Psalm 92 Discourse

  Choose a Psalm  Navigate Psalm 92

Home

Listen & Read

Overview

Layers >>

Grammar & Semantics

Story Behind

Discourse

Poetry

Helps

Verse-by-Verse Notes

Exegetical Issues

Translation Aids

Book 1

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

32

33

34

35

36

37

38

39

40

41

Book 2

42

43

44

45

46

47

48

49

50

51

52

53

54

55

56

57

58

59

60

61

62

63

64

65

66

67

68

69

70

71

72

Book 3

73

74

75

76

77

78

79

80

81

82

83

84

85

86

87

88

89

Book 4

90

91

92

93

94

95

96

97

98

99

100

101

102

103

104

105

106

Book 5

107

108

109

110

111

112

113

114

115

116

117

118

119

120

121

122

123

124

125

126

127

128

129

130

131

132

133

134

135

136

137

138

139

140

141

142

143

144

145

146

147

148

149

150

It is right to always praise YHWH

Psalm 92

About the Discourse Layer

Our Discourse Layer includes four additional layers of analysis:

• Participant analysis
• Macrosyntax
• Speech act analysis
• Emotional analysis

For more information on our method of analysis, click the expandable explanation button at the beginning of each layer.

• Participants
• Macrosyntax
• Speech Act
• Emotional Analysis

Participant Analysis

  What is Participant Analysis?

Participant Analysis focuses on the characters in the psalm and asks, “Who are the main participants (or characters) in this psalm, and what are they saying or doing? It is often helpful for understanding literary structure, speaker identification, etc.

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

Participant Set List

There are four participants/characters in Psalm 92:

Psalmist

YHWH

"Most High" (v. 2)

"Our God" (v. 14)

"My rock" (v. 16)

Righteous

[YHWH's] Enemies

[The psalmist's] Enemies

"Wicked people" (vv. 8, 12)

"Evildoers" (vv. 8, 10)

"Those rising up against me" (v. 12)

Stupid people

Fools

• Psalmist: someone who has been made to rejoice by YHWH's work (v. 5) and received promises of victory over his enemies (vv. 11-12). Furthermore, he is the relational proprietor of "my rock" (v. 16) and shares in "our God" (v. 14).
• The righteous are explicitly introduced as a class term in the topic shift in v. 13, yet subtly shift to a plural reference from v. 14 onwards. They have also been judged as the addressee from then on, with the intended perlocutionary effect that they will trust in the contents of v. 16: that YHWH is fair and just.
• The enemies are explicitly mentioned as YHWH's enemies in v. 10 and probably also as the psalmist's in v. 12 (though see the lexical notes on שׁוּרָי). In parallel with "evildoers" in v. 10, this is also true of their identification as both "wicked" and "evildoers" in v. 8 and "those rising up against me" in v. 12. Though not identical, the fools mentioned in v. 7 are not aware of their coming downfall, despite their ephemeral prosperity, so are understood to form part of this participant set. As in the case of the righteous above, this participant set is first introduced as a class term in the singular (v. 7), before shifting to plural reference in vv. 8, 10, 12.

• Tracking Text
• Relations
• Distribution

Participant Tracking Text

Speaker	Text (Hebrew)	Verse	Text (CBC) The Close-but-clear translation (CBC) exists to provide a window into the Hebrew text according to how we understand its syntax and word-to-phrase-level semantics. It is not intended to be used as a stand-alone translation or base text, but as a supplement to Layer-by-Layer materials to help users make full use of these resources.	Addressee
	מִזְמ֥וֹר שִׁ֗יר לְי֣וֹם הַשַּׁבָּֽת׃	1	A psalm. A song for the Sabbath day.
Psalmist	ט֗וֹב לְהֹד֥וֹת לַיהוָ֑ה	2	It is right to praise YHWH	YHWH
	וּלְזַמֵּ֖ר לְשִׁמְךָ֣ עֶלְיֽוֹן׃		and [it is right] to sing praise to your name, Most High.
	לְהַגִּ֣יד בַּבֹּ֣קֶר חַסְֽדֶּ֑ךָ	3	[It is right] to declare your loyalty in the morning
	וֶ֝אֱמֽוּנָתְךָ֗ בַּלֵּילֽוֹת׃		and [it is right to declare] your faithfulness at night.
	עֲֽלֵי־עָ֭שׂוֹר וַעֲלֵי־נָ֑בֶל	4	[It is right to praise YHWH] with a ten-stringed instrument and with a harp,
	עֲלֵ֖י הִגָּי֣וֹן בְּכִנּֽוֹר׃		with a soft melody on a lyre.
	כִּ֤י שִׂמַּחְתַּ֣נִי יְהוָ֣ה בְּפָעֳלֶ֑ךָ	5	For you have made me rejoice, YHWH, by your action;
	בְּֽמַעֲשֵׂה* יָדֶ֣יךָ אֲרַנֵּֽן׃*		In the work of your hands I rejoice.
	מַה־גָּדְל֣וּ מַעֲשֶׂ֣יךָ יְהוָ֑ה	6	How great are your works, YHWH!
	מְ֝אֹ֗ד עָמְק֥וּ מַחְשְׁבֹתֶֽיךָ׃		your plans are so deep.
	אִֽישׁ־בַּ֭עַר לֹ֣א יֵדָ֑ע	7	Stupid people do not know [this]
	וּ֝כְסִ֗יל לֹא־יָבִ֥ין אֶת־זֹֽאת׃		and fools do not understand this:
	בִּפְרֹ֤חַ רְשָׁעִ֨ים ׀ כְּמ֥וֹ עֵ֗שֶׂב	8	when wicked people flourish like a green plant
	וַ֭יָּצִיצוּ כָּל־פֹּ֣עֲלֵי אָ֑וֶן		and any evildoers prosper,
	לְהִשָּֽׁמְדָ֥ם עֲדֵי־עַֽד׃		[this is] for them to be destroyed forever,
	וְאַתָּ֥ה מָר֗וֹם לְעֹלָ֥ם יְהוָֽה׃	9	but you are on high forever, YHWH.
	כִּ֤י הִנֵּ֪ה אֹיְבֶ֡יךָ ׀ יְֽהוָ֗ה	10	For look, your enemies, YHWH—
	כִּֽי־הִנֵּ֣ה אֹיְבֶ֣יךָ יֹאבֵ֑דוּ		for look, your enemies will perish;
	יִ֝תְפָּרְד֗וּ כָּל־פֹּ֥עֲלֵי אָֽוֶן׃		all evildoers will be scattered,
	וַתָּ֣רֶם כִּרְאֵ֣ים קַרְנִ֑י	11	and you will lift up my horn like a wild ox,
	בְּלּתִי* *כְּשֶׁ֣מֶן* רַעֲנָֽן׃*		my old age [will be] fresh like oil,
	וַתַּבֵּ֥ט עֵינִ֗י בְּשׁ֫וּרָ֥י	12	and my eyes will look upon my enemies;
	בַּקָּמִ֖ים עָלַ֥י מְרֵעִ֗ים תִּשְׁמַ֥עְנָה אָזְנָֽי׃		my ears will hear those who rise up against me, wicked people.
	צַ֭דִּיק כַּתָּמָ֣ר יִפְרָ֑ח	13	The righteous will flourish like a palm tree;	The Righteous
	כְּאֶ֖רֶז בַּלְּבָנ֣וֹן יִשְׂגֶּֽה׃		like a cedar tree in Lebanon he will grow.
	שְׁ֭תוּלִים בְּבֵ֣ית יְהוָ֑ה	14	[They will be] transplanted in the house of YHWH;
	בְּחַצְר֖וֹת אֱלֹהֵ֣ינוּ יַפְרִֽיחוּ׃		in the courtyards of our God they will flourish.
	ע֭וֹד יְנוּב֣וּן בְּשֵׂיבָ֑ה	15	They will still thrive in old age;
	דְּשֵׁנִ֖ים וְרַֽעֲנַנִּ֣ים יִהְיֽוּ׃		they will be vigorous and fresh
	לְ֭הַגִּיד כִּֽי־יָשָׁ֣ר יְהוָ֑ה צ֝וּרִ֗י	16	in order that people declare that YHWH, my rock, is fair
	וְֽלֹא־עַוְלָ֥תָה בּֽוֹ׃		and there is no injustice in him.

• v. 5 – For the emendation of בְּֽמַעֲשֵׂה* יָדֶ֣יךָ* (MT: בְּֽמַעֲשֵׂ֖י יָדֶ֣יךָ), see the grammar notes.
• v. 11 – For the revocalization of *בְּלֹתִי* (MT: בַּ֝לֹּתִ֗י) and the emendation of *כְּשֶׁמֶן* (MT: בְּשֶׁ֣מֶן), see the The Grammar and Meaning of Ps 92:11b.

Participant Relations Diagram

The relationships among the participants may be abstracted and summarized as follows:

Participant Analysis Summary Distribution

---

Macrosyntax

  What is Macrosyntax?

The macrosyntax layer rests on the belief that human communicators desire their addressees to receive a coherent picture of their message and will cooperatively provide clues to lead the addressee into a correct understanding. So, in the case of macrosyntax of the Psalms, the psalmist has explicitly left syntactic clues for the reader regarding the discourse structure of the entire psalm. Here we aim to account for the function of these elements, including the identification of conjunctions which either coordinate or subordinate entire clauses (as the analysis of coordinated individual phrases is carried out at the phrase-level semantics layer), vocatives, other discourse markers, direct speech, and clausal word order.

For a detailed explanation of our method, see the Macrosyntax Creator Guidelines.

Macrosyntax Diagram

  Legend

Macrosyntax legend
Vocatives	Vocatives are indicated by purple text.
Discourse marker	Discourse markers (such as כִּי, הִנֵּה, לָכֵן) are indicated by orange text.
	The scope governed by the discourse marker is indicated by a dashed orange bracket connecting the discourse marker to its scope.
	The preceding discourse grounding the discourse marker is indicated by a solid orange bracket encompassing the relevant clauses.
Subordinating conjunction	The subordinating conjunction is indicated by teal text.
	Subordination is indicated by a solid teal bracket connecting the subordinating conjunction with the clause to which it is subordinate.
Coordinating conjunction	The coordinating conjunction is indicated by blue text.
	Coordination is indicated by a solid blue line connecting the coordinating clauses.
	Coordination without an explicit conjunction is indicated by a dashed blue line connecting the coordinated clauses.
	Marked topic is indicated by a black dashed rounded rectangle around the marked words.
	The scope of the activated topic is indicated by a black dashed bracket encompassing the relevant clauses.
Marked focus or thetic sentence	Marked focus (if one constituent) or thetic sentences are indicated by bold text.
	Frame setters are indicated by a solid gray rounded rectangle around the marked words.
[blank line]	Discourse discontinuity is indicated by a blank line.
[indentation]	Syntactic subordination is indicated by indentation.
	Direct speech is indicated by a solid black rectangle surrounding all relevant clauses.
(text to elucidate the meaning of the macrosyntactic structures)	Within the CBC, any text elucidating the meaning of macrosyntax is indicated in gray text inside parentheses.

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.

(Click diagram to enlarge)

• Divisions
• Word Order
• Vocatives
• Discourse Markers
• Conjunctions

Paragraph Divisions

The two selah instances in vv. 8b and 11b do not seem to play a role on the macrosyntactic level in this psalm and thus do not contribute to paragraph division. They do, however, play a role in the poetic structure of the psalm (see Poetic Structure)

• vv. 2-5: follows the superscription and begins with a vocative and temporal frame setter.
• vv. 6-7: beings with a focal בַּמֵּתִים, paralleled in v. 11.
• vv. 8-10: beings with a focal עָלַי, paralleled in v. 17.
• vv. 11-13: beings with a focal בַּמֵּתִים, paralleling v. 6; dominated by a series of yes-no questions.
• vv. 14-16: begins with a topic-shift to first person.
• vv. 17-19: beings with a focal עָלַי, paralleling v. 8.

Word Order

• v. 2b: יוֹם is fronted not in order to mark argument focus but as a temporal frame setter. Additionally, its initial position in the clause sets up expectation of the word pair (יום/לילה), standing in a balanced position to the focal בַּלַּיְלָה. As for the fronting of בַּלַּיְלָה, it marks scalar focus: "even at night".
• v. 4b mirrors 4a.
• 'v. 6a': The fronting of בַּמֵּתִים is for marked scalar focus: "not only in the society of the living, but even in the society of the dead I am an outcast".
• v. 6c: The fronting of the subject הֵמָּה marks the beginning of the second part of the coordinated relative clause and the new syntactic role of the antecedent in this part (direct object in the first part; subject in the second part). מידך is in marked focus.
• v. 8a: Fronting of עָלַי is for exclusive focus. The word order supporting a focal reading matches the subtext of this verse implying the status of the psalmist as a scapegoat chosen by YHWH of all people (cf. common-ground assumption for v. 8a in Story-Behind).
• v. 8b: Fronting of כָל-מִשְׁבָּרֶיךָ is for marked focus, highlighting the total and merciless character of YHWH's affliction of the psalmist, not sparing a single "wave" from him. Phrases with כל are often fronted for marked focus (cf. Lunn 2006:198).
• v. 10a: The SV word-order is an indication of either an argument-fronting or a sentence-focus. As shown in Story-Behind (cf. common-ground assumptions for v. 10a), the eye here is a synecdoche for the whole body with an emphasis on the vitality and health of a person. Given the latter and the direct context of the line, a marked focus is not plausible here. A topic shift is also implausible here, since the eye represents the psalmist who is already the activated topic. We therefore prefer to read this clause as a sentence-focus (thetic): following a long list of accusations directed towards YHWH with a detailed breakdown of the afflictions the psalmist is enduring, comes the bottom line announcing the consequence of this whole affair: "Look now, I am depleted of vitality because of all this endless misery (a result of everything I have stated just now)."
• v. 10b is rhetorical highlighting following a post-nucleus vocative for confirming focus (cf. note under "vocatives" above): "yes, every day indeed I have been calling you!".
• v. 11a: Fronting of לַמֵּתִים is for marked contrastive focus, serving as the clause constituent on which the rhetorical yes-no question focuses: "Is it for the dead that you perform wonders (or to the living)?"
• v. 11b: "A disjunctive question is sometimes a mere stylistic feature, used in cases of synonymous parallelism... especially in poetry: Is 10:15; Jb 4:17; 6:5)" (JM §161e). This device is used rhetorically with an expected negative answer on both parts of the disjunctive question. The fronting of רְפָאִים, which on its surface looks like a marked focus, results in fact in an ironic pseudo-focus which repeats, with a different word, the already activated focus of 11a (given the nature of this particular stylistic device of synonymous parallelism in a disjunctive question here; see above). This in turn further enhances the rhetorical force of this construction.
• v. 12b, 13b mirror 12a and 13a respectively with the verbs elided.
• v. 14a is topic-shift, from third to first person, with marked topic וַאֲנִי fronted. אֵלֶיךָ is fronted for marked restricting focus: "I have been crying out to you (only) for help, (because I know you are the only one who can save me)."
• v. 14b is fronting of בַּבֹּקֶר for marked exclusive focus: "in the morning (specifically, deliberately) my prayer will keep welcoming you in the morning.". This reading matches the subtext of this verse referring to morning time widely believed to be the time when YHWH appears to deliver (cf. common-ground assumption for v. 14b in Story-Behind). תפלתי marks topic activation. This word order (focus-topic) is attested in e.g. 2Kgs 19:23, Isa 28:17.
• v.15a: The question word למה is focused by virtue of the following vocative (cf. note under "vocatives" above), unsurprisingly as questions are by nature focal. Rhetorically it represents a negative directive speech act ("don't, YHWH, reject me"); cf. Speech Act Analysis.
• v. 16a: "A personal pronoun tends to occupy the second slot when no prominence is intended to be given to it... the predicate preceding a pronominal subject often does receive some prominence." (JM §154fa). In our case, עָנִי is a confirming focus: "Why do you keep rejecting me? I'm afflicted, as you know!"
• v. 17a is exclusive focus, cf. vs. 8a.
• v. 17b mirrors 17a.

Vocatives

The vocatives may also be accounted for poetically (cf. poetic feature 3). This poetic interpretation can be either alternative or overlapping with the following discursive one.

• v. 2: Prime addressee for urgent imperative. Structurally, the vocative opens the psalm (the superscription being ignored) and explicitly defines the addressee, YHWH, the only addressee throughout the whole psalm, thus serving as an opening formula to this direct personal "missive" to him.
• v. 10b: Post-nucleus vocative "providing rhetorical highlighting, though of a less specific nature [than focus]" (Miller 2010, 358). Following the lengthy lament in vv. 4-10a, the psalmist empowers his accusation of YHWH, by emphasizing the fact that he has been praying every day out of his extreme misery, and yet there was no reaction from YHWH.
• v. 14a: Post-fronted constituent vocative, focusing אֵלֶיךָ (cf. "word order" below).
• v. 15a: Post-fronted constituent vocative, focusing לָמָה (cf. "word order" below).

There are no Discourse Marker notes for this psalm.

Conjunctions

• v. 5c: Followed by a noun, אֵין can form a sort of asyndetic relative clause, which serves as an attribute to the preceding noun, with the force of "without" (cf. JM §160o).
• v. 9c: The waw opens a clause of consequence ("so that...") in a co-subordinated structure (+dependent -embedded). Affirmative clauses of consequence require a volitive verbal form (cf. JM §116a), whereas negative ones have לא followed by a yiqtol-indicative form (ֹcf. JM §116j). Such clauses most commonly follow a volitive verb in the main clause, but other types of clauses are also possible, e.g. nominal clauses such as in our verse (cf. Nu 23:19: לֹא אִישׁ אֵל וִיכַזֵּב "God is not a man that he should lie"). For וְלֹא + yiqtol in a result clause, cf. Gen. 42.2, Lev. 10.9, Deut. 17.17 and 1 Kgs. 18.44.
• v. 14a: The waw opening the verse is a marker of a topic-shift from 3rd person back to 1st person, which also begins a new section in the psalm. “The discourse pragmatic function of wāw intersects with the use of word order to highlight a change of topic relating to one of the speech participants” (Miller 1999, 184).

---

---

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

Speaker		Verses		Macro Speech Acts				Addressee
Psalmist		v. 1 A psalm. A song for the Sabbath day.	Reminder (vv. 2–6)				YHWH
		v. 2 It is right to praise YHWH and [it is right] to sing praise to your name, Most High.	YHWH really is praiseworthy
		v. 3 [It is right] to declare your loyalty in the morning and [it is right to declare] your faithfulness at night.		Because His works are great and his plans are deep! (v. 6)
		v. 4 [It is right to praise YHWH] with a ten-stringed instrument and with a harp, with a soft melody on a lyre.
		v. 5 For you have made me rejoice, YHWH, by your action; In the work of your hands I rejoice.
		v. 6 How great are your works, YHWH! Your plans are so deep.
		v. 7 Stupid people do not know [this] and fools do not understand this:	Report (vv. 7–9)
		v. 8 when wicked people flourish like a green plant and any evildoers prosper, [this is] for them to be destroyed forever,	Foolish people do not even understand that the wicked will be destroyed forever
		v. 9 but you are on high forever, YHWH.		But You are on high forever! (v. 9)
		v. 10 For look, your enemies, YHWH— for look, your enemies will perish; all evildoers will be scattered,	Assertion (vv. 10–12)
		v. 11 and you will lift up my horn like a wild ox, my old age [will be] fresh like oil,	I will have victory and flourish
		v. 12 and my eyes will look upon my enemies; my ears will hear those who rise up against me, wicked people.		Because My enemies are your enemies, YHWH (v. 10), and look what awaits them! (v. 12)
		v. 13 The righteous will flourish like a palm tree; like a cedar tree in Lebanon he will grow.	Assertion (vv. 13–16)				The Righteous
		v. 14 [They will be] transplanted in the house of YHWH; in the courtyards of our God they will flourish.	Indeed, all the righteous will have victory and flourish into old age
		v. 15 They will still thrive in old age; they will be vigorous and fresh		By faithfully clinging to proper worship (v. 14)
		v. 16 in order that people declare that YHWH, my rock, is fair and there is no injustice in him.		In order to declare that YHWH is just (v. 16)

---

Speech Act 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) The Close-but-clear translation (CBC) exists to provide a window into the Hebrew text according to how we understand its syntax and word-to-phrase-level semantics. It is not intended to be used as a stand-alone translation or base text, but as a supplement to Layer-by-Layer materials to help users make full use of these resources.	Sentence type	Illocution (general)	Illocution with context	Macro speech act		Intended perlocution (Think)	Intended perlocution (Feel)	Intended perlocution (Do)	Speech Act Notes
1	מִזְמ֥וֹר שִׁ֗יר לְי֣וֹם הַשַּׁבָּֽת׃	A psalm. A song for the Sabbath day.	Fragment	Assertive	Providing information about liturgy and underying theme of the psalm.						On the contribution of "the Sabbath day," see the story behind table and the exegetical issue.
2	ט֗וֹב	It is right	Declarative	Assertive	Reminding that YHWH is praiseworthy.	Reminding that YHWH is praiseworthy.	Reminding that YHWH is praiseworthy.	• The righteous will be sure YHWH is praiseworthy.		• The righteous will praise YHWH.	Note that, although the righteous are only the explicit addressee in vv. 13-16 (licensed by the third person suffix in "my rock" [v. 16] but second person references to YHWH elsewhere; see participant analysis), the intended perlocutionary effect is no doubt directed towards the righteous throughout the entire psalm. Since the didactic peak of the psalm falls on the last verse, that the righteous themselves will declare that YHWH is fair and there is no injustice in him (forming a poetic inclusio with the generalized לְהַגִּיד of v. 3), the content of the entire psalm is best construed as encouraging the righteous to this conclusion, for their confidence to praise YHWH now, even if they do not see the depth of YHWH's plans (v. 6) or the wicked punished just yet (v. 8).
2	לְהֹד֥וֹת לַיהוָ֑ה	to praise YHWH
2	וּלְזַמֵּ֖ר לְשִׁמְךָ֣ עֶלְיֽוֹן׃	and [it is right] to sing praise to your name, Most High.
3	לְהַגִּ֣יד בַּבֹּ֣קֶר חַסְֽדֶּ֑ךָ	[It is right] to declare your loyalty in the morning	Declarative	Assertive	Reminding that YHWH's loyalty and faithfulness are worth our attention.
3	וֶ֝אֱמֽוּנָתְךָ֗ בַּלֵּילֽוֹת׃	and [it is right to declare] your faithfulness at night.
4	עֲֽלֵי־עָ֭שׂוֹר וַעֲלֵי־נָ֑בֶל עֲלֵ֖י הִגָּי֣וֹן בְּכִנּֽוֹר׃	[It is right to praise YHWH] with a ten-stringed instrument and with a harp, with a soft melody on a lyre.	Declarative	Assertive	Reminding that YHWH is worthy of any and every form of praise.
5	כִּ֤י שִׂמַּחְתַּ֣נִי יְהוָ֣ה בְּפָעֳלֶ֑ךָ	For you have made me rejoice, YHWH, by your action;	Declarative	Assertive	Explaining why he feels the need to praise YHWH.	Explaining why YHWH is praiseworthy.				• YHWH will stay faithful to his works and character. • The righteous will also praise YHWH for his works and character.
5	*בְּֽמַעֲשֵׂה* יָדֶ֣יךָ אֲרַנֵּֽן׃	In the work of your hands I rejoice.	Declarative	Expressive	Praising YHWH for his work.
6	מַה־גָּדְל֣וּ מַעֲשֶׂ֣יךָ יְהוָ֑ה	How great are your works, YHWH!	Declarative	Expressive	Praising YHWH for how great his work is.			• The righteous will be sure that YHWH's ways are great.		• The righteous will contemplate YHWH's works and plans.
6	מְ֝אֹ֗ד עָמְק֥וּ מַחְשְׁבֹתֶֽיךָ׃	Your plans are so deep.	Declarative	Expressive	Praising YHWH for how deep his plans are.			• The righteous will be sure that YHWH's plans are deep.
7	אִֽישׁ־בַּ֭עַר לֹ֣א יֵדָ֑ע	Stupid people do not know [this]	Declarative	Assertive	Reporting the shortsightedness of foolish people.	Reporting the short-sightedness of foolish people.	Reporting the short-sightedness of foolish people.	• The righteous will conclude that – these people described are, indeed, fools. – the destruction of the wicked is certain. – YHWH's rule is just and eternal.	• The righteous will feel – disgust towards those who do not know this – confidence that the wicked will be destroyed. – trust in YHWH's justice.	• The righteous will trust in YHWH's eternal justice. • The righteous will praise YHWH's works.
7	וּ֝כְסִ֗יל לֹא־יָבִ֥ין אֶת־זֹֽאת׃	and fools do not understand this:
8	בִּפְרֹ֤חַ רְשָׁעִ֨ים ׀ כְּמ֥וֹ עֵ֗שֶׂב	when wicked people flourish like a green plant
8	וַ֭יָּצִיצוּ כָּל־פֹּ֣עֲלֵי אָ֑וֶן	and any evildoers prosper,
8	לְהִשָּֽׁמְדָ֥ם עֲדֵי־עַֽד׃	[this is] for them to be destroyed forever,
9	וְאַתָּ֥ה מָר֗וֹם לְעֹלָ֥ם יְהוָֽה׃	but you are on high forever, YHWH.
10	כִּ֤י הִנֵּ֪ה אֹיְבֶ֡יךָ ׀ יְֽהוָ֗ה	For look, your enemies, YHWH—	Declarative	Expressive	Congratulating YHWH on the downfall of his enemies.	Congratulating YHWH on the downfall of his enemies.	Asserting his own future flourishing.	• YHWH will know the psalmist is confident in YHWH's victory.	• The righteous will feel confident in YHWH's sovereignty.	• YHWH will continue to destroy the wicked.
10	כִּֽי־הִנֵּ֣ה אֹיְבֶ֣יךָ יֹאבֵ֑דוּ	for look, your enemies will perish;
10	יִ֝תְפָּרְד֗וּ כָּל־פֹּ֥עֲלֵי אָֽוֶן׃	all evildoers will be scattered,	Declarative	Expressive	Congratulating YHWH on the downfall of his enemies.
11	וַתָּ֣רֶם כִּרְאֵ֣ים קַרְנִ֑י	and you will lift up my horn like a wild ox,	Declarative	Assertive	Asserting his own future restoration.	Asserting his own future flourishing.		• YHWH will know the psalmist is confident in his own victory.	• The righteous will feel confident in the psalmist's future flourishing.	• YHWH will bestow health and status upon the psalmist.
11	*בְּלּתִי* *כְּ*שֶׁ֣מֶן רַעֲנָֽן׃	my old age [will be] fresh like oil,	Declarative	Assertive	Asserting his own future flourishing.					• YHWH will keep the psalmist safe and flourishing even into old age.
12	וַתַּבֵּ֥ט עֵינִ֗י בְּשׁ֫וּרָ֥י	and my eyes will look upon my enemies;	Declarative	Assertive	Asserting his own future victory.					• YHWH will give the psalmist victory.
12	בַּקָּמִ֖ים עָלַ֥י מְרֵעִ֗ים תִּשְׁמַ֥עְנָה אָזְנָֽי׃	my ears will hear those who rise up against me, wicked people.	Declarative	Assertive	Asserting his own future victory.					• YHWH will not let the psalmist be caught out by his enemies.
13	צַ֭דִּיק כַּתָּמָ֣ר יִפְרָ֑ח	The righteous will flourish like a palm tree;	Declarative	Assertive	Explaining the extent of the flourishing of the righteous.	Explaining the extent and the means of the flourishing of the righteous.	Asserting the future flourishing of the righteous.		• The righteous will feel confident in their own future flourishing.	• YHWH will cause the righteous to flourish.
13	כְּאֶ֖רֶז בַּלְּבָנ֣וֹן יִשְׂגֶּֽה׃	like a cedar tree in Lebanon he will grow.	Declarative	Assertive	Explaining the extent of the flourishing of the righteous.
14	שְׁ֭תוּלִים בְּבֵ֣ית יְהוָ֑ה	[They will be] transplanted in the house of YHWH;	Declarative	Assertive	Explaining the means of the flourishing of the righteous.			• The righteous will think that the house of YHWH is the source of flourishing.		• The righteous will seek YHWH in proper worship.
14	בְּחַצְר֖וֹת אֱלֹהֵ֣ינוּ יַפְרִֽיחוּ׃	in the courtyards of our God they will flourish.	Declarative	Assertive	Explaining the means of the flourishing of the righteous.
15	ע֭וֹד יְנוּב֣וּן בְּשֵׂיבָ֑ה	They will still thrive in old age;	Declarative	Assertive	Asserting the future flourishing of the righteous.	Asserting the future flourishing of the righteous.				• YHWH will keep the righteous safe and flourishing even into old age.
15	דְּשֵׁנִ֖ים וְרַֽעֲנַנִּ֣ים יִהְיֽוּ׃	they will be vigorous and fresh	Declarative	Assertive	Asserting the future flourishing of the righteous.			• The community will think YHWH is just.	• The community will feel confident that YHWH is just.	• The community will declare that YHWH is just.
16	לְ֭הַגִּיד	in order that people declare
16	כִּֽי־יָשָׁ֣ר יְהוָ֑ה צ֝וּרִ֗י	that YHWH, my rock, is fair
16	וְֽלֹא־עַוְלָ֥תָה בּֽוֹ׃	and there is no injustice in him.

Emotional Analysis

  What is 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

  Legend

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) The Close-but-clear translation (CBC) exists to provide a window into the Hebrew text according to how we understand its syntax and word-to-phrase-level semantics. It is not intended to be used as a stand-alone translation or base text, but as a supplement to Layer-by-Layer materials to help users make full use of these resources.	The Psalmist Feels	Emotional Analysis Notes
1	מִזְמ֥וֹר שִׁ֗יר לְי֣וֹם הַשַּׁבָּֽת׃	A psalm. A song for the Sabbath day.
2	ט֗וֹב	It is right	• Confident in YHWH's praiseworthiness, because he is the Most High.
2	לְהֹד֥וֹת לַיהוָ֑ה	to praise YHWH
2	וּלְזַמֵּ֖ר לְשִׁמְךָ֣ עֶלְיֽוֹן׃	and [it is right] to sing praise to your name, Most High.
3	לְהַגִּ֣יד בַּבֹּ֣קֶר חַסְֽדֶּ֑ךָ	[It is right] to declare your loyalty in the morning	• Zealous that YHWH's loyalty and faithfulness be praised all the time.
3	וֶ֝אֱמֽוּנָתְךָ֗ בַּלֵּילֽוֹת׃	and [it is right to declare] your faithfulness at night.
4	עֲֽלֵי־עָ֭שׂוֹר וַעֲלֵי־נָ֑בֶל עֲלֵ֖י הִגָּי֣וֹן בְּכִנּֽוֹר׃	[It is right to praise YHWH] with a ten-stringed instrument and with a harp, with a soft melody on a lyre.	• Zealous that YHWH be praised in every way.
5	כִּ֤י שִׂמַּחְתַּ֣נִי יְהוָ֣ה בְּפָעֳלֶ֑ךָ	For you have made me rejoice, YHWH, by your action;	• Continually joyous in YHWH's action both in the past and present.
5	*בְּֽמַעֲשֵׂה* יָדֶ֣יךָ אֲרַנֵּֽן׃	In the work of your hands I rejoice.
6	מַה־גָּדְל֣וּ מַעֲשֶׂ֣יךָ יְהוָ֑ה	How great are your works, YHWH!	• In awe at the greatness of YHWH's works.
6	מְ֝אֹ֗ד עָמְק֥וּ מַחְשְׁבֹתֶֽיךָ׃	Your plans are so deep.	• Amazed that YHWH's plans are so deep.
7	אִֽישׁ־בַּ֭עַר לֹ֣א יֵדָ֑ע	Stupid people do not know [this]	• Contempt towards the stupid and foolish people. • Satisfied by the destruction of the wicked. • In reverential awe towards the exalted position of YHWH. • Confident that both the wicked's destruction and YHWH's sovereignty are forever.
7	וּ֝כְסִ֗יל לֹא־יָבִ֥ין אֶת־זֹֽאת׃	and fools do not understand this:
8	בִּפְרֹ֤חַ רְשָׁעִ֨ים ׀ כְּמ֥וֹ עֵ֗שֶׂב	when wicked people flourish like a green plant
8	וַ֭יָּצִיצוּ כָּל־פֹּ֣עֲלֵי אָ֑וֶן	and any evildoers prosper,
8	לְהִשָּֽׁמְדָ֥ם עֲדֵי־עַֽד׃	[this is] for them to be destroyed forever,
9	וְאַתָּ֥ה מָר֗וֹם לְעֹלָ֥ם יְהוָֽה׃	but you are on high forever, YHWH.
10	כִּ֤י הִנֵּ֪ה אֹיְבֶ֡יךָ ׀ יְֽהוָ֗ה	For look, your enemies, YHWH—	• Confident that YHWH's enemies will perish, even if they have not yet.
10	כִּֽי־הִנֵּ֣ה אֹיְבֶ֣יךָ יֹאבֵ֑דוּ	for look, your enemies will perish;
10	יִ֝תְפָּרְד֗וּ כָּל־פֹּ֥עֲלֵי אָֽוֶן׃	all evildoers will be scattered,	• Confident that all evildoers will be dispersed and not one of them spared.
11	וַתָּ֣רֶם כִּרְאֵ֣ים קַרְנִ֑י	and you will lift up my horn like a wild ox,	• Confident that his renewed status and vigor will match that the wild ox.
11	*בְּלּתִי* *כְּ*שֶׁ֣מֶן רַעֲנָֽן׃	my old age [will be] fresh like oil,	• Confident that his renewed status and vigor will last even into old age, comparable to the oil produced by a fresh and healthy olive tree.
12	וַתַּבֵּ֥ט עֵינִ֗י בְּשׁ֫וּרָ֥י	and my eyes will look upon my enemies;	• Confident that he will enjoy his future victory, which his very own eyes will witness.
12	בַּקָּמִ֖ים עָלַ֥י מְרֵעִ֗ים תִּשְׁמַ֥עְנָה אָזְנָֽי׃	my ears will hear those who rise up against me, wicked people.	• Confident that he will be on guard and aware of his attackers. • Contempt towards those rising up against him as evildoers.
13	צַ֭דִּיק כַּתָּמָ֣ר יִפְרָ֑ח	The righteous will flourish like a palm tree;	• Sober and aware that deliverance from trying and difficult circumstances is not promised, but... • Confident that the righteous will flourish through it all.	• Note that sobriety and awareness are very much secondary emotions compared to confidence.
13	כְּאֶ֖רֶז בַּלְּבָנ֣וֹן יִשְׂגֶּֽה׃	like a cedar tree in Lebanon he will grow.	• Confident that the righteous will replicate the stability of a cedar tree. • Zealous that the righteous will commit themselves to proper worship.	• Note that zeal is very much a secondary emotions compared to confidence. For the dedication to proper worship, see the "habitat" and "use" elements in the imagery table of cedar in Lebanon. This motif is, of course, more explicit in the following verse.
14	שְׁ֭תוּלִים בְּבֵ֣ית יְהוָ֑ה	[They will be] transplanted in the house of YHWH;	• Confident that the righteous will be stable and flourish in the house of YHWH. • Zealous that the righteous will commit themselves to proper worship of "our God."	• See the common ground for the association of altitude with cedars.
14	בְּחַצְר֖וֹת אֱלֹהֵ֣ינוּ יַפְרִֽיחוּ׃	in the courtyards of our God they will flourish.
15	ע֭וֹד יְנוּב֣וּן בְּשֵׂיבָ֑ה	They will still thrive in old age;	• Confident that the righteous will thrive even into old age.
15	דְּשֵׁנִ֖ים וְרַֽעֲנַנִּ֣ים יִהְיֽוּ׃	they will be vigorous and fresh	• Zealous that the flourishing of the righteous, both past and present, is for the purpose of producing confidence to declare that YHWH is fair and there is no injustice in him. • Confident that YHWH is "my rock."
16	לְ֭הַגִּיד	in order that people declare
16	כִּֽי־יָשָׁ֣ר יְהוָ֑ה צ֝וּרִ֗י	that YHWH, my rock, is fair
16	וְֽלֹא־עַוְלָ֥תָה בּֽוֹ׃	and there is no injustice in him.

Summary Visual

(Click visual to enlarge).

---

Bibliography

Auffret, P. 1993. Voyez De Vos Yeux: Etude Structurelle De Vingt Psaumes Dont Le Psaume 119. Leiden: Brill.

Avishur, Yitzhak. 1994. Studies in Hebrew and Ugaritic Psalms. Jerusalem: Magnes Press.

BDB = Brown, Francis, Driver, Samuel R. & Briggs, Charles A. 1977. Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon. Oxford: Clarendon Press.

BHRG = Van der Merwe, C. H. J., Naudé, J. A., Kroeze, J. H. 2017. A Biblical Hebrew Reference Grammar. London: Bloomsbury T&T Clark.

Blau, J. 2010. Phonology and Morphology of Biblical Hebrew: An Introduction. College Park, PA: Pennsylvania State University Press.

Bratcher, Robert G. & Reyburn, William D. 1991. A Translator’s Handbook on the Book of Psalms, UBS Handbook Series. New York: United Bible Societies.

Briggs, Charles A. & Briggs, Emilie G. 1906-1907. A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Book of Psalms. New York, NY: C. Scribner’s Sons.

Brueggemann, W. & Bellinger, W. H. 2014. Psalms. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

CAD = The Assyrian Dictionary of the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago: Vol. 17. Chicago, IL: The Oriental Institute, 1989.

Cook, John A. 2012. Time and the Biblical Hebrew Verb: The Expression of Tense Aspect and Modality in Biblical Hebrew. Winona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns.

------. 2024 The Biblical Hebrew Verb: A Linguistic Introduction. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic.

DCH = David J. A. Clines, David J. A. (ed). 1993-2011. The Dictionary of Classical Hebrew. Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press.

Garr, R. Forthcoming. "Binyan: Hiphil," in The Cambridge Grammar of Biblical Hebrew: Cambridge: Open Book Publishers & University of Cambridge.

Gesenius 2013 = Gesenius, W. Donner, H. Rüterswörden, U. Renz, J. Meyer, R. (eds.). 2013. Hebräisches und aramäisches Handwörterbuch über das Alte Testament. 18. Auflage Gesamtausgabe. Berlin: Springer.

GKC = Gesenius, Wilhelm & Kautsch, Emil. 1909. A. E. Cowley (trans.) Gesenius' Hebrew Grammar. Oxford: Clarendon Press.

Goldingay, John. 2008. Psalms 90-150. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic.

Ḥakham, Amos. 1979. ספר תהלים: ספרים ג–ה (in Hebrew; The Book of Psalms: Books 3-5). Jerusalem: Mossad Harav Kook.

HALOT = Ludwig Koehler, Ludwig & Baumgartner, Walter et al. 1994-2000. The Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament. Leiden: Brill.

Hoftijzer , J & Jongeling, K. 1995. Dictionary of the North-west Semitic Inscriptions. Leiden: Brill.

Ibn Ezra, Abraham on Psalms.

Jenni, Ernst. 2000. Die hebräischen Präpositionen Band 3: Die Präposition Lamed. Stuttgart: Kohlhammer.

Joüon-Muraoka = Joüon, P. & Muraoka T. 2006. A Grammar of Biblical Hebrew. Rome: Pontificio Istituto Biblico.

LSJ = Liddel, Henry G., Scott, Robert & Jones, Henry S. 1940. A Greek-English Lexicon. Oxford: Clarendon Press.

Miller, C. L. 2007. "Constraints on Ellipsis in Biblical Hebrew." Pages 165-180 in Studies in Semitic and Afroasiatic Linguistics Presented to Gene B. Gragg. Edited by C. L. Miller. Chicago, IL: The Oriental Institute.

Musselman, L. J. 2011. A Dictionary of Bible Plants. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Notarius, T. & Atkinson, I. 2026. "Impersonal Constructions," in The Cambridge Grammar of Biblical Hebrew. Edited by G. Khan. Cambridge: Open Book Publishers & University of Cambridge.

Pietersma, Albert (tr.) 2009. NETS translation of the Psalms.

Rahlfs, A. 1931. Septuaginta: Psalm cum Odis. Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht.

Rashi (Yitzchaki, Shlomo) on Psalms.

SDBH = Semantic Dictionary of Biblical Hebrew.

Smith, Mark S. 1997. Ugaritic Narrative Poetry. Atlanta, GA: Scholars Press.

Stec, David M. 2004. The Targum of Psalms: Translated, with a Critical Introduction, Apparatus, and Notes. Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press.

Tanner, B. L. & Jacobson, R. A. "Psalm 92," in N. DeClaissé-Walford, R. A. Jacobson & B. L. Tanner (eds.) The Book of Psalms. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans.

Tate, Marvin E. 1990. Psalms 51-100. Dallas, TX: Word Books.

Taylor, Richard A. in Bali, Joseph & George Kiraz [eds.]. 2020. The Psalms According to the Syriac Peshitta Version with English Translation. Piscataway, NJ: Gorgias Press.

TDOT = Botterweck, G. Johannes & Ringgren, Helmer (eds.). 2004. Theological Dictionary of the Old Testament, Volume XIV. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans.

Trudinger, Peter. 2003. The Psalms of the Tamid Service: A Liturgical Text from the Second Temple. Boston: Brill.

Tucker, W. D. 2019. "The Ordered World of Psalm 92," OTE 32, no. 2: 358-377.

van der Lugt, P. 2014. Cantos and Strophes in Biblical Hebrew Poetry III: Psalms 90-150 and Psalm 1. Leiden: Brill.

Vogel, Dan. 2000. "A Psalm for the Sabbath? A Literary View of Psalm 92." JBQ 28, no. 4: 211-221.

VTH = Kennicott, B. 1776. Vetus Testamentum Hebraicum: cum variis lectionibus: Volume 1. Oxford: Clarendon Press.

---