Edition 1.

20 September 2011

Observations on Tenses in Psalms

by David Steinberg

David.Steinberg@houseofdavid.ca

Home page http://www.houseofdavid.ca/

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See Tenses or Aspects in Biblical Hebrew

 

Table B

Present Tense Indicated by the use of the SC of a Stative or Quasi-stative Verb and the PCimp of an Action Verb in the Same Verse

(confirmed by context)

Chapter & Verse of Hebrew Text

NRSV

Unless Otherwise Noted

Masoretic Text[1]

2:1

Why do the nations conspire, and the peoples plot in vain?

לָמָּה רָגְשׁוּ גֹויִם וּלְאֻמִּים יֶהְגּוּ־רִיק

2:2

The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD and his anointed, saying,

יִתְיַצְּבוּ מַלְכֵי־אֶרֶץ וְרֹוזְנִים נֹוסְדוּ־יָחַד עַל־יְהוָה וְעַל־מְשִׁיחֹו

3:6

I lie down and sleep; I wake again, for the LORD sustains me.

אֲנִי שָׁכַבְתִּי וָאִישָׁנָה הֱקִיצֹותִי כִּי יְהוָה יִסְמְכֵנִי

6:7

I am weary with my moaning; every night I flood my bed with tears; I drench my couch with my weeping.

יָגַעְתִּי בְּאַנְחָתִי אַשְׂחֶה בְכָל־לַיְלָה מִטָּתִי בְּדִמְעָתִי עַרְשִׂי אַמְסֶה

6:10

The LORD hears my supplication; the LORD accepts my prayer. (my trans.)

שָׁמַע יְהוָה תְּחִנָּתִי יְהוָה תְּפִלָּתִי יִקָּח

7:15

See how they conceive evil, and are pregnant with mischief, and bring forth lies.

הִנֵּה יְחַבֶּל־אָוֶן וְהָרָה עָמָל וְיָלַד שָׁקֶר

11:5

The LORD tests the righteous and the wicked, and his soul hates the lover of violence.

יְהוָה צַדִּיק יִבְחָן וְרָשָׁע וְאֹהֵב חָמָס שָׂנְאָה נַפְשֹׁו

16:9

Therefore my heart is glad, and my soul rejoices; my body also rests secure.

לָכֵן שָׂמַח לִבִּי וַיָּגֶל כְּבֹודִי אַף־בְּשָׂרִי יִשְׁכֹּן לָבֶטַח

23:5

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

תַּעֲרֹךְ לְפָנַי שֻׁלְחָן נֶגֶד צֹרְרָי דִּשַּׁנְתָּ בַשֶּׁמֶן רֹאשִׁי כֹּוסִי רְוָיָה

26:4

I do not sit with the worthless, nor do I consort with hypocrites

לֹא־יָשַׁבְתִּי עִם־מְתֵי־שָׁוְא וְעִם נַעֲלָמִים לֹא אָבֹוא

26:5

I hate the company of evildoers, and do not sit with the wicked. (my trans.)

נֵאתִי קְהַל מְרֵעִים וְעִם־רְשָׁעִים לֹא אֵשֵׁב

26:12

My foot stands on level ground; in the great congregation I bless the LORD. (my trans.)

רַגְלִי עָמְדָה בְמִישֹׁור בְּמַקְהֵלִים אֲבָרֵךְ יְהוָה

33:21

Our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name.

כִּי־בֹו יִשְׂמַח לִבֵּנוּ כִּי בְשֵׁם קָדְשֹׁו בָטָחְנוּ

35:11

Malicious witnesses rise up; they ask me about things I do not know.

יְקוּמוּן עֵדֵי חָמָס אֲשֶׁר לֹא־יָדַעְתִּי יִשְׁאָלוּנִי

37:20

But the wicked perish, and the enemies of the LORD are like the glory of the pastures; they vanish-- like smoke they vanish away.

כִּי רְשָׁעִים יֹאבֵדוּ וְאֹיְבֵי יְהוָה כִּיקַר כָּרִים כָּלוּ בֶעָשָׁן כָּלוּ

37:23

Our steps are made firm by the LORD, when he delights in our way

מֵיְהוָה מִצְעֲדֵי־גֶבֶר כֹּונָנוּ וְדַרְכֹּו יֶחְפָּץ

38:12

My friends and companions stand aloof from my affliction, and my neighbors stand far off.

אֹהֲבַי וְרֵעַי מִנֶּגֶד נִגְעִי יַעֲמֹדוּ וּקְרֹובַי מֵרָחֹק עָמָדוּ

39:10

I am silent; I do not open my mouth, for it is you who have done it.

נֶאֱלַמְתִּי לֹא אֶפְתַּח־פִּי כִּי אַתָּה עָשִׂיתָ

49:11

When we look at the wise, they die; fool and dolt perish together and leave their wealth to others

כִּי יִרְאֶה חֲכָמִים יָמוּתוּ יַחַד כְּסִיל וָבַעַר יֹאבֵדוּ וְעָזְבוּ לַאֲחֵרִים חֵילָם

49:13

Mortals cannot abide in their pomp; they are like the animals that perish

וְאָדָם בִּיקָר בַּל־יָלִין נִמְשַׁל כַּבְּהֵמֹות נִדְמוּ

49:21

Mortals cannot abide in their pomp; they are like the animals that perish.

אָדָם בִּיקָר וְלֹא יָבִין נִמְשַׁל כַּבְּהֵמֹות נִדְמוּ

50:3

Our God comes and does not keep silence, before him is a devouring fire, and a mighty tempest all around him

יָבֹא אֱלֹהֵינוּ וְאַל־יֶחֱרַשׁ אֵשׁ־לְפָנָיו תֹּאכֵל וּסְבִיבָיו נִשְׂעֲרָה מְאֹד

50:19

"You give your mouth free rein for evil, and your tongue frames deceit.

פִּיךָ שָׁלַחְתָּ בְרָעָה וּלְשֹׁונְךָ תַּצְמִיד מִרְמָה

56:2

Be gracious to me, O God, for people trample on me; all day long foes oppress me

חָנֵּנִי אֱלֹהִים כִּי־שְׁאָפַנִי אֱנֹושׁ כָּל־הַיֹּום לֹחֵם יִלְחָצֵנִי

56:5

In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I am not afraid; what can flesh do to me?

בֵּאלֹהִים אֲהַלֵּל דְּבָרֹו בֵּאלֹהִים בָּטַחְתִּי לֹא אִירָא מַה־יַּעֲשֶׂה בָשָׂר לִי

56:7

They stir up strife, they lurk, they watch my steps. As they hoped to have my life,

יגורו ׀ [יצפינו כ] (יצפונו ק) המה עקבי ישמרו כאשר קוו נפשי

56:12

in God I trust; I am not afraid. What can a mere mortal do to me?

בֵּאלֹהִים בָּטַחְתִּי לֹא אִירָא מַה־יַּעֲשֶׂה אָדָם לִי

59:4

Even now they lie in wait for my life; the mighty stir up strife against me. For no transgression or sin of mine, O LORD

כִּי הִנֵּה אָרְבוּ לְנַפְשִׁי יָגוּרוּ עָלַי עַזִים לֹא־פִשְׁעִי וְלֹא־חַטָּאתִי יְהוָה

62:5

Their only plan is to bring down a person of prominence. They take pleasure in falsehood; they bless with their mouths, but inwardly they curse. Selah

אַךְ מִשְּׂאֵתֹו יָעֲצוּ לְהַדִּיחַ יִרְצוּ כָזָב בְּפִיו יְבָרֵכוּ וּבְקִרְבָּם יְקַלְלוּ־סֶלָה

63:2

O God, you are my God, I seek you, my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.

אֱלֹהִים אֵלִי אַתָּה אֲ‍שַׁחֲרֶךָּ צָמְאָה לְךָ נַפְשִׁי כָּמַהּ לְךָ בְשָׂרִי בְּאֶרֶץ־צִיָּה וְעָיֵף בְּלִי־מָיִם

63:7

when I think of you on my bed, and meditate on you in the watches of the night

אִם־זְכַרְתִּיךָ עַל־יְצוּעָי בְּאַשְׁמֻרֹות אֶהְגֶּה־בָּךְ

63:9

My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me.

דָּבְקָה נַפְשִׁי אַחֲרֶיךָ בִּי תָּמְכָה יְמִינֶךָ

65:4

When deeds of iniquity overwhelm us, you forgive our transgressions.

דִּבְרֵי עֲוֹנֹת גָּבְרוּ מֶנִּי פְּשָׁעֵינוּ אַתָּה תְכַפְּרֵם

65:10

You visit the earth and water it, you greatly enrich it; the river of God is full of water; you provide the people with grain, for so you have prepared it.

פָּקַדְתָּ הָאָרֶץ וַתְּשֹׁקְקֶהָ רַבַּת תַּעְשְׁרֶנָּה פֶּלֶג אֱלֹהִים מָלֵא מָיִם תָּכִין דְּגָנָם כִּי־כֵן תְּכִינֶהָ

65:12

You crown the year with your bounty; your wagon tracks overflow with richness.

עִטַּרְתָּ שְׁנַת טֹובָתֶךָ וּמַעְגָּלֶיךָ יִרְעֲפוּן דָּשֶׁן

74:1

O God, why do you cast us off forever? Why does your anger smoke against the sheep of your pasture?

לָמָה אֱלֹהִים זָנַחְתָּ לָנֶצַח יֶעְשַׁן אַפְּךָ בְּצֹאן מַרְעִיתֶךָ

77:3

In the day of my trouble I seek the Lord; in the night my hand is stretched out without wearying; my soul refuses to be comforted.

בְּיֹום צָרָתִי אֲדֹנָי דָּרָשְׁתִּי יָדִי לַיְלָה נִגְּרָה וְלֹא תָפוּג מֵאֲנָה הִנָּחֵם נַפְשִׁי

88:14

But I, O LORD, cry out to you; in the morning my prayer comes before you.

וַאֲנִי אֵלֶיךָ יְהוָה שִׁוַּעְתִּי וּבַבֹּקֶר תְּפִלָּתִי תְקַדְּמֶךָּ

90:5

You sweep them away; they are like a dream, like grass that is renewed in the morning

זְרַמְתָּם שֵׁנָה יִהְיוּ בַּבֹּקֶר כֶּחָצִיר יַחֲלֹף

90:6

in the morning it flourishes and is renewed; in the evening it fades and withers.

בַּבֹּקֶר יָצִיץ וְחָלָף לָעֶרֶב יְמֹולֵל וְיָבֵשׁ

90:7

For we are consumed by your anger; by your wrath we are overwhelmed.

כִּי־כָלִינוּ בְאַפֶּךָ וּבַחֲמָתְךָ נִבְהָלְנוּ

119:47

I find my delight in your commandments, because I love them.

וְאֶשְׁתַּעֲשַׁע בְּמִצְוֹתֶיךָ אֲשֶׁר אָהָבְתִּי

119:69

The arrogant smear me with lies, but with my whole heart I keep your precepts.

טָפְלוּ עָלַי שֶׁקֶר זֵדִים אֲנִי בְּכָל־לֵב אֱצֹּר פִּקּוּדֶיךָ

119:95

The wicked lie in wait to destroy me, but I consider your decrees.

לִי קִוּוּ רְשָׁעִים לְאַבְּדֵנִי עֵדֹתֶיךָ אֶתְבֹּונָן

119:104

Through your precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way.

מִפִּקּוּדֶיךָ אֶתְבֹּונָן עַל־כֵּן שָׂנֵאתִי כָּל־אֹרַח שָׁקֶר

127:1

Unless the LORD builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the LORD guards the city, the guard keeps watch in vain.

אִם־יְהוָה לֹא־יִבְנֶה בַיִת שָׁוְא עָמְלוּ בֹונָיו בֹּו אִם־יְהוָה לֹא־יִשְׁמָר־עִיר שָׁוְא שָׁקַד שֹׁומֵר

138:6

For though the LORD is high, he regards the lowly; but the haughty he perceives from far away.

כִּי־רָם יְהוָה וְשָׁפָל יִרְאֶה וְגָבֹהַּ מִמֶּרְחָק יְיֵדָע

140:3

who plan evil things in their minds and stir up wars continually.

אֲשֶׁר חָשְׁבוּ רָעֹות בְּלֵב כָּל־יֹום יָגוּרוּ מִלְחָמֹות

143:5

I remember the days of old, I think about all your deeds, I meditate on the works of your hands.

זָ֘כַ֤רְתִּי יָמִ֨ים מִקֶּ֗דֶם הָגִ֥יתִי בְכָל־פָּעֳלֶ֑ךָ בְּֽמַעֲשֵׂ֖ה יָדֶ֣יךָ אֲשֹׂוחֵֽחַ׃

146:4

When their breath departs, they return to the earth; on that very day their plans perish.

תֵּצֵ֣א ר֭וּחֹו יָשֻׁ֣ב לְאַדְמָתֹ֑ו בַּיֹּ֥ום הַ֝ה֗וּא אָבְד֥וּ עֶשְׁתֹּנֹתָֽיו׃

 

 



[1] From The Westminster Leningrad Codex.