Psalm 92 Speech Act

From Psalms: Layer by Layer
Psalm 92/Speech Act
Jump to: navigation, search
  Choose a Psalm  Navigate Psalm 92


Speech Act Analysis

  What is Speech Act Analysis?

Summary Visual

Speaker Verses Macro Speech Acts Addressee
Psalmist v. 1 A psalm. A song for the Sabbath day.
Reminder
(vv. 2–6)
 YHWH
v. 2 It is right to praise YHWH and [it is right] to sing praise to your name, Most High. YHWH really is praiseworthy
v. 3 [It is right] to declare your loyalty in the morning and [it is right to declare] your faithfulness at night.
Because
His works are great and his plans are deep! (v. 6)
v. 4 [It is right to praise YHWH] with a ten-stringed instrument and with a harp, with a soft melody on a lyre.
v. 5 For you have made me rejoice, YHWH, by your action; In the work of your hands I rejoice.
v. 6 How great are your works, YHWH! Your plans are so deep.
v. 7 Stupid people do not know [this] and fools do not understand this:
Report
(vv. 7–9)
v. 8 when wicked people flourish like a green plant and any evildoers prosper, [this is] for them to be destroyed forever, Foolish people do not even understand that the wicked will be destroyed forever
v. 9 but you are on high forever, YHWH.
But
You are on high forever! (v. 9)
v. 10 For look, your enemies, YHWH— for look, your enemies will perish; all evildoers will be scattered,
Assertion
(vv. 10–12)
v. 11 and you will lift up my horn like a wild ox, my old age [will be] fresh like oil, I will have victory and flourish
v. 12 and my eyes will look upon my enemies; my ears will hear those who rise up against me, wicked people.
Because
My enemies are your enemies, YHWH (v. 10), and look what awaits them! (v. 12)
v. 13 The righteous will flourish like a palm tree; like a cedar tree in Lebanon he will grow.
Assertion
(vv. 13–16)
 The Righteous
v. 14 [They will be] transplanted in the house of YHWH; in the courtyards of our God they will flourish. Indeed, all the righteous will have victory and flourish into old age
v. 15 They will still thrive in old age; they will be vigorous and fresh
By
faithfully clinging to proper worship (v. 14)
v. 16 in order that people declare that YHWH, my rock, is fair and there is no injustice in him.
In order
to declare that YHWH is just (v. 16)



Speech Act Chart

The following chart is scrollable (left/right; up/down).

  Legend

Verse Text (Hebrew) Text (CBC) The Close-but-clear translation (CBC) exists to provide a window into the Hebrew text according to how we understand its syntax and word-to-phrase-level semantics. It is not intended to be used as a stand-alone translation or base text, but as a supplement to Layer-by-Layer materials to help users make full use of these resources. Sentence type Illocution (general) Illocution with context Macro speech act Intended perlocution (Think) Intended perlocution (Feel) Intended perlocution (Do) Speech Act Notes
1 מִזְמ֥וֹר שִׁ֗יר לְי֣וֹם הַשַּׁבָּֽת׃ A psalm. A song for the Sabbath day. Fragment Assertive Providing information about liturgy and underying theme of the psalm. On the contribution of "the Sabbath day," see the story behind table and the exegetical issue.
2 ט֗וֹב It is right Declarative Assertive Reminding that YHWH is praiseworthy. Reminding that YHWH is praiseworthy. Reminding that YHWH is praiseworthy. • The righteous will be sure YHWH is praiseworthy. • The righteous will praise YHWH. Note that, although the righteous are only the explicit addressee in vv. 13-16 (licensed by the third person suffix in "my rock" [v. 16] but second person references to YHWH elsewhere; see participant analysis), the intended perlocutionary effect is no doubt directed towards the righteous throughout the entire psalm. Since the didactic peak of the psalm falls on the last verse, that the righteous themselves will declare that YHWH is fair and there is no injustice in him (forming a poetic inclusio with the generalized לְהַגִּיד of v. 3), the content of the entire psalm is best construed as encouraging the righteous to this conclusion, for their confidence to praise YHWH now, even if they do not see the depth of YHWH's plans (v. 6) or the wicked punished just yet (v. 8).
2 לְהֹד֥וֹת לַיהוָ֑ה to praise YHWH
2 וּלְזַמֵּ֖ר לְשִׁמְךָ֣ עֶלְיֽוֹן׃ and [it is right] to sing praise to your name, Most High.
3 לְהַגִּ֣יד בַּבֹּ֣קֶר חַסְֽדֶּ֑ךָ [It is right] to declare your loyalty in the morning Declarative Assertive Reminding that YHWH's loyalty and faithfulness are worth our attention.
3 וֶ֝אֱמֽוּנָתְךָ֗ בַּלֵּילֽוֹת׃ and [it is right to declare] your faithfulness at night.
4 עֲֽלֵי־עָ֭שׂוֹר וַעֲלֵי־נָ֑בֶל עֲלֵ֖י הִגָּי֣וֹן בְּכִנּֽוֹר׃ [It is right to praise YHWH] with a ten-stringed instrument and with a harp, with a soft melody on a lyre. Declarative Assertive Reminding that YHWH is worthy of any and every form of praise.
5 כִּ֤י שִׂמַּחְתַּ֣נִי יְהוָ֣ה בְּפָעֳלֶ֑ךָ For you have made me rejoice, YHWH, by your action; Declarative Assertive Explaining why he feels the need to praise YHWH. Explaining why YHWH is praiseworthy. • YHWH will stay faithful to his works and character.
• The righteous will also praise YHWH for his works and character.
5 *בְּֽמַעֲשֵׂה* יָדֶ֣יךָ אֲרַנֵּֽן׃ In the work of your hands I rejoice. Declarative Expressive Praising YHWH for his work.
6 מַה־גָּדְל֣וּ מַעֲשֶׂ֣יךָ יְהוָ֑ה How great are your works, YHWH! Declarative Expressive Praising YHWH for how great his work is. • The righteous will be sure that YHWH's ways are great. • The righteous will contemplate YHWH's works and plans.
6 מְ֝אֹ֗ד עָמְק֥וּ מַחְשְׁבֹתֶֽיךָ׃ Your plans are so deep. Declarative Expressive Praising YHWH for how deep his plans are. • The righteous will be sure that YHWH's plans are deep.
7 אִֽישׁ־בַּ֭עַר לֹ֣א יֵדָ֑ע Stupid people do not know [this] Declarative Assertive Reporting the shortsightedness of foolish people. Reporting the short-sightedness of foolish people. Reporting the short-sightedness of foolish people. • The righteous will conclude that
– these people described are, indeed, fools.
– the destruction of the wicked is certain.
– YHWH's rule is just and eternal.
 • The righteous will feel
– disgust towards those who do not know this
– confidence that the wicked will be destroyed.
– trust in YHWH's justice.
 • The righteous will trust in YHWH's eternal justice.
• The righteous will praise YHWH's works.
7 וּ֝כְסִ֗יל לֹא־יָבִ֥ין אֶת־זֹֽאת׃ and fools do not understand this:
8 בִּפְרֹ֤חַ רְשָׁעִ֨ים ׀ כְּמ֥וֹ עֵ֗שֶׂב when wicked people flourish like a green plant
8 וַ֭יָּצִיצוּ כָּל־פֹּ֣עֲלֵי אָ֑וֶן and any evildoers prosper,
8 לְהִשָּֽׁמְדָ֥ם עֲדֵי־עַֽד׃ [this is] for them to be destroyed forever,
9 וְאַתָּ֥ה מָר֗וֹם לְעֹלָ֥ם יְהוָֽה׃ but you are on high forever, YHWH.
10 כִּ֤י הִנֵּ֪ה אֹיְבֶ֡יךָ ׀ יְֽהוָ֗ה For look, your enemies, YHWH— Declarative Expressive Congratulating YHWH on the downfall of his enemies. Congratulating YHWH on the downfall of his enemies. Asserting his own future flourishing. • YHWH will know the psalmist is confident in YHWH's victory. • The righteous will feel confident in YHWH's sovereignty. • YHWH will continue to destroy the wicked.
10 כִּֽי־הִנֵּ֣ה אֹיְבֶ֣יךָ יֹאבֵ֑דוּ for look, your enemies will perish;
10 יִ֝תְפָּרְד֗וּ כָּל־פֹּ֥עֲלֵי אָֽוֶן׃ all evildoers will be scattered, Declarative Expressive Congratulating YHWH on the downfall of his enemies.
11 וַתָּ֣רֶם כִּרְאֵ֣ים קַרְנִ֑י and you will lift up my horn like a wild ox, Declarative Assertive Asserting his own future restoration. Asserting his own future flourishing. • YHWH will know the psalmist is confident in his own victory. • The righteous will feel confident in the psalmist's future flourishing. • YHWH will bestow health and status upon the psalmist.
11 *בְּלּתִי* *כְּ*שֶׁ֣מֶן רַעֲנָֽן׃ my old age [will be] fresh like oil, Declarative Assertive Asserting his own future flourishing. • YHWH will keep the psalmist safe and flourishing even into old age.
12 וַתַּבֵּ֥ט עֵינִ֗י בְּשׁ֫וּרָ֥י and my eyes will look upon my enemies; Declarative Assertive Asserting his own future victory. • YHWH will give the psalmist victory.
12 בַּקָּמִ֖ים עָלַ֥י מְרֵעִ֗ים תִּשְׁמַ֥עְנָה אָזְנָֽי׃ my ears will hear those who rise up against me, wicked people. Declarative Assertive Asserting his own future victory. • YHWH will not let the psalmist be caught out by his enemies.
13 צַ֭דִּיק כַּתָּמָ֣ר יִפְרָ֑ח The righteous will flourish like a palm tree; Declarative Assertive Explaining the extent of the flourishing of the righteous. Explaining the extent and the means of the flourishing of the righteous. Asserting the future flourishing of the righteous. • The righteous will feel confident in their own future flourishing. • YHWH will cause the righteous to flourish.
13 כְּאֶ֖רֶז בַּלְּבָנ֣וֹן יִשְׂגֶּֽה׃ like a cedar tree in Lebanon he will grow. Declarative Assertive Explaining the extent of the flourishing of the righteous.
14 שְׁ֭תוּלִים בְּבֵ֣ית יְהוָ֑ה [They will be] transplanted in the house of YHWH; Declarative Assertive Explaining the means of the flourishing of the righteous. • The righteous will think that the house of YHWH is the source of flourishing. • The righteous will seek YHWH in proper worship.
14 בְּחַצְר֖וֹת אֱלֹהֵ֣ינוּ יַפְרִֽיחוּ׃ in the courtyards of our God they will flourish. Declarative Assertive Explaining the means of the flourishing of the righteous.
15 ע֭וֹד יְנוּב֣וּן בְּשֵׂיבָ֑ה They will still thrive in old age; Declarative Assertive Asserting the future flourishing of the righteous. Asserting the future flourishing of the righteous. • YHWH will keep the righteous safe and flourishing even into old age.
15 דְּשֵׁנִ֖ים וְרַֽעֲנַנִּ֣ים יִהְיֽוּ׃ they will be vigorous and fresh Declarative Assertive Asserting the future flourishing of the righteous. • The community will think YHWH is just. • The community will feel confident that YHWH is just. • The community will declare that YHWH is just.
16 לְ֭הַגִּיד in order that people declare
16 כִּֽי־יָשָׁ֣ר יְהוָ֑ה צ֝וּרִ֗י that YHWH, my rock, is fair
16 וְֽלֹא־עַוְלָ֥תָה בּֽוֹ׃ and there is no injustice in him.