Psalm 44 Participant Analysis
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Psalm 44/Participant Analysis
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Sheep to Be Slaughtered
Psalm 44
Participant Analysis
Participant Analysis focuses on the characters in the psalm and asks, “Who are the main participants (or characters) in this psalm, and what are they saying or doing? It is often helpful for understanding literary structure, speaker identification, etc.
For a detailed explanation of our method, see the Participant Analysis Creator Guidelines.
There are 4 participants/characters in Psalm 44:
Profile List
| Leader/Psalmist |
| "The Korahites" (v. 1) |
| Physical might |
| "My sword" (v. 7) |
| Israel |
| "Jacob" (v. 5) |
| "Your people" (v. 13) |
| Physical might |
| "Our armies" (v. 10) |
| Body parts |
| "Our heart" (v. 19) |
| "Our steps" (v. 19) |
| "Our soul" (v. 26) |
| "Our belly" (v. 26) |
| Israel's ancestors |
| Physical might |
| "Their power" (v. 4) |
| God |
| "My king" (v. 5) |
| "Lord" (v. 24) |
| God's power |
| "Your strength" (v. 3) |
| "Your right hand" (v. 4) |
| "Your power" (v. 4) |
| "The light of your countenance" (v. 4) |
| Enemies |
| "The nations" (v. 3) |
| "People groups" (v. 3) |
| "Adversaries" (v. 6) |
| "Those who rise against us >> adversaries" (v. 6) |
| "Those who hate us >> enemies" (v. 8) |
| "Neighbors" (v. 14) |
| "Those who surround us" (v. 14) |
| "Taunter and reviler >> reviling taunter" (v. 17) |
| "Enemy and avenger >> vengeful enemy" (v. 17) |
| Experience of shame |
| "Shame" (v. 16) |
| "Shamefacedness" (v. 16) |
| Another god |
Profile Notes
- Leader/Psalmist: The first-person singular references throughout this psalm are best construed as the voice of a liturgical leader (see The Speaker of Ps. 44:5, 7, and 16). According to the superscription of v. 1, this is best identified as the collective voice of the leadership group descended from Korah.
- Israel: While constituting a distinct participant (see The Speaker of Ps. 44:5, 7, and 16), the first-person plural references throughout the psalm indicate that the psalmist should be included within this participant set. Thus Israel and the psalmist are here presented as related participants.
- Non-Agentive Participants - Physical might / Physical might / Body parts / Physical might / God's power / Experience of shame: While not agentive participants per se, included in this list of participants are inanimate entities personified as performing relational actions, or entities representing a metonymy for an agentive participant.
- Israel's ancestors: By recounting God's past dealings with their ancestors, Israel can look ahead to future continuation of such works (Craigie 2004, 333). Based on this continuity of experience, it would be plausible to combine Israel and Israel's ancestors into a single participant set. However, it seems that Israel's ancestors play a sufficiently distinct relational role to warrant treating them as a separate participant.
| Text (Hebrew) | Verse | Text (CBC) The Close-but-clear translation (CBC) exists to provide a window into the Hebrew text according to how we understand its syntax and word-to-phrase-level semantics. It is designed to be "close" to the Hebrew, while still being "clear." Specifically, the CBC encapsulates and reflects the following layers of analysis: grammar, lexical semantics, phrase-level semantics, and verbal semantics. It does not reflect our analysis of the discourse or of poetics. It is not intended to be used as a stand-alone translation or base text, but as a supplement to Layer-by-Layer materials to help users make full use of these resources. |
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לַמְנַצֵּ֬חַ לִבְנֵי־קֹ֬רַח מַשְׂכִּֽיל׃
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1a | For the director. By the Korahites. A maskil.
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אֱלֹהִ֤ים ׀ בְּאָזְנֵ֬ינוּ שָׁמַ֗עְנוּ
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2a | God, we have heard [it] with our ears—
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אֲבוֹתֵ֥ינוּ סִפְּרוּ־לָ֑נוּ
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2b | Our ancestors have recounted to us
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פֹּ֥עַל פָּעַ֥לְתָּ בִֽ֝ימֵיהֶ֗ם
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2c | the deeds which you did in their times—
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בִּ֣ימֵי קֶֽדֶם׃
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2d | in times long ago.
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אַתָּ֤ה ׀ יָדְךָ֡ גּוֹיִ֣ם ה֭וֹרַשְׁתָּ וַתִּטָּעֵ֑ם
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3a | You, by your strength, dispossessed nations, and then you planted them.
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תָּרַ֥ע לְ֝אֻמִּ֗ים וַֽתְּשַׁלְּחֵֽם׃
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3b | You would afflict the people groups, and then you would set them free.
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כִּ֤י לֹ֣א בְחַרְבָּ֡ם יָ֥רְשׁוּ אָ֗רֶץ
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4a | For they did not take possession of the land by means of their sword;
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וּזְרוֹעָם֮ לֹא־הוֹשִׁ֪יעָ֫ה לָּ֥מוֹ
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4b | nor did their power give victory for them.
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כִּֽי־יְמִֽינְךָ֣ וּ֭זְרוֹעֲךָ וְא֥וֹר פָּנֶ֗יךָ
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4c | But rather your right hand, and your power, and the light of your countenance [gave the victory];
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כִּ֣י רְצִיתָֽם׃
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4d | for you were pleased with them.
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*אַתָּה־הוּא מַלְכִּי *אֱלֹהָי
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5a | You are my king, my God,
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מְצַוֶּה* יְשׁוּעוֹת יַעֲקֹב*
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5b | commanding victory for Jacob!
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בְּ֭ךָ צָרֵ֣ינוּ נְנַגֵּ֑חַ
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6a | With you, we can gore our adversaries;
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בְּ֝שִׁמְךָ֗ נָב֥וּס קָמֵֽינוּ׃
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6b | under your authority, we can tread down our enemies.
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כִּ֤י לֹ֣א בְקַשְׁתִּ֣י אֶבְטָ֑ח
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7a | Indeed, I cannot trust in my bow,
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וְ֝חַרְבִּ֗י לֹ֣א תוֹשִׁיעֵֽנִי׃
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7b | nor can my sword give me victory.
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כִּ֣י ה֭וֹשַׁעְתָּנוּ מִצָּרֵ֑ינוּ
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8a | But rather you delivered us from our adversaries;
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וּמְשַׂנְאֵ֥ינוּ הֱבִישֽׁוֹתָ׃
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8b | and you put our enemies to shame.
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בֵּֽ֭אלֹהִים הִלַּלְ֣נוּ כָל־הַיּ֑וֹם
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9a | We have been boasting in God all day long,
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וְשִׁמְךָ֓ ׀ לְעוֹלָ֖ם נוֹדֶ֣ה סֶֽלָה׃
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9b | and we will keep declaring your name forever. Selah.
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אַף־זָ֭נַחְתָּ וַתַּכְלִימֵ֑נוּ
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10a | Even so, you have rejected [us]— that is, you have put us to shame.
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וְלֹא־תֵ֝צֵ֗א בְּצִבְאוֹתֵֽינוּ׃
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10b | And you do not go forth with our armies.
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תְּשִׁיבֵ֣נוּ אָ֭חוֹר מִנִּי־צָ֑ר
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11a | You make us retreat before the adversary,
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וּ֝מְשַׂנְאֵ֗ינוּ שָׁ֣סוּ לָֽמוֹ׃
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11b | and our enemies have plundered for themselves.
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תִּ֭תְּנֵנוּ כְּצֹ֣אן מַאֲכָ֑ל
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12a | You give us up as sheep for consumption,
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וּ֝בַגּוֹיִ֗ם זֵרִיתָֽנוּ׃
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12b | and you have scattered us among the nations.
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תִּמְכֹּֽר־עַמְּךָ֥ בְלֹא־ה֑וֹן
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13a | You sell your people without compensation,
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וְלֹ֥א־רִ֝בִּ֗יתָ בִּמְחִירֵיהֶֽם׃
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13b | and you have not made a profit by them.
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תְּשִׂימֵ֣נוּ חֶ֭רְפָּה לִשְׁכֵנֵ֑ינוּ
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14a | You turn us into an object of scorn to our neighbors—
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לַ֥עַג וָ֝קֶ֗לֶס לִסְבִיבוֹתֵֽינוּ׃
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14b | An object of scornful derision to those who surround us.
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תְּשִׂימֵ֣נוּ מָ֭שָׁל בַּגּוֹיִ֑ם
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15a | You turn us into a parable among the nations—
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*מְנֽוֹד־רֹ֝֗אשׁ *בַּלְאֻמִּים
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15b | An object of pity among the people groups.
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כָּל־הַ֭יּוֹם כְּלִמָּתִ֣י נֶגְדִּ֑י
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16a | All day long, my shame is before me,
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וּבֹ֖שֶׁת פָּנַ֣י כִּסָּֽתְנִי׃
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16b | and my shamefacedness has covered me,
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מִ֭קּוֹל מְחָרֵ֣ף וּמְגַדֵּ֑ף
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17a | because of the voice of the reviling taunter,
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מִפְּנֵ֥י א֝וֹיֵ֗ב וּמִתְנַקֵּֽם׃
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17b | because of the vengeful enemy.
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כָּל־זֹ֣את בָּ֭אַתְנוּ וְלֹ֣א שְׁכַחֲנ֑וּךָ
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18a | All this has come upon us, even though we have not neglected you;
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וְלֹֽא־שִׁ֝קַּ֗רְנוּ בִּבְרִיתֶֽךָ׃
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18b | Nor have we broken faith with your covenant.
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לֹא־נָס֣וֹג אָח֣וֹר לִבֵּ֑נוּ
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19a | Our heart has not backslid—
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וַתֵּ֥ט אֲשֻׁרֵ֗ינוּ מִנִּ֥י אָרְחֶֽךָ׃
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19b | that is, our steps have not deviated from your path.
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כִּ֣י דִ֭כִּיתָנוּ בִּמְק֣וֹם תַּנִּ֑ים
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20a | Yet you have crushed us in the place of jackals,
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וַתְּכַ֖ס עָלֵ֣ינוּ בְצַלְמָֽוֶת׃
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20b | and thus you have covered us with deepest shadow.
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אִם־שָׁ֭כַחְנוּ שֵׁ֣ם אֱלֹהֵ֑ינוּ
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21a | If we have neglected our God's name—
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וַנִּפְרֹ֥שׂ כַּ֝פֵּ֗ינוּ לְאֵ֣ל זָֽר׃
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21b | that is, if we had spread our palms in prayer to another god—
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הֲלֹ֣א אֱ֭לֹהִים יַֽחֲקָר־זֹ֑את
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22a | would not God investigate this,
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כִּֽי־ה֥וּא יֹ֝דֵ֗עַ תַּעֲלֻמ֥וֹת לֵֽב׃
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22b | since he knows the heart's secrets?
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כִּֽי־עָ֭לֶיךָ הֹרַ֣גְנוּ כָל־הַיּ֑וֹם
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23a | Yet we have been killed because of you all day long.
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נֶ֝חְשַׁ֗בְנוּ כְּצֹ֣אן טִבְחָֽה׃
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23b | We are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.
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ע֤וּרָה ׀ לָ֖מָּה תִישַׁ֥ן ׀ אֲדֹנָ֑י
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24a | Awake! Why do you sleep, Lord?
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הָ֝קִ֗יצָה אַל־תִּזְנַ֥ח לָנֶֽצַח׃
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24b | Wake up! Do not keep rejecting [us] forever!
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לָֽמָּה־פָנֶ֥יךָ תַסְתִּ֑יר
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25a | Why are you hiding your countenance?
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תִּשְׁכַּ֖ח עָנְיֵ֣נוּ וְֽלַחֲצֵֽנוּ׃
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25b | Why are you neglecting our affliction and oppression?
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כִּ֤י שָׁ֣חָה לֶעָפָ֣ר נַפְשֵׁ֑נוּ
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26a | For our soul has sunk down into the dust;
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דָּבְקָ֖ה לָאָ֣רֶץ בִּטְנֵֽנוּ׃
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26b | our belly clings to the earth.
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ק֭וּמָֽה עֶזְרָ֣תָה לָּ֑נוּ
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27a | Arise to our aid,
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וּ֝פְדֵ֗נוּ לְמַ֣עַן חַסְדֶּֽךָ׃
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27b | and redeem us because of your faithfulness!
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Notes
v. 3a: you dispossessed or your strength dispossessed?
- Most modern translations render אַתָּה "you" as the subject of the verb הוֹרַשְׁתָּ "dispossessed," with יָדְךָ "your hand >> your strength" functioning as an adverbial accusative (i.e., "You dispossessed the nations by your hand"; cf. GKC §144l–m). However, the LXX renders יָדְךָ as the verb's subject (ἡ χείρ σου ἔθνη ἐξωλέθρευσεν; "your hand destroyed nations," NETS).
- In favor of taking God as the subject of this clause, the 2ms pronoun אַתָּה agrees in gender and number with the verb הוֹרַשְׁתָּ.
- However, it is preferable to understand God's strength as the subject of this clause. In Hebrew poetry, when nouns expressing parts of an individual are followed by a first- or second-person suffix, they can be taken as equivalent to the individuals themselves, and are predicated with a verb that agrees in person with the suffix (cf. Ps 57:5; JM §151c). Here in v. 3, if יָדְךָ functions as the subject, then the 2ms verb הוֹרַשְׁתָּ would agree with its 2ms suffix. This would explain the LXX rendering, which recasts the verb into a third-person form: ἡ χείρ σου ἔθνη ἐξωλέθρευσεν ("your hand destroyed nations," NETS). This understanding of the clause would also imply that אַתָּה is left-dislocated (i.e., "as for you, your hand..."). For a discussion on the function of this left-dislocation, see Macrosyntax notes above.
v. 3b, 3d: Ancestors or nations?
- There is some ambiguity as to the referent of the 3mp pronominal suffixes of וַתִּטָּעֵם and וַתְּשַׁלְּחֵם. Most modern translations interpret them as referring to the ancestors of v. 2 (e.g., "... and planted our ancestors... and made our ancestors flourish," NIV; see also ESV, NRSV, NET, CSB). This would require understanding the wayyiqtol verbs, in relation to their respective preceding clauses, as adversative ("but them you planted... but them you set free...," NRSV) or purpose/resultative ("in order to plant them... in order to settle them...," CSB). Alternatively, a temporally sequential reading of the wayyiqtols would suggest that the suffixes refer to the גּוֹיִם "nations" and לְאֻמִּים "peoples" (so NASB95, LSB, KJV).
- In favor of taking the suffixes as references to the nations, the masculine plural גּוֹיִם "nations" and לְאֻמִּים "peoples" agree with the suffixes in gender and number, and are nearer syntactically. Furthermore, there is syntactic parallelism in the use of a 2ms verb and a direct object across all four clauses of this verse, suggesting that all four objects are coreferential.
- It is preferable to understand the suffixes as references to Israel's ancestors. It has been observed that, in cases where the subject of a verb is specified, but the referent of its object is unspecified, the object will tend to refer back to a previously mentioned, discourse-active subject (de Regt 2020, 12). In v. 3b and 3d, the subject of וַתִּטָּעֵם and וַתְּשַׁלְּחֵם is clearly God, as the 2ms verb forms refer back to the vocative אֱלֹהִים in v. 2. The 3mp suffixes, on the other hand, refer back to the discourse-active subjects of the verb סִפְּרוּ "recounted" in v. 2, viz. אֲבוֹתֵינוּ "our ancestors." As v. 3 describes the content of the recounting, the ancestors remain discourse-active, and are anaphorically recalled using the 3mp suffixes.
Participant Relations Diagram
The relationships among the participants may be abstracted and summarized as follows:
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Participant Analysis Summary Distribution
