Psalm 4/Verbs

Verbs

Verb forms

Definition Feature being studied	Occurrences Sections where this feature is present or absent	Clustering	Intersection	Connections	Structure
infinitive	בְּקָרְאִי (v.2a), בְּקָרְאִי (v.4b)		first word of psalm	connects v.2 and v.4	anaphora
imperative	עֲנֵנִי (v.2a), חָנֵּנִי (v.2c), וּשְׁמַע (v.2c), וּדְעוּ (v.4a), רִגְזוּ (v.5a), אִמְרוּ (v.5b), וְדֹמּוּ (v.5b), זִבְחוּ (v.6a), וּבִטְחוּ (v.6b), נְסָה (v.7b),	v.2, vv.4-6; absent in v.3 and vv.8-9	beginning of psalm (v.2); first word of third section (v.4a); last word of third section (v.5b)		Gives cohesion to v.2 and vv.4-6
jussive	וְאַל־תֶּחֱטָאוּ (v.5a)	only v.5a	the middle verb of the psalm
yiqtol	תֶּאֱהָבוּן (v.3b), תְּבַקְשׁוּ (v.3c), יִשְׁמַע (v.4b), יַרְאֵנוּ (v.7a), וְאִישָׁן (v.9a), תּוֹשִׁיבֵנִי (v.9c)	vv.3, 9		parallelism (v.3bc, 9ac); parallel with qatal (v.4ab)	Gives cohesion to vv.3, 9
qatal	הִרְחַבְתָּ (v.2b), הִפְלָה (v.4a), נָתַתָּה (v.8a), רָבּוּ (v.8b)			parallelism (v.8ab); strengthens connection between v.2 and v.4

v.2b. הִרְחַבְתָּ – Some scholars have argued that the qatal verb in v.2b (הִרְחַבְתָּ) is precative, "a directive mood that signals that the utterance is a request." The qatal verb in v.2b fits the criteria proposed by Buttenwieser, namely, that precatives are "invariably found alternating with the imperfect or the imperative." Goldingay argues that "the broader as well as the narrower context of the psalm supports the precative understanding," since there is no other "prayer" (תפלה, v.2c) in the psalm. However, as in every other case of the so-called precative qatal, "it is also possible to postulate that one of the more typical senses of the qatal/perfect (e.g., present perfect) is involved." In v.2b, the psalmist looks to past deliverance to ground his present requests (v.2ac). The psalmist's "prayer" (תפלה, v.2c) comes in v.7b as the king here takes up the priestly benediction of Num. 6.
This feature is considered relevant for this psalm.,

Person, gender and number

Definition Feature being studied	Occurrences Sections where this feature is present or absent	Clustering	Intersection	Connections	Structure
3rd person	הִפְלָה (v.4a), יִשְׁמַע (v.4b), יַרְאֵנוּ (v.7a), רָבּוּ (v.8b)	v.4; vv.7-8; absent elsewhere	beginning of sections 3 (v.4a) and 5 (v.7a)	parallelism (v.4ab)	Gives cohesion to v.3 and vv.7-8, which begin and end in 3rd person.
2ms	עֲנֵנִי (v.2a), הִרְחַבְתָּ (v.2b), חָנֵּנִי (v.2c), וּשְׁמַע (v.2c), נְסָה (v.7b), נָתַתָּה (v.8a), תּוֹשִׁיבֵנִי (v.9c)	v.2; absent vv.3-6	beginning and ending of psalm		gives cohesion to v.2, vv.7-8; forms inclusio (v.2a, 9c)
1cs	אֶשְׁכְּבָה (v.9a), וְאִישָׁן (v.9a)	only in v.9a	beginning of final section
2mp	תֶּאֱהָבוּן (v.3b), תְּבַקְשׁוּ (v.3c), וּדְעוּ (v.4a), רִגְזוּ (v.5a), וְאַל־תֶּחֱטָאוּ (v.5a), אִמְרוּ (v.5b), וְדֹמּוּ (v.5b), זִבְחוּ (v.6a), וּבִטְחוּ (v.6a)	vv.4-6			Gives cohesion to vv.4-6, the address to the sons of men

This feature is considered relevant for this psalm.,

Paragogic letters

Definition Feature being studied	Occurrences Sections where this feature is present or absent	Clustering	Intersection	Connections	Structure
paragogic he	אֶשְׁכְּבָה (v.9a)		beginning of final section (v.9a)
paragogic nun	תֶּאֱהָבוּן (v.3b)

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Verb stem types (binyanim)

Definition Feature being studied	Occurrences Sections where this feature is present or absent	Clustering	Intersection	Connections	Structure
Qal		The imperatives in vv.5-6 "have all been carefully selected from the Qal register."
Piel	תְּבַקְשׁוּ (v.3c)
Hiphil	הִרְחַבְתָּ (v.2b), הִפְלָה (v.4a), יַרְאֵנוּ (v.7a), תּוֹשִׁיבֵנִי (v.9c)		beginning of sections (v.4a; v.7a); final word of psalm (v.9c)	Verses 2-4 are connected in a number of ways (phonological, lexical, morphological). The recursion of the Hiphil stem strengthens this connection. The same is true of verses 2 and 9.

Verb Morphology

Verse	Verb	Stem	Conjugation	Person	Gender	Number	Paragogic Suffix	Pronominal Suffix	Root
2a	בְּקָרְאִי	Q	inf. cst.					1cs	קרא
	עֲנֵנִי	Q	impv.	2	m	s		1cs	ענה
2b	הִרְחַבְתָּ	H	qatal	2	m	s			רחב
2c	חָנֵּנִי	Q	impv.	2	m	s		1cs	חנן
	וּשְׁמַע	Q	waw + impv.	2	m	s			שׁמע
3b	תֶּאֱהָבוּן	Q	yiqtol	2	m	p			אהב
3c	תְּבַקְשׁוּ	D	yiqtol	2	m	p			בקשׁ
4a	וּדְעוּ	Q	waw + impv.	2	m	p			ידע
	הִפְלָה	H	qatal	3	m	s			פלה
4b	יִשְׁמַע	Q	yiqtol	3	m	s			שׁמע
	בְּקָרְאִי	Q	inf. cst.					1cs	קרא
5a	רִגְזוּ	Q	impv.	2	m	p			רגז
	וְאַל־תֶּחֱטָאוּ	Q	jus.	2	m	p			חטא
5b	אִמְרוּ	Q	impv.	2	m	p			אמר
	וְדֹמּוּ	Q	waw + impv.	2	m	p			דמם
6a	זִבְחוּ	Q	impv.	2	m	p			זבח
6b	וּבִטְחוּ	Q	waw + impv.	2	m	p			בטח
7a	אֹמְרִים	Q	ptc.		m	p			אמר
	יַרְאֵנוּ	H	yiqtol	3	m	s		1cp	ראה
7b	נְסָה	Q	impv.	2	m	s			נשׂא/נֵס?
8a	נָתַתָּה	Q	qatal	2	m	s			נתן
8b	רָבּוּ	Q	qatal	3	m	p			רבב
9a	אֶשְׁכְּבָה	Q	cohortative	1	c	s			שׁכב
	וְאִישָׁן	Q	weyiqtol	1	c	s			ישׁן
9c	תּוֹשִׁיבֵנִי	H	yiqtol	2	m	s		1cs	ישׁב

This feature is considered relevant for this psalm.,

Other

Verbless Clauses

• v.3a
• v.7a (ptc)

Verbless clauses occur at the beginning of sections.