Psalm 89/Diagrams/6

וְי֘וֹד֤וּ שָׁמַ֣יִם פִּלְאֲךָ֣ יְהוָ֑ה אַף־אֱ֝מֽוּנָתְךָ֗ בִּקְהַ֥ל קְדֹשִֽׁים׃

v. 6 - Preferred

(Preferred, but not confirmed); edit diagram

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SimpleGrammar
DiscourseUnit [v. 6]
    Fragment
      particle: וְ and >> so
    Fragment
      Clause
        Subject
          noun: שָׁמַיִם sky
        Predicate 
          verb: יוֹדוּ let it praise
          Object
            ConstructChain <gloss="your wonders">
              noun: פִּלְאֲ wonders
              suffix-pronoun: ךָ you
    Fragment
      Vocative
        noun: יְהוָה YHWH
    Fragment
      Clause
        Subject
        Predicate 
          verb: יוֹדוּ let them praise <status="elided">
          Object
            ConstructChain <gloss="your reliability, too">
              Nominal
                noun: אֱמוּנָתְ reliability
                Adjectival 
                  adverb: אַף too
              suffix-pronoun: ךָ you
          Adverbial 
            PrepositionalPhrase
              Preposition
                preposition: בִּ in
              Object
                ConstructChain
                  noun: קְהַל assembly
                  Nominal
                    adjective: קְדֹשִׁים holy ones 
  

Diagram Code

 DiscourseUnit [v. 6]
    Fragment
      particle: וְ and >> so
    Fragment
      Clause
        Subject
          noun: שָׁמַיִם sky
        Predicate 
          verb: יוֹדוּ let it praise
          Object
            ConstructChain <gloss="your wonders">
              noun: פִּלְאֲ wonders
              suffix-pronoun: ךָ you
    Fragment
      Vocative
        noun: יְהוָה YHWH
    Fragment
      Clause
        Subject
        Predicate 
          verb: יוֹדוּ let them praise <status="elided">
          Object
            ConstructChain <gloss="your reliability, too">
              Nominal
                noun: אֱמוּנָתְ reliability
                Adjectival 
                  adverb: אַף too
              suffix-pronoun: ךָ you
          Adverbial 
            PrepositionalPhrase
              Preposition
                preposition: בִּ in
              Object
                ConstructChain
                  noun: קְהַל assembly
                  Nominal
                    adjective: קְדֹשִׁים holy ones

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 {{Diagram/Display | Chapter=89|DiagramID=v-6-None }}

Grammar Notes

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Lexical Notes

Lexical Notes for this diagram

Note for v. 6

• The adjective "holy" (קָדוֹשׁ) means "belonging to the realm of the divine" (DCH). The plural "holy ones" (קְדֹשִׁים) can refer to YHWH's people (e.g., Ps 34:10) or to the heavenly beings who surround his throne (e.g., Zech 14:5; Job 5:1). The context of Ps 89 makes clear that the reference in vv. 6, 8 is to heavenly beings (cf. the parallel "heavens" in v. 6a and the phrase "sons of god >> heavenly beings" in v. 7).

Note for v. 6

• The singular noun פֶּלֶא is a collective: "wonders" (cf. Pss 77:12; 88:13; so LXX: τὰ θαυμάσιά σου; Jerome: mirabilia tua).

Note for v. 6

• "Sky" is a metonymy for "the heavenly beings who live in the sky" (cf. vv. 6b-8).

Phrase-Level

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Verbal Notes

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Note for v. 6

Verse-initial waw, when followed by a yiqtol, is often a discourse marker, signalling "text level disjunction or transition... It marks the beginning of thematic sub-units over against other thematic sub-units within a composition." This function of waw is especially clear when it occurs, as it does here, after Selah. Thus, the form וְיוֹדוּ in this verse is not a weyiqtol, but waw + yiqtol. Most translations omit the conjunction altogether (e.g., LXX, Jerome [iuxta Hebr.], NIV, NLT, ESV, CSB, NET, GNT, NJPS, HFA, NGÜ, EÜ, ZÜR, et al.). It is doubtful in these cases whether the translators read a different text, one without waw (though there are some Hebrew manuscripts that omit the waw). More likely the translations omit the conjunction for the sake of naturalness, since its function can be adequately conveyed by asyndeton (and/or by a paragraph division).

Most translations render the yiqtol verb יוֹדוּ (v. 6) as indicative "the heavens praise" (NIV, CSB, NET, cf. GNT, NLT, NJPS, LUT, HFA, NGÜ, ELB, EÜ, GNB; so LXX, Jerome [iuxta Hebr.]), but some translations render it as a jussive: "let the heavens praise!" (ESV, NRSV, cf. ZÜR). The verb-subject word supports the jussive reading. The jussive reading also makes sense in the context. Similar hymns of praise typically include some kind of imperatival summons to praise (often with the verb ידה hiphil), followed by כִּי introducing reasons for praise. Furthermore, other passages in the Psalter summon the heavenly beings to praise YHWH (e.g., Ps 29:1-2).

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