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 E

PCpretWC[1]  and SC  in the Same Verse Referring to the Past

Chapter/

Verse

Comments and Time Reference

(Reconstructed JEH Style Spelling; */EBHP/+ where stress phonemic)

English Translation(s)[2]

Masoretic Text[3]

A)  At Least One PCpretWC was Distinguished from the PCimp in */EBHP/+ by the Placement of Stress

33:9

ויעמד - ˈʾiqraʾ (:ʾiqˈraʾ PCimp)

For He spoke, and it was done;
He commanded, and it stood fast.

כִּי הוּא אָמַר וַיֶּהִי הוּא־צִוָּה וַיַּעֲמֹד

37:36

וַיַּעֲבֹר

but note stress in ואבקשהו  not distinctive

Then he passed away, and lo, he was no more;
I sought for him, but he could not be found.

וַיַּעֲבֹר וְהִנֵּה אֵינֶנּוּ וָאֲבַקְשֵׁהוּ וְלֹא נִמְצָא

38:3

ותנחת

For your arrows have sunk into me, and your hand has come down on me.

כִּי־חִצֶּיךָ נִחֲתוּ בִי וַתִּנְחַת עָלַי יָדֶךָ

40:2

ויט

וישמע

I waited patiently for the LORD;
And He inclined to me and heard my cry.

קַוֹּה קִוִּיתִי יְהוָה וַיֵּט אֵלַי וַיִּשְׁמַע שַׁוְעָתִי

40:3

ויקם

 

but note stress in ויעלני not distinctive

He brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the miry clay,
And He set my feet upon a rock making my footsteps firm.

יַּעֲלֵנִי מִבֹּור שָׁאֹון מִטִּיט הַיָּוֵן וַיָּקֶם עַל־סֶלַע רַגְלַי כֹּונֵן אֲשֻׁרָי

45: 8

ותשנא

You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness;
Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You
With the oil of joy above Your fellows.

אָהַבְתָּ צֶּדֶק וַתִּשְׂנָא רֶשַׁע עַל־כֵּן מְשָׁחֲךָ אֱלֹהִים אֱלֹהֶיךָ שֶׁמֶן שָׂשֹׂון מֵחֲבֵרֶיךָ

50:16

ותשא

But to the wicked God says,
"What right have you to tell of My statutes
And to take My covenant in your mouth?

וְלָרָשָׁע אָמַר אֱלֹהִים מַה־לְּךָ לְסַפֵּר חֻקָּי וַתִּשָּׂא בְרִיתִי עֲלֵי־פִיךָ

73:13

וארחץ

Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure
And washed my hands in innocence

אַךְ־רִיק זִכִּיתִי לְבָבִי וָאֶרְחַץ בְּנִקָּיֹון כַּפָּי

78:31

ויהרג

The anger of God rose against them
And killed some of their stoutest ones,
And subdued the choice men of Israel.

וְאַף אֱלֹהִים עָלָה בָהֶם וַיַּהֲרֹג בְּמִשְׁמַנֵּיהֶם וּבַחוּרֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הִכְרִיעַ

78:59

וימאס

When God heard, He was filled with wrath
And greatly abhorred Israel

שָׁמַע אֱלֹהִים וַיִּתְעַבָּר וַיִּמְאַס מְאֹד בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל

78:60

ויטש

So that He abandoned the dwelling place at Shiloh,
The tent which He had pitched among men,

וַיִּטֹּשׁ מִשְׁכַּן שִׁלֹו אֹהֶל שִׁכֵּן בָּאָדָם

78:62

ויסגר

He also delivered His people to the sword,
And was filled with wrath at His inheritance.

וַיַּסְגֵּר לַחֶרֶב עַמֹּו וּבְנַחֲלָתֹו הִתְעַבָּר

78:66

ויך

He drove His adversaries backward;
He put on them an everlasting reproach.

וַיַּךְ־צָרָיו אָחֹור חֶרְפַּת עֹולָם נָתַן לָמֹו

78:67

וימאס

He also rejected the tent of Joseph,
And did not choose the tribe of Ephraim,

וַיִּמְאַס בְּאֹהֶל יֹוסֵף וּבְשֵׁבֶט אֶפְרַיִם לֹא בָחָר

78:68

ויבחר

But chose the tribe of Judah,
Mount Zion which He loved.

וַיִּבְחַר אֶת־שֵׁבֶט יְהוּדָה אֶת־הַר צִיֹּון אֲשֶׁר אָהֵב

78:69

ויבן

And He built His sanctuary like the heights,
Like the earth which He has founded forever.

וַיִּבֶן כְּמֹו־רָמִים מִקְדָּשֹׁו כְּאֶרֶץ יְסָדָהּ לְעֹולָם

80:10

ותשרש ותמלא

You cleared the ground for it; it took deep root and filled the land.

פִּנִּיתָ לְפָנֶיהָ וַתַּשְׁרֵשׁ רָשֶׁיהָ וַתְּמַלֵּא־אָרֶץ

89:20

ותאמר

Then you spoke in a vision to your faithful one, and said: "I have set the crown on one who is mighty, I have exalted one chosen from the people.

אָז דִּבַּרְתָּ־בְחָזֹון לַחֲסִידֶיךָ וַתֹּאמֶר שִׁוִּיתִי עֵזֶר עַל־גִּבֹּור הֲרִימֹותִי בָחוּר מֵעָם׃

89:44

תשיב

Moreover, you have turned back the edge of his sword, and you have not supported him in battle.

אַף־תָּשִׁיב צוּר חַרְבֹּו וְלֹא הֲקֵימֹתֹו בַּמִּלְחָמָה

92:11

ותרם

But you have exalted my horn like that of the wild ox; you have poured over me fresh oil.

וַתָּרֶם כִּרְאֵים קַרְנִי בַּלֹּתִי בְּשֶׁמֶן רַעֲנָן

102:5-6

Table A

SCpast - past -

הכה - hukˈkâ

שכחתי - šaˈkaḥtῑ

PCpretWC - past - ויבש -
wayˈyîbaš (:wạyîˈbaš PCimp)

SCstate - present - דבקה - daˈbạqâ.

My heart has been smitten like grass and has withered away,
Indeed, I forget to eat my bread.

Because of the loudness of my groaning
My bones cling to my flesh.

הוּכָּֽה־כָ֭עֵשֶׂב וַיִּבַ֣שׁ לִבִּ֑י כִּֽי שָׁ֝כַ֗חְתִּי מֵאֲכֹ֥ל לַחְמִֽי׃

מִקֹּ֥ול אַנְחָתִ֑י דָּבְקָ֥ה עַ֝צְמִ֗י לִבְשָׂרִֽי׃

106:33

ויבטא

for they made his spirit bitter, and he spoke words that were rash.

כִּי־הִמְרוּ אֶת־רוּחֹו וַיְבַטֵּא בִּשְׂפָתָיו

109:16

וירדף

For he did not remember to show kindness, but pursued the poor and needy and the brokenhearted to their death.

יַעַן אֲשֶׁר לֹא זָכַר עֲשֹׂות חָסֶד וַיִּרְדֹּף אִישׁ־עָנִי וְאֶבְיֹון וְנִכְאֵה לֵבָב לְמֹותֵת

109:17

ויאהב ותרחק

but note stress in ותבואהו  not distinctive

He also loved cursing, so it came to him;
And he did not delight in blessing, so it was far from him.

וַיֶּאֱהַב קְלָלָה וַתְּבֹואֵהוּ וְלֹא־חָפֵץ בִּבְרָכָה וַתִּרְחַק מִמֶּנּוּ

109:17

 

The LORD protects the simple; when I was brought low, he saved me.

שֹׁמֵ֣ר פְּתָאיִ֣ם יְהֹוָ֑ה דַּ֝לֹּותִ֗י וְלִ֣י יְהֹושִֽׁיעַ׃

119:52

ואתנחם

I have remembered Your ordinances from of old, O LORD,
And comfort myself.

זָכַרְתִּי מִשְׁפָּטֶיךָ מֵעֹולָם יְהוָה וָאֶתְנֶחָם

119:90

ותעמד

Your faithfulness endures to all generations; you have established the earth, and it stands fast.

לְדֹר וָדֹר אֱמוּנָתֶךָ כֹּונַנְתָּ אֶרֶץ וַתַּעֲמֹד

139:5

Table A

SCpast - past

צרתני  - ṣarˈtanῑ

PCpretWC - past - ותשת -
watˈtašit (:wạtaˈšiːt PCimp)

You have enclosed me behind and before,
And laid Your hand upon me.

אָחֹ֣ור וָקֶ֣דֶם צַרְתָּ֑נִי וַתָּ֖שֶׁת עָלַ֣י כַּפֶּֽכָה׃

B) PCpretWC Was not Distinguished from the PCimp in */EBHP/+ by the Placement of Stress

7.5

ואחלצה

If I have rewarded evil to my friend,
Or have plundered him who without cause was my adversary,

אִם־גָּמַלְתִּי שֹׁולְמִי רָע וָאֲחַלְּצָה צֹורְרִי רֵיקָם

7:13

Table A

PCimp_prfut - present/future - ישב - yaˈšuːb (:ˈyašub PCjus/ PCpret_sim)

ילטש - yilˈṭuš (:ˈyilṭuš PCjus/ PCpret_sim) 

SCpast - past

דרכ - daˈrak

PCpretWC - past - ויכננה -
wayyạkōnịˈniha(ː). Stress not distinctive in this form.

If one does not repent, God whets/will whet his sword; he has bent and strung his bow;

אִם־לֹ֣א יָ֭שׁוּב חַרְבֹּ֣ו יִלְטֹ֑ושׁ קַשְׁתֹּ֥ו דָ֝רַ֗ךְ וַֽיְכֹונְנֶֽהָ׃

30:12

ותאזרני

You have turned for me my mourning into dancing;
You have loosed my sackcloth and girded me with gladness,

הָפַכְתָּ מִסְפְּדִי לְמָחֹול לִי פִּתַּחְתָּ שַׂקִּי וַתְּאַזְּרֵנִי שִׂמְחָה

37:40

ויעזרם ויפלטם ויושיעם

The LORD helps them and delivers them;
He delivers them from the wicked and saves them,
Because they take refuge in Him.

וַיַּעְזְרֵם יְהוָה וַיְפַלְּטֵם יְפַלְּטֵם מֵרְשָׁעִים וְיֹושִׁיעֵם כִּי־חָסוּ בֹו

41:13

ותציבני

As for me, You uphold me in my integrity,
And You set me in Your presence forever.

וַאֲנִי בְּתֻמִּי תָּמַכְתָּ בִּי וַתַּצִּיבֵנִי לְפָנֶיךָ לְעֹולָם

44:3

וַתִּטָּעֵם וַתְּשַׁלְּחֵם

You with Your own hand drove out the nations; Then You planted them; You afflicted the peoples,
Then You spread them abroad.

אַתָּה יָדְךָ גֹּויִם הֹורַשְׁתָּ וַתִּטָּעֵם תָּרַע לְאֻמִּים וַתְּשַׁלְּחֵם

66:12

ותוציאנו

You brought us into the net;
You laid an oppressive burden upon our loins.

הִרְכַּבְתָּ אֱנֹושׁ לְרֹאשֵׁנוּ בָּאנוּ־בָאֵשׁ וּבַמַּיִם וַתֹּוצִיאֵנוּ לָרְוָיָה

78:3

ונדעם

Which we have heard and known,
And our fathers have told us

אֲשֶׁר מַעְנוּ וַנֵּדָעֵם וַאֲבֹותֵינוּ סִפְּרוּ־לָנוּ

78:11

וישכחו

They forgot His deeds
And His miracles that He had shown them.

וַיִּשְׁכְּחוּ עֲלִילֹותָיו וְנִפְלְאֹותָיו אֲשֶׁר הֶרְאָם

78:13

ויעבירם

He divided the sea and caused them to pass through,
And He made the waters stand up like a heap.

בָּקַע יָם וַיַּעֲבִירֵם וַיַּצֶּב־מַיִם כְּמֹו־נֵד

78:19

וידברו

Then they spoke against God;
They said, "Can God prepare a table in the wilderness?

וַיְדַבְּרוּ בֵּאלֹהִים אָמְרוּ הֲיוּכַל אֵל לַעֲרֹךְ לְחָן בַּמִּדְבָּר

78:24

תקחני

With Your counsel You will guide me,
And afterward receive me to glory.

בַּעֲצָתְךָ תַנְחֵנִי וְאַחַר כָּבֹוד תִּקָּחֵנִי

78:41

וישובו

Again and again they tempted God,
And pained the Holy One of Israel.

וַיָּשׁוּבוּ וַיְנַסּוּ אֵל וּקְדֹושׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל הִתְווּ

78:56

וינסו וימרו

Yet they tempted and rebelled against the Most High God
And did not keep His testimonies,

וַיְנַסּוּ וַיַּמְרוּ אֶת־אֱלֹהִים עֶלְיֹון וְעֵדֹותָיו לֹא שָׁמָרוּ

78:57

ויסגו ויבגדו

But turned back and acted treacherously like their fathers;
They turned aside like a treacherous bow.

וַיִּסֹּגוּ וַיִּבְגְּדוּ כַּאֲבֹותָם נֶהְפְּכוּ כְּקֶשֶׁת רְמִיָּה

80:6

ותשקמו

You have fed them with the bread of tears, and given them tears to drink in full measure.

הֶאֱכַלְתָּם לֶחֶם דִּמְעָה וַתַּשְׁקֵמֹו בִּדְמָעֹות שָׁלִישׁ

106:38

וישפכו

they poured out innocent blood, the blood of their sons and daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan; and the land was polluted with blood.

וַיִּשְׁפְּכוּ דָם נָקִי דַּם־בְּנֵיהֶם וּבְנֹותֵיהֶם אֲשֶׁר זִבְּחוּ לַעֲצַבֵּי כְנָעַן וַתֶּחֱנַף הָאָרֶץ בַּדָּמִים

109:3

וילחמוני

They have also surrounded me with words of hatred,
And fought against me without cause

וְדִבְרֵי שִׂנְאָה סְבָבוּנִי וַיִּלָּחֲמוּנִי חִנָּם

109:17

ותענני

When I told of my ways, you answered me; teach me your statutes.

דְּרָכַי סִפַּרְתִּי וַתַּעֲנֵנִי לַמְּדֵנִי חֻקֶּיךָ

119:55

ואשמרה

I remember your name in the night, O LORD, and keep your law.

זָכַרְתִּי בַלַּיְלָה שִׁמְךָ יְהוָה וָאֶשְׁמְרָה תֹּורָתֶךָ

119:59

ואשיבה

I considered my ways
And turned my feet to Your testimonies.

חִשַּׁבְתִּי דְרָכָי וָאָשִׁיבָה רַגְלַי אֶל־עֵדֹתֶיךָ

119:73

ויכוננוני

Your hands have made and fashioned me; give me understanding that I may learn your commandments.

יָדֶיךָ עָשׂוּנִי וַיְכֹונְנוּנִי הֲבִינֵנִי וְאֶלְמְדָה מִצְוֹתֶיךָ

119:106

ואקימה

I have sworn an oath and confirmed it, to observe your righteous ordinances.

נִשְׁבַּעְתִּי וָאֲקַיֵּמָה לִשְׁמֹר מִשְׁפְּטֵי צִדְקֶךָ

119:131

ואשאפה

I opened my mouth wide and panted,
For I longed for Your commandments.

פִּי־פָעַרְתִּי וָאֶשְׁאָפָה כִּי לְמִצְוֹתֶיךָ יָאָבְתִּי

148:6

ויעמידם

He established them forever and ever; he fixed their bounds, which cannot be passed.

וַיַּעֲמִידֵם לָעַד לְעֹולָם חָק־נָתַן וְלֹא יַעֲבֹור

 


[1] IN EBHP and LBHP THE JUSSIVE (PCjus), COHORTATIVE (PCcoh), IMPERFECT (PCimp) AND PRETERITE (PCpret_sim/PCpretWC) are, in some forms, distinguished by the placement of syllabic stress when not carrying object suffixes. See -
-  http://www.adath-shalom.ca/history_of_hebrew3a.htm#indic_jus AND
-  http://www.adath-shalom.ca/history_of_hebrew3a.htm#Prefix_Conjugation

[2] For convenience, I have used NASB or NRSV as the basis of my translation modifying the wording and layout as appropriate.

[3] From The Westminster Leningrad Codex http://www.tanach.us/ .