Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Alviero Niccacci <sbfnet AT netvision.net.il>]

Title: Re: Psalm 1 (perfect/imperfect)

On  4/20/00 (Psalm 1 (perfect/imperfect)) Jason Hare wrote:

> I am curious about the use of the
> Perfect and the
> Imperfect in the first Psalm.  It is interesting (I
> noted it in class today) that when something is
> referring to the wicked or bad things in this chapter
> (indeed, not that it is consistent in the HB) it is
> written with an imperfect verse.  However, if
> something is speaking of the righteous, it is in the
> imperfect.  Is there something to this?  (There is one
> seeming disagreement with this: when it talks of the
> wicked being being blown away like the chaff it is
> Imperfect.  However, it must be noted that when the
> advice of the wicked is bad, their destruction is
> GOOD.  So this, too, fits the
> idea.)
> What do you think of this??

Dear Jason Hare,

here is an analysis of Psalm 1:

(1) Blessed is the man [NONVERBAL SENTENCE]

        who never walked in the counsel of the wicked, [NEGATIVE x-QATAL]

        nor in the way of sinners ever stood, [NEGATIVE x-QATAL]

        nor in the seat of scoffers ever sat;  [NEGATIVE x-QATAL]

(2)     but  in the law of the Lord is his delight, [NONVERBAL SENTENCE]

                and on his law he shall meditate day and night. [x-YIQTOL]

(3)             He shall be like a tree planted by streams of water, [weQATAL]

                that shall yield its fruit in its season, [x-YIAQTOL]

                while its leaf shall not wither, [x-YIQTOL]

                and whatever he shall do, he shall succeed. [x-YIQTOL]

(4) Not so are the wicked, [NONVERBAL SENTENCE]

                but like chaff which the wind shall drive away. [NONVERBAL

> > > > SENTENCE]

(5)             Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment [x-YIQTOL]

                nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous; [SAME VERB

                CONT.]

(6) for the Lord knows the way of the righteous, [NONVERBAL SENTENCE]

                but the way of the wicked will perish. [x-YIQTOL]

Present tense [nonverbal sentence] is used for the basic statement in the first line of verse 1, 4 and 6--the last one giving the reason for the previous two. Present tense is also used to describe the righteous in the first line of verse 2.

Past tense is used to indicate the righteous by his (past and lasting) conduct in verse 1 (second to fourth lines).

Future is used to indicate the fate that awaits both the righteous and the wicked in verses 3, 4 (second line), 5, and 6 (second line). -- In the second line of verse 2, yiqtol is used for the (lasting until future) conduct of the righteous.

        In this analysis of Psalm 1 I applied to poetry the same functions of the verb forms as in prose. -- Note that second-place yiqtol (x-yiqtol) is indicative (not jussive) in BH.

        Wherever possible, it may be useful to tabulate the verbforms as done above for Psalm 1.

Best wishes to all the list-members for the current festivities.

Alviero Niccacci

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