The Division and Syntax of Ps. 45:6

Back to Psalm 45

Introduction

Ps 45:6 (MT) reads as follows:

חִצֶּ֗יךָ שְׁנ֫וּנִ֥ים

עַ֭מִּים תַּחְתֶּ֣יךָ יִפְּל֑וּ

בְּ֝לֵ֗ב אוֹיְבֵ֥י הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃

Rendered word-for-word, this can be translated as:

"Your arrows [are] sharp.

Nations fall under you,

in the heart of the enemies of the king."

The main difficulty in this verse lies in the final prepositional phrase (v. 6c), "in the heart of the enemies of the king." It is unclear what the phrase modifies. Most modern versions think that the phrase in v. 6b is modifying the clause in v. 6a. The RSV, for examples, swaps v. 6c with v. 6b to make the grammatical relationships clear: Your arrows are sharp in the heart of the king's enemies; the peoples fall under you (cf. KJV, ESV, NET, CEV, BDS, PDV2017, HFA, etc.). Other translations have tried to make sense of the verse in other ways (cf. TOB, GNB), and some scholars have despaired of finding a solution altogether. As one commentator has claimed, “the last line of v 6 defies final solution."

Three possible solutions are as follows:

1. Textual emendation: “May your pointed arrows frighten (יָחֵתו) nations, May the enemies of the king lose heart" (cf. GNB).
2. Unit redivision: either as a) Verse re-division (i.e. does not follow MT versification): [v. 5b] "Then may your right hand show you wondrous deeds, [v. 6] your arrows sharpened; peoples shall fall beneath you, in the midst of the king’s enemies" (cf. TOB). or as b) Clause re-division (does not follow MT accentuation): the vb. יִפְּלוּ belongs to the phrase that follows, "Your arrow are sharp. Peoples are under you. They [the arrows] fall in the heart of the king's enemies."
3. Vertical reading: "Your arrows are sharp in the heart of the enemies of the king; peoples fall beneath you" (so most translations).

Argument Maps

Textual Emendation

The first possible solution is to emend the text: “May your pointed arrows frighten (יָחֵתו) nations, May the enemies of the king 'lose heart' (יפל לב)" (Kraus). This emendation reads תַּחְתֶּיךָ (under you) as יחתו (may they frighten), and יִפְּלוּ בְּלֵב (they fall / in heart) as יפל לב (it falls / heart).

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[Emendation]: The text of MT Ps 45:6 is corrupt: the PP תַּחְתֶּיךָ ("under you") should be emended to יָחֵתו ("frighten," from the root חתת) and יִפְּלוּ בְּלֵב ("will fall, in heart") should be emended to יפל לב ("heart will fall") (Kraus 🄲). #dispreferred
 + <Contextually appropriate meaning>: The preceding verse (v. 5) mentions the king's נוֹרָאוֹת (fearful deeds), which uses a verbal root (ירא, to fear) that frequently co-occurs with the verbal root חתת (to frighten). #dispreferred
  + [Co-occurrences of verbal roots ירא (to fear) and חתת (to frighten)]: Deut 31:8; Josh 8:1; 1 Sam 17:11; Isa 51:7; etc. #dispreferred
 - <Unsupported by ancient witnesses>: None of the ancient witnesses preserve this reading.
 - <Odd word-order>: The emended text proposes a S-O-V word-order, with jussive-meaning verb at the end of a clause. 
 - <Extensive emendation>: The proposed emendation requires several consonantal and vocalic changes.
  _ <Unstable text>: The text of Ps 45 is generally unstable, which casts suspicion on this verse in particular. #dispreferred

Unit re-division

The second option for understanding this difficult verse is to divide the poetic lines differently than they are divided in the MT.

Verse re-division

The first possible line re-division (against the MT) is at the verse-level, represented by Dahood. This reading places the beginning of v. 6 with the preceding text in v. 5:

וְתוֹרְךָ֖ נוֹרָא֣וֹת יְמִינֶֽךָ חִצֶּ֗יךָ שְׁנ֫וּנִ֥ים

עַ֭מִּים תַּחְתֶּ֣יךָ יִפְּל֑וּ

בְּ֝לֵ֗ב אוֹיְבֵ֥י הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃

"(5b–6) And let your right hand's awesome wonders, your sharpened arrows, point you out. The peoples shall fall at your feet, senseless the foes of the king." The TOB adopts this same division, though with different semantics: 'Que ta droite lance la terreur: tes flèches barbelées.'

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[Verse re-division]: "Your sharp arrows" belongs syntactically and poetically with v. 5, not v. 6 (TOB, Dahood 🄲). #dispreferred 
 - <Diverges from all ancient traditions>: No ancient tradition attests to this division of the text.
  + [Pausal form]: יְמִינֶֽךָ in v. 5 is a pausal form and thus suggests a line-end (cf. Revell 1981 :A:).
  + [Silluq]: The Masoretic accent silluq marks the strongest possible division between יְמִינֶֽךָ and the following word חִצֶּ֗יךָ.
  + [LXX, Peshitta, Jerome]: The LXX, Peshitta, and Jerome all assume a strong division after יְמִינֶךָ.

Clause re-division

The second possible redivision of the text is as follows:

חִצֶּ֗יךָ שְׁנ֫וּנִ֥ים עַ֭מִּים תַּחְתֶּ֣יךָ

יִפְּל֑וּ בְּ֝לֵ֗ב אוֹיְבֵ֥י הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃

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[Clause re-division: vb. יִפְּלוּ ("they fall") is part of v. 6c]: The verb of v. 6 (יִפְּלוּ) belongs to the final clause and has "arrows" as the implied subject. #dispreferred
 + <Ancient reading traditions>: This division of the text is attested in multiple ancient reading traditions. #dispreferred
  + <Contextual form>: The vb. יִפְּלוּ is a contextual form, and contextual forms do not mark line ends. If יִפְּלוּ marked the end of the line, then we would expect a pausal form (יִפֹּלוּ) (Revell 1981 :A:). #dispreferred
   + [יִפֹּלוּ]: E.g., Isa. 3:25—מְתַ֖יִךְ בַּחֶ֣רֶב יִפֹּ֑לוּ #dispreferred
  + <Ra 2227>: The oldest known manuscript of LXX Psalms, Ra 2227 (a Jewish manuscript from the 1st or 2nd century) divides the text in this way. #dispreferred
   + [Ra 2227]: (τα βελη σου ηκονημενα : λαοι) υποκατω σο(υ) / (πεσουνται εν καρδια των εχθρων) τ(ο)υ βασ(ιλεως) (see the edition by Colomo and Henry 2011:5). #dispreferred
 - <Diverges from most ancient witnesses>: Most ancient witnesses have יִפְּלוּ as the last word of the line/clause.
  + [MT accents]: The MT places the disjunctive accent athnach on the verb יִפְּלוּ. 
  + [LXX]: Most LXX manuscripts have πεσοῦνται as the last word of the line (e.g., Sinaiticus, Vaticanus, Alexandrinuss, Ra 1219, Ra 55, Syrohexapla) (cf. Rahlfs 1931:152).
  + [Peshitta, Targum, Jerome]: Peshitta: ܓܐܪ̈ܝܟ ܫܢܝܢܝܢ ܘܥܡ̈ܡܐ ܢܦܠܘܢ ܬܚܘܬܝܟ܂; Targum: גִרְרָךְ שְׁלִיפִין עַמְמִין תְּחוֹתָךְ יִפְּלוּן וּבְנֵי קַשְׁתָּךְ יִשְׁתַּלְחוּן בְּלֵב סָנְאֵי מַלְכָּא; Jerome: sagittae tuae acutae populi sub te cadent
 + <Balanced line length>: Results in a bicolon, with 4 metrical words per colon (cf. Mulder 1972 :M:). 

'King's enemies' as subject of 'fall' in v. 6c

If this division of the text is adopted, then it becomes possible that the subject of the verb יִפְּלוּ is not 'peoples' (v. 6b) but rather the 'king's enemies' in v. 6c: "Your arrows are sharp. Peoples are underneath you. The enemies of the king lose heart."

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['Lose heart']: The verb of v. 6 (יִפְּלוּ) belongs to the v. 6c and has "the king's enemies" as the subject (Mulder 1972 :M:). #dispreferred
 + <Contextually appropriate meaning>: The preceding verse (v. 5) mentions the king's נוֹרָאוֹת (fearful deeds). #dispreferred
 - <Unusual idiom>: The typical idiomatic use of לֵב ('heart') in reference to courage or resolve places the noun as the subject, not the obj. of a prep. as it is here. 
  + ['Heart' as subject in reference to courage]: 1 Sam 17:32, אַל־יִפֹּ֥ל לֵב־אָדָ֖ם עָלָ֑יו (Let no man's "heart fall" on account of him (Goliath); cf. Gen 42:28; Jer 4:9; Ezek 21:12; 22:14).
  _ <Exceptions>: 2 Sam 7:27 has 'heart' as the object.#dispreferred
   + [2 Sam 7:27b]: עַל־כֵּ֗ן מָצָ֤א עַבְדְּךָ֙ אֶת־לִבּ֔וֹ לְהִתְפַּלֵּ֣ל אֵלֶ֔יךָ אֶת־הַתְּפִלָּ֖ה הַזֹּֽאת, Therefore, your servant has found courage (lit. 'found his heart') to pray to you this prayer.#dispreferred
  _ <'Heart' as common idiom term>: The word לֵב/לֵבָב is used in several idiomatic expressions, so it its appearance in a unique expression is not surprising. #dispreferred
   + ['Heart' in expressions (non-subject)]: 'Speak on someone's heart' = increase someone's confidence or hope; 'make heavy one's heart' = to refuse to obey; 'find one's heart' = have sufficient courage; 'touch on someone's heart' = create a desire in someone; 'turn the heart' = be loyal; 'steal someone's heart' = to deceive someone (Van den Heever, 2013). #dispreferred
  _ <Bet prep. in similar phrases>: The bet preposition can have the sense of 'with respect to' when used with nouns in the same lexical domain. #dispreferred
   + [Bet prep. example]: אֹיְבַי בְּנֶפֶשׁ ('my enemies with respect to life' = my mortal enemies; Ps 17:9b). (DCH 🄻)  #dispreferred

Vertical reading (preferred)

A third option proposes that the third line syntactically modifies the first line, effectively "skipping over" the second line. The majority of modern English versions reflect this reading.

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[Vertical reading]: "Now, the sequence is as follows: 'Your arrows are sharp... in the heart of the king's enemies;' the phrase 'people will fall under you' has been inserted in the middle, however" (Chrysostom and Hill 1998:271 :C:; cf. Theodoret and Hill 2000:262 :C:)
 + <Characteristic of Hebrew poetry>: Parallelism in Hebrew poetry is characterized by vertical grammar (Tsumura 2023 :M:).
 + <ABA' tricola>: There are a number of ABA' tricola in Hebrew poetry. "In general, tricola of this sort can be described as two parallel cola (AA) separated by an isolated line (B) and forming a unit" (Watson 2001:181 :M:).
  + [Gen. 49:8]: יְהוּדָ֗ה אַתָּה֙ יוֹד֣וּךָ אַחֶ֔יךָ יָדְךָ֖ בְּעֹ֣רֶף אֹיְבֶ֑יךָ יִשְׁתַּחֲוּ֥וּ לְךָ֖ בְּנֵ֥י אָבִֽיךָ׃
  + [Ps. 68:19]: עָ֘לִ֤יתָ לַמָּר֨וֹם׀ שָׁ֘בִ֤יתָ שֶּׁ֗בִי לָקַ֣חְתָּ מַ֭תָּנוֹת בָּאָדָ֑ם וְאַ֥ף ס֝וֹרְרִ֗ים לִשְׁכֹּ֤ן׀ יָ֬הּ אֱלֹהִֽים׃
 + <Coherence>: It makes sense to say that sharp arrows penetrate the hearts of the king's enemies.

Conclusion

The vertical reading of Ps. 45:6—the reading adopted by most translations—is the most likely. This reading is both coherent and consistent with a well-attested technique of Hebrew poetry (cf. Gen. 49:9; Ps. 68:19; cf. Tsumura 2023). The ESV presents a good example of what this interpretation can mean for translation: Your arrows are sharp in the heart of the king’s enemies; the peoples fall under you.

Research

Translations

Ancient

• LXX: τὰ βέλη σου ἠκονημένα, δυνατέ, –– λαοὶ ὑποκάτω σου πεσοῦνται –– ἐν καρδίᾳ τῶν ἐχθρῶν τοῦ βασιλέως.
  • NETS: Your arrows are sharp, O powerful one, ––peoples shall fall under you––in the heart of the king’s enemies.
  • The Göttingen Septuagint notes that some Greek manuscripts only have two cola.

• Ἄλλος: κατὰ καρδίας οἱ ἐχθροὶ τοῦ βασιλέως.
• Symmachus: κατὰ καρδίας τῶν ἐχθρῶν τοῦ βασιλέως.

• Jerome: sagittae tuae acutae populi sub te cadent in corde inimicorum regis
  • In Ep. LXV, 12, Jerome points out that potentissime is missing here in Hebrew.

• Targ: גִרְרָךְ שְׁלִיפִין עַמְמִין תְּחוֹתָךְ יִפְּלוּן וּבְנֵי קַשְׁתָּךְ יִשְׁתַּלְחוּן בְּלֵב סָנְאֵי מַלְכָּא
  • Your arrows are drawn to slay armies; peoples fall beneath you, and the sons of your bow are dispatched into the heart of those who hate the king. (translation by Stec; italics show variation or addition to MT)

• Peshitta: ܓܐܪ̈ܝܟ ܫܢܝܢܝܢ ܘܥܡ̈ܡܐ ܢܦܠܘܢ ܬܚܘܬܝܟ܂ ܒܠܒܐ ܕܒ̈ܥܠܕܒܒܘܗܝ ܕܡܠܟܐ

Modern

Option 1 (textual emendation)

• GNB: Schieße deine scharfen Pfeile, unterwirf dir die Völker, triff deine Feinde mitten ins Herz!

Option 2 (line re-division)

• TOB: Que ta droite lance la terreur:

6 tes flèches barbelées. Sous toi tomberont des peuples, les ennemis du roi frappés en plein cœur.

Option 3 (ellipsis)

• RV 1909: Tus saetas agudas Con que caerán pueblos debajo de ti, Penetrarán en el corazón de los enemigos del Rey.
• RV 1995: tus saetas agudas, con que caerán pueblos debajo de ti, penetrarán en el corazón de los enemigos del rey.
• DHH: Los pueblos caen a tus pies, oh rey;
tus flechas son agudas y se clavan
en el corazón de tus enemigos.
• NBV: Tus agudas saetas traspasan el corazón de tus enemigos. Las naciones ante ti se desploman, yacen bajo tus pies.
• NBS: Tes flèches sont aiguës: des peuples tomberont sous toi; elles pénétreront dans le cœur des ennemis du roi. (also NVS78P)
• LY17: Scharf sind deine Pfeile, dass Völker vor dir fallen; sie dringen ins Herz der Feinde des Königs.
• NGÜ: Deine Pfeile sind spitz und scharf – ganze Völker werden dir unterliegen. Deine Geschosse treffen deine Feinde mitten ins Herz.

Option 4 (reorder constituents)

• KJV: Thine arrows are sharp in the heart of the king's enemies; whereby the people fall under thee.
• RSV: Your arrows are sharp in the heart of the king's enemies; the peoples fall under you.
• HCSB: Your arrows pierce the hearts of the king's enemies; the peoples fall under you.
• ESV: Your arrows are sharp in the heart of the king's enemies; the peoples fall under you.
• NET: Your arrows are sharp and penetrate the hearts of the king’s enemies. Nations fall at your feet.
• NLB: Your arrows are sharp, piercing your enemies’ hearts. The nations fall beneath your feet.
• NIV: Let your sharp arrows pierce the hearts of the king’s enemies; let the nations fall beneath your feet.
• CEV: Let the peoples fall beneath you. May your sharp arrows pierce the hearts of the king's enemies.
• BDS: Tes flèches acérées atteindront en plein cœur les ennemis du roi et tu feras tomber des peuples sous tes pas.
• PDV2017: Tes flèches sont pointues, elles percent le cœur de tes ennemis. Oui, tout le monde tombe sous tes coups!
• Hfa: Deine spitzen Pfeile durchbohren das Herz deiner Feinde. Ja, du wirst die Völker unterwerfen!

Option 5 (wordplay/Janus Parallelism)

• BLPH: Tus flechas están afiladas,
se te somenten los pueblos,
desfallecen los enemigos del rey:

Word-for-word

• ASV: Thine arrows are sharp; The peoples fall under thee; [They are] in the heart of the king's enemies.
• DBY: Thine arrows are sharp -- peoples fall under thee -- in the heart of the king's enemies.
• LEB: Your arrows [are] sharp; peoples fall under you in the midst of the king's enemies.
• ELB: Deine geschärften Pfeile – Völker fallen unter dir – ins Herz der Feinde des Königs!

Secondary Literature

Briggs, Charles A., and Emilie Briggs. 1906. A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Book of Psalms. Vol. 1. ICC. Edinburgh: T & T Clark.

Colomo, Daniela, and W. B. Henry. 2011. The Oxyrhynchus Papyri. Vol. 77. Publications of the Egypt Exploration Society. Graeco-Roman. London: Egypt Exploration Soc. for the Brit. Acad.

Craigie, Peter C. 1983. Psalms 1–50. WBC 19. Waco, TX: Word.

Dahood, Mitchell. 1966. Psalms. Vol. 1. Anchor Bible Commentary. New York: Doubleday.

Heever, Cornelius Marthinus van den. 2013. “Idioms in Biblical Hebrew : Towards Their Identification and Classification with Special Reference to 1 and 2 Samuel.” PhD, Stellenbosch University.

Kraus, Hans-Joachim. 1988. Psalms 1–59: A Continental Commentary. Minneapolis: Fortress.

John Chrysostom, and Robert C. Hill. 1998. St. John Chrysostom Commentary on the Psalms. Brookline, Mass: Holy Cross Orthodox Press.

Mulder, Jan. 1972. Studies on Psalm 45. Nijmegen, Netherlands: Karmel Doddendaal.

Patterson, Richard D. 1985. “A Multiplex Approach to Psalm 45.” Grace Theological Journal 6 (1): 29–48.

Rahlfs, Alfred. 1931. Psalmi Cum Odis. Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht.

Revell, E.J. 1981. “Pausal Forms and the Structure of Biblical Hebrew Poetry.” Vetus Testamentum 31 (2): 186–99.

Theodoret, and Robert C. Hill. 2000. Commentary on the Psalms. The Fathers of the Church, a New Translation, v. 101-102. Washington, D.C: Catholic University of America Press.

Tsumura, David Toshio. 2023. Vertical Grammar of Parallelism in Biblical Hebrew. Ancient Israel and Its Literature 47. Atlanta: SBL Press.

Watson, Wilfred G. E. 2001. Classical Hebrew Poetry A Guide to Its Techniques. Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press.

References

45:6