Hebrew Text · Translation · Interlinear · Discourse Structure

The Book of Psalms, Chapter 123תהלים 123

Each verse opens with the running Hebrew, an English translation, and a discourse note (its connective, relation, and role in the argument). Below follows the word-by-word breakdown in six tiers: gloss, case/state or parsing, syntax, semantic force, and a lexical note.

Case Nominative Genitive Dative Accusative Vocative Verb (no case) Indeclinable

Discourse notes head each verse: relation · connective · clause-flow. Indentation marks prominence — flush-left = main line of argument; indented = supporting / subordinate material.

Theme

Psalms 123 (4 verses in the MT) opens: [A Song of degrees.] To you lift I up mine eyes, O you that dwellest in the heavens. The middle of the chapter continues: Have mercy upon us, O YHWH, have mercy upon us: for we are exceedingly filled with contempt. It closes: Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scorning of those that are at ease, with the contempt of the proud.

Translation & textual notes

The Hebrew base text here follows the Masoretic Text in the Leningrad tradition as represented by the Westminster Leningrad Codex / MorphHB diplomatic stream imported from OSHB; distinctively copyrighted apparatus from BHS or BHQ is not reproduced. Psalms 123 comprises 4 verses in MT order. Movement I (vv. 1-4) — [A Song of degrees. [A Song of degrees.] To you lift I up mine eyes, O you that dwellest in the heavens. Behold, as the eyes of servants to the hand of their masters, as the eyes of a maiden to the hand of her mistress; so our eyes upon YHWH our God, until that he have mercy upon us. Have mercy upon us, O YHWH, have mercy upon us: for we are exceedingly filled with contempt.. Where English printed Bibles divide verses differently, this annotation follows MT versification throughout.

1

שִׁ֗יר הַֽמַּ֫עֲל֥וֹת אֵ֭לֶיךָ נָשָׂ֣אתִי אֶת עֵינַ֑י הַ֝יֹּשְׁבִ֗י בַּשָּׁמָֽיִם

[A Song of degrees.] To you lift I up mine eyes, O you that dwellest in the heavens.

Qatal — perfective or stative predicationasyndeton
Asyndeton: no clause-level wə. Qatal — perfective or stative predication. Lead predicate is 'I lifted/swore'. Opens the chapter.
Word-by-word analysis· 8 words
שִׁ֗ירa songN c · שִׁירָה (H7892)Construct chain (genitival)שִׁירָה (H7892) 'a song'.
הַֽמַּ֫עֲל֥וֹתby stepsart + N com f pl abs · מַעֲלָה (H4609)Nominal (subject, object, or apposition)מַעֲלָה (H4609) 'by steps'.
אֵ֭לֶיךָto youprep + sfx 2ms · אֶל (H413)Particle or relational elementאֶל (H413) 'to you'.
נָשָׂ֣אתִיI lifted/sworeQal perf 1cs · נָשָׂא (H5375)Predicate verb (qatal)→ Perfective: a completed actנָשָׂא (H5375) 'I lifted/swore'.
אֶת(obj)obj marker · אֵת (H853)Particle or relational elementאֵת (H853) '(obj)'.
עֵינַ֑יthe eyes ofN c · עַיִן (H5869)Construct chain (genitival)עַיִן (H5869) 'the eyes of'.
הַ֝יֹּשְׁבִ֗יthe inhabitants ofart + Qal ptc ms · יָשַׁב (H3427)Participle→ Participle: attendant circumstance or substantival actorיָשַׁב (H3427) 'the inhabitants of'.
בַּשָּׁמָֽיִםin the heavensprep + art + N com m pl abs · שָׁמַיִם (H8064)Nominal (subject, object, or apposition)שָׁמַיִם (H8064) 'in the heavens'.
2

הִנֵּ֨ה כְעֵינֵ֪י עֲבָדִ֡ים אֶל יַ֤ד אֲֽדוֹנֵיהֶ֗ם כְּעֵינֵ֣י שִׁפְחָה֮ אֶל יַ֪ד גְּבִ֫רְתָּ֥הּ כֵּ֣ן עֵ֭ינֵינוּ אֶל יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵ֑ינוּ עַ֝֗ד שֶׁיְּחָנֵּֽנוּ

Behold, as the eyes of servants to the hand of their masters, as the eyes of a maiden to the hand of her mistress; so our eyes upon YHWH our God, until that he have mercy upon us.

Yiqtol — imperfective, modal, or future-orientedhinneh
Presentative hinneh, putting a new scene or surprise on stage. Yiqtol — imperfective, modal, or future-oriented. Lead predicate is 'pity me'.
Word-by-word analysis· 18 words
הִנֵּ֨הbeholdadv. · הִנֵּה (H2009)Particle or relational elementהִנֵּה (H2009) 'behold'.
כְעֵינֵ֪יin the eyes ofprep + N com c du constr · עַיִן (H5869)Nominal (subject, object, or apposition)עַיִן (H5869) 'in the eyes of'.
עֲבָדִ֡יםslavesN c · עֶבֶד (H5650)Construct chain (genitival)עֶבֶד (H5650) 'slaves'.
אֶלtoprep · אֶל (H413)Particle or relational elementאֶל (H413) 'to'.
יַ֤דthe hand ofN c · יָד (H3027)Construct chain (genitival)יָד (H3027) 'the hand of'.
אֲֽדוֹנֵיהֶ֗םmy lordN c · אָדוֹן (H113)Construct chain (genitival)אָדוֹן (H113) 'my lord'.
כְּעֵינֵ֣יin the eyes ofprep + N com c du constr · עַיִן (H5869)Nominal (subject, object, or apposition)עַיִן (H5869) 'in the eyes of'.
שִׁפְחָה֮maidservantN c · שִׁפְחָה (H8198)Construct chain (genitival)שִׁפְחָה (H8198) 'maidservant'.
אֶלtoprep · אֶל (H413)Particle or relational elementאֶל (H413) 'to'.
יַ֪דthe hand ofN c · יָד (H3027)Construct chain (genitival)יָד (H3027) 'the hand of'.
גְּבִ֫רְתָּ֥הּher mistressN c · גְּבִרֶת (H1404)Construct chain (genitival)גְּבִרֶת (H1404) 'her mistress'.
כֵּ֣ןsoadv. · כֵּן (H3651)Particle or relational elementכֵּן (H3651) 'so'.
עֵ֭ינֵינוּour eyesN c · עַיִן (H5869)Construct chain (genitival)עַיִן (H5869) 'our eyes'.
אֶלtoprep · אֶל (H413)Particle or relational elementאֶל (H413) 'to'.
יְהוָ֣הYHWHN · יְהוָה (H3068)Nominal (subject, object, or apposition)יְהוָה (H3068) 'YHWH'.
אֱלֹהֵ֑ינוּour GodN c · אֱלֹהִים (H430)Construct chain (genitival)אֱלֹהִים (H430) 'our God'.
עַ֝֗דuntilprep · עַד (H5704)Particle or relational elementעַד (H5704) 'until'.
שֶׁיְּחָנֵּֽנוּpity merel. שֶׁ + Qal impf 3ms + sfx 1cp · חָנַן (H2603)Predicate verb (yiqtol)→ Yiqtol: imperfective or modalחָנַן (H2603) 'pity me'.
3

חָנֵּ֣נוּ יְהוָ֣ה חָנֵּ֑נוּ כִּֽי רַ֝֗ב שָׂבַ֥עְנוּ בֽוּז

Have mercy upon us, O YHWH, have mercy upon us: for we are exceedingly filled with contempt.

Imperative — volitional addressasyndeton
Asyndeton: no clause-level wə. Imperative — volitional address. Lead predicate is 'pity me'.
Word-by-word analysis· 7 words
חָנֵּ֣נוּpity meQal impv 2ms + sfx 1cp · חָנַן (H2603)Predicate verb (imperative)→ Volitional: imperativeחָנַן (H2603) 'pity me'.
יְהוָ֣הYHWHN · יְהוָה (H3068)Nominal (subject, object, or apposition)יְהוָה (H3068) 'YHWH'.
חָנֵּ֑נוּpity meQal impv 2ms + sfx 1cp · חָנַן (H2603)Predicate verb (imperative)→ Volitional: imperativeחָנַן (H2603) 'pity me'.
כִּֽיforconj וְ · כִּי (H3588)Particle or relational elementכִּי (H3588) 'for'.
רַ֝֗בgreatAdj · רַב (H7227)Nominal (subject, object, or apposition)רַב (H7227) 'great'.
שָׂבַ֥עְנוּand be satisfiedQal perf 1cp · שָׂבַע (H7646)Predicate verb (qatal)→ Perfective: a completed actשָׂבַע (H7646) 'and be satisfied'.
בֽוּזa laughingstockN c · בּוּז (H937)Construct chain (genitival)בּוּז (H937) 'a laughingstock'.
4

רַבַּת֮ שָֽׂבְעָה לָּ֪הּ נַ֫פְשֵׁ֥נוּ הַלַּ֥עַג הַשַּׁאֲנַנִּ֑ים הַ֝בּ֗וּז לִגְאֵ֥יוֹנִֽים

Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scorning of those that are at ease, with the contempt of the proud.

Qatal — perfective or stative predicationasyndeton
Asyndeton: no clause-level wə. Qatal — perfective or stative predication. Lead predicate is 'and be satisfied'. Closes the chapter.
Word-by-word analysis· 8 words
רַבַּת֮manyAdj · רַב (H7227)Nominal (subject, object, or apposition)רַב (H7227) 'many'.
שָֽׂבְעָהand be satisfiedQal perf 3fs · שָׂבַע (H7646)Predicate verb (qatal)→ Perfective: a completed actשָׂבַע (H7646) 'and be satisfied'.
לָּ֪הּto herprep + sfx 3fsParticle or relational elementFunction word: 'to her'.
נַ֫פְשֵׁ֥נוּour lifeN c · נֶפֶשׁ (H5315)Construct chain (genitival)נֶפֶשׁ (H5315) 'our life'.
הַלַּ֥עַגandart + N com m sg abs · לַעַג (H3933)Nominal (subject, object, or apposition)לַעַג (H3933) 'and'.
הַשַּׁאֲנַנִּ֑יםandart + Adj · שַׁאֲנָן (H7600)Nominal (subject, object, or apposition)שַׁאֲנָן (H7600) 'and'.
הַ֝בּ֗וּזa laughingstockart + N com m sg abs · בּוּז (H937)Nominal (subject, object, or apposition)בּוּז (H937) 'a laughingstock'.
לִגְאֵ֥יוֹנִֽיםtoprep + Adj · גַּאֲיוֹן (H1349)Nominal (subject, object, or apposition)גַּאֲיוֹן (H1349) 'to'.