Psalm 3 Poetics

Psalm Overview

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

Poetic Structure

• The psalm divides into four sections that are near the same length (14 words / 14 words / 14 words / 15 words).
• The first section is bound together by similar content (repetition of root רבב, enemies as topic) as well as a possible inclusio ("YHWH... God").
• Each of the first two sections ends with selah (vv. 3b, 5b).
• The second and third sections share similar beginnings; both begin with an independent personal pronoun (v. 4a: "you;" v. 6a: "I"). "You" (=YHWH) is the topic of the second section (vv. 4-5), and "I" (=David) is the topic of the third section (vv. 6-7).
• The first section (vv. 2-3) and the two middle sections (vv. 4-7) are bound together by an inclusio (vv. 2, 7: "many... against me") and by a phonological seam (vv. 3-4).
• The beginning of the final section (vv. 8-9) is marked by the appearance of a three-line verse (v. 8) and a cluster of imperatives and a vocative (v. 8a).
• The final section is bound together by the repetition of the root ישע (vv. 8a-9a) and by its total word-count (15 words) which closely matches that of the previous sections. (The preceding sections create an expectation for a section of similar length.)
• The final section (vv. 8-9) [parallels the first section (vv. 2-3) in a number of ways.

Poetic Features (Top 3)

1. Rise and Rescue

Feature

Three words in the first section of the Psalm (vv. 2-3) are repeated in the final section (vv. 8-9): "rise", "salvation"/"save", "God."

The root for "salvation/save" (ישע) is especially marked in this Psalm. Not only does it occur three times, but it occurs in unique forms: In v. 3 it has a unique suffix (יְֽשׁוּעָ֓תָה) and rhythmic prominence (occurrence of nesigah); in v. 9 it occurs with the full definite article (הַיְשׁוּעָ֑ה, the only word in the Psalm with the full article).

Effect

The effect of the repetition of key words in the last section of the Psalm is to underscore the total resolution of the psalmist's problem. Just as enemies were "rising" in v. 2, so in v. 8 YHWH is called to "rise." Just as the enemies say in v. 3 that "there is no salvation for him in God," so David calls upon his "God" (v. 8) to "save" him. Contrary to the enemies' taunt, there is hope for David, because there is a God who saves: "salvation belongs to YHWH" (v. 9a). The special marking of the root "save" (ישע) highlights this idea as the theme of the psalm.

2. Response to Taunts

Feature

The first words of the second section (vv. 4-5) echo the last words of the first section (vv. 2-3). The words אמרים לנפשי ("those saying about my soul") in v. 3a are similar to ומרים ראשי ("and the one who lifts my head") in v. 4b both in terms of sound (me + rim + shi) and morphology (participles). Similarly, the ending of ישועתה ("salvation") in v. 3b sounds like אתה ("you") in v. 4a, and the words אלהים ("God") (v. 3b) and יהוה ("YHWH") (v. 4a) are semantically similar.

Effect

In terms of structure, this feature creates a seam across the first two sections of the Psalm, binding them together into a larger whole.

Rhetorically, the repetition of sounds (in reverse order) represents an undoing of the enemies' words. "The enemies' taunt that there is no salvation for the psalmist in God (v. 3) is answered in chiastic form by the psalmist's confident assertion of Yahweh's power to protect him ( v. 4)."

3. The Sound of Silencing

Feature

Verse 8 stands out in a number of ways:

• Poetic structure (the only tricolon in the Psalm)
• Graphic imagery (striking jaws and breaking teeth)
• Dense alliteration (plosive k in 8b [x3]; sh in 8c [x3]; both of which echo sounds in "rise" and "save" in 8a)
• Clustering of derived stems (two hiphil's and a piel [the only one in the Psalm])
• Clustering of imperatives (8a)
• Chiastic patterning of v. 8bc based on syntax and semantics (a strike, b enemies, c jaw // c' teeth, b' wicked, a' shatter)

Effect

The effect of this clustering of poetic features is to draw attention to this climactic point in the Psalm, where David calls on YHWH to take action against his enemies.

The repetition of the abrupt k sound in 8b mimics the sound of striking, while the repetition of sh in 8c mimics the silence experienced by the now toothless enemies.

Just as YHWH has struck and silenced every one of David's enemies in the past, so David calls on him to do it again. Those who mock him and his God (cf. v. 3) will be silenced.

Poetic Verses

v. 3

v. 4

v. 5

v. 6

v. 7

v. 8

v. 9

Poetic Lines

Lineation

Proposed lineation	Line	Supporting evidence	Conflicting evidence
מִזְמ֥וֹר לְדָוִ֑ד בְּ֝בָרְח֗וֹ מִפְּנֵ֤י ׀ אַבְשָׁל֬וֹם בְּנֽוֹ	v. 1	s Or2373 Sin Vat Alx Am
יְ֭הוָה מָֽה־רַבּ֣וּ צָרָ֑י	v. 2a	P a Or2373 Sin Vat Alx Am
רַ֝בִּ֗ים קָמִ֥ים עָלָֽי	v. 2b	P s Or2373 Sin Vat Alx Am
רַבִּים֮ אֹמְרִ֪ים לְנַ֫פְשִׁ֥י	v. 3a	oy Or2373 Vat Am	Sin-Alx
אֵ֤ין יְֽשׁוּעָ֓תָה לּ֬וֹ בֵֽאלֹהִ֬ים סֶֽלָה׃	v. 3b	s Or2373 Vat Sin-Alx* Am
וְאַתָּ֣ה יְ֭הוָה מָגֵ֣ן בַּעֲדִ֑י	v. 4a	a Or2373 Sin Vat Alx	Am*
כְּ֝בוֹדִ֗י וּמֵרִ֥ים רֹאשִֽׁי	v. 4b	s Or2373 Sin Vat Alx Am*
ק֭וֹלִי אֶל־יְהוָ֣ה אֶקְרָ֑א	v. 5a	a Or2373 Sin Vat Alx Am
וַיַּֽעֲנֵ֨נִי מֵהַ֖ר קָדְשׁ֣וֹ סֶֽלָה׃	v. 5b	s Or2373 Sin Vat Alx Am
אֲנִ֥י שָׁכַ֗בְתִּי וָֽאִ֫ישָׁ֥נָה	v. 6a	P oy Or2373 Sin Vat Alx Am
הֱקִיצ֑וֹתִי כִּ֖י יְהוָ֣ה יִסְמְכֵֽנִי	v. 6b	s Or2373 Sin Vat Alx Am*	aoy Am
לֹֽא־אִ֭ירָא מֵרִבְב֥וֹת עָ֑ם	v. 7a	P a Or2373 Sin Vat Alx Am
אֲשֶׁ֥ר סָ֝בִ֗יב שָׁ֣תוּ עָלָֽי	v. 7b	P s Or2373 Sin Vat Alx Am
ק֘וּמָ֤ה יְהוָ֨ה ׀ הוֹשִׁ֘יעֵ֤נִי אֱלֹהַ֗י	v. 8a	rg Or2373 Sin Vat Alx Am	N
כִּֽי־הִכִּ֣יתָ אֶת־כָּל־אֹיְבַ֣י לֶ֑חִי	v. 8b	P a Or2373 Sin Vat Alx Am
שִׁנֵּ֖י רְשָׁעִ֣ים שִׁבַּֽרְתָּ	v. 8c	s Or2373 Sin Vat Alx Am
לַיהוָ֥ה הַיְשׁוּעָ֑ה	v. 9a	a	Or2373 Sin-Vat-Alx Am
עַֽל־עַמְּךָ֖ בִרְכָתֶ֣ךָ סֶּֽלָה	v. 9b	s Or2373	P Sin-Vat-Alx Am