Psalm 46/Notes/Phrasal.v. 5.893946

In the holy dwelling (קדש משכני), the adjective “holy” acts as a substantive in construct with a noun.^[1] The plural form משכני is best understood as a plural of degree or of amplification, emphasizing the special character of this locale.^[2] The dwelling of the Most High (משכני עליון) further nuances the relationship between God and the city, namely, the city serves as the residence of the Most High.^[3] Additionally, משכני עליון stands in apposition to the preceding עיר־אלהים, once again pointing out the role played by the city, i.e., housing or accommodating its divine patron.^[4]

↑ On this construction, see GK §124b, 132c; IBHS 14.3.3; DG 42.4. Cf. KJV: "the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High" (cf. ASV; ERV); cf. Aramaic Bible in Plain English: "it is the holy place, the dwelling of The Highest."
↑ GK §124.b. Notably, the psalm contains other nouns in the plural, which could be read as emphatic forms (i.e., "seas"=the deepest sea [v. 3]; "devastations"=great devastation [v. 9]; possibly "wars/battles"=the fiercest battle). Furthermore, MT's "the holy [place] of the dwelling” should be preferred to the LXX, which seems to introduce a new topic to the psalm (i.e., God's sanctification of the city). This reading competes with, and distracts from, the text's main focus, i.e., God's protection of his people in times of crises.
↑ Cf. Kraus (1988: 458-59), who notes that MT here should be understood as ‘‘the most holy one among the dwellings of the Most High." Yet, the plural of משכן is משכנות (cf. Pss. 43:3; 84:1; 132:5). Again, the plural “dwellings of” could be a plural of amplification, emphasizing the special character of this locale (GK §124.b). Regarding "the Most High", Goldingay also notes that it is unlikely that the adjective (Most High) is superlative “when the pl. noun is intensive not numerical (cf. the similar Ps 65:4 [5] with a sg. noun)” (Goldingay 2007: npn). Intriguingly, H. Junker (1962: 199) reds v. 5 as “Ein Strom, dessen Arme die Stadt Gottes erfreuen, ist das heiligste im Gezelt des Allerhochsten”.
↑ JM §131.2; cf. BHRG §29.3.Cf. Ps 87:3; Ps 48:9, cf. Ps 101:8.

[1] On this construction, see GK §124b, 132c; IBHS 14.3.3; DG 42.4. Cf. KJV: "the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High" (cf. ASV; ERV); cf. Aramaic Bible in Plain English: "it is the holy place, the dwelling of The Highest."

[2] GK §124.b. Notably, the psalm contains other nouns in the plural, which could be read as emphatic forms (i.e., "seas"=the deepest sea [v. 3]; "devastations"=great devastation [v. 9]; possibly "wars/battles"=the fiercest battle). Furthermore, MT's "the holy [place] of the dwelling” should be preferred to the LXX, which seems to introduce a new topic to the psalm (i.e., God's sanctification of the city). This reading competes with, and distracts from, the text's main focus, i.e., God's protection of his people in times of crises.

[3] Cf. Kraus (1988: 458-59), who notes that MT here should be understood as ‘‘the most holy one among the dwellings of the Most High." Yet, the plural of משכן is משכנות (cf. Pss. 43:3; 84:1; 132:5). Again, the plural “dwellings of” could be a plural of amplification, emphasizing the special character of this locale (GK §124.b). Regarding "the Most High", Goldingay also notes that it is unlikely that the adjective (Most High) is superlative “when the pl. noun is intensive not numerical (cf. the similar Ps 65:4 [5] with a sg. noun)” (Goldingay 2007: npn). Intriguingly, H. Junker (1962: 199) reds v. 5 as “Ein Strom, dessen Arme die Stadt Gottes erfreuen, ist das heiligste im Gezelt des Allerhochsten”.

[4] JM §131.2; cf. BHRG §29.3.Cf. Ps 87:3; Ps 48:9, cf. Ps 101:8.

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