The Cohesion of Ps. 119:41-48

Back to Psalm 119.

Exegetical issues for Psalm 119:

The Meaning of תּוֹרָה in Ps 119

The Grammar and Meaning of Ps. 119:126

The Cohesion of Ps. 119:41-48

Introduction

It is often claimed that Psalm 119 is made up of individual verses with no particular order or organization and no development of thought from one verse to the next. Leaving aside the larger semantic coherence of the psalm's organization (for which, see Story Behind), even on a morphosyntactic level counterexamples to such an absolute claim exist, such as the clause cluster of vv. 82-83, or the logical אָז ("then") from v. 5 to v. 6. Nevertheless, since it is true that most verses are independent thought units with no morphosyntactic cohesion, what can be said of the waw-stanza, with each verse necessarily conjoined with waw?

The Masoretic text of the waw-stanza (Ps 119:41-48) reads as follows:

וִֽיבֹאֻ֣נִי חֲסָדֶ֣ךָ יְהוָ֑ה תְּ֝שֽׁוּעָתְךָ֗ כְּאִמְרָתֶֽךָ׃

וְאֶֽעֱנֶ֣ה חֹרְפִ֣י דָבָ֑ר כִּֽי־בָ֝טַחְתִּי בִּדְבָרֶֽךָ׃

וְֽאַל־תַּצֵּ֬ל מִפִּ֣י דְבַר־אֱמֶ֣ת עַד־מְאֹ֑ד כִּ֖י לְמִשְׁפָּטֶ֣ךָ יִחָֽלְתִּי׃

וְאֶשְׁמְרָ֖ה תוֹרָתְךָ֥ תָמִ֗יד לְעוֹלָ֥ם וָעֶֽד׃

וְאֶתְהַלְּכָ֥ה בָרְחָבָ֑ה כִּ֖י פִקֻּדֶ֣יךָ דָרָֽשְׁתִּי׃

וַאֲדַבְּרָ֣ה בְ֭עֵדֹתֶיךָ נֶ֥גֶד מְלָכִ֗ים וְלֹ֣א אֵבֽוֹשׁ׃

וְאֶשְׁתַּֽעֲשַׁ֥ע בְּמִצְוֺתֶ֗יךָ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אָהָֽבְתִּי׃

וְאֶשָּֽׂא־כַפַּ֗י אֶֽל־מִ֭צְוֺתֶיךָ אֲשֶׁ֥ר אָהָ֗בְתִּי וְאָשִׂ֥יחָה בְחֻקֶּֽיךָ׃

---

The interpretation of the verbs in the first half of the stanza (vv. 41-44) is less controversial than the second. Scholars and translators generally agree that וִֽיבֹאֻ֣נִי and וְֽאַל־תַּצֵּ֬ל in vv. 41 and 43 are jussives ("Let come to me... Do not take away"), and that וְאֶֽעֱנֶ֣ה in v. 42 and וְאֶשְׁמְרָ֖ה in v. 44 indicate the result of each jussive ("So that I will answer" and "So that I will keep"), respectively. Thus, the psalmist requests that YHWH's loyal acts and salvation come to him (וִֽיבֹאֻ֣נִי; v. 41) such that he will have a word to answer (וְאֶֽעֱנֶ֣ה) those insulting him (v. 42); the psalmist requests that YHWH not take away (וְֽאַל־תַּצֵּ֬ל) the word of truth from his mouth (v. 43) such that he will keep (וְאֶשְׁמְרָ֖ה) YHWH's law (v. 44).

In the second half of the stanza (vv. 45-48), however, there is less consensus concerning the interpretation of the verbal forms. To illustrate how modern translations differ, compare the NET and REB:

I will be secure, for I seek your precepts.

I will speak about your regulations before kings and not be ashamed.

I will find delight in your commands, which I love.

I will lift my hands to your commands, which I love, and I will meditate on your statutes. (NET)

I walk in freedom wherever I will, because I have studied your precepts.

I shall speak of your instruction before kings and shall not be ashamed;

in your commandments I find continuing delight; I love them with all my heart.

I am devoted to your commandments; I love them, and meditate on your statutes. (REB)

---

Ther primary question to be answered, therefore, is whether the waw beginning each verse (a) functions as conjunction independent of the following yiqtol verbs, (b) forms a wayyiqtol conjugation, or (c) a weyiqtol conjugation.

Argument Maps

Waw + yiqtol

One possibility is to interpret the waws as simple coordinating conjunctions followed by yiqtol verbs. This interpretation might be reflected in the REB's translation (and perhaps also in the LXX): "I walk... I shall speak... I find continuing delight... I am devoted to your commandments..." (REB).

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[Waw + yiqtol]: The waws at the beginning of each verse are simple conjunctions followed by yiqtol verbal forms. #dispreferred
 + <Textual tradition>: In many textual witnesses, the forms are vocalized or translated in such a way that might reflect their interpretation as waw + yiqtol. #dispreferred
  + <MT>: All of the manuscripts pointed in the Tiberian tradition read the verbal forms as either weyiqtol or waw + yiqtol. #dispreferred
   + [MT]: ...וְאֶתְהַלְּכָ֥ה... וַאֲדַבְּרָ֣ה... וְאֶשְׁתַּֽעֲשַׁ֥ע... וְאֶשָּֽׂא... וְאָשִׂ֥יחָה #dispreferred
  + <Jerome>: Jerome (iuxta Hebraeos) renders the forms as 'and' + future forms, as consistent with the MT's reading. #dispreferred
   + [Jerome]: et ambulabo...et loquar...et delectabor...et levabo manus meas ('And I will walk...and I will speak...and I will delight...and I will lift up my hands'). #dispreferred
  + <Targum>: Targum Psalms includes all of the waws of the stanza, followed by the imperfect verb forms. #dispreferred
   + [Targum]: ואיהך ... ואמליל ... ואתפרנק ... ואזקוף ידי ('And I shall walk...I shall also speak... And I shall delight...I shall also lift up my hands'). #dispreferred
 + <Context>: If the forms are waw + yiqtol (instead of weyiqtol or wayyiqtol), then they can be interpreted as present-tense verbs, and a present-tense interpretation works well in the context. #dispreferred
  + <Similar expressions>: Similar expressions are used throughout the rest of the psalm in the present tense. #dispreferred
   + ['Delight in your commands']: The expression 'delight in your commands' (וְאֶשְׁתַּֽעֲשַׁ֥ע בְּמִצְוֺתֶ֗יךָ) in v. 47 is present tense in v. 70 ('I delight in your law'; cf. vv. 24, 777, 92, 143, 174). #dispreferred
  - <Psalm 119 as a whole>: In light of the psalm as a whole, it is unlikely that the psalmist is currently 'walking in freedom' and 'speaking before kings'.
   + <Present suffering>: The psalm repeatedly describes of present suffering.
    + [Present suffering]: See, for example, דָּֽבְקָ֣ה לֶעָפָ֣ר נַפְשִׁ֑י (v. 25); הָ֭יִיתִי כְּנֹ֣אד בְּקִיט֑וֹר (v. 83); נַעֲנֵ֥יתִי עַד־מְאֹ֑ד (v. 107); תָּעִ֗יתִי כְּשֶׂ֣ה אֹ֭בֵד (v. 176), among others.
   <_ <Tense shift>: Verse 46 might shift from present tense to future tense: "I walk in freedom... I shall speak of your instruction before kings" (REB). #dispreferred
    - <Abrupt shift>: The shift from the resultative 'so I will keep' to present tense forms, whether in v. 45ff or only vv. 47-48, is not morphosyntactically licensed.

Wayyiqtol

Another option is to interpret the recurrence of waw + yiqtol in these verses as instances of wayyiqtol. The LXX, which uses past tense verbs, appears to have interpreted the Hebrew verbs in this way: "And I would walk in spaciousness, because your commandments I sought. And I would speak of your testimonies before kings, and I was not ashamed. And I would meditate on your commandments, which I loved very much. And I raised my hands to your commandments, which I loved, and I would ponder in your statutes" (NETS).

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[Wayyiqtol]: The waws at the beginning of vv. 45-48 are part of wayyiqtol verb forms.#dispreferred
 + <Story of the stanza>: Interpreting the forms throughout vv. 45-48 as wayyiqtols recounting a past state of freedom and good health makes sense of the story of the stanza.#dispreferred
  + [Story of the stanza]: With the two jussive forms in vv. 41 and 43, the psalmist hopes to gain the result of being able to answer "a word" (that is, give a legal defense) before those insulting him. The support for this response is then given in a previous pattern of walking freely, delighting in YHWH's commands and even speaking of them before kings. #dispreferred
  + <Previous events>: There are other hints of previous events and state of deliverance mentioned in the psalm. #dispreferred
   +[Previous events]: v. 26, for example, probably refers to a past instance of YHWH answering the psalmist (Allen 2002, 187 :C:). #dispreferred
  - <Abrupt transition>: The shift from a resultative future in v. 44 to the past in vv. 45-48 is abrupt and has no morphosyntactic basis.
 + <LXX of vv. 45-48>: The LXX has interpreted the forms throughout vv. 45-48 as wayyiqtol verbs and has therefore translated them using past tense verbs (imperfects and aorists).#dispreferred
  + [LXX of vv. 45-48]: "And I would walk (ἐπορευόμην) in spaciousness... And I would speak (ἐλάλουν) of your testimonies before kings... And I would meditate (ἐμελέτων) on your commandments... And I raised (ἦρα) my hands to your commandments... and I would ponder (ἠδολέσχουν) in your statutes" (NETS). #dispreferred
  <_ <Phonetic conditioning of the aleph>: The 1cs prefix on these verbs (aleph) might have caused confusion in the oral tradition of the LXX translators.
   + <Other 1cs weyiqtols>: On a few other occasions throughout Psalm 119, the MT's 1cs weyiqtol forms are also rendered by an imperfect Greek form.
    + [Phonetic conditioning]: See, for example, Symmachus' imperfect καὶ ἐξηγούμην for the MT's וְ֝אַבִּ֗יטָה in v. 15 and the LXX's aorist καὶ ἐβδελυξάμην for the MT's וַאֲתַעֵ֑בָה in v. 163.
  - <Yiqtol>: The past-tense verbs of the LXX could also be explained if the LXX was reading waw + yiqtol (instead of wayyiqtol).
   + [LXX of v. 46b]: In v. 46b, the LXX translates the bare yiqtol verb as past tense (ᾐσχυνόμην).
  <_ <Translation practice>: In the Second Temple period, weyiqtol (i.e., waw + verbal form) and wayyiqtol would have sounded the same, and the distinction between the two was determined only by context (Kantor 2020 :A:). The LXX translators thus rendered according to context and sense.
 + <JTS ms 680>: The Babylonian manuscript JTS ms 680 vocalizes the forms in vv. 45-47 as wayyiqtol verbs.#dispreferred
  <_ <JTS ms 680 v. 48>: In the last verse of the stanza (v. 48), JTS ms 680 reverts to an initial shewa, vocalizing the verb as waw + yiqtol or weyiqtol.
  <_ <Inaccurate transmission>: The other Babylonian manuscripts containing this passage either follow the Tiberian tradition entirely (Or 2373) or differ in their placement of the wayyiqtols (e.g., JTS ms 631 has weyiqtols throughout vv. 45-48, but a wayyiqtol in v. 42).

Weyiqtol (preferred)

A final option is to interpret the waws throughout vv. 45-48 as forming weyiqtol verbs. According to this interpretation, vv. 45-48 continue the result semantics of v. 44: "so that I will live at ease... so that I will speak about your testimonies before kings... so that I will delight in your commands... so that I will lift my hands to your commands..."

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[Weyiqtol]: The waws at the beginning of vv. 45-58 are part of weyiqtol verbs with result semantics.
 + <Textual tradition>: In many textual witnesses, the forms are vocalized or translated in such a way that might reflect their interpretation as weyiqtol verbs.
  + <MT>: All of the manuscripts pointed in the Tiberian tradition read the verbal forms as either weyiqtols or waw + yiqtol.
   + [MT]: ...וְאֶתְהַלְּכָ֥ה... וַאֲדַבְּרָ֣ה... וְאֶשְׁתַּֽעֲשַׁ֥ע... וְאֶשָּֽׂא... וְאָשִׂ֥יחָה
  + <Jerome>: Jerome (iuxta Hebraeos) renders the forms as 'and' + future forms, as consistent with the MT's reading.
   + [Jerome]: et ambulabo...et loquar...et delectabor...et levabo manus meas ('And I will walk...and I will speak...and I will delight...and I will lift up my hands').
  + <Targum>: Targum Psalms includes all of the waws of the stanza, followed by the imperfect verb forms.
   + [Targum]: ואיהך ... ואמליל ... ואתפרנק ... ואזקוף ידי ('And I shall walk...I shall also speak... And I shall delight...I shall also lift up my hands').
 + <Story of the stanza>: Interpreting the forms throughout vv. 45-48 as weyiqtol forms that continue the resultative semantics of v. 44 makes good sense of the story of the stanza (Kimchi :C:; Whybray 1997, 42 :A:).
  + [Story of the stanza]: The psalmist notes the result of the fulfillment of each jussive (vv. 41, 43) in vv. 42 and 44. The verb tense does not change from v. 44 to 45, so the result is most naturally followed through to the end of the stanza – viz. if YHWH provides the psalmist with truthful words (v. 43), he will declare them before kings (v. 46) and live freely (v. 45) delighting in them (vv. 47-48).
 + <Weyiqtol as resultative>: Weyiqtol forms following a jussive with a different subject are most naturally read as purpose or result (Robar 2015, 134 :M:).
  + [Weqyitols as resultatives]: See Symmachus' rendering of וְ֝אָשִׂ֗יחָה בְּנִפְלְאוֹתֶֽיךָ in v. 27 as ἵνα διηγήσωμαι, as well as  הָשַׁ֣ע מִמֶּ֣נִּי וְאַבְלִ֑יגָה (ἄνες μοι, ἵνα ἀναψύξω) in Ps 39:14; וְיִמָּלְא֣וּ אֲסָמֶ֣יךָ שָׂבָ֑ע (ἵνα πίμπληται τὰ ταμιεῖά σου πλησμονῆς σίτου) in Prov 3:10 and וְיִֽהְי֣וּ חַיִּ֣ים לְנַפְשֶׁ֑ךָ (ἵνα ζήσῃ ἡ ψυχή σου) in Prov 3:22, among others.
  <_ <vv. 47-48>: Future/Resultative forms in vv. 47-48 seem unnatural, since the same expressions are used throughout the rest of the psalm to refer to the past/present and not to the future. #disprefered
   + ['I will delight in your commands']: The expression 'delight in your commands' (וְאֶשְׁתַּֽעֲשַׁ֥ע בְּמִצְוֺתֶ֗יךָ) in v. 47 is present tense in v. 70 ('I delight in your law'; cf. vv. 24, 777, 92, 143, 174). #disprefered
    <_ <v. 16>: Verse 16 refers to delighting in YHWH's decrees as a future event: 'I will delight in your decrees' (בְּחֻקֹּתֶ֥יךָ אֶֽשְׁתַּעֲשָׁ֑ע).

Conclusion

The manuscript and morphosyntactic evidence seems to point to either waw + yiqtol forms, which would license a past/present progressive reading (as the LXX), or to weyiqtol verbal forms, licensing the future/resultative interpretation.

If read as past events, vv. 45-48 is a reflection on a former good time (cf. v. 26 as probably referring to a past instance of YHWH answering the psalmist – see Verbal Semantics). The pattern of verbal forms throughout the stanza (weyiqtol/waw + yiqtol in vv. 44-48), however, do not license this shift between vv. 44 and 45.

If read as present events (i.e., waw + yiqtol), the semantic coherence with the rest of the psalm is lost; in light of the abundant evidence of the psalmist's current status as lowly and oppressed, he is unlikely to be speaking before kings in the present moment.

If read as future resultatives (weyiqtol), they follow seamlessly from the same form quite uncontroversially read in v. 44, providing consistency throughout the stanza and the more likely interpretation in the discourse context (see especially, the living at ease and speaking before kings in vv. 45-46) – that is, the rest of the stanza results from the jussive וְֽאַל־תַּצֵּ֬ל מִפִּ֣י דְבַר־אֱמֶ֣ת עַד־מְאֹ֑ד ("Do not take true words away from my mouth at all"). While future mention of delighting in YHWH's commandments (v. 47) may seem less natural, it is not the only time such a phrase is used in the psalm with future reference (cf. v. 16), and such being true in the present at the time of speech in the psalm does not negate that it will still be true in this future time of freedom, victory and obedience.

Research

Translations

Ancient

• LXX: καὶ ἐπορευόμην ἐν πλατυσμῷ, ὅτι τὰς ἐντολάς σου ἐξεζήτησα. καὶ ἐλάλουν ἐν τοῖς μαρτυρίοις σου ἐναντίον βασιλέων καὶ οὐκ ᾐσχυνόμην καὶ ἐμελέτων ἐν ταῖς ἐντολαῖς σου, αἷς ἠγάπησα σφόδρα. καὶ ἦρα τὰς χεῖράς μου πρὸς τὰς ἐντολάς σου, ἃς ἠγάπησα, καὶ ἠδολέσχουν ἐν τοῖς δικαιώμασίν σου.
  • "And I would walk in spaciousness, because your commandments I sought. And I would speak of your testimonies before kings, and I was not ashamed. And I would meditate on your commandments, which I loved very much. And I raised my hands to your commandments, which I loved, and I would ponder in your statutes."

• Jerome (Gall.): et ambulabam in latitudine quia mandata tua exquisivi et loquebar in testimoniis tuis in conspectu regum et non confundebar et meditabar in mandatis tuis quae dilexi et levavi manus meas ad mandata quae dilexi et exercebar in iustificationibus tuis
  • "And I would walk in a wide place because I sought your commands, and I would speak of your testimonies before kings and I would not be dismayed, and I would meditate on your commands because I love them, and I lifted up my hands to your commands because I love them and I would drill your statutes."

• Peshitta: ܘܐܗܠܟ ܒܐܪܘܚܬܐ. ܡܛܠ ܕܒܦܘܩ̈ܕܢܝܟ ܨܒܝܬ܂ ܐܡܠܠ ܒܙܕܝܩܘܬܐ ܩܕܡ ܡ̈ܠܟܐ ܘܠܐ ܐܒܗܬ܂ ܘܐܪܢܐ ܒܦܘܩ̈ܕܢܝܟ ܕܪܚܡܬ ‍܂ܘܐܪܝܡ ܐܝ̈ܕܝ ܠܘܬ ܦܘܩ̈ܕܢܝܟ ܕܪܚܡܬ܂ ܘܐܪܢܐ ܒܗܘܢ ܒܦܘܩ̈ܕܢܝܟ܂
  • "I will walk in freedom, for I delight in your commandments. I will speak in righteousness before kings; I will not be ashamed. I will meditate on your commandments, which I love. I will lift up my hands to your commandments, which I love. I will meditate on them, on your commandments."

• Jerome (Hebr.): et ambulabo in spatioso quia praecepta tua quaesivi et loquar in testimoniis tuis coram regibus et non confundar et delectabor in mandatis tuis quae dilexi et levabo manus meas ad mandata tua quae dilexi et loquar in praeceptis tuis
  • "And I will walk in a spacious place because I sought your precepts, and I will speak of your testimonies before kings and I will not be dismayed, and I will delight in your commands, which I love, and I will lift up my hands to your commands, which I love, and I will speak about your precepts."

• Targum: ואיהך בפתיות אוריתא ארום פיקודיך תבעית׃ ואמליל בסהידוותך קביל מלכיא ולא אבהית׃ ואתפרנק בפיקודיך די רחימית׃ ואזקוף ידי לפיקודיך דרחימית ואמליל בגזירתך׃.
  • "And I shall walk in the broad place of the Law, for I have sought your precepts. I shall also speak of your testimony before kings, and shall not be ashamed. And I shall delight in your commandments, which I love. I shall also lift up my hands to your commandments, which I love, and I shall speak of your statutes."

Modern

v. 45

• "I walk..." (EÜ, Luther 2017, REB)
• "I will walk..." (CSB, CEB, DHH, ELB, ESV, GNT, KJV, NABRE, NASB, NET, NIV, NJPS, RVA, SG21, TOB, ZÜR)

v. 46

• "I speak..." (Luther 2017)
• "I will speak..." (CSB, CEB, DHH, ELB, ESV, EÜ, GNT, KJV, NABRE, NASB, NET, NIV, NJPS, REB, RVA, SG21, TOB, ZÜR)

v. 47

• "I delight..." (CSB, ELB, DHH, ESV, GNT, Luther 2017, NABRE, NIV, REB, SG21, TOB)
• "I will delight..." (CEB, EÜ, KJV, NASB, NET, NJPS, RVA, ZÜR)

v. 48

• "I lift up..." (DHH, EÜ, GNT, Luther 2017, NABRE, NIV, NJPS, REB, SG21, TOB)
• "I will lift up..." (CEB, CSB, ELB, ESV, KJV, NASB, NET, RVA, ZÜR)

Secondary Literature

Texts, Editions, and Translations

Pietersma, Albert (tr.) 2009. NETS translation of the Psalms.

Stec, David M. 2004. The Targum of Psalms: Translated, with a Critical Introduction, Apparatus, and Notes. Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press.

Taylor, Richard A. in Bali, Joseph & George Kiraz (eds.). 2020. The Psalms According to the Syriac Peshitta Version with English Translation. Piscataway, NJ: Gorgias Press.

Peshitta Critical Edition: Walter, D. M. 1980. The Old Testament in Syriac according to the Peshiṭta Version: The Book of Psalms. Leiden: Brill.

Babylonian Manuscripts

New York, Jewish Theological Seminary Ms. 680; Lutzki 508; EMC 38: https://www.nli.org.il/en/manuscripts/NNL_ALEPH990001017110205171/NLI#$FL28020473

New York, Jewish Theological Seminary Ms. 631; EMC 29: https://www.nli.org.il/en/discover/manuscripts/hebrew-manuscripts/itempage?vid=MANUSCRIPTS&docId=PNX_MANUSCRIPTS990001015770205171

London, British Library Or. 2373: https://www.nli.org.il/en/manuscripts/NNL_ALEPH990001205320205171/NLI#$FL35522978

Commentaries

Allen, L. 2002. Psalms 101-150. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson.

Ibn Ezra, Abraham on Psalms.

Kimchi, David on Psalms.

Zenger = Hossfeld, F. & Zenger E. 2011. A Commentary on Psalms 101-150. Trans. L. M. Maloney. Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press.

Monographs

Auffret, P. 2006. Mais Tu Élargirais mon Cœur: Nouvelle Étude Structurelle du Psaume 119. Berlin: Walter de Gruyter.

Grossberg, D. 1989. Centrifugal and Centripetal Structures. Atlanta: Scholars Press.

Hurvitz, A. 1972. The Transition Period in Biblical Hebrew: A Study in Post-Exilic Hebrew and its Implications for the Dating of the Psalms (Hebrew: בין לשון ולשון: לתולדות לשון המקרא בימי בית שני). Jerusalem: Bialik Institute.

van der Lugt, P. 2013. Cantos and Strophes in Biblical Hebrew Poetry III: Psalms 90-150 and Psalm 1. Leiden: Brill.

Robar, E. 2015. The Verb and the Paragraph in Biblical Hebrew: A Cognitive-Linguistic Approach. Leiden: Brill.

Articles & Chapters

Burt, S. 2018. "Your Torah is my Delight." Pages 685-700 in JBL 137(3).

Clark, D. J. 2007. "Translating Psalm 119: Some Practical Suggestions." Pages 185-189 in The Bible Translator 58(4).

Freedman, D. N. & Geoghehan, J. C. 1999. "Alphabetic Acrostic Poems." Pages 1-23 in D. N. Freedman, Psalm 119: The Exaltation of Torah. Winona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns.

James, E. T. 2022. "The Asethetics of Biblical Acrostics." Pages 319-339 in JSOT 46(3).

Kantor, B. "The Development of the Hebrew Wayyiqṭol ('waw consecutive') Verbal Form in Light of Greek and Latin Transcriptions of Hebrew." Pages 55-132 in A. D. Hornkohl & G. Khan (eds.) Studies in Semitic Vocalisation and Reading Traditions. Cambridge: Open Book Publishers.

Whybray, R. N. 1997. "Psalm 119: Profile of a Psalmist." Pages 31-43 in M. L. Barré (ed.) Wisdom, You are my Sister: Studies in Honor of Roland E. Murphy, O. Carm. , on the Occasion of his Eightieth Birthday. Washington, DC: Catholic Biblical Association of America.

References

119:141, 142, 143, 144, 145, 146, 147, 148 Approved