Psalm 31 Verse-by-Verse

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Welcome to the Verse-by-Verse Notes for Psalm 31!

The Verse-by-Verse Notes present scholarly, exegetical materials (from all layers of analysis) in a verse-by-verse format. They often present alternative interpretive options and justification for a preferred interpretation. The Verse-by-Verse Notes are aimed at consultant-level users.

The discussion of each verse of this psalm includes the following items.

1. A link to the part of the overview video where the verse in question is discussed.
2. The verse in Hebrew and English.
3. An expanded paraphrase of the verse.
4. A grammatical diagram of the verse, which includes glosses for each word and phrase.
5. A series of notes on the verse, which contain information pertaining to the interpretation of the psalm (e.g., meaning of words and phrases, poetic features, difficult grammatical constructions, etc.).

Introduction

• Though, in many respects, Psalm 31 does not present specific details that tie it to a particular event in David's life, the general motif and overlapping keywords suggest that 1 Sam 23 and the surrounding narrative provide a plausible historical background against which the whole psalm can be profitably read. Here is a summary of the background context for Psalm 31:
  • After Saul became angry with him (1 Sam 20:30-34), Saul decided to kill David. When David fled from Saul, he lied to Ahimelech to secure food and weapons (1 Sam 21:1-9). Next, David was forced to act like a madman to prevent Achish of Gath from killing him. So, Achish ridiculed him (1 Sam 21:10-15). After David saved the city of Keilah, Saul tried to capture him by putting the city under siege (1 Sam 23:7-8). David heard the rumor that Saul was trying to surround him (1 Sam 23:9). As a result, David asked God whether the people of Keilah would surrender him into Saul's hand (1 Sam 23:12). God told David that the people would betray him (1 Sam 23:12). David and his men escape into the countryside and hide in the strongholds (1 Sam 23:14). Even though Saul continued to pursue him, YHWH did not allow him to capture David (1 Sam 23:14). When read against this background, the psalm's story arc can be visualized as follows:

• The psalm, however, does not follow a straight line through these events. David experiences fear, hope, and confidence in an almost cyclical fashion. The first cycle develops between vv. 2-9, and a second cycle occurs between vv. 10-23. David's emotions in this psalm can be visualized as follows:

• One poetic feature of the psalm is closely related to David's emotional experience. The majority of the psalm is a prayer between David and YHWH as evidenced by the density of 1cs and 2ms references. At the lowest emotional point of the psalm (vv. 10b-14), all references to YHWH disappear. David feels utterly alone and defeated and expresses as much. However, the psalm is ultimately concerned about YHWH's goodness towards those who take refuge in him. This message is also embedded in the psalm's poetics. At the very moment David thinks YHWH abandoned him (vv. 10b-14), he is actually surrounded by YHWH: references to YHWH appear immediately before and after this section (Ps 31:10a and 15). This feature of the psalm can be visualized as follows:

v. 1

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
1a	לַמְנַצֵּ֗חַ מִזְמ֥וֹר לְדָוִֽד׃	For the director. A psalm by David.

Expanded Paraphrase

For the director. A psalm by David.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• David is never mentioned by name outside of the superscription of Psalm 31. The meaning of לְדָוִד (A psalm by David) influences one's decision about the primary speaker of this entire psalm. Is it David? Or is it an anonymous psalmist? Since the phrase likely refers to Davidic authorship, this entire psalm should be understood as coming from David. For a full discussion of this issue, see ledavid.
• For the meaning of for the director (לַמְנַצֵּחַ), see Lamnaṣṣēaḥ.

Refuge Requested (vv. 2-5)

• The first section of the psalm (vv. 2-5) begins with a vocative ("YHWH" יְהוָה). The unit has several features that bind it together.

1. First, the theme of rescue is a prominent feature throughout ("rescue me" [פַלְּטֵנִי]; "rescue me" [הַצִּילֵנִי]; "to deliver me" [לְהוֹשִׁיעֵנִי]; "deliver me" [תּוֹצִיאֵנִי]).
2. Second, refuge and rocky imagery is prominent as well ("rock" [לְצוּר]; "fortress" [מְצוּדוֹת]; "my rock" [סַלְעִי]; "refuge" [מָעוֹז]).

• In v. 3, the psalmist asks YHWH to "be a rock of refuge" (לְצוּר־מָעוֹז) and a "fortress" (לְבֵית מְצוּדוֹת) for him. In vv. 4a and 5b, the psalmist declares that YHWH is a "fortress" (וּמְצוּדָתִי) and a "refuge" (מָעוּזִּי) for him. The inversion of the word order creates a chiasm focused around the psalmist's request.

v. 2

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
2a	בְּךָ֖ יְהוָ֣ה חָ֭סִיתִי אַל־אֵב֣וֹשָׁה לְעוֹלָ֑ם	I have taken shelter in you, YHWH. Do not let my shame continue forever!
2b	בְּצִדְקָתְךָ֥ פַלְּטֵֽנִי׃	Rescue me in your righteousness!

Expanded Paraphrase

When King Saul became angry with me and desired to kill me I fled from him and lied to Ahimelech to acquire food and weapons. Now, Saul believed reports that I was trying to kill him, and I heard he was hoping to capture and kill me. That's why I have taken shelter in you. I may not have physical safety, but I know you can protect my life, YHWH. I am destitute, and so do not let my shame continue forever! I am afraid you may not deliver me. Rescue me in your righteousness!

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• A 9th century Hebrew manuscript supports dividing the verse into three lines. Modern translators and most modern commentators adopt this approach and divide the verse according to the clause division. The bet preposition begins the first and third lines of the verse. Additionally, the verbs alternate between the first and second position in each line.

• The bet preposition translated as in is frequently placed before verb phrases involving חסה (take refuge). It often indicates a restrictive focus (cf. Pss 7:2; 11:1; 141:8; 144:2). In other words, the psalmist identifies YHWH as the singular object of his trust. Additionally, in this verse, the bet preposition focuses the attention on YHWH, who will play a prominent role throughout the psalm.
• I have taken shelter (חָסִיתִי) frequently appears when the psalmist is making a petition to YHWH. On several occasions, it occurs in contexts describing YHWH as a rock (cf. Deut 32:37; 2 Sam 22:3; Pss 18:3; 144:2; cf. Zion Isa 14:32).
• The word shame (אֵבוֹשָׁה) carries a passive nuance. When David grieved the death of Absalom, he neglected those loyal to him (2 Sam 19:6). They experienced shame because the person they placed their trust in was not living up to his responsibilities in the relationship. Hence, their shame was not due to their fault but to the shortcomings of their king. A similar situation can be understood when shame (בוש) is used in a petition to YHWH (cf. Ps 31:2). The cultures surrounding Israel were polytheistic. Israelite monotheism represented a certain risk. By only directing petitions to one god, the petitioner risked being shamed if his deity did not act. Consequently, David's petition to not be put to shame may be understood as a desire for his faith in YHWH to be vindicated.
• Most modern translations translate forever (לְעוֹלָם) as an adverb (e.g., NRSV: do not let me "ever" be put to shame; cf. NIV, ESV, NET, etc.). While this is an acceptable way to render the phrase idiomatically, it does not reflect the verse's syntax. The prepositional phrase (לְעוֹלָם) expresses "a period of time" (i.e., "until forever").
• Some modern translations render rescue me (פַלְּטֵנִי) as "save me" (cf. NLT, GNT, REB; Luther 2017, HFA, NGÜ, ELB, EÜ, GNB, ZÜR). In Christian contexts, the verb "to save" often implies a spiritual context. The Hebrew term translated as rescue (פלט), however, usually implies a physical rescue from some dangerous situation.

v. 3

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
3a	הַטֵּ֤ה אֵלַ֨י ׀ אָזְנְךָ֮	Listen to me!
3b	מְהֵרָ֪ה הַצִּ֫ילֵ֥נִי	Rescue me quickly!
3c	הֱיֵ֤ה לִ֨י ׀ לְֽצוּר־מָ֭עוֹז	Be a rock of refuge for me,
3d	לְבֵ֥ית מְצוּד֗וֹת לְהוֹשִׁיעֵֽנִי׃	and a fortress to deliver me!

Expanded Paraphrase

You listen to those who pray to you, so listen to me! Rescue me quickly! Just like people hide in rocks and fortresses for safety, I take shelter in you, so be a rock of refuge for me, because large rocks can provide an object to hide behind so my enemies cannot attack me and a fortress, which is a structure designed to withstand attacks, to deliver me from King Saul and his men who seek to kill me!

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• The Septuagint supports dividing the verse into four lines. When v. 3 is divided into four lines, we see a verbal pattern in the first three lines that continues the verbal pattern of v. 2.

• The imperatives in Ps 31:3 (listen [הַטֵּה]; rescue [הַצִּילֵנִי]; be [הֱיֵה]) should be understood as requests instead of commands because David is speaking to his superior (YHWH), and so cannot control the outcome.
• "Turn">>listen (הַטֵּה) connotes physical movement (i.e., to stretch, to strike, to bend. etc.). When the verb appears in the hiphil it sometimes occurs with "ear" (אֹזֶן). It insinuates that someone physically turns their head so they are in a position most conducive to paying attention to the speaker's words.
• Modern translations frequently render the prepositional phrase for me (לִי) as an indication of possession ("be my rock..." NCV, NIV, NLT, NET). The NRSV more clearly reflects the Hebrew grammar ("Be a rock of refuge for me").
• The NET has "deliver," and the GNT and CEV have "save me" for (הַצִּילֵנִי). A term that emphasizes the physical danger (i.e., rescue) implied by the verb more clearly fits within the psalm's context than more theological words. While the word "save" can simply refer to rescuing someone from physical danger, it often is understood as a more theological term in some Christian contexts.
• SDBH provides the following definition for refuge (מָעֹוז): "large fortification; for the defense of a town; built of stone; could consist of one extra strong building or of a complex of buildings surrounded by its own strong wall." It often functions as an epithet for YHWH.
• The term house (בֵית) is quite flexible in Hebrew. It often refers to a single dwelling, but it can also be used to as a metonym for a person's possessions, a family unit, a tribe, and even the whole nation. In certain uses, it can refer to the temple, a palace, or even a particular part of a building complex. In this verse, the term does not refer to a single dwelling for a particular family since it is in construct with the plural noun (מְצוּדוֹת) meaning "strongholds." Rather, it seems to refer to "a complex of strongholds." In English, fortress reflects this idea well (cf. NIV, NLT, ESV).
• The phrase "house of strongholds" (לְבֵית מְצוּדוֹת) is translated here as fortress. Modern translations offer different options for rendering this phrase in English: "strong fortress" (NRSV, NIV); "strong city" (NCV); "stronghold" (NET). The NLT's "fortress" adequately captures the combined sense of both Hebrew terms.

v. 4

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
4a	כִּֽי־סַלְעִ֣י וּמְצוּדָתִ֣י אָ֑תָּה	because you are my rock and my stronghold.
4b	וּלְמַ֥עַן שִׁ֝מְךָ֗ תַּֽנְחֵ֥נִי וּֽתְנַהֲלֵֽנִי׃	and for the sake of your name, you must carefully guide me.

Expanded Paraphrase

because you are my rock and my stronghold, and --I know you care about your reputation-- so for the sake of your name you must carefully guide me out of this dangerous situation in Keilah and into safety.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• My rock (סַלְעִי) is one of several words for "rock" in the Hebrew Bible. The "rock" (סֶלַע) is described as an object behind which animals can hide (Job 39:1; Ps 104:18), and fugitives can conceal themselves (1 Sam 13:6). The term is associated with stronghold meant to defend from enemy attacks (Isa 7:19; Jer 16:16; 48:28). Additionally, it is the term used for the rock that provided the Israelites water in the desert (Num 20:8, 10-11). It is also used as a name for God (2 Sam 22:2; Ps 42:10). It signifies God's protection for his people (Ps 71:3; 78:16; Isa 32:2).
• On several occasions, stronghold (מְצוּדָה) is paired with rock (סֶלַע) (2 Sam 22:2; Ps 18:3; 31:4; 71:3). This word is often related to mountains or summits. Interestingly, Zion is described as a stronghold that David captures (2 Sam 5:7).
• This phrase, for the sake of your name, typically appears at the end of a clause (cf., 1 Kgs 8:41; Jer 14:7, 21; Pss 79:9; 109:21; 2 Chr 6:32). In this verse, it appears in the first position, which stresses the reason the speaker requests that YHWH carefully escort him.
• The verb translated as carefully (תַּנְחֵנִי) is used to describe God's leading of both nations and individuals. God guides Abraham (Gen 24:27) and the children of Israel when they are in the wilderness (Exod 13:21). On several occasions this verb is used to refer to YHWH's leading the children of Israel through the wilderness (Num 23:7; Ps 78:14, 53; Neh 9:12, 19). Notably, the term appears several times regarding YHWH leading someone to a secure location (cf. Ps 43:3; 60:11; 107:30). In Exod 15:13, YHWH leads the people to his dwelling place. In this context, it seems the psalmist essentially says, "I want to take refuge in you. I know you are my place of security, but I recognize I am in a perilous situation. Therefore, please lead me into your presence where I will be saved from my enemies."
• Modern English translations all render תְנַהֲלֵנִי as guide. The word's definition suggests a caring relationship between the guide and the follower.
• Modern translations understand you must lead me (תַּנְחֵנִי) in different ways. Why does the psalmist use the yiqtol with a sense of obligation, rather than the imperative? The answer is difficult. It may be related to the psalmist's identification of YHWH as his rock and stronghold. If YHWH is what the psalmist thinks he is, then he should, according to his character, lead and escort the psalmist to safety. This reading is further bolstered by the presence of for the sake of your name (לְמַעַן שִׁמְךָ).

v. 5

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
5a	תּוֹצִיאֵ֗נִי מֵרֶ֣שֶׁת ז֭וּ טָ֣מְנוּ לִ֑י	You must deliver me from the net which they hid for me,
5b	כִּֽי־אַ֝תָּה מָֽעוּזִּֽי׃	because you are my refuge.

Expanded Paraphrase

I am in danger because Doeg has lied about me to Saul, that is why you must deliver me from the net just like the ones hunters set out to catch unsuspecting wild animals, which they (i.e., Saul and his armies) hid for me by trying to surround Keilah, because you are my refuge and you know all things including how they plan to trap me in Keilah.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• Most English translations render you must deliver me (תּוֹצִיאֵנִי) as an imperative. Some translate it as a future tense verb ("you will save me" cf., NET). The yiqtol conjugation sometimes "denotes a desire or wish of the subject" (cf., Gen 24:58; Exod 21:36; 1 Sam 21:10). The best option, however, is to understand this yiqtol as carrying the same force as the two yiqtol verbs that precede it (i.e., obligation): "You must deliver me."
• The particle (which [זוּ]) is seldom used as a demonstrative (i.e., "this"). Instead, it commonly marks a relative clause, especially in poetry (cf. Pss 9.16; 10.2; 31.5; 32.8; 68.29; 143.8; Ex 15.13; Is 42.24; 43.21).
• A net causes anxiety and inescapable disaster (Pss 9:15; 31:4; 35:7-8; 64:5; 140:5; 142:3).
• Because (כִּי) functions as a subordinate conjunction. The psalmist explains the reason he requests that YHWH save him from the trap. As Van der Merwe notes, כִּי can provide "the grounds for a preceding expression."
• The exact relationship between refuge (מָעֹוז) and the idea of delivering the psalmist from a trap is not straightforward. How does a fortress help someone escape a trap? The LXX and Jerome's translation of the Hebrew text (i.e., iuxta Hebr.) attempt to make this connection explicit with the following translations respectively: “defender” (ὑπερασπιστής) and "strength" (fortitudo). Both of these translations put more emphasis on YHWH's ability to act. On several other occasions, מָעֹוז ("refuge") is used in parallel with concepts that imply YHWH's or another figure's active assistance in an issue (cf. Pss 27:1; 28:8; 60:7; Dan 11:1).

Trust Declared vv. 6-9

• The second section of the psalm (vv. 6-9) is marked by four unifying features.

1. V. 6 begins similarly to v. 2 in the first section. The first word translated as "in your hand" (בְּיָדְךָ֮) sounds similar to the word translated as "in you" (בְּךָ) in v. 2.
2. Additionally, verse six contains the psalm's second vocative (YHWH: יְהוָה).
3. An inclusio also marks the opening and closing of this section. The psalmist begins by entrusting his spirit into YHWH's hand. He ends the section by thanking YHWH for not delivering him into the hand of his enemy. Additionally, he thanks YHWH for placing his feet in a broad place. Thus, the section plays with both the contrast between YHWH's hand and the enemy's hand and the idea of hands and feet.
4. Finally, the section is marked by the frequent use of 2ms qatal verbs in the first position (6b, 7a, 8b, 8c, 9a, 9b).

• This section could be further divided into two subsections. In verses 6-7, the psalmist draws a contrast between himself and idol worshippers. Since YHWH hates idol worshippers, the psalmist implies that YHWH should act favorably toward him. In verses 8-9, the psalmist describes YHWH's faithfulness to him in similar situations he has experienced before. Consequently, he trusts YHWH will act graciously toward him again.

v. 6

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
6a	בְּיָדְךָ֮ אַפְקִ֪יד ר֫וּחִ֥י	I entrust my spirit into your hand.
6b	פָּדִ֖יתָה אוֹתִ֥י יְהוָ֗ה אֵ֣ל אֱמֶֽת׃	You have redeemed me, YHWH, God of faithfulness.

Expanded Paraphrase

Unlike the Moabites and Philistines who worship multiple gods, I entrust my spirit into your hand. You have redeemed me, YHWH, God of faithfulness.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• The phrase into your hand does not typically appear in the first position of a clause. In this verse, it stresses the location in which the psalmist has placed his trust (i.e., YHWH's hand).
• Entrust (פקד) appears over three hundred times in the OT and has a wide semantic range. However, its appearance in Ps 31:6 is one of only twenty-nine times the verb occurs in the hiphil, which may suggest the importance of the item being entrusted to someone else.In 1 Kgs 14:27 (cf. 2 Chron 12:10), Rehoboam entrusts (הִפְקִיד) the bronze shields into the hands (עַל־יַד) of his guards. The term also describes the giving of a document for safekeeping in Jer 36:20. Some modern translations render the verb as "commit" (NIV, ESV). The GNT makes the word more explicit with "place myself in your care." The NLT, NET, and CEV emphasize the speaker's trust in the Lord with "entrust/trust." The psalmist is expressing his belief that YHWH will protect his life.
• The word for redeem (פָּדִיתָה), in its various forms, appears sixty-nine times in the Old Testament. The qal form of the word appears fourteen times in the psalter. It is often expressed as a petition to YHWH (Ps 26;11; 69:18; Ps 119:134, etc.). The term has roots in Israel's cultic system where animals could be used to ransom the firstborn of humans and other animals (cf. Ex 13:13, 15; 34:20b; 34:20a; Nu 18:15a). God is said to redeem individuals from Sheol (Ps 49:16), enemies (Ps 69:19), death (Job 5:20), and other general adversity (1 Kgs 1:29; Isa 29:22; Jer 15:21; Ps 26:11). William Coker notes, "Only once is pādâ used with reference to redemption from sin (Ps 130:7–8). This remained for the completed revelation of the new covenant. Unfortunately, this emphasis has become so dominant in Christian redemptive theology, that there is a tendency to overlook the fact that the NT, as well as the OT, sees redemption, or salvation, in terms of the total human situation." The wide variety of words used as translations for פדה demonstrates the uncertainty over how to render this word in English ("deliver", NIV; "rescue", NLT, NET, CEV; "redeem", ESV; and "save" (GNT).
• Modern English translations vary widely on how to render פָּדִיתָה (redeem). The options include the present perfect (ESV, NRSV), imperative (NIV, NCV, NLT), and future (NET). The decisive factor for this verb must come from the surrounding context. While the preceding context has heavily focused on the psalmist's desire for YHWH to act in a certain way, the next section of the psalm switches to a more confident mode. That would suggest that the verb should be translated as a present perfect in English referring to an event that has already been completed (present perfect: "have redeemed"). Acknowledging this fact will produce rejoicing in the future in v. 8.

v. 7

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
7a	שָׂנֵ֗אתִי* הַשֹּׁמְרִ֥ים הַבְלֵי־שָׁ֑וְא*	You hate those who worship worthless idols,
7b	וַ֝אֲנִ֗י אֶל־יְהוָ֥ה בָּטָֽחְתִּי׃	but I trust YHWH.

Expanded Paraphrase

You hate those who worship worthless idols which are false gods even though people still worship them, but I trust YHWH even though I have been forced to hide among the Moabites and Philistines while running from Saul.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• Most modern translations follow the MT (שָׂנֵאתִי) and render the first verb in this verse as "I hate." However, there is substantial textual support from ancient manuscripts for reading the verb as a second masculine singular verb (שָׂנֵאתָ = you hate). As Bratcher and Reyburn note, "Either wording can be defended; in favor of 'You hate' is the fact that but I trust the Lord in line b contrasts the psalmist with those who pay regard to vain idols. If 'I hate' is chosen, it may be better to begin line b with “and” and not but: 'and I trust in you' (the psalmist’s hatred for idolaters complementing his trust in Yahweh)." The next phrase, 31:7b, has but I (וַאֲנִי) in the first position so that these words are marked as a new topic. This word order also suggests the verb in 31:7a was likely a second masculine singular form (שָׂנֵאתָ). Finally, the addition of a yod to a word as a vowel is more common than the letter's omission in the transmission process. For a more thorough discussion of this issue, see Exegetical Issue: The Text of Psalm 31:7)
• Should we understand those who worship (הַשֹּׁמְרִים) 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 Psalm 31.
• Worthless idol is an idiomatic translation of הֶבֶל ("vanity" or "breath") and שָׁוְא ("worthless" or "futile"). A more literal translation might be "vapors of emptiness." Comparison with the same phrase in Jonah 2:9 (8: Eng), however, supports understanding this phrase as a reference to idol worship. In Jonah, the הַבְלֵי־שָׁוְא is contrasted with Jonah's prayer to YHWH in the temple (Jonah 2:8 [7: Eng]). Therefore, the phrase refers to false gods that were worshipped by Israelites (cf. Deut 32:21; I Kgs 16:13, 26; II Kgs 17:15; Jer 2:5; 8:19; 10:8, 15; 51:18; Jon 2:8; Ps 31:6). Jer 2:5 and 2 Kgs 17:15 use the verbal form to claim that those who worship worthless idols become worthless themselves.

v. 8

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
8a	אָגִ֥ילָה וְאֶשְׂמְחָ֗ה בְּחַ֫סְדֶּ֥ךָ	I will be glad and rejoice on account of your faithfulness,
8b	אֲשֶׁ֣ר רָ֭אִיתָ אֶת־עָנְיִ֑י	because you saw my affliction.
8c	הוֹשַׁעְתָּ* בְּצָר֥וֹת נַפְשִֽׁי׃*	You saved my life from distress.

Expanded Paraphrase

You watch over the righteous, so I will be glad and rejoice on account of your faithfulness, because you saw my affliction when my enemies tried to capture me. You saved my life from distress because my enemies threatened my well-being.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• The cohortatives I will be glad and rejoice (אָגִילָה וְאֶשְׂמְחָה) indicate a sense of resolve on the part of the psalmist. As Waltke and O'Connor note, if "the speaker has the ability to carry out an inclination it (cohortative) takes on the coloring of resolve."
• The בְּ preposition translated as on account of can mark "the reason or originating force of an action." In this verse, YHWH's faithfulness is the reason why the psalmist rejoices.
• The word translated as that (אֲשֶׁר) often introduces a relative clause. However, it can also function as a subordinating conjunction providing the reason for a preceding statement (cf. 1 Sam 30:10; Gen 30:18; 34:13; Jos 4:23; 1 Kgs 15:5; Ecc 4:9; 8:11). Many of the Greek witnesses reflect a similar understanding of the Hebrew Grammar and (LXX, Symmachus, Origen, Quinta) use ὅτι ("because").
• The text should be emended from "you knew" (יָדַעְתָּ) to you saved (הוֹשַׁעְתָּ) for three reasons. First, the psalmist appears to be reflecting on a previous time YHWH saved him from a desperate situation (vv. 8-9). Second, the psalmist's verb would help form a logical sequence of events in v. 8: YHWH saw the psalmist's distress, saved him from it, and then set him in a broad place. Finally, in v. 17, the psalmist asks "to be saved" (הֹושִׁיעֵנִי) by YHWH's "faithfulness" (בְחַסְדֶּךָ). If the emendation (you saved me) is adopted, the correspondence between these parts of the psalm is even stronger.

v. 9

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
9a	וְלֹ֣א הִ֭סְגַּרְתַּנִי בְּיַד־אוֹיֵ֑ב	And you did not let any enemy capture me.
9b	הֶֽעֱמַ֖דְתָּ בַמֶּרְחָ֣ב רַגְלָֽי׃	You set my feet in a broad place.

Expanded Paraphrase

And you did not let any enemy capture me. You set my feet in a broad place, which contrasts with being sieged in the walls Keilah.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• As it does in Ps 31:9, capture (סָגַר) appears with "in a hand" (בְּיַד) on numerous occasions (cf. Josh 20:5 1 Sam 23:11f, 20 30:15 Ps 31:9 Lam 2:7). It is normally translated as "handed over," "given," or "delivered." When used in the hiphil stem, the verb can also refer to sealing someone or something off for the purposes of quarantine (c.f., Lv 13:4, 5, 21, 26, 31). Given the frequent references to spaces in Ps. 31, the psalmist may intend to bring out the concept of enclosure with this word choice. In previous verses, he has described YHWH as a secure hiding place where he can take refuge. In this verse, he rejoices because God has not "sealed him off" in the hand of his enemies, but instead has set his feet “in a spacious place” (Ps 31:8 [9])."
• Note that the enemy (אוֹיֵב) is indefinite in this phrase. The psalmist is concerned about a general threat against him from an array of enemies.

Shameful Condition (vv. 10-14)

• Four features bind vv. 10-14 together as a distinct section in the psalm.

1. As with the preceding two sections, the psalm's third section begins with a vocative (YHWH יְהוָה֮).
2. This section is marked by the density of first-person singular references. Notably, besides the last two verses that introduce new participants, this is the only section in the psalm in which the second person singular is absent.
3. Additionally, vv. 10-14 contain only qatal verbs.
4. Finally, the section opens and closes with a reference to the psalmist's soul (נַפְשִׁ֣י).

• Lament is the primary illocution of these verses. The psalmist is describing his pitiful physical and social condition. The reason he expresses himself in this manner, however, is to explain why YHWH should have mercy on him. Therefore, the whole section can be gathered under the global speech act of "pleading for mercy."

v. 10

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
10a	חָנֵּ֥נִי יְהוָה֮ כִּ֤י צַ֫ר־לִ֥י	Be gracious to me, YHWH, because of my distress.
10b	עָשְׁשָׁ֖ה בְכַ֥עַס עֵינִ֗י נַפְשִׁ֥י וּבִטְנִֽי׃	My eye, my throat, and my belly waste away because of anger.

Expanded Paraphrase

Since I have taken shelter in you, I ask for you to be gracious to me, YHWH, because of my distress. Metaphorically speaking, my eye, my throat, and my belly are wasted away because of Saul's anger towards me, which is why I am on the run with limited supplies.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• Waste away (עָשְׁשָׁה) only occurs 3 times in the Old Testament. Two of the occurrences appear in Psalm 31 (vv. 10, 11). The usage in v. 10 is similar to the other occurrence in the psalter (Ps 6:8). While the exact meaning of the term is unclear, its general implications are understandable. All three uses appear in a negative context describing the weakened or diminished state of a body part. Ps 6:8 refers to the eyes and insinuates a failure of eyesight. Ps 31:10 refers to eyesight as well as the throat and belly. Ps 31:11 refers to the bones and suggests their frailty. The verb appears in parallel with other terms implying the weakening or failing of other body parts (כָלוּ: "fails"; כָּשַׁל: "fades away").
• Most modern English translations render כַעַס as "grief" or "sorrow" (contrast "vexation" in JPS 1984 and NJB). The ancient witnesses, however, all use terms that refer to anger.
• Most English translations identify my eye (עֵינִי) as the subject of waste away (עָשְׁשָׁה). While this is an acceptable understanding of the grammar, it forces the translator to assume an elided verb for the following terms (נַפְשִׁי וּבִטְנִי [my throat and my belly]) or to translate the rest of the verse idiomatically. As Waltke & O'Connor note, however, "the wāw can be attached to all of the nouns in a series or simply the last in the series." Additionally, as deClaissé-Walford notes, "The singular verb is not uncommon with multiple subjects if they are related, especially since the person is considered a unified whole without the division of body and soul." Consequently, translations that recognize these three terms as a list of items functioning as the subject of the verb are preferred (cf. EU, ELB, NBS, NVS, BDS, S21, NVI, DHH, BTX IV).

• My eye (עֵינִי), my throat (נַפְשִׁי), and my belly (בִטְנִי) appear in a sequence to refer to the totality of a person's being. This is the only time all three words appear in the same verse in the Old Testament. While נפש is often translated as "life" and בִטְנִ is sometimes translated as "body," the terms more literally mean "throat" and "belly" respectively. Thus, the list in v. 10 would be my eye, my throat, and my belly. This list forms a chain of body parts from sight to eating to digestion.
• The בְּ preposition (because) can mark "the reason or originating force of an action." In this verse, anger is the cause of his sight wasting away.

v. 11

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
11a	כִּ֤י כָל֪וּ בְיָג֡וֹן חַיַּי֮	Indeed, my life fades away with grief,
11b	וּשְׁנוֹתַ֪י בַּאֲנָ֫חָ֥ה	and my years [fade away] with groaning.
11c	כָּשַׁ֣ל בַּעֲוֺנִ֣י כֹחִ֑י	My strength has failed because of my iniquity,
11d	וַעֲצָמַ֥י עָשֵֽׁשׁוּ׃	and my bones waste away.

Expanded Paraphrase

Because my life fades away with grief, and my years [fade away] with groaning. My strength has failed because of my iniquity, and my bones waste away. My desperate situation can be compared to someone who is physically deteriorating, and is effectively a social outcast.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• Because (כִּי) functions as a subordinating conjunction, it provides a further explanation (i.e., v. 11) for the situation described in 10b. The psalmist is wasting away because his life and years are ending with a sigh and grief. Thus, כִּי marks "the motivation given by speakers to explain something they have said. The causal relation is thus not due to natural laws but is due to the speaker’s own reasoning. כִּי can usually also be translated 'for.'"
• Since the psalmist is speaking, he does not literally mean that his life has ended. Instead, he is referring to the wasting away of his years of living. English translations offer very different terms ("spent" NRSV; "consumed" NIV; "ending" NCV, NET; "dying" NLT). The word (כָלוּ) can be translated as fade away when it refers to the agonizing decline in one's health (cf. Deut 28:32; Ps 84:2; 119:81; Lam 4:17).
• Grief (יָגֹון) can refer to both personal grief (Ps 31:10) and national grief (Ezek 23:33). As Alexander notes, "only God's Word brings relief from this state of mind (Ps 119:28).
• In English, life is a singular noun. We do not say, unless we are joking, that we have multiple lives. The Hebrew term here is in the plural (חַיַּי). It is frequently used near שָׁנָה ("year") and in contexts that refer to someone's lifespan.
• SDBH defines groaning (אֲנָחָה) as an "act by which humans make a deep inarticulate sound by pain, grief, or severe suffering." The word is exclusive to poetic texts in the Old Testament. It is associated with physical and mental distress. The term's association with severe suffering suggests that a word that emphasizes the intensity of the psalmist's emotion is likely best. In English, this would mean that "groaning" (NIV, NET) is likely better than "sighing" (ESV).
• The phrase rendered because of my iniquity (בַּעֲוֺנִי) is "in poverty" in the LXX (ἐν πτωχείᾳ) and Peshitta (ܒܡܣܟܢܘܬܐ), and some modern translations follow suit. The variant evidenced by the LXX and Peshitta can be explained by the similarity between עֳנִי ("poverty") and עֲוֺנִי ("my iniquity"). The two words are separated by one consonant and a different vocalization. However, since the waw is sometimes used as a vowel in texts without the vowel pointing both readings are plausible. Since the differences are so slight, the translation of this word should consider the context closely. Verses 10-11 have a unique poetic structure in Psalm 31 (see visual below). The psalmist describes his terrible plight with a series of reasons marked with the same construction: bet plus noun. The first of these blames the psalmist's situation on anger. Consequently, while much of the psalm focuses on the psalmist's enemies, in vv. 10-11 the psalmist ascribes partial blame for his situation to anger. Set within this context, the MT's reading (בַּעֲוֺנִי) makes sense. Ultimately, both readings are plausible and provide a coherent reading of the psalm. In the absence of any decisive evidence, retaining the MT is the option preferred here. However, it would be acceptable to emend the text.

v. 12

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
12a	מִכָּל־צֹרְרַ֨י הָיִ֪יתִי חֶרְפָּ֡ה	I have been scorned by all of my adversaries
12b	וְלִשֲׁכֵנַ֨י ׀ מְאֹד֮	and [I have] greatly [become an object of scorn] to my neighbors,
12c	וּפַ֪חַד לִֽמְיֻדָּ֫עָ֥י	and [I have become] an object of fear to my friends.
12d	רֹאַ֥י בַּח֑וּץ נָדְד֥וּ מִמֶּֽנִּי׃	Those who see me in the street have fled from me.

Expanded Paraphrase

I acted like a madman to save my life from Achish of Gath, and so I have been understandably scorned by all of my adversaries which compares with all of the false accusations against me, and [I have] greatly [become an object of scorn] to my neighbors, and [I have become] an object of fear to my friends, that is my men, who are scared Saul will kill them because of their association with me. Whenever I walk outside those who see me in the street (i.e., the residents of Keilah) have fled from me. Therefore, I am a social outcast.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• By my adversaries (מִכָּל־צֹרְרַי) is translated in numerous ways by modern translations. For a complete discussion of the phrase, see The Text and Meaning of Ps 31:12. Ps 31:14 (MT) refers to negative speech about the psalmist by his enemies. Since scorned (חֶרְפָּה) strongly implies some type of negative speech against an individual, this verse provides the strongest support for reading the מִן preposition as having an agency nuance (by).
• As SDBH notes, scorned (חֶרְפָּה) refers to "an individual, nation, or land that is affected by efforts from others to arouse an emotion of shame in them by words or actions." In Prov 14:31 the term is used as the opposite of "honor" (כבד). It appears with the "to be" verb on numerous occasions to describe the speaker's reputation in social circles (cf. Ps 79:4; 89:42; 109:25).
• Some modern translations suggest greatly (מְאֹד) should be emended to a word like "horror" (מָגוֹר). The strongest arguments are in favor of retaining the traditional MT reading (מְאֹד). The combination of חֶרְפָּה ("scorn") and שָׁכֵן ("neighbor") via a lamed preposition indicating agency occurs numerous times in the Psalter (cf. Ps 79:4; 89:42; 109:25). For a full discussion of this issue, see The Text and Meaning of Ps 31:12.)
• Those who see me in the street (רֹאַי בַּחוּץ) could refer to the location of those who see the psalmist ("they [while being in the street] see me") or the location of the psalmist himself ("they see me [in a state of my being] in the street"). In reality, both the psalmist and those who see him would be "in the street." The simplest translation, therefore, is to refer to the psalmist physically being in the street ("those who see me in the street") and allow the context to imply that those seeing the psalmist are also in the street.

v. 13

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
13a	נִ֭שְׁכַּחְתִּי כְּמֵ֣ת מִלֵּ֑ב	I have been forgotten like a dead person [is forgotten] from memory.
13b	הָ֝יִ֗יתִי כִּכְלִ֥י אֹבֵֽד׃	I have become like a broken vessel.

Expanded Paraphrase

Since I am a social outcast I have been forgotten like a dead person [is forgotten] from memory. After all, dead people are not remembered by the living. I have become like a broken vessel. Just as a broken vessel is useless, I feel useless.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• Some lexica define אבד as an "ill-made, broken vessel." In contrast, SDBH offers the following definition and translation: a "state of not being located in the place where it is expected to be -- to be lost." The larger context of Psalm 31 suggests that broken is the better translation. In v. 14, the psalmist claims that his enemies are conspiring to "take his life" (לָקַחַת נַפְשִׁי). Additionally, including this verse, אבד and מות appear as word pairs four times in the Old Testament (cf., 2 Kgs 11:1; Isa 26:14; Ps 41:6). Each of these verses uses אבד as a synonym for מות.
• From memory is often untranslated in modern English translations. The NET renders the phrase as "no one thinks about." Roberts argues this sentence relies heavily upon ellipsis. He draws a comparison to Deuteronomy 4:9 which uses a similar phrase but provides a full sentence. He translates the verse similar to the NET: "I was forgotten (and), like a dead man, (slipped) from the consciousness (of my friends)."

v. 14

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
14a	כִּ֤י שָׁמַ֨עְתִּי ׀ דִּבַּ֥ת רַבִּים֮	Because I heard the slander of many people
14b	מָג֪וֹר מִסָּ֫בִ֥יב	–terror is on every side–
14c	בְּהִוָּסְדָ֣ם יַ֣חַד עָלַ֑י	when they conspired together against me.
14d	לָקַ֖חַת נַפְשִׁ֣י זָמָֽמוּ׃	They plotted to take my life.

Expanded Paraphrase

Because I heard the slander of many people like Doeg and the Ziphites --terror is on every side because Saul and his army pursue me everywhere I run-- when they conspired together against me. They plotted to take my life and Saul has taken their word, even though their case against me is built upon lies.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• There are two options for how to translate the slander of many people (דִּבַּת רַבִּים):
  • NLT and BDS translate this phrase as "many whispers." This translation understands "many" (רַבִּים) as an adjective.
  • However, it is better to follow the majority of translations and take the phrase as a construct chain ("the whispers of many"). The 3mp suffix on the infinitive construct (בְּהִוָּסְדָם "when 'they' conspired") seems to refer to people and not to an abundance of rumors. Consequently, it seems that the psalmist has a large number of enemies in mind. While this would equate to many whispers, that is not what is intended by the phrase.
• Several modern English translations render דִּבָּה as "whispering" (NRSV, NIV, ESV, CEV). These translations rely on the context to determine that the content of the speech is negative. The term itself, however, seems to carry a much more negative force than either "whispering" or even "rumors" (NLT) suggest. As the entry in TDOT notes: "dibbah does not mean here a rumor about someone which arises out of ignorance, but a calculated rumor which is conceived for the purpose of hurting someone and concerning whose truth or falsity no precise statement is made." The preceding verse describes how the psalmist has become a social outcast. The end of this verse will describe how his enemies plan to kill him. Thus, a more negative term like slander would be more accurate.
• There are two options for how to translate terror is all around (מָגוֹר מִסָּבִיב). First, the phrase can represent a quotation of the slanderers' speech: "Terror is all around you!" (NIV, CEV, NVI, DHH). As it stands in the text, the speech does not make much sense. Why would an enemy say, "terror is all around"? Alternatively, the phrase could be understood an independent nominal clause. This is by far the most common translation of the phrase. It is the preferred reading. It does not require one to interpret the phrase as the content of the speech. Instead, it functions as a parenthetical statement about the psalmist's situation (i.e., he is in a terrifying situation).
• Terror (מָגוֹר) suggests fear in deadly situations related to military invasion or battle contexts (cf. Ps 55:16; Isa 31:9; Jer 46:5; 49:29). The same phrase is found in Jer 20:10.
• Conspired (הִוָּסְד) occurs in the niphal in this verse and Ps 2:2. In both instances, the meaning is to "fix or seat themselves close together, sit in a conclave."
• When paired with the מִן preposition, סָּבִיב means "from round about", "from every side", or on every side (cf. Ez 16:33, 37; 23:22; 37:21; Jer 4:17; 6:25; 20:3, 10; 46:5; 49:29; Isa 42:25; Jonah 4:11, 12).
• When humans are the subject of plot (זָמָמוּ), the context is almost always negative (cf., Gen 11:6; Deut 19:19; Pss 10:4; 37:12, 15; Prov 30:32; Jer 11:15)..

Trust Declared (vv. 15-17)

• The fourth section of the psalm is bound together by several features:

1. As with the previous sections, it contains a vocative (יְהוָה) in the first line.
2. Additionally, following an abrupt topic shift ("but I") in v. 15, the section is marked by three hiphil imperatives.

• The section has numerous lexical parallels with vv. 6-9. It repeats the line from v. 7b (וַאֲנִי ׀ עָלֶיךָ בָטַ֣חְתִּי יְהוָ֑ה) and also contrasts YHWH's hand (בְּיָדְךָ) with the hand of the psalmist's enemies (מִיַּד־אוֹיְבַי). Finally, it repeats the key words "faithfulness" (בְחַסְדֶּךָ) and "save me" (הוֹשִׁיעֵנִי).

v. 15

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
15a	וַאֲנִ֤י ׀ עָלֶ֣יךָ בָטַ֣חְתִּי יְהוָ֑ה	But I trust you, YHWH.
15b	אָ֝מַ֗רְתִּי אֱלֹהַ֥י אָֽתָּה׃	I say, “You are my God.”

Expanded Paraphrase

But I trust you, YHWH. I refuse to trust any other god. I say, "You are my God."

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• But I (וַאֲנִי) appears in the first position of the sentence and shifts the topic from the adversaries' desire to kill the psalmist to the psalmist's declaration of trust in YHWH.
• YHWH (יְהוָה) contributes to the line division of v. 15. Without the vocative there would be two consecutive first common singular verbs (בָטַחְתִּי אָמַרְתִּי). The vocative changes the intonation of the verse and marks the shift to a new line.
• Declaring God as one's own is related to praise for his deliverance (Isa 25:1; Ps 86:2). Additionally, one can declare God as yours in the face of discipline (Jer 31:18).

v. 16

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
16a	בְּיָדְךָ֥ עִתֹּתָ֑י	My times are in your hand.
16b	הַצִּ֘ילֵ֤נִי מִיַּד־א֝וֹיְבַ֗י וּמֵרֹדְפָֽי׃	Deliver me from the hand of my enemies and from my pursuers!

Expanded Paraphrase

I know you are in control, and so I know my times are in your hand. Deliver me from the hand of my enemies and from my pursuers!

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• The NIV, ESV, and CEV translate עִתֹּתָי literally with my times. In the plural form, עֵת can carry the sense of "fate" or "destiny" (cf., 1 Chr 12:33; Esther 1:13).
• Normally, the words enemies (אוֹיֵב) and pursuers (מִרְּדֹף) are not joined with a conjunction. Instead, "pursuers" (מִרְּדֹף) frequently functions as the verb referring to either the righteous person's pursuit of his enemies (אוֹיֵב; Ps 18:38) or the enemy's pursuit of the righteous one (Ps 7:6; 143:3). This is the only time "pursuers" (מִרְּדֹף) is used as a substantive along with "enemy" (אֹיֵב).
• A similar phrase (from the hand of my enemies) appears in v. 9. However, in v. 9 both "hand" and "enemy" are singular. In this verse, "hand" is still singular, but "enemies" is plural. This further highlights a concept described in the note on the similar phrase in v. 9, namely that "hand" can metaphorically refer to someone's control. While the psalmist is certainly concerned about physical attack, this phrase has the more general sense of his enemies taking him captive and ultimately killing him.

v. 17

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
17a	הָאִ֣ירָה פָ֭נֶיךָ עַל־עַבְדֶּ֑ךָ	Shine your face upon your servant!
17b	ה֖וֹשִׁיעֵ֣נִי בְחַסְדֶּֽךָ׃	Save me by your faithfulness.

Expanded Paraphrase

Shine your face upon your servant, which is a sign of your grace in my life! Save me by your faithfulness.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• The psalmist cannot control the outcome of his request. Thus, the imperatives in this verse (shine [הָאִירָה]; save me [הוֹשִׁיעֵנִי]) express the psalmist's request and not his demand.
• Your face is a common idiomatic phrase to refer to someone's (especially YHWH's) presence (cf. Num 6:25).
• When used in the spatial sense, עַל (upon) most often means "above." In this verse, the light is coming from YHWH who is higher than the psalmist.

Protection (vv. 18-23)

• The fifth section of the psalm begins with another vocative (יְֽהוָ֗ה). Additionally, the section calls back to the beginning of the psalm (v. 2) in several ways. First, it repeats key words (אֵבוֹשָׁה and לַחֹסִים בָּךְ). Though not repeated roots, vv. 18-23 contain the theme of shelter (e.g., [תַּסְתִּירֵם ׀ בְּסֵתֶר ,בְּסֻכָּה ,בְּעִיר מָצוֹר]) that ties the fifth section back to the first section.
  • This section consists of three smaller subsections.
    • Vv. 18-19 contain a series of three third masculine singular jussives. The theme of silence further binds the verses together.
    • Vv. 20-21 begin with a declaration of God's goodness that counters the abundant lies heard by the psalmist when he was surrounded (v. 14). The repetition of צפן forms an inclusio for the section.
    • Vv. 22-23 are tied together with even though I (וַאֲנִי). It expresses the psalmist's thoughts while he was in a besieged city. He praises YHWH for hearing his cries even though he thought he had been cut off from YHWH.
• The structure of vv. 18-23 can be visualized as follows:

• Should the the evil ones, the lying lips, human, disputing tongues, and those who act pridefully 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 necessarily synonymous with David's enemies.

v. 18

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
18a	יְֽהוָ֗ה אַל־אֵ֭בוֹשָׁה כִּ֣י קְרָאתִ֑יךָ	YHWH, do not let me be ashamed because I have called you!
18b	יֵבֹ֥שׁוּ רְ֝שָׁעִ֗ים	May the wicked be ashamed!
18c	יִדְּמ֥וּ לִשְׁאֽוֹל׃	May they go silently to Sheol!

Expanded Paraphrase

YHWH, do not let me be ashamed as if I were like the idol worshippers because I have called you in my distress! May the wicked who are lying about me to Saul be ashamed. Do not let my shame continue! May they (e.g., Doeg and the Ziphites) go silently to Sheol, rather than speaking lies to Saul!

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• Since the psalmist cannot control the outcome of his requests, the cohortative (let me be ashamed [אֵבוֹשָׁה]) and jussives (may the wicked be ashamed [יֵבֹשׁוּ]; may they go silently [יִדְּמוּ]) in this verse express his wish that YHWH act in a certain way.
• There is a text-critical issue concerning may they go silently. The REB, NJB, and NBS adopt a textual variant (יוּרְדוּ "may they brought down") supported by the LXX (καὶ καταχθείησαν "and may they be brought down") and the Peshitta (ܘܢܚܬܘܢ "may they go down") in their translations. Context is key to determining which reading should be preferred. The idea of "going down to Sheol" is common in the Old Testament. Since the phrase is so common, it is possible that a scribe harmonized Ps 31:18 with this idiom. However, the desire to see his enemies go "silently" to Sheol makes sense in the context of the psalm. According to v. 14, the psalmist hears the slanderous whispers of his enemies. Additionally, in the following verse, the psalmist requests that lying lips be unable to speak (v. 19).
• There are two main options for translating silently (דמם): "to be silent" (NIV, NLT, ESV, CEV, GNT) or "to wail" (NET). This word can often refer to silence that is the result of death or destruction (Exod 15:16; 1 Sam 2:9; Jer 8:14; 25:37; 48:2; 49:26; 50:30; 51:6; Lam 2:10; 3:28). The Old Testament occasionally speaks of people being able to speak or cry out from Sheol (cf. Ezek 32:21; Jonah 2:3). This would support the NET reading. However, the idea of "silence" (דמם) helps emphasize the contrast between the psalmists and his enemies in v. 18. Additionally, it matches the theme of silence that is continued in v. 19.

v. 19

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
19a	תֵּ֥אָלַ֗מְנָה שִׂפְתֵ֫י שָׁ֥קֶר	May lying lips be unable to speak
19b	הַדֹּבְר֖וֹת עַל־צַדִּ֥יק עָתָ֗ק בְּגַאֲוָ֥ה וָבֽוּז׃	–those that speak insolence against the righteous, with arrogance and contempt.

Expanded Paraphrase

May the lying lips of Doeg and the Ziphites be unable to speak--those that speak insolence against the righteous i.e., me and those who follow me, with arrogance and contempt.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• The verb translated as be unable to speak (אלם) appears eight times in the niphal stem. It insinuates not just silence, but an inability to speak or even open one's mouth (cf. Dan 10:15; Ps 39:9; Isa 53:7; Ezek 3:26; 24:27; 33:22).
• The definite article on those that speak (הַדֹּבְרוֹת) functions similarly to the relative marker.
• The word translated as insolence (עָתָק) occurs four times as an adjective. In each instance, it describes the speech of those who are opposed to YHWH (cf. 1 Sam 2:3; Pss 75:6; 94:4).
• The instrumental bet preposition is elided in the second term (וָבוּז), these two words (בְּגַאֲוָה וָבוּז) possess close conceptual unity and form a fixed compound: with arrogance and contempt.

v. 20

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
20a	מָ֤ה רַֽב־טוּבְךָ֮	How many are your good things
20b	אֲשֶׁר־צָפַ֪נְתָּ לִּֽירֵ֫אֶ֥יךָ	which you have stored up for those who fear you,
20c	פָּ֭עַלְתָּ לַחֹסִ֣ים בָּ֑ךְ נֶ֝֗גֶד בְּנֵ֣י אָדָם׃	[and which] you have performed for those who take refuge in you for all people to see!

Expanded Paraphrase

You do good things when you provide security for your people. How many are your good things which you have stored up for those who fear you, [and which] you have performed for those who take refuge in you for all people to see! They take refuge in you because they are in dangerous situations caused by the wicked.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• Formally, the first sentence is an interrogative (how many are your good things). However, it is a rhetorical question meant to assert the greatness of YHWH.
• The preferred reading of Ps 31:20 is to understand the relative particle which (אֲשֶׁר) as introducing a compound subordinate clause. God's good things function as the implied direct object of both verbs (פָּעַלְתָּ you have performed and צָפַנְתָּ you have stored up). Two pieces of evidence support this reading. First, the second verb does not have an explicit direct object. It appears to be related to your good things (טוּבְךָ). Second, the structure of the verse suggests both verbs are related to "your good things which..." Both verbs are followed by a lamed preposition attached to a substantive, suggesting that they are in parallel and could both be governed by "which."

• There are two options for understanding the significance of good things (טוּב): abstract or concrete. However, when referring to YHWH the two concepts are not mutually exclusive. Höver-Johag notes, "As 'the good' par excellence, the noun ṭûḇ or ṭôḇâ (as well as the neuter use of the adj. ṭôḇ) has two senses in religious contexts, related as cause and effect, as an abstract concept and its (collective) concrete manifestation." YHWH is "the good one." At the same time, his goodness is "manifested in concrete acts." In the context of this verse and the whole psalm, this term likely has YHWH's good acts (collectively) in view. The following verbs support this reading because both imply some concrete objects (you have stored up [צָפַנְתָּ]) or actions (you have performed [פָּעַלְתָּ]). These acts are related to serving as a refuge for the psalmist and delivering him from his enemies.
• The preposition translated as in front of (נֶגֶד) does not always refer to physical proximity but can imply the ability of someone to observe another person's action.

v. 21

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
21a	תַּסְתִּירֵ֤ם ׀ בְּסֵ֥תֶר פָּנֶיךָ֮ מֵֽרֻכְסֵ֫י אִ֥ישׁ	You shelter them from people’s schemes in the cover of your presence;
21b	תִּצְפְּנֵ֥ם בְּסֻכָּ֗ה מֵרִ֥יב לְשֹׁנֽוֹת׃	You hide them in a shelter from contentious people.

Expanded Paraphrase

You shelter them from people's schemes in the cover of your presence; You hide them in a shelter from contentious people just like you preserved my life when Saul sought to kill me in Keilah.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• Man (אִישׁ) can be a generic term that simply refers to humanity regardless of gender. People's schemes (מֵֽרֻכְסֵי אִישׁ) in this context refer to the enemies' plans.
• Shelter (סֻכָּה) is the term associated with temporary structures built for the Feast of Tabernacles (Booths). Roughly half of the term's occurrences, however, refer to simply a temporary structure meant to provide shelter. Several instances suggest the term is about shielding someone from the sun or another source of an external threat (e.g., rain, wind, etc.) (cf. Isa 4:5; Jonah 4:5). The word also occurs in military contexts (cf. 1 Kgs 20:12, 16; 2 Sam 10-12). None of these meanings seem to fit with the context of this psalm. The psalmist is looking for a reliable or even permanent shelter from his enemies. In this verse, he declares that YHWH provides such a structure for those who fear YHWH and take refuge in him. The term can also refer to YHWH's heavenly abode (cf. Ps 18:12; Job 36:29), which can descend over Jerusalem (Ps 27:1-6), especially the temple (cf. Ps 15:1; Lam 2:6; Ps 76:2) and protect those loyal to YHWH (cf. Ps 27:1-6). Jerusalem itself can be understood as YHWH's shelter (סֻכָּה). Thus, the psalmist is not looking for a temporary shelter, but he may be subtly hinting towards YHWH's presence, as experienced at the temple.
• The word translated as you hide them (צפן) has strong connotations of hiding something of value to the hider.
• The word translated as schemes (רֹכֶס) only appears this one time in the Old Testament. The term's exact meaning is difficult to determine. The Septuagint translates it with "trouble" or "confusion" (ταραχῆς), and the Vulgate translates the Hebrew term as "harshness" (duritia). The idea of "schemes" shows this term is related to David's earlier declaration that his enemies are conspiring against him (v. 14).

v. 22

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
22a	בָּר֥וּךְ יְהוָ֑ה	Blessed is YHWH,
22b	כִּ֥י הִפְלִ֘יא חַסְדּ֥וֹ לִ֝֗י בְּעִ֣יר מָצֽוֹר׃	because he has wonderfully shown his faithfulness to me in a city under seige.

Expanded Paraphrase

Blessed is YHWH, because he has wonderfully shown his faithfulness to me when I was in Keilah, a city under siege. You answered my prayer and let me know that the people of Keilah would hand me over to Saul. Also, you enabled my escape from Saul into the wilderness and sustained me even there.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• YHWH is almost always the subject of the verb translated as wonderfully shown (הִפְלִיא). The verb characterizes YHWH's action "as unfathomable to human beings or at variance with human understanding." In this verse, the psalmist is declaring his confidence that YHWH's lovingkindness defies human understanding to save him from a desperate situation. The REB captures this nicely with "whose unfailing love for me was wonderful."
• Modern translations demonstrate significant differences over the translation of in a besieged city (בְּעִיר מָצוֹר). The phrase is difficult to understand contextually and many scholars suggest the text should be changed. For a full discussion of the issue, see The Text, Definition, and Translation of Psalm 31:22. Based on the overwhelming support of ancient manuscripts and translations, and based on the context's similarity to David's situation in 1 Sam 23:7-15, the phrase likely refers to David's location "in a besieged city."

v. 23

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
23a	וַאֲנִ֤י׀ אָ֘מַ֤רְתִּי בְחָפְזִ֗י נִגְרַזְתִּי֮ מִנֶּ֪גֶד עֵ֫ינֶ֥יךָ	Even though I said in my panic that I had been cut off from your sight.
23b	אָכֵ֗ן שָׁ֭מַעְתָּ ק֥וֹל תַּחֲנוּנַ֗י בְּשַׁוְּעִ֥י אֵלֶֽיךָ׃	However, you heard the sound of my pleading when I cried out to you.

Expanded Paraphrase

Even though I had said in my panic when Saul tried to surround me that I had been cut off from your sight. I was afraid you would not see my situation. However, you heard the sound of my pleading, which was directed towards your ears, when I cried out to you and you did not let Saul capture me.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• In this verse, the psalmist exposes his internal thinking. In his panic, he thought he was cut off from YHWH's sight, but he concludes that his panic was misguided. YHWH heard his cry for mercy and protected him.
• The verb translated as I have been cut off is emended from נִגְרַזְתִּי to נִגְזַרְתִּי. The meaning of both words is the same. The word attested in the MT (נִגְרַזְתִּי) is a misspelling due to a scribe inverting the ז and ר.
• To be 'cut off can refer to death (cf. Isa 53:8; Ps 88:6) or separation from a community (cf. 2 Chr 26:21; Esther 2:1). Given the psalmist's concern for his physical safety in the rest of the psalm, he certainly has the former idea in mind (i.e., death).

Courage Commanded (vv. 24-25)

• Five features unite vv. 24-25.

1. The sixth and final section of the psalm continues the pattern of beginning with a vocative (all his loyal ones כָּל־חֲסִידָיו).
2. Additionally, these lines mark the first time the psalmist shifts his focus to the audience. The verses are marked by the 2mp imperatives (love אֶהֱבוּ; be strong חִ֭זְקוּ) and the 2mp suffix (your hearts לְבַבְכֶם). They are the only imperatives in the psalm that are not addressed to YHWH.
3. Also, the divine name (YHWH) appears three times in these verses. It appears seven times in vv. 2-23.
4. Finally, the two verses are bound together by an inclusio (כָּל plus vocative).

• Unlike the rest of the psalm, vv. 24-25 are not addressed to YHWH. Instead, they are addressed to the audience. While the people of Israel are never directly mentioned in this psalm, they are the intended audience. 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. For a full discussion of for the director, see לַמְנַצֵּחַ.

v. 24

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
24a	אֶֽהֱב֥וּ אֶת־יְהוָ֗ה כָּֽל־חֲסִ֫ידָ֥יו	Love YHWH, all his loyal ones!
24b	אֱ֭מוּנִים נֹצֵ֣ר יְהוָ֑ה	YHWH is watching over the faithful,
24c	וּמְשַׁלֵּ֥ם עַל־יֶ֝֗תֶר עֹשֵׂ֥ה גַאֲוָֽה׃	and he abundantly repays those who act pridefully.

Expanded Paraphrase

Some people are loyal to YHWH and others are not. Love YHWH, all his loyal ones! He watches the faithful to the thousandth generation. YHWH is watching over the faithful, and he abundantly repays those who act pridefully. That is why I would not attack Saul when I had the chance, and I trust YHWH will judge Doeg and the Ziphites.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• The psalmist's exhortation to love YHWH (אֶהֱבוּ) does not refer to emotional longing as it does so often in modern English. Rather, the psalmist wants his audience to respond to YHWH's love as demonstrated through his faithfulness with their own love demonstrated through their faithfulness back to YHWH (cf. Ps 69:37; Isa 56:6).
• The preposition עַל can mark an object of excess (above the rest >> abundantly). One way it can mark excess is by implying multiplication (i.e., over, above; cf., Exodus 16:5).
• In modern English translations, abundantly (עַל־יֶתֶר) describes the abundant nature of YHWH's retribution against people who act pridefully. In contrast, according to the LXX (and all the Hexaplaric readings), the phrase modifies עֹשֵׂה גַאֲוָה ("those who act pridefully"). While both the LXX and the MT readings are possible, the context suggests the phrase is related to the nature of YHWH's retribution against those who act pridefully (i.e., MT). In v. 20, the psalmist has declared that YHWH's goodness is abundant. Nowhere in the psalm does he describe his enemies as those who do evil excessively.

v. 25

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
25a	חִ֭זְקוּ וְיַאֲמֵ֣ץ לְבַבְכֶ֑ם	Be strong so your hearts may take courage,
25b	כָּל־הַ֝מְיַחֲלִ֗ים לַיהוָֽה	all who wait for YHWH.

Expanded Paraphrase

Remember the story of how God protected me when Saul tried to capture me in Keilah, and be strong so your hearts may take courage, all who wait for YHWH. YHWH is faithful to save you from your enemies.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• To put one's hope in God is to wait expectantly for him to act on your behalf. In this verse, the psalmist is encouraging those who are in a difficult situation to courageously wait (הַמְיַחֲלִים) for YHWH to deliver them.
• Modern English translations vary in the way they render the verb translated here as so your hearts may take courage (וְיַאֲמֵץ). Some translate the whole phrase idiomatically (e.g., "courageous" NLT; "confident" NET; "be...brave" NCV). The NIV translates the verb as an imperative ("take heart"). The NRSV and ESV ("let your heart take courage") reflect the Hebrew grammar the best. Some jussive verbs, as is the case here, qualify imperatives. Here the jussive verb describes how one should become strong.

Legends

Grammatical diagram

For legend, click "Expand" to the right

Grammatical Term	Definition	Diagram	Example
Clausal Additions
Subject	The subject performs the action of the active verb or receives the action of a passive verb. With intransitive verbs	Indicated at the beginning of the main clausal line, and followed by a vertical line that crosses over the main clause line (separating the subject from the predicate).
Direct Object	Object that receives the direct action of a (transitive) verb	Indicate with a vertical line up from main clausal line
Predicate adjective/ Subject complement	A word used with a linking verb (ex. "to be"), renaming or restating the subject. Can be a whole prepositional phrase.	Indicate with a vertical slanted line up from the main clausal line. It can be on a stand if it is an embedded clause.
Object Complement	Word following a direct object to state what it has become.	Indicate with a vertical slanted line up from the main clausal line.
Infinitives	Can be subject, adverbial, or an infinitive construct.	Indicate with double vertical lines that cross the main clausal line. If used adverbially (ie. an embedded clause), place on a stand.
Participles	A verbal noun/adjective that can be used in three positions: (1) substantival; (2) attributive; (3) predicative.	Indicate with a round vertical line. Substantival participles are placed on a stand (they are embedded). Attributive participles are placed with a rounded line underneath what is modified.
Modifiers
Adjectives	A word modifying a noun to indicate quality, quantity, extent, or differentiating something from something else.	Indicate with a slanted line down from what is modified.
Adverbs	A word that modifies a verb, adverb, adjective, prepositional phrase, clause, or sentence to express a relation (ex. manner, quality, or time).	Indicate with a slanted line down from what is modified.
Construct relationships	Construction can express many different relationships between two (or more) nouns. English grammarians call this construction a ‘Construct’ (our term) or ‘Genitive’ phrase; Hebrew grammarians call it smīḵūt (סְמִיכוּת).	Indicate with a stair-step down from the modified word/clause/phrase.
Prepositional phrases	A phrase that consists of a preposition and its object and has adjectival or adverbial value	Indicate with a slanted vertical line connecting to a new clause.
Connectives	(1) Coordinating conjunctions join together words or word groups of equal grammatical rank (2) Subordinating conjunctions join a main clause and a clause which does not form a complete sentence by itself.	Indicate with a dashed line down from a vertical line marker.
Embedded clause	A clause inside another clause which can include substantival participles, adverbial infinitives, and prepositional phrases.	Indicate using stilts.
Particles
Subordinating particle	Indicates a dependent clause.	Indicate with a dashed line down from the antecedent to the pronoun.
Apposition	A word that is functioning as an explanatory equivalent as another in the sentence	Place on a line apart from the diagram but next to the word it is the equivalent of with an equal sign in between.
Vocative	Indicating a person being addressed (usually with a 2nd person verb)	Place on a line apart from the diagram next to the '()' indicating the gapped subject an equal sign in between.

Master Diagram

Shapes and colours on grammatical diagram

For legend, click "Expand" to the right

	Prepositional phrase	Construct chain	Construct chain within a prepositional phrase	Phrase-level waw	Article and כֹּל
Diagram Shading
Definition	- A prepositional phrase consists of a preposition plus its object. The phrase usually modifies the clause or another constituent in the clause.	- A construct chain, also called a 'genitive phrase', is a grammatical encoding of the relationship 'A of B,' in which A is a phonologically modified noun (in the construct state), and B is a phonologically unmodified noun (the absolute state).	- Some construct chains occur within prepositional phrases	- A waw conjunction can join units of all sizes. Phrase level waw join units at the word or phrase level (i.e., below the level of the clause).	- Definite articles tell you something about the identifiability or inclusiveness about the word it is attached to - כֹּל is a quantifier that tells you about the scope of a word it is attached to

Expanded paraphrase

For legend, click "Expand" to the right

• Close but Clear (CBC) translation
• Assumptions which provide the most salient background information, presuppositions, entailments, and inferences

Bibliography

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Footnotes

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