Psalm 36 Emotional
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Psalm 36/Emotional
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YHWH's Unending Loyalty
Psalm 36
Please note: Resources for Psalm 36 are in the process of being reformatted for visual consistency and improved functionality.
Emotional Analysis
This layer explores the emotional dimension of the biblical text and seeks to uncover the clues within the text itself that are part of the communicative intent of its author. The goal of this analysis is to chart the basic emotional tone and/or progression of the psalm.
For a detailed explanation of our method, see the Emotional Analysis Creator Guidelines.
Emotional Analysis Chart
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) | Proposition (Emotional Analysis) | The Psalmist Feels | Emotional Analysis Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | לַמְנַצֵּ֬חַ ׀ לְעֶֽבֶד־יְהוָ֬ה לְדָוִֽד׃ | For the director. By the servant of YHWH — by David. | |||
| 2 | נְאֻֽם־פֶּ֣שַׁע לָ֭רָשָׁע בְּקֶ֣רֶב *לִבּוֹ* | Rebellion’s declaration [speaks] to the wicked in the midst of his heart. | The wicked person rebels. | • Disgusted at the wicked person's condition. • Indignant at the wicked person's condition. • Taken aback by the wicked person's decisions. • Afraid that the wicked person will attack the psalmist. • Longing for YHWH to intervene and crush the wicked. • Threatened by the wicked person's activity. |
• The condition and activity of the wicked [person] threatens (cf. Ps 3:2-3) the psalmist and produces desperation. In response the wicked [person], the psalmist cries out to YHWH (cf. Pss 5:9-11; 36:11-12). |
| אֵֽין־פַּ֥חַד אֱ֝לֹהִ֗ים לְנֶ֣גֶד עֵינָֽיו׃ | There is no fear of God before his eyes. | The wicked person disregards God. | |||
| 3 | כִּֽי־הֶחֱלִ֣יק אֵלָ֣יו בְּעֵינָ֑יו | For [Rebellion] has flattered him in his eyes, | Rebellion flatters the wicked person. | ||
| לִמְצֹ֖א עֲוֺנ֣וֹ לִשְׂנֹֽא׃ | that he has found his iniquity and hated it. | ||||
| 4 | דִּבְרֵי־פִ֭יו אָ֣וֶן וּמִרְמָ֑ה | The words of his mouth are evil and deceit. | The wicked person's words are evil and deceit. | ||
| חָדַ֖ל לְהַשְׂכִּ֣יל לְהֵיטִֽיב׃ | He has ceased to act wisely and to do good. | The wicked person ceases to act wisely and to do good. | |||
| 5 | אָ֤וֶן ׀יַחְשֹׁ֗ב עַֽל־מִשְׁכָּ֫ב֥וֹ | He plots evil on his bed. | The wicked person plots evil. | ||
| יִ֭תְיַצֵּב עַל־ *כֹּל* דֶּ֣רֶךְ לֹא־ט֑וֹב | He remains beside every way that is not good. | The wicked person is committed to a sinful lifestyle. | |||
| רָ֝֗ע לֹ֣א יִמְאָֽס׃ | He does not refuse evil. | The wicked person chooses evil. | |||
| 6 | יְ֭הוָה בְּהַשָּׁמַ֣יִם חַסְדֶּ֑ךָ | YHWH, your loyalty is in the sky; | YHWH's loyalty is great. | • Joyous in YHWH's character. • Confident in YHWH's character and his willingness/ability to deliver. • Awe for YHWH's character. | |
| אֱ֝מֽוּנָתְךָ֗ עַד־שְׁחָקִֽים׃ | your faithfulness [extends] up to the clouds. | YHWH's faithfulness is great. | • Joyous in YHWH's character. • Confident in YHWH's character and his willingness/ability to deliver. • Awe for YHWH's character. | ||
| 7 | צִדְקָֽתְךָ֨ ׀ כְּֽהַרְרֵי־אֵ֗ל | Your justice is like the mighty mountains; | YHWH's justice is great. | • Confident in YHWH's character • Awe for YHWH's character. |
• The psalmist's confidence arises from his belief that YHWH's attributes and actions are as sure/immovable/unchangeable as the mighty mountains (cf. Deut 33:15; Hab 3:6) and the great deep (cf. Gen 1:2). Just as the psalmist can expect the mountains and deep to remain, so he can expect YHWH's justice and judgment to remain. |
| מִ֭שְׁפָּטֶךָ תְּה֣וֹם רַבָּ֑ה | your judgment is [like] the great ocean. | YHWH's judgment is great. | • Confident in YHWH's character • Awe for YHWH's character. | ||
| אָ֤דָֽם־וּבְהֵמָ֖ה תוֹשִׁ֣יעַ יְהוָֽה׃ | You deliver humans and animals, YHWH. | YHWH delivers humans and animals. | • Confident in YHWH's character and his willingness/ability to deliver. • Enthusiastic that YHWH has delivered. • Triumphant in YHWH's deliverance. • Awe for YHWH's character. | ||
| 8 | מַה־יָּקָ֥ר חַסְדְּךָ֗ אֱלֹ֫הִ֥ים | How precious is your loyalty, God! | YHWH's loyalty is precious. | • Joy in the preciousness of YHWH's devotion. | |
| וּבְנֵ֥י אָדָ֑ם בְּצֵ֥ל כְּ֝נָפֶ֗יךָ יֶחֱסָיֽוּן׃ | Mortals take refuge within the protection of your wings. | YHWH protects mortals. | • Secure within the protection of YHWH's wings. | ||
| 9 | יִ֭רְוְיֻן מִדֶּ֣שֶׁן בֵּיתֶ֑ךָ | They drink to the full from the abundance of your house | YHWH sustains divine beings and people. | • Joyous in YHWH's provision. • Satisfied in YHWH's provision. |
• Being in the presence of YHWH's house evokes joy and gladness (cf. Ps 26:8; 122:1). |
| וְנַ֖חַל עֲדָנֶ֣יךָ תַשְׁקֵֽם׃ | and you give them drink from your delightful stream, | • Joyous in YHWH's provision. • Satisfied in YHWH's provision. |
• The stream that flows from YHWH's house sustains life (cf. Ezek 47:1-12). | ||
| 10 | כִּֽי־עִ֭מְּךָ מְק֣וֹר חַיִּ֑ים | because the spring of life is with you. | YHWH is the source of life. | • Confident that YHWH is the source of life | |
| בְּ֝אוֹרְךָ֗ נִרְאֶה־אֽוֹר׃ | By your light we can see light. | YHWH is the source of light (i.e., salvation). | • Confident that YHWH's light enables him to see light (i.e., be delivered). • Triumphant in YHWH who allows him to see light (i.e, be delivered). |
• The light of YHWH's face is associated with, and perhaps synonymous with, his beneficence and deliverance (cf. Pss 4:7; 44.4). | |
| 11 | מְשֹׁ֣ךְ חַ֭סְדְּךָ לְיֹדְעֶ֑יךָ | Continue your loyalty for those who know you; | YHWH is loyal. | • Longing for YHWH to continue his loyalty • Confident that he knows YHWH | |
| וְ֝צִדְקָֽתְךָ֗ לְיִשְׁרֵי־לֵֽב׃ | and [continue] your righteousness for the upright in heart! | YHWH acts righteously. | • Longing for YHWH to continue his righteousness. • Confident that he is upright in heart. | ||
| 12 | אַל־תְּ֭בוֹאֵנִי רֶ֣גֶל גַּאֲוָ֑ה | Do not let the foot of the arrogant come against me; | The arrogant attack David. | • Anxious that the arrogant will overtake him. • Longing for YHWH to intervene and defeat his enemies. • Threatened by the arrogant. | |
| וְיַד־רְ֝שָׁעִ֗ים אַל־תְּנִדֵֽנִי׃ | and do not let the hand of the wicked drive me away! | The wicked cause David to flee. | • Anxious that the wicked will overtake him. • Longing for YHWH to intervene and defeat his enemies. • Threatened by the wicked. | ||
| 13 | שָׁ֣ם נָ֭פְלוּ פֹּ֣עֲלֵי אָ֑וֶן | Evildoers have fallen there. | Evildoers fall down. | • Confident that YHWH has acted on his behalf to destroy evildoers. • Triumphant in YHWH's deliverance. |
• Whether the evildoers die here is difficult to say with certainty, "for while some passages make injury or death explicit, many others are indeterminate and merely leave open the possibility that the injury caused by the fall was fatal" (NIDOTTE). • Although נפל "have fallen" can denote the "process by which humans are killed" (SDBH), perhaps more determinative is the last phrase, "have not been able to stand up." That the evildoers cannot stand back up strongly suggests that they have fallen down and remain in this position permanently, that is, they have died (cf. Ps 18:39). |
| דֹּ֝ח֗וּ | They have been thrust down | Evildoers are thrust down. | • Triumphant in YHWH's deliverance. | ||
| וְלֹא־יָ֥כְלוּ קֽוּם׃ | and have not been able to stand up. | Evildoers do not stand up. | • Triumphant in YHWH's deliverance. |
Summary Visual
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