Psalm 3/Exegetical Issues/List

• The Verbal Semantics of Psalm 3:5

The verbs אֶקְרָא ("call out") and וַיַּֽעֲנֵנִי ("answer") can be interpreted in the following wyas regarding their tense and aspect: (1) habitual ("I call out... he answers..."); (2) perfective ("I called out... he answered..."); or (3) future ("I will call out... he will answer...").

• The Verbal Semantics of Psalm 3:6

This exegetical issue will focus on the verbs שָׁכַבְתִּי ("lie down"), וָאִישָׁנָה ("sleep") and הֱקִיצוֹתִי ("wake up"). The verbs could be contstured as past tense ("I lay down and slept... I woke...") or habitual ("I lie down and sleep... I wake...").

• The Verbal Semantics of Psalm 3:8b–c

The verbs in the first line of Ps 3:8 (קוּמָה and הוֹשִׁיעֵנִי) are clearly imperative: "rise up... save me!" The qatal verbs in the next two lines (הִכִּיתָ and שִׁבַּרְתָּ) will be the focus of this exegetical issue, as the semantics of these verbs have been interpreted and translated in many ways.