Psalm 7/Phonology
From Psalms: Layer by Layer
Phonology
Consonants
| Definition Feature being studied | Occurrences Sections where this feature is present or absent | Clustering | Intersection | Connections | Structure |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| glides (י, ו) | v.6ab; vv.15b,16ab | ||||
| gutturals (א, ה, ח, ע) | v.4a; vv.7c,8a,8c (line-initial ע); line initial א: vv.4b,5ab; 12ab,13a; 18ab | ||||
| sibilants (ז, ס, צ/ץ, שׂ, שׁ) | v.5b (צ); v.6ab; vv.11b-12a | ||||
| dentals (ד, ט, ת) | v.4a (ת); v.10c (ת); vv.17b-18a | ||||
| velars (כ/ך, ג, ק) | vv.13b,14a; v.17b (קָ֜דְקֳד֗וֹ) - v.18a (כְּצִדְק֑וֹ) | ||||
| liquids (ל, ר) | v.5ab; v.7bc; v.10a (ר); v.16a (ר) | ||||
| nasals (מ/ם, נ/ן) | vv.8ab,9a (לְ֭אֻמִּים ...לַמָּר֥וֹם ...עַ֫מִּ֥ים) | Words with double m occur only in vv.8ab,9a. This fact may support the argument for grouping v.9a with v.8ab rather than with v.9bc. | |||
| labials (ב, פ/ף) | section 1 (vv.2-3 [פ/ף x5], esp.3a); section 3 (vv.7-8); vv.16-17a, esp.16b |
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This feature is considered relevant for this psalm.,
Sound combinations
| Definition Feature being studied | Occurrences Sections where this feature is present or absent | Clustering | Intersection | Connections | Structure |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| מ + ג + liquid (ר/ל) | גָּ֭מַלְתִּי (v.5a), יִגְמָר־נָ֬א (v.10a) | The words גמל and גמר are connected phonologically as well as etymologically.[1] The deliberate connection between v.5a and v.10a is confirmed by the repetition of רַע in these lines. |
This feature is considered relevant for this psalm.,
Patterns in beginnings
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In vv. 4-5, 7-8, 10bc, 13-14, this feature functions to bind together adjacent bicola into a section. In vv. 2a, 4a, similar beginnings demarcate the beginning of sections. In the remaining instances (vv. 3, 11, 18), this feature strengthens the relationship between parallel lines within a bicolon.
- vv.2a,4a.
- יְהוָ֣ה אֱ֭לֹהַי...חָסִ֑יתִי (v.2a)
- יְהוָ֣ה אֱ֭לֹהַי...עָשִׂ֣יתִי (v.4a)
- v.3ab.
- פֶּן (v.3a)
- פֹּ֜רֵ֗ק (v.3b)
- vv.4ab,5a.
- יְהוָ֣ה אֱ֭לֹהַי אִם־עָשִׂ֣יתִי זֹ֑את (v.4a)
- אִֽם־יֶשׁ־עָ֥וֶל בְּכַפָּֽי (v.4b)
- אִם־גָּ֭מַלְתִּי שֽׁוֹלְמִ֥י רָ֑ע (v.5a)
- vv.7c,8a,8b.
- וְע֥וּרָה (v.7c)
- וַעֲדַ֣ת (v.8a)
- וְ֜עָלֶ֗יהָ (v.8b)
- v.10bc.
- וּתְכוֹנֵ֪ן (v.10b)
- וּבֹחֵ֣ן (v.10c)
- v.11ab.
- מָֽגִנִּ֥י (v.11a)
- מ֜וֹשִׁ֗יעַ (v.11b)
- vv.13a,14a.
- אִם־לֹ֣א יָ֭שׁוּב (v.13a)
- וְ֭לוֹ הֵכִ֣ין (v.14a)
- v.18ab.
- אוֹדֶ֣ה (v.18a)
- וַ֜אֲזַמְּרָ֗ה (v.18b),
Patterns in endings
Lines
- v.7bc.
- צוֹרְרָ֑י
- צִוִּֽיתָ׃
Words within lines
- v.2b. הוֹשִׁיעֵ֥נִי...וְהַצִּילֵֽנִי׃
- v.10c. לִ֭בּ֗וֹת וּכְלָי֗וֹת,
Similar sounds in adjacent lines
Section 1 (vv.2-3)
- repetition of צִּילֵ (vv. 2b, 3b) and the similar sounding שִׁי (vv. 2b, 3a)
- alliteration: רֹ֜דְפַ֗י / יִטְרֹ֣ף (dental [ד/ט] + ר + פ/ף)
- alliteration: כְּאַרְיֵ֣ה נַ / רֵ֗ק וְאֵ֣ין (velar + א + ר + glide + נ)
- alliteration of line initial פּ (v.3ab)
Section 2 (vv.4-6)
- repetition of אִם (vv. 4ab, 5a)
- alliteration: עָשִׂ֣יתִי זֹ֑את (sibilant [שׂ/ז] + ת)
- alliteration and rhyme (v.5ab): שֽׁוֹלְמִ֥י // צוֹרְרִ֣י (sibilant [שׁ/צ] + sonorants [למ/רר]); same vowels
- alliteration of ר (v.5ab) and צ (v.5b)
- alliteration of glides (6ab)
- rhyme + alliteration: יִֽרַדֹּ֥ף // יִרְמֹ֣ס (v.6ab)
Section 3 (vv.7-9)
- repetition of II-ו verbs with הָ ending: ק֨וּמָ֤ה (v.7a), וְע֥וּרָה (v.7c), שֽׁוּבָה (v.8b)
- alliteration (v.7ab): בְּאַפֶּ֗ךָ // בְּעַבְר֣וֹת (b + guttural [א/ע] + labial [פ/ב])
- repetition of וע at beginning of lines (7c, 8a, 8b)
- alliteration (v.8ab): לְ֭אֻמִּים // לַמָּר֥וֹם (ל + מ[x2])
- alliteration (v.8ab): תְּסוֹבְבֶ֑ךָּ // שֽׁוּבָה (sibilant [שׁ/ס] + ב)
Section 4 (vv.9b-10)
- repetition of צדק (vv. 9c, 10bd)
- alliteration of ר (v.10a)
- rhyme (v.10bc): וּתְכוֹנֵ֪ן // וּבֹחֵ֣ן
- rhyming consecutive words (v.10c): לִ֭בּ֗וֹת וּכְלָי֗וֹת
Section 5 (vv.11-14)
- assonance: long ō-vowel (vv.11-14)
- alliteration of אל/על (vv.11a, 12ab)
- alliteration of line-initial מ (v.11ab); line-final ם (v.12b); אם (v.13a)
- alliteration of שׁ (vv.11b,12a, 13ab)
- rhyme (v.12ab): שׁוֹפֵ֣ט // זֹעֵ֥ם
- repetition of line-initial לא/לו (vv.13a, 14a)
- alliteration (שׁ + dental) and assonance (long ō): יִלְט֑וֹשׁ (v.13a) // קַשְׁתּ֥וֹ (v.13b)
- repetition of כון (vv.13b, 14a)
- alliteration (velar + liquid): כְּלֵי (v.14a) // לְֽדֹלְקִ֥ים (v.14b)
Section 6 (vv.15-17)
- "Note the word play on יפל and יפעל."[2]
- alliteration (guttural + labial + liquid): חַבֶּל (v.15a), עָ֜מָ֗ל (v.15b), יִפְעָֽל (v.16b) עֲמָל֣ (v.17a)
- alliteration (labial + liquid): בּ֣וֹר (v.16a), חְפְּרֵ֑ (v.16a), וַ֜יִּפֹּ֗ל (v.16b), בְרֹא (v.17a)
- alliteration and rhyme: עֲמָל֣וֹ (v.17a), חֲמָס֥וֹ (v.17b)
- assonance (long ō): v.17ab
Section 7 (v.18)
- assonance (long ō): v.18ab
- repetition of יהוה (v.18ab)
- alliteration of line initial א (v.18ab)
- alliteration of sibilant + מ/ם (v.18b),
Other observations
Rhythm and Line Length
The following table shows the length of each line in terms of syllables, words, and stress units. See below on line divisions.
| Ref | Syllables | Words | Stress Units |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2a | 10 | 4 | 4 |
| 2b | 14 | 4 | 3 |
| 3a | 8 | 4 | 3 |
| 3b | 6 | 3 | 3 |
| 4a | 10 | 5 | 4 |
| 4b | 7 | 4 | 2 |
| 5a | 8 | 4 | 3 |
| 5b | 10 | 3 | 3 |
| 6a | 10 | 4 | 4 |
| 6b | 7 | 3 | 3 |
| 6c | 9/11 | 3/4 | 3/4 |
| 7a | 8 | 3 | 3 |
| 7b | 9 | 3 | 3 |
| 7c | 10 | 4 | 4 |
| 8a | 11 | 3 | 3 |
| 8b | 9 | 3 | 3 |
| 9a | 6 | 3 | 3 |
| 9b | 5 | 2 | 2 |
| 9c | 9 | 3 | 3 |
| 10a | 7 | 4 | 3 |
| 10b | 6 | 2 | 2 |
| 10c | 9 | 3 | 3 |
| 10d | 5 | 2 | 2 |
| 11a | 7 | 3 | 2 |
| 11b | 6 | 3 | 2 |
| 12a | 7 | 3 | 3 |
| 12b | 7 | 4 | 3 |
| 13a | 8 | 5 | 4 |
| 13b | 10 | 3 | 3 |
| 14a | 8 | 4 | 3 |
| 14b | 8 | 3 | 3 |
| 15a | 7 | 3 | 2 |
| 15b | 10 | 4 | 4 |
| 16a | 8 | 3 | 3 |
| 16b | 7 | 3 | 3 |
| 17a | 8 | 3 | 3 |
| 17b | 10 | 4 | 4 |
| 18a | 7 | 3 | 3 |
| 18b | 9 | 4 | 3 |
- As expected, the b-line of each bicolon is, in terms of stress units, of the same or shorter length than the a-line. The only exceptions are v.17ab (3//4), which concludes a section, and v.15ab, which opens a section.
- Terse (marked) lines cluster in the middle of the psalm (vv.9-11).
- Terse lines at v.11a and v.15a open new sections.
- v.4a and v.17b are marked for long length (17b is long relative to 17a). v.4a marks the opening of a section and v.17b marks the closing of a section.