Psalm Overview
Word-Level Semantics
Click on a highlighted word below to learn more about its meaning. For words not discussed below, visit the Semantic Dictionary of Biblical Hebrew.
v. 1
| 1 |
For the director, with stringed instruments, a psalm by David.
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v. 2
| 2a |
Respond to me when I cry out, my righteous God,
|
| 2b |
who granted me relief in distress.
|
| 2c |
Be merciful to me and hear my prayer.
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v. 3
| 3a |
You mortal humans, how long will my honour become shame?
|
| 3b |
(How long) will you love vanity? (How long) will you seek falsehood? Selah.
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v. 4
| 4a |
But know that YHWH has set apart for himself a loyal person.
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| 4b |
YHWH hears when I cry out to him.
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v. 5
| 5a |
Tremble and do not sin.
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| 5b |
Think in your minds on your beds and be silent. Selah.
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v. 6
| 6a |
Sacrifice right sacrifices
|
| 6b |
and trust in YHWH.
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v. 7
| 7a |
Many are those who say, “Who will show us good?”
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| 7b |
Cause the light of your face to shine on us, YHWH.
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v. 8
| 8a |
You have put joy in my heart
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| 8b |
greater than what you put in their hearts at the time in which their grain and wine multiplied.
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v. 9
| 9a |
In peace I will both lie down and fall asleep,
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| 9b |
for you alone, YHWH,
|
| 9c |
make me dwell securely.
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Phrase-Level Semantics
Bound Phrases
| Verse |
Phrase |
Semantic analysis |
Paraphrase
|
| v. 2a |
קרא – י |
I (subject) cry out (verb) |
My crying out
|
| v. 2a |
אלהי – צדק – י |
My (interested party) God (entity) who is righteous (attribute) |
My righteous God
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| v. 2c |
תפלת – י |
I (subject) prayed (verbal idea) |
My prayer
|
| v. 3a |
בני – אישׁ |
Beings (entity) from among (the class of) man (Class). |
People (=mortals)
|
| v. 3a |
כבוד – י |
My (possessor) glory (possession) |
My glory
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| v. 4b |
קרא – י |
I (agent) cried out (verbal idea) |
(when) I cry out (lit., my crying out)
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| v. 5b |
לבב – כם |
Your (possessor) minds (possession) |
Your minds
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| v. 5b |
משכב – כם |
Your (possessor) beds (possession) |
Your beds
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| v. 6a |
זבחי – צדק |
Sacrifices (entity) that are righteous (characteristic)[1] |
Right sacrifices
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| v. 7b |
אור – פני – ך |
The light (entity) that is from your (possessor) face (origin) |
The light of your face
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| v. 8a |
לב – י |
My (possessor) heart (possession) |
My heart
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| v. 8b |
דגנ – ם |
Their (possessor) grain (possession) |
Their grain
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| v. 8b |
תירוש – ם |
Their (possessor) finest-wine (possession) |
Their wine
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Prepositional Phrases
| Verse |
Phrase |
Semantic analysis |
Paraphrase
|
| v. 2a |
בקראי |
Temporal |
When I cry out
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| v. 2b |
לי |
Experiencer |
(You gave) me (relief)
|
| v. 2b |
בצר |
Spatial > Temporal |
In times of distress
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| v. 3a |
עד מה |
Temporal |
How long?
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| v. 3a |
לכלמה |
Reclassification |
(to/as) shame[2]
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| v. 4a |
לו |
Indirect object |
(set apart) for himself
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| v. 4b |
בקראי |
Temporal |
When(ever) I cry out
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| v. 4b |
אליו |
Goal |
to him
|
| v. 1a |
על משכבכם |
Locative |
upon your beds
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| v. 1a |
בלבבכם |
Locative |
in your hearts
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| v. 1a |
אל יהוה |
Goal |
in YHWH
|
| v. 1a |
עלינו |
Spatial > Goal |
on us
|
| v. 1a |
מעת |
Comparative |
better/more than...at the time
|
| v. 1a |
בשלום |
Mode |
in peace
|
| v. 1a |
לבדד |
Re-identification |
you, alone
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| v. 1a |
לבטח |
Quality |
safely
|
Sentence-Level Semantics
For semantics at the level of the sentence and above, see Psalm 4 Story behind the Psalm.
Verbal Semantics
Notes
- granted me relief (v. 2b). Some scholars have argued that the qatal verb in v.2b (הִרְחַבְתָּ) is precative,[3] "a directive mood that signals that the utterance is a request."[4] 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."[5] 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.[6] However, the category of "precative perfect" in Hebrew poetry is dubious,[7] and, as in every other case of the so-called precative perfect, "it is also possible to postulate that one of the more typical senses of the qatal/perfect (e.g., present perfect) is involved."[8] 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. See the similar discussion in Ps. 3:8 verbal semantics.
References
- ↑ For an alteranative view, see Waltke: "The sense, however, is probably not that the sacrifices conform to the Law (contra Buttenweiser and Briggs) - although this idea cannot be excluded - but is a metonymy for the one offering the sacrifice - that is to say, he is righteous (see v. 1[2]). Just as the one qualified to enter the sacred temple site is said to enter the 'gates of righteousness' (Ps. 118:19) - surely not a reference to the standards for the gate itself - so the sacrifices offered by the one admitted through the gates into the temple's precincts are said to be righteousness" (Waltke 2010:237)
- ↑ ‘trajector x and landmark y refer to the same entity, but in different capacities or roles’ (BHRG 353)
- ↑ IBHS, 30.5.4; Stephen Geller, "The ‘Precative Perfect’ in Psalms and the Struggle for Faith" in The Unfolding of Your Words Gives Light: Studies on Biblical Hebrew in Honor of George L. Klein (Winona Lake: Eisenbrauns, 2018).
- ↑ "Precative Mood," SIL Glossary of Linguistic Terms.
- ↑ Moses Buttenwieser, The Psalms: Chronologically Treated with a New Translation (Chicago: University of Chicago, 1938) 21.
- ↑ John Goldingay, “Psalm 4: Ambiguity and Resolution,” Tyndale Bulletin 57, no. 2 (2006): 161–72.
- ↑ See Elizabeth Robar, “The Unfolding of Your Words Gives Light: Studies on Biblical Hebrew in Honor of George L. Klein,” Journal of Semitic Studies 65, no. 2 (Fall 2020): 633–39.
- ↑ BHRG §19.2.5.2.
