Psalm 5/Lexical Semantics

Lexical Semantics

References to God

Definition Feature being studied	Occurrences Sections where this feature is present or absent	Clustering	Intersection	Connections	Structure
אל/אלהים	אֱלֹהַי (v.3a), אֵל (v.5a), אֱלֹהִים (v.11a)		near beginning of psalm (v.3a); beginning of sub-section 2.2 (v.5a)
יהוה	vv.2a, 4a, 7b, 9a, 13b; acc. to LXX also v.11b		beginning of psalm (v.2a); first word of sections 2 (v.4a) and 3 (v.9a); last word of section 2.2 (v.7b) and, acc. to LXX, section 3.2 (v.11b)		The recursion of the divine name יהוה as a vocative at the beginning of a line (vv. 4a, 9a) marks the onset of the two major sections in the body of the psalm (S.1: vv.4-8; S.2: vv.9-12). If the divine name occurs also at the end of v.11d (so LXX), then it functions in this verse as well as in v.7b to close the parallel sub-sections 2.3 and 3.3.

This feature is considered relevant for this psalm.,

Tetragrammaton

The tetragrammaton, used in direct address at the beginning of lines, functions to demarcate the major sections of the psalm (vv.4a, 9a).,

Repeated words

Definition Feature being studied	Occurrences Sections where this feature is present or absent	Clustering	Intersection	Connections	Structure
צדק	בְצִדְקָתֶ֗ךָ (v.9a), צַ֫דִּ֥יק (v.13a)			The psalmist prays to be guided in Yahweh's righteousness (v.9a), because it is the righteous whom Yahweh blesses (v.13a)
כל	כָּל־פֹּ֥עֲלֵי אָֽוֶן (v.6a), כָל־ח֪וֹסֵי בָ֡ךְ (v.12a); acc. to LXX also in v.7a (כל דברי כזב) and v.12d (כל אהבי שׁמך)			The repetition of כל + bound-phrase may be intended to highlight the contrast between the wicked (v.6a; LXX: v.7a) and the righteous (v.12a; LXX: v.12d).
בְּרֹב	בְּרֹ֣ב חַ֭סְדְּךָ (v.8a), בְּרֹ֣ב פִּ֭שְׁעֵיהֶם (v.11c)			The repetition of בְּרֹב underscores the contrast between God's character and that of the wicked described in this psalm.
קוֹל	קוֹל שַׁוְעִי (v.3a), קוֹלִי (v.4a)	vv.3-4
בֹּקֶר	בֹּקֶר (v.4a), בֹּקֶר (v.4b)	v.4ab(2x)	beginning of section 2		בֹּקֶר is repeated twice in fronted position for emphasis (cf. Ps. 1:2).

2a		יהוה
2b
3a			קוֹל	אֱלֹהַי
3b
4a		יהוה	קוֹלִי		בֹּקֶר
4b					בֹּקֶר
5a				אֵל
5b
6a
6b						כָּל
7a
7b		יהוה
8a							בְּרֹב
8b
9a		יהוה						בצדקתך
9b
10a
10b
10c
10d
11a				אֱלֹהִים
11b
11c							בְּרֹב
11d
12a						כָל
12b
12c
12d
13a								צדיק
13b		יהוה

This feature is considered relevant for this psalm.,

Semantically/thematically related words

Definition Feature being studied	Occurrences Sections where this feature is present or absent	Clustering	Intersection	Connections	Structure
dwelling	יְגֻרְךָ֣ (act of dwelling/sojourning, v.5b), בֵיתֶ֑ךָ (place of dwelling, v.8a), הַדִּיחֵ֑מוֹ (banishment from dwelling place, v.11a)
protection	כָל־ח֪וֹסֵי בָ֡ךְ (v.12a), וְתָסֵ֣ךְ עָלֵ֑ימוֹ (v.12c), כַּ֜צִּנָּ֗ה רָצ֥וֹן תַּעְטְרֶֽנּוּ (v.13b)	vv.12-13
emotion/desire	חָפֵ֨ץ (v.5a), שָׂ֜נֵ֗אתָ (v.6b), יְתָ֨עֵ֥ב (v.7b), וְיִשְׂמְח֙וּ (v.12a), וְֽיַעְלְצ֥וּ (v.12d), אֹהֲבֵ֥י שְׁמֶֽךָ (v.12d), רָצ֥וֹן (v.13b)				gives cohesion to the psalm; Yahweh "hates/abominates/does not delight in" (vv.5-7) the wicked; but he surrounds with "favor" those who "love" his name (vv.12-13)
words associated with righteousness	בְּרֹ֣ב חַ֭סְדְּךָ (v.8a), הֵֽיכַל־קָ֜דְשְׁךָ֗ (v.8b), בְּיִרְאָתֶֽךָ (v.8b), בְצִדְקָתֶ֗ךָ (v.9a), דַּרְכֶּֽךָ (v.9b), כָל־ח֪וֹסֵי בָ֡ךְ (v.12a), אֹהֲבֵ֥י שְׁמֶֽךָ (v.12d), צַ֫דִּ֥יק (v.13a)	vv.8-9, 12-13		forms connections between parallel lines (v.8ab, v.9ab, v.12ad); forms connection between the structurally parallel sections 2.3 (v.8) and 3.3 (v.12).	gives cohesion to vv.8-9, 12-13; strengthens disjunctive parallel between section 2.3 (v.8) and 3.3 (v.12).
words associated with wickedness	רֶ֥שַׁע (v.5a), רָֽע (v.5b), הֽ֭וֹלְלִים (v.6a), כָּל־פֹּ֥עֲלֵי אָֽוֶן (v.6b), דֹּבְרֵ֪י כָ֫זָ֥ב (v.7a), אִישׁ־דָּמִ֥ים וּמִרְמָ֗ה (v.7b), שׁוֹרְרָ֑י (v.9b) הַ֫וּ֥וֹת (v.10b), קֶֽבֶר־פָּת֥וּחַ (v.10c), יַחֲלִֽיקוּן (v.10d), מִֽמֹּעֲצ֪וֹתֵ֫יהֶ֥ם (v.11b), בְּרֹ֣ב פִּ֭שְׁעֵיהֶם (v.11c), מָ֥רוּ (v.11d)	section 2.2 (vv.5-7); section 3.2 (vv.10-11)	begins and ends section 2.2 (vv.5-7) and section 3.2 (vv.10-11)	forms connections between parallel lines (v.5ab, v.6ab, v.7ab, v.10, v.11); forms connection between the structurally parallel sections 2.2 and 3.2.	gives cohesion to vv.5-7 and vv.10-11; suggests structural connection between these two parallel sections; the language of wickedness in vv.5-7 is repeated in much more creative and figurative ways in vv.10-11
body-parts	הַאֲזִ֥ינָה (v.2a), עֵינֶ֑יךָ (v.6a), לְפָנַ֣י (v.9b), בְּפִ֡יהוּ (v.10a), קִרְבָּ֪ם (v.10b), גְּרוֹנָ֑ם (v.10c), לְ֜שׁוֹנָ֗ם (v.10d)	v.10abcd			gives cohesion to v.10

This feature is considered relevant for this psalm.,

Rare words

• הוֹלֹלִים – The qal participle of הלל occurs only in the Psalms (Pss. 5:6; 73:3; 75:5). In Ps. 5:6 it is parallel to the phrase פעלי און, and in Pss. 73:3 and 75:5 it is parallel to the common term רשׁעים. Each time the LXX translates it as παράνομος/παραναμῶν/ἄνομος/ ("lawless person"), which is used to translate a number of other words (e.g., פָּשָׁע, בְּלִיַּעַל, זֵד). Holladay says that הוֹלֹלִים refers to someone who is "deluded," while BDB has "boastful ones, boasters." In Psalm 75 (vv.5-11), the הוללים are wicked people who boast (הלל) and exalt themselves. The same appears to be the case in Ps. 5, where the הוללים attempt to station themselves before Yahweh's eyes (i.e., attain to a position of royal power [cf. Ps. 41:13]).
• שׁוֹרְרַי – This noun occurs only in the Psalms (Pss. 5:9; 27:11; 54:7; 56:3; 59:11). The meaning is difficult to determine based on usage alone. What is clear is that the term, like הוללים (above) is part of the semantic domain of "enemies" (אֹיְבִים). These enemies are described disparagingly in v.10. שׁוֹרר is translated consistently in the LXX by the general term ἐχθρός, in the Vulgate by insidiator ("someone who lies in wait"), and in the Targum by מעיק ("oppressor"). In Ps. 5:9, Aquila has ἐφοδεύω (ptc) + dative ("watch over", so BDB) and Theodotion has, similar to Targum, ἀποθλιβω ("oppress, afflict").