Psalm 33 Poetic Structure

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Psalm 33/Poetic Structure
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Poetic Structure

  What is Poetic Structure?

In poetic structure, we analyse the structure of the psalm beginning at the most basic level of the structure: the line (also known as the “colon” or “hemistich”). Then, based on the perception of patterned similarities (and on the assumption that the whole psalm is structured hierarchically), we argue for the grouping of lines into verses, verses into sub-sections, sub-sections into larger sections, etc. Because patterned similarities might be of various kinds (syntactic, semantic, pragmatic, sonic) the analysis of poetic structure draws on all of the previous layers (especially the Discourse layer).

Poetic Macro-structure

At-a-Glance


  Legend

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.
v. 1 Shout for joy in YHWH, righteous people! Praise is fitting for upright people. We Praise Praise YHWH as his people should!
Noun-choir-4592889-fde292.png
 enthusiasm
v. 2 Give YHWH praise with a lyre! Make a song for him with a ten-string harp!
v. 3 Sing a new song to him! Play skillfully with a blast!
v. 4 Because YHWH’s word is upright, and all of his work is [done] in faithfulness. We Recall YHWH works in creation
according to loyal love.
All people should fear him!
Noun-eclipse-7226813-ACE0F8.png
 awe
v. 5 He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of YHWH’s loyal-love.
v. 6 The heavens were made by YHWH’s word, and all their hosts [were made] by the breath of his mouth.
v. 7 He is the one who gathers the sea water as a heap! He is the one who places the deep oceans into storehouses!
v. 8 All the earth should be afraid of YHWH! All the dwellers of the inhabited world should be in dread because of him!
v. 9 For he spoke, and it was; he commanded, and it came about.
v. 10 YHWH has thwarted the nations’ plan; he has blocked the peoples’ intentions. YHWH’s plan thwarts the nations’ plan.
YHWH sees all people’s works.
Ps 033 - plans.png
 humility
v. 11 YHWH’s plan stands forever; the intentions of his heart [stand] forever and ever.
v. 12 Happy is the nation whose god is YHWH, [happy are] the people [whom YHWH] chose as a permanent possession for himself.
v. 13 YHWH looked from heaven: he saw all of humanity,
v. 14 he gazed from his dwelling place, at all the dwellers of the earth,
v. 15 the one who forms all their hearts, the one who discerns all their works.
v. 16 A king is not saved by a great force; a warrior is not delivered by great might. Military strength cannot rescue.
YHWH sees those who fear him and
wait for his loyal love!
Ps 033 - military.png
 reassurance
v. 17 A horse is a deceptive means for victory, and it will not rescue by its great force.
v. 18 Consider: YHWH’s eye is upon those who fear him; upon those who wait for his loyal-love,
v. 19 to deliver their lives from death, and to keep them alive during famine.
v. 20 We ourselves wait longingly for YHWH –he is our help and our shield– We wait It’s we who wait, YHWH our shield,
for your loyal love!
Ps 033 - loyal love.png
 confidence
v. 21 because our hearts rejoice in him; because we have come to trust in his holy name.
v. 22 YHWH, may your loyal-love be upon us, just as we have been waiting for you!

Psalm 033 - Poetic Structure.jpg

Notes

  • The Psalm may be divided into three main sections (Ross 2011, 723-4; Kraus 1988, 375-378; Craigie 2004 271; Deissler 1965, 226; Vincent 1978, 451):
    • Vv. 1-3 are a call to praise. These verses are characterized by plural imperatives and the language of song (cf. Kraus 1988, 375; Ross 2011, 723). They contain multiple lameds in 1a, 2a, 2b, 3a (Lugt 2006, 329).
    • Vv. 4-19 provide the grounds for the praise. These verses are characterized by descriptions of YHWH; there is no direct address or first-person language in this section.
    • Vv. 20-22 are personal application. This section is characterized by the first person: we, our, and us. The first two verses appear to be a direct address to the people of God, reminding them of the reasons to desire YHWH. The final verse is a direct address to YHWH.
  • The opening and closing sections form an inclusio of direct address focused on the audience's response to YHWH. In the first section it is the address of the psalm leader(s) to the people, and the second is the address of the people to YHWH.
  • The middle section, vv. 4-19: The verselines in vv. 4–19 "are composed of an uninterrupted series of 2-line strophes (Lugt 2006, 333). These strophes consistently display parallelism, oftentimes with a single verb serving double-duty over both clauses.
    • Vv. 4-5 contain a summary statement of YHWH's character (his "moral qualities," Hupfeld 1868, 188). Faithfulness (v. 4) and loyal-love (v. 5) are often coupled in the Psalms (Pss. 89:25; 92:3; 98:3; Vincent 1978, 447). There is parallelism of uprightness/justice (vv. 4a, 5a) and faithfulness/loyalty (vv. 4b, 5b) (Auffret 2009, 90). Ross argues that vv. 4-5 provide four attributes of YHWH that are each developed in a subsequent subsection (Ross 2011, 730), as though each phrase of these verses provided a heading for a subsection.
    • Vv. 6-12 and vv. 13-19 each begin with a reference to the heavens (Lugt 2006, 330).
      • Vv. 6-12 contains two subsections that describe the power of YHWH's word (vv. 4a, 6a) in creation (vv. 6-9) and in human history (vv. 10-12).
      • Vv. 6-9 contain the semantic domain of creation: the heavens (v. 6a), the sea waters and deeps (v. 7), and the earth (v. 8), as well as "he spoke and it was" which is a clear reference to the creation story in Gen 1.
      • Vv. 10-12 contain the nations (vv. 10a, 12a), the peoples (vv. 10b, 12b), a plan (vv. 10a, 11a) and intentions (vv. 10b, 11b). Ross argues that vv. 10-12 develops the theme that "all his work is done in faithfulness" (v. 4b) as the plan of YHWH for human history, which "will be fulfilled in spite of many human plans to oppose it" (Ross 2011, 731).
      • Verse 9 acts as a hinge verse within vv. 6-12. V. 9a describes the power of YHWH's word in creation, which is the theme of the previous three verses, while v. 9b describes the power of YHWH's word in human history, which is the theme of the following three verses. Vv. 9b and 11a are bound by the common Hebrew word עמד "stand." As Calvin writes, "For until God be acknowledged the creator and maker of the world, who will believe that He regards men's affairs, and that the state of the world is governed by His wisdom and power? And the creation of the world leads us as straight as a line to the providence of God" (Calvin 1965, 376).
    • Vv. 13-19 contains two subsections that describe YHWH's seeking justice and righteousness (vv. 5a, 13-15), and his acts of loyal love (v. 5b, 16-19).
      • Vv. 13-15 contains a cluster of verbs of perception: "looks" (v. 13a), "sees" (v. 13b), "gazes" (v. 14a), "discerns" (v. 15b). It contains the preposition "from" (מן) in ***vv. 13a and 14a and the Hebrew term kol ("all") in regular intervals, in vv. 13b, 14b, and 15b (Lugt 2006, 329). It is bound by the similar-sounding Hebrew words for "heaven" in v. 13a and "their works" in 15b (Ibid.). Ross says that vv. 13-15 develop the theme "YHWH loves righteousness and justice" from v. 5a. This love manifests itself in YHWH intently observing the activities of all of humanity from a perch of authority, to judge whether righteousness and justice are taking place.
      • Vv. 16-19 contains the root "save" (ישׁא) in vv. 16a and 17a, the word "force" (חיל) in vv. 16a and 17b, the word "great" (רב) in vv. 16a, 16b, and 17b, and the root "to deliver" (נצל) in vv. 16b and 19a. The section contains the similar sounding Hebrew words "not" (אין) and "eye" (עין) in vv. 16a and 18a (Lugt 2006, 329). Ross says that vv. 16-19 develop the theme of "YHWH's loyal love in all the world" (Ross 2011, 730). The Psalmist develops this theme of "loyal-love" (v . 18) in terms of military victory and provision against starvation.
      • V. 18 contains the "eye of YHWH," which is a clear reference to the multiple times YHWH is said to perceive in vv. 13-15. In vv. 16-19 YHWH's protection for his people comes about because of what he saw in vv. 13-15, thus binding vv. 13-19 together.
    • Vv. 6-9 are four lines, mirroring the four lines of vv. 16-19.
      • The theme is YHWH's power: over creation (vv. 6-9) and in battle (vv. 16-19).
      • In both of these subsections, the third line contains the word "fear."
      • The 3rd verse in each section is about YHWH's relationship: with humanity (v. 8) and with his people (v. 18).
    • Vv. 10-12 are three lines, mirroring the three lines of vv. 13-15.
      • The first 2 verses contain contrast
        • YHWH's plans vs. the nations' plans (vv. 10-11)
        • YHWH dwelling in heaven vs. humanity dwelling on earth (vv. 13-14).
      • The 3rd verse in the section is about YHWH's relationship: with his people (v. 12) and with all humanity (v. 15).
        • This is the inverse order of relationships described in the third verses in vv. 6-9 and vv. 16-19.

Line Divisions

  Legend

Line division divides the poem into lines and line groupings. We determine line divisions based on a combination of external evidence (Masoretic accents, pausal forms, manuscripts) and internal evidence (syntax, prosodic word counting and patterned relation to other lines). Moreover, we indicate line-groupings by using additional spacing.

When line divisions are uncertain, we consult some of the many psalms manuscripts which lay out the text in lines. Then, if a division attested in one of these manuscripts/versions influences our decision to divide the text at a certain point, we place a green symbol (G, DSS, or MT) to the left of the line in question.

Poetic line division legend
Pausal form Pausal forms are highlighted in yellow.
Accent which typically corresponds to line division Accents which typically correspond to line divisions are indicated by red text.
| Clause boundaries are indicated by a light gray vertical line in between clauses.
G Line divisions that follow Greek manuscripts are indicated by a bold green G.
DSS Line divisions that follow the Dead Sea Scrolls are indicated by a bold green DSS.
M Line divisions that follow Masoretic manuscripts are indicated by a bold green M.
Number of prosodic words The number of prosodic words are indicated in blue text.
Prosodic words greater than 5 The number of prosodic words if greater than 5 is indicated by bold blue text.

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.

Psalm 033 - Line Division.jpg