Sunday, January 11, 2009

Rarely used words in the Psalter - 11

Psalm 8, 81, and 84 are for a particular instrument, the גתית. At the wine-presses, or to the tune wine-press, or on an instrument named after the wine-press. I am sorry I somehow missed the wine-press imagery. I have no idea where my first title came from - while musing! That shows how important it is to make notes! [I think I found it - another unrelated musical instrument might relate to musing - in earlier days I can imagine getting confused over these strange words.]

What, I wonder, would give these three psalms this shared title?

Words in this psalm that are unique in the psalter: nurselings, ינק,
your splendor chanted above the heavens
by the mouth of children and nurselings

flock, צנא, (the more common words for flock or sheep are צאן, כשב, שה). It looks like this word which occurs only twice in the Bible is a misprint fro (sorry, I mean 'for') the more common word. (Ed. Bob how could you suggest such a thing!)

cattle
, אלף, and fish דג. The other word for fish (דגה) is also used just once in the Psalter (Psalm 105:29).

flock and cattle, all of them and more
beasts of the field, bird of the heavens
and fish of the sea traversing seaways

So fish are rare in the Psalms. But the seas are plentiful.

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