The Division of Ps. 36:8

Back to Psalm 36.

Exegetical issues for Psalm 36:

• The Text, Grammar, and Meaning of Ps. 36:2a
• The Syntax and Meaning of Ps. 36:3
• The Division of Ps. 36:8

Introduction

The Hebrew text of Ps. 36:8 reads as follows:

מַה־יָּקָ֥ר חַסְדְּךָ֗ אֱלֹ֫הִ֥ים וּבְנֵ֥י אָדָ֑ם בְּצֵ֥ל כְּ֝נָפֶ֗יךָ יֶחֱסָיֽוּן׃

The syntax of this verse makes it difficult to determine whether אֱלֹ֫הִ֥ים should be grouped with the preceding text (option 1) or the succeeding text (option 2). Each option is illustrated below:

(1) אֱלֹ֫הִ֥ים should be grouped with the preceding text as a vocative:

• How precious is your steadfast love, O God! The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings. (ESV)

(2) אֱלֹ֫הִ֥ים should be grouped with the succeeding text as part of a compound subject:

• how precious is thy unfailing love! Gods and men seek refuge in the shadow of thy wings. (NEB)

The grouping of אֱלֹ֫הִ֥ים significantly affects the meaning and message of the psalm as a whole, but especially vv. 8-11. The referents of the third-masculine plural verbs and suffixes in vv. 8-11 are either only בְנֵ֥י אָדָ֑ם "people" (option 1; so ESV, NIV, NLT) or both אֱלֹ֫הִ֥ים וּבְנֵ֥י אָדָ֑ם "divine beings and people" (option 2; so NEB, REB, ZÜR).

Argument Maps

Preceding Text: אֱלֹהִים as vocative (preferred)

The majority of ancient and modern translations group אֱלֹהִים with the preceding text as a vocative.

• How precious is your loyal love, O God! The human race finds shelter under your wings. (NET)
• How priceless is your unfailing love, O God! People take refuge in the shadow of your wings. (NIV)

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[Preceding Text]: אֱלֹהִים should be grouped with the preceding text as a vocative.
 + <Unified Reading Tradition>: The reading tradition is unified in grouping אֱלֹהִים with the preceding text.
  + [Masoretic Vowel Markings]: In the Masoretic tradition, a contextual form (חַסְדְּךָ֗) immediately precedes אֱלֹהִים, which suggests אֱלֹהִים was not intended to begin a new poetic line (and thus be part of a compound subject) but should instead be grouped with the preceding text. If אֱלֹהִים was intended to be grouped with the succeeding text, one would expect a pausal form (חַסְדֶּךָ).
  + [Masoretic Accentuation]: The strong disjunctive accent ('ole weyored) on אֱלֹ֫הִ֥ים suggests that it is to be grouped with the preceding text as a vocative (le Mat 1957, 22 :M:; cf. de Hoop and Sanders 2022, 35-37 :A:).
  + [LXX]: In the LXX (ὁ θεός, οἱ δὲ υἱοὶ τῶν ἀνθρώπω), the postpositive conjunction δὲ indicates that ὁ θεός and οἱ...υἱοὶ τῶν ἀνθρώπων are the end and beginning of their respective clauses. If ὁ θεός was part of a compound subject with οἱ υἱοὶ τῶν ἀνθρώπων, one would expect an intervening και conjunction. The LXX's manuscript tradition also attests this division. 
  + [Manuscript Line Division]: In the following mss, אֱלֹהִים (or its translation equivalent) is grouped with the preceding text: Hebrew - Aleppo; Greek - Sinaiticus, Vaticanus, Alexandrinus; Syriac - Ambrosianus.
 + <Poetic Line Division>: Grouping אֱלֹהִים with the preceding text results in balanced poetic lines.
  + [Option 1]: A line = 3 prosodic words (מַה־יָּקָר חַסְדְּךָ אֱלֹהִים); B line = 5 prosodic words (וּבְנֵי אָדָם בְּצֵל כְּנָפֶיךָ יֶחֱסָיוּן).
  + [Option 2]: A line = 3 prosodic words (מַה־יָּקָר חַסְדְּךָ אֱלֹהִים); B line = 2 prosodic words (וּבְנֵי אָדָם); C line = 3 prosodic words (בְּצֵל כְּנָפֶיךָ יֶחֱסָיוּן).
  <_ <Alternative Line Division>: Grouping אֱלֹהִים with the succeeding text can result in balanced poetic lines.#dispreferred
   + [Alternative Line Division]: A line = 2 prosodic words (מַה־יָּקָר חַסְדְּךָ); B line = 3 prosodic words (אֱלֹהִים וּבְנֵי אָדָם); C line = 3 prosodic words (בְּצֵל כְּנָפֶיךָ יֶחֱסָיוּן).#dispreferred
 - <"Elohim" in a Yahwistic Psalm>: Elsewhere in the psalm "the poet calls his god Jhwh" (le Mat 1957, 22 :M:), which renders "The sudden appearance of an 'elohist' vocative in a Yahwist psalm" unusual (Barthélemy 2005, 214 :M:).#dispreferred
  - <"Elohim" in v. 2b>: "Elohim" does appear elsewhere in Ps 36:2b: אֵֽין־פַּ֥חַד אֱ֝לֹהִ֗ים לְנֶ֣גֶד עֵינָֽיו׃ "there is no fear of God before his eyes."

Succeeding Text: אֱלֹהִים as part of compound subject

A few translations group אֱלֹהִים with the succeeding text as part of a compound subject.

• how precious is your unfailing love! Gods and frail mortals seek refuge in the shadow of your wings. (REB)
• Wie kostbar ist deine Güte. Götter und Menschen suchen Zuflucht im Schatten deiner Flügel. (ZÜR)

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[Succeeding Text]: אֱלֹהִים should be grouped with the succeeding text as part of a compound subject.#dispreferred 
 + <Use of בְנֵי אָדָם>: As a "poetic expression for the human race," בְנֵי אָדָם "people" contrasts well with אֱלֹהִים "divine beings" which represent the divine, non-human race (TDOT 1977, 161 :D:).#dispreferred
  + [Use of בְנֵי אָדָם]: Deut 32:8 (4Q37) - בהנחי(ל עליון גוים בהפרידו בני אדם יצב גבלת עמים למספר) בני אלוהים "When the Most High gave to the nations their inheritance, when he divided mankind, he fixed the borders of the peoples according to the number of the sons of God" (ESV).#dispreferred
 + <Background Imagery>: In Egyptian iconography, "the wings of the sun god Re appear over both divine and human figures" (LeMon 2010, 120 :M:; see Story Behind). The description of YHWH in Ps 36 exhibits several correspondences with the winged sun disk icon from the ANE, one such correspondence being the deity's protection of both divine and human figures.#dispreferred 
 + <Usage Elsewhere>: Similar phrases occur elsewhere in the HB and in ANE literature more broadly. These occurrences exhibit contextual ties to Ps 36:8.#dispreferred
  + [Judg 9:9, 13]: v. 9 - וַיֹּאמֶר לָהֶם הַזַּיִת הֶחֳדַלְתִּי אֶת־דִּשְׁנִי אֲשֶׁר־בִּי יְכַבְּדוּ אֱלֹהִים וַאֲנָשִׁים וְהָלַכְתִּי לָנוּעַ עַל־הָעֵצִים "The olive tree answered them, ‘Shall I stop producing my rich oil by which gods and mortals are honored, and go to sway over the trees?’" (NRSV); v. 13 - וַתֹּאמֶר לָהֶם הַגֶּפֶן הֶחֳדַלְתִּי אֶת־תִּירוֹשִׁי הַמְשַׂמֵּחַ אֱלֹהִים וַאֲנָשִׁים וְהָלַכְתִּי לָנוּעַ עַל־הָעֵצִים "But the vine said to them, ‘Shall I stop producing my wine that cheers gods and mortals, and go to sway over the trees?’" (NRSV).#dispreferred 
  + [Ugarit (UT, 51:VII:49-52)]: ahdy dymlk 'l ilm dymru ilm wnšm dyšb' hmlt ars, "I alone will rule over the gods, will fatten gods and men, sate the multitudes of the nether world" (Dahood 1966, 221 :C:).#dispreferred 
 + <Merisms as Poetic Device>: The author of Ps 36 utilizes several merisms to achieve his rhetorical purposes, one such merism being אֱלֹהִים וּבְנֵי אָדָם which represents "all sentient or rational beings" (Honeyman 1952, 16 :A:).#dispreferred
  + [Other Merisms in Ps 36]: vv. 6-7: הַשָּׁמַיִם "heavens"...תְּהוֹם "great deep"; v. 7: אָדָם־וּבְהֵמָה "humans and animals"; v. 12: רֶגֶל "foot"...יַד "hand" (cf. Krašovec 1977, 75-154 :M:).#dispreferred 
 + <Chiastic Structure>: Taken together, אָדָם־וּבְהֵמָה "humans and animals" and אֱלֹהִים וּבְנֵי אָדָם "divine beings and people" formally balance one another, creating a chiasm: A (man), B (animal), B' (divine being), A' (man) (cf. Dahood 1966, 221 :C:).#dispreferred
 - <Poetic Line Division>: Grouping אֱלֹהִים with the succeeding text results in unbalanced poetic lines.
  + [Poetic Line Division]: A line = 2 prosodic words (מַה־יָּקָר חַסְדְּךָ); B line = 6 prosodic words (אֱלֹהִים וּבְנֵי אָדָם בְּצֵל כְּנָפֶיךָ יֶחֱסָיוּן).
  <_ <Alternative Line Division>: Grouping אֱלֹהִים with the succeeding text does not necessarily result in unbalanced poetic lines.#dispreferred
   + [Alternative Line Division]: A line = 2 prosodic words (מַה־יָּקָר חַסְדְּךָ); B line = 3 prosodic words (אֱלֹהִים וּבְנֵי אָדָם); C line = 3 prosodic words (בְּצֵל כְּנָפֶיךָ יֶחֱסָיוּן).#dispreferred

Conclusion

Whether אֱלֹ֫הִ֥ים is grouped with the preceding or succeeding text cannot be determined by syntax alone; both options are syntactically viable. The reading tradition provides powerful testimony for grouping אֱלֹ֫הִ֥ים with the preceding text as a vocative. In several Hebrew, Greek, and Syriac manuscripts, אֱלֹ֫הִ֥ים (or its translation equivalent) is written as the final word of its respective line and therefore meant to be grouped with the preceding text. In Masoretic manuscripts, אֱלֹ֫הִ֥ים is written with a strong disjunctive accent — 'ole weyored — which indicates that the scribe(s) intended it to be grouped with the preceding text and set off from the succeeding text.

In favor of reading אֱלֹ֫הִ֥ים with the succeeding text as part of a compound subject (אֱלֹהִים וּבְנֵי אָדָם) is the attestation of similar phrases elsewhere in the Hebrew Bible and in other ANE literature more broadly. Also in favor of this reading could be a rhetorical device utilized by the author — merism — which "express a totality by mentioning the parts, usually the two extremes, concerning a given idea, quality, or quantity." As a merism, the effect of אֱלֹהִים וּבְנֵי אָדָם is to stress the totality and pervasiveness of YHWH's loyalty for "all sentient or rational beings." A similar stress is present in v. 7 in that YHWH delivers "humans and animals," or "all living creatures."

Grouping אֱלֹ֫הִ֥ים with the succeeding text as part of a compound subject could represent another instance of merism in the psalm and, hence, add to the rhetorical purposes of the author. Additionally, the phrase אֱלֹהִים וּבְנֵי אָדָם is attested elsewhere in the Hebrew Bible and in other ANE literature. However, the strong testimony of the reading tradition argues in favor of reading אֱלֹ֫הִ֥ים with the preceding text as a vocative. We conclude that, in the absence of manuscript evidence to the contrary, it is best to retain the reading represented in the reading tradition: אֱלֹ֫הִ֥ים is to be grouped with the preceding text as a vocative.

Research

Translations

Ancient

• LXX: ὡς ἐπλήθυνας τὸ ἔλεός σου, ὁ θεός, οἱ δὲ υἱοὶ τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἐν σκέπῃ τῶν πτερύγων σου ἐλπιοῦσιν.
  • "How you increased your mercy, O God! But the sons of men will hope in the shelter of your wings."
• Symmachus: τί τίμιον τὸ ἔλεός σου ... υἱοὶ δὲ τῶν ἀνθρώπων ὑπὸ σκιὰν τῶν πτερύγων σου ἀμεριμνοῦσι.
  • "How precious is your mercy ... and/but the sons of men are care-free under the shadow of your wings."
• Peshitta: ܡܐ ܣ̈ܓܝܐܝܢ ܪ̈ܚܡܝܟ ܐܠܗܐ܂ ܘܒܢ̈ܝ ܐܢܫܐ ܒܛܠܠܐ ܕܟܢ̈ܦܝܟ ܢܬܟܣܘܢ܂
  • "How many are your mercies, O God! Human beings will be covered in the shadow of your wings."
• Jerome: quam pretiosa est misericordia tua Domine et filii Adam in umbra alarum tuarum sperabunt
  • "How precious is your mercy, Lord, and the children of Adam will hope in the shadow of your wings"
• Targum: כמה יקר טובך ייי ובני נשא בטלל שכינתך יש{ו}רון לרוחצן׃
  • "How precious is your goodness, O LORD; and the sons of men place their trust in the shadow of your Shekinah."

Modern

Vocative

• How precious is your steadfast love, O God! The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings. (ESV)
• How precious is your loyal love, O God! The human race finds shelter under your wings. (NET)
• How priceless is your unfailing love, O God! People take refuge in the shadow of your wings. (NIV)
• How precious, O God, is your constant love! We find protection under the shadow of your wings. (GNT)
• How precious is your unfailing love, O God! All humanity finds shelter in the shadow of your wings. (NLT)
• How precious is your steadfast love, O God! All people may take refuge in the shadow of your wings. (NRSV)
• How precious is Your faithful care, O God! Mankind shelters in the shadow of Your wings. (JPS85)
• how precious, God, is your faithful love. So the children of Adam take refuge in the shadow of your wings. (NJB)
• Wie köstlich ist deine Güte, Gott, dass Menschenkinder unter dem Schatten deiner Flügel Zuflucht haben! (LUT)
• Wie kostbar ist deine Güte, o Gott: Bei dir finden Menschen Schutz und Sicherheit. (HFA)
• Wie kostbar, o Gott, ist deine Gnade! Menschen suchen Zuflucht im Schatten deiner Flügel. (NGÜ)
• Wie kostbar ist deine Gnade, Gott, und Menschenkinder bergen sich im Schatten deiner Flügel; (ELB)
• Wie köstlich ist deine Liebe, Gott! Menschen bergen sich im Schatten deiner Flügel. (EÜ)
• Deine Liebe ist unvergleichlich. Du bist unser Gott, du breitest deine Flügel über uns und gibst uns Schutz. (GNB)
• Dieu, qu'elle est précieuse, ta fidélité ! Les hommes se réfugient à l'ombre de tes ailes. (TOB)
• Combien précieuse est ta fidélité, ô Dieu ! A l'ombre de tes ailes les humains trouvent un abri. (NBS)
• Combien est précieuse ta bienveillance, ô Dieu ! À l'ombre de tes ailes les humains se réfugient. (NVSR)
• Que ton amour est précieux, ô Dieu ! Sous tes ailes, ╵les humains se réfugient. (BDS)
• Ton amour, mon Dieu, est vraiment précieux, les humains s’abritent à l’ombre de tes ailes. (PDV)
• Mon Dieu, ta bonté est si précieuse ! Les humains cherchent refuge sous tes ailes. (NFC)
• Combien ta bonté est précieuse, ô Dieu! A l’ombre de tes ailes les hommes cherchent un refuge. (S21)
• ¡Cuán preciosa, Dios, es tu misericordia! ¡Por eso los hijos de los hombres se amparan bajo la sombra de tus alas! (RVR95)
• ¡cuán precioso, oh Dios, es tu gran amor! Todo ser humano halla refugio a la sombra de tus alas. (NVI)
• ¡Qué maravilloso es tu amor, oh Dios! ¡Bajo tus alas, los hombres buscan protección! (DHH)
• ¡Oh Elohim, cuán preciosa es tu misericordia! Por eso los hombres se amparan bajo la sombra de tus alas. (BTX4)

Compound Subject

• Your love is a treasure, and everyone finds shelter in the shadow of your wings. (CEV)
• how precious is thy unfailing love! Gods and men seek refuge in the shadow of thy wings. (NEB)
• how precious is your unfailing love! Gods and frail mortals seek refuge in the shadow of your wings. (REB)
• Wie kostbar ist deine Güte. Götter und Menschen suchen Zuflucht im Schatten deiner Flügel. (ZÜR)

Secondary Literature

Barthélemy, Dominique. 2005. Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament. Vol. Tome 4: Psaumes. Fribourg, Switzerland: Academic Press.

Dahood, Mitchell J., ed. 1966. Psalms. First edition. Garden City, New York: Doubleday & Company, Inc.

de Hoop, Raymond, and Paul Sanders. 2022. “The System of Masoretic Accentuation: Some Introductory Issues”. The Journal of Hebrew Scriptures 22 (December).

Delitzsch, Franz. 1871. Biblical Commentary on the Psalms: Vol. 2. Translated by Francis Bolton. Vol. 2. T & T Clark.

Honeyman, A. M. 1952. “Merismus in Biblical Hebrew." Journal of Biblical Literature 71 (1): 11–18.

Krašovec, Jože. 1977. Der Merismus: im Biblisch-hebräischen und Nordwestsemitischen. Rome: Biblical Institute Press.

———. 1983. “Merism — Polar Expression in Biblical Hebrew.” Biblica 64 (2): 231–39.

le Mat, Louis Alexis Frederic. 1957. Textual Criticism and Exegesis of Psalm XXXVI: A Contribution to the Study of the Hebrew Book of Psalms. Studia Theologica Rheno-Traiectina; v. 3. Utrecht: Kemink.

LeMon, Joel M. 2010. Yahweh’s Winged Form in the Psalms: Exploring Congruent Iconography and Texts. Fribourg, Göttingen: Academic Press ; Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht.

Miller, C. L. 2010. “Vocative Syntax in Biblical Hebrew Prose and Poetry: A Preliminary Analysis.” Journal of Semitic Studies 55 (2): 347–64.

References

36:8