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Psalm 95 Verse by Verse

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Verse-by-Verse Notes (Academic)

v. 1

Hebrew Verse English
לְ֭כוּ נְרַנְּנָ֣ה לַיהוָ֑ה 1a Come, let us shout for joy to YHWH!
נָ֝רִ֗יעָה לְצ֣וּר יִשְׁעֵֽנוּ׃ 1b Let us cry out to the rock of our salvation!

Diagrams Expanded Paraphrase

Expanded Paraphrase The words in <i>italics</i> provide a fuller sense of the psalm; the text itself is in <b>bold</b>.

Come to the temple, let us shout for joy to YHWH! Let us cry out to the rock of our salvation, whose salvation included the Exodus and even the provision of water at Massah and Meribah!

Notes

v. 2

Hebrew Verse English
נְקַדְּמָ֣ה פָנָ֣יו בְּתוֹדָ֑ה 2a Let us approach his presence with praise;
בִּ֝זְמִר֗וֹת נָרִ֥יעַֽ לֽוֹ׃ 2b in songs we will cry out to him

Diagrams Expanded Paraphrase

Expanded Paraphrase The words in <i>italics</i> provide a fuller sense of the psalm; the text itself is in <b>bold</b>.

Let us approach his presence, where he rests (Ps 132:8), with praise; in songs we will cry out to him

Notes

v. 3

Hebrew Verse English
כִּ֤י אֵ֣ל גָּד֣וֹל יְהוָ֑ה 3a because YHWH is a great God
וּמֶ֥לֶךְ גָּ֝ד֗וֹל עַל־כָּל־אֱלֹהִֽים׃ 3b and a great king over all gods,

Diagrams Expanded Paraphrase

Expanded Paraphrase The words in <i>italics</i> provide a fuller sense of the psalm; the text itself is in <b>bold</b>.

because YHWH is a great God and a great king over all gods, which he showed us after creating everything and sitting down to rest in his temple and reign over the cosmos.

Notes

v. 4

Hebrew Verse English
אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּ֭יָדוֹ מֶחְקְרֵי־אָ֑רֶץ 4a in whose hand are the unexplored depths of the earth
וְתוֹעֲפ֖וֹת הָרִ֣ים לֽוֹ׃ 4b and the peaks of the mountains are his;

Diagrams Expanded Paraphrase

Expanded Paraphrase The words in <i>italics</i> provide a fuller sense of the psalm; the text itself is in <b>bold</b>.

He is[a God] in whose hand are the unexplored depths of the earth and the peaks of the mountains are his;

Notes

v. 5

Hebrew Verse English
אֲשֶׁר־ל֣וֹ הַ֭יָּם וְה֣וּא עָשָׂ֑הוּ 5a to whom belongs the sea —he made it—
וְ֝יַבֶּ֗שֶׁת יָדָ֥יו יָצָֽרוּ׃ 5b and the dry land which his hands formed.

Diagrams Expanded Paraphrase

Expanded Paraphrase The words in <i>italics</i> provide a fuller sense of the psalm; the text itself is in <b>bold</b>.

to whom belongs the sea —he made it— and the dry land which his hands formed. Both high and low, both sea and land—nothing is outside the scope of his sovereignty.

Notes

v. 6

Hebrew Verse English
בֹּ֭אוּ נִשְׁתַּחֲוֶ֣ה וְנִכְרָ֑עָה 6a Come, let us bow down and kneel!
נִ֝בְרְכָ֗ה לִֽפְנֵי־יְהוָ֥ה עֹשֵֽׂנוּ׃ 6b Let us kneel down before YHWH, our maker,

Diagrams Expanded Paraphrase

Expanded Paraphrase The words in <i>italics</i> provide a fuller sense of the psalm; the text itself is in <b>bold</b>.

So as we come and continue our entrance into his holy place of rest (Ps 100:4), let us bow down and kneel! Let us kneel down before YHWH, our maker,

Notes

v. 7

Hebrew Verse English
כִּ֘י ה֤וּא אֱלֹהֵ֗ינוּ 7a because he is our God
וַאֲנַ֤חְנוּ עַ֣ם מַ֭רְעִיתוֹ וְצֹ֣אן יָד֑וֹ 7b and we are the people he shepherds, the flock led by his hand.
הַ֝יּ֗וֹם אִֽם־בְּקֹל֥וֹ תִשְׁמָֽעוּ׃ 7c Today, if you want to obey his voice...

Diagrams Expanded Paraphrase

Expanded Paraphrase The words in <i>italics</i> provide a fuller sense of the psalm; the text itself is in <b>bold</b>.

because he, the great king over all gods, is our God and we are the people that he redeemed from Egypt and he shepherds (Ps 78:52), the flock led by his hand to resting places (Ps 23:2), including the promised land and his own resting place (Deut 12:8-9)—the same hand to which belongs all of creation. Do not take this entrance into his presence for granted, however. Today, if you want to obey his voice, fully relying on his provision and covenantal promises to provide you with a place of rest as an inheritance...

Notes

v. 8

Hebrew Verse English
אַל־תַּקְשׁ֣וּ לְ֭בַבְכֶם כִּמְרִיבָ֑ה 8a "Do not harden your heart as [at] Meribah,
כְּי֥וֹם מַ֝סָּ֗ה בַּמִּדְבָּֽר׃ 8b as [on] the day of Massah in the wilderness,

Diagrams Expanded Paraphrase

Expanded Paraphrase The words in <i>italics</i> provide a fuller sense of the psalm; the text itself is in <b>bold</b>.

"Do not harden your heart as back then[at] Meribah, that place of hostility, as [on] the day of Massah, that place of testing, in the wilderness,

Notes

v. 9

Hebrew Verse English
אֲשֶׁ֣ר נִ֭סּוּנִי אֲבוֹתֵיכֶ֑ם 9a where your ancestors put me to the test.
בְּ֝חָנ֗וּנִי גַּם־רָא֥וּ פָעֳלִֽי׃ 9b They tested me. They had even seen my work!

Diagrams Expanded Paraphrase

Expanded Paraphrase The words in <i>italics</i> provide a fuller sense of the psalm; the text itself is in <b>bold</b>.

where your ancestors put me to the test with their grumbling, despite my provision. They tested me when they lost faith in me and would have preferred to return to their former life in Egypt. They had even seen my work of splitting the seas, setting them up like a heap and providing a stable path through, just as I separated the waters at creation and provided stability for the earth!

Notes

v. 10

Hebrew Verse English
אַרְבָּ֘עִ֤ים שָׁנָ֨ה ׀ אָ֘ק֤וּט בְּד֗וֹר 10a forty years I was disgusted with a generation
וָאֹמַ֗ר עַ֤ם תֹּעֵ֣י לֵבָ֣ב הֵ֑ם 10b and I would think: 'They are a people whose heart strays
וְ֝הֵ֗ם לֹא־יָדְע֥וּ דְרָכָֽי׃ 10c and they do not recognize my ways.

Diagrams Expanded Paraphrase

Expanded Paraphrase The words in <i>italics</i> provide a fuller sense of the psalm; the text itself is in <b>bold</b>.

For forty years I was disgusted with a n entire generation —a year for each day they surveyed the promised land of their rest and chose not to trust me that they would inherit it— and I would think: 'They are a people whose heart strays, desirous of the blessings rather than me, the one who blesses, which leads to idolatry, and they do not recognize my ways laid out in my covenant stipulations as my special people, but would prefer to think just as the nations around them think and fear the things that they fear, rather than holding me in fear and awe.

Notes

v. 11

Hebrew Verse English
אֲשֶׁר־נִשְׁבַּ֥עְתִּי בְאַפִּ֑י 11a about whom I swore in my anger,
אִם־יְ֝בֹא֗וּן אֶל־מְנוּחָתִֽי׃ 11b "They will not enter into my place of rest!"'"

Diagrams Expanded Paraphrase

Expanded Paraphrase The words in <i>italics</i> provide a fuller sense of the psalm; the text itself is in <b>bold</b>.

[They are a people] about whom I swore in my anger, "They will not enter into my place of rest in the promised land!"'" So here we are, today, entering into YHWH's temple (Deut 12:9). Will you remain as stubborn and unfaithful as our ancestors were? Or will you recognize his provision and expectation that you believe in him, with faithful worship, and enter in to enjoy the rest found in his presence?

Notes


Legends

Grammatical diagram

  Grammatical Diagram Legend

Visualization Description
Legends - Clause.png
 The clause is represented by a horizontal line with a vertical line crossing through it, separating the subject and the verb.
Legends - Object.png
 The object is indicated by a vertical line that does not cross the horizontal line of the clause. Infinitives and participles may also have objects. If the direct object marker (d.o.m.) is present in the text, it appears in the diagram immediately before the object. If the grammar includes a secondary object, the secondary object will appear after the object, separated by another vertical line that does not cross the horizontal line of the clause.
Legends - Subject complement-1.png
 The subject complement follows the verb (often omitted in Hebrew) separated with a line leaning toward the right. It can be a noun, a whole prepositional phrase or an adjective. The later two appear modifying the complement slot.
Legends - Object complement.png
 When a noun further describes or renames the object, it is an object complement. The object complement follows the object separated by a line leaning toward the right.
Legends - Construct Chain.png
 In a construct chain, the noun in the absolute form modifies the noun in the construct form.
Legends - Participle.png
 Participles are indicated in whatever position in the clause they are in with a curved line before the participle. Participles can occur as nominal, where they take the place of a noun, predicate, where they take the place of a verb, or attributive, where they modify a noun or a verb similar to adjectives or adverbs.
Legends - Infinitive.png
 Infinitives are indicated by two parallel lines before the infinitive that cross the horizontal line. Infinitive constructs can appear as the verb in an embedded clause. Infinitive absolutes typically appear as an adverbial.
Legends - Subject of Infinitive 1.png
 The subject of the infinitive often appears in construct to it. In this situation, the infinitive and subject are diagrammed as a construct chain.
Legends - Object of Infinitive.png
 The object of the infinitive is indicated by a vertical line that does not cross the horizontal line of the infinitival clause.
Legends - Modifiers 1.png
 Modifiers are represented by a solid diagonal line from the word they modify. They can attach to verbs, adjectives, or nouns. If modifying a verb or adjective, it is an adverb, but if modifying a noun, it is an adjective, a quantifier, or a definite article. If an adverb is modifying a modifier, it is connected to the modifier by a small dashed horizontal line.
Legends - Adverbial.png
 Adverbials are indicated by a dashed diagonal line extending to a horizontal line. These are nouns or infinitives that function adverbially (modifying either a verb or a participle), but are not connected by a preposition.
Legends - Prepositional Phrase.png
 Prepositional phrases are indicated by a solid diagonal line extending to a horizontal line. The preposition is to the left of the diagonal line and the dependent of the preposition is on the horizontal line. They can modify verbs (adverbial) or nouns (adjectival).
Legends - Embedded Clause 1.png
 Embedded clauses are indicated by a "stand" that looks like an upside-down Y. The stand rests in the grammatical position that the clause fulfills. Extending from the top of the stand is a horizontal line for the clause. If introduced by a complementizer, for example כִּי, the complementizer appears before the stand. Embedded clauses can stand in the place of any noun.
Legends - Compound clauses.png
 When clauses are joined by a conjunction, they are compound clauses. These clauses are connected by a vertical dotted line. The conjunction is placed next to the dotted line.
Legends - Compound elements 2.png
 Within a clause, if two or more parts of speech are compound, these are represented by angled lines reaching to the two compound elements connected by a solid vertical line. If a conjunction is used, the conjunction appears to the left of the vertical line. Almost all parts of speech can be compound.
Legends - Subordinate clause.png
 Subordinate clauses are indicated by a dashed line coming from the line dividing the subject from the predicate in the independent clause and leading to the horizontal line of the subordinate clause. The subordinating conjunction appears next to the dashed line.
Legends - Relative Clause 1.png
 Relative clauses also have a dashed line, but the line connects the antecedent to the horizontal line of the relative clause. The relative particle appears next to the dashed line.
Legends - Sentence fragment.png
 Sentence fragments are represented by a horizontal line with no vertical lines. They are most frequently used in superscriptions to psalms. They are visually similar to discourse particles and vocatives, but most often consist of a noun phrase (that does not refer to a person or people group) or a prepositional phrase.
Legends - Discourse particle&Vocative.png
 In the body of the psalm, a horizontal line by itself (with no modifiers or vertical lines) can indicate either a discourse particle or a vocative (if the word is a noun referring to a person or people group). A discourse particle is a conjunction or particle that functions at the discourse level, not at the grammatical level. Vocatives can appear either before or after the clause addressed to them, depending on the word order of the Hebrew.
Legends - Apposition.png
 Apposition is indicated by an equal sign equating the two noun phrases. This can occur with a noun in any function in a sentence.
Hebrew text colors
Default preferred text The default preferred reading is represented by a black line. The text of the MT is represented in bold black text.
Dispreferred reading The dispreferred reading is an alternative interpretation of the grammar, represented by a pink line. The text of the MT is represented in bold pink text, while emendations and revocalizations retain their corresponding colors (see below).
Emended text Emended text, text in which the consonants differ from the consonants of the Masoretic text, is represented by bold blue text, whether that reading is preferred or dispreferred.
Revocalized text Revocalized text, text in which only the vowels differ from the vowels of the Masoretic text, is represented by bold purple text, whether that reading is preferred or dispreferred.
(Supplied elided element) Any element that is elided in the Hebrew text is represented by bold gray text in parentheses.
( ) The position of a non-supplied elided element is represented by empty black parentheses.
For example, this would be used in the place of the noun when an adjective functions substantivally or in the place of the antecedent when a relative clause has an implied antecedent.
Gloss text colors
Gloss used in the CBC The gloss used in the Close-but-Clear translation is represented by bold blue text.
Literal gloss >> derived meaning A gloss that shows the more literal meaning as well as the derived figurative meaning is represented in blue text with arrows pointing towards the more figurative meaning. The gloss used in the CBC will be bolded.
Supplied elided element The gloss for a supplied elided element is represented in bold gray text.

Shapes and colours on grammatical diagram

  Phrasal Diagram Legend

Visualization Description
3 Legends - Prepositional Phrase.png
 The prepositional phrase is indicated by a solid green oval.
3 Legends - Construct Chain.png
 The construct chain is indicated by a solid yellow oval.
3 Legends - phrase-level ו.png
 When the conjunction ו appears at the phrase-level (not clause-level), it is indicated by a solid light purple oval.
3 Legends - Article.png
 The article is indicated by a solid blue oval.

Expanded paraphrase

  Legend

Expanded paraphrase legend
Close but Clear (CBC) translation The CBC, our close but clear translation of the Hebrew, is represented in bold text.
Assumptions Assumptions which provide background information, presuppositions, entailments, and inferences are represented in italics.

Bibliography

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Footnotes

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