Read Psalm 119 at Bible Gateway.
psalm 119 introduction 2014 sep 29
psalm 119:1-16 chiastic structure 2014 sep 30
psalm 119:17-32 chiastic structure 2014 oct 01
psalm 119:33-48 chiastic structure 2014 oct 02
psalm 119:49-64 reverse parallelism 2014 oct 03
psalm 119:65-72 reverse parallelism 2014 oct 20
psalm 119:73-80 reverse parallelism 2014 oct 21
psalm 119:81-88 reverse parallelism 2014 oct 22
psalm 119:89-96 reverse parallelism 2014 oct 23
psalm 119:97-104 reverse parallelism 2014 oct 24
psalm 119:105-112 chiastic structure 2014 oct 27
psalm 119:113-120 chiastic structure 2014 oct 28
psalm 119:121-128 reverse parallelism 2014 oct 29
psalm 119:129-136 chiastic structure 2014 oct 30
psalm 119:137-144 chiastic structure 2014 oct 31
The qoph stanza is from vs. 145-152; the resh stanza is from vs. 153-160. I found amazing parallels between these two stanzas with four themes that repeat in different ways:
theme 1) Psa 119:145-149a, My cry before the Lord reverse parallelism:
1a) Psa 119:145-146, I cry out/ hear me + save me/ I will keep Your statutes + testimonies:
145, I cry out with my whole heart; Hear me, O Lord! I will keep Your statutes;
146, I cry out to You; Save me, and I will keep Your testimonies;
1b) Psa 119:147, I rise before the dawning of the morning, and cry for help; I hope in Your word;
2b) Psa 119:148, My eyes are awake through the night watches, that I may meditate on Your word;
2a) Psa 119:149a, Hear my voice according to Your lovingkindness;
theme 2) Psa 119:149b, O Lord, revive me according to Your justice;
theme 3) Psa 119:150-151a, Near/ far contrast chiastic structure:
1a) Psa 119:150a, They draw near who follow after wickedness;
central axis) Psa 119:150b, They are far from Your law;
2b) Psa 119:151a, You are near, O Lord;
theme 4) Psa 119:151b-152, Truth + eternity of the Lord’s commandments:
151b, And all Your commandments are truth;
152, Concerning Your testimonies, I have known of old that You have founded them forever. {p}
themes 1-3) Psa 119:153-159a, Chiastic structure incorporating themes 1-3:
1a) Psa 119:153, Consider my affliction and deliver me, for I do not forget Your law; (theme 1)
1b) Psa 119:154, Plead my cause and redeem me; revive me according to Your word; (theme 2)
central axis) Psa 119:155, Salvation is far from the wicked, for they do not seek Your statutes; (theme 3)
2b) Psa 119:156, Great are Your tender mercies, O Lord; revive me according to Your judgments; (theme 2)
2a) Psa 119:157-159a, Consider my love/ I do not turn from Your testimonies but they turn: (theme 1)
157, Many are my persecutors and my enemies, yet I do not turn from Your testimonies;
158, I see the treacherous, and am disgusted, because they do not keep Your word; (repeat)
159a, Consider how I love Your precepts;
theme 2) Psa 119:159b, Revive me, O Lord, according to Your lovingkindness;
theme 4) Psa 119:160, The entirety of Your word is truth, and every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever. {p}
There may be other patterns that I am not yet wise enough to discover. Several things struck me about this pattern. First, that the 4th theme, the truthfulness and eternal nature of the Lord’s word, commandments, testimonies, and judgments, serve as the concluding foundation for each stanza.
Second, concerning theme 3, in the qoph stanza, the wicked draw near but the Lord is already near; i.e., they may try to come close to me, but the Lord is closer still. Also, in the qoph stanza, the wicked are far from His law (torah), and in the resh stanza, as if to say, in turn, salvation is far from the wicked.
Finally, in the resh stanza, the chiastic structure incorporating themes 1-3, the A pair itself, if put next to each other, seems to form its own chiastic structure:
1a) Psa 119:153a, Consider my affliction and deliver me;
1b) Psa 119:153b, For I do not forget Your law;
1c) Psa 119:157a, Many are my persecutors and my enemies;
central axis) Psa 119:157b, Yet I do not turn from Your testimonies;
2c) Psa 119:158a, I see the treacherous, and am disgusted;
2b) Psa 119:158b, Because they do not keep Your word;
2a) Psa 119:159a, Consider how I love Your precepts.
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