Psalm 92/Notes

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V. 1 (Method:Grammar)

v. 1 – The alternative construct chain is represented by the genitive found in the LXX (Ψαλμὸς ᾠδῆς "A psalm of a song"), Symmachus (ᾆσμα ψαλμοῦ "a song of a psalm," from Syro-Hex. ܙܡܝܪܬܐ ܕܡܙܡܘܪܐ), and Jerome, both Gall. and Hebr. (Psalmus cantici "a psalm of a song"), which does not seem to be followed, however, by modern translations.

Targum Psalm's conjunction (שבחא ושירא) has not been represented as an alternative, though it is followed by the DHH ("Salmo y cántico para el sábado").

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vv. 2-4 (Method:Grammar)

vv. 2-4 – Though not reflected in the MT, the LXX distinguishes between the pairs of infinitives in vv. 2-3. In the former, they are the subject of the complement טוֹב, while in the latter, they are read as the purpose of the praise in v. 2. The difficulties arise, therefore, with the meaning of the PPs in v. 4.

LXX (vv. 2-4): Ἀγαθὸν τὸ ἐξομολογεῖσθαι τῷ κυρίῳ καὶ ψάλλειν τῷ ὀνόματί σου, ὕψιστε, τοῦ ἀναγγέλλειν τὸ πρωὶ τὸ ἔλεός σου καὶ τὴν ἀλήθειάν σου κατὰ νύκτα ἐν δεκαχόρδῳ ψαλτηρίῳ μετʼ ᾠδῆς ἐν κιθάρᾳ.

"It is good to acknowledge the Lord and to make music to your name, O Most High, in order to declare your mercy in the morning and your truth every night on a ten-stringed harp, with an ode on a lyre" (NETS)

Note that the Syr. provides a full sentence (without elision) for this verse: ܐܢܐ ܐܩܘܫ ܒܟܢܪܐ ܕܥܣܪ ܘܐܩܘܫ ܒܩܝܬܪܐ ("I will play on a harp of ten strings; I will play on a lyre"; Taylor 2020, 383).

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vv. 2-4 (Method:Lexical Semantics)

v. 2 – Note that, rather than a qualitative judgment, this use of טוֹב refers to a "state in which events are well-performed, morally and ethically correct" (SDBH).

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V. 3 (Phrasal)

  • While the combination in the morning (בַּבֹּקֶר) and at night (בַּלֵּילוֹת) may simply refer to "all the time," it is notable that the morning is a time for deliverance and hope in the Psalms (Pss 5:4; 30:6; 46:6; 59:17; 90:14), while night is a time of trial and testing of faith (Pss 6:7; 30:6; 91:5).[1] The prepositional phrase indicates a point in time, rather than a frequentative reading, as every night.[2]

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V. 3 (Verbal)

  • See the following note from phrase-level: Note the frequentative reading in the LXX's κατὰ νύκτα "every night," rendered in the Gallican Psalter as the time frame per noctem "by night," though in the Iuxta Hebraeos as in nocte "in the night," as our preferred reading. (By extension, the action would be repeated every morning/night, even if the בְּ does not license a frequentative reading overtly, like the Greek κατά).

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V. 5 (Method:Grammar)

v. 5 – There is significant variation between the singular and plural interpretation of both פעלך and מעשׂי/ה.

Beginning with פעלך, since it is a pausal form (Revell 2004), it is most plausible that the plural readings have crept in because of the long vowel. See, e.g., the Syr. ܒܥܒ̈ܕܝܟ "your works," as well as the plene yod פעליך in many medieval Hebrew manuscripts (see VTH, 388), including the Babylonian manuscripts Neubauer 2484; BL Or 1477 and JTS 631. The preferred singular is attested in the LXX's ἐν τῷ ποιήματί σου, Jerome's in opere tuo, and TgPs's בעובדך.

On the מעשה/מעשי interchange, the he (and thus singular) is attested in the Syr. ܒܥܒܕ "work", as well as 1Q10, 4Q84, the majority of the attested Babylonian tradition (Berlin QU 680; JTS 611; JTS 631; Neubauer 2484; and BL Or 1477), and a number of other medieval manuscripts (VTH, 388). It could be posited, however, that the yod found in the Tiberian MT is assimilated to the following yod in יָדֶ֣יךָ, such that the diversely-attested and less-expected reading מַעֲשֵׂה has been preferred.

Note also that

  • there is a strong tendency in the tradition to change the singular to plural (see, e.g., 11Q5, which does this systematically throughout the psalter), and
  • the plural מַעֲשֶׂ֣יךָ in v. 6 may also have influenced the reading of the plural here.

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V. 5 (Phrasal)

  • The causal בְּ is ambiguous between the stimulus causing the psalmist to rejoice in something else, or the object of his rejoicing itself.[3] The latter is to be preferred in light of the following verse.

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V. 5 (Verbal)

  • שִׂמַּחְתַּ֣נִי ("you have made me rejoice"): The ancient versions are predictably rigid here: see the LXX's aorist ὅτι εὔφρανάς με; Jerome's perfect quoniam laetificasti me; TgPs' suffix-conjugation אחדיתני; and the Peshitta's ܚܕܝܬܢܝ. Modern European versions vary between a present ("For you make me glad by your deeds," NIV; cf. GNT, Luther2017, SG21, TOB) and present perfect ("For you, O Lord, have made me happy by your work," NET; cf. CSB, CEB, DHH, ELB, ESV, EÜ, KJV, NASB, NJPS, RVC, ZÜR), the latter of which is suitable for our analysis. The past simple (especially followed by a future in the following clause, such as the ISV's "Because you made me glad with your awesome deeds, Lord, I will sing for joy at the works of your hands"), is a dispreferred minority.
  • אֲרַנֵּֽן ("I rejoice"): The ancient versions are predictably rigid here: see the LXX's future ἀγαλλιάσομαι; Jerome's future laudabo; TgPs' prefix-conjugation אביע; and the Peshitta's ܐܫܬܒܚ. Modern European versions vary between present (CEB, CJB, DHH, ELB, ESV, GNT, Luther 2017, NIV, NJPS, RVC, SG21, TOB, ZÜR) and future (CSB, EÜ, ISV, KJV, NASB, NET).

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V. 6 (Method:Grammar)

v. 6 – The exclamative מָה ("How...!") could be considered elided in the second clause, as read by the CEB: How magnificent are your works, Lord, how profound your thoughts! (cf. the DHH, EÜ, NIV, ZÜR). A second overt מָה is not attested in any Hebrew manuscripts or ancient versions and has not been represented as an alternative in light of the constituent order of the second clause (which is not verb-initial, which would be expected with an elided constituent such as an exclamative marker governing the entire clause; see Miller 2007).

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V. 6 (Verbal)

  • Both qatal verbs in the present verse (גָּדְלוּ and עָמְקוּ) have been interpreted as statives, [be] great and [be] deep.[4]

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V. 7 (Method:Grammar)

v. 7 – The elision of the object in the first clause has been included in light of the tight parallelism between the two lines. In both cases אֶת־זֹֽאת has been understood as cataphoric, i.e., forward pointing. (Note that the LXX takes the liberty of rendering plural ταῦτα "these things," cf. the Gallican Psalter's haec). For the elision of אֶת־זֹֽאת see Ḥakham's (1979, 181) paraphrase of the verse: איש בער וכסיל לא ידע את זאת ולא יבין את זאת.

The construct dependent בַּ֭עַר has been offered alternatively as an adjective (as the ancient versions). The attestation of this lexeme as a noun is quite well-supported, however, by other texts. See the nominal function of בַּעַר most clearly in Ps. 49.11 (כִּ֤י יִרְאֶ֨ה׀ חֲכָ֘מִ֤ים יָמ֗וּתוּ יַ֤חַד כְּסִ֣יל וָבַ֣עַר יֹאבֵ֑דוּ); quite plausibly in Ps 73.22 (וַאֲנִי־בַ֭עַר) and Prov. 12.1 (אֹהֵ֣ב מ֖וּסָר אֹ֣הֵֽב דָּ֑עַת וְשֹׂנֵ֖א תוֹכַ֣חַת בָּֽעַר). Prov. 30.2 (כִּ֤י בַ֣עַר אָנֹכִ֣י מֵאִ֑ישׁ), however, seems to favor a predicative adjectival reading, while Ps 94:8 draws upon the ptc. בֹּעֲרִ֣ים, rather than, presumably, an available mpl nominal form.

Note that 4Q84 reads איש בער ולא ידע "a man is stupid and/so that he does not know."

GKC (§136a) notes that the primary distinction between proximal and distal ("near" and "far") demonstratives is that the proximal demonstrative “almost always points out a (new) person or thing present, while הוּא (like is, ille, αὐτός, ἐκεῖνος) refers to a person or thing already mentioned or known.” Nevertheless, a clear-cut semantic distinction between proximal and distal demonstratives is elusive, so the boundaries on their respective discourse functions is equally fuzzy in this regard. There is typological evidence, however, for a prototypical anaphoric/cataphoric division between proximal and distal demonstrative, as in "I can’t believe he said that" vs. "I’ll tell you this: it’s going to be tough" (Næss et al. (2020, 7-8)); cf. זֶ֥ה הַדָּבָ֖ר אֲשֶׁ֣ר תַּעֲשׂ֑וּ (2 Chr 23:4; "This is what you will do…"); וְזֶ֥ה אֲשֶׁר־יִקְרָא־לָ֖הּ יְהוָ֥ה׀ צִדְקֵֽנוּ (Jer 33:16; "This is what it shall be called: the Lord is our righteousness").

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V. 7 (Phrasal)

  • In the construct chain אִֽישׁ־בַּ֭עַר, although בַּעַר is rendered an an adjective/participle in all the ancient version, it is unambiguously a noun, as shown by its syntactic role in its other instantiations (see Ps 49:11; 73:22; 92:7; Prov 12:1; 30:2).

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V. 7 (Verbal)

  • Modern European versions attest to our preferred present reading of לֹא יֵדָע, i.e., do not know (CEB, CSB, KJV, NASB, NET, NIV, RVC, SG21, TOB, etc.), though the ESV ("The stupid man cannot know; the fool cannot understand this"; cf. the GNT, NJPS, the EÜ's "ein Tor kann es nicht verstehen" and the DHH's "¡Sólo los necios no pueden entenderlo!") provide explicit modality of possibility. While a plausible reading of the morphology (yiqtol), such an interpretation does not seem to be the most appropriate for the psalm's message, viz., that the fools are largely grouped with the wicked and will suffer the same destruction after being lured into the same godless lifestyle. It is not that they cannot know, but simply that they do not know (or perhaps do not even want to know).[5]

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V. 8 (Verbal)

  • The exegetical issue, The Syntax of Ps 92:8, contains in depth discussion of the interpretation of the verbs of this verse, which we understand to communicate general truths, rather than a past and completed event.[6]

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Vv. 8-9 (Method:Lexical Semantics)

  • For a note on פרח and צוץ, see v. 14.
  • צוץ:

Psalm 092 - Tsats.jpg

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Vv. 8-9 (Phrasal)

  • There are two possible interpretations of the phrase עֲדֵי־עַֽד:
1. As an older form of the preposition עַד "until" followed by the nominal עַד, "eternity, perpetuity" (see Hebr. usque in sempiternum and TgPs עד עלמא; cf. also the form עֲדֵי for the preposition in Num 24:20; Ps 104:23; 147:6; Job 7:4; Job 20:5).
2. As an intensive construct chain of the nominal עַד, "eternity, perpetuity" (see the LXX's εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τοῦ αἰῶνος = in saeculum saeculi and the Peshitta's ܠܥܠܡ ܥܠܡܝܢ), that is, "to eternity of eternity" or "forever and ever."
The proposed construct chain is only attested in this form, though עַד as a noun is everywhere else the dependent of either a construct phrase or prepositional phrase. It is uncertain why a plural construct form would be employed for a noun otherwise only attested in the singular, and there is no manuscript variation or evidence of any lack of yod on עֲדֵי. In light of the other attestations of עֲדֵי as a by-form of the preposition עַד, the interpretation of עֲדֵי as a prepositional phrase has been preferred.[7]

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V. 8a (Method:Grammar)

v. 8a – The second infinitival clause representing the verb צוץ in Symmachus' ܘܟܕ ܡܗ̈ܒܒܝܢ ("and when they flourish") is insightful for the intended meaning (see the [issue]), but is unlikely a morphological variant, and has thus not been included as a valid alternative. See also the attempt in Hebr. to level the syntax of the two clauses with two finite verbs (germinaverunt impii quasi faenum et floruerunt omnes qui operantur iniquitatem ut contererentur usque in sempiternum), which cannot be derived textually from בִּפְרֹ֤חַ.

For the elided subject, see also Job 27:14: ø אִם־יִרְבּ֣וּ בָנָ֣יו לְמוֹ־חָ֑רֶב "If his children are multiplied, it is for the sword" (ESV); cf. Saadia's פאנה (Kafaḥ 1966, 213) >> זאֹת הָֽיְתָה (Delitzsch 1877, 68) "this was/is"; Ḥakham's (1979, 181) משׁמעות תאור הפעלה ... זוֹ "the sense of the description of the action... this"; Rashi, however, considers a nominal form of "their flourishing" to be the subject (שהפרחת' אינה אלא להשמידם).

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V. 9 (Method:Grammar)

v. 9 – The status of מָר֗וֹם has been interpreted either as a divine epithet (≈ exalted one)[8] or as an adverbial (preferred)[9]. The lexicons recognize both functions of מָר֗וֹם as "high, meaning lofty" (HALOT) and "height> divine title, "Exalted One" (DCH). The ancient versions, likewise, exhibit the same diversity.[10]

In light of the similar constructions found in 2 Kgs 19:22 (= Isa 37:23), Isa 40:26, and other instances with the verb שׁכן, "to dwell," we have favored the adverbial reading of the nominal here.

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V. 10 (Verbal)

  • We have preferred to read the yiqtol verbs in this verse as future, which is supported by all of the ancient versions (with a particularly eschatological slant in the case of Targum Psalms).[11]

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V. 10a (Method:Grammar)

v. 10a – Note that the first line, backwards elided according to the MT, is absent in Vaticanus and Alexandrinus. See further Rahlfs' apparatus (1931, 242).

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V. 10bc (Method:Grammar)

v. 10b-c – The waw is present in all the ancient versions, Kennicott 38, 42(?), 73, and JTS 611 (read with a shewa in the latter).

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V. 11 (Method:Grammar)

One solution (see Ibn Ezra; Ḥakham (1979, 182); Hupfeld (1862 28-29); Radak; Tate (1998, 462-463)) is to understand קַרְנִ֑י as elided and בַּ֝לֹּתִ֗י can therefore be read as transitive. The primary issue here is the rarity of object gapping (O'Connor 1980, 404-405), and where it is attested, it is backwards gapping, so the syntax becomes slightly questionable.

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V. 11 (Verbal)

  • Scholarship has also struggled with the verbal forms of both this verse and v. 12.[12] Nevertheless, we understand the wayyiqtol וַתָּרֶם at the beginning of this verse to carry on the tense-aspect-modality values of the preceding finite verb, which in this case is the future yiqtols of v. 10: and you will lift up. Support for this interpretation is found in v. 12b, which reverts back to a future yiqtol (see below).

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V. 11a (Method:Grammar)

v. 11a – This alternative involves reading קַרְנִ֑י as the subject of a 3fs verb (as the LXX's ὑψωθήσεται and both of Jerome's translations – exaltabitur), rather than the object of a 2ms verb (as indicated in the pointing of both Eastern and Western Syriac texts and the conjugation of Targum Psalms' וזקיפתא).

The middle-passive reading of the European translations would require the qal תָּרֹם/תָּרוּם, where the Tiberian evidence is unambiguously intended as a hiphil (see L, A and Sassoon), with Kennicott 173 even containing the mater yod: ותרים (see also the ketiv/qere in Ps 89:18 for the same issue). For the sake of parsimony, we have offered the revocalized תָּרֹם as an alternative.

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V. 11b (Method:Grammar)

Many interpretations of the MT treat בַּ֝לֹּתִ֗י as the 1cs of בלל. This reading is difficult, however, since qal בלל is always transitive elsewhere, so the passive of the CSB, CEB, KJV, NASB, NJPS, NET, REB, SG21 and TOB is problematic.

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V. 11b (Method:Grammar)

v. 11b – The preferred reading of v. 11b involves revocalizing בַּ֝לֹּתִ֗י as an infinitive construct, בְּלֹתִי, from בלה, "my old age" (BDB), as found in the LXX, Symmachus and both of Jerome's translations. The emended prepositional phrase, as found in Symmachus, is also preferred over the MT's בְּ, in light of the similes found elsewhere (see, e.g., Ps 52:10), the previous line, and the easy בְּ/כְּ interchange (cf. Aquila's ὡς ἀτμὸν for the MT's בַּהֶ֥בֶל in Ps 78:33; the LXX and Syr.' ἐν τῇ γῇ and ܒܐܪܥܐ for the MT's כְּ֝אֶ֗רֶץ in Ps 78:69; and TgPss' היך בנפשיה for בְּנַפְשׁ֑וֹ in Ps 105:22). Due to the fragmentary nature of Symmachus (ἡ παλαίωσίς μου ὡς ἐλαία εὐθαλής), it may be read as a verbless clause (requiring also the revocalization of the infinitive—see above—and the emendation of בְּ with כְּ). We have followed this verbless clause as our preferred syntax. Furthermore, we have preferred to read רַעֲנָֽן as the adjectival complement of the copula, "to be," rather than modifying שֶׁמֶן, which never occurs elsewhere in the Bible. For a full discussion of the issue, see the exegetical issue The_Grammar_and_Meaning_of_Ps_92:11b.

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V. 11b (Method:Grammar)

Another alternative is the emendation of the 2ms with 1cs suffix, found in both Targum Psalms' רביתא יתי and the Syr. ܘܨܒܥܬܢܝ ('you have anointed me'), followed by the German and Spanish translations. While attractive, there is no Hebrew manuscript evidence for such a reading, so it is probably contextually derived.

Again, for a fuller discussion of this line, see the [issue].

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V. 11b (Method:Grammar)

The verbal phrase of the previous line (וַתָּ֣רֶם) has been understood as elided by the LXX (καὶ τὸ γῆράς μου ἐν ἐλαίῳ πίονι) and both of Jerome's translations (Gall.: et senectus mea in misericordia uberi; Iuxta Heb.: et senecta mea in oleo uberi), with "my old age" as the object. The difficulties here are semantic, however, as "raising up = bestowing strength" is always accompanied by קֶרֶן.

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V. 11b (Method:Lexical Semantics)

  • The MT's בַּ֝לֹּתִ֗י has been glossed as "be anointed," despite בלל never occurring intransitively. For further discussion, see the exegetical issue The Grammar and Meaning of Ps 92:11b.
  • On the combination of שֶׁמֶן with רַעֲנָן, Goldingay notes that "it implies a metonymy or ellipse: it is as if Yhwh applied to this exhausted person the oil from a green olive tree and brought refreshment."[13]

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V. 11b (Phrasal)

  • Although read as an attribute adjective, if שֶׁמֶן רַעֲנָֽן were a construct phrase, it would be possible to read it as "oil which renews the beauty of a person and gives him a fresh look" (שׁמן המחדשׁ את יפיו של האדם ומשׁוה לו מראה רענן).[14]

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V. 12 (Method:Lexical Semantics)

  • On the singular "eye" for "sight >> (both) eyes" see the lexical notes on Ps 88:10.
  • On בְּשׁוּרָי: There are three different analyses of the form and meaning of בְּשׁוּרָי:
1. It is derived from the nominal שׁוּר meaning "wall" (cf. Gen. 49.22, 2 Sam. 22.30; Ps 18.30). This is probably reflected by both Symmachus' and Theodotion's τοῖς ἀποτειχνίζουσί με ('to wall off'; LSJ) = "those who wall me in."
2. It is an otherwise-unattested by-form of the participle שׁוֹרֵר.[15] This reading is attested in
• And my eye has looked at my enemies (NASB) ≈ CEB, CEV, CSB, GNT, KJV NIV, NLT, NRSV
• Mit Freude sieht mein Auge auf meine Feinde herab (Luther 2017 ≈ ELB)
• Mes yeux voient mes adversaires (NFC ≈ PDV)
• Mis ojos mirarán sobre mis enemigos (RVA ≈ DHH).
This view is attractive because of the very similar expression found in Ps 59:11: אֱ֝לֹהִ֗ים יַרְאֵ֥נִי בְשֹׁרְרָֽי.
It is found in a number of the ancient versions, perhaps all dependent on the LXX, however (LXX: τοῖς ἐχθροῖς μου > Gall. inimicis meis, CPA ܒܥܝܠ ܕܒܒܝ; Syr. ܒ̈ܥܠܕܒܒܝ ("my enemies").
A couple of cognates are also widely recognized. See Akkadian šāru, a substantive adjective hostile > n. enemy[16] and šwr from the Old Canaanite qal širti (1cs) 'to be maligned.'[17]
3. It is an instance of the root שׁוּר , most prototypically as "look, see," but also "watch stealthily, lie in wait" (BDB, 1003) and "watch with evil intent, lurk" (DCH, vol. 8, 311). See, e.g.,
• Mon œil voit ceux qui m’espionnent (SG21 ≈ TOB)
• I gloat in triumph over those who tried to ambush me (NET)
• mein Auge blickt herab auf meine Verfolger (EÜ)
• Mit Lust blickt mein Auge auf die, die mich belauern (ZÜR)
• those who lie in wait for me (AMPC)
• those waiting to attack me (ERV)
• those who spy on me (GW):::• those who lie in wait for me (ISV)
• those who spy on me (NOG).
Such an interpretation is reflected in the Hebr. eos qui insidiantur mihi ("those who lie in wait / ambush me") and TgPss בהובדנא דמעיקי ("the destruction of my oppressors").[18]
Despite a number of clear instance of the prototypical "look" in Job (see 7:8; 17:15; 20:9; 24:15; 33:14; 34:29; 35:5, 13, 14), Ringren comments "The LXX does not translate šûr I consistently. In more than one instance it uses prosnoeín and horán; other translations include periblépein, katamanthánein, horatḗs, and makarízein (Nu. 24:17!). In the uncertain passages the LXX either read a different text or misunderstood the text."[19] The hesitation by the LXX––and those translations dependent on it (see above)––is therefore not surprising.
For other instances of this (albeit rare) nuance of the root, see Jeremiah 5:26 כִּי־נִמְצְא֥וּ בְעַמִּ֖י רְשָׁעִ֑ים יָשׁוּר֙ כְּשַׁ֣ךְ יְקוּשִׁ֔ים ("For wicked men are found among my people; they lurk like fowlers lying in wait," ESV), probably as a 3ms impersonal, and Hosea 13:7 וָאֱהִ֥י לָהֶ֖ם כְּמוֹ־שָׁ֑חַל כְּנָמֵ֖ר עַל־דֶּ֥רֶךְ אָשֽׁוּר׃ ("So I am to them like a lion; like a leopard I will lurk beside the way," ESV). Such has also been suggested for the difficult אַ֭שֻּׁרֵינוּ (MT) in Ps 17:11, if emended to יְשֻׁרוּנִי (DCH), though see our grammar notes on this verse.
This use fits well with the parallel of those rising up against me in the following line (presumably, from the ambush in which they are lurking).

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V. 12 (Phrasal)

  • Although the construction נבט plus ב (and also ראה) often communicates "looking upon someone in victory," as here in וַתַּבֵּט עֵינִי בְּשׁוּרָי, the same sense with שׁמע בְּ is rare. Here, BDB suggest a unique instance of "hear exultantly of their fate," though probably imitating the previous clause.[20] As noted by Goldingay, "The implication of 'hear' follows from that [the previous clause]; the foes can be heard crying out in panic instead of in a battle shout",[21] and Tanner & Jacobson: "Evil may rise up, but eventually one will hear something different."[22]

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V. 12 (Verbal)

  • As in v. 11 above, we understand the initial wayyiqtol וַתַּבֵּט to carry on the future event time of v. 11: "will look."[23]

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V. 12b (Method:Grammar)

v. 12b – The alternative adverbial reading of מְרֵעִ֗ים represents Targum Psalms' infinitive לאבאשא. The apposition (restrictive relative) is found in the other ancient versions, and discussed in GKC §132b.

The alternative qatal 3fs verb שמעה is found in 1Q10, presumably read with the singular ear (אָזְנִי), and in parallel with the singular עֵינִ֗י in the A-line.

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Vv. 13-15 (Verbal)

  • The yiqtol verbs throughout vv. 13-15 are best understood as future, in light of the message of the psalm and as supported by the ancient and most modern translations.[24]

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V. 14 (Method:Grammar)

The preferred two separate clauses are found in the ESV, DHH, RVC. See the symmetry of the two locative prepositional phrases, which indicate the status of שְׁ֭תוּלִים בְּבֵ֣ית יְהוָ֑ה as an independent clause. For a similar, future referring verbless clause with both subject and copula elided, see Ps 1:4b.

For a similar shift from singular צָדִּיק to collective reference, see Job 36:7 – לֹֽא־יִגְרַ֥ע מִצַּדִּ֗יק עֵ֫ינָ֥יו וְאֶת־מְלָכִ֥ים לַכִּסֵּ֑א וַיֹּשִׁיבֵ֥ם לָ֝נֶ֗צַח וַיִּגְבָּֽהוּ (cf. Ps 78:1-4). Alternatively, for lack of a subject, TgPs provides בנוי ("his sons").

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V. 14 (Method:Grammar)

Alternative interpretations of the grammar include reading שְׁ֭תוּלִים בְּבֵ֣ית יְהוָ֑ה either as an adverbial of manner or as a subject nominal.

• The adverbial reading of שְׁ֭תוּלִים בְּבֵ֣ית יְהוָ֑ה, found in the CSB, NASB, NET, NIV, NJPS, SG21, TOB (read as a singular participle in both of these French versions) and supported by GKC §118p.

• The subject reading is provided by the Syr. headless relative clause ܕܢܨܝܒܝܢ ܒܒܝܬܗ ܕܡܪܝܐ ("those who are planted in the house of the Lord," Taylor 2020, 385) and the nominative πεφυτευμένοι in the LXX's πεφυτευμένοι ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ κυρίου (cf. also the CEB, KJV, and the German translations).

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V. 14 (Method:Lexical Semantics)

  • Both the hiphil of צוץ and פרח in v. 14 are denominal hiphils (derived from the nouns צִיץ and פֶרָח, respectively), a category of hiphils which "may be truly ambitransitive – depending on the argument structure of its clause."[25]
Note that, just as in English (flower >> flourish), the verb פרח is extended from the contextual domain of plant to human. Translations of v. 14 include:
• they flourish in the courts of our God (ESV)
• they grow in the courts of our God (NET)
• they thrive in the courts of our God (CEB)
While evidently drawn from the contextual domain of plants, most English translations move to the target domain of human flourishing in v. 14, though maintain the source domain in vv. 8 and 13 in light of the explicit similes:
• the wicked sprout like grass... The righteous bloom like a date-palm (NJPS)
  • צוץ:

Psalm 092 - Tsats.jpg

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V. 15a (Method:Grammar)

v. 15a – Note that an addition of the adjective טובה is found in 4Q84's עוד ינבון בשיבה טובה and that the LXX reads דְּשֵׁנִ֖ים as modifying בְּשֵׂיבָ֑ה (ἔτι πληθυνθήσονται ἐν γήρει πίονι), requiring the feminine singular form דְּשֵׁנָה, neither of which are present in any (other) Hebrew manuscript evidence.

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V. 15b-16 (Method:Grammar)

v. 16a – The Syr ܘܢܚܘܘܢ ܕܬܪܝܨ ܗܘ ܡܪܝܐ ܥܫܝܢܐ ܘܠܝܬ ܒܗ ܥܘܠܐ ("They will declare that the Lord is upright; he is strong, and there is no iniquity in him" Taylor 2020, 385) is best understood as a paraphrase in the case of both the finite ܘܢܚܘܘܢ for the MT's infinitive לְ֭הַגִּיד and the adj. ܘܢܚܘܘܢ for the appositive צ֝וּרִ֗י. (See also the REB's finite "They declare that the Lord is just," missing the semantic connection of purpose from the preceding clause.)

Other translations, such as the NJPS ("attesting that the LORD is upright," cf. the DHH, NIV, TOB) and Jerome's and Symmachus' participles (adnuntiantes quia rectus Dominus; ἀπαγγέλλοντες ὅτι ὀρθὸς κύριος) are also cautious with the more natural purpose reading (as the CEB's "in order to proclaim," cf. the CSB, ELB, ESV, KJV, NASB, RVA, SG21, ZÜR). The NET's result ("So they proclaim...") is also plausible. Nevertheless, in light of the לְהַגִיד inclusio with v. 3, we have preferred an impersonal reading of the infinitive (cf. Gen 33:10; Ps 42:4; 119:4; 2 Chr 35:16; see Notarius and Atkinson, forthcoming).

v. 16b – As for the qere/ketiv question (עלתה vocalized as עְָלֲתָה), the dozens of manuscripts cited in Kennicott (389) with the consonantal עולתה removes any doubt about the intended text.[26]

Despite the temptation to read as a topic-comment structure with עַוְלָתָה as the subject ("injustice is not in him"), the presentational is preferred, explicitly followed by the Peshitta's use of ܠܝܬ and לית in the Peshitta (ܘܠܝܬ ܒܗ ܥܘܠܐ; "there is no iniquity in him," Taylor 2020, 385) and Targum Psalms (לית עוולתא ‬ביה; "there is no unrighteousness in him," Stec 2004, 177). Likewise, neither the LXX nor Jerome read ἀδικία or iniquitas as the subject: although presentational copular clauses and topic-comment constructions are morphosyntactically ambiguous in Greek and Latin, the post-verbal position in both instances here points to the presentational reading. For another existential with לֹֹא (in place of the expected אֵין), see Job 29:12 (וְֽלֹא־עֹזֵ֥ר לֽוֹ).

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V. 16 (Phrasal)

  • Despite Symmachus's participle ἀπαγγέλλοντες ("declaring"), the LXX is correct to read the infinitive לְהַגִּיד as purpose τοῦ ἀναγγεῖλαι ("in order to declare").

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V. 16 (Verbal)

  • We prefer to read the infinitive לְהַגִּיד as an impersonal: in order that people declare.[27]
  • וְֽלֹא־עַוְלָ֥תָה בּֽוֹ ("and there is no injustice in him"): Although the aspect has been indicated as stative, the clause is technically non-predicational as an existential (see TgPs לית and the Syr. ܠܝܬ). For another existential with לֹֹא (in place of the expected אֵין), see Job 29:12 (וְֽלֹא־עֹזֵ֥ר לֽוֹ).

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  1. ↑ As noted by Vogel, "The light of morning symbolizes manifestation, and kindness must be manifest. The darkness of night represents fearsome hiddenness, when observation is impossible and faith alone must sustain us" (Vogel 2000, 216). Alternatively, there may be hints of the Tamid offering in the morning and evening, as discussed in the exegetical issue, The Sabbath Day in Psalm 92, though lexically we would expect and בֵּין הָעַרְבָּיִם "in the evening" (see Exod 29:39; Num 28:4), rather than בַּלֵּילֽוֹת "at night."
  2. ↑ For the latter, see the LXX's κατὰ νύκτα "every night," rendered in the Gallican Psalter as the time frame per noctem "by night," while in the Iuxta Hebraeos as in nocte "in the night," as our preferred reading.
  3. ↑ See BHRG 39(6.3b).
  4. ↑ For support for this interpretation in the first case, see TgPs' and the Peshitta's adjectives כמה רברבין עובדך and ܡܐ ܪ̈ܘܪܒܝܢ ܥܒ̈ܕܝܟ "great (contra the LXX's aorist ἐμεγαλύνθη and Jerome's magnificata sunt). Cf. also the comment by Ḥakham, פועל הנגזר מתאר, המשמש לתיאור מצב בחווה "a verb derived from an adjective, used to describe a situation in the present" (1979, 180; cf. Blau 2010, 194; Cook 2024, 122). This reading is also represented by the virtually all modern European translations. In the second case, see Symmachus' σφόδρα βαθεῖς οἱ διαλογισμοί σου "Your thoughts are very deep," as well as TgPs' and the Peshitta's adjectives, עמיקין and ܥܡܝ̈ܩܢ, as in v. 6a (See Ḥakham's comments there, who paraphrases here, מחשבותיך עמקות מאד "Your thoughts are very deep"; 1979, 180).
  5. ↑ Note that the Secunda reads ιαδαε (≈ יָדַע), a stative qatal. While differing in morphology, it may, in fact, be semantically compatible with the the present interpretation of the yiqtol adopted here.
  6. ↑ The second infinitival clause representing the verb צוץ in Symmachus' ܘܟܕ ܡܗ̈ܒܒܝܢ ("and when they flourish") is insightful for the intended meaning.
  7. ↑ Cf. Khan 2020, 104.
  8. ↑ For support of reading מָר֗וֹם as a divine epithet (Ibn Ezra; Tate 1998, 462, cf. KJV), see the מְר֥וֹם עַם־הָאָֽרֶץ in Isa 24:4 (though only מרום הארץ in 1QIsaª). One argument in favor here is the possibility of employing the polal participle (מְרוֹמַם) to disambiguate the first (preferred) interpretation.
  9. ↑ For support of the nominal adverb reading (Briggs & Briggs 1906-1907, 285; Brueggemann & Bellinger 2014, 398; Ḥakham 1979, 181; Tanner & Jacobson 2014, 703; cf. CSB, ESV, NASB, NIV), see the prepositional-less מָרוֹם in 2 Kgs 19:22 (= Isa 37:23) and Isa 40:26. For the complement of a שׁכן verb phrase, see Isa 33:5, 57:15, and the suffixed בִּמְרוֹמָֽיו in Job 25:2. See also the similar co-text of Ps 97:9 – כִּֽי־אַתָּ֤ה יְהוָ֗ה עֶלְי֥וֹן עַל־כָּל־הָאָ֑רֶץ מְאֹ֥ד נַ֝עֲלֵ֗יתָ עַל־כָּל־אֱלֹהִֽים.
  10. ↑ • σὺ δὲ ὕψιστος εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα, κύριε· (LXX; 'exalted one') = tu autem Altissimus in aeternum Domine (Gall.) = tu autem Excelsus in aeternum Domine (Hebr.; differing from the rendering of עֶלְיֽוֹן in v. 2 as 'Altissime') • ואת רמא (TgPs; adj. high) • ܘܐܢܬ ܡܪܝܐ ܡܪܝܡܐ ܠܥܠܡ (adj. high, exalted' ;CAL) • The Christian Palestinian Aramaic version alternates from the emphatic form ܡܪܘܡܡܐ for עֶלְיֽוֹן in v. 2 to the absolute ܡܪܘܡܡ here, though both nominal.
  11. ↑ TgPs of the second line reads ארום הא בעלי דבבך יהובדון לעלמא דאתי ("for behold, your enemies shall perish for the world to come," Stec 2004, 176). Modern European versions agree with the future reading (CSB, DHH, ELB, ESV, EÜ, GNT, KJV, Luther 2017, NASB, NIV, RVC, TOB, ZÜR), with a small minority rendering the yiqtols as present (CEB, NET, NJPS, SG21).
  12. ↑ Cook, for example, considers vv. 11-12 to be among "15 cases [in the psalms]" in which "wayyiqtol does not 'follow' anything (in terms of temporal succession) but introduces an independent past event" (2012, 301)––though it is not clear why these wayyiqtols do not, in fact, follow the clauses in the previous verse. The preferred reading does simply provide a continuation of the previous verse's yiqtols, and thus the future (as read in the LXX's ὑψωθήσεται and Jerome's exaltabitur "will be lifted up"). Because of the expected future sense, GKC (§67ee) claims the text is corrupt (cf. Briggs & Briggs [1906-1907, 286]: "make the vb. future as the context demands"), while ms JTS 631 does indeed provide a weyiqtol. The past reading is found in the CEB, CJB, CSB, ESV, GNT, NASB, NIV, TOB, ZÜR; but the future (preferred) in the ELB, KJV and RVC. (The DHH, EÜ, Luther 2017, NET, NJPS and SG21 provide an English present, though the DHH and NJPS revert to a future in v. 12's wayyiqtol.)
  13. ↑ Goldingay 2008, 59.
  14. ↑ Ḥakham 1979, 182.
  15. ↑ So Ḥakham 1979, 181; cf. Gesenius' Handwörterbuch 2013, 1337.
  16. ↑ CAL vol. 17, 132-133.
  17. ↑ Hoftijzer & Jongeling 1995, 1118.
  18. ↑ Stec 2004, 176.
  19. ↑ TDOT, vol. 14, 544.
  20. ↑ BDB, 1033.
  21. ↑ Goldingay 2006, 59; cf. Briggs & Briggs 1906-7, 285; Bratcher & Reyburn 1991, 812.
  22. ↑ Tanner & Jacobson 2014, 704.
  23. ↑ For support, see Symmachus and Theodotion's καὶ ἐπόψεται ὁ ὀφθαλμός μου "and my eye will look." Modern European translations include past reference (CEB, CJB, ESV, GNT, NASB, NIV), present (CSB, EÜ Luther2017, NET, SG21, TOB, ZÜR) and future (preferred) (DHH, ELB, NJPS, KJV, RVC; cf. the observation of Briggs & Briggs [1906-1907, 286], that "the context demands simple ו").
  24. ↑ The habitual interpretation been followed by (the present forms in) the CSB, DHH, ESV, EÜ, NET, NJPS, SG21, TOB and ZÜR, though the majority follow the future interpretation preferred here.".
  25. ↑ Garr, forthcoming.
  26. ↑ On the form עַוְלָתָה: The waw appears to have merged with a vocalic long "o" on occasion, as Isa 61:8's בְּעוֹלָ֑ה for עַוְלָה and only וְ֝עֹלָ֗תָה in Job 5:16 (as the ketiv here, but without any qere; see also the plural עוֹלֹ֪ת in Pss 58:3; 64:7). On the presence of תָה–֫ with "the loss of the tone on the final syllable" as "an old accusative of direction or intention," see the discussion in GKC §90g (cf. צָרָ֫תָה in Ps 120:1; עֵיפָ֫תָה in Job 10:22 and עֶזְרָ֫תָה in Ps 44:7). For other instances with the vocalization of our preferred reading, see Ezek 28:15; Hos 10:13 and Ps 125:3.
  27. ↑ A small number of translations provide an independent clause for this verse. The Syr., for example, reads ܘܢܚܘܘܢ ܕܬܪܝܨ ܗܘ ܡܪܝܐ ܥܫܝܢܐ ܘܠܝܬ ܒܗ ܥܘܠܐ ("They will declare that the Lord is upright; he is strong, and there is no iniquity in him" Taylor 2020, 385), and the REB: "They declare that the Lord is just." Other translations, such as the NJPS ("attesting that the LORD is upright," cf. the DHH, NIV, TOB) and Jerome's and Symmachus' participles (adnuntiantes quia rectus Dominus; ἀπαγγέλλοντες ὅτι ὀρθὸς κύριος) are also cautious with the more natural purpose reading (as the CEB's "in order to proclaim," cf. the CSB, ELB, ESV, KJV, NASB, RVA, SG21, ZÜR). The NET's result ("So they proclaim...") is also plausible. Nevertheless, in light of the לְהַגִיד inclusio with v. 3, we have preferred an impersonal reading of the infinitive (cf. Gen 33:10; Ps 42:4; 119:4; 2 Chr 35:16; see Notarius and Atkinson, forthcoming).
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