Psalm 6 Poetic Structure
The sound of my weeping
Psalm 6
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. |
| v. 1 For the director. With stringed instruments. According to the octave. A psalm. By David. | Superscription | |||
| v. 2 YHWH, do not correct me in your anger, and do not discipline me in your wrath! | Plea |
YHWH, have mercy!
“My soul has become very dismayed. |
 |
dismay (distress
and fear) |
| v. 3 Have mercy on me, YHWH, for I am languishing! Heal me, YHWH, for my bones have become dismayed! | ||||
| v. 4 And my soul has become very dismayed. And you, YHWH ... How long? | ||||
| v. 5 Turn back, YHWH! Rescue my life! Save me because of your loyalty! |
YHWH, turn!
| |||
| v. 6 For there is no commemoration of you in the world of the dead. In Sheol, who can praise you? | ||||
| v. 7 I have grown weary because of my groaning. I drench my bed every night. I dissolve my couch with my tears. | Death | There is no commemoration of you in the world of the dead. |
 | |
| v. 8 My eye has wasted away because of vexation. It has become weak because of all my adversaries. | ||||
| v. 9 Get away from me, all you who do evil! For YHWH has heard the sound of my weeping. | Answer |
YHWH has heard!
“May all my enemies be very dismayed… |
 |
triumph
|
| v. 10 YHWH has heard my plea for mercy. YHWH will accept my prayer. | ||||
| v. 11 May all my enemies be shamed and very dismayed! May they turn back! May they be shamed in a moment! | ||||
Notes
- Psalm 6 consists of four sections: vv. 2–4, vv. 5–6, vv. 7–8, vv. 9–10 (cf. van der Lugt 2006, 126; Weber 2016, 65–66).
- The first and second sections are marked primarily by their similar endings. Each section ends with a question: "How long?" (v. 4b) // "Who can praise you?" (v. 6b). The questions also sound similar: עַד־מָתָי (v. 4b) // מִ֣י יוֹדֶה (v. 6b)—mem + yod + dalet.
- The first and second sections also have similar beginnings. The first line in each section is a plea for YHWH to relent from anger. In v. 2a, the reference to "anger" is explicit, and the petition is put in negative terms: "not in anger." In v. 5a, anger is implicit, and the petition is put in positive terms: "turn back (from anger)" (cf. Exod 32:12; Ps 90). Both of these lines also have vocatives.
- The third section (vv. 7–8) stands apart from the rest of the poem in three main ways: (1) This section contains the only three-line verse in the poem (v. 7), (2) There is no mention of YHWH's name in this section, (3) The psalmist "I" is the topic throughout this section. In fact, with the exception of the sudden reference to "adversaries" at the very end of v. 8, the psalmist is the only participant in this section.
- The last section (vv. 9–11) is bound together by its reference to the psalmist's enemies. They are the main topic in this section.
- The four sections can be grouped, such that the psalm consists of two halves: vv. 2–6, vv. 7–11 (cf. van der Lugt 2006, 126). The first two sections (vv. 2–6) can be grouped on the basis of their similar beginnings and endings. The last two sections (vv. 7–11) can be grouped on the basis of the seam that binds v. 8b to v. 9a, i.e., similar sounds (צוֹרְרָי / סוּרוּ) and reference to enemies.
- Each half has the same number of words (39 words; 34 prosodic words). The two halves also have a symmetrical structure (cf. Weber 2016, 66). The outer sections (vv. 2–4 // vv. 9–11) each have 24 words and repeat a number of key words and themes (see Poetic Feature #3). The inner sections (vv. vv. 5–6 // vv. 7–8) each have 15 words and focus on the psalmist's nearness to death (see Poetic Feature #1; cf. Hossfeld and Zenger 1993, 67).
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. |
Notes
- Our proposed line division agrees completely with the pausal forms (cf. Revell 1981), the stich divisions in the Greek Psalter (cf. Sikes 2025), and the Masoretic accents (cf. de Hoop and Sanders 2022, §6).