Psalm 51/Speech Act/SpeechTable

Verse	Text (Hebrew)	Text (CBC) The Close-but-clear translation (CBC) exists to provide a window into the Hebrew text according to how we understand its syntax and word-to-phrase-level semantics. It is designed to be "close" to the Hebrew, while still being "clear." Specifically, the CBC encapsulates and reflects the following layers of analysis: grammar, lexical semantics, phrase-level semantics, and verbal semantics. It does not reflect our analysis of the discourse or of poetics. It is not intended to be used as a stand-alone translation or base text, but as a supplement to Layer-by-Layer materials to help users make full use of these resources.	Sentence type	Illocution (general)	Illocution with context	Macro speech act		Intended perlocution (Think)	Intended perlocution (Feel)	Intended perlocution (Do)	Speech Act Notes
1	לַמְנַצֵּ֗חַ מִזְמ֥וֹר לְדָוִֽד׃	For the music director. A psalm. By David.	Superscription
2	בְּֽבוֹא־אֵ֭לָיו נָתָ֣ן הַנָּבִ֑יא	When Nathan the prophet came to him,
	כַּֽאֲשֶׁר־בָּ֝֗א אֶל־בַּת־שָֽׁבַע׃	when he had had sexual intercourse with Bathsheba.
3	חָנֵּ֣נִי אֱלֹהִ֣ים כְּחַסְדֶּ֑ךָ	Show mercy to me, God, according to your loyalty;	Imperative	Directive	Requesting mercy	Pleading for cleansing	Pleading for cleansing	God will acknowledge David's desire for cleansing	God will feel compassion towards David	God will cleanse David from sin
	כְּרֹ֥ב רַ֝חֲמֶ֗יךָ מְחֵ֣ה פְשָׁעָֽי׃	according to your abundant compassion wipe away my transgressions.	Imperative	Directive	Requesting cleansing
4	הַרְבֵּה כַּבְּסֵ֣נִי מֵעֲוֺנִ֑י	Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,	Imperative	Directive	Requesting cleansing
	וּֽמֵחַטָּאתִ֥י טַהֲרֵֽנִי׃	and cleanse me from my sin,	Imperative	Directive	Requesting cleansing
5	כִּֽי־פְ֭שָׁעַי אֲנִ֣י אֵדָ֑ע	because I am [continually] aware of my transgressions,									• v. 5. This verse is joined with vv. 3-4 in a single compound, complex sentence with a single predominant speech act. Nevertheless, by providing the grounds for the opening plea for cleansing and expressing recognition of the psalmist's ever-present sin, v. 5 serves as implicit confession that transitions nicely into the confession proper in vv. 6-7.
	וְחַטָּאתִ֖י נֶגְדִּ֣י תָמִֽיד׃	and my sin is constantly in front of me.
6	לְךָ֤ לְבַדְּךָ֨ ׀ חָטָאתִי֮	Against you alone I have sinned,	Declarative	Assertive	Acknowledging God's right assessment of sin	Confessing sin		God will acknowledge the sincerity of David's confession	God will feel compassion towards David	God will forgive David's sin
	וְהָרַ֥ע בְּעֵינֶ֗יךָ עָ֫שִׂ֥יתִי	and I have done what is evil in your eyes,	Declarative	Assertive	Acknowledging God's right assessment of sin
	לְ֭מַעַן תִּצְדַּ֥ק בְּדָבְרֶ֗ךָ	such that you are in the right whenever you speak,	Declarative	Assertive	Acknowledging God's right assessment of sin
	תִּזְכֶּ֥ה בְשָׁפְטֶֽךָ׃	[and such that] you are faultless whenever you judge.	Declarative	Assertive	Acknowledging God's right assessment of sin
7	הֵן־בְּעָו֥וֹן חוֹלָ֑לְתִּי	Look, I was born in iniquity,	Declarative	Expressive	Lamenting sinful condition
	וּ֝בְחֵ֗טְא יֶֽחֱמַ֥תְנִי אִמִּֽי׃	and in guilt my mother conceived me.	Declarative	Expressive	Lamenting sinful condition
8	הֵן־אֱ֭מֶת חָפַ֣צְתָּ בַטֻּח֑וֹת	Look, you desire truth in the covered places,	Declarative	Assertive	Explaining that truthful self-awareness is what God desires						• v. 8. This reading understands v. 8b as a request for wisdom (see exegetical issue). As such, it serves as preparatory grounds (paralleling v. 5) for the following plea. If v. 8 is read rather as a present habitual general truth statement, then v. 8 asserts God's desire for truthful confession as grounds for acceptance of the psalmist's confession.
	וּ֝בְסָתֻ֗ם חָכְמָ֥ה תוֹדִיעֵֽנִי׃	and you make me know wisdom in the closed-off place.	Declarative	Assertive	Explaining that God desires and provides the internal wisdom to recognize personal sin
9	תְּחַטְּאֵ֣נִי בְאֵז֣וֹב וְאֶטְהָ֑ר	[Would you please] purify me with hyssop, so that I will be clean;	Imperative	Directive	Requesting cleansing	Pleading for cleansing		God will acknowledge David's desire for cleansing	God will feel compassion towards David	God will cleanse David from sin	• The use of directive yiqtols have been described here as imperative and directive, rather than as indirect speech acts, since this seems to be a modal possibility of the yiqtol, rather than a question (e.g., "Would you please?") or statement (e.g., "you will...") per se.
	תְּ֝כַבְּסֵ֗נִי וּמִשֶּׁ֥לֶג אַלְבִּֽין׃	[would you please] wash me, so that I will be whiter than snow.	Imperative	Directive	Requesting cleansing
10	תַּ֭שְׁמִיעֵנִי שָׂשׂ֣וֹן וְשִׂמְחָ֑ה	[Would you please] make me hear gladness and joy;	Imperative	Directive	Requesting joy						• The use of directive yiqtols have been described here as imperative and directive, rather than as indirect speech acts, since this seems to be a modal possibility of the yiqtol, rather than a question (e.g., "Would you please?") or statement (e.g., "you will...") per se.
	תָּ֝גֵ֗לְנָה עֲצָמ֥וֹת דִּכִּֽיתָ׃	[so that] the bones that you have crushed might rejoice.									• v. 10b. The verb תָּגֵלְנָה is here treated as semantically indicating result dependent upon v. 10a, but it could alternatively be understood syntactically as its own imperative + directive + requesting speech act.
11	הַסְתֵּ֣ר פָּ֭נֶיךָ מֵחֲטָאָ֑י	Hide your face from my sins,	Imperative	Directive	Requesting overlooking of sins
	וְֽכָל־עֲוֺ֖נֹתַ֣י מְחֵֽה	and wipe away all my iniquities.	Imperative	Directive	Requesting cleansing
12	לֵ֣ב טָ֭הוֹר בְּרָא־לִ֣י אֱלֹהִ֑ים	Create a clean heart for me, God,	Imperative	Directive	Requesting spiritual transformation	Pleading for spiritual transformation	Pleading for personal transformation	God will acknowledge David's desire for spiritual transformation	God will feel compassion towards David	God will transform David's heart
	וְר֥וּחַ נָ֝כ֗וֹן חַדֵּ֥שׁ בְּקִרְבִּֽי׃	and renew a steadfast spirit within me.	Imperative	Directive	Requesting spiritual transformation
13	אַל־תַּשְׁלִיכֵ֥נִי מִלְּפָנֶ֑יךָ	Do not cast me away from before you,	Imperative	Directive	Requesting continued presence
	וְר֥וּחַ קָ֝דְשְׁךָ֗ אַל־תִּקַּ֥ח מִמֶּֽנִּי׃	and do not take your holy spirit away from me.	Imperative	Directive	Requesting continued presence
14	הָשִׁ֣יבָה לִּ֭י שְׂשׂ֣וֹן יִשְׁעֶ֑ךָ	Restore to me the gladness that results from your salvation,	Imperative	Directive	Requesting joy
	וְר֖וּחַ נְדִיבָ֣ה תִסְמְכֵֽנִי׃	and [would you please] support me with a willing spirit.	Imperative	Directive	Requesting spiritual transformation						• The use of directive yiqtols have been described here as imperative and directive, rather than as indirect speech acts, since this seems to be a modal possibility of the yiqtol, rather than a question (e.g., "Would you please?") or statement (e.g., "you will...") per se.
15	אֲלַמְּדָ֣ה פֹשְׁעִ֣ים דְּרָכֶ֑יךָ	I intend to teach transgressors your ways,	Declarative	Commissive	Committing to instruct sinners	Vowing to instruct sinners		God will acknowledge David's heart motivation of glorifying God	God will be pleased with David's desire to glorify him	God will restore David	• v. 15a. The verb אֲלַמְּדָה "I intend to teach" is cohortative in form and understood here as a weaker commissive than yiqtol "I will teach," since it seems contingent upon the requested restoration of the psalmist and focuses on the psalmist's intention/will rather than certainty about the future. This statement of intention functions pragmatically as a vow.
	וְ֝חַטָּאִ֗ים אֵלֶ֥יךָ יָשֽׁוּבוּ׃	so that sinners will turn back to you.	Declarative	Assertive	Explaining intended results of instruction
16	הַצִּ֘ילֵ֤נִי מִדָּמִ֨ים ׀ אֱֽלֹהִ֗ים	Deliver me from bloodshed, God,	Imperative	Directive	Requesting deliverance from danger	Requesting help to praise God		God will acknowledge David's desire to praise him	God will be pleased with David's desire to praise him	God will restrain David from sin
	אֱלֹהֵ֥י תְּשׁוּעָתִ֑י	the God who saves me,
	תְּרַנֵּ֥ן לְ֝שׁוֹנִ֗י צִדְקָתֶֽךָ׃	[so that] my tongue will shout for joy about your righteousness.	Declarative	Assertive	Explaining desired results of deliverance
17	אֲ֭דֹנָי שְׂפָתַ֣י תִּפְתָּ֑ח	Lord, [would you please] open my lips,	Imperative	Directive	Requesting help to praise						• The use of directive yiqtols have been described here as imperative and directive, rather than as indirect speech acts, since this seems to be a modal possibility of the yiqtol, rather than a question (e.g., "Would you please?") or statement (e.g., "you will...") per se.
	וּ֝פִ֗י יַגִּ֥יד תְּהִלָּתֶֽךָ׃	so that my mouth will report praise concerning you.	Declarative	Assertive	Explaining intended results of request						• v. 17. While v. 17a-b could be read with v. 16c as a three-fold result. But the vocative at the beginning of v. 17a would be very disruptive on this interpretation, and it suggests rather that the psalmist is calling the Lord to pay attention to a request in v. 17a. Reading v. 17a as a directive is also the most satisfying explanation for the purpose clause in v. 17b, which seems to require something stronger than a future indicative verb in v. 17a. Thus, v. 17 continues the theme of v. 16c not by elaborating with a series of results but rather by repeating the pattern of plea plus purpose/result. The request to open the psalmist's lips in v. 17a is implicitly a call for help in parallel to v. 16a.
18	כִּ֤י ׀ לֹא־תַחְפֹּ֣ץ זֶ֣בַח	For you do not delight in sacrifice[s],	Declarative	Assertive	Explaining grounds for request for clean heart and help to praise	Acknowledging the inadequacy of sacrifices	Pleading for national restoration	God will acknowledge David's right understanding of worship	God will be pleased with David's understanding of worship	God will restore David	• v. 18a. The verb וְאֶתֵּנָה commits the psalmist to offering a sacrifice in the counter-factual situation that God desires sacrifice. One might paraphrase, "(If sacrifices were acceptable,) I would offer (them)" >> "I will not offer sacrifices, because they would not be acceptable anyways."
	וְאֶתֵּ֑נָה	or else I would give [them];	Declarative	Commissive	Hypothetically committing to offer sacrifice
	ע֝וֹלָ֗ה לֹ֣א תִרְצֶֽה׃	you are not pleased with burnt offering[s].	Declarative	Assertive	Explaining grounds for request for clean heart and help to praise
19	זִֽבְחֵ֣י אֱלֹהִים֮ ר֪וּחַ נִשְׁבָּ֫רָ֥ה	The sacrifices [acceptable to] God are broken spirit[s];	Declarative	Assertive	Explaining grounds for request for a clean heart and help to praise	Implicitly offering a broken spirit in hopes of approval		God will acknowledge David's understanding of spiritual worship	God will be pleased with David's understanding of worship	God will restore David
	לֵב־נִשְׁבָּ֥ר וְנִדְכֶּ֑ה	a broken and crushed heart,	Declarative	Assertive	Explaining grounds for request for a clean heart and help to praise
	אֱ֝לֹהִ֗ים לֹ֣א תִבְזֶֽה׃	God, you do not despise.
20	הֵיטִ֣יבָה בִ֭רְצוֹנְךָ אֶת־צִיּ֑וֹן	Do good to Zion in accord with what pleases you;	Imperative	Directive	Requesting national restoration	Pleading for national restoration		God will acknowledge David's desire to offer right sacrifices to God	God will be pleased with David's desire to worship	God will restore Jerusalem
	תִּ֝בְנֶ֗ה חוֹמ֥וֹת יְרוּשָׁלִָֽם׃	[would you please] build the walls of Jerusalem.	Imperative	Directive	Requesting national restoration						• The use of directive yiqtols have been described here as imperative and directive, rather than as indirect speech acts, since this seems to be a modal possibility of the yiqtol, rather than a question (e.g., "Would you please?") or statement (e.g., "you will...") per se.
21	אָ֤ז תַּחְפֹּ֣ץ זִבְחֵי־צֶ֭דֶק עוֹלָ֣ה וְכָלִ֑יל	Then you will delight in right sacrifices, in burnt offering[s] and whole offering[s];	Declarative	Assertive	Explaining reason for national restoration						• vv. 20-21. These verses work out the corporate application of the generalized principles established in vv. 18-19 in the form of the personal lament. God does not delight in sacrifices (alone), but only accepts a humble heart (vv. 18-19). Thus, when Israel is restored and comes with humble hearts, then their sacrifices will please God (vv. 20-21).
	אָ֤ז יַעֲל֖וּ עַל־מִזְבַּחֲךָ֣ פָרִֽים׃	then [people] will offer up bulls on your altar.	Declarative	Assertive	Explaining reason for national restoration