The Text, Grammar, and Meaning of Ps. 111:8b

Psalm Overview

Exegetical Issues for Psalm 111:

The Syntax and Meaning of Ps. 111:6

The Text, Grammar, and Meaning of Ps. 111:8b

The Text, Grammar, and Meaning of Ps. 111:10b

Introduction

The traditional Hebrew text of Ps 111:8b reads as follows:

עֲ֝שׂוּיִ֗ם בֶּאֱמֶ֥ת וְיָשָֽׁר

Modern translations and commentaries differ in their understanding of this half-verse. Compare, for example, the NIV and the ESV:

"enacted in faithfulness and uprightness" (NIV)

"to be performed with faithfulness and uprightness" (ESV)

According to the NIV, YHWH's commandments are enacted by him in faithfulness and uprightness. According to the ESV, however, YHWH's commandments are performed by others in faithfulness and uprightness. The two translations disagree on how to interpret the verb עֲ֝שׂוּיִ֗ם ("practiced" vs. "to be practiced") as well as on the agent of the action (YHWH vs. others?).

An additional issue in this verse may be illustrated by comparing the German translation ZÜR:

in Treue geschaffen und gerecht (ZÜR)

According to this translation, v. 8b contains two statements about YHWH's commandments instead of one: the commandments are "practiced/to be practiced in faithfulness," and the commandments are "upright."

These three different translations of v. 8b (NIV, ESV, ZÜR) reflect disagreement on the following issues:

• Text: how should the consonants ישר be vocalised?
  • Option 1: vocalise ישר as יֹשֶר (noun)
  • Option 2: vocalise ישר as יָשָׁר (adjective)
• Grammar: what is the syntactic function of יָשָׁר?
  • Option 1: יָשָׁר as predicate adjective
  • Option 2: יָשָׁר as substantival adjective
• Meaning (a): who is the agent of עֲשׂוּיִם?
  • Option 1: "to be practiced by humans"
  • Option 2: "enacted by God"
• Meaning (b): does the passive participle עֲשׂוּיִם refer to past/present activity or future activity?
  • Option 1: past/present ("are practiced")
  • Option 2: future/gerundive ("are to be practiced")

Each of these issues is discussed in the argument maps below.

Argument Maps

Text: how should the consonants ישר be vocalised?

The first issue concerns the vocalisation of the consonantal text. Should ישר be vocalised as יֹשֶר or as יָשָׁר?

Vocalise ישר as יָשָׁר (preferred)

Some argue that ישר should be vocalised as יָשָׁר (an adjective meaning "upright"). The arguments for and against this view are as follows.

===
model:
    removeTagsFromText: true
    shortcodes:
      ":C:": {unicode: "🄲"}
      ":G:": {unicode: "🄶"}
      ":A:": {unicode: "🄰"}
      ":I:": {unicode: "🄸"}    
      ":L:": {unicode: "🄻"}
      ":D:": {unicode: "🄳"}    
      ":M:": {unicode: "🄼"}   
selection:
    excludeDisconnected: false
dot:
    graphVizSettings:
        concentrate: true
        ranksep: 0.2
        nodesep: 0.2
=== 
[יָשָׁר]: The consonants ישר should be vocalised as יָשָׁר
 + <MT>: The Masoretic text vocalises ישר as יָשָׁר, and the vocalisation of the Masoretic text reflects an ancient reading tradition.
  + [MT]: עֲ֝שׂוּיִ֗ם בֶּאֱמֶ֥ת וְיָשָֽׁר
 - <Not syntactically viable>: יָשָׁר is an adjective, and an adjective does not make sense in the syntactic context. #dispreferred
  - <Viable interpretations>: There are multiple ways of making sense of יָשָׁר in this context (see argument maps in next section).

Vocalise ישר as יֹשֶר

Others argue that ישר be vocalised as יֹשֶר (an abstract noun meaning "uprightness"). The arguments for and against this view are as follows.

===
model:
    removeTagsFromText: true
    shortcodes:
      ":C:": {unicode: "🄲"}
      ":G:": {unicode: "🄶"}
      ":A:": {unicode: "🄰"}
      ":I:": {unicode: "🄸"}    
      ":L:": {unicode: "🄻"}
      ":D:": {unicode: "🄳"}    
      ":M:": {unicode: "🄼"}   
selection:
    excludeDisconnected: false
dot:
    graphVizSettings:
        concentrate: true
        ranksep: 0.2
        nodesep: 0.2
=== 
[יֹשֶר]: The consonants ישר should be vocalised as יֹשֶר (BDB, :L:; HALOT :L:). #dispreferred
 + <Abstract noun>: יֹשֶר is an abstract noun ("straightness", so BDB :L:, HALOT :L:), and a noun fits well in the syntactic context (Baethgen 1904, 341 :C:; Allen 2002 :C:). #dispreferred
  + <Syntactic context>: ישר is juxtaposed with the abstract noun אֱמֶת and is most naturally interpreted as a second object of the *beth* preposition (cf. v. 1b). #dispreferred
 + <Ancient versions - vocalisation>: The ancient versions probably read יֹשֶר instead of יָשָׁר. #dispreferred
  + <Ancient versions - abstract noun>: The ancient versions read ישר as an abstract noun. #dispreferred
   + [Ancient versions]: LXX (εὐθύτητι), Peshitta (ܙܕܝܩܘܬܐ), Jerome (aequitate), Targum (תירוצא). #dispreferred
   <_ <יָשָׁר as abstract noun>: The ancient versions may have rendered יָשָׁר as an abstract noun.
    + <Abstract noun for יָשָׁר>: There are other cases in the Psalms in which the versions have an abstract noun where the MT has יָשָׁר.
     + [Abstract noun for יָשָׁר]: Ps 11(10):7; 37(36):37
    + <Abstract noun for adjective>: There are other examples where the ancient versions translate a substantival adjective as an abstract noun.
      + [בְּתָמִים in Ps 84:12]: In Ps 84:12, the MT has תָמִים (an adjective) which each of the versions translates as an abstract noun. LXX: ἐν ἀκακίᾳ; Peshitta: ܒܬܡܝܡܘܬܐ; Jerome: in perfectione; Targum: בשלימותא; Aquila, Symmachus, Quinta: τελειότητι.

Grammar: what is the syntactic function of יָשָׁר?

The second issue in this verse is grammatical. If the correct vocalisation of the text is יָשָׁר (an adjective), then what is the syntactic function of יָשָׁר?

יָשָׁר as predicate adjective

Some have argued that יָשָׁר is a predicate adjective, a complement to the subject "commandments" in v. 7b: "All his commandments are faithful... and (they are) upright." The arguments for and against this view are as follows.

===
model:
    removeTagsFromText: true
    shortcodes:
      ":C:": {unicode: "🄲"}
      ":G:": {unicode: "🄶"}
      ":A:": {unicode: "🄰"}
      ":I:": {unicode: "🄸"}    
      ":L:": {unicode: "🄻"}
      ":D:": {unicode: "🄳"}    
      ":M:": {unicode: "🄼"}   
selection:
    excludeDisconnected: false
dot:
    graphVizSettings:
        concentrate: true
        ranksep: 0.2
        nodesep: 0.2
=== 
[Predicate adjective]: יָשָׁר is a predicate adjective ("all his commandments... are upright") (ZÜR; Hupfeld 1871, 208 :C:).#dispreferred
 + <Psalm 19:9>: In Ps 19:9, YHWH's commandments (פקודים) are described as "upright" (יְשָׁרִים). #dispreferred
  + [Psalm 19:9]: פִּקּ֘וּדֵ֤י יְהוָ֣ה יְ֭שָׁרִים #dispreferred
 - <Grammatical discord>: The subject (פִּקּוּדָיו) is plural, and the adjective (יָשָׁר) is singular.
  <_ <Psalm 119:137>: In Ps 119:137, יָשָׁר (singular) functions as the predicate adjective of מִשְׁפָּטֶיךָ (plural).#dispreferred
   + [Psalm 119:137]: וְ֝יָשָׁ֗ר מִשְׁפָּטֶֽיךָ #dispreferred
   - <מִשְׁפָּטֶיךָ singular>: The *yod* in מִשְׁפָּטֶיךָ may be due to the fact that מִשְׁפָּטֶיךָ is a pausal form, and מִשְׁפָּטֶיךָ may actually be singular.
    + [LXX]: The LXX reads מִשְׁפָּטֶיךָ as a singular noun: ἡ κρίσις σου.
     <_ <Different parent text>: The LXX might have read מִשְׁפָּטֶךָ instead of מִשְׁפָּטֶיךָ. #dispreferred

יָשָׁר as substantival adjective (preferred)

Others have argued that יָשָׁר is a substantival adjective which functions as a second object of the beth preposition in v. 8b: "Practiced (עֲשׂוּיִם) in faithfulness and (in) that which is upright (=uprightness)." The arguments for and against this view are as follows.

===
model:
    removeTagsFromText: true
    shortcodes:
      ":C:": {unicode: "🄲"}
      ":G:": {unicode: "🄶"}
      ":A:": {unicode: "🄰"}
      ":I:": {unicode: "🄸"}    
      ":L:": {unicode: "🄻"}
      ":D:": {unicode: "🄳"}    
      ":M:": {unicode: "🄼"}   
selection:
    excludeDisconnected: false
dot:
    graphVizSettings:
        concentrate: true
        ranksep: 0.2
        nodesep: 0.2
=== 
[יָשָׁר as substantival adjective]: יָשָׁר is a substantival adjective ("that which is upright" > "uprightness") and functions as the second object of the *beth* preposition in v. 8b ("in truth and uprightness") (cf. Ehrlich 1905, 283 :C:; Dahood 1970, 124 :C:; Radak :C:).
 + <Analogy with תָּמִים>: The adjective תָּמִים occasionally functions as a "neuter adjective = substantive, 'what is complete, entirely in accord with truth and fact'" (BDB :L:). The situation with יָשָׁר might be analogous. 
  + E.g., בֶּאֱמֶת וּבְתָמִים (Judg 9:16, 19); בְּתָמִים וּבֶאֱמֶת (Josh 24:14); גְּבַר תָּמִים (Ps 18:26); לַהֹלְכִים בְּתָמִים (Ps 84:12).
 + <Ancient versions>: The ancient versions read ישר as an abstract noun ("uprightness").
   + [Ancient versions]: LXX (εὐθύτητι), Peshitta (ܙܕܝܩܘܬܐ), Jerome (aequitate), Targum (תירוצא). 
   <_ <יֹשֶר>: The ancient versions may have instead vocalised the text as יֹשֶר (see above). #dispreferred

Meaning: who is the agent of עשוים?

Another issue in this verse, related to the previous issue, concerns both the meaning and the agent of the passive verb עשוים. Are the commandments "made" by YHHW, or are they "practiced" by humans?

Humans as agent of עשוים (preferred)

Some argue that עשוים here means "practiced (by humans)." The argument for this view is as follows.

===
model:
    removeTagsFromText: true
    shortcodes:
      ":C:": {unicode: "🄲"}
      ":G:": {unicode: "🄶"}
      ":A:": {unicode: "🄰"}
      ":I:": {unicode: "🄸"}    
      ":L:": {unicode: "🄻"}
      ":D:": {unicode: "🄳"}    
      ":M:": {unicode: "🄼"}   
selection:
    excludeDisconnected: false
dot:
    graphVizSettings:
        concentrate: true
        ranksep: 0.2
        nodesep: 0.2
=== 
[Practiced by humans]: The line says that YHWH's commandments are "practiced (by others) in faithfulness and uprightness."
 + <עשה + פקוד>: "To do" (עשות) a "commandment" (פקוד) is to obey it, not to enact it.
  + [עשה + פקוד]: E.g., Ps 103:18 (פִקֻּדָיו לַעֲשֹותָם...); cf. Lev 22:31 (מִצְוֹת); Deut 4:1 (חֻקִּים...מִשְׁפָּטִים); Josh 22:5 (מִצְוָה...תֹּורָה); Ps 119:112 (חֻקִּים).

God as agent of עשוים

Others argue that עשוים here means "made," in the sense that the commandments are made (=enacted) by YHWH. The arguments for and against this view are as follows.

===
model:
    removeTagsFromText: true
    shortcodes:
      ":C:": {unicode: "🄲"}
      ":G:": {unicode: "🄶"}
      ":A:": {unicode: "🄰"}
      ":I:": {unicode: "🄸"}    
      ":L:": {unicode: "🄻"}
      ":D:": {unicode: "🄳"}    
      ":M:": {unicode: "🄼"}   
selection:
    excludeDisconnected: false
dot:
    graphVizSettings:
        concentrate: true
        ranksep: 0.2
        nodesep: 0.2
=== 
[Enacted by YHWH]: The line says that YHWH's commandments have been "enacted (by him) in faithfulness and uprightness" (NIV). #dispreferred
 + <Purpose of the psalm>: The whole psalm is a celebration of YHWH's activity. #dispreferred
  <_ <Movement of the psalm>: "Between the beginning and the end of the psalm, one can observe a coherent development: from the works of God to the works of humanity, which find their fulfilment in the 'imitatio Dei'. It could be said that the psalm presents a progressive concentrating and focusing of the perspective : the first stanza speaks of the 'works of God' in a general sense, such as to make us think of the creation; the second focuses the attention on the historical works of God; the third, finally, concentrates on the work of the law" (Barbiero 2014 :A:).
 - <Commandments not 'created'>: "There are not many parallels which connect commandments (plural) with the creative work of God in this way" (Scoralick 1997, 199 :A:).

Meaning: does עשוים refer to past/present actions or future actions?

The final issue in this verse is a verbal semantics issue: does עשוים refer to past/present action ("the commandments are practiced in faithfulness") or future/unrealised action ("the commandments are to be practiced in faithfulness")?

עשוים referring to past/present actions ("are practiced") (preferred)

Some argue that עשוים refers to past/present actions: "his commandments... are practiced in faithfulness." The arguments for this view are as follows.

===
model:
    removeTagsFromText: true
    shortcodes:
      ":C:": {unicode: "🄲"}
      ":G:": {unicode: "🄶"}
      ":A:": {unicode: "🄰"}
      ":I:": {unicode: "🄸"}    
      ":L:": {unicode: "🄻"}
      ":D:": {unicode: "🄳"}    
      ":M:": {unicode: "🄼"}   
selection:
    excludeDisconnected: false
dot:
    graphVizSettings:
        concentrate: true
        ranksep: 0.2
        nodesep: 0.2
=== 
["Are practiced"]: The line says that YHWH's commandments "are practiced in faithfulness and uprightness."
 + <Qal passive participle>: Qal passive participles "always correspond to a Latin or Greek perfect participle passive" (GKC §116e :G:).
 + <Ancient versions>: The LXX and Jerome translate עשוים as a perfect passive participle (although Jerome translates the passive participle in v. 2 as a gerundive).
  + [Ancient versions]: LXX (πεποιημέναι), Jerome (facta).
 + <Parallelism>: The passive participle in the previous line (סמוכים, v. 8a) is clearly not gerundive, but past perfective.

עשוים as future/gerundive ("to be practiced")

Others argue that the passive participle עשוים here is equivalent to the Latin gerundive: "his commandments... are to be practiced in faithfulness." The arguments for and against this view are as follows.

===
model:
    removeTagsFromText: true
    shortcodes:
      ":C:": {unicode: "🄲"}
      ":G:": {unicode: "🄶"}
      ":A:": {unicode: "🄰"}
      ":I:": {unicode: "🄸"}    
      ":L:": {unicode: "🄻"}
      ":D:": {unicode: "🄳"}    
      ":M:": {unicode: "🄼"}   
selection:
    excludeDisconnected: false
dot:
    graphVizSettings:
        concentrate: true
        ranksep: 0.2
        nodesep: 0.2
=== 
["To be practiced"]: The line says that YHWH's commandments are "to be performed with faithfulness and uprightness" (ESV; cf. Scoralick 1997, 199 :A:; Zenger 2011, 158 :C:). #dispreferred
 + <Passive participle as gerundive>: The passive participle sometimes has the force of a Latin gerundive (e.g., "to be practiced") (JM §121i :G:), and it probably has this force here. #dispreferred
  + [Passive participle as gerundive]: E.g., Ps 111:2 (דְּרוּשִׁים), which Jerome translates with the future passive participle *exquirenda* ("to be sought"). #dispreferred
  - <Qal not gerundive>: While the passive participles of other conjugations (esp. Niphal) sometimes correspond to a Latin gerundive, Qal passive participles "always correspond to a Latin or Greek perfect participle passive" (GKC §116e :G:).

Conclusion (B)

The Masoretic vocalisation of the text is probably correct: יָשָׁר. Although some scholars appeal to the ancient versions, which have an abstract noun, as evidence for the vocalisation יֹשֶר, it is not clear that the ancient versions read anything other than יָשָׁר. There are multiple places in the Psalms where the ancient versions have an abstract noun where the MT has יָשָׁר (e.g., Pss 11:7; 37:37; 111:8). And while it is possible that, in each of these instances, the versions read יֹשֶר, the simpler explanation is that the versions understood that יָשָׁר could be equivalent to an abstract noun. This use of יָשָׁר is analogous to the word תָּמִים which, though usually an adjective, sometimes acts as an abstract noun (e.g., Judg 9:16; Josh 24:14; Ps 84:12).

In terms of meaning, the line says that YHWH's commands are practiced (by people) in faithfulness and (in) upright(ness). Because the verb עשה, when collocated with words from the lexical domain "command", usually refers to obeying (not enacting) a command, the agent of the verb is probably "people" instead of "God." And because passive participles (including the passive participle סְמוּכִים in the parallel line) usually (if not always) refer to past/present/real events, it seems best to interpret עשוים in this sense (so LXX and Jerome) and not as a gerundive.

Research

Translations

Ancient

• LXX: πεποιημέναι ἐν ἀληθείᾳ καὶ εὐθύτητι
  • "made in truth and uprightness"
• Peshitta: ܘܥܒܝܕܝܢ ܒܙܕܝܩܘܬܐ ܘܒܩܘܫܬܐ
  • "they are done in righteousness and truth"
• Jerome: facta in veritate et aequitate
• Targum: מיתעבדין בקושטא ותירוצא
  • "performed in truth and uprightness."

Modern

ישר as abstract noun

God as agent of עשה

• enacted in faithfulness and uprightness (NIV)
• enacted in faithfulness and truth (REB)
• they were given in truth and righteousness (GNT)
• wrought of truth and equity (JPS85)
• their fabric goodness and truth (NEB)
• accomplished in fidelity and honesty (NJB)
• sie sind geschaffen wahrhaftig und recht (LUT)
• von Anfang bis Ende bezeugen sie seine Wahrhaftigkeit und Treue (HFA)
• gegründet sind sie auf Wahrheit und Aufrichtigkeit (NGÜ)
• geschaffen in Treue und Redlichkeit (EÜ)
• establecidos con fidelidad y rectitud (NVI)
• Vérité et droiture en sont les marques (NFC)
• car ils sont justes et vrais (PDV2017)
• et fondés sur la vérité et la droiture (BDS)

Humans as agent of עשה

• to be obeyed faithfully and with integrity (NLT)
• to be performed with faithfulness and uprightness (ESV, NRSV)
• should be faithfully and properly carried out (NET)
• sie sind genau und treu zu befolgen (GNB)

Ambiguous agent of עשה

• faits de droiture et de vérité (TOB)
• hechos en verdad y rectitud (RVR95)
• y están hechos con verdad y rectitud (DHH94I)

ישר as adjective

• in Treue geschaffen und gerecht (ZÜR)

Secondary Literature

Allen, Leslie. 1983. Psalms 101-150. Vol. 21. Word Biblical Commentary. Waco: Word Books.

Baethgen, Friedrich. 1904. Die Psalmen. Göttingen: Vandenhoeck und Ruprecht.

Dahood, Mitchell J. 1970. Psalms III, 101-150. AB 17A. Garden City, NY: Doubleday.

Ehrlich, Arnold B. 1905. Die Psalmen; neu übersetzt und erklärt. Berlin: Poppelauer.

Hossfeld, Frank-Lothar, and Erich Zenger. 2011. Psalms 3: A Commentary on Psalms 101-150. Edited by Klaus Baltzer. Translated by Linda M. Maloney. Hermeneia. Minneapolis, MN: Fortress.

Hupfeld, Hermann. 1871. Die Psalmen. Vol. 4. Gotha: F.A. Perthes.

Radak. Radak on Psalms.

Scoralick, Ruth. 1997. “Psalm 111 : Bauplan und Gedankengang.” Biblica 78 (2): 190–205.

References

111:8 Approved