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 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 | |
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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 | |
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| 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. |
Story Triangles
(Click diagram to enlarge)
| V. | Text (Hebrew) | Text (CBC) | Proposition (Story Behind) | common ground | local ground | playground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ss | לְדָוִד | By David. | ||||
| 1 | אַל־תִּתְחַר בַּמְּרֵעִים | Do not get upset about those who act wickedly; | Person gets upset about those who act wickedly. | • YHWH is the judge of all the earth who rewards the righteous and punishes the wicked (cf. Gen 18:25). | "The prosperity of the wicked exposes divine injustice" (Hernández 2022, 1; cf. Walton's article on "Retribution" 2008, 647-655) (cf. Jer 12:1; Mal 3:14-15; Ps 73; Job 20-21). Cf. The Babylonian Theodicy VII (COS 1.154): "Those who seek not after a god can go the road of favor, Those who pray to a goddess have grown poor and destitute... (XXIII) "I have looked around in society, indications are the contrary: God does not block the progress of a demon... What has it profited me that I knelt before my god?" Response (VIII): "Your logic is perverse, You have cast off justice, you have scorned divine design. In your emotional state you have an urge to disregard divine ordinances... (XX) You have let your mind wander, [...] you have overthrown wisdom. You have spurned propriety, you have besmirched (every) code... Follow in the way of a god, observe his rites [...] be ready for good fortune! (XXIV) You blaspheme in the anguish of your thoughts. Divine purpose is as remote as innermost heaven, It is too difficult to understand, people cannot understand it. • "
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• People act wickedly.
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| אַל־תְּקַנֵּא בְּעֹשֵׂי עַוְלָֽה׃ | Do not be jealous of those who do wrong. | Person is jealous of those who do wrong. | • "The word קנאה is the primary Hebrew label for negative affective responses to a relative loss in status to a rival. קנאה could be aroused by rivalry over virtually any facet of human life, from material possessions, to political power, to the affec tions of loved ones" (Ellis 2023, 393). Cf. Babylonian Theodicy XXIII (COS 1.154): "I have looked around in society, indications are the contrary: God does not block the progress of a demon... What has it profited me that I knelt before my god? It is I who must (now) bow before my inferior! The riffraff despise me as much as the rich and proud. • " | Jealousy leads to emulation: "the envious party does not attempt to destroy the evil [but see Cain and Abel!] but rather to vie with that individual by imitation" (Ellis 2023, 398). Cf. Prov 3:31; 24:1. Also Ps 37:7.
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• People do wrong.
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• Person is tempted to join those who do wrong (cf. Prov 3:31; 24:1).
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| 2 | כִּי כֶחָצִיר מְהֵרָה יִמָּלוּ | For they will soon wither like grass, | The wicked wither like grass. | • "Grass withers (יָבֵשׁ חָצִיר); flowers fade (נָבֵל צִיץ)" (Isa 40:8); grass is "weak, vulnerable, and short-lived" (SDBH). | The wicked are like plants that quickly wither (cf. Job 15:30-33; 18:16-17, 19; Amos 2:9; Hos 9:16; see Hernández 2022, 293-294). Cf. Amenemope ch. 4 (COS 1.47): "As for the heated man in the temple, He is like a tree frowing indoors; A moment lasts its growth of shoots. Its end comes about in the woodshed. • "
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• Grass withers.
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• "The ‘solution’ offered in Ps. 37 by its exhortations and reassurances is based on the experience that the wicked are both temporary and unsubstantial (Ps. 37:2, 10, 20, 36)" (Lindström 2003, 297).
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| וּכְיֶרֶק דֶּשֶׁא יִבּוֹלֽוּן׃ | and they will fade like green leaves on plants. | The wicked fade like green leaves on plants. | • Green leaves fade.
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| 3 | בְּטַח בַּֽיהוָה | Trust in YHWH | Person trusts in YHWH. | • YHWH has created and actively sustains the world order in such a way that wickedness has negative consequences. Cf. Proverbs, which "presents a 'world order' involving 'deed and destiny,' that is to say, 'What you do now will determine what will happen then.' A more precise formulation is a character > conduct > consequence connection—that is, what you are determines what you will become... • " (Waltke 2004, VII. • B.4, p. 73). But this world order is personally and actively sustained by YHWH. Thus, "it is more appropriate to speak of personal divine retribution in Proverbs than of an impersonal world order. The sages believed in and taught a harmonious world order created and sustained by the LORD, but not an impersonal one. In that world order justice will finally be meted out, but they assign that justice to the LORD without specifying the time or the manner" (cf. Waltke 2004, VII. • B.4, pp. 73, 75). Thus, trusting in YHWH—note the exhortation is not to trust in an impersonal world order—means believing that YHWH is good and just and waiting for him to execute justice. "Nowhere can a principle of righteousness or an idea of retribution—standing as it were above God or representing him—be recognized in the wisdom poem. So also, the exhortations do not call us to faith in righteous retribution but to trust in YHWH" (Kraus 1988, 408).
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| וַעֲשֵׂה־טוֹב | and do good! | Person does good. | • "Doing good" (i.e., practicing covenant faithfulness) is part of what it means to fear/worship YHWH (Ps 34:13-15)
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| שְׁכָן־אֶרֶץ | Reside in the land | Person resides in the land. | • 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 9:12; 1 Chron 28:8) (cf. Martin 2013).
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| וּרְעֵה אֱמוּנָֽה׃ | and graze securely! | Person grazes securely. | • YHWH is the shepherd of his people, and his people are the sheep of his pasture (cf. Pss 23; 100) (cf. subtle sheep imagery in v. 14 [טבח] and possible also in v. 20 [כר]). • Sheep graze, and sheep under the care of a good shepherd can graze securely.
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| 4 | וְהִתְעַנַּג עַל־יְהוָה | And then you will delight yourself in YHWH, | Person delights himself in YHWH. | • Delighting oneself in YHWH means enjoying the benefits of the land which YHWH has given to his people (cf. v. 11), perhaps with particular reference to the food of the land (cf. ענג in Isa 55:2). Deut 8:7-10—"For the Lord your God is bringing you into 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; a land where the rocks are iron and you can dig copper out of the hills. When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the Lord your God for the good land he has given you. • "
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| וְיִֽתֶּן־לְךָ מִשְׁאֲלֹת לִבֶּֽךָ׃ | and he will give you your heart's desires. | YHWH gives person his heart's desires. | • The "heart" (לב) is "one’s inner self, seat of feeling and emotions" (HALOT) and the seat of "desire" (SDBH).
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• Person has desires.
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| 5 | גּוֹל עַל־יְהוָה דַּרְכֶּךָ | Commit your way to YHWH, | Person commits his way to YHWH. | • To "commit one's way>>actions to God" is an "action by which humans show their confidence in a deity by putting difficult matters in that deity's hands, ◄ like a heavy stone is rolled on to someone else who is more able to carry it" (SDBH). • Cf. Prov 16:2-3: "All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the spirit. Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established" (ESV).
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| וּבְטַח עָלָיו | and trust in him, | Person trusts in YHWH. | ||||
| וְהוּא יַעֲשֶֽׂה׃ | and he will act, | YHWH acts. | ||||
| 6 | וְהוֹצִיא כָאוֹר צִדְקֶךָ | and he will make your righteousness known like the light, | YHWH makes person's righteousness known like the light. | • Light is something that is visible to all. To bring something out like the light is to make that thing visible. Cf. Luke 8:17—"For nothing is hidden that will not be made manifest, nor is anything secret that will not be known and come to light" (ESV). On the image of light and darkness in Job, see Hernández 2022, 292-293. Darkness is an image of folly and death; darkness is the consequence of wickedness (cf. Job 5:14; 15:22-23, 30; 20:26).
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• Person is righteous
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| וּמִשְׁפָּטֶךָ כַּֽצָּהֳרָֽיִם׃ | and [he will make] your justice [known] like midday. | YHWH makes person's justice known like midday. | • Midday, noon, is "the time of the day when the sun is at its highest point" (SDBH).
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• Person is just.
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| 7 | דּוֹם׀ לַיהוָה | Be silent before YHWH | Person is silent before YHWH. | |||
| וְהִתְחוֹלֵל לוֹ | and wait for him! | Person waits for YHWH. | ||||
| אַל־תִּתְחַר בְּמַצְלִיחַ דַּרְכּוֹ בְּאִישׁ עֹשֶׂה מְזִמּֽוֹת׃ | Do not get upset about someone who makes his way successful, at a person carrying out schemes. | Person gets upset about someone who makes his way successful, about a person carrying out schemes. | • "Schemes" are not good—"when used for humans, only used in a negative sense" (SDBH).
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• Someone makes their way successful; someone carries out schemes.
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| 8 | הֶרֶף מֵאַף | Let go of anger | Person lets go of anger. | • Person is angry.
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| וַעֲזֹב חֵמָה | and leave wrath behind! | Person leaves wrath behind. | • Person is full of wrath.
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| אַל־תִּתְחַר אַךְ־לְהָרֵעַ | Do not get upset only to act wickedly! | Person gets upset only to act wickedly. | • Getting upset about the wicked can lead to forsaking the service of one's god (see note on v. 1). Cf. the Babylonian Theodicy VII, XIII (COS 1.154): "In my youth I tried to find out the will of (my) god, With prayer and supplication I besought my goddess. I bore a yoke of profitless servitude... I will ignore (my) god's regulations, [I will] trample on his rites. • "
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• Person acts wickedly.
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• "The wrath that leads to evil is potentially ‘anger against God’. Thus, the affliction, or rather the problem, is here of a completely different nature compared to that of the individual complaint psalms. The faithful is afflicted by his emotional reactions to the lack of a just world order, and the distress is thus of a moral and religious nature" (Lindström 2003, 297).
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| 9 | כִּֽי־מְרֵעִים יִכָּרֵתוּן | For those who act wickedly will be destroyed; | Those who act wickedly are destroyed. | • The wicked are like plants and trees (cf. vv. 1, 20, 35), and trees are "cut down" (כרת, see 1 Kgs 5:20; Jer 6:6). | People who refuse to observe YHWH's covenant are "cut off" from YHWH's people (e.g., Gen 17:14 [circumcision]; Exod 12:15 [feast of unleavened bread]; 31:14 [Sabbath]; Num 9:13 [Passover]; 15:30 [sinning with a high hand]; etc.).
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| וְקֹוֵי יְהוָה הֵמָּה יִֽירְשׁוּ־אָֽרֶץ׃ | but those who hope in YHWH—they will possess the land. | Those who hope in YHWH possess the land. | • (On the "land," see note on v. 3.)
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| 10 | וְעוֹד מְעַט | And just a little bit longer, | A little bit of time goes by. | • On the theme of "The ephemerality of the existence of the wicked and their public demise" in the speeches of Job's friends, see Job 15:23 [Eliphaz]; 18:5-6, 18 [Bildad]; 20:6-8, 23, 26, 28 [Zophar]) (Hernandez 2022, 287-291). Cf. Babylonian Theodicy XXII (COS 1.154): "As for the rascal whose good will you wanted, The ... of his feet will soon disappear. • "
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• The amount of time after which the wicked will be destroyed is "just a little bit"
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| וְאֵין רָשָׁע | and the wicked person will be gone; | The wicked person is gone. | ||||
| וְהִתְבּוֹנַנְתָּ עַל־מְקוֹמוֹ | And you will look closely at the place where he was, | Person looks closely at the place where the wicked person was. | • Even close inspection will not be able to uncover any trace of the wicked person
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| וְאֵינֶֽנּוּ׃ | and he will not be there. | The wicked person is not there. | ||||
| 11 | וַעֲנָוִים יִֽירְשׁוּ־אָרֶץ | But the humble will possess the land | The humble possess the land. | • (On the "land," see note on v. 3.)
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| וְהִתְעַנְּגוּ עַל־רֹב שָׁלֽוֹם׃ | and delight themselves in great prosperity. | The humble delight themselves in great prosperity. | • (See note on v. 4)
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• The prosperity will be great.
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| 12 | זֹמֵם רָשָׁע לַצַּדִּיק | The wicked person is plotting against the righteous person | The wicked person plots against the righteous person. | • Oppressing the poor and vulnerable for unjust gain was a persistent problem in Israel (Zeph 3; Job 24:14; Hab 3:14; Amos) (note taken from Ps 10 story behind)
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| וְחֹרֵק עָלָיו שִׁנָּֽיו׃ | and grinding his teeth at him. | The wicked person grinds his teeth at the righteous person. | • Grinding teeth is an expression of "hostility" (SDBH) and "derision" (DBI "Teeth") (cf. Pss. 35:16; 37:12; Job 16:9; Lam. 2:16). "Gnashing teeth is an expression of strong and often violent anger, rage, or future that can boil over into an all-out attack, usually physical, at any moment" (DBI "Teeth").
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| 13 | אֲדֹנָי יִשְׂחַק־לוֹ | The Lord laughs at him, | The Lord laughs at the wicked person. | • Laughing at someone is an expression of contempt and a form of mockery (cf. Ps 2:4)
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| כִּֽי־רָאָה כִּֽי־יָבֹא יוֹמֽוֹ׃ | because he sees that his time will come. | The Lord sees that the wicked person's time will come. | • Cf. Job 15:20-24—"The wicked man writhes in pain all his days, through all the years that are laid up for the ruthless. Dreadful sounds are in his ears; in prosperity the destroyer will come upon him. He does not believe that he will return out of darkness, and he is marked for the sword. He wanders abroad for bread, saying, ‘Where is it?’ He knows that a day of darkness is ready at his hand; distress and anguish terrify him; they prevail against him, like a king ready for battle" (ESV).
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• The wicked person's time will come.
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| 14 | חֶרֶב׀ פָּֽתְחוּ רְשָׁעִים | The wicked have drawn swords | The wicked draw swords. | • "Because of the sword's capacity to inflict wounds, it is used to symbolize anything that causes harm and injury to people" (DBI, 835). Cf. Prov 30:14—"They have teeth like swords and fangs like knives. They devour the poor from the earth and the needy from among humanity" (NLT).
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• The wicked are like deadly sword-wielding warriors.
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| וְדָרְכוּ קַשְׁתָּם | and strung their bows | The wicked string their bows. | • The bow is a weapon of war.
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• The wicked are like deadly bow-shooting warriors.
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| לְהַפִּיל עָנִי וְאֶבְיוֹן | in order to bring down the one who is afflicted and poor, | The wicked bring down the one who is afflicted and poor. | • Bringing down (lit.: causing to fall) is a "causative process or action by which humans or deities cause (other) humans to be killed or severely wounded by enemies" (SDBH)
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| לִטְבוֹחַ יִשְׁרֵי־דָֽרֶךְ׃ | in order to slaughter those whose conduct is upright. | The wicked slaughter those whose conduct is upright. | • Lambs are slaughtered (Exod 21:37; Jer 11:19; 51:40; cf. sheep imagery in v. 3 and possible also in v. 20).
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| 15 | חַרְבָּם תָּבוֹא בְלִבָּם | Their swords will go into their hearts, | The swords of the wicked go into their own hearts. | • Cf. Ps 7:15-17—"Behold, the wicked man conceives evil and is pregnant with mischief and gives birth to lies. He makes a pit, digging it out, and falls into the hole that he has made. His mischief returns upon his own head, and on his own skull his violence descends" (ESV). See also Ps 9:16
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| וְקַשְּׁתוֹתָם תִּשָּׁבַֽרְנָה׃ | and their bows will be broken. | The bows of the wicked are broken. | ||||
| 16 | טוֹב־מְעַט לַצַּדִּיק מֵהֲמוֹן רְשָׁעִים רַבִּֽים׃ | A little belonging to the righteous person is better than the abundance of many wicked people. | A little belonging to the righteous person is better than the abundance of many wicked people. | • The wealth of the wicked is temporary. On the theme of "Temporality of wealth and impending poverty" for the wicked in the speechs of Job's friends, see Job 15:27-35 [Eliphaz]; 20:4-11 [Zophar] (Hernández 2022, 287-291). Cf. Amenempe: "Better is a bushel given you by the god, Than five thousand through wrongdoing. They stay not a day in bin and barn, They make no food for the beer jar A moment is their stay in the granary, Comes morning they have vanished... • If riches come to you by tehft, They will not stay the night with you. Comes day they are not in your house. Their place is seen but they're not there... • " (Amenemope ch. 6-7 [COS 1.47]).
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• The wicked sometimes have an abundance. • The righteous sometimes have little.
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| 17 | כִּי זְרוֹעוֹת רְשָׁעִים תִּשָּׁבַרְנָה | For the arms of the wicked will be broken, | The arms of the wicked are broken. | • The arm is "directly associated with strength and power" (SDBH). To break someone's arm is to remove their strength and power, i.e., in this context, their ability to oppress others and gain wealth.
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• The wicked are unable to obtain wealth anymore.
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| וְסוֹמֵךְ צַדִּיקִים יְהוָֽה׃ | but YHWH is upholding the righteous. | YHWH upholds the righteous. | ||||
| 18 | יוֹדֵעַ יְהוָה יְמֵי תְמִימִם | YHWH knows the days of the blameless, | YHWH knows the days of the blameless. | |||
| וְנַחֲלָתָם לְעוֹלָם תִּהְיֶֽה׃ | and their inheritance will be forever. | The inheritance of the blameless will be forever. | • The land is the inheritance (נַחֲלָה) of the YHWH's people (cf. Num 26:35; Deut 4:21; Ps 105:11; etc.)
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• The blameless have an inheritance.
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| 19 | לֹֽא־יֵבֹשׁוּ בְּעֵת רָעָה | They will not come to shame during hard times, | The blameless come to shame during hard times. | • Hard times come.
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| וּבִימֵי רְעָבוֹן יִשְׂבָּֽעוּ׃ | and they will eat their fill during times of famine. | The blameless eat their fill during times of famine. | • During times of famine, people need to leave the land (their "inheritance") to seek provision elsewhere (e.g., Ruth 1:1).
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• Famine comes.
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| 20 | כִּי רְשָׁעִים׀ יֹאבֵדוּ | For the wicked will perish, | The wicked perish. | |||
| וְאֹיְבֵי יְהוָה כִּיקַר כָּרִים | and YHWH's enemies [will perish] like flowers in a pasture. | YHWH's enemies perish like flowers in a field. | • (See note on v. 2)
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• Flowers in a field perish.
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| כָּלוּ בֶעָשָׁן | They are finished like smoke! | YHWH's enemies are finished like smoke. | • (See imagery chart)
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| כָּֽלוּ׃ | They are finished! | YHWH's enemies are finished. | ||||
| 21 | לֹוֶה רָשָׁע | The wicked person is borrowing | The wicked person borrows. | • Borrowing implies a promise to repay what is borrowed (with or without interest). Refusing to pay back what is owed is a form of lying and theft.
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• "The wicked person borrows in his time of need and does not repay his debt. The righteous man is gracious and gives money to the wicked because he has pity on him" (Ibn Ezra, trans. 2009). • (Alternative interpretation: the wicked will not be able to repay their debts, because they will be destroyed (cf. Baethgen 1904, 106))
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| וְלֹא יְשַׁלֵּם | and will not repay, | The wicked person repays. | ||||
| וְצַדִּיק חוֹנֵן וְנוֹתֵֽן׃ | but the righteous person is giving generously. | The righteous person gives generously. | • The righteous are generous
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| 22 | כִּי מְבֹרָכָיו יִירְשׁוּ אָרֶץ | For those blessed by him will possess the land, | Those whom YHWH blesses possess the land. | • YHWH blesses people.
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| וּמְקֻלָּלָיו יִכָּרֵֽתוּ׃ | and those cursed by him will be destroyed. | Those whom YHWH curses are destroyed. | • YHWH curses people.
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| 23 | מֵיְהוָה מִֽצְעֲדֵי־גֶבֶר כּוֹנָנוּ | When a person's steps are made steadfast by YHWH, | YHWH makes a person's steps steadfast. | • To "make a person's steps steadfast" is a "causative action by which deities cause the activities of humans to be faithful and in line with the will of God" (SDBH). See lexical semantics.
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| וְדַרְכּוֹ יֶחְפָּֽץ׃ | then he will be pleased with his way. | YHWH is pleased with a person's way. | ||||
| 24 | כִּֽי־יִפֹּל | When he falls, | A person falls. | • Falling is "associated with failure and loss of face" (SDBH)
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| לֹֽא־יוּטָל | he will not fall flat. | A person falls flat. | • Falling flat, or falling headlong, is a "process by which humans completely fail in their intentions" (SDBH)
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| כִּֽי־יְהוָה סוֹמֵךְ יָדֽוֹ׃ | because YHWH is supporting his hand. | YHWH upholds the person's hand. | ||||
| 25 | נַעַר׀ הָיִיתִי | I was once a young man; | David is a young man. | |||
| גַּם־זָקַנְתִּי | and now I am old, | David is old. | ||||
| וְֽלֹא־רָאִיתִי צַדִּיק נֶעֱזָב וְזַרְעוֹ מְבַקֶּשׁ־לָֽחֶם׃ | and I have not seen a righteous person abandoned or his children looking for food. | David sees a righteous person abandoned and his children looking for food. | ||||
| 26 | כָּל־הַיּוֹם חוֹנֵן וּמַלְוֶה | He is always lending generously, | The righteous always lends generously. | • The ability to lend generously requires wealth, which implies God's abundant provision (cf. Deut 28:12) | Lending without interest is an act of generosity (cf. Ex. 22:25; Deut. 15:8; Ps. 37:26). Thus, "willingness to lend was a sign of righteous graciousness (Ps. 112:5)" (TWOT #1088). | "The fundamental meaning of lending is the extension of provision and generosity to someone in need... Ancient Near Eastern culture was not a society in which loans for commercial or business purposes would have occurred. Borrowers were men and women in desperate situations unable to provide food, clothing or shelter for themselves" (DBI, "Lend, Lending"). | "In the OT lending is a means of the rich helping the poor, not helping themselves, and not making them the recipients of charity but giving them means of reestablishing themselves, after which they would pay back the loan (see, e.g., Exod. 22:25–27)" (Goldingay 2008; cf. Goldingay Ethics in the Old Testament, 2019, ch. 32).
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| וְזַרְעוֹ לִבְרָכָֽה׃ | and his children will become a blessing. | The children of the righteous become a blessing. | • "after his death his children will be blessed, for the • meaning of li-verakhah is, all who see them will bless them" (Ibn Ezra, trans. 2009)
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| 27 | סוּר מֵרָע | Turn away from evil | Person turns away from evil. | |||
| וַעֲשֵׂה־טוֹב | and do good, | Person does good. | ||||
| וּשְׁכֹן לְעוֹלָֽם׃ | and you will reside forever! | Person resides forever. | ||||
| 28a* | כִּי יְהוָה׀ אֹהֵב מִשְׁפָּט | For YHWH loves justice, | YHWH loves justice. | |||
| 28b* | וְלֹא־יַעֲזֹב אֶת־חֲסִידָיו | and he will not abandon those who are loyal to him. | YHWH abandons those who are loyal to him. | • People are loyal to YHWH.
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| 30* | פִּֽי־צַדִּיק יֶהְגֶּה חָכְמָה | A righteous person's mouth utters what is wise, | A righteous person's mouth utters what is wise. | • "Mouth" stands for the person speaking (metonymy).
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| וּלְשׁוֹנוֹ תְּדַבֵּר מִשְׁפָּֽט׃ | and his tongue speaks what is just. | A righteous person's tongue speaks what is just. | • "Tongue" stands for the person speaking (metonymy).
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| 31* | תּוֹרַת אֱלֹהָיו בְּלִבּוֹ | The instruction of his God is in his heart. | The instruction of God is in the righteous person's heart. | |||
| לֹא תִמְעַד אֲשֻׁרָיו׃ | His steps will not slip. | The righteous person's steps slip. | • Ps 73:2-3—"But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled, my steps had nearly slipped. For I was envious of the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked" (ESV).
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| 28b* | *עַוָּלִים נִשְׁמָדוּ* | Wrong-doers are exterminated, | Wrong-doers are exterminated. | |||
| וְזֶרַע רְשָׁעִים נִכְרָֽת׃ | and the children of the wicked are destroyed! | The children of wicked people are destroyed. | • On the theme of the "absence of offspring and infertility of the impious" in the speeches of Job's friends, see Job 15:32-35 [Eliphaz]; 18:16-19 [Bildad] (Hernández 2022).
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| 29* | צַדִּיקִים יִֽירְשׁוּ־אָרֶץ | The righteous will possess the land | The righteous possess the land. | |||
| וְיִשְׁכְּנוּ לָעַד עָלֶֽיהָ׃ | and reside on it forever. | The righteous reside on the land forever. | ||||
| 32 | צוֹפֶה רָשָׁע לַצַּדִּיק | The wicked person is watching for the righteous person | The wicked person is watching for the righteous person. | • Cf. Ps 10:8—"He lies in wait near the villages; from ambush he murders the innocent. His eyes watch in secret for his victims. • "
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| וּמְבַקֵּשׁ לַהֲמִיתוֹ׃ | and trying to kill him. | The wicked try to kill the righteous. | ||||
| 33 | יְהוָה לֹא־יַעַזְבֶנּוּ בְיָדוֹ | YHWH will not abandon him into his hand, | YHWH abandons the righteous into the hand of the wicked. | |||
| וְלֹא יַרְשִׁיעֶנּוּ בְּהִשָּׁפְטֽוֹ׃ | and he will not let him be condemned as guilty when he enters into judgment. | YHWH lets the righteous person be condemned as guilty when he enters into judgment. | • In a legal dispute (רִיב), one person brings "a charge against the other. Such a dispute can involve two individuals (unspecified cause [Deut 19:17]; over insults [1 Sam 25:39]), an individual and a group (over discrimination [Judg 8:1]; over treason [Jer 26]), two groups (over water rights [Gen 26:20-22]... Resolution could be through... a legal tribunal (Deut 25:1)... • " (Baker 2018, 497). When the "dispute" (רִיב) cannot be resolved amicably, then it moves to a formal legal setting (משׁפט), where the accuser and the accused present their cases before a judge, and the judge determines who is in the right and who is in the wrong. See Bovati 1994.
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• The righteous person enters into judgment.
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• "God will demonstrate the righteousness of the righteous. Scripture says the aforementioned because when the wicked see that they in their jealous fits cannot kill the righteous, they seek to invent claims against the righteous. They claim that the righteous man owes them money or that the righteous person has committed an act of violence against them" • (Ibn Ezra, trans. 2009).
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| 34 | קַוֵּה אֶל־יְהוָה׀ | Hope in YHWH | Person hopes in YHWH. | |||
| וּשְׁמֹר דַּרְכּוֹ | and keep his way, | Person keeps YHWH's way. | ||||
| וִֽירוֹמִמְךָ לָרֶשֶׁת אָרֶץ | and he will exalt you to possess the land. | YHWH exalts person to possess the land. | • Possessing the land is something 'high' (i.e., good, desirable), something to which you must be exalted.
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• Person possess the land.
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| בְּהִכָּרֵת רְשָׁעִים תִּרְאֶֽה׃ | You will see when the wicked are destroyed. | Person sees when the wicked are destroyed. | • The wicked are destroyed.
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| 35 | רָאִיתִי רָשָׁע עָרִיץ | I once saw a ruthless wicked person, | David sees a ruthless wicked person. | • The wicked person is ruthless
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| וּמִתְעָרֶה כְּאֶזְרָח רַעֲנָֽן׃ | and he was ascending like a native tree. | Wicked person flourishes like a native tree. | • Trees growing in their native climate and soil grow especially well and last a long time
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| 36 | וָאֶעֲבֹר | Then I passed by, | David passes by. | |||
| וְהִנֵּה אֵינֶנּוּ | and—get this!—he was gone; | The wicked person is gone. | ||||
| וָֽאֲבַקְשֵׁהוּ | then I looked for him, | David looks for the wicked person. | ||||
| וְלֹא נִמְצָֽא׃ | and he was not found. | The wicked person is not found. | ||||
| 37 | שְׁמָר־תָּם | Pay attention to the blameless one | Person pays attention to the blameless one. | |||
| וּרְאֵה יָשָׁר | and look at the upright one, | Person looks at the upright one. | ||||
| כִּֽי־אַחֲרִית לְאִישׁ שָׁלֽוֹם׃ | because the future of a [blameless] person is peace. | The future of a blameless person is peace. | ||||
| 38 | וּֽפֹשְׁעִים נִשְׁמְדוּ יַחְדָּו | But those who rebel are completely exterminated! | But those who rebel are completely exterminated. | |||
| אַחֲרִית רְשָׁעִים נִכְרָֽתָה׃ | The future of the wicked is destroyed! | The future of the wicked is destroyed. | ||||
| 39 | וּתְשׁוּעַת צַדִּיקִים מֵיְהוָה מָעוּזָּם בְּעֵת צָרָה | But the salvation of the righteous comes from YHWH, their fortress during times of trouble, | The salvation of the righteous comes from YHWH, their fortress during times of trouble. | • (See imagery chart)
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| 40 | וַֽיַּעְזְרֵם יְהוָה | and YHWH helps them | YHWH helps the righteous. | |||
| וַֽיְפַלְּטֵם | and rescues them. | YHWH rescues the righteous. | ||||
| יְפַלְּטֵם מֵרְשָׁעִים | He will rescue them from the wicked | YHWH rescues the righteous from the wicked. | ||||
| וְיוֹשִׁיעֵם | and save them, | YHWH saves the righteous. | ||||
| כִּי־חָסוּ בֽוֹ׃ | because they have sought refuge in him. | The righteous seek refuge in YHWH. |
There are currently no Imagery Tables available for this psalm.
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.