Psalm 38 Discourse

Psalm Overview

• Grammar
• Semantics
• Story behind the Psalm
• Discourse
• Poetics

About the Discourse Layer

Our Discourse layer includes four analyses: macrosyntax, speech act analysis, emotional analysis, and participant analysis. (For more information, click 'Expand' to the right.)

Macrosyntax

The macrosyntax layer rests on the belief that human communicators desire their addressees to receive a coherent picture of their message and will cooperatively provide clues to lead the addressee into a correct understanding. So, in the case of macrosyntax of the Psalms, the psalmist has explicitly left syntactic clues for the reader regarding the discourse structure of the entire psalm. Here we aim to account for the function of these elements, including the identification of conjunctions which either coordinate or subordinate entire clauses (as the analysis of coordinated individual phrases is carried out at the phrase-level semantics layer), vocatives, other discourse markers, direct speech, and clausal word order.

For a detailed explanation of our method, see the Macrosyntax Creator Guidelines.

Speech Act Analysis

The Speech Act layer presents the text in terms of what it does, following the findings of Speech Act Theory. It builds on the recognition that there is more to communication than the exchange of propositions. Speech act analysis is particularly important when communicating cross-culturally, and lack of understanding can lead to serious misunderstandings, since the ways languages and cultures perform speech acts varies widely.

For a detailed explanation of our method, see the Speech Act Analysis Creator Guidelines.

Emotional Analysis

This layer explores the emotional dimension of the biblical text and seeks to uncover the clues within the text itself that are part of the communicative intent of its author. The goal of this analysis is to chart the basic emotional tone and/or progression of the psalm.

For a detailed explanation of our method, see the Emotional Analysis Creator Guidelines.

Participant Analysis

Participant Analysis focuses on the characters in the psalm and asks, “Who are the main participants (or characters) in this psalm, and what are they saying or doing? It is often helpful for understanding literary structure, speaker identification, etc.

For a detailed explanation of our method, see the Participant Analysis Creator Guidelines.

Discourse Visuals for Psalm 38

Macrosyntax

Notes

Paragraph Divisions

• The first paragraph break is in v. 10 with the reintroduction of YHWH as a participant and the vocative.
• The second paragraph break is in v. 12 with the shift in topic from the psalmist to the people around him, marked by the fronted topic. In addition, vv. 12-15 are all connected by coordinating conjunctions, clearly setting them apart as a unit.
• The third paragraph break is in v. 16. The use of אַתָּ֥ה in v. 16 is not necessary for the grammar and so is emphatic. The emphatic use of the pronoun, the three vocatives, the fronting of לְךָ֣, and the contrastive כִּי all serve to emphasize this verse.
• The final paragraph break is in v. 22, marked by the frequent use of vocatives in this segment. The pattern the vocatives form (final, initial, final) also solidifies this as its own paragraph. The culmination of the three groups mentioned in vv. 20-21 also indicates the that that paragraph is closing, especially with the length of the fronted subject in v. 21.

Word Order

• v. 2a is contrastive focus. David accepts that YHWH will rebuke him, but he doesn't want YHWH to do it while he is angry, but rather justly (cf. Jer 10:24, Isa 11:4).
• v. 2b is also contrastive focus.
• v. 3a is most likely information focus; however, it could also be topic activation. If this line is topic * activation, it could be paraphrased "For concerning your arrows, they have been shot into me." If it is topic activation, the arrows would need to be presupposed in the discourse, potentially from the concept of YHWH's wrath in the previous verse.
• v. 5a is contrastive focus.
• v. 5b has כְּמַשָּׂ֥א כָ֝בֵ֗ד fronted for poetic reasons. With the prepositional phrase fronted, the same word order is repeated in 5b as in 5a. In addition, the phonetics also emphasize this pattern, with the 3mp qatal and the 1cs suffix.
• v. 7bα is a frame setter, giving the temporal scope of the clause.
• v. 7bβ is information focus, introducing the new concept of the psalmist's emotional reaction to his suffering.
• v. 8 is topic shift. Since the psalmist's body is already in the discourse here, this is not a new subject, but a shift to discuss a particular body part.
• v. 10a is confirming focus.
• v. 10bα and β are fronted for poetic reasons, mirroring the word order in v. 10a. It is possible that וְ֝אַנְחָתִ֗י מִמְּךָ֥ could be fronted because of topic shift, but this is unlikely.
• v. 11a is topic shift. It could be that this is fronted due to poetic symmetry within the clause, however.
• v. 11cα is topic shift.
• v. 11cβ is scalar focus.
• v. 12aα is topic shift.
• v. 12aβ is replacing focus.
• v. 12b repeats the structure of 12a. It is possible that אֹֽהֲבַ֨י ׀ וְרֵעַ֗י is fronted because of topic shift.
• v. 13b is fronted for poetic reasons in order to mirror the word order of v. 13a.
• v. 13cα is topic shift. The fronted וּ֝מִרְמ֗וֹת is semantically similar to הַוּ֑וֹת, so it is already active in the discourse.
• v. 13cβ is information focus.
• v. 14aα is topic shift.
• v. 14aβ is contrastive focus. From the previous context, it would be more likely that David would be listening to everything his enemies have been muttering, so the comparison of David to a deaf person is unexpected.
• v. 16a is fronted as contrastive focus, emphasizing that David trusted in God rather than man.
• v. 16b is confirming focus.
• v. 17cα is a frame setter, setting the temporal orientation for the rest of the clause.
• v. 17cβ is fronted for poetic reasons, mirroring the word order in v. 17b.
• v. 18a is confirming focus.
• v. 19a is fronted for poetic purposes, mirroring the word order in v. 19b. This is further strengthened by the phonological similarity with the two verbs. If not poetic, it could be topic reactivation, since עָוֹן hasn't been mentioned since verse 4.
• v. 20a is topic shift.
• v. 21a is fronted to match the structure of v. 20a.

Vocatives

• The vocatives are evenly spaced throughout the psalm, about 7 verses apart from each other. The psalm also begins and ends with vocatives. In addition, the vocatives increase towards the end of the psalm. Verse 16 takes the two vocatives used previously and adds a third all in one verse. These same three vocatives are repeated in vv. 22-23.
• The vocative in v. 2 is clause-initial, used here to grab God's attention to answer this urgent request (Kim 2022, 213-217).
• The vocative in v. 10 is clause-initial, serving to reactivate YHWH as a participant in the psalm, since there has been no mention of him since v. 4, identifying the antecedent of the pronoun in נֶגְדְּךָ֥.
• The first vocative in v. 16 immediately follows the fronted לְךָ֣, further emphasizing that prepositional phrase as the focus (Miller 2010, 357).
• The vocatives in v. 16b serve to indicate line delimitation (Miller 2010, 360-363).
• In both v. 22 and v. 23 there are two vocatives grouped together. The position of the vocatives in these verses creates a pattern: clause-final, clause-initial, and clause-final.

For comments on the structural and poetic usage of vocatives in this psalm see Psalm 38 Poetics.

Conjunctions

• vv. 12-14 are grouped according to semantic similarities. However, the conjunction and pronoun in 14a sets vv. 14-15 apart as in contrast with vv. 12-13.
• The כִּי in v. 16 could be functioning in one of three ways. First, it could be introducing a counter statement to the previous segment, contrasting the abandonment by humans and David's trust in God (BHRG 2017, §40.21.2). Second, it could be causal, giving the reason why David gives no arguments: because he has placed his hope in the Lord, not in any arguments he could make. Third, it could be causal, but subordinate to the following clause, giving the reason why YHWH will answer. Because of the fronting of לְךָ֣, the focus is on YHWH, not necessarily on the answer or the arguments, so the first analysis is more likely.
• The פֶּן in v. 17 governs both the clause immediately following it and the clause subordinate to it.
• The כִּי in v. 18 gives David's motivation for saying what he did in v. 17. It is possible that this segment could be subordinate to the פֶּן clause in v. 17, in which case it would indicate the reason for why David's enemies are rejoicing.
• The כִּי in v. 19 functions as a concessive (BHRG §40.29.1(1)d), showing that even though David is confessing his iniquity, it is useless, since he is still anxious about his sin.

Speech Act Analysis

Summary Visual

Notes

This psalm can be split into three segments according to the global speech acts.

• The first section (vv. 2-9) is a lament where David begins by requesting that YHWH stop rebuking him while angry. The rest of this section reflects on the effect of that rebuke, lamenting the impact it has had on the psalmist's body.
• The second section (vv. 10-15) continues the lament begun in the first, but with a shift in focus from the psalmist's own body to include also how David's relationships with others has been affected by this weakness. This is shown in the abandonment of his strength, his body (v. 11), the abandonment of his friends (v. 12), and the helplessness David feels in the face of his enemies (vv. 13-15). Because the focus of this section is the situation that leads to the final petition in the last segment, the primary speech act is lament.
• The final section (vv. 16-23) begins with a statement of confidence that YHWH will indeed answer (v. 16). In the following verses, David elaborates on the situation, lamenting his weakness (vv. 18-19) and his enemies attacks (vv. 17, 20-21). The psalm then concludes with a final plea to YHWH to hurry to provide help.

Speech Act Chart

• While this psalm at first glance seems to be primarily lament and mourning, the purpose of that lament is to present a petition to YHWH (see Gunkel 1998, 157-158). As such, there are sections of petition throughout the psalm. In the first section, vv. 2-9, the petition of v. 2 is to not discipline David while YHWH is angry. The second section, vv. 10-15, is primarily lament. There is a hint of petition in v. 10, which, while primarily mourning YHWH's lack of response, subtly requests that YHWH grant David what he longs for -- relief. The final section vv. 16-23, begins with a profession of confidence that YHWH will indeed respond, but the section ends (vv. 22-23) with another petition for YHWH to help quickly.
• Many of the declaratives in this psalm could be interpreted as either assertive or expressive. However, the expressive has been favored in most cases because of the emotional tone that the context conveys. In addition, David's intent with these declaratives is not simply to inform, but rather to elicit sympathy for his situation.
• v. 10: If the illocution for this verse is not expressive, it would be assertive, declaring the fact that YHWH knows what David longs for. However, in the larger scheme of the psalm, it makes the most sense for this to be expressive because of its position in the midst of lament.
• vv. 14-15: In the above analysis, these verses have been taking as expressives. However, if David is choosing not to speak or listen, then they could be taken as commissives, showing David's resolve not to listen or speak but let YHWH answer for him. Because of the verses previously, it is more likely that David is unable to speak and has no choice in the matter, and so the expressive analysis has been favored.
• v. 16b: This clause could either be directive, asking YHWH to answer, assertive, declaring that YHWH always answers, or expressive, demonstrating the psalmist's complete trust that YHWH will indeed always answer. Because of the use of the yiqtol, the assertive is favored in this analysis, taking this verse as an expression of confidence that YHWH will indeed answer, even if the situation looks bleak at the moment.
• v. 19a: By itself, this line could potentially be considered commissive rather than assertive. If this were the case, David would be committing himself to tell others about his iniquity. However, the verbal semantics and the context indicates that this is occurring in the present rather than future. Reading this as a commissive would also imply that in 19b David is anxious about telling about his sin. As such, the commissive reading is dispreferred.

Emotional Analysis

Summary visual

Emotional Analysis Chart

Notes

• The emotions of the psalmist are fairly consistently negative throughout the psalm. The one exception to that is v. 16, where the psalmist proclaims his confident reliance on YHWH even in the midst of his suffering. That confident reliance gives David a way to move forward, through the suffering and the feelings of vulnerability and being unjustly attacked.

Participant analysis

There are 5 participants/characters in Psalm 38:

• It could be argued that the mark style="background-color: #2D9BF0>companions and the enemies should be grouped together because the companions aren't acting like they should. However, the key difference is the fact that the companions take a passive role, standing at a distance, while the enemies take an active role in pursuing David's harm.
• Strength and David's feet likewise could be grouped as a related participants with companions because they also should be supporting David but are not in this case. All three abandon him. However, the referent is still David, so they are grouped as related participants with him.
• Iniquities and its synonyms could be grouped with enemies because they have similar functions in relation to David in this psalm, causing him suffering. However, David interacts with both the enemies and his iniquities differently, so they are separate participants.

Participant Relations Diagram

The relationships among the participants may be abstracted and summarized as follows:

Participant Analysis Table

Notes

• In this relations diagram, the participants are grouped with how they interact with David. David's enemies and companions function as opponents to the psalmist in this psalm, either actively pursuing his harm or failing to support and abandoning him. YHWH is the one who disciplines but will not abandon. Instead, he will respond to the opponents.

Bibliography

Gunkel, Herman. 1998. An Introduction to the Psalms: The Genres of the Religious Lyric of Israel. Translated by James D. Nogalski. Macon, GA: Mercer University Press.

Kim, Young Bok. 2022. Hebrew Forms of Address: A Sociolinguistic Analysis.

Miller, Cynthia L. 2010. “Vocative Syntax in Biblical Hebrew Prose and Poetry: A Preliminary Analysis.” Semitic Studies 55 (1): 347–64.