1
Psalm 84
Difficult to read and translate in places. Several difficult text critical issues
especially around the middle of the text.
(84:1)
‫ לדוד‬...‫ – למנצח‬Grammatical note = “Possessive ‫( ְל‬of, belonging to). The
preposition ‫ ְל‬can indicate that its object is owned or possessed by someone. The
idea of possession is not necessarily literal; it may indicate a relationship other than
possession… This is also called periphrastic ‫ ְל‬or the genitive ‫ ְל‬. When the object
of ‫ ְל‬is someone who wrote something, it is sometimes referred to as the ‫ ְל‬of author
or the ‫ ְל‬auctoris. See §Williams, 270. So it is unclear that the superscription is
attempting to express that David (or the director) is the author or if the psalm is
associated with David (or the director).
‫“ = גִתִּ ית‬gittite = lyre? melody? wine-presses?” under BDB 388a. Appears in three
superscriptions. We are not sure what it means.
(84:2)
‫“ = י ָדִ יד‬beloved” (poetry) under BDB 391b. Arb wadda “love”. Sab ‫“ ודת‬lovingone, friend, amie”.
‫“ = מִשְׁ כָּן‬dwelling-place, ‘tabernacle’” under BDB 1015b. Root ‫“ = שׁכן‬settle down,
abide, dwell”.
(84:3)
‫“ = כסף‬long (for)”, Niphal “long (for)” under BDB 493b. Arb kasafa “be
colourless, obscure, be eclipsed (of sun or moon); be depressed (in appearance).
‫“ = כלה‬be complete, at an end, finished, accomplished, spent” under BDB 477a.
‫“ = ָחצֵר‬enclosure, court” under BDB 346b. Grammatically masculine and more
commonly feminine.
‫ = רנן‬Piel “give a ringing cry” under BDB 943a.
(84:4)
2
‫“ = צִפּוֹר‬bird” under BDB 861b.
‫ דְ רוֹר‬II = “swallow” under BDB 204b. Very rare.
‫“ = קֵן‬nest” under BDB 890a.
‫שׁתָ ה‬
ָ ֫ < ‫שׁית‬. Note form.
‫“ = ֶאפְר ֹ ַח‬young one, (plural) young ones, young (of birds)” under BDB 827a. Very
rare. Root ‫“ = פרח‬bud, sprout, shoot”.
1
‫את־מזבחותיָך‬
(84:5)
2
‫עוד‬
3
‫בְָך‬
(84:6)
4
‫אדם‬
‫“ = עוֹז‬strength, might” under BDB 738b. Root ‫“ = עזז‬be strong”. Plene form ‫ עוֹז‬is
rare so…?
‫“ = ְמ ִסלָּה‬highway” under BDB 700b. Root ‫ סלל‬I = “lift up, cast up”.5
6
‫בלבבם‬
(84:7)
7
1
‫עברי‬
“One manuscript has ‫”אל‬.
“Septuagint εις τους αιωνων = ‫”לעדֵ י עד‬. Probably an expansion(?) of ‫“ עוד‬still, continuously”.
3
“Septuagint adds κυριε”.
4
“Two manuscripts have ‫‘ העם‬the people’”.
5
“Syriac adds 2s suffix, Symmachus της τριβου σου, Septuagint αναβασεις = ‫מעלות‬, Targum has rwḥṣnwtʾ fiducia
(=?), propose ‫” ִכסְלוֹת‬.
6
“Septuagint, Syriac, Hieronymous add singular suffix”.
2
3
‫“ = ֵעמֶק‬vale, valley” under BDB 770b.
8
‫הבכה‬
‫“ = ַמ ְעי ָן‬spring” under BDB 745b.9
10
‫ישׁיתוהו‬
‫ עטה‬I = “wrap oneself, enwrap, envelop oneself”, Hiphil “wrap, enwrap, envelop”
under BDB 741b. Arb ǵaṭā “cover, conceal”. Arm. Akk eṭû “be dark”.11
‫מוֹרה‬
ֶ I = “(early) rain” under BDB 435b. Very rare.
12
‫גם־ברכות יעטה מורה‬
(84:8)
‫“ = ַחי ִל‬strength, efficiency, wealth, army” under BDB 298b. Root ‫“ = חול חיל‬be
firm, strong”.
(84:9)
Note form Qal imperative 2ms + ?? ‫שׁ ְמעָה‬
ִ .
‫“ = תְ ִפלָּה‬prayer” under BDB 813b. Common enough. Learn it. The main prayer
book in many Reform synagogues is called Gates of Prayer or ‫שׁערי תפלה‬.
However there is a new prayer book called Mishkan Tefila or ‫משׁכן תפלה‬
which I had a chance to use in 2010 when visiting United Jewish
Congregation in Hong Kong.
‫( = אזן‬denominative) Hiphil “give ear, listen, hear” (almost wholly poetry) under
BDB 24a.
7
“One manuscript ‫( עברים‬different syntax), Syriac ʿbrw, Septuagint διεθετο = ‫”ע ַָרְך‬.
“A few manuscripts ‫הבכה‬, compare versions, but MT probably name of a valley(?)”.
9
“Septuagint εις τοπον and Syriac bjt mʿmrʾ = ‫” ָמעוֹן‬.
10
“Many manuscripts, Septuagint ‫ ־תֵ הוּ‬so ‘he makes/places’, a few manuscripts ‫שׁתֵ הו‬
ְ ‫י‬, a few ‫שׁתוהו‬
ְ ִ ‫ ;י‬propose ‫שׁתּוּ‬
ְ ִ ‫”י‬.
So some confusion about (1) number and (2) verb root/form.
11
“Two manuscripts ‫יעשׂה‬, Septuagint δωσει; propose ‫”)?=( טֹעִים‬.
12
“Corrupt”. Yeah this stych is difficult indeed.
8
4
(84:10)
‫“ = ָמגֵן‬shield” under BDB 171a. Arb majinu(n). Arm ‫ ְמגִנָּא‬. Root ‫ גנן‬hence construct
‫ ְמגִנֵּי‬.
‫ = נבט‬Hiphil “look” under BDB 613b. Arb nabaṭa “well, issue forth (of water)”.
Akk nabāṭu “shine”. Sab ‫ נבט‬PN “protector”.
(84:11)
‫( = ספף‬denominative) Hitpolel “stand at, or guard, the threshold” under BDB 706b.
Hapax?
‫ = דוּר‬1. “heap up, pile”, 2. “dwell” under BDB 189b. Arb dāru(n) “house
(especially as group of buildings about a court”. Akk dûru “wall, fortress”. Arm
‫דוּר‬.
13
‫אלהי‬
(84:12)
‫“ = מנע‬withhold, hold back” under BDB 586a.
‫“ = תָ מִים‬complete, sound” under BDB 1071a. Root ‫“ = תמם‬be complete, finished”.
(84:13)
‫ בטח‬I = “trust” under BDB 105a. Arb baṭaḥa “to throw one down upon his face”.
13
“Two manuscripts, Septuagint*, Syriac, Targum ‫ אלהים‬so ‘God’ rather than ‘my God’”.