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Psalm 31 Macrosyntax

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Psalm 31/Macrosyntax
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Macrosyntax

  What is Macrosyntax?

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.
Macrosyntax legend - discourse scope.jpg The scope governed by the discourse marker is indicated by a dashed orange bracket connecting the discourse marker to its scope.
Macrosyntax legend - preceding discourse.jpg 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.
Macrosyntax legend - subordination.jpg 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.
Macrosyntax legend - coordination.jpg Coordination is indicated by a solid blue line connecting the coordinating clauses.
Macrosyntax legend - asyndetic coordination.jpg Coordination without an explicit conjunction is indicated by a dashed blue line connecting the coordinated clauses.
Macrosyntax legend - marked topic.jpg Marked topic is indicated by a black dashed rounded rectangle around the marked words.
Macrosyntax legend - topic scope.jpg 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[1] are indicated by bold text.
Macrosyntax legend - frame setter.jpg Frame setters[2] 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.
Macrosyntax legend - direct speech.jpg 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)


Psalm 031 - Macrosyntax Updated.jpg

  • Between vv. 14 and 15: Weani shifts the topic from the psalmist's adversaries back to the psalmist himself. Additionally, the following verses have a noticeable lack of waw conjunctions as compared to the preceding unit. Finally, it introduces the first instance of direct speech in the psalm.
  • Between vv. 19 and 20: In addition to the exclamative in v. 20a, this discourse unit is marked by three subordinate clauses.
  • Between vv. 23 and 24: Based on non-macrosyntactic observations, there is likely a break between vv. 23 and 24. These will be addressed in the appropriate layers.
  • v. 2a (בְּךָ֖) in you (Marked Focus): This bet preposition is frequently fronted before verb phrases involving חסה. It often indicates a restrictive focus (cf. Pss 7:2; 11:1; 141:8; 144:2). In this verse, it focuses the attention on YHWH, who will play a prominent role throughout the psalm.
  • v. 2c (בְּצִדְקָתְךָ֥) in your righteousness; v. 3b (מְהֵרָ֪ה) quickly; (Poetic Reasons): The non-default word order in these lines are poetic in nature and not related to information structure. The clauses alternate with word order in vv. 2-3. In lines 1, 3 and 5, the verb appears at the end of the clause. In the other lines, the verb is in the expected clause initial position.
  • v. 4c (וּלְמַ֥עַן שִׁ֝מְךָ֗) and for the sake of your name (Marked Focus): This phrase typically appears at the end of a clause (cf., 1 Kgs 8:41; Jer 14:7, 21; Pss 79:9; 109:21; 2 Chr 6:32). It stresses the reason the speaker requests that YHWH carefully escort him.
  • v. 6b (בְּיָדְךָ֮) into your hand (Marked Focus): This phrase does not typically appear in the first position of a clause. In this verse, it stresses the location in which the psalmist has placed his trust (i.e., YHWH's hand).
  • v. 7b (וַ֝אֲנִ֗י) but I (Marked Topic): The wa-ani shifts the topic of the verse from YHWH's hatred of idol worshippers to the psalmist and his trust in YHWH. For discussion of the text-critical issue, see The Text of Psalm 31:7.
  • v. 7b (אֶל־יְהוָ֥ה) (to) YHWH (Marked Focus): In addition to the marked topic (וַ֝אֲנִ֗י), v. 7b also has marked focus (אֶל־יְהוָ֥ה).
  • v. 11d (וַעֲצָמַ֥י) and my bones (Poetic): The word order in this clause is influenced by the poetic structure of vv. 10-11. The verb forms an inclusio (עָשְׁשָׁ֖ה [10a]; עָשֵֽׁשׁוּ [11d]). Additionally, if one assumes the elided verb in 11b (כָל֪וּ), the word order alternates in each line. Lines 11a and 11c exhibit default word order, and lines 10c, 11b, and 11d exhibit non-default word order. By fronting "my bones," the psalmist puts focus on an additional part of his body that has wasted away, so could also be read as additive, or, as the gloss provided, scalar focus.
  • v. 12a (מִכָּל־צֹרְרַ֨י) from all my adversaries (Marked Focus): The topic of this sentence is the psalmist's becoming a reproach. The non-default word order puts the focus on the psalmist's adversaries.
  • v. 12d (רֹאַ֥י בַּח֑וּץ) those who see me (Marked Topic): As with other sections of this psalm, the word order alternates between consecutive clauses in v. 12. Designations for the psalmist's social relationships alternate between non-default word order (in v. 12a, d) and (verb) gapped clauses (in v. 12b-c). Lunn notes the sequence in the clauses of verse 12 as follows: Marked-Gapped-Gapped-Marked) (Lunn 2006, 303). "Those who see me" is marked topic because it identifies a new set of characters who respond negatively to the psalmist.
  • v. 14b (לָקַ֖חַת נַפְשִׁ֣י) to take my life (Marked Focus): The non-default word order in this line emphasizes the goal of the enemies' desire to plotting.
  • v. 15a (וַאֲנִ֤י) but I (Marked Topic): Weani shifts the topic of from the adversaries' desire to kill the psalmist to the psalmist's declaration of trust in YHWH.
  • v. 15a (עָלֶ֣יךָ) you (Marked Focus): In addition to the marked topic (וַ֝אֲנִ֗י), v. 7b also has marked focus (עָלֶ֣יךָ).
  • v. 16a (בְּיָדְךָ֥) in your hand (Marked Focus): The non-default word order places the stress on the metaphorical location (i.e., YHWH's hand) that controls his existence (i.e., time).
  • v. 23a (וַאֲנִ֤י) but I (Marked Topic): The non-default word order shifts the topic from YHWH's faithfulness to the psalmist's incorrect speech/thought.
  • v. 24b (אֱ֭מוּנִים) the faithful (Poetic Reasons): The non-default word order in v. 24b-c is due to a chiastic structure.
אֱ֭מוּנִים (substantive)
נֹצֵ֣ר (participle)
יְהוָ֑ה (noun)
וּמְשַׁלֵּ֥ם עַל־יֶ֝֗תֶר (participle)
עֹשֵׂ֥ה גַאֲוָֽה (substantive)
  • v. 2: YHWH (יְהוָ֑ה) is in a clause-medial position. As such, it indicates that the preceding word (בְּךָ֖) is focussed (Miller 2010, 357).
  • v. 6b: YHWH, God of faithfulness (יְהוָ֗ה אֵ֣ל אֱמֶֽת) is in a clause-final position, further delimiting the poetic line division between vv. 6b and 7a (Miller 2010, 360-363).
  • v. 10: YHWH (יְהוָ֑ה) identifies the addressee of the psalmist's request. It also precedes a subordinate clause, which may, therefore, also focus the content of the subordinate clause (so Kim 2022, 235-237).
  • v. 15: YHWH (יְהוָ֑ה) contributes to the delineation of v. 15. Without the vocative there would be two consecutive first common singular verbs (בָטַ֣חְתִּי אָ֝מַ֗רְתִּי). The vocative changes the intonation of the verse and clearly marks the shift to a new line (cf. Miller 2010, 360-363).
  • v. 18: YHWH (יְהוָ֑ה) identifies the addressee of the psalmist's request (cf. Kim 2022, 213-217).
  • v. 23: On several occasions, therefore" (אָכֵ֗ן) emphasizes the contrast between what the speaker said/thought about a situation and the reality (cf., Isa 49:4; Jer 3:20; Zeph 3:7; Pss 66:19; 82:7; Job 32:8) (BDB, 38).
  • v. 24: Although, "all his faithful ones" (כָּֽל־חֲסִ֫ידָ֥יו) does not precede a clause with a formal subordinate marker, the apparent causal relationship between the two follow clauses suggests that this vocative should be understood to focus the content of the subordinate clause (cf., Kim 2022, 235-237).
  • v. 25: "All who hope in YHWH" (כָּל־הַ֝מְיַחֲלִ֗ים לַיהוָֽה) is in a post-clause-nucleus position. As Miller notes, this position provides "rhetorical highlighting, though of a less specific nature [than focus]" (Miller 2010, 358).
  • vv. 10-14 (כִּ֤י): The middle section of the psalm is marked by three subordinate conjunctions (כִּ֤י). Each one provides a reason the psalmist believes YHWH needs to be merciful to him (10b, 11a, and 14a).
  • v. 15 (וַאֲנִ֤י): The waw conjunction at the beginning of v. 15 connects the psalmist's declaration with the preceding section (vv. 10-14). In vv. 10-14, the psalmist provides three reasons he is in desperate need of YHWH's mercy (v. 10a). In v. 15a, he declares his trust in YHWH in spite of his circumstances.
  • v. 19b (הַדֹּבְר֖וֹת): As Waltke notes, the definite article can function as a relative clause marker when attached to participles (IBHS 13.5.2.d).
  • v. 20b (פָּ֭עַלְתָּ): As numerous modern translations suggest, the relative marker (אֲשֶׁר) in the preceding clause introduces a compound subordinate clause (cf. NRSV, ESV, NIV, JPS, ELB, LUT, ZB, NBS, NVS, BDS, RVR, BTX). God's "goodness" is the implied direct object of both verbs (צָפַנְתָּ פָּעַלְתָּ). Two pieces of evidence support this reading of the grammar. First, the second verb does not have an explicit direct object. It appears to be related to טוּבְךָ. Second, the structure of the verse suggests both verbs are related to טוּבְךָ (i.e., both verbs are followed by a lamed preposition attached to a substantive).


  1. ↑ When the entire utterance is new/unexpected, it is a thetic sentence (often called "sentence focus"). See our Creator Guidelines for more information on topic and focus.
  2. ↑ Frame setters are any orientational constituent – typically, but not limited to, spatio-temporal adverbials – function to "limit the applicability of the main predication to a certain restricted domain" and "indicate the general type of information that can be given" in the clause nucleus (Krifka & Musan 2012: 31-32). In previous scholarship, they have been referred to as contextualizing constituents (see, e.g., Buth (1994), “Contextualizing Constituents as Topic, Non-Sequential Background and Dramatic Pause: Hebrew and Aramaic evidence,” in E. Engberg-Pedersen, L. Falster Jakobsen and L. Schack Rasmussen (eds.) Function and expression in Functional Grammar. Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter, 215-231; Buth (2023), “Functional Grammar and the Pragmatics of Information Structure for Biblical Languages,” in W. A. Ross & E. Robar (eds.) Linguistic Theory and the Biblical Text. Cambridge: Open Book Publishers, 67-116), but this has been conflated with the function of topic. In brief: sentence topics, belonging to the clause nucleus, are the entity or event about which the clause provides a new predication; frame setters do not belong in the clause nucleus and rather provide a contextual orientation by which to understand the following clause.