Psalm 37/Notes/Lexical.vv. 1-2.992165

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v. 1a: The verb תִּתְחַר opens the psalm and occurs a total of three times in the psalm (vv. 1, 7-8). Otherwise, the verb is rare, occurring only in Prov 24:19 (אַל־תִּתְחַ֥ר בַּמְּרֵעִ֑ים) and in the margin of a manuscript of Ben Sira (38:16—ואל תתחר בגויתם). Therefore, this verb is part of what makes Ps 37 unique, and understanding its meaning is important to understanding the meaning of the psalm.

  • Modern English translations use a wide variety of terms to translate תִּתְחַר: "fret" (NIV, ESV, NET), "worry" (NLT, cf. GNT), "get upset" (NASB), "be annoyed" (CEV), "be vexed" (NJPS), "strive to outdo" (NEB), "get heated" (NJB).
  • The ancient versions show a similar variety: "make jealous" (LXX παραζήλου, which Origen understood as meaning "make jealous"), "irritate" (Theodotion παρερεθίζου), "be quarrelsome" (Quinta ἐρεθίζου), "fight" (Aquila διαμάχου), "be contentious" (Symmachus φιλονείκει, lit: "be fond of victory"), "contend" (Jerome contendere), "envy" (Peshitta ܬܚܣܡ), "be impatient" (Targum תגרג, cf. Stec 2004, 79).
  • The basic meaning of the verb in the qal stem is "to burn" (BDB, DCH, TDOT) >> "to be angry" (BDB, HALOT, DCH). The hithpael (תִּתְחַר), then, probably means, literally, "cause yourself to become hot" (cf. BDB, "heat oneself in vexation") >> cause yourself to become angry. As Boyd writes, "with stative intransitive verbs, the Hithpael is connected with the factitive Piel. With the Piel, the referent represented by [subject] places the referent represented by the [direct object] into a state; whereas, with the Hithpael, the referent/[subject] places himself into a state" (Boyd 2017, 103; but see TDOT which suggests that the hithpael of this verb is intensive: "fly into a passion").
  • In Ps 37, the verb is associated with anger. It is parallel to "anger" (אַף) and "wrath" (חֵמָה) in v. 8, and in v. 1 it is parallel to "envy" (קַנֵּא), which is elsewhere associated with anger (e.g., Ps 79:5; Prov 27:4). In v. 7, its opposite is patient and calm waiting for YHWH (דּ֤וֹם׀ לַיהוָה֮ וְהִתְח֪וֹלֵ֫ל ל֥וֹ).
  • The attitude described by this verb is clearly expressed in other passages of the Bible. Someone who says the following is someone who has "worked themselves up" (הִתְחַר) in the sense described in Ps 37:
    • "It is futile to serve God. What do we gain by carrying out his requirements and going about like mourners before the Lord Almighty? But now we call the arrogant blessed. Certainly evildoers prosper, and even when they put God to the test, they get away with it." (Mal 3:14-15, NIV)
    • "Take a good look. This is what the wicked are like, those who always have it so easy and get richer and richer. I concluded, 'Surely in vain I have kept my motives pure and maintained a pure lifestyle. I suffer all day long, and am punished every morning.'" (Ps 73:12-14, NET)
  • SDBH accurately defines the word as "process by which humans or deities experience extreme displeasure" and glosses it as "become angry." "Get upset" (which refers not just to anger, but also to worry and to displeasure more generally) would also be an appropriate gloss for this definition (so NASB: "get upset").