Psalm 37 Story Behind
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Psalm 37/Story Behind
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They will soon wither
Psalm 37
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 visualize a mental representation of the text as the earliest hearers/readers might have conceptualized 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 analyze 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 visualizes the rise and fall of tension within a semantic unit. Although story triangles are traditionally used to analyze stories in the literary sense of the word, we use them at this layer to analyze “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 | |
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| 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. |
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The point of the story at which the psalm takes place (as a speech event) is indicated by a gray star. |
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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. |
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A story that repeats is indicated by a circular arrow. This indicates a sequence of either habitual or iterative events. |
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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. |
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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.
- YHWH is the judge of all the earth who rewards the righteous and punishes the wicked (see Gen 18:25).
- The success of the wicked poses a perennial challenge to the idea of YHWH's justice (see Jer 12:1; Mal 3:14-15; Ps 73; Job 20-21; cf. The Babylonian Theodicy VII, XXIII in COS 1.154).
- YHWH promised to give the land of Canaan to Abraham and his descendants (see Gen 12:7; 15:7, 18-21), and in the conquest of Canaan under Joshua, YHWH fulfilled his promise (see Josh 21:43-45; Jdg 2:6; 1 Kgs 8:56). But Israel's continued possession of the land depended on their faithfulness to the covenant (see Lev 26; Deut 28; cf. Ezra 9:10-12; 1 Chron 28:8) (cf. Martin 2013).
- In the end, "all of [YHWH's] people will be righteous, and they [i.e., the righteous] will possess the land forever" (Isa 60:21; cf. Isa 57:13; 65:9; Jer 30:3; Gen 13:15; 17:8; 48:4; Exod 32:13; Josh 14:9).
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 |
|---|---|---|
| לְדָוִד אַל־תִּתְחַר בַּמְּרֵעִים אַל־תְּקַנֵּא בְּעֹשֵׂי עַוְלָֽה׃ | 1 | By David. I realize that you are upset. I realize that when you see wicked people prospering and rising in social status, you are tempted to doubt YHWH's justice and conclude that 'It is vain to serve God...Evildoers not only prosper but they put God to the test and they escape' (Mal 3:15, ESV; cf. Ps 73). Listen to my wise counsel, and I will tell you how you should respond to this situation. Do not get upset about those who act wickedly; Do not be jealous of those who do wrong such that you seek to imitate them. |
| כִּי כֶחָצִיר מְהֵרָה יִמָּלוּ וּכְיֶרֶק דֶּשֶׁא יִבּוֹלֽוּן׃ | 2 | Here is why you should not get upset or jealous or desire to be like the wicked: For they will soon wither like grass, and they will fade like green leaves on plants. You see, the wicked are like grass: they sprout up quickly and flourish for a little while, but when the scorching heat comes, they quickly dry up. If you join them, then that is what will happen to you as well. |
| בְּטַח בַּֽיהוָה וַעֲשֵׂה־טוֹב שְׁכָן־אֶרֶץ וּרְעֵה אֱמוּנָֽה׃ | 3 | What you need to do is Trust in YHWH and continue practicing covenant faithfulness by do ing good to your neighbor (unlike the wicked who harm their neighbors for gain)! If you trust YHWH and do good, then you will forever Reside in the land that YHWH gave to Abraham, and you will graze securely among the sheep of his pasture! |
| וְהִתְעַנַּג עַל־יְהוָה וְיִֽתֶּן־לְךָ מִשְׁאֲלֹת לִבֶּֽךָ׃ | 4 | And then, as you dwell in the land and enjoy its benefits, you will delight yourself in YHWH, and he will give you your heart's desires. He will be your shepherd, and you will lack nothing. |
| גּוֹל עַל־יְהוָה דַּרְכֶּךָ וּבְטַח עָלָיו וְהוּא יַעֲשֶֽׂה׃ | 5 | So what you need to do is Commit your way to YHWH. Put this difficult matter into YHWH's hands, and trust in him, and he will act (for he alone is able to do anything about it), |
| וְהוֹצִיא כָאוֹר צִדְקֶךָ וּמִשְׁפָּטֶךָ כַּֽצָּהֳרָֽיִם׃ | 6 | and when he does, it will become obvious to everyone that the wicked were in the wrong and that those who trusted in YHWH were in the right. And so he will make your righteousness known to everyone, just like the light is clearly visible to everyone, and [he will make] your justice, the fact that you have lived your life in accordance with YHWH's commands,[known] like midday. |
| דּוֹם׀ לַיהוָה וְהִתְחוֹלֵל לוֹ אַל־תִּתְחַר בְּמַצְלִיחַ דַּרְכּוֹ בְּאִישׁ עֹשֶׂה מְזִמּֽוֹת׃ | 7 | The wicked might be prospering now, but they will not prosper for long. So instead of being upset, Be silent before YHWH and wait patiently for him! Do not get upset about someone who makes his way successful by exploiting others, about a person carrying out cunning schemes designed to make himself rich and powerful at the expense of others. |
| הֶרֶף מֵאַף וַעֲזֹב חֵמָה אַל־תִּתְחַר אַךְ־לְהָרֵעַ | 8 | Let go of your anger and leave wrath behind! Do not get upset which will lead only to joining the wicked and act ing wickedly! |
| כִּֽי־מְרֵעִים יִכָּרֵתוּן וְקֹוֵי יְהוָה הֵמָּה יִֽירְשׁוּ־אָֽרֶץ׃ | 9 | Here's why you should not get upset and join the wicked: For those who act wickedly will be destroyed; but those who hope in YHWH and practice covenant faithfulness —they (and not the wicked) will possess the land. |
| וְעוֹד מְעַט וְאֵין רָשָׁע וְהִתְבּוֹנַנְתָּ עַל־מְקוֹמוֹ וְאֵינֶֽנּוּ׃ | 10 | And just wait for YHWH a little bit longer and he will act, and the wicked person will be gone; And you will closely at the place where he was, expecting to find him, and he will not be there. |
| וַעֲנָוִים יִֽירְשׁוּ־אָרֶץ וְהִתְעַנְּגוּ עַל־רֹב שָׁלֽוֹם׃ | 11 | But it is the humble —those who wait silently for YHWH while doing good—who will possess the land and delight themselves in great prosperity. For the land that YHWH gave to Abraham is "a good land—a land with brooks, streams, and deep springs gushing out into the valleys and hills; a land with wheat and barley, vines and fig trees, pomegranates, olive oil and honey; a land where bread will not be scarce and you will lack nothing" (Deut 8:7-9, NIV). |
| זֹמֵם רָשָׁע לַצַּדִּיק וְחֹרֵק עָלָיו שִׁנָּֽיו׃ | 12 | In the current situation, The wicked person is plotting against the righteous person and grinding his teeth at him as an expression of hostility. |
| אֲדֹנָי יִשְׂחַק־לוֹ כִּֽי־רָאָה כִּֽי־יָבֹא יוֹמֽוֹ׃ | 13 | But The all-powerful Lord laughs at him as an expression of contempt and a form of mockery, because he sees that his time, the time at which he will be destroyed, will come. |
| חֶרֶב׀ פָּֽתְחוּ רְשָׁעִים וְדָרְכוּ קַשְׁתָּם לְהַפִּיל עָנִי וְאֶבְיוֹן לִטְבוֹחַ יִשְׁרֵי־דָֽרֶךְ׃ | 14 | The wicked have finished their plotting and are now preparing to execute their plots against the righteous. They are like dangerous warriors who have drawn their swords before the battle and strung their bows. They have prepared themselves in order to bring down the righteous one who is afflicted and poor, in order to slaughter like helpless lambs those whose conduct is upright. |
| חַרְבָּם תָּבוֹא בְלִבָּם וְקַשְּׁתוֹתָם תִּשָּׁבַֽרְנָה׃ | 15 | But their plots will result in their own destruction! Their swords will go into their hearts, and their bows will be broken. |
| טוֹב־מְעַט לַצַּדִּיק מֵהֲמוֹן רְשָׁעִים רַבִּֽים׃ | 16 | It's true that in the present situation wicked people sometimes prosper more than righteous people. But even A little belonging to the righteous person is better than the abundance of many wicked people. |
| כִּי זְרוֹעוֹת רְשָׁעִים תִּשָּׁבַרְנָה וְסוֹמֵךְ צַדִּיקִים יְהוָֽה׃ | 17 | For the arms of the wicked, which allow them to gain wealth, will be broken, but YHWH is upholding the righteous. Their arms are not broken, and so they can hold on to what little they have and enjoy it. |
| יוֹדֵעַ יְהוָה יְמֵי תְמִימִם וְנַחֲלָתָם לְעוֹלָם תִּהְיֶֽה׃ | 18 | YHWH knows the days of the blameless and cares for them every day of their lives, and their possession of the land, their inheritance, will be forever. |
| לֹֽא־יֵבֹשׁוּ בְּעֵת רָעָה וּבִימֵי רְעָבוֹן יִשְׂבָּֽעוּ׃ | 19 | When hard times or famine comes, people are sometimes forced to sell their land or to leave the land and sojourn in a foreign country. But this will not happen to the blameless. YHWH will provide for them, so that They will not come to shame during hard times, and they will eat their fill during times of famine. |
| כִּי רְשָׁעִים׀ יֹאבֵדוּ וְאֹיְבֵי יְהוָה כִּיקַר כָּרִים כָּלוּ בֶעָשָׁן כָּֽלוּ׃ | 20 | In sum, here is the basic reason why you should not be upset about the wicked: For the wicked will perish, and YHWH's enemies [will perish] like flowers in a pasture which bloom for a little while and quickly dry up in the heat. They are as good as finished just like smoke which quickly disappears into the sky and leaves no trace of its existence! They are as good as finished! |
| לֹוֶה רָשָׁע וְלֹא יְשַׁלֵּם וְצַדִּיק חוֹנֵן וְנוֹתֵֽן׃ | 21 | In the current situation, The wicked person is borrowing from the righteous person who graciously lends him money, and the wicked person, in an attempt to defraud the righteous person and take advantage of his generosity, will not repay, but the righteous person is still trusting in YHWH and doing good and giving generously despite the economic disadvantage. |
| כִּי מְבֹרָכָיו יִירְשׁוּ אָרֶץ וּמְקֻלָּלָיו יִכָּרֵֽתוּ׃ | 22 | For those blessed by him, that is, by YHWH, know that in the end they will possess the land in its fullness, and so they are not concerned about short-term economic loss, and those cursed by him, that is, by YHWH, will be destroyed, and so they do everything they can in the present moment to accumulate wealth, including defrauding others by lending without repaying. |
| מֵיְהוָה מִֽצְעֲדֵי־גֶבֶר כּוֹנָנוּ וְדַרְכּוֹ יֶחְפָּֽץ׃ | 23 | YHWH is the one who brings a person's life journey in line with his own will, who gives a person the ability to walk according to his commands. When a person's steps are made steadfast by YHWH, in this manner, then he, that is, YHWH, will be pleased with t his person's way. |
| כִּֽי־יִפֹּל לֹֽא־יוּטָל כִּֽי־יְהוָה סוֹמֵךְ יָדֽוֹ׃ | 24 | When he falls, that is, when he experiences hardship or when he is tempted to get upset at the wicked as you are now, he will not fall flat, that is, he will not be devastated by the hardship or get upset so as to join the wicked. Instead, YHWH will catch him, because YHWH is supporting his hand. |
| נַעַר׀ הָיִיתִי גַּם־זָקַנְתִּי וְֽלֹא־רָאִיתִי צַדִּיק נֶעֱזָב וְזַרְעוֹ מְבַקֶּשׁ־לָֽחֶם׃ | 25 | Learn from my experience: I was once a young man much like yourself; and now I am old, and I have not seen a righteous person abandoned or his children looking for food. |
| כָּל־הַיּוֹם חוֹנֵן וּמַלְוֶה וְזַרְעוֹ לִבְרָכָֽה׃ | 26 | Instead, I have seen YHWH provide for the righteous time and time again. Not only has he given the righteous enough to provide for his family, but he has given him enough to be generous towards others: He is always lending generously, and after a life-time of generosity, his children will become a blessing. That is, when people see his children, they will say, 'Blessed are you! Your father was a good and generous man!' |
| סוּר מֵרָע וַעֲשֵׂה־טוֹב וּשְׁכֹן לְעוֹלָֽם׃ | 27 | Do not join the wicked! Instead, Turn away from the evil that leads only to a vanishing prosperity, and do what is just and good, and you will reside in the land forever! |
| כִּי יְהוָה׀ אֹהֵב מִשְׁפָּט וְלֹא־יַעֲזֹב אֶת־חֲסִידָיו | 28a* | For YHWH loves justice and he rewards those who act justly, who live in accordance with his commands, and he will not abandon those who are loyal to him. |
| פִּֽי־צַדִּיק יֶהְגֶּה חָכְמָה וּלְשׁוֹנוֹ תְּדַבֵּר מִשְׁפָּֽט׃ | 30* | One of the ways in which you can 'do good' is by speaking words that are wise and just, for the benefit of your neighbor. A righteous person's mouth utters what is wise, and his tongue speaks what is just. |
| תּוֹרַת אֱלֹהָיו בְּלִבּוֹ לֹא תִמְעַד אֲשֻׁרָיו׃ | 31* | The reason why he can speak with such wisdom and justice is because The instruction of his God, the ultimate guide to wisdom and justice, is in his heart, and he meditates on it day and night. Because YHWH's instruction gives perfect guidance for life's journey, His steps will not slip. When he is tempted to get upset and join the wicked, he will resist and continue walking according to YHWH's instruction. |
| *עַוָּלִים נִשְׁמָדוּ* וְזֶרַע רְשָׁעִים נִכְרָֽת׃ | 28b* | By contrast, Wrong-doers who do not follow YHWH's instruction, are as good as exterminated, and the children of the wicked, far from becoming a blessing, are as good as destroyed! |
| צַדִּיקִים יִֽירְשׁוּ־אָרֶץ וְיִשְׁכְּנוּ לָעַד עָלֶֽיהָ׃ | 29* | It is The righteous who will possess the land and reside on it forever. |
| צוֹפֶה רָשָׁע לַצַּדִּיק וּמְבַקֵּשׁ לַהֲמִיתוֹ׃ | 32 | In the current situation, The wicked person is watching for the righteous person and trying to kill him by any means necessary, including bringing him to court on false charges and finding false witnesses to testify against him. |
| יְהוָה לֹא־יַעַזְבֶנּוּ בְיָדוֹ וְלֹא יַרְשִׁיעֶנּוּ בְּהִשָּׁפְטֽוֹ׃ | 33 | But YHWH will not abandon him into his hand, and he will not let him be condemned as guilty when he enters into the judgment that the wicked person has initiated, in an attempt to have the righteous person killed and to seize his property. |
| קַוֵּה אֶל־יְהוָה׀ וּשְׁמֹר דַּרְכּוֹ וִֽירוֹמִמְךָ לָרֶשֶׁת אָרֶץ בְּהִכָּרֵת רְשָׁעִים תִּרְאֶֽה׃ | 34 | Instead of getting upset about the wicked, Hope in YHWH and keep his way, even when his way is difficult to walk, and in the end he will exalt you to possess the land. And from your exalted height, You will see when the wicked are destroyed just as Abraham looked down at the destruction of the wicked cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. |
| רָאִיתִי רָשָׁע עָרִיץ וּמִתְעָרֶה כְּאֶזְרָח רַעֲנָֽן׃ | 35 | Learn from my experience. I've seen it happen before. I once saw a ruthless wicked person, and he was ascending like a native tree —the kind of tree that grows quickly and is very resilent, nearly impossible to get rid of. |
| וָאֶעֲבֹר וְהִנֵּה אֵינֶנּוּ וָֽאֲבַקְשֵׁהוּ וְלֹא נִמְצָֽא׃ | 36 | But Then one day I passed by, and—get this!—he was gone; then I looked for him, assuming that he had to be somewhere, and —I could hardly believe it— he was not found. |
| שְׁמָר־תָּם וּרְאֵה יָשָׁר כִּֽי־אַחֲרִית לְאִישׁ שָׁלֽוֹם׃ | 37 | Pay attention to the positive example of the blameless one and look at the upright one, because the future of a [blameless] person is peace and prosperity in the land. |
| וּֽפֹשְׁעִים נִשְׁמְדוּ יַחְדָּו אַחֲרִית רְשָׁעִים נִכְרָֽתָה׃ | 38 | But those who rebel against YHWH by not keeping his covenant are as good as completely exterminated! The future of the wicked, which might appear to be a long life in the land full of peace and prolonged through descendants, is actually as good as destroyed! |
| וּתְשׁוּעַת צַדִּיקִים מֵיְהוָה | 39 | But the salvation of the righteous comes from YHWH, their fortress during times of trouble. |
| וַֽיַּעְזְרֵם יְהוָה וַֽיְפַלְּטֵם יְפַלְּטֵם מֵרְשָׁעִים וְיוֹשִׁיעֵם כִּי־חָסוּ בֽוֹ׃ | 40 | When they are threatened by danger from the wicked or by famine or by a temptation to join the wicked, and YHWH helps them and rescues them. He will always rescue them from the wicked and save them, because they have sought refuge in him as one seeks refuge in a fortress. |
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Bibliography
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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.