Psalm 4/Grammar
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About the Grammar Layer
The grammar layer visually represents the grammar and syntax of each clause. It also displays alternative interpretations of the grammar. (For more information, click "Expand" to the right.)
The grammatical diagram provides a way to visualise how different parts of a sentence work together. It represents the “surface-level” grammar, or morphosyntax, of a sentence. Morphosyntax includes both the form of words (morphology) and their placement in the sentence (syntax). This approach to visualising the text, based on the Reed-Kellogg diagramming method, places the grammatical subject in one slot, the verb in another slot, and modifiers and connectives in other slots.
For a detailed description of our method, see the Grammar Creator Guidelines.
Grammar Visuals for Psalm 4
v. 1
Preferred
SimpleGrammar
DiscourseUnit [v. 1]
Fragment
PrepositionalPhrase
Preposition
preposition: לַ for
Object
article: ה the <status="elided">
Nominal
verb-participle: מְנַצֵּחַ director
Fragment
PrepositionalPhrase
Preposition
preposition: בִּ with
Object
noun: נְגִינוֹת stringed instruments
Fragment
Nominal
noun: מִזְמוֹר psalm
Fragment
PrepositionalPhrase
Preposition
preposition: לְ by
Object
noun: דָוִד David
v. 2
Preferred
SimpleGrammar
DiscourseUnit [v. 2]
Fragment
Clause
Subject
ConstructChain <gloss="the God of my righteousness >> the God who makes things right for me">
noun: אֱלֹהֵי God
noun: צִדְקִ righteousness
suffix-pronoun: י me
Predicate
verb: עָנָ answered <status="revocalization">
Object
suffix-pronoun: נִי me
Adverbial
PrepositionalPhrase <gloss="when I called out">
Preposition
preposition: בְּ when
Object
Clause
Subject <located="after infinitive construct">
Predicate
ConstructChain
verb-infinitive: קָרְאִ calling out
suffix-pronoun: י me
Fragment
Clause
Subject
Predicate
verb: הִרְחַבְתָּ you enlarged >> you granted relief
Adverbial
PrepositionalPhrase
Preposition
preposition: בַּ in
Object
article: ה (the) <status="elided">
noun: צָּר narrow space >> distress
Adverbial
PrepositionalPhrase
Preposition
preposition: לִּ to
Object
suffix-pronoun: י me
Fragment
ClauseCluster
Clause
Predicate
verb: חַנַּ he was merciful to <status="revocalization">
Object
suffix-pronoun: נִי me
Conjunction
conjunction: וְ and <status="revocalization">
Clause
Predicate
verb: שָׁמַע he heard <status="revocalization">
Object
ConstructChain <gloss="my prayer">
noun: תְּפִלָּתִ prayer
suffix-pronoun: י me
Note for v. 2
- According to the vocalization of the Masoretic Text (so also Aquila, Symmachus, Quinta, Jerome, Targum), the verbs in v. 2a and v. 2c are imperatives (עֲנֵנִי…חָנֵּנִי וּשְׁמַע), and the verb in v. 2b is a qatal verb (הִרְחַבְתָּ), which is best understood as past tense indicative: "you gave me room" (NRSV) or "you freed me" (NJPS) (see verbal semantics). The movement from imperative (v. 2a) to past-tense indicative (v. 2b) back to imperative (v. 2c) is somewhat jarring (though see e.g., Ps 3:8). It would be less jarring if we interpret v. 2b as an asyndetic relative clause (so Perowne 1870, 123-124; Duhm 1899, 13; see v. 2 alternative diagram): "Answer me when I call, God of my righteousness, [who] relieved my distress." Asyndetic relative clauses, however, exhibit verb-initial order and third-person agreement (see, e.g., Isa 44:1), making this interpretation unlikely (see Miller-Naudé & Naudé 2024, 153-169). The Septuagint partially avoids the difficulty by vocalizing the first verb (ענני) as a past-tense indicative verb (εἰσήκουσέν μου = עָנָנִי = "he responded to me;" cf. עָנָנִי in 1 Sam 28:15; cf. Peshitta: "you answered me" [ܥܢܝܬܢܝ]). Indeed, it would be possible to vocalize all of the imperatives in v. 2 as qatal indicative forms (see v. 2 preferred diagram; cf. de Lagarde 1886, 30; Gunkel 1926, 15-16; Weiser 1959, 30; cf. חַנַּנִי in Gen 33:11; on the waw + qatal form וְשָׁמַע, see e.g., Ps 34:5—דָּרַשְׁתִּי אֶת־יְהוָ֣ה וְעָנָנִי). The psalm as a whole makes the most sense if the verbs in v. 2a and v. 2b are vocalized as indicatives (see Story Behind). Otherwise, the imperatives "answer me... be merciful to me and hear my prayer" create the expectation for some request for help, but no clear request follows (cf. Goldingay 2006, 170-171, who is forced to interpret the qatal in v. 2b as a precative, because he cannot identify any other request in the psalm). Thus, all of the verbs in v. 2 are indicatives. The shift from 3rd person (v. 2a) to 2nd person (v. 2b) is common in Hebrew poetry (see e.g., Ps 89:2).
Alternative
SimpleGrammar
DiscourseUnit [v. 2 alternative] <status="alternative">
Fragment
Clause
Predicate
verb: עֲנֵ answer
Object
suffix-pronoun: נִי me
Adverbial
PrepositionalPhrase <gloss="when I call out">
Preposition
preposition: בְּ when
Object
Clause
Subject <located="after infinitive construct">
Predicate
ConstructChain
verb-infinitive: קָרְאִ calling out
suffix-pronoun: י me
Fragment
Vocative
Nominal
ConstructChain
Nominal
noun: אֱלֹהֵי God
RelativeClause
RelativeParticle
particle: who <status="elided">
Clause
Subject
Relative
Predicate
verb: הִרְחַבְתָּ have enlarged >> granted relief
Adverbial
PrepositionalPhrase
Preposition
preposition: בַּ in
Object
article: ה (the) <status="elided">
noun: צָּר narrow space >> distress
Adverbial
PrepositionalPhrase
Preposition
preposition: לִּ to
Object
suffix-pronoun: י me
ConstructChain
noun: צִדְקִ righteousness
suffix-pronoun: י me
Fragment
ClauseCluster
Clause
Predicate
verb: חָנֵּ be merciful to
Object
suffix-pronoun: נִי me
Conjunction
conjunction: וּ and
Clause
Predicate
verb: שְׁמַע hear
Object
ConstructChain <gloss="my prayer">
noun: תְּפִלָּתִ prayer
suffix-pronoun: י me
v. 3
Preferred
SimpleGrammar
DiscourseUnit [v. 3]
Fragment
Vocative
Nominal
ConstructChain <gloss="mortal humans">
noun: בְּנֵי sons
noun: אִישׁ man
Fragment
Clause
Predicate
verb: will you be
Adverbial
PrepositionalPhrase <gloss="how long?">
Preposition
preposition: עַד until
Object
noun: מֶה what?
Complement
ConstructChain <gloss="heavy-hearted">
noun: כִבְדֵי heavy <status="revocalization">
noun: לֵב heart <status="emendation">
Fragment
ClauseCluster
Clause
Predicate
verb: תֶּאֱהָבוּן would you love
Object
noun: רִיק vanity >> what is worthless
Adverbial
adverb: לָמָּה why <status="emendation">
Conjunction
conjunction: וּ <status="alternative emendation">
Clause
Predicate
verb: תְבַקְשׁוּ would you seek
Object
noun: כָזָב falsehood >> what is false
Adverbial
adverb: לָמָּה why <status="elided">
Fragment
particle: סֶלָה selah
Note for v. 3
- See The Text of Ps 4:3.
Alternative
SimpleGrammar
DiscourseUnit [v. 3 alternative] <status="alternative">
Fragment
Vocative
Nominal
ConstructChain
noun: בְּנֵי sons
noun: אִישׁ man
Fragment
Clause
Subject
ConstructChain
noun: כְבוֹדִ honour
suffix-pronoun: י me
Predicate
Adverbial
PrepositionalPhrase
Preposition
preposition: עַד until
Object
noun: מֶה what
Complement
PrepositionalPhrase
Preposition
preposition: לִ into
Object
noun: כְלִמָּה shame
Fragment
Clause
Predicate
verb: תֶּאֱהָבוּן will you love
Object
noun: רִיק vanity
Adverbial <status="elided">
PrepositionalPhrase
Preposition
preposition: עַד until
Object
noun: מֶה what
Fragment
Clause
Predicate
verb: תְּבַקְשׁוּ will you seek
Object
noun: כָזָב falsehood
Adverbial <status="elided">
PrepositionalPhrase
Preposition
preposition: עַד until
Object
noun: מֶה what
Fragment
particle: סֶלָה selah
Note for v. 3
v. 4
Preferred
SimpleGrammar
DiscourseUnit [v. 4]
Fragment
conjunction: וּ but
Fragment
Clause
Predicate
verb: דְעוּ know
Object
ComplementClause
Conjunction
conjunction: כִּי that
Clause
Subject
noun: יְהוָה YHWH
Predicate
verb: הִפְלָה has set apart
verb: הִפְלָא has made wonderful <status="alternative emendation">
Adverbial <status="alternative">
PrepositionalPhrase
Preposition
preposition: ל for
Object
suffix-pronoun: וֹ himself
Object
noun: חָסִיד one who is loyal
Adjectival
PrepositionalPhrase
Preposition
preposition: ל to
Object
suffix-pronoun: וֹ him
Fragment
Clause
Subject
noun: יְהוָה YHWH
Predicate
verb: יִשְׁמַע hears
Adverbial
PrepositionalPhrase <gloss="when I call out to him">
Preposition
preposition: בְּ when
Object
Clause
Subject <located="after infinitive construct">
Predicate
ConstructChain
verb-infinitive: קָרְאִ call out
suffix-pronoun: י me
Adverbial
PrepositionalPhrase
Preposition
preposition: אֵלָ to
Object
suffix-pronoun: יו him
Note for v. 4
- Instead of הִפְלָה ("set apart" or "to treat excellently, treat specially" [HALOT]; cf. Rashi: = הבדיל; Radak = הפריש והבדיל), a significant number of medieval manuscripts read הִפְלָא (cf. Kennicott 1776, 309, who lists more than 30 manuscripts), which means "to do something wonderful" or "to show marvellous concern" (HALOT). This reading (or, at least, this interpretation of the text) is also reflected in the Septuagint (ἐθαυμάστωσεν) and Jerome's Hebrew-based translation (mirabilem reddidit). (We cannot conclude that the Septuagint translator read הפלא, however, since elsewhere he analyzes פלה and פלא as orthographic variants of the same word, cf. Pss 17:7; 139:14; so Pietersma 2021, 7). The Targum agrees with the MT (פריש). Interestingly, the Peshitta reflects both readings: "the Lord has set apart (ܦܪܫ) the chosen one in a wonderful way (ܒܬܕܡܘܪܬܐ)" (Taylor 2020, 11). The MT reading הִפְלָה, interpreted as "set apart" or "treat specially" (HALOT), is almost certainly the earlier reading. הִפְלָה is a rare word, occurring elsewhere only in Exod 8:18; 9:4; 11:7. Scribes would have been more likely to replace הִפְלָה with the more common word הִפְלָא than the other way around.
Note for v. 4
- Most translations interpret the prepositional phrase לוֹ as adverbial, modifying the clause: "set apart for himself" (NIV, KJV, ESV, NRSV, NLT, NJPS; cf. Peshitta, Targum). Some of the ancient translations, however, understood the לוֹ as adjectival, modifying the word חָסִיד, e.g., LXX: "his devout one" (τὸν ὅσιον αὐτοῦ); Jerome (iuxta Hebr.): "his holy one" (sanctum suum). The Masoretic accents, which group חָסִ֣יד ל֑וֹ as a unit, might also reflect this interpretation. The word order, in which לוֹ occurs at the end of the clause after חָסִיד rather than earlier in the clause, further supports this interpretation (cf. BHRG §46.1.3.1). Perhaps the psalm uses חָסִיד לוֹ instead of חֲסִידוֹ to avoid the definiteness required by חֲסִידוֹ, and/or perhaps לוֹ indicates the recipient of the acts of חֶסֶד (cf. Ps 18:51—עֹשֶׂה חֶסֶד לִמְשִׁיחֹו): "anyone who is loyal to him" (חָסִיד לוֹ) vs "his loyal one" (חֲסִידוֹ).
v. 5
Preferred
SimpleGrammar
DiscourseUnit [v. 5]
Fragment
ClauseCluster
Clause
Predicate
verb: רִגְזוּ tremble
Conjunction
conjunction: וְ and
Clause
Predicate
verb: תֶּחֱטָאוּ sin
Adverbial
particle: אַל not
Fragment
ClauseCluster
Clause
Predicate
verb: אִמְרוּ think
verb: הָמֵרוּ show bitterness >> weep bitterly <status="alternative emendation">
Adverbial
PrepositionalPhrase
Preposition
preposition: בִ in
Object
ConstructChain <gloss="in your minds >> to yourselves">
noun: לְבַבְ mind
suffix-pronoun: כֶם you
Adverbial
PrepositionalPhrase <gloss="on your beds">
Preposition
preposition: עַל on
Object
ConstructChain
noun: מִשְׁכַּבְ bed
suffix-pronoun: כֶם you
Conjunction
conjunction: וְ and
Clause
Predicate
verb: דֹמּוּ be silent
Fragment
particle: סֶלָה selah
Note for v. 5
- The expression אמר בלב (and similar expressions) means to "say in one’s heart, think, or, without proposition following, ponder" (DCH). Normally, there is a proposition or a direct object following, specifying the content of the internal speech/thought (e.g., Gen 17:17; Deut 7:17; 8:17; 9:4; 18:21; Isa 14:13; 47:8, 10; 49:21; Jer 5:14; Pss 10:6, 11; 35:25; 74:8; etc.). But here, there is no proposition or object (cf. Gen 4:8 [MT and 4QGenb]; Exod 19:25). There is a possible parallel for this omission in the later, non-biblical Hebrew composition Psalm 151: "And I rendered glory to YHWH; I pondered in my soul (אמרתי אני בנפשי)" (11QPsa column 28, line 5).
- In light of this difficulty, various emendations to the text have been proposed, e.g., מַר ("bitterly," cf. Kselman 1987, 103-105), הָמֵרוּ ("show bitterness," cf. Barré 1995, 59-60), and מָאֱרוּ ("feel hatred," cf. Driver 1942, 150; NEB). The most plausible of these emendations is הָמֵרוּ ("show bitterness"). "Showing bitterness" (i.e., weeping bitterly) occurs elsewhere in the context of repentance and mourning, and it would be fitting in the context if the following verb דֹמּוּ is understood to mean "wail, lament" (see lexical note). See e.g., Zech 12:10—"When they look on me, on him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly (וְהָמֵר) over him, as one weeps (כְּהָמֵר) over a firstborn" (Zech 12:10, ESV). Reading הָמֵרוּ in Ps 4:5 would also fit with the prepositional phrase "in/with your hearts" (see e.g., Hos 7:14—זָעֲקוּ אֵלַי בְּלִבָּם; Ben Sira 39:35—בכל לב הרנינו; cf. Zeph 3:14).
- Because the MT's reading אִמְרוּ is supported by all of the textual witnesses, Barthélemy et al. 2005, 9-10 give it an A rating, but they do not address the issue of the lack of speech content.
- In light of the grammatical issue with אִמְרוּ (see above), some interpret אִמְרוּ to mean "search" (e.g., Waltke 2010, 236; cf. Dahood 1963, 295-296; cf. NIV: "search your hearts").
Alternative
SimpleGrammar
DiscourseUnit [v. 5b alternative] <status="alternative">
Fragment
ClauseCluster
Clause
Predicate
verb: אִמְרוּ think
Adverbial
PrepositionalPhrase
Preposition
preposition: בִ in
Object
ConstructChain
noun: לְבַבְ mind
suffix-pronoun: כֶם you
Conjunction
conjunction: וְ and <status="alternative emendation">
Clause
Predicate
verb: דֹּמּוּ be silent <status="alternative revocalization">
Adverbial
PrepositionalPhrase
Preposition
preposition: עַל on
Object
ConstructChain
noun: מִשְׁכַּבְ bed
suffix-pronoun: כֶם you
Note for v. 5
- The Septuagint according to Rahlfs' edition has a slightly different reading for the second half of this verse: "speak in your hearts, and (καὶ) on your beds be pricked" (trans. NETS). Instead of having a conjunction before the verb "be pricked" (κατανύγητε, cf. MT וְדֹ֣מּוּ), it has a conjunction before the phrase "on your beds" (καὶ ἐπὶ ταῖς κοίταις ὑμῶν, cf. MT עַֽל־מִשְׁכַּבְכֶ֗ם). But most Septuagint manuscripts actually lack this conjunction before "on your beds," including manuscripts from all of the major text groups (see apparatus in Rahlfs). It seems likely, then, that the original translation lacked a conjunction before "on your beds." Perhaps it originally included a conjunction before "be pricked," as in the MT, and this conjunction fell out very early on in the Greek tradition due to the similar-looking beginnings of the conjunction καὶ and the following word κατανύγητε.
v. 6
Preferred
SimpleGrammar
DiscourseUnit [v. 6]
Fragment
ClauseCluster
Clause
Predicate
verb: זִבְחוּ sacrifice
Object
ConstructChain <gloss="right sacrifices">
noun: זִבְחֵי sacrifices
noun: צֶדֶק righteousness
Conjunction
conjunction: וּ and
Clause
Predicate
verb: בִטְחוּ trust
Adverbial
PrepositionalPhrase
Preposition
preposition: אֶל in
Object
noun: יְהוָה YHWH
v. 7
Preferred
SimpleGrammar
DiscourseUnit [v. 7]
Fragment
Clause
Subject
Nominal
adjective: רַבִּים many
Predicate
verb-participle: אֹמְרִים are saying
Object
ClauseCluster
Clause
Subject
noun: מִי who
Predicate
verb: יַרְאֵ shows
Object
suffix-pronoun: נוּ us
SecondObject
Nominal
Adjectival
adjective: טוֹב good
Clause
Predicate
verb: נְסֵה lift up as a banner <status="revocalization">
verb: נְסָה lift up >> shine <status="alternative">
Adverbial
PrepositionalPhrase
Preposition
preposition: עָלֵי over
Object
suffix-pronoun: נוּ us
Object
ConstructChain
noun: אוֹר light
ConstructChain
noun: פָּנֶי face
suffix-pronoun: ךָ you
Fragment
Vocative
noun: יְהוָה YHWH
Note for v. 7
Alternative
SimpleGrammar
DiscourseUnit [v. 7b alternative]
Fragment <status="alternative">
Clause
Subject
ConstructChain
noun: אוֹר light
ConstructChain
noun: פָּנֶי face
suffix-pronoun: ךָ you
Predicate
verb: נֻסָּה has been made a banner <status="alternative revocalization">
verb: נָסָה has fled <status="alternative revocalization">
Adverbial
PrepositionalPhrase
Preposition
preposition: עָלֵי over
Object
suffix-pronoun: נוּ us
Fragment <status="alternative">
Vocative
noun: יְהוָה YHWH
v. 8
Preferred
SimpleGrammar
DiscourseUnit [v. 8]
Fragment
Clause
Predicate
verb: נָתַתָּה you have put
Object
noun: שִׂמְחָה joy
Adverbial
PrepositionalPhrase
Preposition
preposition: בְ in
Object
ConstructChain <gloss="my heart">
noun: לִבִּ heart
suffix-pronoun: י me
Adverbial
PrepositionalPhrase <gloss="since the time when their grain and their new wine multiplied">
Preposition
preposition: מֵ from >> since
Object
ConstructChain
noun: עֵת time
Nominal
Clause
Subject
ConstructChain
noun: דְּגָנָ grain
suffix-pronoun: ם them
Conjunction
conjunction: וְ and
ConstructChain
noun: תִירוֹשָׁ new wine
suffix-pronoun: ם them
Predicate
verb: רָבּוּ multiplied
Note for v. 8
- Most modern interpreters understand the prepositional phrase at the beginning of v. 8b (מֵעֵת, lit.: "from the time") as comparative: "greater than" (NLT, cf. NGÜ, HFA) or "more than" (KJV, NRSV, ESV, CEV, CEB, GNT, CSB, NEB; cf. LUT, ELB, GNB, ZÜR; so Baethgen 1904, 11; Staszak 2024, 188). This view requires a significant amount of elision (see v. 8 diagram). Yet, as BDB notes concerning this verse (and others), "sometimes in poetry the idea on which מִן is logically dependent, is unexpressed, and must be understood by the reader." GKC, citing several passages, notes similarly that "the attributive idea, on which מִן logically depends, must sometimes... be supplied from the context" (§133e). Psalm 4:8 is regarded as a "still bolder pregnant construction" (GKC §133e).
- A simpler interpretation of מֵעֵת—one that involves less elision and better accords with the normal usage of מֵעֵת—is to interpret it in a temporal sense: "when their grain and new wine abound" (NIV, cf. NJPS; so Ibn Ezra, Radak, Ho'il Moshe; Goldingay 2006, 168-172). Bruce Waltke makes a strong argument for the temporal interpretation. He notes the following:
- "Elsewhere מֵעֵת is always temporal, never comparative (1 Chr 9:25; 2 Chr 25:27; Isa 48:16; Ezek 4:10, 11; Dan 12:11).
- "מִן by itself after שִׂמְחָה has a temporal meaning in Deut 28:47.
- "If the מִן is comparative, then the psalmist gives no reason for any joy apart from God answering his request. In contrast, by taking it temporally, his joy, or festive mirth, is connected with the increase of crops, a common motif in the Old Testament (Deut 28:47; 29:22; Neh 8:12; Esther 9:17-19; Prov 14:10; Eccl 9:7; Isa 9:3[2]; 16:10; 22:13; 24:11; Jer 25:10; 33:11-12)" (Waltke 2010, 240).
- The temporal interpretation might be reflected in the Septuagint: "from their season (ἀπὸ καιροῦ)..." See also Jerome's Hebrew-based translation: "in the time (in tempore)..." Cf. Mannati 1970 for the similar view that the מִן prepositional phrase indicates source.
Note for v. 8
- The clause "their grain and new wine multiplied" (דְּגָנָם וְתִירוֹשָׁם רָבּוּ) is embedded within a construct chain: "the time (of/when) their grain and new wine multiplied" (see e.g., Jer 6:15—בְּעֵת־פְּקַדְתִּים; see discussion and further examples in GKC §130d; §155l).
Alternative
SimpleGrammar
DiscourseUnit [v. 8 alternative] <status="alternative">
Fragment
Clause
Predicate
verb: נָתַתָּה you have put
Adverbial
PrepositionalPhrase
Preposition
preposition: בְ in
Object
ConstructChain
noun: לִבִּ heart
suffix-pronoun: י me
Object
noun: שִׂמְחָה joy
Adjectival
adjective: רַבָּה/טוֹבָה better/more <status="elided">
Adverbial
PrepositionalPhrase
Preposition
preposition: מֵ than
Object
Nominal
noun: שִׂמְחָה joy <status="elided">
RelativeClause
RelativeParticle
particle: which <status="elided">
Clause
Predicate
verb: נָתַתָּה you put <status="elided">
Adverbial <status="elided">
PrepositionalPhrase
Preposition
preposition: ב in
Object
ConstructChain
noun: לְבָב heart
suffix-pronoun: ָם them
Object <located="relative clause head">
Adverbial
PrepositionalPhrase
Preposition
preposition: בְּ at <status="elided">
Object
ConstructChain
noun: עֵת time
Nominal
Clause
Subject
ConstructChain
noun: דְּגָנָ grain
suffix-pronoun: ם them
Conjunction
conjunction: וְ and
ConstructChain
noun: תִירוֹשָׁ wine
suffix-pronoun: ם them
Predicate
verb: רָבּוּ multiplied
v. 9
Preferred
SimpleGrammar
DiscourseUnit [v. 9]
Fragment
Clause
Predicate
Predicate
verb: אֶשְׁכְּבָה I can lie down
Conjunction
conjunction: וְ and
Predicate
verb: אִישָׁן I can fall asleep
Adverbial
PrepositionalPhrase
Preposition
preposition: בְּ in
Object
noun: שָׁלוֹם peace
adverb: יַחְדָּו both
SubordinateClause
Conjunction
conjunction: כִּי because
Clause
Subject
Nominal
noun: אַתָּה you
Adjectival
PrepositionalPhrase
Preposition
preposition: לְ
Object
noun: בָדָד alone
Predicate
verb: תּוֹשִׁיבֵ make dwell
Adverbial <status="alternative">
PrepositionalPhrase <gloss="safely">
Preposition
preposition: לְ
Object
noun: בָדָד alone >> safe
Adverbial
PrepositionalPhrase <gloss="securely">
Preposition
preposition: לְ to
Object
noun: בֶטַח confidence
Object
suffix-pronoun: נִי me
Fragment
Vocative
noun: יְהוָה YHWH
Note for v. 9
- The prepositional phrase "alone" (לְבָדָד) could modify either the subject ("you alone, YHWH") or the verb ("make me dwell alone). Most modern translations understand it to modify the subject: "for you alone, LORD, make me dwell in safety" (NIV, cf. NLT, ESV, NRSV, CSB, CEB, GNT, NJPS, LUT, ELB, ZÜR; so LXX; Radak; some medieval Hebrew manuscripts read לְבַדֶּךָ, which would unambiguously modify the subject [see Kennicott 1776, 309]). The prosodic structure according to the Masoretic accents also supports this view (כִּֽי־אַתָּ֣ה יְהוָ֣ה לְבָדָ֑ד). Some modern translations, however, understand it to modify the verb: "for you, Lord, make me safe [lit.: alone] and secure" (NET, cf. NGÜ, GNB; so Peshitta; Rashi; Baethgen 1904, 11; Fokkelman 2000, 61-62; Waltke 2010, 241). In defense of this second option, Waltke notes, "Elsewhere, apart from Deut 32:12, [בָדָד] is always used in connection with verbs of 'dwelling' (שׁכן or ישׁב) in the sense of living alone, apart, often with the sense of security (cf. Deut 32:28; Jer 49:31; Num 23:9; Mic 7:14" (Waltke 2010, 241). The parallel passage in Deut 33:28 is especially striking, not least because Psalm 4 appears to allude to this poem in Deut 33: "So Israel will live in safety (בֶּטַח); Jacob will dwell secure (בָּדָד) in a land of grain and new wine (דָּגָן וְתִירֹושׁ), where the heavens drop dew" (Deut 33:28, NIV). Waltke also notes that, if the psalmist wanted to say "you alone, YHWH," then he could have used לְבַדֶּךָ instead of לְבָדָד (cf. Pss 83:19; 86:10) (so Waltke 2010, 241; Fokkelman 2000, 61-62). But the interpretation "you alone, YHWH" makes the most sense in the context of the psalm, which emphasizes YHWH's superiority over idols (see esp. v. 3). Perhaps the psalmist used לְבָדָד (instead of לְבַדּוֹ) to maintain the allusion to Deut 33, even though he creatively uses the phrase in a different sense. There is a clear parallal for this usage in Deut 32:12—"the LORD alone (בָּדָד) guided him, no foreign god was with him" (ESV).
Note for v. 9
- The adverbial יַחְדָּו modifies both verbs and indicates that both actions happen "together," i.e., "at the same time" (HALOT; cf. Isa 46:2; Ps 35:26): "I both lie down and sleep" >> "I will fall asleep as soon as I lie down" (cf. Prov 3:24; Baethgen 1904, 11).