Introduction

The traditional Hebrew text of Ps. 98:9a reads as follows:^[1]

לִֽפְֽנֵי־יְהוָ֗ה כִּ֥י בָא֮ לִשְׁפֹּ֪ט הָ֫אָ֥רֶץ

Morphologically, the verb בָא can be taken as either a qatal verb or a participle. As a qatal verb, בָא “could be descriptive of characteristic action (‘he comes’) or refer to an advent that has already taken place (‘he is come/has come/came’).”^[2] On the other hand, as a participle, בָא would express an unmarked imminent future (“he is coming”). These contrasting interpretations can lead to different translations.

The majority of modern translations render this verb as a simple present:

ESV: “Before the LORD, for he comes to judge the earth” (cf. NET; NIV; GNT; BTX IV; NVI; NTLH; TOB; NBS; NVSR; BDS; PDV; NFC; ARA; NTLH; Luther 2017; HFA; ZÜR).

The LXX uses a present perfect. Although this view has little support among modern translations, a number of commentators have adopted it:

"Because he has come to judge the earth" (NETS)

Some translations interpret בָא as a participle expressing imminent future action:

NLT: “Before the LORD, for he is coming to judge the earth” (cf. CEV; NRSV; JPS, 1985).

At least one translation renders the verb as past:

RVR95: “Delante de Jehová, porque vino a juzgar la tierra”

Argument Maps

Reading בא as qatal

Translations like the ESV (“he comes”) which use a simple present might be interpreting the form as a qatal, though it is difficult to be certain. At least one modern translation, the RVR95 ("vino"), uses a past tense verb which explicitly reflects reading בא as qatal. The argument for this view is as follows:


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[Qatal]: בא in Ps. 98:9 is a qatal verb. #dispreferred
 + <Ancient Support>: The LXX read בא in Ps. 98:9 as a qatal verb. #dispreferred
  + [LXX]: LXX: ὅτι ἥκει κρῖναι τὴν γῆν; "Because he has come to judge the earth" (NETS) #dispreferred
   <_ <LXX Ps. 95(96):13>: The LXX translators are inconsistent, using a present tense form for the parallel passage in Ps. 95(96):13.
    + [LXX Ps. 95(96):13]: ὅτι ἔρχεται
 + <Context>: “The context requires the pf., referring to the advent celebrated, and not the ptc., referring to an impending advent” (Briggs 1960: 308 :C:). #dispreferred
  + <Qatal verbs>: "In the context of this psalm with its qatal verbs, it is clearer that בא is qatal rather than a participle" (Goldingay 2008 :C:). #dispreferred
   + [Qatal verbs]: v. 1a (עָשָׂה), v. 1b (הוֹשִֽׁעָה), v. 2a (הוֹדִעַ), v. 2b (גִּלָּה), v. 3a (זָכַר), v. 3b (רָאוּ). #dispreferred
  - <Context of future events>: The psalm is eschatological and refers to future events, not past events, and qatal is typically past tense.
   + <Yiqtol verbs>: The immediately following context is made of yiqtol verbs pointing to future events
    + [The yiqtol/jussive of Ps. 98:8-9]: v. 7 (יִרְעַם), v.8 (יִמְחֲאוּ, יְרַנֵּנוּ) and v.9 (יִשְׁפֹּט).  
   <_ <Prophetic qatal>: Sometimes, in prophetic contexts, qatal is used to refer to future events. According to this use of qatal, "future events are represented as if they have already happened or are imminent" (BHRG §19.2.4 :G:). #dispreferred
    + [Prophetic qatal in the OT]: E.g., Isa. 9:1 הָעָם֙ הַהֹלְכִ֣ים בַּחֹ֔שֶׁךְ רָא֖וּ א֣וֹר גָּד֑וֹל יֹשְׁבֵי֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ צַלְמָ֔וֶת א֖וֹר נָגַ֥הּ עֲלֵיהֶֽם׃ #dispreferred

Reading בא as participle

Other scholars have read בא as a participle expressing the imminent future ("he is coming"; cf. NLT, CEV, NRSV). The argument for this view is as follows:


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[Participle]:  בא in Ps. 98:9 is a participle. 
 - <Omission of the personal pronoun>: Participles usually have an explicit subject, and בא in Ps. 98:9 has no explicit subject (cf. BHRG §20.3 :G:). #dispreferred
  - <Omission of personal pronoun for participles>: "The personal pronoun which would be expected as the subject of a participial clause is frequently omitted, or at least (as elsewhere in noun-clauses...) the pronoun of the 3rd person הוּא" (GKC §116s :G:).
   + [Omission of personal pronoun in the OT]: E.g., 1 Sam. 20:1—לִפְנֵ֣י אָבִ֔יךָ כִּ֥י מְבַקֵּ֖שׁ אֶת־נַפְשִֽׁי. Cf. Gen. 32:7; Det. 33:3; 1 Sam. 17:25; Isa. 33:5; 40:19; Pss. 22:9; 33:5; 55:20; Job 12:17, 19ff; 25:2; 26:7 (GKC §116s :G:).
 + <Immediate following context is future>: The surrounding verses (vv. 7-9) use yiqtol/jussive verbs, thus supporting an imminent future interpretation of the verb.
  + [Immediate following context]: v. 7 (יִרְעַם), v.8 (יִמְחֲאוּ ,יְרַנֵּנוּ) and v.9 (יִשְׁפֹּט).
 + <The immediate preceding context is future>: The immediately preceding yiqtol verb (יְרַנֵּנוּ v. 8b), which v. 9a modifies, is probably future instead of jussive. And if יְרַנֵּנוּ is future, then the following כִּי בָא, which modifies יְרַנֵּנוּ, is probably also future (i.e., a participle expressing the imminent future).
  + <Parallel passages>: In parallel passages (Ps. 96:12-13; 1 Chron. 16:33) the verb יְרַנֵּנוּ is preceded by the adverb אָז, which makes it clear that the verb is future instead of jussive.
   + [Ps. 96:12–13]: אָ֥ז יְ֝רַנְּנ֗וּ כָּל־עֲצֵי־יָֽעַר׃ לִפְנֵ֤י יְהוָ֨ה׀ כִּ֬י בָ֗א. Cf. 1 Chron. 16:33.

Conclusion

The verb בָא in Ps. 98:9, although morphologically ambiguous, is probably a participle, expressing the imminent future: ...before YHWH, for he is coming to judge the earth. The immanent future interpretation is supported by (1) the use of yiqtol/future verbs in the immediate context and (2) the parallel passages (Ps. 96:12-13; 1 Chron. 16:33), which add the adverb אָז ("at that time") to the previous verb ירננו. The fact that there is no explicit subject is not a problem for this interpretation (cf. 1 Sam. 20:1).

Understanding בָא as a participle has a significant consequence on the way one understands the dynamics of the text. It means that YHWH "is coming" and we are expecting this coming, probably associated with his final judgement and vindication. We probably need to trace this coming from an eschatological perspective with YHWH's impending judgement at the consummation of the present age. The past victorious divine acts of YHWH give the assurance that his future judgement is certain. Furthermore, the commandment to praise YHWH in the present age is anchored in the future universal divine judgement that will inaugurate the new age.

Research

Translations

Ancient

LXX: ὅτι ἥκει κρῖναι τὴν γῆν

"Because he has come to judge the earth" ^[3]

Peshitta: ܩܕܡ ܡܪܝܐ܂ ܕܐܬܐ ܠܡܕܢܗܿ ܠܐܪܥܐ

"Before the Lord, who comes to judge the earth” ^[4]

"Before Lord Jehovah, because he comes to judge the earth” ^[5]

Targum: קדם ייי ארום אתא למידן ארעא

"In the presence of the Lord, for he has come to judge the earth" ^[6]

"Before the Lord, for he is coming to judge the earth" ^[7]

Jerome: Ante Dominum quia venit iudicare terram

Modern

בא as qatal

he comes/vino/ele vem (ESV, NET, NIV, GNT, RVR95, NIVP, ARA, NTLH)

בא as participle

He is coming/ya viene (NLT, CEV, NRSV, JPS 1985, NIV, DHH, BTX IV)

בא as either qatal or participle

il vient/er kommt (TOB, NBS, NVRS, BDS, PDV, NFC, Luther 2017, HFA, ZÜR)

Secondary Literature

Briggs, Charles A., and Emilie Grace Briggs. A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on The Book of Psalms. Vol. II. New York, NY: C. Scribner’s sons, 1960.

Eaton, John Herbert. Psalms: Introduction and Commentary. London: S. C. M. Press, 1967.

Goldingay, John. Psalms 90-150. Vol. 3. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2008.

Kraus, Hans-Joachim. Psalms 60-150: A Continental Commentary. Translated by Hilton C. Oswald. Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 1993.

Oesterley, W. O. E. The Psalms: Translated with Text-Critical and Exegetical Notes. London: S.P.C.K, 1959.

Perowne, J. J. Stewart. The Book of Psalms: A New Translation with Introductions and Notes Explanatory and Critical. Vol. II. Psalms 73-150. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1966.

Ross, Allen P. A Commentary on the Psalms. Vol. 3 (90-150). Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Academic, 2016.

Tate, M. E. Psalms 51:100. WBC 20. Dallas, TX: Word Books, 1990.

References

98:9

↑ Hebrew text taken from OSHB. Ps 98:9 is almost identical to Ps 96:13; the major distinction is that Ps 96 has כי בא twice, and it has בֶּאֱמוּנָתֹֽו (faithfulness) instead of בְּמֵישָׁרִֽים (equity).
↑ Tate 1998: footnote 13b, 511-2.
↑ NETS
↑ Translation by Richard Taylor, The Syriac Peshitta Bible with English Translation, 2020:403.
↑ Translation by Glenn David Bauscher, The Peshitta Holy Bible Translated.
↑ Translation by Edward M. Cook, "The Psalms Targum: An English Translation".
↑ Translation by David Stec, The Targum of Psalms, 2004:182.

[1] Hebrew text taken from OSHB. Ps 98:9 is almost identical to Ps 96:13; the major distinction is that Ps 96 has כי בא twice, and it has בֶּאֱמוּנָתֹֽו (faithfulness) instead of בְּמֵישָׁרִֽים (equity).

[2] Tate 1998: footnote 13b, 511-2.

[3] NETS

[4] Translation by Richard Taylor, The Syriac Peshitta Bible with English Translation, 2020:403.

[5] Translation by Glenn David Bauscher, The Peshitta Holy Bible Translated.

[6] Translation by Edward M. Cook, "The Psalms Targum: An English Translation".

[7] Translation by David Stec, The Targum of Psalms, 2004:182.

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The Morphology of בָא in Ps 98:9