Psalm 31 Discourse
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Psalm 31
Please note: Resources for Psalm 31 are in the process of being reformatted for visual consistency and improved functionality.
About the Discourse Layer
Our Discourse Layer includes four additional layers of analysis:
- Participant analysis
- Macrosyntax
- Speech act analysis
- Emotional analysis
For more information on our method of analysis, click the expandable explanation button at the beginning of each layer.
Participant Analysis
Participant Analysis focuses on the characters in the psalm and asks, “Who are the main participants (or characters) in this psalm, and what are they saying or doing? It is often helpful for understanding literary structure, speaker identification, etc.
For a detailed explanation of our method, see the Participant Analysis Creator Guidelines.
There are 7 participants/characters in Psalm 31:
| YHWH |
| "my rock" (v. 4) |
| "my stronghold" (v. 4) |
| "God of faithfulness" (v. 6) |
| David / Psalmist |
| "servant" |
| Righteous/Israel |
| "those who fear" (v. 20) |
| "those who take refuge" (v. 20) |
| "loyal ones" (v. 24) |
| "faithful" |
| All people |
| Enemies |
| "adversaries" (v. 12) |
| "many people" (v. 14) |
| "pursuers"(v. 16) |
| Sinners |
| "those who worship worthless idols" (v. 7) |
| "the evil ones" (v. 18) |
| "lying lips" (v. 19) |
| "those that speak" (v. 19) |
| "people [who scheme]" (v. 21) |
| "contentious people" (v. 21) |
| "those who act pridefully" (v. 24) |
| Dead Person |
| Neighbors |
| "friends" (v. 12) |
| "those who see me" (v. 12) |
- David: During his time as the king of Israel, David faced many conflicts and endured hardship. He fled as a fugitive from King Saul (1 Sam 19:8ff) and faced exile during Absalom's coup (2 Sam 15:1ff). While nothing in this psalm identifies a particular event in David's life as the inspiration for the poem, one could imagine any number of scenarios from his life as the background for this psalm.
- Enemies: As with the specific event in David's life, nothing in this psalm identifies a specific set of enemies. Instead, they are characterized in general terms. They are opposed to YHWH (cf. v. 7) and seek to trap and kill David physically (vv. 5, 14). When the enemies are described in relation to the righteous, David describes them as liars (vv. 19, 21) and people who act pridefully (v. 24).
| Hebrew | Line | English |
|---|---|---|
| לַמְנַצֵּ֗חַ מִזְמ֥וֹר לְדָוִֽד׃ | 1 | For the director. A psalm by David. |
| בְּךָ֖ יְהוָ֣ה חָ֭סִיתִי | 2a | I have taken shelter in you, YHWH. |
| אַל־אֵב֣וֹשָׁה לְעוֹלָ֑ם | 2b | Do not let my shame continue forever! |
| בְּצִדְקָתְךָ֥ פַלְּטֵֽנִי׃ | 2c | Rescue me in your righteousness! |
| הַטֵּ֤ה אֵלַ֨י ׀ אָזְנְךָ֮ | 3a | Listen to me! |
| מְהֵרָ֪ה הַצִּ֫ילֵ֥נִי | 3b | Rescue me quickly! |
| הֱיֵ֤ה לִ֨י ׀ לְֽצוּר־מָ֭עוֹז | 3c | Be a rock of refuge for me, |
| לְבֵ֥ית מְצוּד֗וֹת לְהוֹשִׁיעֵֽנִי׃ | 3d | and a fortress to deliver me! |
| כִּֽי־סַלְעִ֣י וּמְצוּדָתִ֣י אָ֑תָּה | 4a | Because you are my rock and my stronghold. |
| וּלְמַ֥עַן שִׁ֝מְךָ֗ תַּֽנְחֵ֥נִי וּֽתְנַהֲלֵֽנִי׃ | 4b | And for the sake of your name, you must carefully guide me. |
| תּוֹצִיאֵ֗נִי מֵרֶ֣שֶׁת ז֭וּ טָ֣מְנוּ לִ֑י | 5a | You must save me from the net which they hid for me, |
| כִּֽי־אַ֝תָּה מָֽעוּזִּֽי׃ | 5b | because you are my refuge. |
| בְּיָדְךָ֮ אַפְקִ֪יד ר֫וּחִ֥י | 6a | I entrust my spirit into your hand. |
| פָּדִ֖יתָה אוֹתִ֥י יְהוָ֗ה אֵ֣ל אֱמֶֽת׃ | 6b | You have redeemed me, YHWH, God of faithfulness. |
| שָׂנֵאתָ הַשֹּׁמְרִ֥ים הַבְלֵי־שָׁ֑וְא | 7a | You hate those who worship worthless idols, |
| וַ֝אֲנִ֗י אֶל־יְהוָ֥ה בָּטָֽחְתִּי׃ | 7b | but I trust YHWH. |
| אָגִ֥ילָה וְאֶשְׂמְחָ֗ה בְּחַ֫סְדֶּ֥ךָ | 8a | I will be glad and rejoice on account of your faithfulness, |
| אֲשֶׁ֣ר רָ֭אִיתָ אֶת־עָנְיִ֑י | 8b | that you saw my affliction. |
| הוֹשַׁעְתָ בְּצָר֥וֹת נַפְשִֽׁי׃ | 8c | You saved my life from distress. |
| וְלֹ֣א הִ֭סְגַּרְתַּנִי בְּיַד־אוֹיֵ֑ב | 9a | And you did not let any enemy capture me. |
| הֶֽעֱמַ֖דְתָּ בַמֶּרְחָ֣ב רַגְלָֽי׃ | 9b | You set my feet in a broad place. |
| חָנֵּ֥נִי יְהוָה֮ כִּ֤י צַ֫ר־לִ֥י | 10a | Be gracious to me, YHWH, because I am in distress. |
| עָשְׁשָׁ֖ה בְכַ֥עַס עֵינִ֗י נַפְשִׁ֥י וּבִטְנִֽי׃ | 10b | My eye, my throat, and my belly waste away because of anger. |
| כִּ֤י כָל֪וּ בְיָג֡וֹן חַיַּי֮ וּשְׁנוֹתַ֪י בַּאֲנָ֫חָ֥ה | 11a | Because my life fades away with grief, and my years [fade away] with groaning. |
| כָּשַׁ֣ל בַּעֲוֺנִ֣י כֹחִ֑י וַעֲצָמַ֥י עָשֵֽׁשׁוּ׃ | 11b | My strength has failed because of my iniquity, and my bones waste away. |
| מִכָּל־צֹרְרַ֨י הָיִ֪יתִי חֶרְפָּ֡ה | 12a | I have been scorned by all of my adversaries |
| וְלִשֲׁכֵנַ֨י ׀ מְאֹד֮ | 12b | and [I have] greatly [become an object of scorn] to my neighbors, |
| וּפַ֪חַד לִֽמְיֻדָּ֫עָ֥י | 12c | and [I have become] an object of fear to my friends. |
| רֹאַ֥י בַּח֑וּץ נָדְד֥וּ מִמֶּֽנִּי׃ | 12d | Those who see me in the street have fled from me. |
| נִ֭שְׁכַּחְתִּי כְּמֵ֣ת מִלֵּ֑ב | 13a | I have been forgotten like a dead person [is forgotten] from memory. |
| הָ֝יִ֗יתִי כִּכְלִ֥י אֹבֵֽד׃ | 13b | I have become like a broken vessel. |
| כִּ֤י שָׁמַ֨עְתִּי ׀ דִּבַּ֥ת רַבִּים֮ | 14a | because I heard the slander of many |
| מָג֪וֹר מִסָּ֫בִ֥יב | 14b | terror is on every side– |
| בְּהִוָּסְדָ֣ם יַ֣חַד עָלַ֑י | 14c | when they conspired together against me. |
| לָקַ֖חַת נַפְשִׁ֣י זָמָֽמוּ׃ | 14d | They plotted to take my life. |
| וַאֲנִ֤י ׀ עָלֶ֣יךָ בָטַ֣חְתִּי יְהוָ֑ה | 15a | But I trust you, YHWH. |
| אָ֝מַ֗רְתִּי אֱלֹהַ֥י אָֽתָּה׃ | 15b | I say, "You are my God.” |
| בְּיָדְךָ֥ עִתֹּתָ֑י | 16a | My times are in your hand. |
| הַצִּ֘ילֵ֤נִי מִיַּד־א֝וֹיְבַ֗י וּמֵרֹדְפָֽי׃ | 16b | Deliver me from the hand of my enemies and from my pursuers! |
| הָאִ֣ירָה פָ֭נֶיךָ עַל־עַבְדֶּ֑ךָ | 17a | Shine your face upon your servant! |
| ה֖וֹשִׁיעֵ֣נִי בְחַסְדֶּֽךָ׃ | 17b | Save me by your faithfulness. |
| יְֽהוָ֗ה אַל־אֵ֭בוֹשָׁה כִּ֣י קְרָאתִ֑יךָ | 18a | YHWH, do not let me be ashamed because I have called you! |
| יֵבֹ֥שׁוּ רְ֝שָׁעִ֗ים יִדְּמ֥וּ לִשְׁאֽוֹל׃ | 18b | May the evil ones be ashamed! May they go silently to Sheol! |
| תֵּ֥אָלַ֗מְנָה שִׂפְתֵ֫י שָׁ֥קֶר | 19a | May lying lips be unable to speak – |
| הַדֹּבְר֖וֹת עַל־צַדִּ֥יק עָתָ֗ק בְּגַאֲוָ֥ה וָבֽוּז׃ | 19b | those that speak insolence against the righteous, with arrogance and contempt. |
| מָ֤ה רַֽב־טוּבְךָ֮ | 20a | How many are your good things |
| אֲשֶׁר־צָפַ֪נְתָּ לִּֽירֵ֫אֶ֥יךָ | 20b | which you have stored up for those who fear you, |
| פָּ֭עַלְתָּ לַחֹסִ֣ים בָּ֑ךְ | 20c | [and which] you have performed for those who take refuge in you |
| נֶ֝֗גֶד בְּנֵ֣י אָדָם׃ | 20d | for all people to see! |
| תַּסְתִּירֵ֤ם ׀ בְּסֵ֥תֶר פָּנֶיךָ֮ מֵֽרֻכְסֵ֫י אִ֥ישׁ | 21a | You shelter them from people’s schemes in the cover of your presence; |
| תִּצְפְּנֵ֥ם בְּסֻכָּ֗ה מֵרִ֥יב לְשֹׁנֽוֹת׃ | 21b | You hide them in a shelter from contentious people. |
| בָּר֥וּךְ יְהוָ֑ה | 22a | Blessed is YHWH, |
| כִּ֥י הִפְלִ֘יא חַסְדּ֥וֹ לִ֝֗י בְּעִ֣יר מָצֽוֹר׃ | 22b | because he has wonderfully shown his faithfulness to me in a city under siege. |
| וַאֲנִ֤י ׀ אָ֘מַ֤רְתִּי בְחָפְזִ֗י | 23a | Even though I thought in my panic |
| נִגְרַזְתִּי֮ מִנֶּ֪גֶד עֵ֫ינֶ֥יךָ | 23b | I had been cut off from your sight. |
| אָכֵ֗ן שָׁ֭מַעְתָּ ק֥וֹל תַּחֲנוּנַ֗י | 23c | However, you heard the sound of my pleading |
| בְּשַׁוְּעִ֥י אֵלֶֽיךָ׃ | 23d | when I cried out to you. |
| אֶֽהֱב֥וּ אֶת־יְהוָ֗ה כָּֽל־חֲסִ֫ידָ֥יו | 24a | Love YHWH, all his loyal ones! |
| אֱ֭מוּנִים נֹצֵ֣ר יְהוָ֑ה | 24b | YHWH is watching over the faithful, |
| וּמְשַׁלֵּ֥ם עַל־יֶ֝֗תֶר עֹשֵׂ֥ה גַאֲוָֽה׃ | 24c | and he abundantly repays those who act pridefully. |
| חִ֭זְקוּ וְיַאֲמֵ֣ץ לְבַבְכֶ֑ם | 25a | Be strong so your hearts may take courage, |
| כָּל־הַ֝מְיַחֲלִ֗ים לַיהוָֽה׃ | 25b | all who wait for YHWH. |
Participant Relations Diagram
The relationships among the participants may be abstracted and summarized as follows:
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Participant Analysis Summary Distribution
Macrosyntax
Macrosyntax Diagram
| Macrosyntax legend | |
|---|---|
| Vocatives | Vocatives are indicated by purple text. |
| Discourse marker | Discourse markers (such as כִּי, הִנֵּה, לָכֵן) are indicated by orange text. |
 |
The scope governed by the discourse marker is indicated by a dashed orange bracket connecting the discourse marker to its scope. |
 |
The preceding discourse grounding the discourse marker is indicated by a solid orange bracket encompassing the relevant clauses. |
| Subordinating conjunction | The subordinating conjunction is indicated by teal text. |
 |
Subordination is indicated by a solid teal bracket connecting the subordinating conjunction with the clause to which it is subordinate. |
| Coordinating conjunction | The coordinating conjunction is indicated by blue text. |
 |
Coordination is indicated by a solid blue line connecting the coordinating clauses. |
 |
Coordination without an explicit conjunction is indicated by a dashed blue line connecting the coordinated clauses. |
 |
Marked topic is indicated by a black dashed rounded rectangle around the marked words. |
 |
The scope of the activated topic is indicated by a black dashed bracket encompassing the relevant clauses. |
| Marked focus or thetic sentence | Marked focus (if one constituent) or thetic sentences[1] are indicated by bold text. |
 |
Frame setters[2] are indicated by a solid gray rounded rectangle around the marked words. |
| [blank line] | Discourse discontinuity is indicated by a blank line. |
| [indentation] | Syntactic subordination is indicated by indentation. |
 |
Direct speech is indicated by a solid black rectangle surrounding all relevant clauses. |
| (text to elucidate the meaning of the macrosyntactic structures) | Within the CBC, any text elucidating the meaning of macrosyntax is indicated in gray text inside parentheses. |
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. |
(Click diagram to enlarge)
This resource is in the process of reformatting. To view the notes on the Macrosyntax of Psalm 31, click here.
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. |
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. |
Summary Visual
(Click visual to enlarge).
Bibliography
- Barthélemy, Dominique. 2005. Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament. Vol. Tome 4: Psaumes. Fribourg, Switzerland: Academic Press.
- Basson, A. 2005. “‘You Are My Rock and Fortress’. Refuge Metaphors in Psalm 31. a Perspective from Cognitive Metaphor Theory.” Acta Theologica 25 (2): 1–17.
- Bratcher, Robert G., and William D. Reyburn. 1991. A Handbook on Psalms. UBS Handbook Series. New York: United Bible Societies.
- Briggs, Charles A., and Emilie Briggs. 1906. A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Book of Psalms. Vol. 1. ICC. Edinburgh: T & T Clark.
- Brockington, L. H. 1973. The Hebrew Text of the Old Testament: The Readings Adopted by the Translators of the New English Bible.
- Brueggemann, Walter, and W. H. Bellinger. 2014. Psalms. New York: Cambridge University Press.
- Calvin, John. n.d. Commentary on the Book of Psalms. Translated by James Anderson. Grand Rapids: Christian Classics Ethereal Library.
- Cohen, Chaim. 2004. “The Enclitic-Mem in Biblical Hebrew: Its Existence and Initial Discovery.” In Sefer Moshethe Moshe Weinfeld Jubilee Volume: Studies in the Bible and the Ancient Near East, Qumran, and Post-Biblical Judaism, 231–60. Winona Lake, Ind.
- Companioni, Carrera, and Roberto Adrian. 2022. “The Mercati Fragments: A New Edition of Rahlfs 1098,” December.
- Conybeare, F. C. (Frederick Cornwallis). 1905. Selections from the Septuagint: According to the Text of Swete. Boston : Ginn & Company.
- Craigie, Peter C. 1983. Psalms 1–50. WBC 19. Waco, TX: Word.
- Dahood, Mitchell edt trl. 1966. Psalms. Garden City, N.Y., Doubleday.
- DeClaisse-Walford, Nancy L., Rolf A. Jacobson, and Beth LaNeel Tanner. 2014. The Book of Psalms. New International Commentary on the Old Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans.
- Delekat, L. 1964. “Zum Hebräischen Wörterbuch.” Vetus Testamentum 14 (1): 7–66.
- Dion, Paul-Eugène. 1987. “Strophic Boundaries and Rhetorical Structure in Psalm 31.” Église et Théologie 18 (2): 183–92.
- Fokkelman, J.P. 2000. Major Poems of the Hebrew Bible: At the Interface of Prosody and Structural Analysis (Vol 2: 85 Psalms and Job 4–14). Studia Semitica Neerlandica. Van Gorcum.
- Hummel, Horace D. 1957. “Enclitic Mem in Northwest Semitic, Especially Hebrew.” Journal of Biblical Literature 76 (2): 85–104.
- Laberge, Léo. 1985. “A Literary Analysis of Psalm 31.” Église et Théologie 16 (2): 147–68.
- Lugt, Pieter van der. 2006. Cantos and Strophes in Biblical Hebrew Poetry: With Special Reference to the First Book of the Psalter. Vol. 1. 3 vols. Oudtestamentische Studiën 53. Leiden: Brill.
- Mena, Andrea K. 2012. “The Semantic Potential of ’al in Genesis, Psalms, and Chronicles.” Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University.
- Merwe, C H J van der. 1993. “Old Hebrew Particles and the Interpretation of Old Testament Texts.” Journal for the Study of the Old Testament 18 (60): 27–44.
- Miller, Cynthia L. 2010. “Vocative Syntax in Biblical Hebrew Prose and Poetry: A Preliminary Analysis.” Journal of Semitic Studies 55 (2): 347–64.
- Potgieter, J. Henk. 2012. “‘David’ in Consultation with the Prophets: The Intertextual Relationship of Psalm 31 with the Books of Jonah and Jeremiah.” Old Testament Essays 25 (1): 115–26.
- Roberts, J J M. 1975. “Niskahtî--Millēb, Ps 31:13: Vetus Testamentum.” Vetus Testamentum 25 (4): 797–801.
- Villanueva, Federico G. 2016. Psalms 1-72. Carlisle, England: Langham Global Library.
Footnotes
- ↑ When the entire utterance is new/unexpected, it is a thetic sentence (often called "sentence focus"). See our Creator Guidelines for more information on topic and focus.
- ↑ Frame setters are any orientational constituent – typically, but not limited to, spatio-temporal adverbials – function to "limit the applicability of the main predication to a certain restricted domain" and "indicate the general type of information that can be given" in the clause nucleus (Krifka & Musan 2012: 31-32). In previous scholarship, they have been referred to as contextualizing constituents (see, e.g., Buth (1994), “Contextualizing Constituents as Topic, Non-Sequential Background and Dramatic Pause: Hebrew and Aramaic evidence,” in E. Engberg-Pedersen, L. Falster Jakobsen and L. Schack Rasmussen (eds.) Function and expression in Functional Grammar. Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter, 215-231; Buth (2023), “Functional Grammar and the Pragmatics of Information Structure for Biblical Languages,” in W. A. Ross & E. Robar (eds.) Linguistic Theory and the Biblical Text. Cambridge: Open Book Publishers, 67-116), but this has been conflated with the function of topic. In brief: sentence topics, belonging to the clause nucleus, are the entity or event about which the clause provides a new predication; frame setters do not belong in the clause nucleus and rather provide a contextual orientation by which to understand the following clause.