The Syntax and Meaning of Ps 49:16
Introduction[ ]
The MT of Ps 49:16 reads as follows:[1]
אַךְ־אֱלֹהִ֗ים יִפְדֶּ֣ה נַ֭פְשִׁי מִֽיַּד־שְׁא֑וֹל כִּ֖י יִקָּחֵ֣נִי סֶֽלָה׃
This verse deals with the posthumous fate of the righteous speaker in contrast to the lot of the foolish, self-reliant rich, and is variously represented among modern translations. For example:
- But God will redeem my soul from the power of Sheol, For He will receive me. Selah (NASB)
- But God will rescue me; he will save me from the power of death. (GNT)
- But God will redeem me from the realm of the dead; he will surely take me to himself. (NIV)
- God will ransom my soul from the hand of Sheol when he shall take me. Selah (JUB)
These translations indicate that there are two main difficulties in the interpretation of v. 16.
- One difficulty is related to the line division and syntax of v. 16. Should the prepositional phrase "from the power of Sheol" (מִיַּד שְׁאוֹל) be grouped with the preceding clause/line or with the following? The MT places the major disjunctive accent atnach on the word "Sheol," thereby grouping "from the power of Sheol" (מִיַּד שְׁאוֹל) with the preceding clause/line. Some modern translations follow this punctuation. For example, "But God will redeem my soul from the power of Sheol, for He will receive me" (NASB). Other interpreters, however, group "from the power of Sheol" (מִיַּד שְׁאוֹל) with the following clause/line, rendering this verse as, "But God will ransom me, from the power of Sheol will he surely snatch me".[2] The latter reading indicates that the psalm presupposes the idea of "assumption" (cf. Gen 5:24; 2 Kgs 2:3, 5, 9, 10).
- Another challenging point is the function of כִּי in v. 16b. Some read it as "for/because", thus subordinating v. 16b to v. 16a, "But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave, For He shall receive me" (NKJV). Some take it temporally, i.e., as "when" (e.g., JUB; WYC; etc.). Yet others take כִּי as the emphatic "surely," rendering the verse as, "But God will save me from the place of the dead. He will certainly take me to himself" (NIRV).
Argument Maps[ ]
Line Division of v. 16[ ]
"...Sheol" belongs with first clause[ ]
Some modern translations group the phrase "from the power of Sheol" with the first line/clause. For example, "But God will redeem my soul from the power of Sheol, For He will receive me" (NASB; cf. NIV; NET; ESV; JPS 1985; NRSV; WYC; Luther 2017; NGÜ; ELB; EÜ; RVR95; NVI; BTX4; DHH; NBS; S21; PDV; BDS; NVSR; NRT; RST; UKR; BULG; etc.).
"...Sheol" belongs with second clause (preferred)[ ]
Some scholars and translations group the phrase "from the power of Sheol" with the second line/clause. For example, Dahood renders this verse as "But God will ransom me, from the power of Sheol will he surely snatch me" (cf. NLT; GNT; CEV; NEB/REB; etc.).[3] With such division, כִּי in v. 16b would be taken as having an asseverative role, which is well established in Biblical Hebrew[4] and is widely accepted for Ps 49:16.[5]
The Meaning and Function of כִּי[ ]
Causal ("because")[ ]
Some modern translations read the conjunction כִּי as a causal conjunction ("for" or "because"). For example, "But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave, For He shall receive me" (NKJV; cf. ESV; JPS 1985; NRSV; RVR95; BTX4; NBS; BDS; UKR; BULG; etc.).
Temporal ("when")[ ]
Some modern translations read כִּי as a temporal conjunction ("when"). For example, WYC renders v. 16 as "Nevertheless God shall again-buy my soul from the power of hell; when he shall take me" (cf. JUB; NRT; RST; etc.).
Asseverative ("surely") (preferred)[ ]
Others take כִּי as the emphatic "surely", rendering the verse as, "But God will save me from the place of the dead. He will certainly take me to himself" (NIRV; cf. NIV; NET; EÜ; S21; NFC; PDV; etc.). The asseverative כִּי has received much attention[6] and is widely accepted for Ps 49:16.[7]
Conclusion (B)[ ]
On balance, reading "from the power of Sheol" with v. 16b and כִּי as representing emphasis, e.g., "surely" is preferable. Such line division a.) makes most sense contextually; b.) has version support (Syr.); c.) reflects the usage of לקח in death-related contexts in the Hebrew Bible (e.g., Gen 5:24; 2 Kgs 2:3, 5, 9, 10) and in extrabiblical sources (UT, 2059:21-22); and d.) is well represented among modern translations. The asseverative use of כִּי/"surely" has good support from a.) internal and external biblical evidence; and b.) context. At this juncture in the psalm, the psalmist seems to be indicating that he will be like one of those privileged individuals whom God "took" from life—e.g., Enoch and Elijah (Gen 5:24; 2 Kgs 2:3, 5, 9, 10). "In light of broader OT usage, this 'taking' will be a rescuing from this-worldly trouble (cf. Ps. 18:16 [17]; Ezek. 36:24; 37:21), a rescuing from the threat of Sheol or from the way death can get its clutches on us in life (cf. 16:10; 18:5 [6]; 30:3 [4])."[8]
Research[ ]
Translations[ ]
Ancient[ ]
- LXX
- πλὴν ὁ θεὸς λυτρώσεται τὴν ψυχήν μου ἐκ χειρὸς ᾅδου, ὅταν λαμβάνῃ με. διάψαλμα[9]
- On the other hand, God will ransom my soul from Hades’ hand, when he receives me. Interlude on strings. (NETS)
- πλὴν ὁ θεὸς λυτρώσεται τὴν ψυχήν μου ἐκ χειρὸς ᾅδου, ὅταν λαμβάνῃ με. διάψαλμα[9]
- Peshitta
- Jerome (Iuxta LXX)
- verumtamen Deus redimet animam meam de manu inferi cum acceperit me DIAPSALMA[14]
- Jerome (Iuxta Hebr)
- verumtamen Deus redimet animam meam de manu inferi cum adsumpserit me SEMPER[15]
- Targum
Modern[ ]
"...Sheol" with first clause[ ]
- But God will redeem me from the realm of the dead; he will surely take me to himself. (NIV)
- But God will rescue my life from the power of Sheol; certainly he will pull me to safety. (Selah) (NET)
- But God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol, for he will receive me. Selah (ESV)
- But God will redeem my life from the clutches of Sheol, for He will take me. Selah (JPS 1985)
- But God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol, for he will receive me. Selah (NRSV)
- Nevertheless God shall again-buy my soul from the power of hell; when he shall take me.[21] (WYC)
- Aber Gott wird mich erlösen aus des Todes Gewalt; denn er nimmt mich auf. Sela (Luther 2017)
- Mich aber wird Gott erlösen und den Klauen des Todes entreißen, er wird mich zu sich holen und bei sich aufnehmen.[22] (NGÜ)
- Gott aber wird mein Leben [23] erlösen von der Gewalt des Scheols; denn er wird mich aufnehmen[24]. (ELB)
- Doch Gott wird mich auslösen aus der Gewalt der Unterwelt, ja, er nimmt mich auf. [Sela] (EÜ)
- Pero Dios redimirá mi vida del poder del seol, porque él me tomará consigo. Selah (RVR95)
- Pero Dios me rescatará de las garras de la muerte[25] y con él me llevará. Selah (NVI)
- Pero Elohim redimirá mi alma de la mano del Seol, Porque me llevará consigo. Selah (BTX4)
- Pero Dios me salvará del poder de la muerte, pues me llevará con él. (DHH)
- [26]Mais Dieu me libérera du séjour des morts, car il me prendra. Pause (NBS)
- Mais Dieu rachètera mon âme du séjour des morts, oui, il me prendra. – Pause. (S21)
- Mais Dieu rachètera ma vie au pouvoir de la mort, oui, il me délivrera. (PDV)
- Mais Dieu me délivrera ╵du séjour des morts, car il me prendra. Pause (BDS)
- Mais Dieu libérera mon âme du séjour des morts, Car il me prendra[27]. Pause. (NVSR)
- Но мою жизнь[28] искупит Бог от власти мира мертвых, когда примет меня к Себе. Пауза (NRT)
- Но Бог избавит душу мою от власти преисподней, когда примет меня. (RST)
- Та визволить Бог мою душу із влади шеолу, бо Він мене візьме! Села. (UKR)
- Но Бог ще изкупи душата ми от силата на преизподнята. Защото ще ме приеме. (Села) (BULG)
"...Sheol" with second clause[ ]
- But as for me, God will redeem my life. He will snatch me from the power of the grave. Interlude (NLT)
- But God will rescue me; he will save me from the power of death. (GNT)
- But God will rescue me from the power of death. (CEV)
- But God will ransom my life, he will take me from the power of Sheol. (NEB)
- But God will ransom my life and take me from the power of Sheol. [Selah (REB)
- (But God shall redeem my soul; and he shall take me away from the power of Sheol, or the power of death. (WYC)
- Ich bin gewiss: Gott wird mich erlösen, er wird mich den Klauen des Todes entreißen. (HFA)
- Mein Leben aber – Gott selbst kauft es frei; aus den Krallen des Todes reißt er mich heraus! (GNB)
- Gott aber wird mein Leben loskaufen, aus der Gewalt des Totenreichs nimmt er mich auf. Sela (ZÜR)
- Mais Dieu me délivrera ! Oui, il m'arrache aux griffes de la mort ! Pause (NFC)
"Because"[ ]
- But God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol, for he will receive me. Selah (ESV)
- But God will redeem my life from the clutches of Sheol, for He will take me. Selah (JPS 1985)
- But God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol, for he will receive me. Selah (NRSV)
- Pero Dios redimirá mi vida del poder del seol, porque él me tomará consigo. Selah (RVR95)
- Pero Elohim redimirá mi alma de la mano del Seol, Porque me llevará consigo. Selah (BTX4)
- Mais Dieu me libérera du séjour des morts, car il me prendra. Pause (NBS)
- Mais Dieu me délivrera ╵du séjour des morts, car il me prendra. Pause (BDS)
- Та визволить Бог мою душу із влади шеолу, бо Він мене візьме! Села. (UKR)
- Но Бог ще изкупи душата ми от силата на преизподнята. Защото ще ме приеме. (Села) (BULG)
"When"[ ]
- Surely God will ransom my soul from the hand of Sheol when he shall take me. Selah. (JUB)
- Nevertheless God shall again-buy my soul from the power of hell; when he shall take me.[29] (WYC)
- Но мою жизнь[30] искупит Бог от власти мира мертвых, когда примет меня к Себе. Пауза (NRT)
- Но Бог избавит душу мою от власти преисподней, когда примет меня. (RST)
"Surely"[ ]
- But God will redeem me from the realm of the dead; he will surely take me to himself. (NIV)
- But God will rescue my life from the power of Sheol; certainly he will pull me to safety. (Selah) (NET)
- Doch Gott wird mich auslösen aus der Gewalt der Unterwelt, ja, er nimmt mich auf. [Sela] (EÜ)
- Mais Dieu rachètera mon âme du séjour des morts, oui, il me prendra. – Pause. (S21)
- Mais Dieu me délivrera ! Oui, il m'arrache aux griffes de la mort ! Pause (NFC)
- Mais Dieu rachètera ma vie au pouvoir de la mort, oui, il me délivrera. (PDV)
Secondary Literature[ ]
- Barthélemy, Dominique. 2005. Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament. vol. 4: Psaumes. Fribourg, Switzerland: Academic Press.
- Briggs, Charles Augustus and Emilie Grace Briggs. 1906. A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Book of Psalms. vol. 2. ICC. Edinburgh: T&T Clark.
- Clifford, Richard. 2002. Psalm 1-72. Abingdon Old Testament commentaries Nashville, TN: Abington Press.
- Craigie, Peter C., and Marvin E. Tate. 1983. 2nd ed. Psalms 1–50. vol. 19. WBC. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.
- Dahood, Mitchell. 1966. Psalms. Vol. 1. Anchor Bible Commentary. New York: Doubleday.
- DeClaissé-Walford, Nancy, Rolf A. Jacobson, and Beth LaNeel Tanner. 2014. The Book of Psalms. NICOT. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans.
- Delitzsch, Franz. 1883. Biblical Commentary on the Psalms. vol. 1. Translated by Eaton David. New York, NY: Funk and Wagnalls.
- Dobbs-Allsopp, F. W. 2015. On Biblical Poetry. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
- Ewald, Heinrich. 1866. Die Dichter des Alten Bundes. Göttingen : Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht.
- Fohrer, G. 1993. Psalmen. Berlin: De Gruyter.
- Goldingay, John. 2007. Psalms 42–89. vol. 2. BCOT. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic.
- Goulder, Michael D. 1982. The Psalms of the Sons of Korah. Sheffield: JSOT Press.
- Gross, H. 1972. “Self-oder Fremderlösung.” Pages 65–70 in Wort, Lied und Gottesspruch: Beiträge zu Psalmen und Propheten.ed. J. Schreiner. (J. Ziegler FS). Würzburg: Echter.
- Hengstenberg, Ernst Wilhelm. 1863. Commentary on the Psalms. vol. 2. Edinburgh: T&T Clark.
- Hitzig, Ferdinand. 1863-1865. Die Psalmen, 2 vols. Leipzig: C.F. Winter.
- Kissane, Edward. 1953. The Book of Psalms. vol. 1, Westminster, MD: The Newman Press.
- Koehler, Ludwig, Walter Baumgartner, and Johann J. Stamm. 2001. The Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament. 2 vols. Translated and edited under the supervision of Mervyn E. J. Richardson. Leiden: Brill.
- Kraus, Hans-Joachim. 1972. Psalmen 1–63. BKT XV/1. Neukirchen-Vluyn: Neukirchener Verlag.
- Muraoka, J. 1985. Emphatic Words and Structures in Biblical Hebrew. Leiden: Brill.
- Sundermeier, Th. 1993. “Erlösung oder Versöhnung: Religionsgeschichtliche Anstöße.” EvT 53: 124-146.
- Taylor, Richard A. trans., 2020. The Syriac Peshitta Bible with English Translation: Psalms. ed. by George A. Kiraz and Joseph Bali. The Antioch Bible/ṢṢurath Kthobh. Piscataway, NJ: Gorgias.
- VanGemeren, Willem A. 1997. New International Dictionary of Old Testament Theology and Exegesis. 5 vols. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.
- Volz, Paul. 1937. “Psalm 49.” ZAW 55: 235–64.
- Weiser, Artur. 1962. The Psalms. OTL. Trans. by Herbert Hartwell. Philadelphia, PA: Westminster Press.
- Witte, Markus. 2000. "‘Aber Gott wird meine Seele erlösen.’: Tod und Leben nach Psalm XLIX.” VT 50: 540–60.
References[ ]
49:16
- ↑ The Hebrew text comes from OSHB.
- ↑ Dahood 1966, 301.
- ↑ Dahood 1966, 301. He explains the significance of this punctuation and the link of מִֽיַּד־שְׁא֑וֹל to כִּ֖י יִקָּחֵ֣נִי as follows, "The correct stichometric division is owed to the Ugaritic specialists, who identified in ki yiqqaheni the emphasizing particle ki which often causes the postposition of the verb. Thus in his Ugaritic Grammar (Rome, 1940), p. 54, C. H. Gordon listed the present passage among those exhibiting the syntactic phenomenon placed in such clear light by, e.g., UT, 62:1:14-15, lktp ‘nt ktsth, 'Upon the shoulders of Anath she surely puts him.'" Ibid., 301.
- ↑ See Muraoka 1985, 158–64; JM §164, 165a, e; IBHS §39.3.4e.
- ↑ Dobbs-Allsopp 2015, 343, 521.
- ↑ For bibliography, see Muraoka 1985, 158–64; JM §164, 165a, e; IBHS §39.3.4e.
- ↑ Cf. Muraoka’s discussion on the asseverative use of this particle כִּי: “The etymologically deducible original demonstrative force of the particle ki was still alive alongside its later specializations, and this demonstrative function is the source of its occasional asseverative-emphatic use... It is used particularly when it appears in oath formulas, and closely related to that in the apodosis of conditional sentences. Beyond these uses, it may be used for the emphasizing purpose when directly fixed to the predicate, and that almost exclusively in poetic context” (Muraoka 1985, 163). In all cases, emphasis is a consequence of contextual considerations (Dobbs-Allsopp 2015, 521). But see Locatell who is cautious regarding this usage (2017, 275-276 and throughout). He, however, does not discuss Psalm 49.
- ↑ Goldingay 2007, 105-106. Cf. H.W. Wolff, who states: “The overcoming of death’s agony is not manifested in any elaborate hope of the beyond, but in the calm certainty that the communion with Yahweh cannot be ended by death, because of his faithfulness" (Wolff, Anthropology of the OT [1974], 109).
- ↑ Rahlfs 1931.
- ↑ CAL.
- ↑ Translation note: "'me': lit. 'my soul'." (Taylor 2020, 191).
- ↑ Translation note: "'power': lit. 'hand'." (Taylor 2020, 191).
- ↑ Taylor 2020, 191.
- ↑ Footnote: "16 diapsalma om. RHWc." Weber-Gryson 5th edition.
- ↑ Footnote: "16 semper om. I". Weber-Gryson 5th edition.
- ↑ CAL.
- ↑ A note to see Introduction III.3 (Stec 2004, 103), which reads, "TgPss takes an interest in prophecy. In particular, the “spirit of prophecy” is a means of revelation associated with David (14:1; 49:16; 51:13,14; and probably also 22:27; 45:3), the sons of Korah (45:l[mss]; 46:1), Asaph (77:3; 79:1), and the prophets (68:34). Moreover, David is said to have sung a psalm in prophecy (18:1), to have spoken one in prophecy (103:1), and to have prophesied (49:17), and Solomon is said to have spoken in prophecy (72:1). Psalm 98 is described as a psalm of prophecy (98:1). The verb nb’, “prophesy” is found five times in TgPss (107:4, 10, 17, 23, 33), but not at all in the MT of the Psalms. Moreover, whereas the Hebrew noun nby’, “prophet” occurs only three times in the MT of the Psalter (51:2; 74:9; 105:15), its Aramaic equivalent is found an additional nine times in TgPss. As well as referring to prophets in general (18:17; 68:34; 74:9) or unnamed prophets (90:12; 110:7), TgPss also uses the word “prophet” in connection with particular prophets of the Bible: Moses (68:19; 90:1), Samuel (118:27), and Joel (107:33)" (Stec 2004, 5-6).
- ↑ "Crn, with B M Pm P 110; C P17 + yty, 'me.' This is perhaps an alternative translation to npšy, 'my soul,' which has entered the text" (Stec 2004, 103).
- ↑ "MT 'the power {lit. hand} of Sheol'” (Stec 2004, 103).
- ↑ "Following 'his Law,' and in place of 'For ever,' M P110 read 'and he will lead me to his portion in the world to come.'" (Stec 2004, 103).
- ↑ (But God shall redeem my soul; and he shall take me away from the power of Sheol, or the power of death.)
- ↑ Translation note: "Wörtlich: 'denn er wird mich wegnehmen' (od 'zu sich nehmen')."
- ↑ Translation note: "o. meine Seele."
- ↑ Translation note: "o. er wird mich ⟨dem Scheol⟩ entreißen."
- ↑ Translation note: "49:15 de la muerte. Lit. del Seol."
- ↑ Footnote: "49:16. Cf. 30.4; 2S 4.9; Os 13.14.-il me prendra: 73.24n; Gn 5.24; 2R 2.3,5; Lc 16.22."
- ↑ Translation note: "prendra. On pourrait traduire aussi: car il me prendra de la main du séjour des morts."
- ↑ Translation note: "Или: «душу»."
- ↑ (But God shall redeem my soul; and he shall take me away from the power of Sheol, or the power of death.)
- ↑ Translation note: "Или: «душу»."