Psalm 89/Diagrams/Placeholders/16
From Psalms: Layer by Layer
v. 16 - Preferred
(Preferred, but not confirmed); edit diagram
SimpleGrammar
DiscourseUnit [v. 16]
Fragment
Vocative
noun: יְהוָה YHWH
Fragment
ConstructChain
noun: אַשְׁרֵי happiness >> happy are
Apposition
Nominal
noun: עָם people
article: הָ the
RelativeClause
RelativeParticle
particle: <status="elided">
Clause
Predicate
verb: יְהַלֵּכוּן go about
Adverbial
PrepositionalPhrase
Preposition
preposition: בְּ in
Object
ConstructChain <gloss="the light of your presence">
noun: אוֹר light
noun: פָּנֶי face >> presence
suffix-pronoun: ךָ you
Nominal
ConstructChain <gloss="who know the signal">
verb-participle: יוֹדְעֵי those knowing
noun: תְרוּעָה signal
DiscourseUnit [v. 16]
Fragment
Vocative
noun: יְהוָה YHWH
Fragment
ConstructChain
noun: אַשְׁרֵי happiness >> happy are
Apposition
Nominal
noun: עָם people
article: הָ the
RelativeClause
RelativeParticle
particle: <status="elided">
Clause
Predicate
verb: יְהַלֵּכוּן go about
Adverbial
PrepositionalPhrase
Preposition
preposition: בְּ in
Object
ConstructChain <gloss="the light of your presence">
noun: אוֹר light
noun: פָּנֶי face >> presence
suffix-pronoun: ךָ you
Nominal
ConstructChain <gloss="who know the signal">
verb-participle: יוֹדְעֵי those knowing
noun: תְרוּעָה signal
{{Diagram/Display | Chapter=89|DiagramID=v-16-None }}
Grammar Notes
Note for v. 16
- The b-line could be read as an independent clause or as an asyndetic relative clause: "they shall walk... in the light of thy countenance" (KJV; cf. LXX, Jerome, Targum, CSB, ELB, EÜ, ISV, LUT, NASB, NBS, NET, NFC, NJPS, PDV, SG21, TOB, ZÜR; see v. 16 alternative diagram) or "who walk in the light of your presence" (NIV, cf. ESV; see v. 16 preferred diagram). Our understanding of the nature of parallelism ("one thought/sentence across two lines," cf. Tsumura 2023) leads us to prefer the relative clause interpretation (cf. Ps 112:1). The ESV even continues the relative clause into the next verse: "Blessed are the people who know the festal shout, who walk, O Lord, in the light of your face, who exult in your name all the day and in your righteousness are exalted."
Lexical Notes
Note for v. 16
- The noun תּרוּעָה describes a "loud sound... used to express an emotion or to communicate something to a community" (SDBH). It could simply be an expression of joyful emotion (cf. the following verse יגילון, but the fact that it is the object of the verb "know" (ידע) suggests that it has a communicative function; it is a "signal" (cf. Symmachus: σημασίαν, "the giving a signal or command" [LSJ]), the significance of which is "known" only to YHWH's people. The תּרוּעָה probably signals "victory" (Jerome, trans. Risse) or, more specifically, YHWH's royal presence on the battlefield with his people to give them victory. This interpretation makes sense in the context: the parallel line mentions the light of YHWH's presence (v. 16b), and the following lines use military language (vv. 18-19). This interpretation also coheres well with the use of תּרוּעָה outside of this psalm. In 1 Sam 4:5-6, the people shout to signal YHWH's presence with them in battle: "As soon as the ark of the covenant of the LORD came into the camp, all Israel gave a mighty shout (תְּרוּעָה), so that the earth resounded. And when the Philistines heard the noise of the shouting (הַתְּרוּעָה), they said, 'What does this great shouting (הַתְּרוּעָה) in the camp of the Hebrews mean?'" In 1 Sam 4, only YHWH's people understand the significance of the "shout;" the Philistines do not understand. Thus, in Ps 89, "those who know the signal" is a way of referring to YHWH's people, who experience his presence with them in battle.
- Shouting (or blowing a horn) to signal YHWH's presence is probably related to the practice of hailing a king (cf. 1 Sam 10:24; Num 23:21; cf. Gesenius 2013, 1458: "Königsjubel;" so Ibn Ezra, Radak). Thus, the word is used "especially in contexts where Yahweh is acclaimed as king" (TDOT) (cf. Num 23:21; Pss 47:2, 6; 95:1; 98:4; 150:5). YHWH's kingship is clear in this context as well; the previous verse of Ps 89 mentioned YHWH's "throne" (v. 15).
Note for v. 16
- Whereas the qal verb הלך simply means "walk" or "go," in the (pluractional) piel stem it means "go about" or "walk around" (Penney 2023, 84-87). The action of "walking" is "repeated or extended in different locations" (Penney 2023, 84).
Phrase-Level
Note for v. 16
- Verse 16 is essentially one big construct chain: "The happiness of the people, those knowing the signal, who go about in the light of your presence, YHWH!" On the meaning and function of אַשְׁרֵי at the head of a construct chain, see notes on Ps 1:1.
Verbal Notes
Textual Notes
No Textual notes to display for this diagram.
Add Exegetical Note
v. 16 - Alternative
(Alternative); edit diagram
SimpleGrammar
Fragment <status="alternative">
Vocative
noun: יְהוָה
Fragment <status="alternative">
Clause
Predicate
verb: יְהַלֵּכוּן go about
Adverbial
PrepositionalPhrase
Preposition
preposition: בְּ in
Object
ConstructChain
noun: אוֹר light
noun: פָּנֶי face >> presence
suffix-pronoun: ךָ you
Fragment <status="alternative">
Vocative
noun: יְהוָה
Fragment <status="alternative">
Clause
Predicate
verb: יְהַלֵּכוּן go about
Adverbial
PrepositionalPhrase
Preposition
preposition: בְּ in
Object
ConstructChain
noun: אוֹר light
noun: פָּנֶי face >> presence
suffix-pronoun: ךָ you
{{Diagram/Display | Chapter=89|DiagramID=v-16-Alternative }}
Grammar Notes
No Grammar notes to display for this diagram.
Note for v. 16
- The b-line could be read as an independent clause or as an asyndetic relative clause: "they shall walk... in the light of thy countenance" (KJV; cf. LXX, Jerome, Targum, CSB, ELB, EÜ, ISV, LUT, NASB, NBS, NET, NFC, NJPS, PDV, SG21, TOB, ZÜR; see v. 16 alternative diagram) or "who walk in the light of your presence" (NIV, cf. ESV; see v. 16 preferred diagram). Our understanding of the nature of parallelism ("one thought/sentence across two lines," cf. Tsumura 2023) leads us to prefer the relative clause interpretation (cf. Ps 112:1). The ESV even continues the relative clause into the next verse: "Blessed are the people who know the festal shout, who walk, O Lord, in the light of your face, who exult in your name all the day and in your righteousness are exalted."
Lexical Notes
No Lexical notes to display for this diagram.
Note for v. 16
- The noun תּרוּעָה describes a "loud sound... used to express an emotion or to communicate something to a community" (SDBH). It could simply be an expression of joyful emotion (cf. the following verse יגילון, but the fact that it is the object of the verb "know" (ידע) suggests that it has a communicative function; it is a "signal" (cf. Symmachus: σημασίαν, "the giving a signal or command" [LSJ]), the significance of which is "known" only to YHWH's people. The תּרוּעָה probably signals "victory" (Jerome, trans. Risse) or, more specifically, YHWH's royal presence on the battlefield with his people to give them victory. This interpretation makes sense in the context: the parallel line mentions the light of YHWH's presence (v. 16b), and the following lines use military language (vv. 18-19). This interpretation also coheres well with the use of תּרוּעָה outside of this psalm. In 1 Sam 4:5-6, the people shout to signal YHWH's presence with them in battle: "As soon as the ark of the covenant of the LORD came into the camp, all Israel gave a mighty shout (תְּרוּעָה), so that the earth resounded. And when the Philistines heard the noise of the shouting (הַתְּרוּעָה), they said, 'What does this great shouting (הַתְּרוּעָה) in the camp of the Hebrews mean?'" In 1 Sam 4, only YHWH's people understand the significance of the "shout;" the Philistines do not understand. Thus, in Ps 89, "those who know the signal" is a way of referring to YHWH's people, who experience his presence with them in battle.
- Shouting (or blowing a horn) to signal YHWH's presence is probably related to the practice of hailing a king (cf. 1 Sam 10:24; Num 23:21; cf. Gesenius 2013, 1458: "Königsjubel;" so Ibn Ezra, Radak). Thus, the word is used "especially in contexts where Yahweh is acclaimed as king" (TDOT) (cf. Num 23:21; Pss 47:2, 6; 95:1; 98:4; 150:5). YHWH's kingship is clear in this context as well; the previous verse of Ps 89 mentioned YHWH's "throne" (v. 15).
Note for v. 16
- Whereas the qal verb הלך simply means "walk" or "go," in the (pluractional) piel stem it means "go about" or "walk around" (Penney 2023, 84-87). The action of "walking" is "repeated or extended in different locations" (Penney 2023, 84).
Phrase-Level
No Phrasal notes to display for this diagram.
Note for v. 16
- Verse 16 is essentially one big construct chain: "The happiness of the people, those knowing the signal, who go about in the light of your presence, YHWH!" On the meaning and function of אַשְׁרֵי at the head of a construct chain, see notes on Ps 1:1.
Verbal Notes
No Verbal notes to display for this diagram.
Textual Notes
No Textual notes to display for this diagram.
Add Exegetical Note