The Text, Grammar and Participants of Ps 22:9

Back to Psalm 22

Introduction

The MT of Psalm 22:9 is as follows:

גֹּ֣ל אֶל־יְהוָ֣ה יְפַלְּטֵ֑הוּ

יַ֝צִּילֵ֗הוּ כִּ֘י חָ֥פֵֽץ בּֽוֹ׃

Ps 22:9 is immediately preceded by the following two verses:

But I am a worm and not a man; I am scorned by mankind and despised by people.

Everyone who sees me mocks me, they open their mouth wide, they shake (their) head.

When we reach the first word of v. 9, the psalmist is quoting the mockers' direct speech: גֹּ֣ל אֶל־יְהוָ֣ה יְפַלְּטֵ֑הוּ יַ֝צִּילֵ֗הוּ כִּ֘י חָ֥פֵֽץ בּֽוֹ׃. The first verb (גל), however, has been understood in a variety of ways. The following two are majority positions, depending only on the vocalisation of the Hebrew consonants as either (1) an imperative or (2) an indicative verb:

1. Commit yourself to the LORD! (NET ≈ GWT, ISV, CEV, HFA, NGÜ, ELB, EÜ, GNB, ZÜR, TOB, NBS, NVSR, LSG21)
2. He trusts in the LORD (NIV ≈ NLT, ESV, CSB, GNT, Luther 2017, BDS, PDV, NFC, BTX4ª, RVA 2015)

The Text of the two consonants גל

Imperative גֹּל

The imperative of the mockers speaking directly to David, as read by the MT against the Ancient Versions, introduces a 2ms reference in a line dominated by 3ms.

===
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
=== 
<Imperative>: The consonants גל should be read גֹּל (imperative).
 + <Parallel texts>: The other instances of the verb גלל in the Qal expressed by גל are all imperatives.
  + [Parallel texts]: גּ֣וֹל עַל־יְהוָ֣ה דַּרְכֶּ֑ךָ וּבְטַ֥ח עָ֝לָ֗יו וְה֣וּא יַעֲשֶֽׂה׃ (Ps. 37:5); גַּ֣ל מֵֽ֭עָלַי חֶרְפָּ֣ה וָב֑וּז כִּ֖י עֵדֹתֶ֣יךָ נָצָֽרְתִּי׃ (Ps. 119:22); גֹּ֣ל אֶל־יְהוָ֣ה מַעֲשֶׂ֑יךָ וְ֝יִכֹּ֗נוּ מַחְשְׁבֹתֶֽיךָ׃ (Prov. 16:3).
   - <Ps. 119:22>: The pointing of גַּל is Ps 119:22 is clearly indicative. #dispreferred
    - <GKC and JM>: Both GKC (§67p) and JM (§82l) understand this form as a unique morphological form of the imperative.
    <_ <Other versions of Ps. 119:22>: The LXX, Peshitta and 11QPSa Frag. 7 all read an imperative.
     + [Other versions of Ps. 119:22]: LXX: περίελε (LXX), "take away" (NETS); Peshitta: ܐܥܒܪ "take away" (Taylor 2020); גול (DSS 11QPSa frag. 7).
 + <Modality and co-text>: The sarcastic tone among the modal verbs is continued for the next three clauses (Barthélemy 2005: 124 :C:).
 + <MT>: The MT tradition, as represented in Codex Leningrad, reads the verb as an imperative, גֹּל.
  _ <Harmonization>: The Masoretes probably pointed גל as an imperative in harmony with the other examples of imperative גל in the Psalter. #dispreferred
   + <Parallel texts>
   - <Harmonization unlikely>: The number of places in which גל is an imperative are so few in number that it seems unlikely that such a morphological form (גֹּל) would be immediately present in the scribe's mind.
 - <Ancient versions>: None of the ancient versions read an imperative here. #dispreferred
  + [Ancient versions]: LXX:  ̓́Ηλπισεν, "He hoped” (NETS); Jerome: confugit, "he takes refuge; Peshitta: ܐܬܬܟܠ, "he trusted" (Taylor 2020); Targum: שבחית, "I sang" (Stec 2004). #dispreferred

Indicative גַּל

The indicative, as read by the Ancient Versions, maintains a 3ms grammatical person throughout, though still shifts from the psalmist, "he trusted," to God as the agent of יְפַלְּטֵ֑הוּ in the first line.

===
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
=== 
<Indicative>: The consonants גל should be read גַּל (indicative). #dispreferred
 + <Ancient versions>: All of the ancient versions read an indicative here. #dispreferred
  + [Ancient versions]: LXX:  ̓́Ηλπισεν, "He hoped” (NETS); Jerome: confugit, "he takes refuge; Peshitta: ܐܬܬܟܠ, "he trusted" (Taylor 2020); Targum: שבחית, "I sang" (Stec 2004). #dispreferred
   <_ <Lectio difficilior praeferenda>: Translators were more likely to read the consonantal text as indicative as it makes for an easier flow of the verses participants and grammatical number.
    + <Consistency in person>
    <_ <Change of person>: The change from second person to third person in the same line, in this case from the psalmist (גֹּ֣ל) to God (יְפַלְּטֵ֑הוּ), is more difficult than the indicative reading because it is, in fact, quite unacceptable in BH poetry. #dispreferred
     - <Person shifts in Biblical Hebrew Poetry>: Rapid shifts in person are indeed characteristic of BH poetry.
      + <Person shifts in Biblical Hebrew Poetry>: "In poetic (or prophetic) language there sometimes occurs ... a more or less abrupt transition from one person to another. Thus from the 2nd to the 3rd (i.e. from an address to a statement)" (GKC §144p :G:)
       + [Examples]: אָ֥ז חִלַּ֖לְתָּ יְצוּעִ֥י עָלָֽה׃ (Gen. 49:4c); וְנִשְׁמַרְתֶּם֙ בְּר֣וּחֲכֶ֔ם וּבְאֵ֥שֶׁת נְעוּרֶ֖יךָ אַל־יִבְגֹּֽד׃ (Mal. 2:15b); וְאֹתִ֖י אַתֶּ֣ם קֹבְעִ֑ים הַגּ֖וֹי כֻּלּֽוֹ׃ (Mal 3:9b); רָנִּ֥י עֲקָרָ֖ה לֹ֣א יָלָ֑דָה פִּצְחִ֨י רִנָּ֤ה וְצַהֲלִי֙ לֹא־חָ֔לָה (Isa. 54:1a-b); שֶׁ֖קֶר רְדָפ֣וּנִי עָזְרֵֽנִי (Ps. 119:86); לְֽךָ־אֲ֭נִי הוֹשִׁיעֵ֑נִי (Ps. 119:94); עַבְדְּךָ־אָ֥נִי הֲבִינֵ֑נִי (Ps 119:125); הֲבִינֵ֥נִי וְאֶחְיֶֽה (Ps. 119:144); קְרָאתִ֥יךָ הוֹשִׁיעֵ֑נִי (Ps. 119:146), inter alia.
 + <Consistency in person>: Reading a 3ms indicative maintains a third person reference throughout the verse. #dispreferred
  <_ <Varying anaphora>: Even if third person reference was maintained, their denotata would nonetheless be distinct, alternating between the psalmist and God.

Conclusion

Despite the unanimous support for an indicative reading in the Ancient Versions, it is likely that they read the two consonants גל as indicative as the easier option, avoiding such sudden person shifts in the verse. The Masoretic pointing of the consonants גל as an imperative is to be preferred, being the more difficult reading, though in no way unnatural, in light of both the other instances of גל (Ps. 37:5; 119:22 and Prov. 16:3) and the other examples of person shifts from second to third in the same line (Gen. 49.4c, Mal. 2:15b; 3:9b, Isa. 54:1a-b). The resulting sense of the verse would be the mockers sarcastically telling the suffering psalmist to commit his situation to the Lord, before commenting amongst themselves that the Lord should act in consequence.

Research

Translations

Ancient

• ῎Ηλπισεν ἐπὶ κύριον, ῥυσάσθω αὐτόν· σωσάτω αὐτόν, ὅτι θέλει αὐτόν. (LXX)
• confugit ad Dominum salvet eum liberet eum quoniam vult eum (Jerome)
• ܐܬܬܟܠ ܥܠ ܡܪܢܐ ܕܢܦܨܝܘܗܝ ܘܢܦܠܛܝܘܗܝ ܐܢ ܨܒܐ ܒܗ (Peshitta)
• ישבח/שבחית קֳדָם יְיָ וְשֵׁזְבֵיהּ פְּצָא יָתֵיהּ מְטוּל דְאִתְרְעֵי בֵיהּ (Targum)

Modern

English

• They say, "Commit yourself to the LORD! Let the LORD rescue him! Let the LORD deliver him, for he delights in him." (NET ≈ CEV, GWT, ISV)
• "He trusts in the LORD; let him deliver him, let him rescue him, for he delights in him!" (ESV ≈ NIV, BSB, CSB, RSV)
• "Turn him over to the LORD, let Him save him; Let Him rescue him, because He delights in him." (NASB)
• "Let him commit himself to the LORD; let Him rescue him, let Him save him, for He is pleased with him." (JPS)
• "Is this the one who relies on the LORD? The let the LORD save him! If the LORD loves him so much, let the LORD rescue him!" (NLT)

German

• »Überlass Gott deine Not (HFA) / Übergib deine Sache doch dem HERRN (NGÜ, GNB) / Wälze es auf den HERRN. Der rette ihn, er befreie ihn, er hat ja Gefallen an ihm"« (ZÜR ≈ ELB, EÜ)
• »Er klage es dem HERRN, der helfe ihm heraus und rette ihn, hat er Gefallen an ihm.« (Luther 2017)

French

• Tourne-toi vers le SEIGNEUR (TOB) / Recommande-toi à l'Éternel (LSG21) / Remets ton sort au Seigneur Il lui donnera d'échapper, il le délivrera, puisqu'il a pris plaisir en lui! (NBS ≈ NSVR)
• «Il a fait confiance au Seigneur. Eh bien, si le Seigneur l'aime, il n'a qu'à le délivrer et le sauver!» (PDV ≈ NFC)
• «Il se confie en l'Eternel? Eh bien, que maintenant l'Eternel le délivre! Puisqu'il trouve en lui son plaisir, qu'i le libère donc!» (BDS)

Spanish

• "En en SEÑOR confió; que él lo rescate. Que lo libre, ya que de él se agradó." (RVA 2015 ≈ BTX4ª)
• "Que se encomiende al SEÑOR; que Él lo libre, que Él lo rescate, puesto que en Él se deleita." (LBLA)

Secondary Literature

• "The form גֹּל is, in other passages, always used as an imperative. Comp. Prov. xci. 9, and Ps. xxxvii. 5. And this last passage makes it evident that it must be understood as such in the passage before us... "Devolve upon the Lord," had been the motto of the sufferer. This the mockers call out to the sufferer in an ironical manner, so that we must read the words with double marks of quotation. As the ungodly are introduced speaking, without any note of preparation, it can make no difficulty that they introduce the sufferer speaking in the same way" (Hengstenberg 1963-64: 377)
• "Perhaps the best solution of the syntax is to make this clause a quotation, or derisive repetition of the sufferer's own words, as if they had said, "This is he who was so fond of repeating the precept, Trust in Jehovah! Let him now try its virtue in his own case. He in whom he has trusted, and exhorted others to trust also, will no doubt deliver him" (Alexander 1864)
• "ohne Zw. Imperator., wie in d. übrigen Stellen wo die Phrase vorkommt (37,5. Spr. 16,3)" (Hupfeld 1868: 58)
• "Cast (thyself) upon Jehovah - let Him rescue him, Let Him deliver him, seeing He delighteth in Him" (Perowne 1870-1: 230)
• "גֹּל is not the 3rd person. pret. ... nor is it inf. abs. in an imperative sense... although this form of the infinitive does occur, but always only as an inf. intens. ... but in conformity with the parallels... it is imper.: roll, viz. they suffering and thy doing upon Jahve, i.e. commit it to Him" (Delitzsch 1883: 384-5)
• "Roll it upon Jehovah! let him deliver him: Let him rescue him, for he delighteth in him.' Ironically they bid the sufferer 'roll', i.e. commit his cause to Jehovah. The verb is certainly imperative, as in xxxvii. 5; Prov. xvi. 3; though the Versions all give the perfect tense..." (Kirkpatrick 1897: 117)
• "גֹּל ist Imperativ mit zu ergänzendem Objekt דַרכְּךָ 37:5; vgl. 55:23, Sir 7:17. Im folgenden findet der nicht seltene Übergang von der zweiten in die dritte Person statt" (Baethgen 1904: 63)
• "so imv.; "commit thyself" RV.; "cast thyself" JSPV,; which is better than ancient Vrss., which render as pf., so "He trusted".. The enemies say this in derision" (Briggs 1906-7)
• "Wälz' auf Jahve! - Der rette ihn, helf ihm aus, hat ja Freud an ihm!" (Kittel 1922: 80)
• "Commit it to Yhwh; he must rescue him, he must save him, since he likes him" (Goldingay 2006)
• "Trust in the LORD, let him deliver; let him snatch this one up for he takes delight in this one" (Tanner 2014)

---

• ""He has committed," they say, "his cause unto [or devolved his cause upon] Jehovah: let him deliver him, let him deliver him, seeing he delights in him"" (Calvin 1571)
• "Er wälzte es auf Jahve. der errette ihn, Der befreie ihn, er hat ja Gefallen an ihm ... mit LXX ... ist jedoch גַּל (Perf.) zu lesen" (Duhm 1899: 69)
• "Für גל iles גַּל als Perf. von גול oder גיל" (Ehrlich 1905: 44)
• "He trusts in the LORD; let the LORD rescue him. Let him deliver him, since he delights in him" (Wilson 2002)
• "He trusted in the Lord! Let him deliver him. Let him rescue him, since he takes delight in him!" (Craigie 2004)
• "He trust in the LORD; let the LORD rescue him. Let him deliver him, since he delights in him." ... The imperative form גֹּל (gōl, "roll" or "trust") does not fit" (VanGemeren 2007)

References

22:9 Approved