Psalm 4/Nouns

Nouns

Number

Definition Feature being studied	Occurrences Sections where this feature is present or absent	Clustering	Intersection	Connections	Structure
plural	אֱלֹהֵי (v.2a), בְּנֵי (v.3a), זִבְחֵי (v.6a), רַבִּים (v.7a), פָּנֶיךָ (v.7b)		appears to occur at or near boundaries: beginning of psalm (v.2a); beginning of address to sons of man (v.3a); end of address to sons of man (v.6a); beginning of section (v.7a)

This feature is considered relevant for this psalm.,

Gender

Definition Feature being studied	Occurrences Sections where this feature is present or absent	Clustering	Intersection	Connections	Structure
feminine	תְּפִלָּתִי (v.2c), לִכְלִמָּה (v.3a), אוֹר? (v.7b), שִׂמְחָה (v.8a), מֵעֵת (v.8b)	vv.2c-3a; vv.7-8	occurs around first sectional boundary (vv.2c, 3a)

This feature is considered relevant for this psalm.,

Definiteness

Definition Feature being studied	Occurrences Sections where this feature is present or absent	Clustering	Intersection	Connections	Structure
definite article	בַּצָּר (v.2b)

This is a generic article where adjective > abstract substantive (cf. הָרַע, Jdg. 3:7),

Pronominal suffixes

Definition Feature being studied	Occurrences Sections where this feature is present or absent	Clustering	Intersection	Connections	Structure
3mp	דְּגָנָם (v.8b), וְתִירוֹשָׁם (v.8b)	v.8b
2mp	בִלְבַבְכֶם (v.5b), מִשְׁכַּבְכֶם (v.5b)	v.5b

Noun Morphology

Verse	Noun	Gender	Number	Suffix	"Declension"	Definiteness	Root
2a	אֱלֹהֵי	m	p		voc. cstr.	+
	צִדְקִי	m	s	1cs	abs.	+	צדק
2b	בַּצָּר	m	s		abs.	+	צרר
2c	תְּפִלָּתִי	f	s	1cs	abs.	+	פלל
3a	בְּנֵי	m	p		voc. cstr.		בן
	אִישׁ	m	s		abs.		אישׁ
	כְבוֹדִי	m	s	1cs	abs.	+	כבד
	לִכְלִמָּה	f	s		abs.		כלם
3b	רִיק	m	s		abs.		ריק
	כָזָב	m	s		abs.		כזב
4a	יְהוָה	m	s		abs.	+
	חָסִיד	m	s		abs.		חסד
4b	יְהוָה	m	s		abs.	+
5b	בִלְבַבְכֶם	m	s	2mp	abs.	+	לבב
	מִשְׁכַּבְכֶם	m	s	2mp	abs.	+	שׁכב
6a	זִבְחֵי	m	p		cst.		זבח
	צֶדֶק	m	s		abs.		צדק
6b	יְהוָה	m	s		abs.	+
7a	רַבִּים	m	p		abs.		רבב
	טוֹב	m	s		abs.		טוב
7b	אוֹר	m or f	s		cst.	+	אור
	פָּנֶיךָ	m	p	2ms	abs.	+	פנה
	יְהוָה	m	s		voc. abs.	+
8a	שִׂמְחָה	f	s		abs.		שׂמח
	בְלִבִּי	m	s	1cs	abs.	+	לבב
8b	מֵעֵת	f	s		abs.		ענה
	דְּגָנָם	m	s	3mp	abs.	+	דגן
	וְתִירוֹשָׁם	m	s	3mp	abs.	+	ירשׁ
9a	בְּשָׁלוֹם	m	s		abs.		שׁלם
9b	יְהוָה	m	s		voc. abs.	+
	לְבָדָד	m	s		abs.		בדד
9c	לָבֶטַח	m	s		abs.		בטח

This feature is considered relevant for this psalm.,

Suffixes as objects

Definition Feature being studied	Occurrences Sections where this feature is present or absent	Clustering	Intersection	Connections	Structure
1cs	עֲנֵנִי (v.2a), חָנֵּנִי (v.2c), תּוֹשִׁיבֵנִי (v.9c)	absent vv.3-8	first and last line of the psalm	This features strengthens the connection between the first and final tricola.	Inclusio

This feature is considered relevant for this psalm.,

Addressee change

• Yahweh (v.2)
• בני אישׁ (vv.3-6)
• Yahweh (vv.7-9)

This feature is considered relevant for this psalm.,

Speaker change

The Psalmist (David?) is the speaker throughout most of the Psalm.

The only exception is found in v.7, where the direct speech of רַבִּים is introduced. It is not immediately clear where the quotation ends. Is it limited v.7a or does it included v.7b? Goldingay argues that “the immediate context makes it easier to decide between these possibilities. Both cola refer to 'we' and it is natural with NRSV to read the whole verse as referring to the same 'we'; it is the transition to verse 8 that marks the transition from 'we' to ‘I.’ Hypothesizing a transition to the suppliant's words within verse 7 works against the poetry.” Yet it seems more likely to take the words of v.7b as the psalmist's own petition. The psalm is a תפלה (v.2), yet outside of the invocation (v.2) there is no explicit petition. This apparent problem, which Goldingay himself wrestles with, is resolved if v.7b is understood as the central petition of the psalm. In v.7b, the king/psalmist, whose power in prayer is disputed (v.4ab) because of the current crisis (see below), takes on the role of a priest (cf. Num.6:22-27; note the king's priestly office in Ps.110) and successfully intercedes on behalf of the people.

Character Features

Ref.	Speaker	Addressee	Person	Subject	Object
2a	David	Yahweh	2	Yahweh	David
2b	David	Yahweh	2	Yahweh	David
2c	David	Yahweh	2	Yahweh	David / David's prayer
3a	David	בני אישׁ	2	בני אישׁ	David's honor
3b	David	בני אישׁ	2	בני אישׁ	רִיק
3c	David	בני אישׁ	2	בני אישׁ	כָזָב
4aα	David	בני אישׁ	2	בני אישׁ
4aβ	David	בני אישׁ	3	Yahweh	חָסִיד
4b	David	בני אישׁ	3	Yahweh
5a	David	בני אישׁ	2	בני אישׁ
5b	David	בני אישׁ	2	בני אישׁ
6a	David	בני אישׁ	2	בני אישׁ	זִבְחֵי־צֶדֶק
6b	David	בני אישׁ	2	בני אישׁ	Yahweh
7aα	David	Yahweh	3	אֹמְרִים
7aβ	בני אישׁ	בני אישׁ	3	מִי us
7b	David or בני אישׁ?	Yahweh or בני אישׁ?	2 or 3?	Yahweh or "light of Yahweh's face"?	us
8a	David	Yahweh	2	Yahweh	joy in Davids heart
8b	David	Yahweh	3	דְְּגָנָם וְתִירוֹשָׁם
9a	David	Yahweh	1	David
9b	David	Yahweh	2
9c	David	Yahweh	2	Yahweh	David

This feature is considered relevant for this psalm.