Psalm 36 Story Behind
From Psalms: Layer by Layer
Psalm 36/Story Behind
Choose a PsalmNavigate Psalm 36
YHWH's Unending Loyalty
Psalm 36
Please note: Resources for Psalm 36 are in the process of being reformatted for visual consistency and improved functionality.
About the Story Behind Layer
The Story Behind the Psalm shows how each part of the psalm fits together into a single coherent whole. Whereas most semantic analysis focuses on discrete parts of a text such as the meaning of a word or phrase, Story Behind the Psalm considers the meaning of larger units of discourse, including the entire psalm.
The goal of this layer is to reconstruct and visualise a mental representation of the text as the earliest hearers/readers might have conceptualised it. We start by identifying the propositional content of each clause in the psalm, and then we identify relevant assumptions implied by each of the propositions. During this process, we also identify and analyse metaphorical language (“imagery”). Finally, we try to see how all of the propositions and assumptions fit together to form a coherent mental representation. The main tool we use for structuring the propositions and assumptions is a story triangle, which visualises the rise and fall of tension within a semantic unit. Although story triangles are traditionally used to analyse stories in the literary sense of the word, we use them at this layer to analyse “stories” in the cognitive sense of the word—i.e., a story as a sequence of propositions and assumptions that has tension.
Summary Triangle
The story triangle below summarises the story of the whole psalm. We use the same colour scheme as in Participant Analysis. The star icon along the edge of the story-triangle indicates the point of the story in which the psalm itself (as a speech event) takes place. We also include a theme at the bottom of the story. The theme is the main message conveyed by the story-behind.
| Story Triangles legend | |
|---|---|
| Propositional content (verse number) | Propositional content, the base meaning of the clause, is indicated by bold black text. The verse number immediately follows the correlating proposition in black text inside parentheses. |
| Common-ground assumption | Common-ground assumptions[1] are indicated by gray text. |
| Local-ground assumption | Local-ground assumptions[2] are indicated by dark blue text. |
| Playground assumption | Playground assumptions[3] are indicated by light blue text. |
 |
The point of the story at which the psalm takes place (as a speech event) is indicated by a gray star. |
 |
If applicable, the point of the story at which the psalm BEGINS to take place (as a speech event) is indicated with a light gray star. A gray arrow will travel from this star to the point at which the psalm ends, indicated by the darker gray star. |
 |
A story that repeats is indicated by a circular arrow. This indicates a sequence of either habitual or iterative events. |
 |
A story or event that does not happen or the psalmist does not wish to happen is indicated with a red X over the story triangle. |
 |
Connections between propositions and/or assumptions are indicated by black arrows with small text indicating how the ideas are connected. |
| Note: In the Summary triangle, highlight color scheme follows the colors of participant analysis. | |
Background ideas
Following are the common-ground assumptionsCommon-ground assumptions include information shared by the speaker and hearers. In our analysis, we mainly use this category for Biblical/Ancient Near Eastern background. which are the most helpful for making sense of the psalm.
- The evil actions of the "wicked" (רשׁע; vv. 2-5) threaten the lives of those who are "upright in heart" (ישׁרי לב; v. 11) (cf. Ps 11:2).
- YHWH's "loyalty" (חֶסֶד) refers to his commitment to fulfill his obligations towards his people — his "covenant partners" — and demonstrate this commitment by his actions (see SDBH).
- YHWH's temple is a place of safety and security (cf. Pss 27:5; 61:4-5).
Background situation
The background situation is the series of events leading up to the time in which the psalm is spoken. These are taken from the story triangle – whatever lies to the left of the star icon.
Expanded Paraphrase
The expanded paraphrase seeks to capture the implicit information within the text and make it explicit for readers today. It is based on the CBC translation and uses italic text to provide the most salient background information, presuppositions, entailments, and inferences.
| Expanded paraphrase legend | |
|---|---|
| Close but Clear (CBC) translation | The CBC, our close but clear translation of the Hebrew, is represented in bold text. |
| Assumptions | Assumptions which provide background information, presuppositions, entailments, and inferences are represented in italics. |
| Text (Hebrew) | Verse | Expanded Paraphrase |
|---|---|---|
| לַמְנַצֵּ֬חַ ׀ לְעֶֽבֶד־יְהוָ֬ה לְדָוִֽד׃ | 1 | For the director. By the servant of YHWH — by David. |
| *נְאֻֽם־פֶּ֣שַׁע לָ֭רָשָׁע בְּקֶ֣רֶב *לִבּוֹ אֵֽין־פַּ֥חַד אֱ֝לֹהִ֗ים לְנֶ֣גֶד עֵינָֽיו׃ | 2 | Pretending to be a prophet invested with divine authority, personified Rebellion's pseudo-prophetic declaration [speaks] to the wicked in the midst of his heart that is, the core of his being . Choosing Rebellion's influence instead of YHWH's leads to the wicked thinking: There is no fear of God before his eyes In other words, he cannot perceive what it is to live rightly before God. |
| כִּֽי־הֶחֱלִ֣יק אֵלָ֣יו בְּעֵינָ֑יו לִמְצֹ֖א עֲוֺנ֣וֹ לִשְׂנֹֽא׃ | 3 | For Rebellion has flattered him in his eyes in other words, deceived the wicked person into thinking that he has found his iniquity and hated it with the result that the wicked person no longer notices his sin but is blind to it. |
| דִּבְרֵי־פִ֭יו אָ֣וֶן וּמִרְמָ֑ה חָדַ֖ל לְהַשְׂכִּ֣יל לְהֵיטִֽיב׃ | 4 | The consequence of the wicked person's faulty perception is that The words of his mouth are evil and deceit. He has also ceased to act wisely and to do good. |
| אָ֤וֶן ׀יַחְשֹׁ֗ב עַֽל־מִשְׁכָּ֫ב֥וֹ יִ֭תְיַצֵּב עַל־ *כֹּל* דֶּ֣רֶךְ לֹא־ט֑וֹב רָ֝֗ע לֹ֣א יִמְאָֽס׃ | 5 | He is not satisfied with others' evil: He plots evil of his own while on his bed. He acts on his schemes: He remains beside every way, that is, looking for an opportunity that is not good. He does not refuse evil but seizes every opportunity to undermine goodness and work wickedness. |
| יְ֭הוָה בְּהַשָּׁמַ֣יִם חַסְדֶּ֑ךָ אֱ֝מֽוּנָתְךָ֗ עַד־שְׁחָקִֽים׃ | 6 | Yet you are entirely unconcerned! Your character is in no way threatened. Instead of being intimidated by evil, if I understand your character, I will sing a hymn of praise: YHWH, your loyalty to your people is in the unending sky, that is, is everlasting and completely unthreatened by his evil; your faithfulness to your people[extends] up to the clouds, that is, is equally everlasting and completely unthreatened by any evil. |
| צִדְקָֽתְךָ֨ ׀ כְּֽהַרְרֵי־אֵ֗ל מִ֭שְׁפָּטֶךָ תְּה֣וֹם רַבָּ֑ה אָ֤דָֽם־וּבְהֵמָ֖ה תוֹשִׁ֣יעַ יְהוָֽה׃ | 7 | Your justice is steadfast and sure like the mighty mountains and is guaranteed to vindicate your people and deliver them from evil; your judgment is steadfast and sure[like] the great ocean and is guaranteed to vindicate your people and deliver them from evil. Indeed, You deliver all living creatures, that is, humans and animals, YHWH. |
| מַה־יָּקָ֥ר חַסְדְּךָ֗ אֱלֹ֫הִ֥ים וּבְנֵ֥י אָדָ֑ם בְּצֵ֥ל כְּ֝נָפֶ֗יךָ יֶחֱסָיֽוּן׃ | 8 | As creation testifies, so do I: How precious is your loyalty, God! Your loyalty to your covenant people is the hope and security of all your people. Mortals take refuge in your loyalty to them: like a baby chick with its mother, mortals shelter under the cherubim on the lid of the ark of the covenant, within the protection of your wings on the mercy seat. |
| יִ֭רְוְיֻן מִדֶּ֣שֶׁן בֵּיתֶ֑ךָ וְנַ֖חַל עֲדָנֶ֣יךָ תַשְׁקֵֽם׃ | 9 | The ark belongs within a temple and a well-watered garden, like the Garden of Eden. When they take refuge there, They drink to the full from the abundance of your house that is, your temple and you give them drink from your delightful literally, “Eden”-like stream, |
| כִּֽי־עִ֭מְּךָ מְק֣וֹר חַיִּ֑ים בְּ֝אוֹרְךָ֗ נִרְאֶה־אֽוֹר׃ | 10 | because the spring that is, the source of life is with you because you are life itself and the creator/giver of life. By your light, which radiates from your face and proves your favor, we can see light that is, experience salvation and prosperity and are thus able to live within your temple forever. |
| מְשֹׁ֣ךְ חַ֭סְדְּךָ לְיֹדְעֶ֑יךָ וְ֝צִדְקָֽתְךָ֗ לְיִשְׁרֵי־לֵֽב׃ | 11 | The evil of the wicked cannot stand against your loyalty, which is why I know that you will Continue your loyalty for those who know you that is, those who are loyal to you and [continue] your righteousness for those who choose straight, correct paths, that is the upright in heart and not those who choose crooked, wrongs paths, that is, the wicked! |
| אַל־תְּ֭בוֹאֵנִי רֶ֣גֶל גַּאֲוָ֑ה וְיַד־רְ֝שָׁעִ֗ים אַל־תְּנִדֵֽנִי׃ | 12 | Your loyalty is so powerful I know that you Do not let the foot of the arrogant which threatens to step on my neck and subdue me come against me as I dwell within your temple; and do not let the hand of the wicked which threatens to overpower me drive me away from your presence in the temple! |
| שָׁ֣ם נָ֭פְלוּ פֹּ֣עֲלֵי אָ֑וֶן דֹּ֝ח֗וּ וְלֹא־יָ֥כְלוּ קֽוּם׃ | 13 | Because YHWH has continued his loyalty to his people, I know that evil cannot endure. This is why Evildoers have already fallen dead, never to rise again there at YHWH's temple where they threatened to overtake us. They have been thrust down by YHWH and have not been able to stand up again in order to seek our lives. |
Story Triangles
(Click diagram to enlarge)
Assumptions Table
(Click diagram to enlarge)
There are currently no Imagery Tables available for this psalm.
Bibliography
- Avrahami, Yael. 2012. The Senses of Scripture: Sensory Perception in the Hebrew Bible. New York: Bloomsbury Publishing.
- Botha, P.J. 2004. “The Textual Strategy and Ideology of Psalm 36.” Old Testament Essays 17 (4): 506–20.
- Carasik, Michael. 2005. Theologies of the Mind in Biblical Israel. New York: Peter Lang.
- Craigie, Peter C. 2004. Psalms 1–50. 2nd ed. WBC 19. Nashville, TN: Nelson Reference & Electronic.
- DeClaissé-Walford, Nancy L., Rolf A. Jacobson, and Beth LaNeel Tanner. 2014. The Book of Psalms. NICOT. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.
- Delitzsch, Franz. 1871. Biblical Commentary on the Psalms: Vol. 2. Translated by Francis Bolton. Edinburgh: T & T Clark.
- de Regt, Lénart J. 1996. “Discourse Implications of Rhetorical Questions in Job, Deuteronomy and the Minor Prophets.” In Literary Structure and Rhetorical Strategies in the Hebrew Bible. Assen: Van Gorcum.
- Honeyman, A. M. 1952. “Merismus in Biblical Hebrew.” Journal of Biblical Literature 71 (1): 11–18.
- Jenni, Ernst. 2000. Die Hebräischen Präpositionen Band 3: Die Präposition Lamed. Stuttgart: Verlag W. Kohlhammer.
- Keel, Othmar. 1997. The Symbolism of the Biblical World: Ancient Near Eastern Iconography and the Book of Psalms. Winona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns.
- Khan, Geoffrey, and Christo H.J. Van Der Merwe. 2020. “Towards A Comprehensive Model For Interpreting Word Order In Classical Biblical Hebrew.” Journal of Semitic Studies 65 (2): 347–90.
- Kim, Young Bok. 2023. Hebrew Forms of Address: A Sociolinguistic Analysis. Atlanta: SBL Press.
- Kraus, Hans-Joachim. 1988. Psalms 1-59: A Commentary. Minneapolis: Augsburg Pub. House.
- Kselman, John S. 1997. "Psalm 36." In Wisdom, You Are My Sister: Studies in Honor of Roland E. Murphy, O. Carm., On the Occasion of His Eightieth Birthday. Washington, DC: Catholic Biblical Association of America.
- Labuschagne, Casper J. 2006. https://www.labuschagne.nl/ps036.pdf
- LeMon, Joel M. 2010. Yahweh’s Winged Form in the Psalms: Exploring Congruent Iconography and Texts. Fribourg, Göttingen: Academic Press; Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht.
- Locatell, Christian S. 2017. “Grammatical Polysemy in the Hebrew Bible: A Cognitive Linguistic Approach to כי.” PhD Dissertation, Stellenbosch: University of Stellenbosch.
- Miller-Naudé, Cynthia L., and C. H. J. van der Merwe. 2011. “הִנֵּה and Mirativity in Biblical Hebrew.” Hebrew Studies 52:53–81.
- Pilch, John J., and Bruce J. Malina, eds. 2016. Handbook of Biblical Social Values. 3rd edition. Eugene, OR: Cascade Books.
- Ryken, Leland, Jim Wilhoit, Tremper Longman, Colin Duriez, Douglas Penney, and Daniel G. Reid, eds. 1998. Dictionary of Biblical Imagery. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
- Van der Merwe, Christo H.J. 2023. “The Conceptualization of Heart as an Active Zone Body Part in Biblical Hebrew.” In Where Is the Way to the Dwelling of Light?: Studies in Genesis, Job and Linguistics in Honor of Ellen van Wolde. Leiden: Brill.
- Ziegert, Carsten. 2020. “What Is חֶ֫סֶד? A Frame-Semantic Approach.” Journal for the Study of the Old Testament 44 (4): 711–32.
Footnotes
- ↑ Common-ground assumptions include information shared by the speaker and hearers. In our analysis, we mainly use this category for Biblical/ANE background - beliefs and practices that were widespread at this time and place. This is the background information necessary for understanding propositions that do not readily make sense to those who are so far removed from the culture in which the proposition was originally expressed.
- ↑ Local-ground assumptions are those propositions which are necessarily true if the text is true. They include both presuppositions and entailments. Presuppositions are those implicit propositions which are assumed to be true by an explicit proposition. Entailments are those propositions which are necessarily true if a proposition is true.
- ↑ Whereas local-ground assumptions are inferences which are necessarily true if the text is true, play-ground assumptions are those inferences which might be true if the text is true.