Psalm 70 Emotional
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Psalm 70/Emotional
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Psalm 70
Emotional Analysis
This layer explores the emotional dimension of the biblical text and seeks to uncover the clues within the text itself that are part of the communicative intent of its author. The goal of this analysis is to chart the basic emotional tone and/or progression of the psalm.
For a detailed explanation of our method, see the Emotional Analysis Creator Guidelines.
Emotional Analysis Chart
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) | Proposition (Emotional Analysis) | The Psalmist Feels | Emotional Analysis Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | לַ֝מְנַצֵּ֗חַ לְדָוִ֥ד לְהַזְכִּֽיר׃ | For the director. By David. To bring to remembrance. | |||
| 2 | אֱלֹהִ֥ים לְהַצִּילֵ֑נִי | God, [hurry] to rescue me! | God hurries to rescue David | • David is desperate for YHWH to hurry to his rescue | |
| יְ֝הוָ֗ה לְעֶזְרָ֥תִי חֽוּשָֽׁה׃ | YHWH, hurry to my aid! | YHWH hurries to David's aid | |||
| 3 | יֵבֹ֣שׁוּ וְיַחְפְּרוּ֮ מְבַקְשֵׁ֪י נַ֫פְשִׁ֥י | May those who seek my life be disappointed and ashamed! | Those who seek David's life are disappointed and ashamed | • David is indignant and disgusted by those who seek his life, desiring they be disappointed and ashamed. • David is hopeful that those who desire his harm may retreat in their shame. • "The enemies self-confidently and triumphantly wish infliction on David." |
• The verb בּוּשׁ is "state in which someone has forfeited the respect of the community, due to a situation that is not in accordance to someone's status" (SDBH). |
| יִסֹּ֣גוּ אָ֭חוֹר וְיִכָּלְמ֑וּ חֲ֝פֵצֵ֗י רָעָתִֽי׃ | May those who desire my harm be turned back and be disgraced! | Those who desire David's harm are turned back and disgraced | |||
| 4 | יָ֭שׁוּבוּ עַל־עֵ֣קֶב בָּשְׁתָּ֑ם הָ֝אֹמְרִ֗ים הֶ֘אָ֥ח ׀ הֶאָֽח׃ | May those who say "Take that!" retreat on account of their shame! | Those who mock David retreat | ||
| 5 | יָ֘שִׂ֤ישׂוּ וְיִשְׂמְח֨וּ ׀ בְּךָ֗ כָּֽל־מְבַ֫קְשֶׁ֥יךָ | May all those who seek you be glad and rejoice in you! | Those who seek YHWH are glad and rejoice in YHWH | • David is hopeful that, through his deliverance, those who seek YHWH will be glad and rejoice in him. • "Those who seek YHWH praise him enthusiastically." |
|
| וְיֹאמְר֣וּ תָ֭מִיד | And may those who love your salvation always say, | Those who love YHWH's salvation praise YHWH | |||
| יִגְדַּ֣ל אֱלֹהִ֑ים אֹ֝הֲבֵ֗י יְשׁוּעָתֶֽךָ׃ | "Let God be praised!" those who love your salvation | ||||
| 6 | וַאֲנִ֤י ׀ עָנִ֣י וְאֶבְיוֹן֮ | But I am poor and needy. | David is poor and needy | • David is desperate for YHWH to hurry to him and not delay. • David is hopeful that, as one who is poor and needy, God, who is his help and deliverer, will not delay. |
• The noun אֶבְיוֹן describes someone who "depends on help from other people and God" (SDBH). |
| אֱלֹהִ֪ים חֽוּשָׁ֫ה־לִּ֥י | God, hurry to me! | God hurries to David | |||
| עֶזְרִ֣י וּמְפַלְטִ֣י אַ֑תָּה | You are my help and my deliverer. | YHWH is David's help and deliverer | |||
| יְ֝הוָ֗ה אַל־תְּאַחַֽר׃ | YHWH, do not delay! | YHWH delays |
Summary Visual
(Click visual to enlarge).
Affective Circumplex
The affective circumplex locates emotions on two axes: (1) positive vs. negative valence; and (2) active vs. passive activation. Since emotional terminology often carries unintended cultural connotations, the purpose of the circumplex is to ease translation of emotions across different languages and cultures.
