Psalm 89/Notes/Grammar.v. 48.714468

• The syntax of v. 48 is difficult, and multiple translations have a note saying, "Meaning of Heb uncertain" (NRSV, NJPS). The Masoretic Text appears to say, literally, "Remember—I—what lifespan" (cf. footnote in ELB). Interpreters have tried to make sense of this line in a number of ways.
  • Most translations say something like, "Remember how short my life is" (NJPS, cf. NIV, NLT, KJV, ESV, NRSV, REB, GNT, NET, LUT, HFA; cf. LXX: "Remember what my substance is" [trans. NETS]; Ibn Ezra paraphrases the verse as "Remember what I am and what my lifespan is" —זכר מה אני ומה חלדי; see v. 48 alternative 1 diagram). This translation appears to assume a grammatical analysis in which אֲנִי מֶה חָלֶד is a clause functioning as the object of the verb "remember." In this clause, the subject is מֶה and the predicate complement is חָלֶד: "what a lifespan is" The pronoun אֲנִי is left-dislocated, and the resumptive pronoun has been elided: "I, what is [my] lifespan" (cf. GKC §135f). (One medieval Hebrew manuscript even adds the pronoun: חלדי; see Kennicott 386). There is a clause in 2 Kgs 9:25b that is similar in some respects to this analysis: "Remember how you and I were riding together in chariots" (כִּֽי־זְכֹ֞ר אֲנִ֣י וָאַ֗תָּה אֵ֣ת רֹכְבִ֤ים צְמָדִים֙) (cf. Barthélemy 2005, 633). Another explanation of the grammar that arrives at the same end result is that "אֲנִי מֶה־חָלֶד stands for מַה־חֶלֶד אָנִי—according to the sense equivalent to מֶה־חָדֵל אָנִי, 39:5" (Keil and Delitzsch 1996, 590).
  • Some translations interpret the pronoun אֲנִי ("I") as the object of the verb "remember:" "Remember me...!" (ELB, NGÜ; cf. Aquila: μνήσθητι ἐμου; Jerome [iuxta Hebr.]: memento mei; Peshitta: ܐܬܕܟܪܝܢܝ; see v. 48 alternative 2 diagram). But this would not be the expected function of אֲנִי, as an independent personal pronoun. When it accompanies a direct object, the suffix is never absent (see, e.g., בָּרֲכֵ֥נִי גַם־אָ֖נִי [Gen 27:34]; הֲצ֥וֹם צַמְתֻּ֖נִי אָֽנִי [Zech 7:5]; גַּם־אֲנִ֣י יִקְרֵ֔נִי [Eccl 2:15], etc.). More simply, we would expect זָכְרֵנִי for "Remember me."
  • Some translations emend אֲנִי ("I") to אֲדֹנָי ("Lord"): "Remember, O Lord, what the measure of life is" (RSV, cf. ZÜR; so GKC §135f, see v. 48 preferred diagram). The reading אֲדֹנָי is conjectural; it is not attested by any witness. It is easy to see, however, how it might have been the earlier reading. According to this view, a scribe, early on in the history of the text, accidentally copied (or perhaps abbreviated?) אדני as אני, omitting the dalet. If this view is correct, then the beginning of v. 48 parallels the beginning of v. 51: זְכֹר אֲדֹנָי. It thus fits well in the poetic context. It also makes the most sense in the semantic context, since, in this verse and the next, the psalmist appears to be talking about humanity in general and not about himself in particular.
  • Some translations read מֵחָלֶד ("from life" or "from world") instead of מֶה חָלֶד ("what lifespan"). Several medieval Hebrew manuscripts support this reading (see Kennicott 386). Several of the ancient translations also support this reading. E.g., Aquila: "Remember me out of the [declining] present world" (μνήσθητι ἐμου ἐκ καταδύσεως̣ [Ra 1098]; see also Quinta); Jerome (iuxta Hebr.): "Remember me from the depths" (memento mei de profunda); Peshitta: "Remember me from the pit" (ܐܬܕܟܪܝܢܝ ܡܢ ܚܦܪܐ) (Taylor 2020, 372–3); Targum: "Remember that I was created from the dust" (אדכר די אנא אתבריתי מן עפרא)" (Stec 2004, 170). The Targum's interpretation is especially noteworthy; it appears to assume the analysis, "Remember [that] I am from the world," i.e., "I am mortal" (see v. 48 alternative 3 diagram). The same phrase (מֵחֶלֶד) occurs in Ps 17:14, perhaps with a similar meaning: מִמְתִים מֵחֶלֶד ("men of the world," i.e., "mortal men").
  • Some interpreters emend the text to read "Remember, Lord, how transient I am" (= זְכֹר אֲדֹנָי מֶה חָדֵל אָנִי) (e.g., Baethgen 1904, 279; see v. 48 alternative 4 diagram). See Ps 39:5—אֵ֝דְעָ֗ה מֶה־חָדֵ֥ל אָֽנִי.