The Division of Psalm 11:5

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Exegetical Issues for Psalm 11:

Introduction

The traditional Hebrew text of Psalm 11:5 reads as follows:[1]

יְהוָה֮ צַדִּ֪יק יִ֫בְחָ֥ן וְ֭רָשָׁע וְאֹהֵ֣ב חָמָ֑ס שָֽׂנְאָ֥ה נַפְשֽׁוֹ׃

Psalm 11:5 consists of two lines, and each line consists of one clause. However, as Craigie notes, "it is difficult to be certain of the stichometry of this verse,"[2] and interpreters, ancient and modern, disagree as to where the first line/clause ends and the second begins.

The NIV, for example, divides the text as follows:

"The LORD examines the righteous, / but the wicked, those who love violence, he hates with a passion."

The NLT, on the other hand, divides the text differently:

"The LORD examines both the righteous and the wicked. / He hates those who love violence."

Do "the wicked" belong with the first clause/line or with the second clause/line? In other words, does YHWH examine the righteous only? Or does he examine the righteous and the wicked? Modern translations are divided on the issue.

Option 1: YHWH examines the righteous (NIV, ESV, NET, CEV, JPS-1985; LUT, NGU, ELB; TOB, PDV, NFC, BDS, RVR95)

Option 2: YHWH examines the righteous and the wicked (NLT, GNT, NRSV, NEB/REB, NJB; EU, HFA, GNB, ZB; NVSR, NBS; NVI, DHH)

Each option is represented below by an argument map.

Argument map

"YHWH examines the righteous" (preferred)

Some translations divide the text as follows: "The LORD examines the righteous, / but the wicked, those who love violence, he hates with a passion" (NIV).[3] 


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[Righteous / wicked]: The text should be divided as follows: "YHWH examines the righteous / but the wicked and the one who loves violence, his soul hates."
 + <MT accents>: The word יִ֫בְחָ֥ן has the accent *ole-weyored*, and this accent very frequently corresponds to a line end (Hoop and Sanders 2022, 35-36 :A:).
  <_ <Not grammatical or logical>:The accentuation "seems, however, to be rather musical than grammatical or logical" (Alexander 1864, 62 :C:) "Die Akzentuation ist jedenfalls in Unordnung" (Kittel 1922, 36-37 :C:). #dispreferred
 + <Pausal form>: The word יִבְחָן is in pause and so marks the end of the line (Revell 1981, 188-189 :A:).
 + <Hebrew manuscripts>: The Aleppo Codex, Sassoon 1053, and the Babylonian codex Or 2373 support this division of the text.
 + <Ancient versions>: Both Jerome (see Codex Amiatinus) and the Peshitta (see Codex Ambrosianus) divide the text in the same way.
 + <Word order>: The order of the words (יהוה צדיק יבחן ורשע instead of יהוה יבחן צדיק ורשע) suggest that רשע is not coordinate with צדיק as a second object of יבחן.
  - <Textual error>:The original arrangement of the words is as follows: יהוה יבחן צדיק ורשע (BHS; Duhm 1899, 35 :C:; Kraus 1960, 88 :C:).#dispreferred
   + <LXX & Peshitta>: Both the LXX and Peshitta appear to swap the order of "examine" (יבחן) and "righteous" (צדיק). #dispreferred
  - <Poetic purpose>: "The word order helps to make the point: literally, 'Yhwh faithful examines and faithless.' Yhwh’s examining divides faithless from faithful" (Goldingay 2006, 192 :C:). #dispreferred
  - <"YHWH is righteous">: "Righteous" (צדיק) is not an object but a predicate complement ("YHWH is righteous") (so αλλος: κυριος δικαιος). The object of יבחן is ורשע; the *waw* is emphatic. "We take into account in this way the unusual order of the words" (Auffret 1981 :A:; cf. Dahood 1966, 68 :C:; Hossfeld and Zenger 1993, 90-91 :C:). #dispreferred
   + <Emphatic waw>: According to Dahood and Penar, emphatic *waw* is prefixed to an object following a verb in the following instances: Pss 27:8; 71:20; 83:17; 109:4; 64:7 (Dahood and Penar 1970, 400-401 :G:). #dispreferred
 + <Semantic contrast>: "We get a better antithesis by contrasting God's dealings with the righteous and the wicked in the two lines. ורשע is the proper antith. to צדיק" (Briggs and Briggs 1906, 93 :C:; cf. Craigie 2004, 132 :C:).
 - <Imbalance>: According to this division, the lines are imbalanced (3 words / 5 words).#dispreferred
  - <"Lover of violence" gloss>: The phrase אהב חמס "seems, for metrical reasons, to be a gloss" (Baethgen 1904, 31 :C:; cf. Morgenstern 1950, 226 :A:; Briggs and Briggs 1906, 93 :C:).
   - <Love / Hate>: The terms "love" (אהב חמס) and "hate" (שנאה נפשו) are juxtaposed in v. 5b (cf. Ps 97:10) (Olshausen 1853, 71 :C:; cf. Ehrlich 1905, 23 :C:; Gunkel 1926, 42-43 :C:).#dispreferred


Argument Mapn0Righteous / wickedThe text should be divided as follows: "YHWH examines the righteous / but the wicked and the one who loves violence, his soul hates."n1MT accentsThe word יִ֫בְחָ֥ן has the accent ole-weyored , and this accent very frequently corresponds to a line end (Hoop and Sanders 2022, 35-36 🄰).n1->n0n2Not grammatical or logicalThe accentuation "seems, however, to be rather musical than grammatical or logical" (Alexander 1864, 62 🄲) "Die Akzentuation ist jedenfalls in Unordnung" (Kittel 1922, 36-37 🄲). n2->n1n3Pausal formThe word יִבְחָן is in pause and so marks the end of the line (Revell 1981, 188-189 🄰).n3->n0n4Hebrew manuscriptsThe Aleppo Codex, Sassoon 1053, and the Babylonian codex Or 2373 support this division of the text.n4->n0n5Ancient versionsBoth Jerome (see Codex Amiatinus) and the Peshitta (see Codex Ambrosianus) divide the text in the same way.n5->n0n6Word orderThe order of the words (יהוה צדיק יבחן ורשע instead of יהוה יבחן צדיק ורשע) suggest that רשע is not coordinate with צדיק as a second object of יבחן.n6->n0n7Textual errorThe original arrangement of the words is as follows: יהוה יבחן צדיק ורשע (BHS; Duhm 1899, 35 🄲; Kraus 1960, 88 🄲).n7->n6n8LXX & PeshittaBoth the LXX and Peshitta appear to swap the order of "examine" (יבחן) and "righteous" (צדיק). n8->n7n9Poetic purpose"The word order helps to make the point: literally, 'Yhwh faithful examines and faithless.' Yhwh’s examining divides faithless from faithful" (Goldingay 2006, 192 🄲). n9->n6n10"YHWH is righteous""Righteous" (צדיק) is not an object but a predicate complement ("YHWH is righteous") (so αλλος: κυριος δικαιος). The object of יבחן is ורשע; the waw  is emphatic. "We take into account in this way the unusual order of the words" (Auffret 1981 🄰; cf. Dahood 1966, 68 🄲; Hossfeld and Zenger 1993, 90-91 🄲). n10->n6n11Emphatic wawAccording to Dahood and Penar, emphatic waw  is prefixed to an object following a verb in the following instances: Pss 27:8; 71:20; 83:17; 109:4; 64:7 (Dahood and Penar 1970, 400-401 🄶). n11->n10n12Semantic contrast"We get a better antithesis by contrasting God's dealings with the righteous and the wicked in the two lines. ורשע is the proper antith. to צדיק" (Briggs and Briggs 1906, 93 🄲; cf. Craigie 2004, 132 🄲).n12->n0n13ImbalanceAccording to this division, the lines are imbalanced (3 words / 5 words).n13->n0n14"Lover of violence" glossThe phrase אהב חמס "seems, for metrical reasons, to be a gloss" (Baethgen 1904, 31 🄲; cf. Morgenstern 1950, 226 🄰; Briggs and Briggs 1906, 93 🄲).n14->n13n15Love / HateThe terms "love" (אהב חמס) and "hate" (שנאה נפשו) are juxtaposed in v. 5b (cf. Ps 97:10) (Olshausen 1853, 71 🄲; cf. Ehrlich 1905, 23 🄲; Gunkel 1926, 42-43 🄲).n15->n14


"YHWH examines the righteous and the wicked"

Other translations divide the text as follows: "The LORD examines both the righteous and the wicked. / He hates those who love violence" (NLT).[4] 


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[Righteous and wicked]: The correct division of the text is as follows: "YHWH examines the righteous and the wicked / and the one who loves violence his soul hates."#dispreferred
 + <Ancient support>: The LXX supports this division of the text.#dispreferred
  + [LXX]: κύριος ἐξετάζει τὸν δίκαιον καὶ τὸν ἀσεβῆ / ὁ δὲ ἀγαπῶν ἀδικίαν μισεῖ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ψυχήν "The Lord examines the righteous and the impious, / but he who loves injustice hates his own soul” (NETS).#dispreferred
 + <Balance>: According to this division of the text, the lines are balanced (4 words / 4 words) (Wilson 2003, 252 :C:).#dispreferred


Argument Mapn0Righteous and wickedThe correct division of the text is as follows: "YHWH examines the righteous and the wicked / and the one who loves violence his soul hates."n1LXXκύριος ἐξετάζει τὸν δίκαιον καὶ τὸν ἀσεβῆ / ὁ δὲ ἀγαπῶν ἀδικίαν μισεῖ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ψυχήν "The Lord examines the righteous and the impious, / but he who loves injustice hates his own soul” (NETS).n2Ancient supportThe LXX supports this division of the text.n1->n2n2->n0n3BalanceAccording to this division of the text, the lines are balanced (4 words / 4 words) (Wilson 2003, 252 🄲).n3->n0


Conclusion (B)

The division of the text followed by the NIV and others ("YHWH examines the righteous / but the wicked...") is probably correct. This is supported by the MT accents (ole-weyored), by a pausal form (יִ֫בְחָ֥ן), and by a number of extant Hebrew codices (Aleppo, Sassoon 1053, Or 2373). Jerome's translation reflects this division, and it is also indicated in the Peshitta manuscript, Codex Ambrosianus. The only external evidence for a contrary division is found in the LXX. The witness of Aquila is unclear, and the witness of the Targum is ambiguous.

The strongest argument in favor of this reading is based on word order. The words "righteous" and "wicked" are separated by a verb, and so they are probably not coordinate. The waw prefixed to רשע more likely functions at the clause level. "YHWH" comes first in the clause in v. 5a, as the topic of the clause (cf. v. 4ab). The object, צדיק, is the second constituent in the clause, and its position before the verb is best explained as an instance of marked focus: "It is the righteous (and no one else) whom YHWH examines." This makes sense of the marked word order in the next clause as well: "But as for the wicked and the one who loves violence, his soul hates."[5] This interpretation of the syntax is corroborated by the strong semantic contrast between the two lines and between the צדיק in the a-line and the רשע in the b-line.[6] Other attempts to explain the word order (see argument map above) are not convincing. Goldingay's poetic explanation (see above) is unpersuasive. Auffret proposes reading צדיק as a predicate adjective and the waw on ורשע as "emphatic": "YHWH is righteous. He examines even the wicked." But Auffret cites no clear examples of "emphatic waw."[7] Every one of the examples of "emphatic waw" which he cites from Dahood's Grammar involve an unlikely emendation of the MT: Pss 27:8; 71:20; 83:17; 64:7; 109:4 (redivision of the text).

The meaning of the verse, then, is akin to Prov 3:12a: "YHWH disciplines those whom he loves."[8] Because YHWH loves the righteous, he puts them (and not the wicked) through a process of testing and refining. In the end, they will be pure, and they will see his face (v. 7).[9] By contrast, the wicked are not tested and refined. YHWH hates them (v. 5b), and they are destroyed (v. 6).

Research

Manuscripts

  • Hebrew Manuscripts. All Hebrew manuscripts below (in which the verse is preserved) divide the verse as follows:
יהוה צדיק יבחן / ורשע ואהב חמס שנאה נפשו
- This verse is not preserved in 5/6HevPs
- This psalm is not preserved in the Berlin Codex
- Or 2373
- Sassoon 1053
- Aleppo Codex
  • Greek Manuscripts. Sinaiticus, Vaticanus, and Alexandrinus divide the text as follows:
κύριος ἐξετάζει τὸν δίκαιον καὶ τὸν ἀσεβῆ / ὁ δὲ ἀγαπῶν ἀδικίαν μισεῖ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ψυχήν
This division of the text is implicit in the translation itself. The Vorlage of the LXX was probably divided as follows: יהוה צדיק יבחן ורשע / ואהב חמס שנאה נפשו
  • Peshitta Manuscripts. Codex Ambrosianus divides the text as follows (with a dot after ܠܙܕܝܩ̈ܐ):
ܡܪܝܐ ܒܚܪ ܠܙܕܝܩ̈ܐ / ܠܥܘ̈ܠܐ ܘܠܪ̈ܚܡܝ ܥܘܠܐ ܣܢܬ ܢܦܫܗ܂

Translations

Ancient

  • LXX: κύριος ἐξετάζει τὸν δίκαιον καὶ τὸν ἀσεβῆ, ὁ δὲ ἀγαπῶν ἀδικίαν μισεῖ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ψυχήν[10]
    • "The Lord examines the righteous and the impious, / but he who loves injustice hates his own soul"[11]
  • Aquila: κυριος δικαιον δοκιμαζει, και ασεβη και αγαπωντα αδικα εμισησεν η ψυχη αυτου[12]
    • The LORD examines the righteous, and the wicked and the one who loves injustice his soul hates.
  • Άλλος: κυριος δικαιος εξεταστης[13]
    • The LORD is a righteous examiner/judge.
  • Jerome (Hebr.): Dominus iustum probat: impium autem et diligentem iniquitatem odit anima eius.
    • But the wicked and the one who loves iniquity his soul hates.
  • Peshitta: ܡܪܝܐ ܒܚܪ ܠܙܕܝܩ̈ܐ ܠܥܘ̈ܠܐ ܘܠܪ̈ܚܡܝ ܥܘܠܐ ܣܢܬ ܢܦܫܗ܂[14]
    • The Lord examines the righteous and the wicked; he[15] hates those who love iniquity.[16]
  • Targum: אלהא צדיקיא בחין ורשיעיא ורחמי חטופין סנאת נפשיה[17]
    • The Lord God tests the righteous and the wicked, and his soul hates those who love violence.[18]

Modern

YHWH examines the righteous

  • "the righteous / but the wicked" (NIV; cf. ESV, NET, CEV, JPS-1985)
  • "den Gerechten / aber den Frevler" (LUT; cf. NGU, ELB)
  • "le juste / ...le méchant" (TOB; cf. PDV, NFC, BDS)
  • "al justo / pero al malo" (RVR95)

YHWH examines the righteous and the wicked

  • "the righteous and the wicked / " (NLT; cf. GNT, NRSV, NEB/REB, NJB)
  • "den Gerechte und Frevler / " (EU; cf. HFA, GNB, ZB)
  • "le juste et le méchant / " (NVSR, NBS)
  • "a justos y a malvados / " (NVI, DHH)

Secondary Literature

Alexander, Joseph Addison. 1864. Commentary on Psalms. Grand Rapids: Kregel Publications.
Auffret, Pierre. 1981. “Essai sur la structure littéraire du Psaume 11.” Zeitschrift für die Alttestamentliche Wissenschaft, 93: 401–417.
Baethgen, Friedrich. 1904. Die Psalmen. Göttingen: Vandenhoeck und Ruprecht.
Briggs, Charles A., and Emilie Briggs. 1906. A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Book of Psalms. Vol. 1. ICC. Edinburgh: T & T Clark.
Craigie, Peter C. 2004. Word Biblical Commentary: Psalms 1–50. 2nd ed. Vol. 19. Nashville: Nelson Reference & Electronic.
Dahood, Mitchell. 1966. Psalms I: 1–50. Anchor Bible. Garden City, NY: Doubleday.
Dahood, Mitchell and T. Penar. 1970. “The Grammar of the Psalter,” pp. 361-456. In Mitchell Dahood, "Psalms III: 101-150." The Anchor Bible. New York: Doubleday.
Duhm, Bernhard. 1899. Die Psalmen. Mohr Siebeck.
Ehrlich, Arnold B. 1905. Die Psalmen. Berlin: Verlag Von M. Poppelauer.
Goldingay, John. 2006. Psalms: Psalms 1-41. Vol. 1. BCOT. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic.
Gunkel, Hermann. 1926. Die Psalmen. Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht.
Hoop, Raymond de, and Paul Sanders. 2022. “The System of Masoretic Accentuation: Some Introductory Issues.” Journal of Hebrew Scriptures 22.
Hossfeld, Frank-Lothar, and Erich Zenger. 1993. Die Psalmen I: Psalm 1–50. Neue Echter Bibel. Würzburg: Echter.
Kittel, Rudolf. 1922. Die Psalmen. Leipzig: A. Deichertsche Verlagsbuchhandlung Dr. Werner Scholl.
Kraus, Hans-Joachim. 1960. Psalmen. Vol. 1. Neukirchen: Neukirchener Verlag des Erziehungsvereins.
Lunn, Nicholas P. 2006. "Word-Order Variation in Biblical Hebrew Poetry: Differentiating Pragmatics and Poetics." Paternoster Biblical Monographs. Milton Keynes: Paternoster.
Morgenstern, Julian. 1950. “Psalm 11.” Journal of Biblical Literature 69, no. 3: 221–31.
Olshausen, Justus. 1853. Die Psalmen. Leipzig: S. Hirzel.
Radak. Radak on Psalms.
Revell, E J. 1981. “Pausal Forms and the Structure of Biblical Poetry.” Vetus Testamentum 31 (2): 186–99.
Wilson, Gerald H. 2002. The NIV Application Commentary: Psalms. Vol. 1. Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

References

11:5 Approved

  1. ↑ Hebrew text from OSHB.
  2. ↑ Craigie 2004, 132.
  3. ↑ So, ESV, NET, CEV, JPS-1985; LUT, NGU, ELB; TOB, PDV, NFC, BDS, RVR95.
  4. ↑ So, GNT, NRSV, NEB/REB, NJB; EU, HFA, GNB, ZÜR; NVSR, NBS; NVI, DHH.
  5. ↑ See Lunn 2006, 297; cf. §6.4.
  6. ↑ Briggs and Briggs 1906, 93; Craigie 2004, 132.
  7. ↑ Walk and O'Connor cite Amos 4:10 as an example of emphatic waw (IBHS §39.2.1.).
  8. ↑ So RADAK.
  9. ↑ Note the words of Jesus: "Blessed are the pure in heart; for they shall see God."
  10. ↑ Rahlfs 1931, 93.
  11. ↑ NETS
  12. ↑ Göttingen Hexapla Database.
  13. ↑ Göttingen Hexapla Database.
  14. ↑ CAL.
  15. ↑ Translation footnote: "'he': lit. 'his soul'" (Taylor 2020, 37).
  16. ↑ Taylor 2020, 37.
  17. ↑ CAL.
  18. ↑ Stec 2004, 42.