Psalm 5/Particles

Particles

Negative markers

Distribution

2a
2b
3a
3b
4a
4b
5a		לֹא
5b		לֹא
6a		לֹא
6b
7a
7b
8a
8b
9a
9b
10a			אֵין
10b
10c
10d
11a
11b
11c
11d
12a
12b
12c
12d
13a
13b

Clustering

• vv.5-6

Connections

• Both v.5a and v.10a are negated verbless clauses that begin with כִּי.

Structural Significance

• Section 2.2 consists of the three negative statements (vv.5ab-6a) followed by three positive statements (vv.6b-7ab).
• Negative markers play a role in defining the macrostructure of the psalm. Both v.5a and v.10a are negated verbless clauses that begin with כִּי. They open parallel subsections in the psalm (2.2 [vv.5-7] and 3.2 [vv.10-11] respectively).,

Independent personal pronouns

Distribution

2a
2b
3a
3b
4a
4b
5a		אַתָּה
5b
6a
6b
7a
7b
8a			וַאֲנִי
8b
9a
9b
10a
10b
10c
10d
11a
11b
11c
11d
12a
12b
12c
12d
13a		אַתָּה
13b

Structural Significance

• Anaphora: independent personal pronouns are found in the opening line of sections 2.2, 2.3, and 4.,

Prepositions

Distribution

2a
2b
3a		לְקוֹל
3b			אֵלֶיךָ
4a		לְךָ
4b
5a		לְנֶגֶד		לְנֶגֶד
5b
6a
6b
7a
7b
8a					בְּרֹב
8b			אֶל הֵיכַל קָדְשׁךָ		בְּיִראָתֶךָ
9a					בְצִדְקָתֶךָ
9b		לְפָנַי
10a					בְּפִיהוּ
10b
10c
10d
11a
11b						מִמֹּעֲצוֹתֵיהֶם
11c					בְּרֹב
11d					בָךְ
12a					בָךְ
12b		לְעוֹלָם
12c							עָלֵימוֹ
12d					בְךָ
13a
13b								כַּ֜צִּנָּ֗ה

Clustering

• The preposition בְּ occurs 8 times in the psalm, clustering in vv.8-9 and vv.11-12.

Connections

• The preposition בְּ occurs with a 2ms suffix in pausal form (בָךְ) at the end of consecutive lines (11d, 12a). This feature creates a strong contrast: while the wicked rebel against (בְּ) Yahweh, the righteous take refuge in (בְּ) him.
• The preposition בְּ connects parallel lines at v.8ab (conjunctive) and v.12ad (disjunctive).,

Waw/Vav

Coordinating Phrases

• v.3a: nouns מַלְכִּ֥י וֵאלֹהָי
• v.4b: verbs אֶעֱרָךְ־לְ֜ךָ וַאֲצַפֶּֽה
• v.7b: nouns אִישׁ־דָּמִים וּמִרְמָה

Coordinating Lines

• v.12b --(waw + yiqtol verb [וְתָסֵךְ])--> v.12c
• v.12c --(waw + yiqtol verb [וְיַעְלְצוּ])--> v.12d

Coordinating Sections

• Section 2.2 --(waw + pronoun [וַאֲנִי])--> Section 2.3
• Section 3.2 --(waw + yiqtol verb [וְיִשְׂמְחוּ])--> Section 3.3,

Other particles

2a
2b
3a
3b		כִּי
4a
4b
5a		כִּי
5b
6a
6b
7a
7b
8a
8b
9a				לְמַעַן
9b
10a		כִּי
10b
10c
10d
11a
11b
11c
11d		כִּי
12a
12b
12c
12d
13a		כִּי
13b

כִּי

• v.3b, כִּֽי־אֵלֶ֗יךָ אֶתְפַּלָּל
  • connects v.3b to v.3a and perhaps also to v.2
  • introduces reason why Yahweh should listen: "because I am praying to you" (constituent focus)
• v.5a, כִּ֤י לֹא אֵל־חָפֵץ רֶשַׁע אָתָּה
  • connects vv.5-7 (section 2.2.) to v.4 (section 2.1)
  • introduces grounds for the confident profession in v.4
• v.10a, כִּ֤י אֵין בְּפִיהוּ נְכוֹנָה
  • connects vv.10-11 (section 3.2.) to v.9 (section 3.1)
  • introduces reason for the petition in v.9 and further describes שׁוֹרְרַי (v.9a)
• v.11d, כִּי־מָרוּ בָךְ
  • connects v.11d to v.11abc
  • introduces grounds for petitions in v.11abc
• v.13a, כִּֽי־אַתָּה תְּבָרֵךְ צַדִּ֥יק
  • introduces conclusion to the psalm (cf. Ps. 1:6)

לְמַעַן

• v.9a, לְמַעַן שׁוֹרְרָי,

Content vs non-content

There are four sections in the psalm. Section 1 (vv.2-3) is an introduction, and Section 4 (v.13) is a conclusion. Section 2 (vv.4-8) and Section 3 (vv.9-12) form the body of the psalm. These two middle sections exhibit parallelism at the macro-level (ABC // A'B'C'). Function words (כִּי, לֹא/אֵין, וְ) are used to support and clarify this parallel structure, as summarized in the following table.

	Section 2 (vv.4-8)	Section 3 (vv.9-12)
Profession/Petition (line initial vocative)	2.1 (v.4), ...יהוה	‎3.1 (v.9), ...יהוה
Grounds (כִּי + neg. + verbless clause)	2.2 (vv.5-7), ...כִּי לֹא	‎3.2 (vv.10-11), ...כִּי אֵין
Contrast (line initial waw)	2.3 (v.8), וַאֲנִי	‎3.3 (v.12), וְיִשְׂמְחוּ