Psalm 9/Particles

Particles

Negative markers

• v.11b. לֹֽא־עָזַ֖בְתָּ
• v.13b. לֹֽא־שָׁ֝כַ֗ח
• v.19b. לֹ֣א לָ֭נֶצַח יִשָּׁכַ֣ח
• v.20a. אַל־יָעֹ֣ז

The four negative clauses happen to form a kind of chiasm: a לֹֽא־עָזַ֖ b לֹֽא־שָׁ֝כַ֗ח b' לֹ֣א...יִשָּׁכַ֣ח a' אַל־יָעֹ֣ז,

Independent personal pronouns

• v.7c. הֵמָּה
• v.9a. וְה֗וּא
• v.21c. הֵמָּה

There is a clear connection between v.7c and v.21c. Both end with the pronoun הֵמָּה and thus conclude a tricolon and a stanza (epiphora). This feature argues strongly for the MT line division. The 3ms personal pronoun (הוּא) in v.9a, with its antecedent in v.8a (יהוה), binds v.9 to v.8 (cohesion).,

Prepositions

2a	בְּכָל־לִבִּ֑י
2b
3a	בָ֑ךְ
3b
4a	בְּשׁוּב־אוֹיְבַ֥י
4b		מִפָּנֶֽיךָ
5a
5b			לְ֝כִסֵּ֗א
6a
6b			לְעוֹלָ֥ם
7a			לָ֫נֶ֥צַח
7b
7c
8a			לְעוֹלָ֣ם
8b			לַמִּשְׁפָּ֣ט
9a	בְּצֶ֑דֶק
9b	בְּמֵישָׁרִֽים
10a			לַדָּ֑ךְ
10b	בַּצָּרָֽה		לְעִתּ֥וֹת
11a	בְ֭ךָ
11b
12a			לַ֭יהוָה
12b	בָ֝עַמִּ֗ים
13a
13b
14a
14b		מִשֹּׂנְאָ֑י
14c		מִשַּׁ֥עֲרֵי מָֽוֶת
15a
15b	בְּשַֽׁעֲרֵ֥י בַת־צִיּ֑וֹן
15c	בִּישׁוּעָתֶֽךָ
16a	בְּשַׁ֣חַת
16b	בְּרֶֽשֶׁת
17a
17b	בְּפֹ֣עַל כַּ֭פָּיו
18a			לִשְׁא֑וֹלָה
18b
19a			לָ֭נֶצַח
19b			לָעַֽד
20a
20b				עַל־פָּנֶֽיךָ
21a
21b
21c

• Parallelisms: ל//ל (vv.8ab, 10ab, 19ab); ב//ב (vv.9ab, 16ab); ל//ב (v.12ab); מ//מ (v.14bc)
• vv.5-8. Cluster of ל prepositions.
• vv.15-16. Cluster of בּ prepositions, בְּשַֽׁעֲרֵ֥י (v.15b), בִּישׁוּעָתֶֽךָ (v.15c), בְּשַׁ֣חַת (v.16a), בְּרֶֽשֶׁת (v.16b); note repetition of בּ + שׁ sounds. This feature give cohesion to vv.15-16 (note also the cluster of feminine nouns) and smooths over the break between these strophes, forming an overlap structure (anadiplosis).
• vv.18-19. Cluster of ל prepositions, gives cohesion to this strophe (vv.18-19).,

Waw/Vav

The conjunction waw occurs 9x in this psalm, exclusively in the first half of the psalm (vv.2-11). This feature gives cohesion to vv.2-11, where waw occurs in every verse except the first (v.2), and to vv.12-21, where waw does not occur at all. In almost every case, waw creates continuity. In v.8a (ויהוה, disjunctive waw), the conjunction indicates a contrast (discontinuity) and signals the onset of a new stanza (vv.8-11), in which each verse (vv.8, 9, 10, 11) begins with waw (see acrostic structure).

Coordinating Words/Phrases within a Line

• v.3a: אֶשְׂמְחָ֣ה וְאֶעֶלְצָ֣ה
• v.4b: יִכָּשְׁל֥וּ וְ֝יֹאבְד֗וּ
• v.5a: מִשְׁפָּטִ֣י וְדִינִ֑י
• v.6b: לְעוֹלָ֥ם וָעֶֽד

Coordinating Lines

• v.7a --(waw + noun [וְעָרִ֥ים)--> v.7b

Coordinating Units (Bicola) within a Section

• v.8 --(waw + pronoun [וְה֗וּא)--> v.9
• v.9 --(waw + jussive [וִ֘יהִ֤י)--> v.10
• v.10 --(waw + yiqtol/jussive [וְיִבְטְח֣וּ)--> v.11

Coordinating Stanzas

• vv.4-7--(waw + noun = disjunctive waw [וַֽ֭יהוָה])--> vv.8-11,

Other particles

• v.5 (כִּי). Consequence (v.4) – action (v.5). David's enemies will turn, stumble, and perish (v.4), because Yahweh has enacted judgment (v.5). Gives cohesion to strophe (vv.4-5).
• v.11b (כִּי). Exhortation (v.11a) – reason (v.11b). They should trust in Yahweh (v.11a), because he has not forsaken those who seek him (v.11b). Gives cohesion to verse (v.11).
• v.13 (כִּי). Exhortation (v.12ab) – reason (v.13). Praise Yahweh (v.12ab), because he remembers (v.13a) and does not forget (v.13b) the lowly. Gives cohesion to strophe (vv.12-13).
• v.15 (לְמַעַן). Petition (v.14) – reason/purpose (v.15). Rescue me, so that I may praise you (v.15). Gives cohesion to strophe (vv.14-15).
• v.19 (כִּי). Consequence (v.4) – fact (v.5). The wicked will return to Sheol (v.18), because the poor will not remain abandoned (v.19). Gives cohesion to strophe (vv.18-19).,

Other

• v.16b. The demonstrative זוּ is used "somewhat frequently in poetic language to introduce both dependent and independent relative clauses.