Psalm 31 Speech Act

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In YHWH's Hand

Psalm 31

Please note: Resources for Psalm 31 are in the process of being reformatted for visual consistency and improved functionality.

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Speech Act Analysis

What is Speech Act Analysis?

The Speech Act layer presents the text in terms of what it does, following the findings of Speech Act Theory. It builds on the recognition that there is more to communication than the exchange of propositions. Speech act analysis is particularly important when communicating cross-culturally, and lack of understanding can lead to serious misunderstandings, since the ways languages and cultures perform speech acts varies widely.

For a detailed explanation of our method, see the Speech Act Analysis Creator Guidelines.

• Summary Visual
• Analysis Chart

Summary Visual

SPEAKER		VERSES		SPEECH ACT SECTIONS		ADDRESSEE
David		v. 1 For the director. A psalm by David.
		v. 2 I have taken shelter in you, YHWH. Do not let my shame continue forever! Rescue me in your righteousness!		PLEA FOR HELP (vv. 2–9) Rescue me (vv. 2–5)! PROFESSION OF TRUST I trust YHWH, unlike the idol worshipers you hate (vv. 6–9).		YHWH
		v. 3 Listen to me! Rescue me quickly! Be a rock of refuge for me, and a fortress to deliver me!
		v. 4 Because you are my rock and my stronghold. And for the sake of your name, you must carefully guide me.
		v. 5 You must save me from the net which they hid for me, because you are my refuge.
		v. 6 I entrust my spirit into your hand. You have redeemed me, YHWH, God of faithfulness.
		v. 7 You hate those who worship worthless idols, but I trust YHWH.
		v. 8 I will be glad and rejoice on account of your faithfulness, that you saw my affliction. You saved my life from distress.
		v. 9 And you did not let any enemy capture me. You set my feet in a broad place.
		v. 10 Be gracious to me, YHWH, because I am in distress. My eye, my throat, and my belly waste away because of anger.		PLEA FOR MERCY & FAVOR (vv. 10–19) Have mercy on me because I am wasting away (vv. 10–14)! Save me and punish my enemies (vv. 16b–19)! PROFESSION OF TRUST I still trust in you (vv. 15–16a).
		v. 11 Because my life fades away with grief, and my years [fade away] with groaning. My strength has failed because of my iniquity, and my bones waste away.
		v. 12 I have been scorned by all of my adversaries and [I have] greatly [become an object of scorn] to my neighbors, and [I have become] an object of fear to my friends. Those who see me in the street have fled from me.
		v. 13 I have been forgotten like a dead person [is forgotten] from memory. I have become like a broken vessel.
		v. 14 because I heard the slander of many people –terror is on every side– when they conspired together against me. They plotted to take my life.
		v. 15 But I trust you, YHWH. I say, “You are my God.”
		v. 16 My times are in your hand. Deliver me from the hand of my enemies and from my pursuers!
		v. 17 Shine your face upon your servant! Save me by your faithfulness.
		v. 18 YHWH, do not let me be ashamed because I have called you! May the evil ones be ashamed! May they go silently to Sheol!
		v. 19 May lying lips be unable to speak –those that speak insolence against the righteous, with arrogance and contempt.
		v. 20 How many are your good things which you have stored up for those who fear you, [and which] you have performed for those who take refuge in you for all people to see!		PROFESSION OF GOD'S GOODNESS (vv. 20–23) You are good to all who take shelter in you!
		v. 21 You shelter them from people's schemes in the cover of your presence; You hide them in a shelter from contentious people.
		v. 22 Blessed is YHWH, because he has wonderfully shown his faithfulness to me in a city under siege.
		v. 23 Even though I thought in my panic I had been cut off from your sight. However, you heard the sound of my pleading when I cried out to you.
		v. 24 Love YHWH, all his loyal ones! YHWH is watching over the faithful, and he abundantly repays those who act pridefully.		EXHORTATION TO TRUST (vv. 24–25) Love YHWH and wait for his rescue with courage.		Israel
		v. 25 Be strong so your hearts may take courage, all who wait for YHWH.

Speech Act Analysis Chart

The following chart is scrollable (left/right; up/down).

  Legend

Verse	Hebrew	CBC	Sentence type	Illocution (general)	Illocution with context	Macro speech act	Intended perlocution (Think)	Intended perlocution (Feel)	Intended perlocution (Do)
Verse number and poetic line	Hebrew text	English translation	Declarative, Imperative, or Interrogative Indirect Speech Act: Mismatch between sentence type and illocution type	Assertive, Directive, Expressive, Commissive, or Declaratory Indirect Speech Act: Mismatch between sentence type and illocution type	More specific illocution type with paraphrased context	Illocutionary intent (i.e. communicative purpose) of larger sections of discourse These align with the "Speech Act Summary" headings	What the speaker intends for the address to think	What the speaker intends for the address to feel	What the speaker intends for the address to do

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.

Verse	Text (Hebrew)	Text (CBC)	Sentence type	Illocution (general)	Illocution with context	Macro speech act		Intended perlocution (Think)	Intended perlocution (Feel)	Intended perlocution (Do)	Speech Act Notes
1	לַמְנַצֵּ֗חַ מִזְמ֥וֹר לְדָוִֽד׃	For the director. A psalm by David.	Superscription
2	בְּךָ֖ יְהוָ֣ה חָ֭סִיתִי	I have taken shelter in you, YHWH.	Declarative	Assertive	Declaring his trust in YHWH	Establishing relationship as basis for expecting YHWH's protection	Pleading for YHWH's help.	YHWH will recognize David's trust in YHWH for protection and deliverance.	YHWH will feel pleased with David's confident profession and will continue to feel committed to protecting and delivering David.	YHWH will listen to David's profession of trust and plea for deliverance.
	אַל־אֵב֣וֹשָׁה לְעוֹלָ֑ם	Do not let my shame continue forever!	Imperative	Directive	Urging YHWH to remove his shame.	Pleading for YHWH's help.
	בְּצִדְקָתְךָ֥ פַלְּטֵֽנִי׃	Rescue me in your righteousness!	Imperative	Directive	Urging YHWH to rescue him.
3	הַטֵּ֤ה אֵלַ֨י ׀ אָזְנְךָ֮	Listen to me!	Imperative	Directive	Urging YHWH to listen to him.
	מְהֵרָ֪ה הַצִּ֫ילֵ֥נִי	Rescue me quickly!	Imperative	Directive	Urging YHWH to rescue him.
	הֱיֵ֤ה לִ֨י ׀ לְֽצוּר־מָ֭עוֹז	Be a rock of refuge for me,	Imperative	Directive	Urging YHWH to be his source of protection.
	לְבֵ֥ית מְצוּד֗וֹת לְהוֹשִׁיעֵֽנִי׃	and a fortress to deliver me!
4	כִּֽי־סַלְעִ֣י וּמְצוּדָתִ֣י אָ֑תָּה	Because you are my rock and my stronghold.	Declarative	Assertive	Declaring that YHWH is his source of protection.	Invoking YHWH's character as grounds for positive response.
	וּלְמַ֥עַן שִׁ֝מְךָ֗ תַּֽנְחֵ֥נִי וּֽתְנַהֲלֵֽנִי׃	And for the sake of your name, you must carefully guide me.	Imperative	Directive	Urging YHWH to remember the need to maintain YHWH's reputation.
5	תּוֹצִיאֵ֗נִי מֵרֶ֣שֶׁת	You must save me from the net	Imperative	Directive	Urging YHWH to rescue him from a trap.
	ז֭וּ טָ֣מְנוּ לִ֑י	which they hid for me,
	כִּֽי־אַ֝תָּה מָֽעוּזִּֽי׃	because you are my refuge.
6	בְּיָדְךָ֮ אַפְקִ֪יד ר֫וּחִ֥י	I entrust my spirit into your hand.	Declarative	Expressive	Declaring his trust in YHWH.	Contrasting David's faithfulness with the enemies' unfaithfulness.	Professing trust as the reason for pleading to YHWH.	YHWH will recognize how much David trusts in YHWH's faithfulness to rescue him from distress.	YHWH will feel pleased with David's confident profession and will continue to feel committed to rescue him from distress.	YHWH will deliver David from his distress.	• vv. 6-9 This section could be further divided into two smaller sections. In verses 6-7, the psalmist draws a contrast between himself and idol worshippers. Since YHWH hates idol worshippers, the psalmist's implies that YHWH should act favorably toward him. In verses 8-9, the psalmist describes YHWH's faithfulness to him in similar situations he has experienced before. Consequently, he trusts YHWH will act graciously toward him again.
	פָּדִ֖יתָה אוֹתִ֥י יְהוָ֗ה אֵ֣ל אֱמֶֽת׃	You have redeemed me, YHWH, God of faithfulness.	Declarative	Assertive	Recounting that YHWH has redeemed him.
7	*שָׂנֵאתָ* הַשֹּׁמְרִ֥ים הַבְלֵי־שָׁ֑וְא	You hate those who worship worthless idols,	Declarative	Assertive	Reminding YHWH that enemies are idol worshippers.
	וַ֝אֲנִ֗י אֶל־יְהוָ֥ה בָּטָֽחְתִּי׃	but I trust YHWH.	Declarative	Assertive	Describing trust as the grounds for pleading to YHWH.	Describing trust as the grounds for pleading to YHWH.
8	אָגִ֥ילָה וְאֶשְׂמְחָ֗ה בְּחַ֫סְדֶּ֥ךָ	I will be glad and rejoice on account of your faithfulness,	Declarative	Commissive	Promising to be thankful for YHWH's faithfulness.	Recounting YHWH's past faithfulness as a reason for joyfully trusting YHWH.
	אֲשֶׁ֣ר רָ֭אִיתָ אֶת־עָנְיִ֑י	that you saw my affliction.
	*הוֹשַׁעְתָּ* בְּצָר֥וֹת נַפְשִֽׁי׃	You saved my life from distress.	Declarative	Assertive	Recounting YHWH's savaltion.
9	וְלֹ֣א הִ֭סְגַּרְתַּנִי בְּיַד־אוֹיֵ֑ב	And you did not let any enemy capture me.	Declarative	Assertive	Recounting YHWH's care for him.
	הֶֽעֱמַ֖דְתָּ בַמֶּרְחָ֣ב רַגְלָֽי	You set my feet in a broad place.	Declarative	Assertive	Recounting YHWH's care for him.
10	חָנֵּ֥נִי יְהוָה֮ כִּ֤י צַ֫ר־לִ֥י	Be gracious to me, YHWH, because I am in distress.	Imperative	Directive	Urging YHWH to be gracious to him.	Pleading for mercy.	Pleading for mercy.	YHWH will become aware of the psalmist's profession of trust and plea for deliverance.	YHWH will feel compassion to act on behalf of David.	YHWH will show mercy to David.	• vv. 10-14 Lament is the primary illocution of these verses. The psalmist is describing his pitiful physical and social condition. The reason he expresses himself in this manner, however, is to explain why YHWH should have mercy on him. Therefore, the whole section can be gathered under the global speech act of "pleading for mercy" (cf. Bratcher 1991, 294). • vv. 10b-11b There is a series bet prepositions in these clauses. The first (בְכַ֥עַס "because of anger" v. 10b) and the fourth one (בַּעֲוֺנִ֣י "because of my iniquity" v. 11b) provide the reasons for David's poor physical condition. The specific speech act for vv. 10b and 11b explain why David's health is failing. However, they serve in a larger sense as a part of his lament.
	עָשְׁשָׁ֖ה בְכַ֥עַס עֵינִ֗י נַפְשִׁ֥י וּבִטְנִֽי׃	My eye, my throat, and my belly waste away because of anger.	Declarative	Expressive	Explaining why he is physically wasting away.	Lamenting to provide reason for plea.
11	כִּ֤י כָל֪וּ בְיָג֡וֹן חַיַּי֮	Because my life fades away with grief,	Declarative	Expressive	Lamenting how his life is fading away.
	וּשְׁנוֹתַ֪י בַּאֲנָ֫חָ֥ה	and my years [fade away] with groaning.
	כָּשַׁ֣ל בַּעֲוֺנִ֣י כֹחִ֑י	My strength has failed because of my iniquity,	Declarative	Expressive	Explaining why his body has wasted away.
	וַעֲצָמַ֥י עָשֵֽׁשׁוּ׃	and my bones waste away.
12	מִכָּל־צֹרְרַ֨י הָיִ֪יתִי חֶרְפָּ֡ה	I have been scorned by all of my adversaries	Declarative	Assertive	Lamenting his situation.
	וְלִשֲׁכֵנַ֨י ׀ מְאֹד֮	and [I have] greatly [become an object of scorn] to my neighbors,	Declarative	Assertive	Lamenting his situation.
	וּפַ֪חַד לִֽמְיֻדָּ֫עָ֥י	and [I have become] an object of fear to my friends.	Declarative	Assertive	Lamenting his situation.
	רֹאַ֥י בַּח֑וּץ נָדְד֥וּ מִמֶּֽנִּי׃	Those who see me in the street have fled from me.	Declarative	Assertive	Lamenting how others treat him.
13	נִ֭שְׁכַּחְתִּי כְּמֵ֣ת מִלֵּ֑ב	I have been forgotten like a dead person [is forgotten] from memory.	Declarative	Assertive	Lamenting his social standing.
	הָ֝יִ֗יתִי כִּכְלִ֥י אֹבֵֽד׃	I have become like a broken vessel.	Declarative	Assertive	Lamenting his situation.
14	כִּ֤י שָׁמַ֨עְתִּי ׀ דִּבַּ֥ת רַבִּים֮	because I heard the slander of many people	Declarative	Assertive	Reporting what he is hearing.
	מָג֪וֹר מִסָּ֫בִ֥יב	–terror is on every side–
	בְּהִוָּסְדָ֣ם יַ֣חַד עָלַ֑י	when they conspired together against me.
	לָקַ֖חַת נַפְשִׁ֣י זָמָֽמוּ׃	They plotted to take my life.	Declarative	Assertive	Explaining what his enemies are doing.
15	וַאֲנִ֤י ׀ עָלֶ֣יךָ בָטַ֣חְתִּי יְהוָ֑ה	But I trust you, YHWH.	Declarative	Expressive	Declaring his trust in YHWH.	Professing trust	Professing trust	YHWH will recognize that David entrusts his life to YHWH.	YHWH will continue to feel committed to protect David.	YHWH will remain in control of David's future.
	אָ֝מַ֗רְתִּי אֱלֹהַ֥י אָֽתָּה׃	I say, “You are my God.”	Declarative • "Declarative"	Assertive • "Expressive"	Declaring his trust in God. • "Declaring"
16	בְּיָדְךָ֥ עִתֹּתָ֑י	My times are in your hand.	Declarative	Expressive	Causing himself to remember that YHWH is in control.						• vv. 16b-18a The verbs in vv. 16b-18a are imperatives, and the verbs in vv. 18b-19b are cohortatives. Since David cannot control whether YHWH acts on his behalf, all of these verbs are best understood as David's request to YHWH.
	הַצִּ֘ילֵ֤נִי מִיַּד־א֝וֹיְבַ֗י וּמֵרֹדְפָֽי׃	Deliver me from the hand of my enemies and from my pursuers!	Imperative	Directive	Asking YHWH to deliver him.	Pleading for protection from his enemies.	Pleading for favor over his enemies.	YHWH will acknowledge David's plea for deliverance from his distress and punishment for the wicked.	YHWH will feel committed to shelter David and punish the wicked.	YHWH will shelter David and punish the wicked.
17	הָאִ֣ירָה פָ֭נֶיךָ עַל־עַבְדֶּ֑ךָ	Shine your face upon your servant!	Imperative	Directive	Asking YHWH to show him favor.
	ה֖וֹשִׁיעֵ֣נִי בְחַסְדֶּֽךָ׃	Save me by your faithfulness.	Imperative	Directive	Asking YHWH to save him.
18	יְֽהוָ֗ה אַל־אֵ֭בוֹשָׁה	YHWH, do not let me be ashamed	Imperative	Directive	Asking YHWH to not let him be ashamed.	Invoking YHWH's character as grounds for positive response.
	כִּ֣י קְרָאתִ֑יךָ	because I have called you!
	יֵבֹ֥שׁוּ רְ֝שָׁעִ֗ים	May the evil ones be ashamed!	Imperative	Directive	Asking YHWH to let the wicked be shamed.	Requesting the wicked's punishment
	יִדְּמ֥וּ לִשְׁאֽוֹל׃	May they go silently to Sheol!	Imperative	Directive	Asking YHWH to let the wicked go to Sheol.
19	תֵּ֥אָלַ֗מְנָה שִׂפְתֵ֫י שָׁ֥קֶר	May lying lips be unable to speak	Imperative	Directive	Asking YHWH to silence liars.
	הַדֹּבְר֖וֹת עַל־צַדִּ֥יק עָתָ֗ק בְּגַאֲוָ֥ה וָבֽוּז׃	–those that speak insolence against the righteous, with arrogance and contempt.
20	מָ֤ה רַֽב־טוּבְךָ֮	How many are your good things	Interrogative	Assertive	Remembering God's goodness.		Professing God's goodness.	YHWH will be reminded of his goodness towards those who fear him and who take refuge in him.	YHWH will feel encouraged to do good things for those who fear him and who take refuge in him.	YHWH will continue to do good things for those who fear him and who take refuge in him.	• vv. 20a Formally, the sentence is an interrogative. However, it is a rhetorical question meant to assert the greatness of YHWH.
	אֲשֶׁר־צָפַ֪נְתָּ לִּֽירֵ֫אֶ֥יךָ	which you have stored up for those who fear you,
	פָּ֭עַלְתָּ לַחֹסִ֣ים בָּ֑ךְ	[and which] you have performed for those who take refuge in you
	נֶ֝֗גֶד בְּנֵ֣י אָדָם׃	for all people to see!
21	תַּסְתִּירֵ֤ם ׀ בְּסֵ֥תֶר פָּנֶיךָ֮ מֵֽרֻכְסֵ֫י אִ֥ישׁ	You shelter them from people’s schemes in the cover of your presence;	Declarative	Assertive	Describing how God treats those who take refuge in YHWH.
	תִּצְפְּנֵ֥ם בְּסֻכָּ֗ה מֵרִ֥יב לְשֹׁנֽוֹת׃	You hide them in a shelter from contentious people.	Declarative	Assertive	Describing how God protects those who trust him from their enemies.
22	בָּר֥וּךְ יְהוָ֑ה	Blessed is YHWH,	Declarative	Assertive	Praising YHWH.
	כִּ֥י הִפְלִ֘יא חַסְדּ֥וֹ לִ֝֗י בְּעִ֣יר מָצֽוֹר׃	because he has wonderfully shown his faithfulness to me in a city under siege.
23	וַאֲנִ֤י ׀ אָ֘מַ֤רְתִּי בְחָפְזִ֗י	Even though I thought in my panic	Declarative • "Declarative"	Expressive • "Assertive"	Remembering his panicked state. • "Remembering"	Recounting God's goodness in the past .					• vv. 23a In this verse, the psalmist quotes himself. He expresses his panic, but he does so to assert that his panic was misguided. YHWH heard his cry for mercy and protected him.
	נִגְרַזְתִּי֮ מִנֶּ֪גֶד עֵ֫ינֶ֥יךָ	I had been cut off from your sight.
	אָכֵ֗ן שָׁ֭מַעְתָּ ק֥וֹל תַּחֲנוּנַ֗י בְּשַׁוְּעִ֥י אֵלֶֽיךָ׃	However, you heard the sound of my pleading when I cried out to you.	Declarative	Assertive	Remembering how YHWH answered his call for help.
24	אֶֽהֱב֥וּ אֶת־יְהוָ֗ה כָּֽל־חֲסִ֫ידָ֥יו	Love YHWH, all his loyal ones!	Imperative	Directive	Urging his audience to love YHWH.	Exhorting trust in YHWH.	Exhorting trust in YHWH.	Listeners will know that God watches over the faithful and repays the prideful.	Listeners will feel encouraged to love and trust YHWH.	Listeners will trust YHWH to shelter the faithful and punish the wicked.
	אֱ֭מוּנִים נֹצֵ֣ר יְהוָ֑ה	YHWH is watching over the faithful,	Declarative	Assertive	Explaining why YHWH is worthy of love.
	וּמְשַׁלֵּ֥ם עַל־יֶ֝֗תֶר עֹשֵׂ֥ה גַאֲוָֽה׃	and he abundantly repays those who act pridefully.	Declarative	Assertive	Explaining why YHWH is worthy of love.
25	חִ֭זְקוּ וְיַאֲמֵ֣ץ לְבַבְכֶ֑ם	Be strong so your hearts may take courage,	Imperative	Directive	Urging his audience to wait for YHWH with courage.
	כָּל־הַ֝מְיַחֲלִ֗ים לַיהוָֽה׃	all who wait for YHWH.