Psalm 89/Diagrams/Placeholders/13

v. 13 - Preferred

(Preferred, but not confirmed); edit diagram

SimpleGrammar
DiscourseUnit [v. 13]
    Fragment
      Clause
        Subject
          pronoun: אַתָּה you
        Predicate
          verb: בְרָאתָ created
          Object
            Apposition
              suffix-pronoun: ם them
              Nominal
                noun: צָפוֹן north
                Conjunction
                  conjunction: וְ and
                Nominal
                  ConstructChain
                    noun: יָמִין south
    Fragment
      Clause
        Subject
          noun: תָּבוֹר Tabor
          Conjunction
            conjunction: וְ and
          noun: חֶרְמוֹן Hermon
        Predicate
          verb: יְרַנֵּנוּ rejoice
          Adverbial
            PrepositionalPhrase
              Preposition
                preposition: בְּ at
              Object
                ConstructChain <gloss="your name">
                  noun: שִׁמְ name
                  suffix-pronoun: ךָ you

Diagram Code

 DiscourseUnit [v. 13]
    Fragment
      Clause
        Subject
          pronoun: אַתָּה you
        Predicate
          verb: בְרָאתָ created
          Object
            Apposition
              suffix-pronoun: ם them
              Nominal
                noun: צָפוֹן north
                Conjunction
                  conjunction: וְ and
                Nominal
                  ConstructChain
                    noun: יָמִין south
    Fragment
      Clause
        Subject
          noun: תָּבוֹר Tabor
          Conjunction
            conjunction: וְ and
          noun: חֶרְמוֹן Hermon
        Predicate
          verb: יְרַנֵּנוּ rejoice
          Adverbial
            PrepositionalPhrase
              Preposition
                preposition: בְּ at
              Object
                ConstructChain <gloss="your name">
                  noun: שִׁמְ name
                  suffix-pronoun: ךָ you

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 {{Diagram/Display | Chapter=89|DiagramID=v-13-None }}

Grammar Notes

Grammar Notes for this diagram

Note for v. 13

The pronominal suffix "them" (ם) resumes the left-dislocated nouns צָפוֹן וְיָמִין (cf. BHRG §36.1.5.2(c)).

Lexical Notes

Lexical Notes for this diagram

Note for v. 13

Hermon is a "mountain and mountain range stretching from southern Syria to northern Palestine" (DCH; cf. Röllig 1999, 411-412), also called שִׂיאֹן (Deut 4:48), שִׂרְיֹן (Deut 3:9), and שְׂנִיר (Deut 3:9). It was associated with divine activity (cf. 1 Enoch 6:5; 2 Enoch 18:4) and with the storm god Baal in particular (cf. "Baal of Hermon" in Jdg 3:3; 1 Chr 5:23).
"Tabor is the name of a mountain in Lower Galilee" (Mussies 1999, 827; cf. Jdg 4:6, 12, 14; 8:18; Josh 19:22; Jer 46:18; Hos 5:1). Mount Tabor, like Hermon, might have also been associated with the worship of foreign gods (cf. Hos 5:1; Frankel 1992, 305).
Whereas people worshiped gods other than YHWH on Hermon and Tabor, Ps 89:13b says that these mountains "rejoice in your name," i.e., the mountains recognize YHWH as their creator and Lord and gladly accept his rule.
In light of the mythological mountains mentioned in the b-line, it is tempting to understand the words צפון and ימין in the a-line as referring to mountains as well (rather than simply "north and south," so most English translations). Zaphon (צפון), the Hebrew word for "north," is also the name of a mountain north of Israel, "the sacred mountain of the storm god Baal" (Roth 1992, 1040; cf. COS 1.98: "Temple of Baal-Zaphon"). In fact, it was "the cosmic mountain par excellence in Northwest-Semitic religions" (Niehr 1999, 152). Thus, "the name 'Baal-zaphon' was even transferred to further Baal-sanctuaries outside Ugarit," such as in Egypt (Niehr 1999, 152; cf. "Baal-Zaphon" in Exod 14:2; Num 33:7).
Some have identified "Yamin" (ימין) in Ps 89:13 with the mountain "Amana" (אמנה) mentioned in Song 4:8 where it is associated with Mt. Hermon (so e.g., Dahood 314)—"Come with me from Lebanon, my bride; come with me from Lebanon. Depart from the peak of Amana (אֲמָנָה), from the peak of Senir and Hermon" (Song 4:8). Dahood argues that ימן in Ps 89 is an alternative spelling for אמן. The NEB translators emend וְיָמִין to וַאֲמָנָה (see Brockington 1971, 144): "Thou didst create Zaphon and Amanus; Tabor and Hermon echo thy name" (cf. NAB).
Even if we follow the MT and read "north and south" in v. 13a, it is likely that there is also an allusion to the mountains of Zaphon and Amanus: "Behind the compass directions, especially in connection with Tabor and Hermon, lie the traditional Ugaritic mountains of the gods, Zaphon and Amanus, near the city of Ugarit" (Hossfeld and Zenger 2005, 409).

Phrase-Level

Phrasal Notes for this diagram

Note for v. 13

The bet prepositional phrase "at your name" (בְּשִׁמְךָ) is a bet of cause (Jenni 1992, 107). YHWH's name (i.e., his identity or character) is the cause, or source, of the mountains' joy, and their joy is directed towards it. This construction is normal for verbs of rejoicing (cf. Jenni 1992, 106-108; e.g., 1 Sam 2:1—עָלַץ לִבִּי בַּיהוָה). English can use various prepositions to express this relationship, e.g., "at your name" (NIV, CSB), "in your name" (NET), or "because of your name."

Verbal Notes

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Textual Notes

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