. | Summoning the divine beings to worship YHWH | The reader/listener will acknowledge YHWH's glory and strength. | The reader/listener will feel confident in YHWH's glory and strength. | The reader/listener will worship YHWH. | ||
| הָב֥וּ לַ֝יהוָ֗ה כָּב֥וֹד וָעֹֽז׃ | ascribe glory and strength to YHWH. | Imperative | Directive | Summoning the divine beings to ascribe all glory and strength to YHWH. | ||||||
| 2 | הָב֣וּ לַֽ֭יהוָה כְּב֣וֹד שְׁמ֑וֹ | Ascribe to YHWH the glory that his name deserves; | Imperative | Directive | Summoning the divine beings to acknowledge that YHWH deserves receiving glory. | |||||
| הִשְׁתַּחֲו֥וּ לַ֝יהוָ֗ה בְּהַדְרַת־קֹֽדֶשׁ׃ | bow down to YHWH dressed in holy attire. | Imperative | Directive | Summoning the divine beings to worship YHWH in reverence and holiness. | ||||||
| 3 | ק֥וֹל יְהוָ֗ה עַל־הַ֫מָּ֥יִם | The sound of YHWH against the water! | Fragment | Exclamation | Celebrating YHWH's strength and superiority against the water, which is a symbol of chaos and danger | Celebrating YHWH's strength and superiority | The reader/listener will acknowledge YHWH's strength and superiority. | The reader/listener will feel awe at YHWH's supremacy over all gods and all creation. | The reader/listener will celebrate YHWH’s supremacy and strength, proclaiming that he alone deserves all glory. | |
| אֵֽל־הַכָּב֥וֹד הִרְעִ֑ים | The glorious God has thundered; | Declarative | Assertive | Declaring the power and superiority of the God of glory who thunders against much water. | ||||||
| יְ֝הוָ֗ה עַל־מַ֥יִם רַבִּֽים׃ | YHWH [has thundered] against much water. | |||||||||
| 4 | קוֹל־יְהוָ֥ה בַּכֹּ֑חַ | The sound of YHWH [thundering] in power! | Fragment | Exclamation | Celebrating YHWH's power. | |||||
| ק֥וֹל יְ֝הוָ֗ה בֶּהָדָֽר׃ | The sound of YHWH [thundering] in majesty! | Fragment | Exclamation | Celebrating YHWH's majesty. | ||||||
| 5 | ק֣וֹל יְ֭הוָה שֹׁבֵ֣ר אֲרָזִ֑ים | The sound of YHWH breaking cedars! | Fragment | Exclamation | Celebrating YHWH's power as he likely gathers cedars for the building of a temple. | |||||
| וַיְשַׁבֵּ֥ר יְ֝הוָ֗ה אֶת־אַרְזֵ֥י הַלְּבָנֽוֹן׃ | And YHWH is breaking the cedars of Lebanon, | Declarative | Assertive | Declaring YHWH's power to shatter the cedars of Lebanon, which are a symbol of loftiness and grandeur, and were used for important building projects. | ||||||
| 6 | וַיַּרְקִידֵ֥ם כְּמוֹ־עֵ֑גֶל לְבָנ֥וֹן | And he is causing Lebanon to skip like a calf, | Declarative | Assertive | Declaring YHWH's superiority over other gods. | |||||
| וְ֝שִׂרְיֹ֗ן כְּמ֣וֹ בֶן־רְאֵמִֽים׃ | And Sirion like a wild ox. | |||||||||
| 7 | קוֹל־יְהוָ֥ה חֹצֵ֗ב לַהֲב֥וֹת אֵֽשׁ׃ | The sound of YHWH hewing with lightning bolts! | Fragment | Exclamation | Celebrating YHWH's power as he gathers stones for the building of a temple. | |||||
| 8 | ק֣וֹל יְ֭הוָה יָחִ֣יל מִדְבָּ֑ר | YHWH’s voice causes the wilderness to tremble; | Declarative | Assertive | Declaring YHWH's overwhelming power as even the wilderness trembles. | |||||
| יָחִ֥יל יְ֝הוָ֗ה מִדְבַּ֥ר קָדֵֽשׁ׃ | YHWH causes the wilderness of Kadesh to tremble. | Declarative | Assertive | Declaring YHWH's overwhelming power over other gods. | ||||||
| 9 | ק֤וֹל יְהוָ֨ה ׀ יְחוֹלֵ֣ל אַיָּלוֹת֮ | YHWH’s voice causes fallow deer to give birth, | Declarative | Assertive | Declaring YHWH’s power over creation as his thunder causes the wilderness to tremble and the deer to give birth. | |||||
| וַֽיֶּחֱשֹׂ֪ף יְעָ֫ר֥וֹת | and it strips forests, | Declarative | Assertive | Declaring YHWH’s power over creation as his thunder causes the forests to tremble to the point of the leaves falling off. | ||||||
| וּבְהֵיכָל֑וֹ כֻּ֝לּ֗וֹ אֹמֵ֥ר | and in his temple everyone is saying, | Declarative • "Fragment" |
Assertive • "Exclamation" |
Declaring that in the temple, already hinted at with the cedars and stone (vv. 5, 7), all the divine beings ascribe “Glory!” to YHWH. • "Ascribing glory to YHWH" |
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| כָּבֽוֹד׃ | "Glory!" | |||||||||
| 10 | יְ֭הוָה לַמַּבּ֣וּל יָשָׁ֑ב וַיֵּ֥שֶׁב | YHWH sat enthroned over the Flood, | Declarative | Assertive | Declaring YHWH's kingship over the Flood | Declaring YHWH's kingship and commitment to his people | The reader/listener will remember that YHWH reigned over the Flood and continues to reign, and that he grants strength and blessing to his people. | The reader/listener will be assured that YHWH is king over all creation and faithfully cares for his people by giving them strength and blessing. | The reader/listener will declare YHWH's kingship and steadfast commitment to his people. | |
| יְ֝הוָ֗ה מֶ֣לֶךְ לְעוֹלָֽם׃ | and YHWH sits enthroned as king forever. | Declarative | Assertive | Declaring YHWH's everlasting kingship | ||||||
| 11 | יְֽהוָ֗ה עֹ֭ז לְעַמּ֣וֹ יִתֵּ֑ן | YHWH gives strength to his people; | Declarative | Assertive | Declaring that YHWH takes care of his people by providing them with strength and blessing. | |||||
| יְהוָ֓ה ׀ יְבָרֵ֖ךְ אֶת־עַמּ֣וֹ בַשָּׁלֽוֹם׃ | YHWH blesses his people with peace. | Declarative | Assertive |