Psalm 28 Poetic Structure
Don't be deaf to me!
Psalm 28
Poetic Structure
In poetic structure, we analyse the structure of the psalm beginning at the most basic level of the structure: the line (also known as the “colon” or “hemistich”). Then, based on the perception of patterned similarities (and on the assumption that the whole psalm is structured hierarchically), we argue for the grouping of lines into verses, verses into sub-sections, sub-sections into larger sections, etc. Because patterned similarities might be of various kinds (syntactic, semantic, pragmatic, sonic) the analysis of poetic structure draws on all of the previous layers (especially the Discourse layer).
Poetic Macro-structure
If an emendation or revocalization is preferred, that emendation or revocalization will be marked in the Hebrew text of all the visuals.
| Emendations/Revocalizations legend | |
|---|---|
| *Emended text* | Emended text, text in which the consonants differ from the consonants of the Masoretic text, is indicated by blue asterisks on either side of the emendation. |
| *Revocalized text* | Revocalized text, text in which only the vowels differ from the vowels of the Masoretic text, is indicated by purple asterisks on either side of the revocalization. |
Notes
Psalm 28 consists of two main sections (vv. 1-5 // vv. 6-9). These sections are divided into a few subsections: First section of Ps 28 (vv. 1-5)
- vv. 1-5 is bound together by the repetition of the consonants אל (6x - vv. 1a, 2b, 2d, 3a, 5a, and 5b) and by the repetition of the noun יָד (vv. 2, 4, and 5).
- vv. 1-2. These verses are bound together by participant analysis (David and YHWH are the participants in this section) and speech act analysis (the global speech act of this section is a petition to be heard by YHWH).
- Similar endings (the occurrence of the letters דביר) also bind vv. 1 and 2.
- The prepositional phrase אֵלֶיךָ occurs only in this section (vv. 1a-2b).
- vv. 1 and 2 present an ABCB'A' pattern:
- (A) - I cry - אֵ֘לֶ֤יךָ אֶקְרָ֗א
- (B) - Do not be deaf (=hear) - אַֽל־תֶּחֱרַ֪שׁ
- (C) - Otherwise, I will die - וְ֝נִמְשַׁ֗לְתִּי עִם־י֥וֹרְדֵי בֽוֹר
- (B') - Hear - שְׁמַ֤ע
- (A') - When I cry - בְּשַׁוְּעִ֣י אֵלֶ֑יךָ
- vv. 1 and 2 are also bound together by the proliferation of words that convey opposite meanings:
- v. 1b אַֽל־תֶּחֱרַ֪שׁ (do not be deaf) and v. 2a שְׁמַ֤ע (hear)
- v. 1c תֶּֽחֱשֶׁ֥ה (be silent) and v. 1a אֶקְרָ֗א (I cry out), 2a ק֣וֹל (sound, voice), and 2b בְּשַׁוְּעִ֣י (when I cry for help).
- v. 1d י֥וֹרְדֵי (those who go down) and v. 2c בְּנָשְׂאִ֥י (when I lift up)
- The words תֶּחֱרַ֪שׁ (v. 1b - do not be deaf) and תֶּֽחֱשֶׁ֥ה (v. 1c - be silent) forms a pun.[1] Perhaps the psalmist’s intense desire for God’s attention is demonstrated by the use of the wordplay (תֶּחֱרַ֪שׁ and תֶּֽחֱשֶׁ֥ה). Alter explains how the pun conveys the psalmist's concern: "should God turn a deaf ear to the supplicant, He will not answer the supplicant's prayer and hence will be 'mute.'"[2]
- vv. 3-5. Three items bind vv. 3-5. First is the repetition of the root פעל. Second is the prevalence of the letter mem which is often the rhyming consonant in Psalm 28.[3] Third is the reference to the enemies which occurs only in these verses. Each verse of this section has its own unique way of referring to the enemies:
- v. 3. The repetition of עִם, the use of רָעָ֗ה (evil) as the antithesis of שָׁ֭לוֹם (peace), and the Hebrew pun between רֵֽעֵיהֶ֑ם and רָעָ֗ה:[4]
- אַל־תִּמְשְׁכֵ֣נִי עִם־רְשָׁעִים֮ | Do not drag me away with wicked people,
- וְעִם־פֹּ֪עֲלֵ֫י אָ֥וֶן | with evildoers,
- דֹּבְרֵ֣י שָׁ֭לוֹם עִם־רֵֽעֵיהֶ֑ם | those who speak peace with their neighbors
- וְ֝רָעָ֗ה בִּלְבָבָֽם׃ | but [speak] evil in their hearts.
- Concerning v. 4, Fokkelman mentioned the phonetic chain of גְּ - כְּ - כְ - כְּ, the synonymous parallelism of lines 4b and 4c with the repetition of יהֶ֥ם, and the chiastic structures mentioned below.[5]
- v. 4a and 4d: (A) לָהֶ֣ם (B) לָם, (B') לָם (A') לָהֶ֑ם.
- v. 4a and 4c: (A) תֶּן־לָהֶ֣ם (B) כְּ + פָעֳלָם֮, (B') כְּ + מַעֲשֵׂ֣ה (A') תֶּן לָהֶ֑ם.
- v. 5. This verse is bracket by the repetition of the negative particle לֹ֤א and the wordplay between יָבִ֡ינוּ and יִבְנֵֽם. These words link together the enemies' behavior (disregard for YHWH's deeds and the work of his hands) with its consequence (YHWH will not build them up):
- כִּ֤י לֹ֤א יָבִ֡ינוּ אֶל־פְּעֻלֹּ֣ת יְ֭הוָה | Because they do not regard the deeds of YHWH
- וְאֶל־מַעֲשֵׂ֣ה יָדָ֑יו | and the work of his hands,
- יֶ֝הֶרְסֵ֗ם וְלֹ֣א יִבְנֵֽם׃ | he will tear them down, and he will not build them up.
- The repetition of the following terms binds together different verses in this section of the psalm:
- Repetition of the letters ד,י,ב,ר (vv. 1d, 2d, and 3c)
- Repetition of מַעֲשֵׂ֣ה (vv. 4c and 5b)
Second section of Ps 28 (vv. 6-9)
- The repetition of the root ברך in vv. 6 and 9 forms an inclusio which binds this section together.
- vv. 6-7. The occurrence of the first person language (my supplications . . . my strength . . . my shield . . . I was helped . . . my heart . . . my song . . . I will praise) binds this section together. These verses are also linked by participant analysis (David and YHWH are the participants in this section) as well as speech act analysis (the global speech act of this section is praise).
- v. 8a. ** for emendation see exegetical issue The Text of Ps. 28:8a (MT: לָ֑מוֹ).
- vv. 8-9. These verses are connected by the repetition of the root ישׁע in יְשׁוּע֖וֹת, הוֹשִׁ֥יעַ. These verses are also connected by participant analysis (David, YHWH, and YHWH's people are the participants in this section) as well as speech act analysis (the global speech act of this section is prayer for YHWH's people). The mention of YHWH's people occurs only in this section of the psalm. Interestingly, v. 9 ends with an alliteration of the letter mem which tends to be used in this verse to refer to YHWH's people rather than the enemies (cf. vv. 3-5).
- Both sections (vv. 6-7 and vv. 8-9) are connected by:
- Similar content: Praise and thanksgiving (vv. 6-8)
- Similar beginnings: Each section begin with a similar structure (bicola - vv. 6 and 8)
- Repetition of יְהוָה and the root עז (vv. 7a, 8a and 8b)
- Similar contextual domain of security: v. 7a מָגִנִּי (my shield), v. 7b בָטַח (trust), v. 8b וּמָ֘עֹ֤וז (refuge), יְשׁוּע֖וֹת (saving), v. 9a הוֹשִׁ֥יעַ (save), etc.
Both sections of Ps 28 (vv. 1-5 // vv. 6-9) The two main sections (vv. 1-5 // vv. 6-9) are bound together as a unit by a thematic inclusion; i.e., the psalm begins and ends with prayer. Moreover, the repetition of the following terms forms a seam binding together different sections of the psalm:
- Repetition of the divine name occurs in every section of the psalm (vv. 1-2; 3-5; 6-7; and 8-9).
- Similar beginnings: The repeated words occur at or near the beginning of each of the two major sections. The words שמע קול תחנוני link the psalmist's plea (first half of the psalm) with YHWH's answer to the plea (second half of the psalm).
- Repetition of the root נשׂא in v. 2c (בְּנָשְׂאִ֥י) and v. 9c (וְ֝נַשְּׂאֵ֗ם).
- Repetition of the word heart (בִּלְבָבָֽם in v. 3d; and לִבִּ֑י in v. 7bc). The psalmist uses לב exclusively to refer to his own heart and opts to use לבב to refer to the hearts of the wicked.
- Repetition of כִּ֤י in vv. 5a and 6b.
- Repetition of similar letters רֵֽעֵיהֶ֑ם (v. 3c - "their neighbors"), וְ֝רָעָ֗ה (v. 3d - "and evil") and וּֽרְעֵ֥ם (v. 9c - "and shepherd them").
- Participant analysis supports the poetic structure of Psalm 28:
- vv. 1-2: David and YHWH
- vv. 3-5: David, YHWH, and the enemies
- vv. 6-7: David and YHWH
- vv. 8-9: David, YHWH, and YHWH's people
The structural analysis above fully agrees with the divisions of several scholars such as Alonso-Schokel, Kirkpatrick, Kraus, and Wilson.[6] Moreover, the divisions of the first part of the psalm (vv. 1-2; vv. 3-5) agree with Kissane.[7] The divisions of the second part of the psalm (vv. 6-7; v. 8-9) agree with Van der Lugt and Craigie.[8] However, the above structural analysis differs from Ross in terms of the division of smaller units. Ross divided Ps 28 into the following sections: v. 1; vv. 2-4; v. 5; vv. 6-8; v. 9.[9] For an overview of other structural analyses, see Van der Lugt.[10]
Line Divisions
Line division divides the poem into lines and line groupings. We determine line divisions based on a combination of external evidence (Masoretic accents, pausal forms, manuscripts) and internal evidence (syntax, prosodic word counting and patterned relation to other lines). Moreover, we indicate line-groupings by using additional spacing.
When line divisions are uncertain, we consult some of the many psalms manuscripts which lay out the text in lines. Then, if a division attested in one of these manuscripts/versions influences our decision to divide the text at a certain point, we place a green symbol (G, DSS, or MT) to the left of the line in question.
| Poetic line division legend | |
|---|---|
| Pausal form | Pausal forms are highlighted in yellow. |
| Accent which typically corresponds to line division | Accents which typically correspond to line divisions are indicated by red text. |
| | | Clause boundaries are indicated by a light gray vertical line in between clauses. |
| G | Line divisions that follow Greek manuscripts are indicated by a bold green G. |
| DSS | Line divisions that follow the Dead Sea Scrolls are indicated by a bold green DSS. |
| M | Line divisions that follow Masoretic manuscripts are indicated by a bold green M. |
| Number of prosodic words | The number of prosodic words are indicated in blue text. |
| Prosodic words greater than 5 | The number of prosodic words if greater than 5 is indicated by bold blue text. |
If an emendation or revocalization is preferred, that emendation or revocalization will be marked in the Hebrew text of all the visuals.
| Emendations/Revocalizations legend | |
|---|---|
| *Emended text* | Emended text, text in which the consonants differ from the consonants of the Masoretic text, is indicated by blue asterisks on either side of the emendation. |
| *Revocalized text* | Revocalized text, text in which only the vowels differ from the vowels of the Masoretic text, is indicated by purple asterisks on either side of the revocalization. |
File:Psalm 028 - Line Division Ps 28 Updated
Notes
- Psalm 28:1-5a is preserved in the Qumran manuscript 4Q85, which is written in lines; the proposed line division for vv. 1-5a follows the line division in this manuscript. The division for the remaining verses (vv. 5b-9) is supported by the MT accents and pausal forms. Additionally, the proposed division of Psalm 28 into lines is reflected in the LXX according to Rahlfs' 1931 edition with the exception of three verses (vv. 2, 6, and 9):
- While the LXX divides v. 2 into two line, we have divided this verse into four lines. The four line division is supported by the 4Q85, and it keeps the four line pattern of vv. 1, 3, and 4.
- The LXX has only one line for v. 6. We have opted to follow the Masoretic accentuation (which places an athnach below יְהוָ֑ה) dividing v. 6 into two lines (like v. 8).
- Although the LXX has two lines for v. 9, we have divided this verse into three lines. This division is supported by the MT accents as well as the pausal forms. Moreover, this division highlights how both sections of the psalm (vv. 1-5 and vv. 6-9) ends with verses (vv. 5 and 9) composed of three lines.
- The above line division fully agrees with Kissane's division,[11] but it differs from Van der Lugt in two verses (vv. 2 and 9). For Van der Lugt, v. 2 is composed of three lines and v. 9 of two lines.[12] However, we prefer four lines for v. 2 following 4Q85, and three lines for v. 9. Fokkelman noted that v. 9 is a tricolon representing closure to the psalm.[13]
- ↑ Cf. Alter 2009, 95.
- ↑ Alter 2009, 95.
- ↑ See Fokkelman 2000, 120 footnote 85.
- ↑ cf. Alter 2009, 80.
- ↑ Fokkelman 2000, 120.
- ↑ Cf. Alonso-Schokel 1992, 442; Kirkpatrick 1906, 144; Kraus 1988, 338; Wilson 2002, 493.
- ↑ Cf. Kissane 1953, 122-123.
- ↑ Cf. Van der Lugt 2006, 288 and Craigie 2004, 237.
- ↑ Ross 2011, 640-641.
- ↑ Van der Lugt 2006, 291-292.
- ↑ Kissane 1953, 122-123.
- ↑ Van der Lugt 2006, 288.
- ↑ Fokkelman 2000, 120; so Labuschage 2008, 1.