STAGING SITE
Psalm 31 Speech Act
From Psalms: Layer by Layer
Psalm 31/Speech Act
Choose a PsalmNavigate Psalm 31
In YHWH's Hand
Psalm 31
Please note: Resources for Psalm 31 are in the process of being reformatted for visual consistency and improved functionality.
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 | SPEECH ACT SECTIONS | ADDRESSEE | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| David | v. 1 For the director. A psalm by David. | |||||
| v. 2 I have taken shelter in you, YHWH. Do not let my shame continue forever! Rescue me in your righteousness! | PLEA FOR HELP
|
YHWH | ||||
| v. 3 Listen to me! Rescue me quickly! Be a rock of refuge for me, and a fortress to deliver me! | ||||||
| v. 4 Because you are my rock and my stronghold. And for the sake of your name, you must carefully guide me. | ||||||
| v. 5 You must save me from the net which they hid for me, because you are my refuge. | ||||||
| v. 6 I entrust my spirit into your hand. You have redeemed me, YHWH, God of faithfulness. | ||||||
| v. 7 You hate those who worship worthless idols, but I trust YHWH. | ||||||
| v. 8 I will be glad and rejoice on account of your faithfulness, that you saw my affliction. You saved my life from distress. | ||||||
| v. 9 And you did not let any enemy capture me. You set my feet in a broad place. | ||||||
| v. 10 Be gracious to me, YHWH, because I am in distress. My eye, my throat, and my belly waste away because of anger. | PLEA FOR MERCY & FAVOR
|
|||||
| v. 11 Because my life fades away with grief, and my years [fade away] with groaning. My strength has failed because of my iniquity, and my bones waste away. | ||||||
| v. 12 I have been scorned by all of my adversaries and [I have] greatly [become an object of scorn] to my neighbors, and [I have become] an object of fear to my friends. Those who see me in the street have fled from me. | ||||||
| v. 13 I have been forgotten like a dead person [is forgotten] from memory. I have become like a broken vessel. | ||||||
| v. 14 because I heard the slander of many people –terror is on every side– when they conspired together against me. They plotted to take my life. | ||||||
| v. 15 But I trust you, YHWH. I say, “You are my God.” | ||||||
| v. 16 My times are in your hand. Deliver me from the hand of my enemies and from my pursuers! | ||||||
| v. 17 Shine your face upon your servant! Save me by your faithfulness. | ||||||
| v. 18 YHWH, do not let me be ashamed because I have called you! May the evil ones be ashamed! May they go silently to Sheol! | ||||||
| v. 19 May lying lips be unable to speak –those that speak insolence against the righteous, with arrogance and contempt. | ||||||
| v. 20 How many are your good things which you have stored up for those who fear you, [and which] you have performed for those who take refuge in you for all people to see! | PROFESSION OF GOD'S GOODNESS
|
|||||
| v. 21 You shelter them from people's schemes in the cover of your presence; You hide them in a shelter from contentious people. | ||||||
| v. 22 Blessed is YHWH, because he has wonderfully shown his faithfulness to me in a city under siege. | ||||||
| v. 23 Even though I thought in my panic I had been cut off from your sight. However, you heard the sound of my pleading when I cried out to you. | ||||||
| v. 24 Love YHWH, all his loyal ones! YHWH is watching over the faithful, and he abundantly repays those who act pridefully. | EXHORTATION TO TRUST
|
Israel | ||||
| v. 25 Be strong so your hearts may take courage, all who wait for YHWH. | ||||||
Speech Act Analysis Chart
The following chart is scrollable (left/right; up/down).
| 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. |
