Psalm 3/Notes/Grammar.v. 3.184657
From Psalms: Layer by Layer
- The vast majority of the modern translations consulted follow the Masoretic Text of v. 3b: "There is no help for him in God" (CSB, et al.). By contrast, the NRSV, following the Syriac Peshitta (so NRSV footnote), says, "There is no help for you in God" (NRSV; Peshitta: ܕܠܝܬ ܠܟܝ ܦܘܪܩܢܐ ܒܐܠܗܟܝ). But the Peshitta Psalter characteristically "deviates from its Hebrew base text and accommodates the translation to the immediate context, following a certain logic or overcoming a certain difficulty." [1] In this case, the Peshitta is almost certainly giving a free translation of the same text as we have in the MT and all of our other witnesses. The translator probably used 2ms language ("for you... your God") because he interpreted the phrase לְנַפְשִׁי in v. 3a as indicating the addressee of the speech: "saying to me" instead of "saying about me."
- ↑ Carbajosa 2020, §10.3.4.5.