Psalm 33 Discourse
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YHWH's Plan Stands Forever
Psalm 33
Please note: Resources for Psalm 33 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 5 participants/characters in Psalm 33:
| Israel / Righteous |
| "Righteous people" (v. 1) |
| "Upright people" (v. 1) |
| "the nation" (v. 12) |
| "the people (who are) his permanent possession" (v. 12) |
| "those who fear him" (v. 18) |
| Chorus Leader |
| Israel / Righteous + Chorus Leader |
| "we ourselves" (v. 20) |
| "our hearts" (v. 21) |
| YHWH |
| "The one who gathered the sea waters" (v. 7) |
| "The one who placed the deeps" (v. 7) |
| "The one who forms hearts" (v. 15) |
| "The one who discerns works" (v. 15) |
| Attributes of YHWH |
| "the eye of YHWH" (v. 18) |
| "your loyal-love" (v. 22) |
| All people |
| "All the earth" (v. 8) |
| "All the dwellers of the inhabited world" (v. 8) |
| "All humanity" (v. 13) |
| "All the dwellers of the earth" (v. 14) |
| Enemies |
| "the nations" (v. 10) |
| "the peoples" (v. 10) |
| Agents of War |
| "a king" (v. 16) |
| "a warrior" (v. 16) |
| "a horse" (v. 17) |
| Hebrew | Line | English |
|---|---|---|
| רַנְּנ֣וּ צַ֭דִּיקִים בַּֽיהוָ֑ה | 1a | Shout for joy in YHWH, righteous people! |
| לַ֝יְשָׁרִ֗ים נָאוָ֥ה תְהִלָּֽה׃ | 1b | Praise is fitting for upright people. |
| הוֹד֣וּ לַיהוָ֣ה בְּכִנּ֑וֹר | 2a | Give YHWH praise with a lyre! |
| בְּנֵ֥בֶל עָ֝שׂ֗וֹר זַמְּרוּ־לֽוֹ׃ | 2b | Make a song for him with a ten-string harp! |
| שִֽׁירוּ־ל֭וֹשִׁ֣יר חָדָ֑שׁ | 3a | Sing a new song to him! |
| הֵיטִ֥יבוּ נַ֝גֵּ֗ן בִּתְרוּעָֽה׃ | 3b | Play skillfully with a blast! |
| כִּֽי־יָשָׁ֥ר דְּבַר־יְהוָ֑ה | 4a | Because YHWH’s word is upright, |
| וְכָל־מַ֝עֲשֵׂ֗הוּ בֶּאֱמוּנָֽה׃ | 4b | and all of his work is [done] in faithfulness. |
| אֹ֭הֵב צְדָקָ֣ה וּמִשְׁפָּ֑ט | 5a | He loves righteousness and justice; |
| חֶ֥סֶד יְ֝הוָ֗ה מָלְאָ֥ה הָאָֽרֶץ׃ | 5b | the earth is full of YHWH’s loyal-love. |
| בִּדְבַ֣ר יְ֭הוָה שָׁמַ֣יִם נַעֲשׂ֑וּ | 6a | The heavens were made by YHWH’s word, |
| וּבְר֥וּחַ פִּ֝֗יו כָּל־צְבָאָֽם׃ | 6b | and all their hosts [were made] by the breath of his mouth. |
| כֹּנֵ֣ס כַּ֭נֵּד מֵ֣י הַיָּ֑ם | 7a | the one who gathers the sea water as a heap! |
| נֹתֵ֖ן בְּאֹצָר֣וֹת תְּהוֹמֽוֹת׃ | 7b | the one who places the deep oceans into storehouses! |
| יִֽירְא֣וּ מֵ֭יְהוָה כָּל־הָאָ֑רֶץ | 8a | All the earth should be afraid of YHWH! |
| מִמֶּ֥נּוּ יָ֝ג֗וּרוּ כָּל־יֹשְׁבֵ֥י תֵבֵֽל׃ | 8b | All the dwellers of the inhabited world should be in dread because of him! |
| כִּ֤י ה֣וּא אָמַ֣ר וַיֶּ֑הִי | 9a | For he spoke, and it was; |
| הֽוּא־צִ֝וָּ֗ה וַֽיַּעֲמֹֽד׃ | 9b | he commanded, and it came about. |
| יְֽהוָ֗ה הֵפִ֥יר עֲצַת־גּוֹיִ֑ם | 10a | YHWH has thwarted the nations’ plan; |
| הֵ֝נִ֗יא מַחְשְׁב֥וֹת עַמִּֽים׃ | 10b | he has blocked the peoples’ intentions. |
| עֲצַ֣ת יְ֭הוָה לְעוֹלָ֣ם תַּעֲמֹ֑ד | 11a | YHWH’s plan stands forever; |
| מַחְשְׁב֥וֹת לִ֝בּ֗וֹ לְדֹ֣ר וָדֹֽר׃ | 11b | the intentions of his heart [stand] forever and ever. |
| אַשְׁרֵ֣י הַ֭גּוֹי אֲשֶׁר־יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהָ֑יו | 12a | Happy is the nation whose god is YHWH, |
| הָעָ֓ם ׀ בָּחַ֖ר לְנַחֲלָ֣ה לֽוֹ׃ | 12b | the people [whom YHWH] chose as a permanent possession for himself. |
| מִ֭שָּׁמַיִם הִבִּ֣יט יְהוָ֑ה | 13a | YHWH looked from heaven: |
| רָ֝אָ֗ה אֶֽת־כָּל־בְּנֵ֥י הָאָדָֽם׃ | 13b | he saw all of humanity, |
| מִֽמְּכוֹן־שִׁבְתּ֥וֹ הִשְׁגִּ֑יחַ | 14a | he gazed from his dwelling place, |
| אֶ֖ל כָּל־יֹשְׁבֵ֣י הָאָֽרֶץ׃ | 14b | at all the dwellers of the earth, |
| הַיֹּצֵ֣ר יַ֣חַד לִבָּ֑ם | 15a | the one who forms all their hearts, |
| הַ֝מֵּבִ֗ין אֶל־כָּל־מַעֲשֵׂיהֶֽם׃ | 15b | the one who discerns all their works. |
| אֵֽין־הַ֭מֶּלֶךְ נוֹשָׁ֣ע בְּרָב־חָ֑יִל | 16a | king is not saved by a great force; |
| גִּ֝בּ֗וֹר לֹֽא־יִנָּצֵ֥ל בְּרָב־כֹּֽחַ׃ | 16b | warrior is not delivered by great might. |
| שֶׁ֣קֶר הַ֭סּוּס לִתְשׁוּעָ֑ה | 17a | horse is a deceptive means for victory, |
| וּבְרֹ֥ב חֵ֝יל֗וֹ לֹ֣א יְמַלֵּֽט׃ | 17b | and it will not rescue by its great force. |
| הִנֵּ֤ה עֵ֣ין יְ֭הוָה אֶל־יְרֵאָ֑יו | 18a | Consider: YHWH’s eye is upon those who fear him; |
| לַֽמְיַחֲלִ֥ים לְחַסְדּֽוֹ׃ | 18b | upon those who wait for his loyal-love, |
| לְהַצִּ֣יל מִמָּ֣וֶת נַפְשָׁ֑ם | 19a | to deliver their lives from death, |
| וּ֝לְחַיּוֹתָ֗ם בָּרָעָֽב׃ | 19b | and to keep them alive during famine. |
| נַ֭פְשֵׁנוּ חִכְּתָ֣ה לַֽיהוָ֑ה | 20a | We ourselves wait longingly for YHWH |
| עֶזְרֵ֖נוּ וּמָגִנֵּ֣נוּ הֽוּא׃ | 20b | he is our help and our shield– |
| כִּי־ב֭וֹ יִשְׂמַ֣ח לִבֵּ֑נוּ | 21a | because our hearts rejoice in him; |
| כִּ֤י בְשֵׁ֖ם קָדְשׁ֣וֹ בָטָֽחְנוּ׃ | 21b | because we have come to trust in his holy name. |
| יְהִֽי־חַסְדְּךָ֣ יְהוָ֣ה עָלֵ֑ינוּ | 22a | YHWH, may your loyal-love be upon us, |
| כַּ֝אֲשֶׁ֗ר יִחַ֥לְנוּ לָֽךְ׃ | 22b | just as we have been waiting for you! |
Participant Relations Diagram
The relationships among the participants may be abstracted and summarized as follows:
Participant Analysis Summary Distribution
This resource is forthcoming.
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 33, 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
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- Vincent, Jean Marcel. 1978. “Recherches Exégétiques Sur Le Psaume 33.” VT 28: 442–54.
- Witte, Markus. 2002. “Das Neue Lied--Beobachtungen Zum Zeitverständnis von Psalm 33” ZAW 114: 522–41.
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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.