Psalm 44/Notes/Lexical.V. 19.45913

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  • The singular לִבֵּנוּ: The use of the singular form of לֵב/לֵבָב with a plural pronominal suffix is common in BH (134 occurrences), and occurs 22 times in the Psalms (Pss 4:5; 10:17; 22:27; 28:3; 31:25; 33:15, 21; 35:25; 37:15; 44:19; 48:14; 62:9; 69:33; 74:8; 78:18, 37; 81:13; 84:6; 95:8; 105:25; 107:12; 119:70). By contrast, the plural form of לֵב with a suffix only appears once in the Psalter (Ps 125:4). The singular form here in 44:19 is likely collective in meaning, a phenomenon that can occur with almost any word (Davidson 1902, 19). While essentially equivalent to the plural on a semantic level, this collective use of לֵב could be a reflection of corporate solidarity, in which the community's covenant fidelity is measured by the faithfulness of its collective "heart" (see Exegetical Issue: The Speaker of Ps. 44:5, 7, and 16).