About the Semantics Layer

Semantics is the study of how language is used to represent meaning. The goal of semantic analysis for interpreting and translating the Bible is to understand the meaning of words and how they relate to each other in context. We want to understand what is implicit about word meaning – and thus assumed by the original audience – and make it explicit – and thus clear for us who are removed by time, language, and culture. The semantics layer is composed of three major branches: lexical semantics, phrase-level semantics and verbal semantics.

Semantics Visuals for Psalm 93

Lexical and Phrase-level Semantics Diagram

Visualization	Description
	The prepositional phrase is indicated by a solid green oval.
	The construct chain is indicated by a solid yellow oval.
	When the conjunction ו appears at the phrase-level (not clause-level), it is indicated by a solid light purple oval.
	The article is indicated by a solid blue oval.

See our growing collection of Venn Diagrams, not only for Psalm 93, but for all of the psalms.
See SDBH on Psalm 93.

v. 1

Concerning the term majesty, probably best understood to refer to an "elevated status" or "sovereign power", there is significant wordplay at work in the psalm (see the poetic feature Wordplay).^[1]

Furthermore, there is significant imagery at work in the mention of both clothed ("denoting an attribute properly belonging only to God"; Burton 2019: 298-299) and armed:

Note that the hithpael stem of the verb אזר indicates that YHWH prepared himself (Tate 1990: 479),^[2] that is, no one provided his strength for him, which speaks of the following:^[3]

v. 2

For the semantics of כִּסֵּא and the gloss throne, see the following Venn diagram:

v. 3

The big question regarding this verse is the identity of the seas.^[4] The chaotic nature of the seas has already been discussed in the exegesis of Psalms 24 and 29 (see the verse-by-verse notes there).

What seems clear is that the lifting up their voice refers to verbal threats,^[5] while lifting up their crushing (waves) may speak of threatening actions. For the attritional effects of the waves, which are constant and ultimately, over time, devastating, see the exegetical issue https://psalms.scriptura.world/w/The_Text_and_Meaning_of_Ps_93:3).^[6]

On this final word of the verse, see the full discussion in the exegetical issue https://psalms.scriptura.world/w/The_Text_and_Meaning_of_Ps_93:3).^[7]

v. 4

We understand the high place as "in heaven" (see the entries in BDB, DCH, HALOT; cf. also Pss 92:9; 102:20; 148:1 and, in the context of "many waters", Pss 18:17 and 144:7).^[8] Nonetheless, it is selected intentionally and contributes to the poetic feature, Falling Short, as the final מ–initial constituent (see further discussion in the poetic feature).^[9]

v. 5

Verbal Semantics Chart

Conjugations
qatal	yiqtol-jussive
wayyiqtol (following qatal)*	cohortative
yiqtol	participle
wayyiqtol (following yiqtol)*	wayyiqtol (following participle)*
weyiqtol	inf. construct
weqatal	inf. absolute
*Wayyiqtol is colored a darker version of the conjugation it follows.

Relative tense arrows
Relative tense arrows (placed within the appropriate 'Fut/Pres/Past' column) are color coded according to the conjugation of the verb. The arrows in the table below are colored according to the typical uses of the conjugations.
After/posterior/future	Imminent future	Simultaneous/right now	Recent past	Before/anterior/past
← ←	↤	↓↓↓	↦	→ →

Aspect
	Continuous	Habitual or iterative	Stative	Perfective
Encoded in words	⟲	⟲⟲⟲	⎯	•
Inferable from context	⟲	⟲⟲⟲	⎯	•

Reference point movement
Movement	No movement
⇐	⇍

Modality
indicative	purpose/result
jussive	necessity
imperative	possible
cohortative	probable
wish	ability
(past) conditional	interrogative, etc.

If an emendation or revocalization is preferred, that emendation or revocalization will be marked in the Hebrew text of all the visuals.

Emendations/Revocalizations legend
Emended text	Emended text, text in which the consonants differ from the consonants of the Masoretic text, is indicated by blue asterisks on either side of the emendation.
Revocalized text	Revocalized text, text in which only the vowels differ from the vowels of the Masoretic text, is indicated by purple asterisks on either side of the revocalization.

References

↑ Each of the three strophes of Ps 93 contains either a hapax legomenon (דָּכְיָם and נַאֲוָה) or a relatively rare word (גֵּאוּת). (For the unique nature of נַאֲוָה as a palel verb stem from the root נאה see the exegetical issue, https://psalms.scriptura.world/w/The_Meaning_of_Ps_93:5b.) These (or similar sounding) words are found in related texts. The word גֵּאוּת appears in Ps 89:10; the root דכא/ה appears in Pss 89:11; 90:3; 94:5; and the phrase נְוֵ֥ה קָדְשֶֽׁךָ (which sounds similar to נַאֲוָה־קֹ֑דֶשׁ) appears in Ex 15:13. These three rare or unique words have been intentionally selected and placed throughout the psalm. The message of the psalm concerns the superiority of the majesty of YHWH over the majesty of the waves (v. 4), which are rising up (v. 3). Thus it is fitting that the second clause of the entire psalm describes YHWH as clothed with גֵּאוּת, the same word used (only once in the Hebrew Bible) to refer to the rising up of the waves, which God is said to rule over in Ps. 89:10 (אַתָּ֣ה מ֭וֹשֵׁל בְּגֵא֣וּת הַיָּ֑ם בְּשׂ֥וֹא גַ֝לָּ֗יו אַתָּ֥ה תְשַׁבְּחֵֽם׃). These may be 'majestic' in a sense (cf. Ps 93:4b), but are no comparison to the majesty with which YHWH is clothed.
↑ The fact that the Ancient Versions take עֹז as an argument in the previous לב׳׳שׁ VP, would indicate that, like Isa. 8.6, the intransitive use of the hithpael is in view here also. Furthermore, since Niphal was also a possibility (65.7: מֵכִ֣ין הָרִ֣ים בְּכֹח֑וֹ נֶ֝אְזָ֗ר בִּגְבוּרָֽה) the reflexive nature of the action seems to be profiled here (Coleman 2018: 104-106).
↑ Burton comments, "עֹז is the means by which God controls the forces of nature... and sustains people..., Thus, God is clothed in power by which he directs all things" (2019: 299) .
↑ "El Sal 93 no lo dice, pero tampoco se resiste a ser leído en esa clave simbólica. Concretamente, leído en el contexto del destierro, podía el salmo desplegar una gran fuerza polémica contra los dioses y el poder político de Babilonia, como leemos en varias páginas del profeta del destierro" (Alonso-Schökel 1993); "Some commentators take these to be symbolic references to the nations which were Israel’s enemies, such as Egypt and Assyria (see Kirkpatrick); but it is more likely that the reference is to the powers defeated at creation." (Bratcher & Reyburn 1991: 815); "Das Toben der wild einherstürmenden Wogen ist ein Bild für das Toben feindlicher Menschenmächte" (Baethgen 1904: 290).
↑ Possibly the "roaring of the hostile nations against Yahweh and Israel" (à la Ps 2; Tate 1990: 479); "The “sea” or “river” is also a metaphor of the nations (cf. Ps 89:9-10; Isa 8:7-8; Jer 46:7-8)" (VanGemeren 2008).
↑ A less likely, but alternative reading, is the interpretation of the noise the seas produce as praise, as Targum Psalms understands the present verse (). We may also find support for such a reading in Ps 96:10-11 and the context of Revelation 19:6, which speaks of hearing something like the voice of a great crowd and the sound of many waters (ὡς φωνὴν ὑδάτων πολλῶν), which is almost identical to the LXX of v. 4 (ἀπὸ φωνῶν ὑδάτων πολλῶν). Revelation 19:6 is also the only place in the New Testament where we find the phrase "The Lord reigns" (ἐβασίλευσεν κύριος), just as we have here in v. 1 (Ὁ κύριος ἐβασίλευσεν).
↑ See similar uses of the same root דכא/ה in Pss 89:11; 90:3; and 94:5. Targum Psalms of our current verse reads completely differently, with בשירתא יקבלון נהרוותא אגר שבחיהון (the rivers will receive a reward for their praise (Stec 2004, 177). The clause is absent in LXX, but the Gallican Psalter adds elevabunt flumina fluctus suos, apparently following Theodotion. Origen reads ἀροῦσιν οἱ ποταμοὶ ἐπιτρίψεις αὐτῶν (ἐπίτριψις as wearing away [of the waves] LSJ; the nominal from the verbal form ἐπιτρίβω, grind down, crush, pound; CGL 2021: 582); and Aquila, ἐπήρθη ποταμῶν βάθη αὐτῶν). See also the LXX of בָּ֥אתִי בְמַעֲמַקֵּי־מַ֝֗יִם in Ps. 69.3: ἦλθον εἰς τὰ βάθη τῆς θαλάσσης; Luke 5.4: Ἐπανάγαγε εἰς τὸ βάθος καὶ χαλάσατε τὰ δίκτυα ὑμῶν εἰς ἄγραν). Jerome's Iuxta Hebreaos contains gurgites from gurges, "floods." Kennicott mss 97 and 133 read דוכיים, mss 38, 131 and 142 reads דוכים, and mss 37, 73, 74, 93, 220, 680 and 681 read דכיים. We have Ugaritic cognates d-k-k, attested in the passive be pounded, ground; Akkadian dakāka: zermalmen (crush, grind, pound), zerkleinern (shred); and Arabic dakka, dāka: break, crush, bruise, pound (Del Olmo & Sanmartín 2015: 267). TDOT further notes that it corresponds to Old South Arabian dkw, and perhaps to Phoen. dky (1978, 197 n. 13) and its Ugaritic use is as "a divine epithet... a noun form of the verb dk, to compound" (ibid. 198; cf. CTA 6 [I AB] V. 1-3).
↑ In Exodus 15:10, the waters are likewise described as majestic (נָשַׁ֥פְתָּ בְרוּחֲךָ֖ כִּסָּ֣מוֹ יָ֑ם צָֽלֲלוּ֙ כַּֽעוֹפֶ֔רֶת בְּמַ֖יִם אַדִּירִֽים׃), while in the next verse we are reminded that there is no one like YHWH, who is majestic in holiness (מִֽי־כָמֹ֤כָה בָּֽאֵלִם֙ יְהוָ֔ה מִ֥י כָּמֹ֖כָה נֶאְדָּ֣ר בַּקֹּ֑דֶשׁ נוֹרָ֥א תְהִלֹּ֖ת עֹ֥שֵׂה פֶֽלֶא׃).
↑ In short, YHWH's reign and majesty are superior to the mighty waters because he, being eternal and reigning eternally, created them. The dominance of the consonant mem throughout v. 4 perhaps iconically represents the waters (מַיִם), with the result that the comparison is hinted at even in the word high place (מָרוֹם), containing the final two instances of mem in the verse.

[1] Each of the three strophes of Ps 93 contains either a hapax legomenon (דָּכְיָם and נַאֲוָה) or a relatively rare word (גֵּאוּת). (For the unique nature of נַאֲוָה as a palel verb stem from the root נאה see the exegetical issue, https://psalms.scriptura.world/w/The_Meaning_of_Ps_93:5b.) These (or similar sounding) words are found in related texts. The word גֵּאוּת appears in Ps 89:10; the root דכא/ה appears in Pss 89:11; 90:3; 94:5; and the phrase נְוֵ֥ה קָדְשֶֽׁךָ (which sounds similar to נַאֲוָה־קֹ֑דֶשׁ) appears in Ex 15:13. These three rare or unique words have been intentionally selected and placed throughout the psalm. The message of the psalm concerns the superiority of the majesty of YHWH over the majesty of the waves (v. 4), which are rising up (v. 3). Thus it is fitting that the second clause of the entire psalm describes YHWH as clothed with גֵּאוּת, the same word used (only once in the Hebrew Bible) to refer to the rising up of the waves, which God is said to rule over in Ps. 89:10 (אַתָּ֣ה מ֭וֹשֵׁל בְּגֵא֣וּת הַיָּ֑ם בְּשׂ֥וֹא גַ֝לָּ֗יו אַתָּ֥ה תְשַׁבְּחֵֽם׃). These may be 'majestic' in a sense (cf. Ps 93:4b), but are no comparison to the majesty with which YHWH is clothed.

[2] The fact that the Ancient Versions take עֹז as an argument in the previous לב׳׳שׁ VP, would indicate that, like Isa. 8.6, the intransitive use of the hithpael is in view here also. Furthermore, since Niphal was also a possibility (65.7: מֵכִ֣ין הָרִ֣ים בְּכֹח֑וֹ נֶ֝אְזָ֗ר בִּגְבוּרָֽה) the reflexive nature of the action seems to be profiled here (Coleman 2018: 104-106).

[3] Burton comments, "עֹז is the means by which God controls the forces of nature... and sustains people..., Thus, God is clothed in power by which he directs all things" (2019: 299) .

[4] "El Sal 93 no lo dice, pero tampoco se resiste a ser leído en esa clave simbólica. Concretamente, leído en el contexto del destierro, podía el salmo desplegar una gran fuerza polémica contra los dioses y el poder político de Babilonia, como leemos en varias páginas del profeta del destierro" (Alonso-Schökel 1993); "Some commentators take these to be symbolic references to the nations which were Israel’s enemies, such as Egypt and Assyria (see Kirkpatrick); but it is more likely that the reference is to the powers defeated at creation." (Bratcher & Reyburn 1991: 815); "Das Toben der wild einherstürmenden Wogen ist ein Bild für das Toben feindlicher Menschenmächte" (Baethgen 1904: 290).

[5] Possibly the "roaring of the hostile nations against Yahweh and Israel" (à la Ps 2; Tate 1990: 479); "The “sea” or “river” is also a metaphor of the nations (cf. Ps 89:9-10; Isa 8:7-8; Jer 46:7-8)" (VanGemeren 2008).

[6] A less likely, but alternative reading, is the interpretation of the noise the seas produce as praise, as Targum Psalms understands the present verse (). We may also find support for such a reading in Ps 96:10-11 and the context of Revelation 19:6, which speaks of hearing something like the voice of a great crowd and the sound of many waters (ὡς φωνὴν ὑδάτων πολλῶν), which is almost identical to the LXX of v. 4 (ἀπὸ φωνῶν ὑδάτων πολλῶν). Revelation 19:6 is also the only place in the New Testament where we find the phrase "The Lord reigns" (ἐβασίλευσεν κύριος), just as we have here in v. 1 (Ὁ κύριος ἐβασίλευσεν).

[7] See similar uses of the same root דכא/ה in Pss 89:11; 90:3; and 94:5. Targum Psalms of our current verse reads completely differently, with בשירתא יקבלון נהרוותא אגר שבחיהון (the rivers will receive a reward for their praise (Stec 2004, 177). The clause is absent in LXX, but the Gallican Psalter adds elevabunt flumina fluctus suos, apparently following Theodotion. Origen reads ἀροῦσιν οἱ ποταμοὶ ἐπιτρίψεις αὐτῶν (ἐπίτριψις as wearing away [of the waves] LSJ; the nominal from the verbal form ἐπιτρίβω, grind down, crush, pound; CGL 2021: 582); and Aquila, ἐπήρθη ποταμῶν βάθη αὐτῶν). See also the LXX of בָּ֥אתִי בְמַעֲמַקֵּי־מַ֝֗יִם in Ps. 69.3: ἦλθον εἰς τὰ βάθη τῆς θαλάσσης; Luke 5.4: Ἐπανάγαγε εἰς τὸ βάθος καὶ χαλάσατε τὰ δίκτυα ὑμῶν εἰς ἄγραν). Jerome's Iuxta Hebreaos contains gurgites from gurges, "floods." Kennicott mss 97 and 133 read דוכיים, mss 38, 131 and 142 reads דוכים, and mss 37, 73, 74, 93, 220, 680 and 681 read דכיים. We have Ugaritic cognates d-k-k, attested in the passive be pounded, ground; Akkadian dakāka: zermalmen (crush, grind, pound), zerkleinern (shred); and Arabic dakka, dāka: break, crush, bruise, pound (Del Olmo & Sanmartín 2015: 267). TDOT further notes that it corresponds to Old South Arabian dkw, and perhaps to Phoen. dky (1978, 197 n. 13) and its Ugaritic use is as "a divine epithet... a noun form of the verb dk, to compound" (ibid. 198; cf. CTA 6 [I AB] V. 1-3).

[8] In Exodus 15:10, the waters are likewise described as majestic (נָשַׁ֥פְתָּ בְרוּחֲךָ֖ כִּסָּ֣מוֹ יָ֑ם צָֽלֲלוּ֙ כַּֽעוֹפֶ֔רֶת בְּמַ֖יִם אַדִּירִֽים׃), while in the next verse we are reminded that there is no one like YHWH, who is majestic in holiness (מִֽי־כָמֹ֤כָה בָּֽאֵלִם֙ יְהוָ֔ה מִ֥י כָּמֹ֖כָה נֶאְדָּ֣ר בַּקֹּ֑דֶשׁ נוֹרָ֥א תְהִלֹּ֖ת עֹ֥שֵׂה פֶֽלֶא׃).

[9] In short, YHWH's reign and majesty are superior to the mighty waters because he, being eternal and reigning eternally, created them. The dominance of the consonant mem throughout v. 4 perhaps iconically represents the waters (מַיִם), with the result that the comparison is hinted at even in the word high place (מָרוֹם), containing the final two instances of mem in the verse.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

Psalm 93 Semantics

Contents