Phonology

Consonants

Definition Feature being studied	Occurrences Sections where this feature is present or absent	Clustering	Intersection	Structure
alliteration of glides (ו, י)		vv.8-11 (ו as the first letter of each verse, also concentration of name יהוה)	beginning of waw section (v.8a); beginning of yod section (v.18a)	Gives cohesion to vv.8-11; aperture (vv.8a; 18a); see acrostic structure.
gutturals (א, ה, ח, ע)	אוֹדֶ֣ה... אֲ֜סַפְּרָ֗ה... אֶשְׂמְחָ֣ה וְאֶעֶלְצָ֣ה בָ֑ךְ אֲזַמְּרָ֖ה...עֶלְיֽוֹן׃ (vv.2-3); אוֹיְבַ֥י אָח֑וֹר (v.4a); לְעוֹלָ֥ם וָעֶֽד (v.6b); בָ֜עַמִּ֗ים עֲלִֽילוֹתָֽיו (v.12b); חָֽנְנֵ֬נִי...רְאֵ֣ה עָ֭נְיִי מִשֹּׂנְאָ֑י (v.14a); לָ֭נֶצַח יִשָּׁכַ֣ח (v.19a); אַל־יָעֹ֣ז אֱנ֑וֹשׁ (v.20)	א (vv.2-4a)	beginning of psalm (vv.2-3); beginning of ח strophe (v.14a)	Gives cohesion to first section (vv.2-3); aperture (v.2a [א], v.14a [ח]); anadoplosis (vv.2-4a); see acrostic structure.
alliteration of sibilants (ז, ס, צ, שׂ, שׁ)	עָ֭שִׂיתָ מִשְׁפָּטִ֣י // יָשַׁ֥בְתָּ לְ֜כִסֵּ֗א שׁוֹפֵ֥ט צֶֽדֶק׃ (v.5ab); זַמְּר֗וּ ...יֹשֵׁ֣ב צִיּ֑וֹן (v.12a); בְּשַׁ֣חַת עָשׂ֑וּ // בְּרֶֽשֶׁת־ז֥וּ (v.16ab); מִשְׁפָּ֪ט עָ֫שָׂ֥ה // נוֹקֵ֣שׁ רָשָׁ֑ע (v.17ab); יָשׁ֣וּבוּ רְשָׁעִ֣ים לִשְׁא֑וֹלָה (v.18a)	שׁ/שׂ (vv.17-18, 8x); ז (vv.11b-13a, x3): עָזַ֖בְתָּ, זַמְּר֗וּ, זָכָ֑ר	beginning of section (v.12 [ז])	Gives cohesion to lines (vv.12a, 18a) and verses (vv.5, 16, 17); aperture (v.12 [ז]); smooths over break (הִגָּי֥וֹן סֶֽלָה) between v.17 and v.18 (overlap structure [anadiplosis]); see acrostic structure.
alliteration of liquids (ל/ר)	נִלְכְּדָ֥ה רַגְלָֽם (v.16b); לֹ֣א לָ֭נֶצַח (v.19b)
alliteration of nasals (מ/ם, נ/ן)	שְׁמָ֥ם מָ֜חִ֗יתָ לְעוֹלָ֥ם (v.6b); יָדִ֥ין לְ֜אֻמִּ֗ים בְּמֵישָׁרִֽים (v.9b); זַמְּר֗וּ // בָ֜עַמִּ֗ים / דָּ֭מִים (vv.12-13); חָֽנְנֵ֬נִי ... עָ֭נְיִי מִשֹּׂנְאָ֑י // מְ֜רוֹמְמִ֗י מִשַּׁ֥עֲרֵי מָֽוֶת׃ / לְמַ֥עַן (v.14ab-15a); טָ֜מָ֗נוּ נִלְכְּדָ֥ה רַגְלָֽם (v.16b)	vv.12-14		Gives cohesion to lines, verses (v.14), and strophes (vv.12-13; 14-15); dense alliteration may give prominence to v.14
word beginning with ט	טָבְע֣וּ // טָ֜מָ֗נוּ (v.16ab)	v.16	ט strophe (vv.16-17)	Gives cohesion to v.16; aperture (v.16a, טָבְע֣וּ), see acrostic structure.
alliteration of dentals (דּ/ד, תּ/ת, ט [also with ז and צ])	תָ מִשְׁפָּטִ֣י וְדִי // יָשַׁ֥בְתָּ ...שׁוֹפֵ֥ט צֶֽדֶק׃ (v.5ab); נָתַ֑שְׁתָּ אָבַ֖ד זִכְרָ֣ם (v.7b); יִשְׁפֹּֽט־תֵּבֵ֥ל בְּצֶ֑דֶק // יָדִ֥ין (v.9ab); לְעִתּ֥וֹת בַּצָּרָֽה (v.10b); דֹרֵ֣שׁ דָּ֭מִים אוֹתָ֣ם זָכָ֑ר (v.13a); תִּקְוַ֥ת...תֹּאבַ֥ד לָעַֽד (v.19b)	dentals cluster in vv.5-7 (around where one might expect a דּ strophe)		Gives cohesion to lines and verses (vv.5, 9); aperture (v.16a, טָבְע֣וּ), see acrostic structure.
alliteration of velars (כּ/כ, גּ/ג, ק)	גָּעַ֣רְתָּ ג֭וֹיִם (v.6a); מִשְׂגָּ֣ב לַדָּ֑ךְ // מִ֜שְׂגָּ֗ב (v.10ab); שָׁ֜כַ֗ח צַעֲקַ֥ת (v.13b); נִלְכְּדָ֥ה רַגְלָֽם (v.16b); כָּל־גּ֜וֹיִ֗ם שְׁכֵחֵ֥י (v.18b)		beginning of third strophe (v.6a, גּ); beginning of final strophe (v.20a, ק)	Gives cohesion to lines and verses; marks aperture (v.6a [גּ]), see acrostic structure. The final strophe, which one might have expected to begin with כְּ based on the partial acrostic structure, instead begins with ק ("essentially different" though similar to כְּ;^[1] in the LXX, כּ/כ is usually represented by a velar fricative [χ] and ק by a velar stop [κ]).
alliteration of labials (בּ/ב, פ/פּ/ף)	בְּכָל־לִבִּ֑י (v.2a); אֲ֜סַפְּרָ֗ה ...נִפְ (v.2b); בְּשׁוּב־אוֹיְבַ֥י (v.4a); בְּצֶ֑דֶק//בְּמֵישָׁרִֽים (v.9ab); ְיִבְטְח֣וּ בְ֭ךָ (v.11a); בְּשַֽׁעֲרֵ֥י בַת־צִיּ֑וֹן (v.15b); בְּשַׁ֣חַת//בְּרֶֽשֶׁת (v.16ab); בְּפֹ֣עַל כַּ֭פָּיו (v.17a)	vv.4-5 (בְּ strophe, where the cluster of labials is denser than any other strophe [8x])	beginning of second strophe (v.4a, בְּ)	Gives cohesion to lines, verses (vv.2, 9, 16), and strophes (vv.4-5); aperture (v.4a, בְּשׁוּב־אוֹיְבַ֥י), see acrostic structure.

vv.2-3. "In this first strophe of the Psalm... the alphabetical form is carried out in the fullest possible way: we have four lines, each of which begins with א."^[2] "The impact of this concatenation of א's is striking both aurally and visually–the beginning of this poem is underscored by means of consonance, with the five successive א's providing a pattern of shape to the opening lines of the poem... Here in the opening verses of Ps 9/10, the successive alephs seem to focus attention on the psalmist's heart-felt, exuberant praise for Yahweh... Not only does each of the five words begin with א, but each word also ends with the letter ה... In Ps. 9:2-3 this double poetic device appears to emphasize not only the beginning of the poem but also to emphasize the heart-felt praise for Yahweh's glory.."^[3]

This feature is considered relevant for this psalm.,

Sound combinations

Definition Feature being studied	Occurrences Sections where this feature is present or absent	Clustering	Intersection	Connections	Structure
ל + ע + ת	לעתות (v.10b), עלילותיו (v.12b)
ע + ג (the letter ע may be "a rattled, guttural g, cf. e.g. עַזָּה, LXX Γάζα, עֲמֹרָה Γόμορρα")^[4] [see notes on Ps. 8:8-9).	גָּעַ֣רְתָּ ג֭וֹיִם // לְעוֹלָ֥ם וָעֶֽד (v.6ab); וְעָרִ֥ים / גָּעַ֣רְתּ (vv.6a, 7b); מִ֜שְׂגָּ֗ב לְעִתּ֥וֹת (v.10b); הַגִּ֥ידוּ בָ֜עַמִּ֗ים עֲלִֽילוֹתָֽיו (v.12b); טָבְע֣וּ ג֭וֹיִם ...עָשׂ֑וּ (v.16a); ג֜וֹיִ֗ם עַל (v.20b); יֵדְע֥וּ גוֹיִ֑ם (v.21b)

,

Patterns in beginnings

vv.2-3. lines beginning with א
vv.6a,7b. lines beginning with ער/גער
vv.8-11. verses beginning with ו
v.16ab. words beginning with ט,

Patterns in endings

vv.2b-3a. lines ending in ךְ/ךָ
vv. 5-7. words ending in תָּ
vv.12-13. words ending in ים
v.15ac. lines ending in ךָ
vv.18-19. words ending in ים,

Similar sounds in adjacent lines

Section 1

Section 2

Section 3

Section 4

Section 5

Section 6

Section 7

Section 8

Section 9

Section 10

vv.1-2a. לַבֵּ֗ן (v.1) - לִבִּ֑י (v.2a)

Section 1 (vv.2-3)

vv.2-3. אוֹדֶ֣ה // אֲ֜סַפְּרָ֗ה / אֶשְׂמְחָ֣ה וְאֶעֶלְצָ֣ה // אֲזַמְּרָ֖ה
v.2ab. כָל // כָּל
v.3ab. אֶשְׂמְחָ֣ה // אֲזַמְּרָ֖ה שִׁמְךָ֣ (sibilant [ש/ז] + nasal [מ])
v.3ab. וְאֶעֶלְצָ֣ה // עֶלְיֽוֹן (repetition of עֶל)

Section 2 (vv.4-5)

vv.4-5. alliteration of ב/פ
v.4ab. אוֹיְבַ֥י // וְ֜יֹאבְד֗וּ
v.4ab. assonance: בְּשׁוּב־אוֹיְבַ֥י אָח֑וֹר // יִכָּשְׁל֥וּ וְ֜יֹאבְד֗וּ (u-class vowels)
v.5ab. alliteration: עָ֭שִׂיתָ מִשְׁפָּטִ֣י וְדִינִ֑י // יָשַׁ֥בְתָּ לְ֜כִסֵּ֗א שׁוֹפֵ֥ט צֶֽדֶק׃ (sibilants + dentals)

Section 3 (vv.6-7)

v.6ab. גָּעַ֣רְתָּ ג֭וֹיִם // לְעוֹלָ֥ם וָעֶֽד׃ (alliteration of ג/ע)
v.6ab. רָשָׁ֑ע // שְׁמָ֥ם (repetition of שׁ, anadiplosis)

Section 4 (vv.8-9)

v.8a – v.9b (abc//abc, inclusio): a וַֽ֭יהוָה b לְעוֹלָ֣ם c יֵשֵׁ֑ב // a' יָדִ֥ין b' לְ֝אֻמִּ֗ים c' בְּמֵישָׁרִֽים. The connection between a and a' is especially striking if יהוה is pronounced אדני.
v.8ab. לְעוֹלָ֣ם // לַמִּשְׁפָּ֣ט (repetition of ל prep.)
vv.8b-9a. לַמִּשְׁפָּ֣ט / יִשְׁפֹּֽט
vv.9b-10a. words ending with long i-vowel (hireq-yod)

Section 5 (vv.10-11)

v.10ab. מִשְׂגָּ֣ב לַדָּ֑ךְ // מִ֜שְׂגָּ֗ב לְעִתּ֥וֹת
v.11ab. יוֹדְעֵ֣י שְׁמֶ֑ךָ // עָזַ֖בְתָּ דֹרְשֶׁ֣יךָ (alliteration of ע, ד/ז, שׁ, ךָ)

Section 6 (vv.12-13)

vv.12-13. זַמְּר֗וּ / זָכָ֑ר
vv.12-13a. זַמְּר֗וּ // בָ֜עַמִּ֗ים / דָּ֭מִים (double m)

Section 7 (vv.14-15)

vv.14-15a. חָֽנְנֵ֬נִי... עָ֭נְיִי מִשֹּׂנְאָ֑י // מְ֜רוֹמְמִ֗י מִשַּׁ֥עֲרֵי מָֽוֶת׃ / לְמַ֥עַן (alliteration of nasals)
v.15ac. תְּהִלָּ֫תֶ֥יךָ // בִּישׁוּעָתֶֽךָ
v.15bc. בְּשַֽׁעֲרֵ֥י // בִּישׁוּעָתֶֽךָ

Section 8 (vv.16-17)

v.16ab. טָבְע֣וּ // טָ֜מָ֗נוּ / מִשְׁפָּ֪ט (repetition of ט)
v.16ab. בְּשַׁ֣חַת עָשׂ֑וּ // בְּרֶֽשֶׁת־ז֥וּ
- "The morphological/inflected forms of the two words בְּשַׁ֣חַת and בְּרֶֽשֶׁת, both beginning and ending the same phonemically, hint at equivalence of meaning in the internal world of this poem."^[5]
v.17ab. נ֤וֹדַ֙ע // נוֹקֵ֣שׁ
v.17ab. מִשְׁפָּ֪ט עָ֫שָׂ֥ה // נוֹקֵ֣שׁ רָשָׁ֑ע

Section 9 (vv.18-19)

v.18ab. יָשׁ֣וּבוּ רְשָׁעִ֣ים לִשְׁא֑וֹלָה // שְׁכֵחֵ֥י (repetition of שׁ)
v.18ab. לִשְׁא֑וֹלָה // אֱלֹהִֽים (repetition of אל)
v.18ab. רְשָׁעִ֣ים // גּ֜וֹיִ֗ם ... אֱלֹהִֽים׃ (repetition of ים ending)
vv.18b-19a. שְׁכֵחֵ֥י // יִשָּׁכַ֣ח

Section 10 (vv.20-21)

v.20ab. אַל // עַל
v.20ab. אֱנ֑וֹשׁ // יִשָּׁפְט֥וּ (repetition of שׁ, anadiplosis, cf. v.6ab)
v.21ac. ָ֫לָ֫הֶ֥ם // הֵ֣מָּה,

Other observations

Rhythm and Line Length
The following table shows the length of each line in terms of syllables, words, and stress units.

Ref	Syllables	Words	Stress Units
2a	8	4	3
2b	10	3	2
3a	8	3	3
3b	8	3	3
4a	7	3	2
4b	12	3	3
5a	10	4	3
5b	9/10	4	4
6a	10	4	4
6b	10	4	4
7a	11	4	4
7b	6	2	2
7c	6	3	3
8a	8	3	3
8b	7	3	3
9a	8/9	4	3
9b	9	3	3
10a	8	4	4
10b	8	3	3
11a	12	4	4
11b	11	5	4
12a	10	4	4
12b	10	3	3
13a	9	5	4
13b	9	4	3
14a	5/6	2	2
14b	8	3	3
14c	8-10	3	3
15a	12/13	4	3
15b	6/7	3	2
15c	8	2	2
16a	9/10	4	4
16b	11/12	5	4
17a	8	4	4
17b	8/9	4	4
(17c)	(5)	(2)	(2)
18a	9	3	3
18b	9	4	3
19a	9/10	5	5
19b	9	4	4
20a	9	5	4
20b	10	4	3
21a	8	4	4
21b	5	2	2
21c	4(6)	2(3)	2(3)

Average number of syllables per line (including higgayon selah and selah; following Fokkelman's method [pp.15-16]): 378/44 = 8.59
Average number of words per line: 195 / 44 = 4.43 (including higgayon selah and selah)
Average number of stress-units per line: 142–145 / 44 = 3.25–3.29 (second numbers including higgayon selah and selah)
All of the lines marked for shortness of length (6 [or less] syllables are found within tricola (7b, 14a, 15b, 21b)

↑ GKC, 6m.
↑ Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Psalms, trans. Francis Bolton, vol. 1, 3 vols., Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament 19 (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1952).
↑ Les D. Maloney, A Word Fitly Spoken: Poetic Artistry in the First Four Acrostics of the Hebrew Psalter, Vol. 119 in Studies in Biblical Literature (New York: Peter Lang Publishing, 2009), 25-27.
↑ GKC, 6e.
↑ Les D. Maloney, A Word Fitly Spoken: Poetic Artistry in the First Four Acrostics of the Hebrew Psalter, Vol. 119 in Studies in Biblical Literature (New York: Peter Lang Publishing, 2009), 31.

[1] GKC, 6m.

[2] Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Psalms, trans. Francis Bolton, vol. 1, 3 vols., Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament 19 (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1952).

[3] Les D. Maloney, A Word Fitly Spoken: Poetic Artistry in the First Four Acrostics of the Hebrew Psalter, Vol. 119 in Studies in Biblical Literature (New York: Peter Lang Publishing, 2009), 25-27.

[4] GKC, 6e.

[5] Les D. Maloney, A Word Fitly Spoken: Poetic Artistry in the First Four Acrostics of the Hebrew Psalter, Vol. 119 in Studies in Biblical Literature (New York: Peter Lang Publishing, 2009), 31.

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Psalm 9/Phonology

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