Psalm 92/Story Behind/Assumptions

Assumptions Table

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 designed to be "close" to the Hebrew, while still being "clear." Specifically, the CBC encapsulates and reflects the following layers of analysis: grammar, lexical semantics, phrase-level semantics, and verbal semantics. It does not reflect our analysis of the discourse or of poetics. 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.	Proposition	Common Ground	Local Ground	Playground
1	מִזְמ֥וֹר שִׁ֗יר לְי֣וֹם הַשַּׁבָּֽת׃	A psalm. A song for the Sabbath day.		For various proposals concerning the Sabbath, see the following: • שבחא ושירא די אמר אדם קדמאה על יומא דשבתא׃TgPss ("A psalm and a song that the first human being uttered for the sabbath day." Stec 2004, 176); cf. Midrash Tehilim. • "For a liturgical understanding it makes a difference whether this text is a prophecy by Moses about the future, to give hope, or if these are among the first words of the first human being, thus the primordial song of humanity with which, since then, we all may join in" (Boeckler 2015, 75); In the Kabbalat Shabbat, the liturgy involves the recitation of "Psalms 92 and 93, regarded as a unit, with Ps. 93 depicting the future world as a continuation of Ps. 92" (Boeckler 2015, 77) • "it deals with the world to come, which is entirely Sabbath" (Rashi); cf. Mishna Tamid 7:4: On Shabbat [the Levites] would recite the psalm beginning: “A psalm, a song for Shabbat day” (Psalms, chapter 92). This is interpreted as a psalm, a song for the future, for the day that will be entirely Shabbat and rest for everlasting life (מִזְמוֹר שִׁיר לֶעָתִיד לָבֹא, לְיוֹם שֶׁכֻּלּוֹ שַׁבָּת מְנוּחָה לְחַיֵּי הָעוֹלָמִים); see also Heb 4:9 (cf. Ps 95).
2	ט֗וֹב	It is right	It is good to praise YHWH.			• "To praise God is to say that there is nothing better than his will, nothing more satisfying than living as he has commanded, and nothing more to be desired than what he has promised." (Hamilton 2021, 174)
2	לְהֹד֥וֹת לַיהוָ֑ה	to praise YHWH
2	וּלְזַמֵּ֖ר לְשִׁמְךָ֣ עֶלְיֽוֹן׃	and [it is right] to sing praise to your name, Most High.	It is good to sing praise to YHWH's name.	• As the "Most High," YHWH is able to provide shelter for those who seek it (Ps 91:1) • Cf. Ps 97:9 – כִּֽי־אַתָּ֤ה יְהוָ֗ה עֶלְי֥וֹן עַל־כָּל־הָאָ֑רֶץ מְאֹ֥ד נַ֝עֲלֵ֗יתָ עַל־כָּל־אֱלֹהִֽים		• Any and every threat of injustice pales in comparison to YHWH's exalted and just rule.
3	לְהַגִּ֣יד בַּבֹּ֣קֶר חַסְֽדֶּ֑ךָ	[It is right] to declare your loyalty in the morning	It is good to declare YHWH's loyalty in the morning.	• The morning is a time for deliverance and hope (Pss 5:4; 30:6; 46:6; 59:17; 90:14). • "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)	• YHWH is loyal and faithful.
3	וֶ֝אֱמֽוּנָתְךָ֗ בַּלֵּילֽוֹת׃	and [it is right to declare] your faithfulness at night.	It is good to declare YHWH's faithfulness at night.	• Night is a time of trial and testing of faith (Pss 6:7; 30:6; 91:5).
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.	It is good to praise YHWH with instruments.
5	כִּ֤י שִׂמַּחְתַּ֣נִי יְהוָ֣ה בְּפָעֳלֶ֑ךָ	For you have made me rejoice, YHWH, by your action;	YHWH makes the psalmist rejoice by his action.		• The psalmist has observed YHWH's loyalty and faithfulness • In light of v. 16: כי שמחתני בדעתי כל מעשיך שהם ישרים (Ibn Ezra)	• The psalmist believes YHWH will fulfill loyalty and faithfulness for him
5	*בְּֽמַעֲשֵׂה* יָדֶ֣יךָ אֲרַנֵּֽן׃	In the work of your hands I rejoice.	The psalmist rejoices in the work of YHWH's hands.	• Creation is commonly referred to as "the work of your hands"; cf. Ps 102:26 (לְ֭פָנִים הָאָ֣רֶץ יָסַ֑דְתָּ וּֽמַעֲשֵׂ֖ה יָדֶ֣יךָ שָׁמָֽיִם), among others, which implies stability and justice in all things (see, e.g., Ps 104, especially vv. 24, 31, 35).
6	מַה־גָּדְל֣וּ מַעֲשֶׂ֣יךָ יְהוָ֑ה	How great are your works, YHWH!	YHWH's works are great.
6	מְ֝אֹ֗ד עָמְק֥וּ מַחְשְׁבֹתֶֽיךָ׃	Your plans are so deep.	YHWH's plans are deep.
7	אִֽישׁ־בַּ֭עַר לֹ֣א יֵדָ֑ע	Stupid people do not know [this]	Stupid people know.
7	וּ֝כְסִ֗יל לֹא־יָבִ֥ין אֶת־זֹֽאת׃	and fools do not understand this:	Foolish people understand.
8	בִּפְרֹ֤חַ רְשָׁעִ֨ים ׀ כְּמ֥וֹ עֵ֗שֶׂב	when wicked people flourish like a green plant	Wicked people flourish like a green plant.	• "Thus, even as the WICKED ARE GRASS is a subset of the conceptual domain PEOPLE AS PLANTS, so too is the RIGHTEOUS ARE TREES metaphor." (Tucker 2019, 368) • Cf. also Ps 90:3-6: תָּשֵׁ֣ב אֱ֭נוֹשׁ עַד־דַּכָּ֑א וַ֝תֹּ֗אמֶר שׁ֣וּבוּ בְנֵי־אָדָֽם׃ כִּ֤י אֶ֪לֶף שָׁנִ֡ים בְּֽעֵינֶ֗יךָ כְּי֣וֹם אֶ֭תְמוֹל כִּ֣י יַעֲבֹ֑ר וְאַשְׁמוּרָ֥ה בַלָּֽיְלָה׃ זְ֭רַמְתָּם שֵׁנָ֣ה יִהְי֑וּ בַּ֝בֹּ֗קֶר כֶּחָצִ֥יר יַחֲלֹֽף׃ בַּ֭בֹּקֶר יָצִ֣יץ וְחָלָ֑ף לָ֝עֶ֗רֶב יְמוֹלֵ֥ל וְיָבֵֽשׁ׃
8	וַ֭יָּצִיצוּ כָּל־פֹּ֣עֲלֵי אָ֑וֶן	and any evildoers prosper,	Evildoers prosper.	(see also Pss 37:2; 102:5, 12; 103:15-16)
8	לְהִשָּֽׁמְדָ֥ם עֲדֵי־עַֽד׃	[this is] for them to be destroyed forever,	Wicked and evildoers are destroyed forever.	• Cf. 1 Macc 9:23: Καὶ ἐγένετο μετὰ τὴν τελευτὴν Ιουδου ἐξέκυψαν οἱ ἄνομοι ἐν πᾶσιν τοῖς ὁρίοις Ισραηλ, καὶ ἀνέτειλαν πάντες οἱ ἐργαζόμενοι τὴν ἀδικίαν (And it happened after the death of Ioudas, the lawless came forth in all the regions of Israel, and all those who worked injustice arose; NETS) with the LXX of our verse: ἐν τῷ ἀνατεῖλαι τοὺς ἁμαρτωλοὺς ὡς χόρτον καὶ διέκυψαν πάντες οἱ ἐργαζόμενοι τὴν ἀνομίαν...
9	וְאַתָּ֥ה מָר֗וֹם לְעֹלָ֥ם יְהוָֽה׃	but you are on high forever, YHWH.	YHWH is on high forever.	• Cf. the brevity of Job 24:24: ר֤וֹמּוּ מְּעַ֨ט׀ וְֽאֵינֶ֗נּוּ וְֽהֻמְּכ֗וּ כַּכֹּ֥ל יִקָּפְצ֑וּן וּכְרֹ֖אשׁ שִׁבֹּ֣לֶת יִמָּֽלוּ
10	כִּ֤י הִנֵּ֪ה אֹיְבֶ֡יךָ ׀ יְֽהוָ֗ה	For look, your enemies, YHWH—		• "Thus the confession that Yahweh is “on high” invokes the very notion of an axis mundi, a place where the heavenly abode and the cosmic mountain intersect." (Tucker 2019, 373) • See also Isa 57:15 for this image as a comfort to the crushed: כִּי֩ כֹ֨ה אָמַ֜ר רָ֣ם וְנִשָּׂ֗א שֹׁכֵ֥ן עַד֙ וְקָד֣וֹשׁ שְׁמ֔וֹ מָר֥וֹם וְקָד֖וֹשׁ אֶשְׁכּ֑וֹן וְאֶת־דַּכָּא֙ וּשְׁפַל־ר֔וּחַ לְהַחֲיוֹת֙ ר֣וּחַ שְׁפָלִ֔ים וּֽלְהַחֲי֖וֹת לֵ֥ב נִדְכָּאִֽים׃; cf. also Ps 102:20-21 • "The macrostructure of Psalm 92 suggests that its quintessential thought is to be found in the generalizing message of the concluding canticles of the main parts, vv. 6–8 and 13–16: the prosperity of the wicked is only temporary, but the righteous will experience God’s blessings up to a ripe old age. This idea is characteristic of the wisdom tradition. That is to say, our composition is not a ‘psalm of thanksgiving’, nor a ‘hymn’ in the proper sense. Its framework indicates that we are dealing with a wisdom psalm (cf. Psalm 91) with a hymnic bias (note v. 9)." (van der Lugt 2014, 45); cf. "This study contends that Ps 92 is a hymnic confession on the orderliness of the world under God’s divine rule. Admittedly, the discord and disorder associated with the exile suggested that the world was anything but well ordered, yet the psalmist pushed back against any such conclusions, opting instead to put trust in a divinely ordered world." (Tucker 2019, 358-9)
10	כִּֽי־הִנֵּ֣ה אֹיְבֶ֣יךָ יֹאבֵ֑דוּ	for look, your enemies will perish;	YHWH's enemies perish.	• See, similarly, CTA IV (68) 8-9: ht ibk b'lm ht ibk tmẖṣ ht tṣmt ṣrtk ("Now your enemy, O Baal, Now your enemy will you smite, Now will you cut off your adversary," Avishur 1994, 235; alt. "Now your enemy, Baal, Now smash your enemy, Now vanquish your foe," Smith 1997, 103). • Cf. also Judg 5:31: כֵּ֠ן יֹאבְד֤וּ כָל־אוֹיְבֶ֙יךָ֙ יְהוָ֔ה
10	יִ֝תְפָּרְד֗וּ כָּל־פֹּ֥עֲלֵי אָֽוֶן׃	all evildoers will be scattered,	Evildoers are scattered.	• For the image of an oxen's horn as "strength," cf. "Crossing of the Taurus" in The Context of Scripture, 184-185. • "The metaphorical value of the horn comes primarily from the fact that the size and condition of an animal’s horns are indicative of its power, status and health" (DBI, 400).
11	וַתָּ֣רֶם כִּרְאֵ֣ים קַרְנִ֑י	and you will lift up my horn like a wild ox,	YHWH lifts up the psalmist's horn like a wild ox.
11	*בְּלּתִי* *כְּ*שֶׁ֣מֶן רַעֲנָֽן׃	my old age [will be] fresh like oil,	The psalmist is like fresh oil in his old age.	• To look (נבט) upon (בְּ) an enemy is to gloat over their downfall (see Pss 22:18 ≈ Ps 91:8) • Cf. Ps 37:34 – קַוֵּ֤ה אֶל־יְהוָ֨ה׀ וּשְׁמֹ֬ר דַּרְכּ֗וֹ וִֽ֭ירוֹמִמְךָ לָרֶ֣שֶׁת אָ֑רֶץ בְּהִכָּרֵ֖ת רְשָׁעִ֣ים תִּרְאֶֽה׃
12	וַתַּבֵּ֥ט עֵינִ֗י בְּשׁ֫וּרָ֥י	and my eyes will look upon my enemies;	The psalmist's eyes look upon his enemies.			• YHWH's enemies (v. 10) are the psalmist's enemies (v. 12)
12	בַּקָּמִ֖ים עָלַ֥י מְרֵעִ֗ים תִּשְׁמַ֥עְנָה אָזְנָֽי׃	my ears will hear those who rise up against me, wicked people.	The psalmist's ears hear those who rise up against him.	• "The date-palm (תמר) is a tall, slender tree with a plume-like foliage at the top. Its deep tap roots seek out water in the ground, and it is associated with water sources and oases (Elim, Num 33:9; Jericho, Deut 34:3; Judg 1:16; 3:13)." (Tate 1998, 467). • Cf. Isa 65.22's כִימֵ֤י הָעֵץ֙ יְמֵ֣י עַמִּ֔י וּמַעֲשֵׂ֥ה יְדֵיהֶ֖ם יְבַלּ֥וּ בְחִירָֽי (notice also the root בלה from the EI, though in this case the piel apparently has the positive sense, "enjoy fully" (HALOT)) • "This imagery is clear – a tall, straight tree, able to survive in the most trying circumstances yet fruitful year after year" (Musselman 2011, 48); cf. Midrash Tehilim: And what about the cedar in Lebanon, whose roots are numerous below the ground, and even all the winds in the world come and settle upon it, they do not move it from its place, so too Israel, who are planted in the house of God, and the Holy One (ומה הארז שבלבנון שרשיו מרובין למטה בארץ ואפילו כל הרוחות שבעולם באות ונושבות בו אין מזיזות אותו ממקומו כן ישראל שתולים בבית ה).
13	צַ֭דִּיק כַּתָּמָ֣ר יִפְרָ֑ח	The righteous will flourish like a palm tree;	The righteous flourishes like a palm tree.	• See also Pss 29:5, 80:11, 104:16, 148:9. • "comme un cèdre du Liban, solidement enraciné, longtemps plantureux et fécond" (Auffret 1993, 308) • "Because of its requirement for cool temperatures, cedar of Lebanon is restricted to higher elevations on the Lebanon ridge, where it receives moisture as rain, fog, and snow from the westerly winds off the Mediterranean" (Musselman 2011, 37) • "In the Talmud, R. Chiyya b. Luliani wonders why both types of trees need be mentioned. He concludes that they complement each other with symmetry of their own: The cedar produces no fruit. but, even after being cut down, it renews itself; the date-palm lacks this capacity for renewal, but it bears fruit. The righteous, then, encompass the best features of both trees" (Vogel 2000, 219)
13	כְּאֶ֖רֶז בַּלְּבָנ֣וֹן יִשְׂגֶּֽה׃	like a cedar tree in Lebanon he will grow.	The righteous grows like a cedar tree in Lebanon.	• "The capacity for the righteous to bear fruit is contingent upon their “nearness to the life-giving God of Zion,” and that nearness is most fully experienced on the divine mountain." (Tucker 2019, 370) • See 1 Kgs 6 and Ezra 3 for mention of cedars of Lebanon being used in the construction of both the First and Second Temples. • Cf. Ps 84:11: כִּ֤י טֽוֹב־י֥וֹם בַּחֲצֵרֶ֗יךָ מֵ֫אָ֥לֶף בָּחַ֗רְתִּי הִ֭סְתּוֹפֵף בְּבֵ֣ית אֱלֹהַ֑י מִ֝דּ֗וּר בְּאָהֳלֵי־רֶֽשַׁע.
14	שְׁ֭תוּלִים בְּבֵ֣ית יְהוָ֑ה	[They will be] transplanted in the house of YHWH;	The righteous are transplanted in the house of YHWH.	• cf. Ode of Solomon 11:1-2, 5, 18-19: "My heart was circumcised and its flower appeared. Grace grew up in it and bore fruit for God. The Most High circumcised me by his holy spirit... I was set firmly on the firm rock, where he also set me... blessed are those planted on the earth, who have a place in thy paradise and grow in the growth of thy trees" and Ben Sira 24:24 (KJV): "I was exalted like a palm tree in En-gaddi, and as a rose plant in Jericho, as a fair olive tree in a pleasant field, and grew up as a plane tree by the water.
14	בְּחַצְר֖וֹת אֱלֹהֵ֣ינוּ יַפְרִֽיחוּ׃	in the courtyards of our God they will flourish.	The righteous flourish in the courtyards of YHWH.
15	ע֭וֹד יְנוּב֣וּן בְּשֵׂיבָ֑ה	They will still thrive in old age;	The righteous thrive in old age.
15	דְּשֵׁנִ֖ים וְרַֽעֲנַנִּ֣ים יִהְיֽוּ׃	they will be vigorous and fresh	The righteous are vigorous and fresh.
16	לְ֭הַגִּיד	in order that people declare	The community declares.	• " Such is his granite-like belief in the Lord's perfection and justice, regardless of the prevalence of evil" (Vogel 2000, 220) • To drive home the point, the psalmist seems to draw upon Deut 32:4:
16	כִּֽי־יָשָׁ֣ר יְהוָ֑ה צ֝וּרִ֗י	that YHWH, my rock, is fair	YHWH is fair.	הַצּוּר֙ תָּמִ֣ים פָּעֳל֔וֹ כִּ֥י כָל־דְּרָכָ֖יו מִשְׁפָּ֑ט אֵ֤ל אֱמוּנָה֙ וְאֵ֣ין עָ֔וֶל צַדִּ֥יק וְיָשָׁ֖ר הֽוּא׃ • El salmo pertenece a la familia del 37 y del 73... más cercano me parece al Sal 37 (Alonso Schökel)	• Temptation exists to find reasons to doubt YHWH's fairness and justice. • Not everyone believes (and thus declares) that YHWH is fair.	• "YAHWEH IS A ROCK. To refer to Yahweh as a “rock” however, means far more than simply mapping generic elements of the (צוּר), source domain (“rock”) on to the target domain (i.e., Yahweh), although certainly there are residual elements that likely carry over (e. g., shelter, protection). The particular mapping of this metaphor in the Hebrew Bible derives from “the adoption of the broadly attested idea of YHWH as resident on Zion, the mythical ‘primeval rock’.” Thus, the shelter and protection provided by Yahweh is associated with the cosmic mountain." (Tucker 2019, 373)
16	וְֽלֹא־עַוְלָ֥תָה בּֽוֹ׃	and there is no injustice in him.	There is injustice in YHWH.	• "Manifestation versus faith is the central conflict of Psalm 92" (Vogel 2000, 217) • The big question is: מִֽי־פָקַ֣ד עָלָ֣יו דַּרְכּ֑וֹ וּמִֽי־אָ֝מַ֗ר פָּעַ֥לְתָּ עַוְלָֽה׃ (Job 36:23) • The answer is nobody, because בָא֮ לִשְׁפֹּ֪ט הָ֫אָ֥רֶץ יִשְׁפֹּֽט־תֵּבֵ֥ל בְּצֶ֑דֶק וְ֝עַמִּ֗ים בְּמֵישָׁרִֽים (Ps 98:9)"