Psalm 31 Participant Analysis

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Participant Analysis

What is 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	Verse	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 people – –
מָג֪וֹר מִסָּ֫בִ֥יב	14b	people – –terror is on every side–
בְּהִוָּסְדָ֣ם יַ֣חַד עָלַ֑י	14c	people – –terror is on every side– when they conspired together against me.
לָקַ֖חַת נַפְשִׁ֣י זָמָֽמוּ׃	14d	people – –terror is on every side– when they conspired together against me. 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.

v. 1: David or Anonymous Psalmist? David is never mentioned by name outside of the superscription. The meaning לְדָוִֽד influences one's decision about the primary speaker of this entire psalm. Is it David? Or is it an anonymous psalmist? For a full discussion of this issue, see the exegetical issue on Ledavid.
v. 7: "You hate" or "I hate"? The text-critical issue in this verse has a direct impact on identifying the participant. Many modern translations have "I hate" (i.e., David). Numerous ancient manuscripts have "You hate" (i.e., YHWH). For discussion of the text-critical issue, see The Text of Psalm 31:7.
v. 7: "those who worship" = "enemies"? Should we understand "those who worship" idols in v. 7 as synonymous with the "enemies" referred to throughout the psalm? David understands the idol worshippers to be in conflict with YHWH (cf. 7a). One might assume that the idol worshippers are a subset of David's enemies. However, the two sets of participants are not necessarily synonymous. It is possible that idol worshippers could be opposed to YHWH without simultaneously functioning as David's enemies. For this reason, "those who worship" should be understood as related to but not synonymous with David's enemies in the psalm.
v. 12: "neighbors," "friends," and "those who see me" = "adversaries"? The "adversaries" mentioned in v. 12a are synonymous with David's enemies referenced in other parts of the psalm. This fact, however, does not mean that his "neighbors," "friends," and "those who see" him are synonymous with his adversaries. Instead, David is suggesting that all of his social relationships are affected by the situation he is enduring because of his enemies. For this reason, David's "neighbors," "friends," and "those who see" him should be treated as a separate set of related participants in the psalm. They represent a distinct group from the enemies. Additionally, they represent three different subsets of this different participant set.
vv. 18-19, 21, 24 "the evil ones," "the lying lips," "people," "disputing tongues," and "those who act pridefully." Should these participants be understood as synonymous with David's enemies, or are they just related? Starting with v. 18b, the tone of David's speech shifts. He begins to speak in general terms about the enemies of the righteous. None of these participants are described as David's direct enemies, as is evidenced by the lack of first person singular pronouns or verbs attached to any of these participants. As with the identity of "those who worship" idols in v. 7, the participants described in vv. 18-19, 21, and 24 are related to but not synonymous with David's enemies.
v. 22: Who is the audience? David or the righteous? Verse 22 fits oddly in the psalm. Whereas the preceding verses and verse 23 almost exclusively refer to YHWH in the second person, v. 22 utilizes the third person singular to refer to him. Since vv. 24-25 refer to YHWH with the third person and are clearly addressed to the righteous, one may wonder whether v. 22 should also be addressed to the righteous. Laberge suggests this is the case based on his organization of the psalm. He argues that vv. 22-25 are related to one another and are directed to the external audience. His proposal, however, shifts the problem to v. 23, which raises the following question: why would the psalmist address YHWH directly in the middle of a section addressed to the righteous? (cf. Dion 1987, 190-192; Laberge 1985, 163). While it is possible to understand v. 22 as addressed to "the righteous," it raises unsolvable problems in the psalm.
- Another option is to treat v. 22 as an interjection from David intended to address himself. According to this approach, David declares to himself that YHWH is blessed and has been good to him even when he was surrounded. This is the preferred option for two reasons. First, v. 22 does not mention the righteous or refer to an external audience with the third person (cf. vv. 24-25). Second, he refers to himself in the first person and YHWH in the third person. Considering the usage of personal pronouns in v. 22, it seems most likely that David has interjected a reflective comment into a broader speech act directed at YHWH.
vv. 24-25 Just the righteous or Israel too? The people of Israel are never directly mentioned in this psalm. Why should the audience be identified as "Israel" and not just the "righteous"? The superscription is the key piece of evidence. The reference to the director of music indicates that this psalm was meant to be performed in a cultic context.

Participant Relations Diagram

The relationships among the participants may be abstracted and summarized as follows:

Psalm 31 Participant Analysis

Contents

Book 1

Book 2

Book 3

Book 4

Book 5

In YHWH's Hand

Psalm 31

Participant Analysis

Participant Relations Diagram

Participant Analysis Summary Distribution