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 98

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 98, but for all of the psalms.
See SDBH on Psalm 98.

v. 1

What is the new song about in verse 1?
- Interpreters have different views when it comes to the meaning of new song. We have listed two views here:
- Option 1: New song as a fresh response to a fresh experience of God, especially in our context because of YHWH's intervention as evidence of his love and faithfulness to Israel (Carson: 993).
- Option 2: New song for celebration for YHWH's victory. Tate mentions the case of a military victory. "The meaning of the new song, which is called for in v 1, is somewhat ambiguous; perhaps deliberately so. In terms of form critical history, the probability is that new song referred to the celebration of a military victory" (Tate: 513). VanGemeren (731) sees a high probability for the celebration of the second exodus of Babylon during the return from exile.

v. 2

v. 3

v. 4

"The basic meaning of the root רוע appears to be “shout.” A shout can be raised for a variety of reasons and in a variety of circumstances, above all as a shout of rejoicing or a war cry. The lexical field therefore includes rnn, śmḥ, gîl as well as milḥāmâ; in either case the shout can be accompanied by šôp̱ār or ḥaṣōṣerôṯ." (Ringgren:412).
The basic meaning of פָּצַח is "cause to break or burst forth, break forth with" (BDB:822).
"The vb. פָּצַח occurs several times in Isa (once in Ps 98:4) and mostly in the imperative form. In all contexts it is applied to the happy and joyous reaction of the redeemed—free from suffering and oppression (Isa 14:7; 44:23; 49:13; 52:9; 54:1). In 14:7 it is explicitly used in relation to the eschatological peace (שָׁלוֹם; #8934) as result of God’s salvation. In all these contexts the vb. designates the joyous “outbreak into singing” (VanGemeren:654).
"The vb. רָנַן often indicates a loud, enthusiastic, and joyful shout. However, in at least two cases, it clearly lacks joy, but is either a moan of despair (Lam 2:19) or an expression of yearning for God’s presence (Ps 84:2 [3]). For this reason we may speculate that the root’s basic meaning is yell (see Prov 1:20 and 8:3 for this basic meaning), the tone determined by the context" (VanGemeren:1128–1132).

v. 5

A lute is a "musical instrument consisting of a sound box, made of wood, out of the ends or sides of which projected two arms; the arms supported a crosspiece; strings descended from the crosspiece over the sound box and the number of strings could vary; often used to accompany singing" (SDBH).
A trumpet is to be understood as a "tubular or conical wind instrument with flared mouth and bright penetrating ringing tone; ◄ made out of metal; ► used for giving signals and during festivals and celebrations" (SDBH). Here is an image of a trumpet.
A horn trumpet is "a musical instrument, made from a ram's horn; sound is produced by blowing into the small end; it is used for giving signals and during festivals and celebrations" (SDBH).

v. 6

v. 7

vv. 8-9

The phrase "כִּ֥י בָא֮" can be interpreted differently either as a qatal or a participle. This is visible in our diagram's alternative.
- Option 1: If the phrase is a participle, it is understood as "for he is coming" emphasizing the immediacy of YHWH arrival with an eschatological emphasis. Some versions prefer this understanding.
- Option 2: If the phrase is a qatal, then it must be understood as "for he comes" like many translations put it or "for he has come". The emphasis is on the reality of a perfective action.
- This is not easy difficulty to solve but our prefer reading is definitely linked to the exegetical issue we are committing for this. More will be said there.
The word translated in English as "people" is plural in the Hebrew language referring not to one group but many people groups.

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.

Notes for the conjugation of the verbs of verses 7-8: yiqtol or jussive?
- A vast majority of modern translations translate as jussive like ESV which has “Let the sea roar, and all that fills it; the world and those who dwell in it! Let the rivers clap their hands; let the hills sing for joy together”. See also English versions NIV, NET, NLT; German translations Luther 2017, HFA, NGÜ, ELB, EÜ, GNB, ZÜR; French versions TOB, NBS, NVSR, BDS, PDV, NFC, S21; and Spanish RVR95, NVI DHH. CEV (“Order the rivers to clap their hands”) and GNT (“Clap your hands, you rivers”) see a jussive here but render in a more emphatic way.
- Nonetheless some translations see a yiqtol at the level of verses 7-8. This is the case of Literal Standard Versions which sees here an imperfective and habitual dimension to the verses and has “The sea and its fullness roar, The world and the inhabitants in it”

Floods clap hand, together hills cry aloud”. The Smith's Literal Translation and the Douay-Rheims Bible both see a yiqtol here but with a future tone. Also we have Peshitta Holy Bible Translated which has “The rivers will clap hands together and the mountains will sing” and the Brenton Septuagint Translation having “The rivers shall clap their hands together; the mountains shall exult”.

- Arguments in favor of jussive
  - The preceding verses are all imperative.
  - Ancient versions
    - LXX: “σαλευθήτω ἡ θάλασσα καὶ τὸ πλήρωμα αὐτῆς, ἡ οἰκουμένη καὶ οἱ κατοικοῦντες αὐτήν” (Let the sea and its fullness roar, the inhabited land and those who dwell in)
    - Vulgate from LXX: Moveatur mare et plenitudo eius orbis terrarum et qui habitant in eo (“let the sea be moved, and the fullness of the earth, and those who dwell in it”)
  - Authors
    - “Here the psalmist exhorts all the earth to join in joyful worship” (command and thus jussive ): Williams, Don. (2004) 2004. The Preacher’s Commentary - Vol. 14: Psalms 73-150. Thomas Nelson.
- Argument in favor of yiqtol
  - The following verses are eschatological and the author of the psalm is talking about the future
  - Ancient versions
    - Vulgate from Hebrew Text: Tonet mare et plenitudo eius orbis et habitatores eius (“thunders the sea and the fullness of the world and its inhabitants”)

Psalm 98 Semantics

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