Psalm 39 Story Behind

From Psalms: Layer by Layer
Psalm 39/Story Behind
Jump to: navigation, search

Choose a PsalmNavigate Psalm 39


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.

  Story Behind Explainer

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.

  Legend

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.

The Story BehindPsalm 39 YHWH takes away his affliction from David  David recovers David wastes away YHWH listens to David's cry for help Theme: Just as life is brief, so should suffering be brief. YHWH disciplines David David decides to stay silent David appeals for mercy by complaining about his frailty David, like all humanity, passes away David's heart burns within him David prays to YHWH for deliverance David, like all humanity, sins

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.

  • Silence was considered a wise response to difficult and perplexing situations of suffering (Lev 10:3; Ps 37:7; 131; Job 38:2; Prov 26:4),[4] such that the sufferer considered their silence to honor YHWH and that somehow they would be vindicated (see v. 3b).
  • "YHWH has disciplined people with punishments on account of sin" (v. 12; cf. Pss 30, 32), but onlookers mock, foolishly "consider themselves superior" (Ps 38:17; cf. Pss 22:8–9; 39:9b; 69:11–13; Lam 2:17).
  • The recognition and confession of the brevity of one's life functions as an appeal for present mercy (Ps 89:48–49).

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.

David wastes away David 's heart burns within him David decides to stay silent YHWH disciplines David David complains about his frailty D avid , like all humanity , sins

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.

  Legend

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
לַמְנַצֵּ֥חַ *לִֽידוּת֗וּן* מִזְמ֥וֹר לְדָוִֽד׃ 1 For the director. According to Yeduthun. A psalm. By David.
אָמַ֗רְתִּי אֶֽשְׁמְרָ֣ה דְרָכַי֮ מֵחֲט֪וֹא בִלְשׁ֫וֹנִ֥י אֶשְׁמְרָ֥ה לְפִ֥י מַחְס֑וֹם בְּעֹ֖ד רָשָׁ֣ע לְנֶגְדִּֽי׃ 2 After being afflicted by you, I decided, to keep silent about it and not complain. I assumed affliction was to be accepted as your justice. So I said: "I will guard my ways, my behavior and thoughts, from sinning by protesting with my tongue or accusing YHWH of injustice. I will keep a muzzle for my mouth while the wicked are still in my presence," for to complain of my affliction before the wicked would invite their scorn. They would accuse me of irreverence before you.
נֶאֱלַ֣מְתִּי ד֭וּמִיָּה הֶחֱשֵׁ֣יתִי מִטּ֑וֹב וּכְאֵבִ֥י נֶעְכָּֽר׃ 3 I was completely mute. I stayed silent, but without any relief—I expected a good result, that you would have mercy and relent over my suffering, but there was none whatsoever. In fact, my affliction only seemed to grow worse and my pain was stirred up.
חַם־לִבִּ֨י ׀ בְּקִרְבִּ֗י בַּהֲגִיגִ֥י תִבְעַר־אֵ֑שׁ דִּ֝בַּ֗רְתִּי בִּלְשֽׁוֹנִי׃ 4 The more I kept it in, the more my heart became hot inside me with my frustration at boiling point; I would not speak; I would only let out a sigh. But even when I was sighing a fire would burn within me and I could not hold back any longer. I did not dispute my affliction, for I know you are always just. But I could not see how the extent of my suffering made sense compared to the brevity of life. So I decided to ask for mercy by first drawing attention to just how short life is. I spoke up with my tongue:
הוֹדִ֘יעֵ֤נִי יְהוָ֨ה ׀ קִצִּ֗י וּמִדַּ֣ת יָמַ֣י מַה־הִ֑יא אֵ֝דְעָ֗ה מֶה־חָדֵ֥ל אָֽנִי׃ 5 "Teach me, YHWH, my end as a human in this fallen world, with only a short life —and the measure of my days, what is it?— let me know how frail I am! My frailty is cause for mercy from this suffering.
הִנֵּ֤ה טְפָח֨וֹת ׀ נָ֘תַ֤תָּה יָמַ֗י וְחֶלְדִּ֣י כְאַ֣יִן נֶגְדֶּ֑ךָ אַ֥ךְ כָּֽל־הֶ֥בֶל כָּל־אָ֝דָ֗ם נִצָּ֥ב סֶֽלָה׃ 6 Look, surely you know, as well as I do, that you have set my days as short as a few handbreadths and my lifetime is like nothing before you." I accept the justice of discipline for sin, but there is no point to my short ilfe if I am only under your discipline for the rest of it (see Ps 89:48–49) Truly, not only I, but everyone is a breath, so short-lived, every person who thinks they are"standing firm" and cannot be moved. Selah.
אַךְ־בְּצֶ֤לֶם ׀ יִֽתְהַלֶּךְ־אִ֗ישׁ אַךְ־הֶ֥בֶל יֶהֱמָי֑וּן יִ֝צְבֹּ֗ר וְֽלֹא־יֵדַ֥ע מִי־אֹסְפָֽם׃ 7 Truly, humanity walks around as but a shadow that disappears or changes form as soon as the sun moves on (so ephemeral they are not worth afflicting endlessly!) —people labor restlessly to leave some sort of legacy on earth, but only in vain, since there is no legacy that is guaranteed to outlive a person: they must leave their possessions to one who comes after. That person may be wise or may be foolish, yet they will have control over all the fruit of the dead person's toil(Eccl 2:18–19) — they heap up, though they do not know who is about to gather it. You know that humans can guarantee nothing; their plans are often futile (Ps 94:11).
וְעַתָּ֣ה מַה־קִּוִּ֣יתִי אֲדֹנָ֑י תּ֝וֹחַלְתִּ֗י לְךָ֣ הִֽיא׃ 8 But now, what am I looking for, Lord? Great possessions or long life? No, I accept the lot of humanity in a fallen world. I know the brevity of my life and the uncertainty of what is to follow. My hope, it is simply in you taking your afflication away from me.
מִכָּל־פְּשָׁעַ֥י הַצִּילֵ֑נִי חֶרְפַּ֥ת נָ֝בָ֗ל אַל־תְּשִׂימֵֽנִי׃ 9 I know humanity deserves such affliction, and I do as one of humanity, so I ask you to rescue me from all my offenses, removing all reason for affliction; do not make me a fool's object of scorn, because they scorn the afflicted person as one who has been rejected by you.
נֶ֭אֱלַמְתִּי לֹ֣א אֶפְתַּח־פִּ֑י כִּ֖י אַתָּ֣ה עָשִֽׂיתָ׃ 10 Remember, I was mute; I did not accuse you of injustice. I would not even open my mouth, except to sigh in my suffering (v. 4), because I knew it was you who acted to discipline me. I know affliction in a fallen world is just, but I also know you are a God of mercy.
הָסֵ֣ר מֵעָלַ֣י נִגְעֶ֑ךָ מִתִּגְרַ֥ת יָ֝דְךָ֗ אֲנִ֣י כָלִֽיתִי׃ 11 Because you are a God of mercy, take your affliction away from me; for it is because of the hostility of your hand that I may as well have already wasted away.
בְּֽתוֹכָ֘ח֤וֹת עַל־עָוֺ֨ן ׀ יִסַּ֬רְתָּ אִ֗ישׁ וַתֶּ֣מֶס כָּעָ֣שׁ חֲמוּד֑וֹ אַ֤ךְ הֶ֖בֶל כָּל־אָדָ֣ם סֶֽלָה׃ 12 I know that this is a consequence of "Adam": You have disciplined humanity with punishments on account of sin, so that everyone is mortal, and like a moth you have caused their desirable things to disintegrate, since even if their possessions outlive them, they, too, will be destroyed. Truly, just like me and just like all that the moth eats, every person is nothing more than a breath. This is the reality of a fallen world. Selah.
שִֽׁמְעָ֥ה־תְפִלָּתִ֨י ׀ יְהוָ֡ה וְשַׁוְעָתִ֨י ׀ הַאֲזִינָה֮ אֶֽל־דִּמְעָתִ֗י אַֽל־תֶּ֫חֱרַ֥שׁ כִּ֤י גֵ֣ר אָנֹכִ֣י עִמָּ֑ךְ תּ֝וֹשָׁ֗ב כְּכָל־אֲבוֹתָֽי׃ 13 But hear my prayer, YHWH, for I am your covenant partner, and listen to my cry for help, for you are my God. Do not keep silent at my weeping, because I am a sojourner with you, a guest in your land, hopeful of your covenant justice and hospitality. [I am] a temporary resident, like all of my ancestors who walked in covenant with you before they passed away.
*הֶשַׁ֣ע* מִמֶּ֣נִּי וְאַבְלִ֑יגָה בְּטֶ֖רֶם אֵלֵ֣ךְ וְאֵינֶֽנִּי׃ 14 As one who is in covenant with you, I ask that you look away from me and grant relief, removing your affliction so that I may recover, and enjoy the life that can still be good, even though brief, before I pass away and am no more.

Story Triangles

Just as life is brief, so should suffering be brief (vv. 2–14) ⟲ Resolution to keep silent (vv. 2–4) David decides (v. 2a) to keep silent and not challenge YHWH's justice David wastes away because of the hostility of YHWH's hand (v. 11b) YHWH rescues David from all David's offenses (v. 9a) YHWH takes his affliction away from David (v. 11a) YHWH hears David's prayer (v. 13a)YHWH listens to David's cry for help (v. 13b) YHWH leaves David alone (v. 14a) David recovers (v. 14b) David passes away (v. 14c)after a full life (see Job 42:17) David exists (v. 14d) David guards his ways from sinning with his tongue (v. 2b)David keeps a muzzle for his mouth (v. 2c)David is completely mute (vv. 3a, 10a) David's heart becomes hot inside him (v. 4a)During David's sighing a fire burns (v. 4b) YHWH makes David a fools' object of scorn (v. 9b) Complaint of injustice David opens his mouth (v. 10b) to complain of God's injustice YHWH disciplines David on account of sin (see v. 12a) YHWH afflicts David David prays to YHWH for rescue (see vv. 9, 11, 13) David's hope is in YHWH (v. 8) that's why Every person, including David, is a breath (v. 12c) Everyone, including David, is a breath (v. 6c) YHWH keeps silent at David's weeping (v. 13c) David is a sojourner with YHWH (v. 13d)David is a temporary resident, like all of David's ancestors (v. 13e) that's why rather, People know (v. 7d) what will happen under the sun after they are gone (Eccl 6:12) Someone will gather their possessions (v. 7e), whether wise or a fool (see Eccl 2:19) People heap up possessions (v. 7c) People labor restlessly in vain (v. 7b) if they expect their labor to outlive them Humanity, including David, walks around as a shadow (v. 7a) YHWH sets David's days, like everyone's, as handbreadths (v. 6a) David speaks with his tongue and complains about his end and the measure of his days (vv. 4c–5) rather, David's transience (vv. 5–6) David's pain is stirred up (v. 3c) David passes away (see v. 14c), like everyone David is born David is frail (v. 5d) David's lifetime is like nothing before YHWH (v. 6b) that's why that's why YHWH causes people's desirable things to disintegrate (v. 12b) Life in a fallen world such that David's ancestors all died David's ancestor is born David's ancestor lives a handful of days David's ancestor dies David's ancestor is buried with his ancestors (cf. 1 Kgs 2:10; 11:43; 15:24) but "YHWH knows all human plans are futile (הָֽבֶל)" (Ps 94:11) Nevertheless, People die ⟲ David expects a good result from his silence instead, There is gain from all man's toiling under the sun (Eccl 1:2–3) instead Foolish bystanders think David is getting what he deserves (Ps 22:7–9) and consider themselves superior (Ps 38:17) David expects YHWH to treat him well as his temporary guest that's why David, like all humanity, sins YHWH acts (v. 10c): YHWH afflicts David David sins There are "righteous who get what the wicked deserve, and wicked who get what the righteous deserve" (Eccl 8:14) that's why If one guards sin in his heart, YHWH does not listen (see Ps 66:18) when YHWH ignores David that's why Lack of hospitality for a guest is contrary to YHWH's law (see, e.g., Deut 23:4–5; 1 Sam 25) YHWH disciplines humanity, including David, with punishments on account of sin (v. 12a) Man seeks mercy (see Gen 4:25) David concludes YHWH has afflicted justly David concludes YHWH has acted unjustly that's why that's why Fools mock David publicly The wicked are in David's presence (v. 2d) David receives a good result from his silence David stays silent without a good result  (v. 3b) The recognition and confession of the brevity of one's life supports an appeal for present mercy (Ps 89:48–49) that's how Complaint within God's justice Humanity sins (see Gen 3) God shortens humanity's lifespan (see Gen 6:3) God sends suffering (see Gen 3; cf. v. 12a-​b) God grants mercy (see, e.g., Exod 34) Man lives out his full (albeit short) life (see, e.g., Ps 90) Man accepts God's justice nevertheless that's how that's how that's why "Host" and "guest" are an image of covenant God and people (see Lev 25:23) Just as a guest depends on his host, so David depends on his covenant God David prepares an appeal for mercy: & that's how YHWH is faithless to his covenant David, God's covenant partner, asks for help David dies a premature death Life in a fallen world can still be good that's why that's why nevertheless that's why


"Truly, every person is a breath." (vv. 6c, 12c)
  a breath people
Duration associated with something without substance, that quickly passes away (SDBH) something without substance that quickly passes away


Importance insignificant like nothing (v. 6b)


Effect no lasting trace no lasting trace
Blend People insignificant
Implicatures People's existence lacks substance and quickly passes away.
Prominence HIGH

The image of futile nature of people as a breath is compounded with both the "handbreadths" of the psalmist's lifespan (v. 6a) and "shadow" (v. 7a). It appears twice—in both instantiations of the psalm's prominent refrain.


"Truly, humanity walks around as a shadow." (v. 7a)
  a shadow people
Duration associated with things that are fleeting and will vanish in time (SDBH) fleeting and will vanish in time


Importance insignificant like nothing (v. 6b)


Comparison stability and immutability standing firm (v. 6c)
Blend People are fleeting
Implicatures People's existence is fleeting and will vanish.
Prominence MEDIUM

The image of shifting and fleeting nature of people as a shadow is compounded with both the "handbreadths" of the psalmist's lifespan (v. 6a) and "breath" (vv. 6c, 12c). It provides strong intertextual allusions of Genesis 1 and contributes significantly to the poetic feature, Abel, Adam, and Image, which highlights the irony and satire (Porty 2001, 329) of the use of the phrase here.


"Look, you have set my days as handbreadths" (v. 6)
  handbreadths lifespan
Function measurement of space measurement of time


Length relative shortness (SDBH) like nothing (v. 6a)


Comparison longer measurements (e.g., cubits, reeds) longer perspective (e.g., a thousand years are as the day of yesterday in your eyes, Ps 90:4)
Blend The psalmist's lifespan as insignificant
Implicatures
  • The psalmist's expects his lifespan to be relatively short.
  • In comparison to YHWH, who is God from everlasting to everlasting (Ps 90:2), the psalmist's life is "like nothing" (v. 6).
Prominence HIGH

The image of the relatively short length of the psalmist's days as handbreadths is compounded with both the "breath" (vv. 6c, 12c) and "shadow" (v. 7a). It forms the basis of his complaint throughout vv. 5–6b, is preceded by the deictic marker "look" (הִנֵּה) and is focus-fronted (see macrosyntax).


"because I am a sojourner with you, [I am] a temporary resident, like all of my ancestors" (v. 13d-e)
  a sojourner the psalmist
Origin from another land from the dust (Gen 3:19; Ps 90:3)


Location in a certain country existing in the world (cf. v. 14b)


Status guest without the full rights of a citizen guest without the full rights of a citizen


Expectation hospitality and justice hospitality and justice


Expectation a return to one's homeland a return to the dust (Ps 90:3)
Blend David lives for a brief time in YHWH's world
Implicatures
  • David enjoys a certain closeness with God (Cohen-Tzemach 1996, 175)
  • YHWH should treat David well as his temporary guest
Prominence HIGH

The double image of "sojourner" and "temporary resident" ground the three preceding requests in v. 13 ("Hear my prayer, YHWH, and listen to my cry for help. Do not keep silent at my weeping"). They evoke the frame of human existence/lifespan, so prevalent throughout the psalm (see vv. 5–7, 12c) and explain the meagre desire to live, for a while, without YHWH's hand of affliction.


"I will guard my ways from sinning with my tongue" (v. 2)
  Physical path Faithful conduct
Individual traveler the psalmist


Goal physical destination faithful life within YHWH's covenant and community


Decision (1) travel the correct path stay silent (vv. 2–3)


Decision (2) travel the wrong path complain about YHWH's discipline (v. 12)


Guard map, light (Ps 119:105) YHWH's word
Blend Life is a journey
Implicatures The psalmist conducts himself on the path of life according to YHWH's word and will, without deviating from the path.
Prominence LOW

The metaphor "Life as journey" is well-studied in Conceptual Metaphor Theory (Kovecses 2010) and central to the prototypical Psalm in this respect, Ps 119 (Procházková 2021, 52–53, 75, 108). Here, it only functions in passing to describe a faithful response to YHWH's discipline—silent suffering. Its sense is clear, functioning alongside "keeping a muzzle for my mouth" (v. 2b).


"like a moth you have caused their desirable things to disintegrate." (v. 12b)
  a moth YHWH's discipline
Process as symbols of decay, ruin, and slow destruction (SDBH), they feed on the fibers (SDBH; Job 13:28) causes the disintegration of people's possessions (cf. Job 13:28; James 5:2)


Function to destroy the corrupt and useless to refine the corrupt (Hos 5:12)
Blend YHWH discipline as destruction
Implicatures
  • YHWH's work of discipline refines and destroys the corrupt.
  • People's "desirable things" outlive their own lives, but are useless, nonetheless.
Prominence MEDIUM

Only one other place in the Bible describes YHWH's disciplinary action as that of a moth (Hos 5:12). The explicit simile provides a certain prominence to the imagery of moth's destruction, while it also contributes to the ephemeral and transient nature, not only of people, but even of their possessions.


"My heart became hot inside me; when I was sighing a fire would burn." (v. 4)
  heat frustration
Physiology increased temperature increased body temperature (fever), adrenaline, increased heart rate, sweat


Experiencer container the psalmist's body (inside me)


Physics thermal expansion, increased energy increased necessity to speak up


Effect liquids, for example, can boil over out of their container the frustration boils over into spoken words


Other results fire and destruction the psalmist was sighing (v. 4b) and wasting away (v. 11b)
Blend The psalmist's frustration was unsustainable
Implicatures
  • The psalmist's physical well-being further deteriorated in his silence (cf. v. 3c).
  • The frustration caused by the psalmist's silence boiled over into speech.
Prominence HIGH

Psalm 39:4 contains a slight adaptation of the well-studied conceptual metaphor, "Anger as heat," since, in context, the emotion causing the lack of well-being is better described as desperation. The image dominates v. 4 and provides the explanation of the psalmist's shift from committing to silence to finally breaking out in speech.



Bibliography

Alonso Schökel, Luis. 1988. "Todo Adán es Abel: Salmo 39," Estudios Bíblicos 46: 269–282.
Atkinson, Ian. 2025. "Parentheticals in Biblical Hebrew Prophetic and Poetic Literature." Vetus Testamentum. doi:10.1163/15685330-bja10226
Auffret, Pierre. 1990. "'Car toi, tu as agi' Étude structurale du psaume 39," Bijdragen 51 no. 2: 118–138.
Barthélemy, Dominique, et al. 2005. Critique textuelle de l’Ancien Testament: Tome 4. Psaumes. Fribourg / Göttingen: Vandenhoeck Ruprecht.
Bauer, Hans and Leander Pontus. 1922. Historische Grammatik der Hebräischen Sprache des Alten Testamentes. Halle: Max Niemeyer.
Beuken, Willem A. 2020. From Servant of YHWH to Being Considerate of the Wretched: The Figure David in the Reading Perspective of Psalms 35-41 MT. Leuven: Peeters.
Blau, Joshua. 2010. Phonology and Morphology of Biblical Hebrew: an Introduction. University Park, PA: Pennsylvania State University Press.
Böhler, Dieter. 2021. Psalmen 1–50. Freiburg, Basel, Wien: Herder Verlag.
Botha, Phil. 2017. "Psalm 39 and its Place in the Development of a Doctrine of Retribution in the Hebrew Bible," OTE 30.2: 240–264.
Bratcher, Robert G. and Reyburn, William David. 1991. A Translator’s Handbook on the Book of Psalms, UBS Handbook Series. New York, NY: United Bible Societies.
Brockelmann, Carl. 1956. Hebräische Syntax. Neukirchen: Verlag der Buchhandlung des Erziehungsvereins.
Cohen, Shaye J. D., Goldenberg, Robert and Lapin, Hayim (eds). 2022. The Oxford Annotated Mishna: A New Translation of the Mishna with Introductions and Notes. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Cohen-Tzemach, David. 1996. "Chapter 39" (Hebrew). Pages 172–175 in Psalms: Volume 1. Olam HaTaNaKh. Tel Aviv: דודזון–עתי.
Crenshaw, James L. 2012. "The Journey from Voluntary to Obligatory Silence (Reflections on Psalm 39 and Qoheleth)." Pages 177–191 in Focusing Biblical Studies: The Crucial Nature of the Persian and Hellenistic Periods. Essays in Honor of Douglas A. Knight. Edited by Jon L. Berquist and Alice Hunt. New York, NY: Bloomsbury.
Croft, William. 2022. Morphosyntax: Constructions of the World's Languages. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Delitzsch, Franz. 1871. Biblical Commentary on the Psalms: Vol. 2. Edinburgh: T&T Clark.
Dobbs-Allsopp, Frederick. W. 2005. Hebrew Inscriptions: Texts from the Biblical Period of the Monarchy. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.
Fassberg, Steven E. 2019. An Introduction to the Syntax of Biblical Hebrew (Hebrew). Jerusalem: Bialik Institute.
Fokkelman, Jan P. 2003. Major Poems of the Hebrew Bible: at the Interface of Prosody and Structural Analysis. Volume III: The Remaining 65 Psalms. Assen: Royal Van Gorcum.
Gauthier, Randall X. 2014. Psalms 38 and 145 of the Old Greek Version. Leiden: Brill.
Gesenius 2013 = Gesenius, W. Donner, H. Rüterswörden, U. Renz, J. Meyer, R. (eds.). 2013. Hebräisches und aramäisches Handwörterbuch über das Alte Testament. 18. Auflage Gesamtausgabe. Berlin: Springer.
Ḥakham, Amos. 1979. The Book of Psalms: Books 1-2 (Hebrew). Jerusalem: Mossad Harav Kook.
Hoftijzer, J. & Jongeling, K 1995. Dictionary of the North-West Semitic Inscriptions. Leiden: Brill.
Ibn Ezra, Abraham. Ibn Ezra on Psalms.
Jastrow, Marcus. 1903. A Dictionary of the Targumim, the Talmud Babli and Yerushalmi, and the Midrashic Literature. London: W.C. Luzac & Co.
Khan, Geoffrey. 2026. "Yiqṭol," in The Cambridge Grammar of Biblical Hebrew. Edited by Geoffrey Khan et al. Cambridge: University of Cambridge and Open Book Publishers.
Khan, Geoffrey. 2026. "Qaṭal," in The Cambridge Grammar of Biblical Hebrew. Edited by Geoffrey Khan et al. Cambridge: University of Cambridge and Open Book Publishers.
Kirkpatrick, Alexander, F. 1897. The Book of Psalms with Introduction and Notes. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Koev, Todor. 2022. Parenthetical Meaning. Oxford Studies in Semantics and Pragmatics. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Kynes, Will. 2012. My Psalm Has Turned into Weeping: Job's Dialogue with the Psalms. Berlin: De Gruyter.
Malbim. Malbim on Psalms.
Mena, Andrea K. 2012. “The Semantic Potential of עַל in Genesis, Psalms, and Chronicles.” MA Thesis, Stellenbosch University.
Messarra, John A. 2020. An Investigation of וְעַתָּה: Beyond the Temporal/Logical Bifurcation. MA Thesis, Stellenbosch University.
Mowinckel, Sigmund. 1962. The Psalms in Israel’s Worship. Two Volumes. Translated by D. R. Ap-Thomas. Oxford: Blackwell.
Notarius, Tania. 2013. The Verb in Archaic Biblical Poetry: A Discursive, Typological, and Historical Investigation of the Tense System. Leiden: Brill.
Porty, Tova. 2001. "The Image of the Moth: A Window into a Wisdom Psalm (Ps 39)" (Hebrew). Pages 319–331 in Homage to Shmuel: Studies in the World of the Bible. Edited by Z. Talshir, S. Yona and D. Sivan. Jerusalem: Bialik Institute.
Qafaḥ, Yosef. 1965. The Psalms with Translation and Commentary of Saadia Gaon (Hebrew). Jerusalem: The American Academy for Jewish Research.
Raabe, Paul R. 1990. Psalm Structures : A Study of Psalms with Refrains. Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press.
Radak. Radak on Psalms.
Ramond, Sophie. 2017. "L'expérience du Temps Éprouvé et le Registre Sapientiel du Psaume 39," Revue Biblique 124, no. 4: 490–506.
Sjörs, Ambjörn & Canu Højgaard, Christian. 2026. "Oblique Arguments," in The Cambridge Grammar of Biblical Hebrew. Edited by Geoffrey Khan et al. Cambridge: University of Cambridge and Open Book Publishers.
van der Lugt, Pieter. 2006. Cantos and Strophes in Biblical Hebrew Poetry: with Special Reference to the First Book of the Psalter. Leiden: Brill.
Weiss, Meir. 1994. "Psalm 39" (Hebrew). Pages 627–646 in The Bible in Light of its Interpreters. Sarah Kamin Memorial Volume. Edited by Sara Japhet. Jerusalem: Magnes Press.
Weitzman, Michael. P. 1999. The Syriac Version of the Old Testament: An Introduction. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.


Footnotes

  1. ↑ 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.
  2. ↑ 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.
  3. ↑ 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.
  4. ↑ "The more the words, the less the meaning (הָ֑בֶל), and how does that profit anyone? For who knows what is good for a person in life, during the few and meaningless days (מִסְפַּ֛ר יְמֵי־חַיֵּ֥י הֶבְל֖וֹ) they pass through like a shadow? Who can tell them what will happen under the sun after they are gone?" (Eccl 6:11–12, NIV).