Hebrew Text · Translation · Interlinear · Discourse Structure

The Book of Psalms, Chapter 131תהלים 131

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 131 (3 verses in the MT) opens: [A Song of degrees of David.] YHWH, my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty: neither do I exercise myself in great matters, or in things too high for me. The middle of the chapter continues: Surely I have behaved and quieted myself, as a child that is weaned of his mother: my soul even as a weaned child. It closes: Let Israel hope in YHWH from henceforth and for ever.

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 131 comprises 3 verses in MT order. Movement I (vv. 1-3) — [A Song of degrees of David. [A Song of degrees of David.] YHWH, my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty: neither do I exercise myself in great matters, or in things too high for me. Surely I have behaved and quieted myself, as a child that is weaned of his mother: my soul even as a weaned child. Let Israel hope in YHWH from henceforth and for ever. Where English printed Bibles divide verses differently, this annotation follows MT versification throughout.

1

שִׁ֥יר הַֽמַּֽעֲל֗וֹת לְדָ֫וִ֥ד יְהוָ֤ה לֹא גָבַ֣הּ לִ֭בִּי וְלֹא רָמ֣וּ עֵינַ֑י וְלֹֽא הִלַּ֓כְתִּי בִּגְדֹל֖וֹת וּבְנִפְלָא֣וֹת מִמֶּֽנִּי

[A Song of degrees of David.] YHWH, my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty: neither do I exercise myself in great matters, or in things too high for me.

Qatal — perfective or stative predicationasyndeton
Asyndeton: no clause-level wə. Qatal — perfective or stative predication. Opens the chapter.
Word-by-word analysis· 15 words
שִׁ֥ירa songN c · שִׁירָה (H7892)Construct chain (genitival)שִׁירָה (H7892) 'a song'.
הַֽמַּֽעֲל֗וֹתby stepsart + N com f pl abs · מַעֲלָה (H4609)Nominal (subject, object, or apposition)מַעֲלָה (H4609) 'by steps'.
לְדָ֫וִ֥דtoprep + N proper · דָּוִד (H1732)Nominal (subject, object, or apposition)דָּוִד (H1732) 'to'.
יְהוָ֤הYHWHN · יְהוָה (H3068)Nominal (subject, object, or apposition)יְהוָה (H3068) 'YHWH'.
לֹאnotneg. · לֹא (H3808)Particle or relational elementלֹא (H3808) 'not'.
גָבַ֣הּandQal perf 3ms · גָּבַהּ (H1361)Predicate verb (qatal)→ Perfective: a completed actגָּבַהּ (H1361) 'and'.
לִ֭בִּיmy heartN c · לֵב (H3820)Construct chain (genitival)לֵב (H3820) 'my heart'.
וְלֹאand notconj וְ + neg. · לֹא (H3808)Particle or relational elementלֹא (H3808) 'and not'.
רָמ֣וּand tallQal perf 3cp · רוּם (H7311)Predicate verb (qatal)→ Perfective: a completed actרוּם (H7311) 'and tall'.
עֵינַ֑יthe eyes ofN c · עַיִן (H5869)Construct chain (genitival)עַיִן (H5869) 'the eyes of'.
וְלֹֽאand notconj וְ + neg. · לֹא (H3808)Particle or relational elementלֹא (H3808) 'and not'.
הִלַּ֓כְתִּיI wentPiel perf 1cs · הָלַךְ (H1980)Predicate verb (qatal)→ Perfective: a completed actהָלַךְ (H1980) 'I went'.
בִּגְדֹל֖וֹתgreatprep + Adj · גָּדוֹל (H1419)Nominal (subject, object, or apposition)גָּדוֹל (H1419) 'great'.
וּבְנִפְלָא֣וֹתto fulfillconj וְ + prep + Niphal ptc fp · פָּלָא (H6381)Participle→ Participle: attendant circumstance or substantival actorפָּלָא (H6381) 'to fulfill'.
מִמֶּֽנִּיfrom meprep + sfx 1cs · מִן (H4480)Particle or relational elementמִן (H4480) 'from me'.
2

אִם לֹ֤א שִׁוִּ֨יתִי וְדוֹמַ֗מְתִּי נַ֫פְשִׁ֥י כְּ֭גָמֻל עֲלֵ֣י אִמּ֑וֹ כַּגָּמֻ֖ל עָלַ֣י נַפְשִֽׁי

Surely I have behaved and quieted myself, as a child that is weaned of his mother: my soul even as a weaned child.

Qatal — perfective or stative predicationʼim
Conditional ʼim. Qatal — perfective or stative predication. Lead predicate is 'avail'.
Word-by-word analysis· 11 words
אִםifconj וְ · אִם (H518)Particle or relational elementאִם (H518) 'if'.
לֹ֤אnotneg. · לֹא (H3808)Particle or relational elementלֹא (H3808) 'not'.
שִׁוִּ֨יתִיavailPiel perf 1cs · שָׁוָה (H7737)Predicate verb (qatal)→ Perfective: a completed actשָׁוָה (H7737) 'avail'.
וְדוֹמַ֗מְתִּיthey are stillconj וְ + Polel perf 1cs · דָּמַם (H1826)Predicate verb (qatal)→ Perfective: a completed actדָּמַם (H1826) 'they are still'.
נַ֫פְשִׁ֥יmy soulN c · נֶפֶשׁ (H5315)Construct chain (genitival)נֶפֶשׁ (H5315) 'my soul'.
כְּ֭גָמֻלdo you repayprep + Qal ptc ms · גָּמַל (H1580)Participle→ Participle: attendant circumstance or substantival actorגָּמַל (H1580) 'do you repay'.
עֲלֵ֣יagainst meprep · עַל (H5921)Particle or relational elementעַל (H5921) 'against me'.
אִמּ֑וֹhis motherN c · אֵם (H517)Construct chain (genitival)אֵם (H517) 'his mother'.
כַּגָּמֻ֖לdo you repayprep + art + Qal ptc ms · גָּמַל (H1580)Participle→ Participle: attendant circumstance or substantival actorגָּמַל (H1580) 'do you repay'.
עָלַ֣יagainst meprep + sfx 1cs · עַל (H5921)Particle or relational elementעַל (H5921) 'against me'.
נַפְשִֽׁיmy soulN c · נֶפֶשׁ (H5315)Construct chain (genitival)נֶפֶשׁ (H5315) 'my soul'.
3

יַחֵ֣ל יִ֭שְׂרָאֵל אֶל יְהוָ֑ה מֵֽ֝עַתָּ֗ה וְעַד עוֹלָֽם

Let Israel hope in YHWH from henceforth and for ever.

Imperative — volitional addresswə
wə-chaining from the preceding clause. Imperative — volitional address. Lead predicate is 'and he waited'. Closes the chapter.
Word-by-word analysis· 7 words
יַחֵ֣לand he waitedPiel impv 2ms · יָחַל (H3176)Predicate verb (imperative)→ Volitional: imperativeיָחַל (H3176) 'and he waited'.
יִ֭שְׂרָאֵלIsraelN · יִשְׂרָאֵל (H3478)Nominal (subject, object, or apposition)יִשְׂרָאֵל (H3478) 'Israel'.
אֶלtoprep · אֶל (H413)Particle or relational elementאֶל (H413) 'to'.
יְהוָ֑הYHWHN · יְהוָה (H3068)Nominal (subject, object, or apposition)יְהוָה (H3068) 'YHWH'.
מֵֽ֝עַתָּ֗הand nowprep + art · עַתָּה (H6258)Particle or relational elementעַתָּה (H6258) 'and now'.
וְעַדand toconj וְ + prep · עַד (H5704)Particle or relational elementעַד (H5704) 'and to'.
עוֹלָֽםperpetuityN c · עוֹלָם (H5769)Construct chain (genitival)עוֹלָם (H5769) 'perpetuity'.