Psalm 5/Mathematical

Mathematical

Fokkelman's prosody and syllable counts

The following table is from Fokkelman's Major Poems of the Hebrew Bible Volume 2, Appendix I.

Strophe	Verse	Syllables per word	Syllables per line	Syllables per strophe
1	2	3.3.2 / 2.3	8 + 5 = 13	48
	3	3.2.2.2.3 / 1.3.3	12 + 7 = 19
	4	2.1.2.2 / 1.2.2.4	7 + 9 = 16
2	5	1.1.1.2.1.2 / 1.3.1	8 + 5 = 13	53
	6	1.4.3 / 2.3 / 3.1.3.1	8 + 5 + 8 = 21
	7	3.3.2 / 1.2.3.3.2	8 + 11 = 19
3	8	3.2.3.2.3 / 3.1.2.3.5	13 + 14 = 27	50
	9	2.3.5 / 2.3 /2.3.3	10 + 5 + 8 = 23
4	10ab	1.1.3.3 / 2.2	8 + 4 = 12	24
	10cd	1.2.3 / 3.3	6 + 6 = 12
5	11ab	3.3 / 3.6	6 + 9 = 15	28
	11cd	2.3.4 / 1.2.1	9 + 4 = 13
6	12ab	4.1.2.1 / 3.4	8 + 7 = 15	53
	12cd	3.3 / 4.2.3.3	6 + 12 = 18
	13ab	1.2.3.2.2 / 3.2.5!	10 + 10 = 20

• "32 cola with 256 syllables; average per colon 8.00."
• "The total of 256 syllables is made up of two groups of 128 syllables. The 128 is the total for both vv.2-8 and vv.9-13."
• Fokkelman emends the vocalization of the MT at v.13b (תַּעְטְרֶנּוּ [qal] --> תְּעַטְּרֶנּוּ [piel]), resulting in 256 rather than 255 syllables.,

Alternative prosody and syllable counts

The division of the psalm into two halves (vv.2-8, 128 syllables; vv.9-13, 128 syllables if the piel form is read in v.13b) corresponds well with the structural division proposed below, where the division between the two main sections of the psalm is between v.8 and v.9.

Section 1 (Introduction, vv.2-3) + Section 2 (vv.4-8) = 128 syllables

Section 3 (vv.9-12) + Section 4 (v.13, Conclusion) = 128 syllables,

Cola distribution

Bicola
Section 1 (vv.2-3), Section 2 (vv.4-8), and Section 4 (v.13) consist completely of bicola.

• v.2ab
• v.3ab
• v.4ab
• v.5ab
• v.6ab
• v.7ab
• v.8ab
• v.13ab

Tricola
This ABA tricolon begins the second half of the psalm

• v.9abc

Tetracola
Tetracola cluster in Section 3 (vv.9-12) of the psalm. That these should be regarded as tetracola rather than bicola is supported by the MT's accents as well as the numerous features that gives cohesion to these correspondence groups. In each case, the b-line (10b, 11b, 12b) is so closely connected to the following line (10c, 11c, 12c) so as to make a bicolic division unlikely.

• v.10abcd
  • abb'a' chiasm (a: unsteady mouth, b: insides [קרב], b': throat [=קבר], a': slippery tongue)
• v.11abcd
  • v.11bc: abb'a' chiasm (a: V [יִפְּלוּ֘] b: M [מִֽמֹּעֲצ֪וֹתֵ֫יהֶ֥ם] b': M [בְּרֹ֣ב פִּ֭שְׁעֵיהֶם] a': V [הַדִּיחֵ֑מוֹ])
  • the interconnectedness of these lines is supported by the recursion of hiphil 2ms Imperatives in both 11a and 11c.
• v.12abcd
  • abb'a' chiasm (a: w-V S^ptc [וְיִשְׂמְח֙וּ כָל־ח֪וֹסֵי בָ֡ךְ], b: M V [לְעוֹלָ֣ם יְ֭רַנֵּנוּ], b': V M [וְתָסֵ֣ךְ עָלֵ֑ימוֹ], a': w-V S^ptc [וְֽיַעְלְצ֥וּ בְ֜ךָ֗ אֹהֲבֵ֥י שְׁמֶֽךָ]),

Selah

Selah does not appear in this psalm.,

Chiasms

v.2ab (abc // b'a')

cיְהוָ֗ה	bהַאֲזִ֥ינָה	aאֲמָרַ֖י
	a'הֲגִֽיגִי	b'בִּ֣ינָה

Chiastic Correspondences:

• syntactic (O V // V O)
• morphological (m.n.1csx / ms impv. // ms impv. / m.n.1csx)
• phonological correspondence between b (הַאֲזִ֥ינָה) and b' (בִּ֣ינָה)

v.3ab (abc // b'a')

cמַלְכִּ֥י וֵאלֹהָ֑י	bלְק֬וֹל שַׁוְעִ֗י	aהַקְשִׁ֤יבָה
	a'אֶתְפַּלָּֽל	b'כִּֽי־אֵ֜לֶ֗יךָ

Chiastic Correspondences:

• grammatical (V M^pp // M^pp V)

v.6ab (abc // c'b')

cלְנֶ֣גֶד עֵינֶ֑יךָ	bהֽ֭וֹלְלִים	aלֹֽא־יִתְיַצְּב֣וּ
b'כָּל־פֹּ֥עֲלֵי אָֽוֶן׃	c'שָׂ֜נֵ֗אתָ

Chiastic Correspondences:

• semantic (evildoers / Yahweh // Yahweh / evildoers)
• phonological correspondence between b (עֵינֶ֑יךָ) and b' (שָׂ֜נֵ֗אתָ)

v.7ab (ab // b'a')

bדֹּבְרֵ֪י כָ֫זָ֥ב	aתְּאַבֵּד֘
a'יְתָ֨עֵ֥ב׀ יְהוָֽה	b'אִישׁ־דָּמִ֥ים וּמִרְמָ֗ה

Chiastic Correspondences:

• syntactic (V O // O V)
• morphological (piel yiqtol verb / bound phrase // bound phrase / piel yiqtol verb)
• strengthened by phonological correspondences: alliteration of labials in b and b'; both verbs (a, a') have dental + guttural + labial with the same basic vowel pattern

v.8ab (abc//b'c'a')

	cבֵיתֶ֑ךָ	bאָב֣וֹא	aבְּרֹ֣ב חַ֭סְדְּךָ	וַאֲנִ֗י
a'בְּיִרְאָתֶֽךָ׃	c'אֶל־הֵֽיכַל־קָ֜דְשְׁךָ֗	b'אֶשְׁתַּחֲוֶ֥ה

Chiastic Correspondences:

• syntactic (S^pn M^ב V M // V M M^ב)
• morphological (ב-np-2msx / qal yiqtol 1cs / ms.noun-2msx // qal yiqtol 1cs / ms.np-2msx / ב-noun-2msx)
• semantic (abstract noun / motion verb / Yahweh's temple // motion verb / Yahweh's temple / abstract noun)

v.9ab (abc // c'b')

cלְמַ֥עַן שׁוֹרְרָ֑י	bנְחֵ֬נִי בְצִדְקָתֶ֗ךָ	aיְהוָ֤ה׀
b'דַּרְכֶּֽךָ׃	c'הַושַׁ֖ר לְפָנַ֣י

Chiastic Correspondences:

• Phonological correspondences between c and c' (alliteration of שׁ + ר; rhyming of ay-diphthong) and b and b' (ךָ ending)
• Semantic correspondence between b and b' (semantic domain of pathway; pathway as a figure for righteousness [בְצִדְקָתֶ֗ךָ = דַּרְכֶּֽךָ])

v.10abcd (ab // b'a')
These lines are interconnected by a number of complementary patterns, some of which are chiastic. The tetracolon as a whole forms a single ab//b'a' chiasm based on phonological and semantic correspondences (see below). Within this larger chiasm, there are smaller chiasms based on syntax (ab//ba//ab//ba) as the subject/predicate word order alternates. In addition to these chiastic patterns, there is a non-chiastic (abab) pattern that connects these verses as the predicates alternate grammatical number (sg/pl/sg/pl).

Sub נְכוֹנָה֘	Predכִּ֤י אֵ֪ין בְּפִ֡יהוּ	A	singular
Predהַ֫וּ֥וֹת	Subקִרְבָּ֪ם	B	plural
Sub גְּרוֹנָ֑ם	Predקֶֽבֶר־פָּת֥וּחַ	B'	singular
Predיַחֲלִֽיקוּן׃	Subלְ֜שׁוֹנָ֗ם	A'	plural

Chiastic Correspondences:

• The clearest correspondence is that between 10b and 10c, forged by the phonological recursion of the consonants ק–ר–ב (*the same as בקר, cf. v.4ab).
• The connection between 10bc is also semantic: "open grave" (קבר פתוח) corresponds to "chasm" (הוה), and "throat" (גרון) corresponds to "insides" (קרב).
• 10a and 10d also correspond semantically: steadiness (נכונה) and slipperiness (חלק) are opposites, while mouth (פה) and tongue (לשׁון) are clearly associated.

v.11bc (ab // b'a')
The chiasm in v.11 is limited to the two middle lines (11bc). The (sg/pl/sg/pl) predicate pattern of the previous verse continues in this verse as well..

אֱֽלֹהִ֗ים	הַֽאֲשִׁימֵ֙ם׀	singular
b מִֽמֹּעֲצ֪וֹתֵ֫יהֶ֥ם	aיִפְּלוּ֘	plural
a' הַדִּיחֵ֑מוֹ	b'בְּרֹ֣ב פִּ֭שְׁעֵיהֶם	singular
בָֽךְ׃	כִּי־מָ֥רוּ	plural

Chiastic Correspondences:

• 11bc: syntactic (V / M^pp // M^pp V)
• 11bc: morphological (verb / prep+noun+3msx // pp+np+3msx / verb)
• 11bc: semantic (modal verb involving destruction / "schemes" // "evil-doings" / modal verb involving destruction)

v.12abcd (ab // b'a')
As in v.10abcd, so this tetracolon forms a single ab//b'a' chiasm, within which the middle lines (12bc) form a smaller chiasm.

bכָל־ח֪וֹסֵי בָ֡ךְ	aוְיִשְׂמְח֙וּ	A
aיְ֭רַנֵּנוּ	cלְעוֹלָ֣ם	B
c עָלֵ֑ימוֹ	aוְתָסֵ֣ךְ	B'
bאֹהֲבֵ֥י שְׁמֶֽךָ׃	aוְֽיַעְלְצ֥וּ בְ֜ךָ֗	A'

Chiastic Correspondences:

• Grammatical correspondence between 12a and 12d: both have Verb (qal weyiqtol) + Subject (qal ptc construct chain)
• Phonological correspondence between 12a and 12d: בָךְ//בְךָ
• Phonological correspondence between 12b and 12c: לעולם // עלימו; each line is two words.
• 12bc form a chiasm based on grammatical and phonological features: M (לעולם) V (yiqtol) // V (yiqtol) M (עלימו),

Lunn on Word order

The following table has been adapted from Nicholas Lunn's Word-Order Variation in Biblical Hebrew Poetry, Appendix 2. For a key to the various symbols and abbreviations, click here.

Ref.	Text	Constituent Order	Colon-Type
2	‎אֲמָרַ֖י הַאֲזִ֥ינָה׀ יְהוָ֗ה // בִּ֣ינָה הֲגִֽיגִי׃	[Voc] O V [Voc] // V O	DEF//CAN
3	‎הַקְשִׁ֤יבָה׀ לְק֬וֹל שַׁוְעִ֗י מַלְכִּ֥י וֵאלֹהָ֑י / כִּֽי־אֵ֜לֶ֗יךָ אֶתְפַּלָּֽל׃	V M [Voc] / C-M V	CAN/MKD
4	‎יְֽהוָ֗ה בֹּ֭קֶר תִּשְׁמַ֣ע קוֹלִ֑י // בֹּ֥קֶר אֶֽעֱרָךְ־לְ֜ךָ֗ וַאֲצַפֶּֽה׃	[Voc] M V O // M V-M w-V	MKD//MKD-CAN
5	‎כִּ֤י׀ לֹ֤א אֵֽל־חָפֵ֨ץ רֶ֥שַׁע׀ אָ֑תָּה // לֹ֖א יְגֻרְךָ֣ רָֽע׃	C CompNg SPn // VNg-o S	Nom/CAN
6	‎לֹֽא־יִתְיַצְּב֣וּ הֽ֭וֹלְלִים לְנֶ֣גֶד עֵינֶ֑יךָ // שָׂ֜נֵ֗אתָ כָּל־פֹּ֥עֲלֵי אָֽוֶן׃	VNg S M // V O	CAN//CAN
7	תְּאַבֵּד֘ דֹּבְרֵ֪י כָ֫זָ֥ב // אִישׁ־דָּמִ֥ים וּמִרְמָ֗ה יְתָ֨עֵ֥ב׀ יְהוָֽה׃	V O // O O V S	CAN//DEF
8	וַאֲנִ֗י בְּרֹ֣ב חַ֭סְדְּךָ אָב֣וֹא בֵיתֶ֑ךָ // אֶשְׁתַּחֲוֶ֥ה אֶל־הֵֽיכַל־קָ֜דְשְׁךָ֗ בְּיִרְאָתֶֽךָ׃	w-SPn M V O // V M M	DEF//CAN
9	יְהוָ֤ה׀ נְחֵ֬נִי בְצִדְקָתֶ֗ךָ לְמַ֥עַן שׁוֹרְרָ֑י / הַושַׁ֖ר לְפָנַ֣י דַּרְכֶּֽךָ׃	[Voc] V-o M M // V M O	CAN//CAN
10	כִּ֤י אֵ֪ין בְּפִ֡יהוּ נְכוֹנָה֘ // קִרְבָּ֪ם הַ֫וּ֥וֹת // קֶֽבֶר־פָּת֥וּחַ גְּרוֹנָ֑ם // לְ֜שׁוֹנָ֗ם יַחֲלִֽיקוּן׃	C ENg Comp S // S Comp // Comp S // M V	Nom//Nom//Nom//DEF
11	הַֽאֲשִׁימֵ֙ם׀ אֱֽלֹהִ֗ים / יִפְּלוּ֘ מִֽמֹּעֲצ֪וֹתֵ֫יהֶ֥ם // בְּרֹ֣ב פִּ֭שְׁעֵיהֶם הַדִּיחֵ֑מוֹ / כִּי־מָ֥רוּ בָֽךְ׃	V-o [Voc] / V M // M V-o / C-V M	CAN/CAN//DEF/CAN
12ab	‎וְיִשְׂמְח֙וּ כָל־ח֪וֹסֵי בָ֡ךְ // לְעוֹלָ֣ם יְ֭רַנֵּנוּ	w-V S // M V	CAN//DEF
12cd	‎וְתָסֵ֣ךְ עָלֵ֑ימוֹ / וְֽיַעְלְצ֥וּ בְ֜ךָ֗ אֹהֲבֵ֥י שְׁמֶֽךָ׃	V M / w-V M S	CAN/CAN
13	‎כִּֽי־אַתָּה֘ תְּבָרֵ֪ךְ צַ֫דִּ֥יק יְהוָ֑ה / כַּ֜צִּנָּ֗ה רָצ֥וֹן תַּעְטְרֶֽנּוּ׃	C-SPn V O [Voc] / M M V-o	MKD/DEF

• DEF//CAN parallelism appears at key points of structural disjunction, namely the beginning of the psalm (v.2ab) and the end of the first half of the psalm (v.8ab).
• MKD word order also intersects with the poems structural divisions: v.3b ends Section 1; v.4ab begins Section 2; and v.13 concludes the Psalm.
• Every major sectional division in the psalm is marked by some variation in word order (DEF//CAN or MKD),

Middle word (maqqef)

Total: 94 Middle: אֶשְׁתַּחֲוֶ֥ה אֶל־הֵֽיכַל־קָ֜דְשְׁךָ֗,

Middle word (independent lexemes)

Total: 106 Middle: אֶשְׁתַּחֲוֶ֥ה אֶל,

Middle line

v.9abc.

יְהוָ֤ה׀ נְחֵ֬נִי בְצִדְקָתֶ֗ךָ

לְמַ֥עַן שׁוֹרְרָ֑י

הַושַׁ֖ר לְפָנַ֣י דַּרְכֶּֽךָ׃

This is in fact the most linguistically marked verse in the psalm. It is the only tricolon (so divided by the pausal forms). Other significant features include a direct address to Yahweh, the cluster of imperatives, evocative pathway imagery (cf. Ps.1), alliteration and rhyme (שׁוֹרְרַי –– הַושַׁר לְפָנַי). The content of this tricolon also stands out as the central petition of the psalm. The previous invocation (vv.2-3) and profession (vv.4-8) build up to this point.
The centrality of v.9 is supported by various other recursive features. "As was the case in the previous Psalm, Ps. 5 also has a central knot from which threads run to beginning and end. This is demonstrated by three aspects: God's proper name occurs three [correction: four] times in the vocative: in the first and last verses, and in the middle, v.9 [correction: Fokkelman omits v.4]. This poetic line and the opening v.2 both have a vocative accompanied by two imperatives (2nd person to God). The central verse is linked to the final verse in that they both contain a noun from the root צדק."