Psalm 123 Chiastic structure

Read Psalm 123 at Bible Gateway.

Psalm 123 Chiastic structure.

123:- A Song of Ascents. {n}

1A) 123:1-2C You who are ENTHRONED in the heavens;

1a) 123:1a Unto You I lift up my eyes;
central axis) 123:1b O You who are enthroned in the heavens;
2a) 123:2a-c Behold, as the eyes of servants unto the hand of their master, {n} 2b As the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress; {n} 2c So our eyes look unto YHVH our God;

1B) 123:2D Until He is GRACIOUS TO US;

2B) 123:3A Be GRACIOUS TO US, O YHVH, be GRACIOUS TO US;

2A) 123:3B-4 The proud who LIFT THEMSELVES UP;

1a) 123:3b For we are fully sated;
1b) 123:3c With contempt;
2a) 123:4a Our soul is fully sated; {n}
2b) 123:4b With the scorning of those who are at ease, and with the contempt of the proud oppressors. {p}

Psa 123:1 “Enthroned” is Strong’s H3427  to sit down,  ישב  yashab.

yud י = closed hand, thus work, throw, worship
shin ש = two front teeth, thus sharp, press, eat, two, again
bet ב = house, thus house, household, family, in, within

When work (yud) is ended, we press (shin) into the house (bet), to sit down at the end of our day of labor. Psa 123: 1 means, YHVH sits down (on His throne implied) in the heavens, His dwelling place.

Psa 123:4 “Proud oppressors” is a phrase in Hebrew, “the arrogant proud who oppress.” The three Hebrew words forming the phrase are:

1) Strong’s H1349 ga’ayown, an adjective meaning “arrogant;” from Strong’s H1342 to lift oneself up, גאה ga’ah.

gimel ג = foot, thus foot, walk, gather
aleph א = ox head, thus strength, power, leader
hey ה = man w/ raised arms, thus look, reveal, wonder, worship, breath

The story: To lift (gimel, i.e. something is lifted so that it can be carried by walking to another place) strongly (aleph) on high (hey, as the man’s upraised arms are held aloft).

2) Strong’s H1343 ge’eh, a concrete noun meaning, “the proud one;” from Strong’s H1342 to lift oneself up, גאה ga’ah, the same as above.

3) Strong’s H3238 to oppress, ינה yanah.

yud י = closed hand, thus work, throw, worship
nun נ ן = seed, thus continue, heir, son
hey ה = man w/ raised arms, thus look, reveal, wonder, worship, breath

The root of “oppress” is found in the nun + hey pair: prolonged (nun, in the sense of continuing) emotion (hey, in the sense of a sharp or long intake of breath, or rapid or deep breathing indicating deep emotion); thus to mourn, to wail. “To oppress” is to enclose (yud) a man so that he becomes distressed (nun + hey).

The A pair matches through its verbs of exaltation. YHVH is enthroned in the heavens, exalted; the arrogant proud lift themselves up. YHVH on His throne, however, exercises grace, while the arrogant proud exercise oppression, scorn, contempt.

Be surety for Your servant for good; do not let the proud oppress me. Psa 119:122.

And He will deliver!