Psalm 6 Speech Act

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Speech Act Analysis

What is Speech Act Analysis?

The Speech Act layer presents the text in terms of what it does, following the findings of Speech Act Theory. It builds on the recognition that there is more to communication than the exchange of propositions. Speech act analysis is particularly important when communicating cross-culturally, and lack of understanding can lead to serious misunderstandings, since the ways languages and cultures perform speech acts varies widely.

For a detailed explanation of our method, see the Speech Act Analysis Creator Guidelines.

Summary Visual

Speaker Verses Macro Speech Acts Addressee
David v. 2 YHWH, do not correct me in your anger, and do not discipline me in your wrath.

PLEA FOR MERCY
(vv. 2–6)

YHWH, have mercy and heal me!

For

I am near death, and you are not praised in death (vv. 3–6).
 YHWH
v. 3 Have mercy on me, YHWH, for I am languishing. Heal me, YHWH, for my bones have become dismayed.
v. 4 And my soul has become very dismayed. And you, YHWH, how long?
v. 5 Turn back, YHWH. Rescue my soul. Save me for the sake of your loyalty.
v. 6 For there is no commemoration of you in the world of the dead. In Sheol, who praises you?
v. 7 I have grown weary because of my groaning. I drench my couch every night. With my tears I melt my bed.

DESCRIPTION OF DISMAY
(vv. 7–8)

I am deeply distressed and afraid.
v. 8 My eye has wasted away because of vexation. It has become weak because of all my adversaries.
v. 9 Move away from me, all workers of evil. For YHWH has heard the sound of my weeping.

ORDER TO LEAVE
(vv. 9–10)

Get away from me!

For

YHWH has heard (vv. 9–10).
 Enemies
v. 10 YHWH has heard my supplication. YHWH will accept my prayer.
v. 11 Let all my enemies be shamed and very dismayed. Let them turn back. Let them be shamed in an instant.

REQUEST FOR JUSTICE
(v. 11)

May all my enemies be shamed and dismayed!
 YHWH

Speech Act Analysis Chart

The following chart is scrollable (left/right; up/down).

  Legend

Verse Hebrew CBC Sentence type Illocution (general) Illocution with context Macro speech act Intended perlocution (Think) Intended perlocution (Feel) Intended perlocution (Do)
Verse number and poetic line Hebrew text English translation Declarative, Imperative, or Interrogative

Indirect Speech Act: Mismatch between sentence type and illocution type		 Assertive, Directive, Expressive, Commissive, or Declaratory

Indirect Speech Act: Mismatch between sentence type and illocution type		 More specific illocution type with paraphrased context Illocutionary intent (i.e. communicative purpose) of larger sections of discourse

These align with the "Speech Act Summary" headings		 What the speaker intends for the address to think What the speaker intends for the address to feel What the speaker intends for the address to do



If an emendation or revocalization is preferred, that emendation or revocalization will be marked in the Hebrew text of all the visuals.

Emendations/Revocalizations legend
*Emended text* Emended text, text in which the consonants differ from the consonants of the Masoretic text, is indicated by blue asterisks on either side of the emendation.
*Revocalized text* Revocalized text, text in which only the vowels differ from the vowels of the Masoretic text, is indicated by purple asterisks on either side of the revocalization.
Verse Text (Hebrew) Text (CBC) Sentence type Illocution (general) Illocution with context Macro speech act Intended perlocution (Think) Intended perlocution (Feel) Intended perlocution (Do) Speech Act Notes
1 לַמְנַצֵּ֣חַ בִּ֭נְגִינוֹת עַֽל־הַשְּׁמִינִ֗ית מִזְמ֥וֹר לְדָוִֽד׃ For the director. With stringed instruments. According to the octave. A psalm. By David. Fragments Assertive Giving information about the psalm's genre and author and instructions for its performance          
2 יְֽהוָ֗ה אַל־בְּאַפְּךָ֥ תוֹכִיחֵ֑נִי YHWH, do not correct me in your anger, Imperative Directive Pleading that YHWH would not correct in anger Pleading for mercy and healing YHWH will see the urgency of the situation: how David is dismayed, languishing, and near death YHWH will be merciful (favorably disposed) to David YHWH will heal David  
  וְֽאַל־בַּחֲמָתְךָ֥ תְיַסְּרֵֽנִי׃ and do not discipline me in your wrath! Imperative Directive Pleading that YHWH would not discipline in wrath  
3 חָנֵּ֥נִי יְהוָה֮ Have mercy on me, YHWH, Imperative Directive Pleading for mercy (cf. תְּחִנָּתִי in v. 10)  
  כִּ֤י אֻמְלַ֫ל אָ֥נִי for I am languishing! Indicative Assertive  
  רְפָאֵ֥נִי יְהוָ֑ה Heal me, YHWH, Imperative Directive Praying for healing (cf. תְּפִלָּתִי in v. 10)  
  כִּ֖י נִבְהֲל֣וּ עֲצָמָֽי׃ for my bones have become dismayed! Indicative Assertive  
4 וְ֭נַפְשִׁי נִבְהֲלָ֣ה מְאֹ֑ד And my soul has become very dismayed. Indicative Assertive Describing his deep dismay  
  וְאַתָּ֥ יְ֝הוָ֗ה עַד־מָתָֽי׃ And you, YHWH ... How long? Fragments Expressive Expressing his long-felt dismay, as well as his desire for mercy and healing • The question how long? (עַד־מָתָי) is a rhetorical question. It is not an attempt to elicit information but an expression of dismay and frustration.
5 שׁוּבָ֣ה יְ֭הוָה Turn back, YHWH! Imperative Directive Pleading that YHWH would turn from anger  
  חַלְּצָ֣ה נַפְשִׁ֑י Rescue my life! Imperative Directive Pleading that YHWH would rescue his life  
  ה֝וֹשִׁיעֵ֗נִי לְמַ֣עַן חַסְדֶּֽךָ׃ Save me because of your loyalty! Imperative Directive Pleading that YHWH would save him because of YHWH's loyalty  
6 כִּ֤י אֵ֣ין בַּמָּ֣וֶת זִכְרֶ֑ךָ For there is no commemoration of you in the world of the dead. Indicative Assertive Giving the reason why YHWH should save him: if he dies, he will not be able to commemorate YHWH  
  בִּ֝שְׁא֗וֹל מִ֣י יֽוֹדֶה־לָּֽךְ׃ In Sheol, who can praise you? Interrogative Assertive Giving the reason why YHWH should save him: if he dies, he will not be able to praise YHWH • The question in v. 6b is rhetorical. The psalmist is making a strong claim: "no one can praise you there" (GNT).
7 יָגַ֤עְתִּי ׀ בְּֽאַנְחָתִ֗י I have grown weary because of my groaning. Indicative Assertive Describing his weary state Describing his miserable, dismayed state  
  אַשְׂחֶ֣ה בְכָל־לַ֭יְלָה מִטָּתִ֑י I drench my bed every night. Indicative Assertive Describing how he weeps profusely every single night  
  בְּ֝דִמְעָתִ֗י עַרְשִׂ֥י אַמְסֶֽה׃ I dissolve my couch with my tears. Indicative Assertive Describing how he weeps so much that he dissolves his couch with his tears  
8 עָֽשְׁשָׁ֣ה מִכַּ֣עַס עֵינִ֑י My eye has wasted away because of vexation. Indicative Assertive Describing his state of vexation and poor health  
  עָֽ֝תְקָ֗ה בְּכָל־צוֹרְרָֽי׃ It has become weak because of all my adversaries. Indicative Assertive Describing his weak condition and introducing his "adversaries" as part of the problem  
9 ס֣וּרוּ מִ֭מֶּנִּי כָּל־פֹּ֣עֲלֵי אָ֑וֶן Get away from me, all you who do evil! Imperative Directive Ordering his enemies to leave him Ordering his enemies to leave him The enemies will see that YHWH has not rejected David, but has heard his plea for mercy The enemies will be dismayed The enemies will get away from David  
  כִּֽי־שָׁמַ֥ע יְ֝הוָ֗ה ק֣וֹל בִּכְיִֽי׃ For YHWH has heard the sound of my weeping. Indicative Assertive Asserting that YHWH has heard his weeping, as a reason why his enemies should leave him  
10 שָׁמַ֣ע יְ֭הוָה תְּחִנָּתִ֑י YHWH has heard my plea for mercy. Indicative Assertive Asserting that YHWH has heard his plea for mercy, as a reason why his enemies should leave him  
  יְ֝הוָ֗ה תְּֽפִלָּתִ֥י יִקָּֽח׃ YHWH will accept my prayer. Indicative Assertive Asserting that YHWH will accept his prayer, as a reason why his enemies should leave him  
11 יֵבֹ֤שׁוּ ׀ May all my enemies be shamed Imperative Directive Asking YHWH to shame his enemies Asking for justice YHWH would give justice to David by punishing his enemies  
  וְיִבָּהֲל֣וּ מְ֭אֹד כָּל־אֹיְבָ֑י and very dismayed! Imperative Directive Asking YHWH to make his enemies dismayed, just as he was dismayed  
  יָ֝שֻׁ֗בוּ May they turn back! Imperative Directive Asking YHWH to reverse the situation and send his enemies away from him  
  יֵבֹ֥שׁוּ רָֽגַע׃ May they shamed in a moment! Imperative Directive Asking YHWH to shame his enemies quickly