The Meaning of מְצֹא in Psalm 32:6

Introduction

The Masoretic Text of Ps 32:6 reads as follows:

עַל־זֹ֡את יִתְפַּלֵּ֬ל כָּל־חָסִ֨יד׀ אֵלֶיךָ֮ לְעֵ֪ת מְ֫צֹ֥א

רַ֗ק לְ֭שֵׁטֶף מַ֣יִם רַבִּ֑ים אֵ֝לָ֗יו לֹ֣א יַגִּֽיעוּ׃

Translations differ on the meaning of מְ֫צֹ֥א in this verse, which modifies לְעֵ֪ת "at the time." The differences are illustrated by the NIV, JPS, NET, REB:

• Therefore let all the faithful pray to you while you may be found; surely the rising of the mighty waters will not reach them. (NIV)
• Therefore let every faithful man pray to You upon discovering [his sin], that the rushing mighty waters not overtake him. (JPS)
• For this reason every one of your faithful followers should pray to you while there is a window of opportunity. Certainly when the surging water rises, it will not reach them. (NET)
• So let every faithful heart pray to you in the hour of anxiety; when great floods threaten they shall not touch him. (REB)

The NIV understands "God," the recipient of the prayer, to be the implied object of מְ֫צֹ֥א "finding." The JPS understands "sin," mentioned in the previous verse, to be the implied object. The NET's "window of opportunity" indicates it is the "time" (עֵת) itself that is being found. The REB has followed a conjectural emendation of the MT's לְעֵ֪ת מְ֫צֹ֥א רַ֗ק to לְעֵת מָצוֹק "time of anxiety."

Argument Maps

(Appropriate) time being found

A number of modern and ancient translations reflect the interpretation of the "time" itself being "found" in the phrase לְעֵ֪ת מְ֫צֹ֥א.

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["Time"]: What is "found" in the phrase לְעֵ֪ת מְ֫צֹ֥א is the "time" (עֵת) itself.#dispreferred
 + <Ancient versions>: Some of the ancient versions clearly reflect this interpretation.#dispreferred
  + [Ancient versions]: LXX: "at an appropriate time;" Quinta: "in a time being found;" Peshitta: "in an acceptable time."#dispreferred
 - <Qal infinitive>: If the head noun, "time," were being modified by the infinitive, the infinitive would be in a passive binyan, such as niphal הִמָּצֵא (cf. Quinta: "in a time being found (εὑρισκομένῳ)."
 - <Expected object>: There is no instance of עֵת followed by a transitive infinitive without an explicit object, so one must be provided here.
  + [Expected object]: See, for example, 1 Sam 18:19: וַיְהִ֗י בְּעֵ֥ת תֵּ֛ת אֶת־מֵרַ֥ב בַּת־שָׁא֖וּל לְדָוִ֑ד "And it happened in the time to give Merab, daughter of Saul, to David"; 2 Kgs 5:26 הַעֵ֞ת לָקַ֤חַת אֶת־הַכֶּ֙סֶף֙ "Was it a time to take money?"; Hos 10:12: וְעֵת֙ לִדְר֣וֹשׁ אֶת־יְהוָ֔ה "It is time to seek the Lord"; Zeph 3:20: וּבָעֵ֖ת קַבְּצִ֣י אֶתְכֶ֑ם "And in the time that I gather you."
  - <Ecclesiastes 3>: Throughout Ecclesiastes 3, there is a series of מצא without direct objects.#dispreferred
   <_ <Supplied object>: In each case of transitive מצא in Ecclesiastes 3, an object must be supplied, just as here.
 

God being found

A number of scholars, as reflected in modern translations, interpret "God" as the elided object of the transitive infinitive מְ֫צֹ֥א "find."

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["God"]: The person "found" in the phrase לְעֵ֪ת מְ֫צֹ֥א is God (Rashi :C:; Delitzsch 1871, 397 :C:; Kraus 1993, 370 :C:; Potgieter 2014, 3 :A:; Botha 2019, 16 :A:).#dispreferred
 + <Prayer>: The phrase לְעֵ֪ת מְ֫צֹ֥א is found in the context of praying אֵלֶיךָ֮ "to you," i.e., to God.#dispreferred
 + <End of opportunity>: The phrase לְעֵ֪ת מְ֫צֹ֥א could imply that God would give up his corrective "hand" of action (v. 4) and abandon the unfaithful one after a certain time.#dispreferred
  - <The Psalm's co-text>: The psalmist expresses his experience (vv. 1-5) before turning to encourage every faithful person to follow his example of confession. God was present during the time of David's stubbornness (vv. 3-4) and did not need to be "found."
 + <Similar passage>: One finds a similar idea of "finding God" in Isaiah 55:6.#dispreferred
  <_ <Condition of finding>: In most passages, the finding is a given, depending on the integrity of the seeker, and God is even found by those who do not seek.
   + [Seeking and finding]: "But if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul" (Deut 4:29); "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart" (Jer 29:13); "I was found by those who did not seek me" (Isa 65:1).
  + [Isaiah 55:6]: "Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near" (Isa 55:6, NIV).#dispreferred
   - <LXX>: The clause structure of the MT's "Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake their ways..." (Isa 55:6-7a, NIV) should be read as "Seek God, and when you find him, call upon him, and whenever he should draw near you, let the impious forsake his ways" (LXX Isa 55:6-7a, NETS).
   <_ <Context>: Isaiah 55, like Jeremiah 29, speaks of seeking YHWH as a return from exile and pilgrimage to Jerusalem. It is in this sense that there is a limited time period if people do not return (see Jer 29:15-19).
    + [Jeremiah 29:10-14]: "This is what the LORD says: 'When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you (וְהִתְפַּלַּלְתֶּ֖ם אֵלָ֑י וְשָׁמַעְתִּ֖י אֲלֵיכֶֽם׃). You will seek me and find me (וּבִקַּשְׁתֶּ֥ם אֹתִ֖י וּמְצָאתֶ֑ם) when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you (וְנִמְצֵ֣אתִי),' declares the LORD, 'and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,' declares the LORD, 'and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.” (NIV)

Sin being discovered (preferred)

A number of scholars, as reflected in modern translations, interpret "sin" as the elided object of the transitive infinitive מְ֫צֹ֥א "find."

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["Sin"]: What is "found" in the phrase לְעֵ֪ת מְ֫צֹ֥א is the "sin" discussed in the previous verse (Barthélemy et al. 2005, 189-190 :M:; Böhler 2021, 572 :C:).
 + <The Psalm's co-text>: This interpretation makes sense within the psalm's co-text. The psalmist expresses his experience (vv. 1-5) before turning to encourage every faithful person to follow his example of confession (v. 5) and reject his example of stubbornness (vv. 3-4). Instead of enduring the suffering caused by stubbornness (vv. 3-4), the faithful one should be quick to confess once (s)he discovers his/her sin.
 + <Similar passage>: The infinitive of מצא is found in the phrase לִמְצֹ֖א עֲוֺנ֣וֹ (Ps 36:3). The term עֲוֺ֖ן חַטָּאתִ֣י is that which concludes Psalm 32:5, while the passage in Psalm 36 is a declaration of wickedness (נְאֻֽם־פֶּ֣שַׁע), a term found also in Psalm 32:1 (נְֽשׂוּי־פֶּ֗שַׁע) and 32:5 (אוֹדֶ֤ה עֲלֵ֣י פְ֭שָׁעַי לַיהוָ֑ה).
  + [Ps 36:3]: "For Rebellion has flattered him in his eyes, that he has found his iniquity (לִמְצֹ֖א עֲוֺנ֣וֹ) and hated it" (CBC).

Time of anxiety/distress

A number of other modern versions provide "time of anxiety" or "time of distress" following an emendation of the MT's לְעֵ֪ת מְ֫צֹ֥א רַ֗ק to either לְעֵת מָצוֹק or לְעֵת מָצוֹר.

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[Distress]: The MT's לְעֵ֪ת מְ֫צֹ֥א רַ֗ק should be emended to לְעֵת מָצוֹק or לְעֵת מָצוֹר, to read "time of anxiety/distress" (Briggs & Briggs 1906-1907, 280 :C:; Jacobson & Tanner 2014, 307 :C:).#dispreferred
 - <Ancient versions and manuscripts>: None of the ancient versions or extant Hebrew manuscripts indicate any other reading than that of the MT (Barthélemy et al. 2005, 190 :M:).
  + [Ancient versions]: LXX: "at an appropriate time"; Quinta: "in a time being found"; Peshitta: "in an acceptable time"; Jerome: "in a finding time"; Targum Psalms: "at the time of favor."
  <_ <Scribal error>: The reading לְעֵת מְצֹא רַק can be explained as a scribal error, either a corruption of לְעֵת מָצוֹק or לְעֵת מָצוֹר.#dispreferred
   - <Extra consonant>: Neither suggested emendation explains the presence of the other consonant—i.e., the surplus of ק if read לְעֵת מָצוֹר or the surplus of ר if read לְעֵת מָצוֹק (Barthélemy et al. 2005, 190 :M:).
 + <Similar expressions>: The noun "time" followed by negative circumstances appears elsewhere in the Psalms.#dispreferred
  + [Similar expressions]: Psalm 37:19: "In times of disaster (בְּעֵ֣ת רָעָ֑ה) they will not wither" (NIV); Psalm 37:19: "he is their stronghold in time of trouble (בְּעֵ֣ת צָרָֽה)" (NIV). #dispreferred
 + <Context>: The sense of "anxiety" (מָצוֹק) or "distress" (מָצוֹר) fits well with the following phrase: "in the flood of many waters" (לְ֭שֵׁטֶף מַ֣יִם רַבִּ֑ים). #dispreferred

Conclusion (B)

Although finding support in the LXX, among some other ancient versions, the "appropriate time" understanding of לְעֵ֪ת מְ֫צֹ֥א is unlikely, since מְ֫צֹ֥א is in the qal binyan and is thus transitive, with an object expected. The two most plausible elided objects are God being found, or the supplicant's sin being discovered. God being found is supported by Isaiah 55:6 and would signify the finite window of opportunity to repent after which God would give up his corrective "hand" of action (v. 4) and abandon the unfaithful one. Nevertheless, this does not fit well with the message of the psalm's first half. It is largely due to the message of vv. 3-5, including God's continual availability (and even initiative in correction and rebuke), as well as the parallel construction (לִמְצֹ֖א עֲוֺנ֣וֹ), found only a few psalms later (Ps 36:3), that we favor the sin being found out interpretation of לְעֵ֪ת מְ֫צֹ֥א. We understand the first half of the verse to read Because of this, let every faithful person pray to you when they discover [their sin].

Research

Translations

Ancient

• LXX: ὑπὲρ ταύτης προσεύξεται πᾶς ὅσιος πρὸς σὲ ἐν καιρῷ εὐθέτῳ·
  • "Over this, every devout shall pray to you at an appropriate time."
• Aquila: ἐπὶ ταύτῃ προσεύξεται πᾶς ὅσιος πρὸς σὲ εἰς καιρὸν εὑρέσεως αὐτοῦ.
  • "Upon this every holy one will pray to you in the time of his/its finding."
• Quinta: ...ἐν καιρῷ εὑρισκομένῳ
  • "...in a time being found"
• Iuxta Hebraeos: pro hoc orat omnis sanctus ad te tempus inveniens
  • "Because of this let every holy one pray to you in a finding time."
• Peshitta: ܡܛܠ ܗܢܐ ܢܨܠܐ ܠܟ ܟܘܠ ܡܢ ܕܓܒܐ ܠܟ ܒܙܒܢܐ ܡܩܒܠܐ
  • "For this reason everyone who is acceptable to you will pray to you in an acceptable time."
• Targum: מטול דא יצלי כל חסידא קדמך לעידן רעותיה
  • "Therefore, let every devout one pray before you at the time of favor."

Modern

Time of anxiety/distress

• So let every faithful heart pray to you in the hour of anxiety (REB; cf. NABRE, NRSV)
• Por eso, en momentos de angustia los fieles te invocarán (DHH)
• Deshalb werden alle Heiligen zu dir beten zur Zeit der Angst (LUT; cf. ZÜR)

Time being found (appropriate)

• Therefore let everyone who is faithful pray to you immediately (CSB)
• For this reason every one of your faithful followers should pray to you while there is a window of opportunity (NET)
• C’est ainsi que tout fidèle peut te prier au moment convenable (SG21; cf. NBS)

God being found

• Therefore let all the faithful pray to you while you may be found (NIV; cf. CJB, ESV, KJV, NASB)
• Por eso, todos tus fieles orarán a ti mientras puedas ser hallado (RVC)
• Ainsi tout fidèle te prie le jour où il te rencontre (TOB)
• Deshalb soll jeder Getreue zu dir beten, zur Zeit, da du zu finden bist (ELB; cf. EÜ)

Sin being discovered

• we should always pray whenever we find out that we have sinned (CEV)
• Therefore let every faithful man pray to You upon discovering [his sin] (JPS)
• C’est pourquoi tes amis fidèles doivent tous te prier quand ils découvrent leur faute (PDV; cf. NFC)

Secondary Literature

Barthélemy, Dominique. 2005. Critique Textuelle de l'Ancient Testament: Tome 4. Psaumes. Fribourg: Academic Press Fribourg.

Böhler, Dieter. 2021. Psalmen 1-50. Freiburg, Basel, Wien: Herder Verlag.

Brockington, L. H. 1973. The Hebrew Text of the Old Testament: The Readings Adopted by the Translators of the New English Bible. Malta: St Paul's Press.

Briggs, Charles A. & Briggs, Emilie G. 1906-1907. A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Book of Psalms. New York, NY: C. Scribner’s Sons.

Botha, Phil J. 2019. "Psalm 32: A Social-scientific Investigation," in OTE 32.1: 12-31.

Delitzsch, Franz. 1871. Biblical Commentary on the Psalms: Vol. 1. Edinburgh: T&T Clark.

Goldingay John. 2006. Psalms 1–41. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic.

Gruber, Meir. 1996. "(Chapter 32)"(Hebrew; פרק לב). Pages 149-152 in Psalms: Volume 1. Olam HaTaNaKh (Hebrew; תהלים א׳ עולם התנ׳׳ך). Tel Aviv: דודזון–עתי.

Ḥakham, Amos. 1979. The Book of Psalms: Books 1-2 (Hebrew; ספר תהלים: ספרים א–ב). Jerusalem: Mossad Harav Kook.

Ibn Ezra. Ibn Ezra on Psalms.

Jacobson, Rolf A. & Tanner, Beth. 2014. “Book One of the Psalter: Psalms 1–41,” in The Book of Psalms (NICOT). Grand Rapids, MI; William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.

Potgieter, J. Henk. 2014. "The Structure and Homogeneity of Psalm 32," in Theological Studies 70.1: 6 pages.

Kraus, Hans-Joachim, 1993. A Continental Commentary: Psalms 1–59. Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press.

Rashi. Rashi on Psalms.

Saadia = Qafaḥ, Yosef. 1965. The Psalms with Translation and Commentary of Saadia Gaon (in Hebrew: תהלים עם תרגום פוירוש הגאון). Jerusalem: The American Academy for Jewish Research (האקדימיה האמריקאנית למדעי היהדות).

van der Lugt, Pieter. 2024. The Beatitude אַשְׁרֵי and the Confession of Sins in Psalms 32-41, in VT 74: 115-136.

References

32:6