Two blogs in the top 50

Amazing - two of my blogs in the top 50 (Biblioblogs)- and I haven't posted on this one for 3 months. Thank you- readers. Feel free to comment and criticize. (with relevance please)

I am updating these translations (a little) as I search sequentially through the psalter for a framework.

The psalm translations are also emerging side by side with Hebrew text and automated transliteration and periodic summaries here.

If you are reading on Bob's Log and enjoy the challenge of matching the Hebrew sparseness with English sparseness, please join me on this rapid read over three months through the psalter, frame by frame.

Thinking more about macro structure

I have been working gradually through the psalms in sequence - up to Psalm 29. see (here for the evolving structural map). A structure in a document happens when verbal relationships are found both in sequence and recurring deliberately in a form that allows for conceptual summation or recapitulation or emphasis.

When the recurrence is of the form a-b-a-b, it is a parallel sequence. If of the form a-b-b-a, the sequence is called chiastic. If of the form a-b-c...c-b-a, it is called circular or concentric or ring. Psalm 51 contains a ring of depth 4.

Chiasm is named after the Greek letter Chi. The Chi can be seen if the second half of the structure is written below the first and the related letters joined to each other a-a and b-b.

a-b
X
b-a

Clearly, a concentric structure is a chiasm of depth more than 2, but the letter chi is no longer seen so clearly - the name is abandoned in favour of the drawing of circles to connect recurring words or concepts in the text. The structure is a ring if the circles don't intersect. Structures can be mapped at the micro level and the macro level. So ABBA is a word with a chiasm - and it is easily seen that it is also a palidrome. It reads the same forwards as backwards. The opening of Psalm 1 contains a grammatical chiasm based on word order verb-noun phrase/noun phrase-verb. Such parallels are primarily for disambiguation or confirming the meaning of the passage, and repetition for effect, usually to bring about 'hearing' in the conversation.

It is possible but becomes increasingly subjective, to find conceptual parallels and circles within poems and groups of poems. In modern hymn books, seasonal and subject oriented hymns are grouped so you are not likely to find hymns on the subject of Christmas at both the beginning and at the end of the book. Moderns just don't do completeness this way. It is not our signature. It is often, however, the signature of a story teller, or a poet with a purpose. The books of the Bible do appear to show these larger structures - and that is the question of my current research in the Psalter - does it show such structures and thus convince us of the coherence and completeness of its 'storyline'?

In the psalms up to Psalm 29, I have identified 9 categories and I have a tenth labeled ?

These are in the image: Torah, Royal, Personal, Penitential, Acrostics, Miktamim, Maskilim, Prayer, and double.

Clearly there are more on the surface - from the labels, Song, Do not Destroy, Author attribution, etc. There is also a super-macro structure on the use of the names for the divine actor. This is shown in the structural map as the central Elohistic Psalter. In the table of contents, the graph at the bottom shows why the structure is evident.

Thus it is obvious by extension that key terminology could also contribute to structure mapping. So at the bottom of some of my detailed translations, you may find a list of where a word in that Psalm is used in the rest of the Psalter.

But my 9 or 10 columns betray an analytical problem - they are of different categories themselves and many psalms must belong to more than one. So which will rule as the structural element when more than one is evident? E.g. Psalms 9-10 are a Royal Acrostic. And Psalm 24 exhibits both Torah and Royal aspects. I would see these as deliberate overlaps - allowing our analysis and refusing its over-simplification at one and the same time. So Psalm 6 reflects a personal rebuke at the voice or silence of יְהוָה but it is also the first of the seven penitential psalms. (The first occurence of mercy is in psalm 5.) So the categories are not exclusive and they are an attempt at reductionism! Who wants to reduce the relationship to God to a soundbite?

Here is a summary by psalm to psalm 29:

Just for the moment considering only Psalms 1-29 - how many differing themes emerge in these psalms?

Psalm --1 Torah Wicked Psalm 1 introduces at least 2 themes: the way of Torah and the way of the wicked. Psalm 1,2, and 149 recognize groups of people without circumscribing their overlap or their separation: the wicked, sinners, the scornful, the righteous, the 'saints' (those who have received covenant mercy = chasidim, חֲסִידִים ), the poor, the congregation, the children of Zion, the kings.

Psalm --2 Royal Psalm 2 introduces the anointed king. There are two ways to look at the designation Royal: the psalms related to royal functions in Israel, and the psalms related to יְהוָה as King. I have one connection on the diagram but two columns here to see if these should be divided.

Psalm --3, 4, 5 Personal Psalms 3, 4, and 5 all represent individual psalms expressing parts of the dialogue with יְהוָה. One could think of it as the introduction to the changes of mind that come with reflection on the covenant promises and the confidence that comes as a result.

Psalm --6 Penitential Psalm 6 is the response to a rebuke from יְהוָה. There is a hint of rebuke in Psalm 4, but it is too brief to sink in. Psalm 38 is a reminder of Psalm 6. Psalm 6 is traditionally seen as the first of the 7 penitential psalms.

Psalm --7 Wicked Having seen the first rebuke, Psalm 7 returns to the issue of the wicked. Include in this group Psalms 11, 37, and 149 though the histogram of wickedness is more pervasive.

Psalm --8 Royal Psalm 8 doesn't look very directly 'royal' but it does let יְהוָה give the human, the child of the dust rule תַּמְשִׁילֵהוּ over creation.

Psalm --9-10 Royal Acrostic There is a considerable seriousness to the beginning of the Psalter. Now we get to play as well with our first acrostic.

Psalm -11 Wicked Like Psalm 7, Psalm 11 foreshadows hell and the judgment of the wicked. Let this not be trivialized, God's interest in the wicked extends to their redemption and the ambivalence of the psalmist over who is the subject of the suffering is clear. (How can ambivalence be clear?)

Psalm -12 Torah It includes the recognition that mercy (חסד) is not a property of the children of dust.

Psalm -13 Personal There is a common change of heart in the Psalmist as the dialogue progresses. In this case just before the last three sentences, the prayer is answered and the prayer's confidence returns. Does the bounty of יְהוָה suggest Psalm 139?

Psalm -14 Maskil A double of 53 - but not itself a Maskil - perhaps it too early to introduce insight. Such must wait till the great penitential Psalm 51 is read.

Psalm -15 Torah With 24 and 1 and 119, a Torah stream.

Psalm -16 Miktam

Psalm -17 Prayer

Psalm -18 Royal A psalm of completeness. A theophany.

Psalm -19 Torah Of instruction from nature and from God.

Psalm -20 Royal Prayer for the king - answer in 21.

Psalm -21 Royal Psalm 21 like 102 plays on presence. The answer to prayer is in the face of God.

Psalm -22 Personal Following 21 - this is a remarkable statement: so distant from my salvation

Psalm -23 Personal The first note about shepherd.

Psalm -24 Torah Royal This psalm has elements of both Torah acceptance and the kingship of יְהוָה. As such, it links themes from Psalm 1 and the hints of יְהוָה's kingship not yet developed in the Psalter until we come to the cluster in 96-99.

Psalm -25 Personal Acrostic - also dependent on God for direction, so Torah related.

Psalm -26 Personal - walk in hope, sure of completeness in יְהוָה

Psalm -27 Personal Treasure in the presence of trouble.

Psalm -28 Personal The personal often borders on the Royal because of the presence of David or his descendant as the anointed.

Psalm -29 Royal Voice - If there is structure in the Psalter, then this sudden emphasis on the voice of יְהוָה appearing here for the first time needs some explication. (The word also is significant in Psalm 77 where is occurs twice as 'my voice' and twice as 'the voice of יְהוָה'.)

Numeric architecture of the Psalms

This is a curious coincidence for me. I am not really interested in arbitrary mathematical analysis, but it is a plausible literary technique. I am not really interested but I did colour every verset and every psalm and every group of psalms - every part and even the whole - in my colorful portrait using colour values derived by gematria (calculated by an expression in the diagram at publishing time and mapped to the 16 million colours available for display.)

Casper Labuschagne, the writer of this introduction and the linked pdf's writes about things that are not difficult to verify by observation. He writes about

• observable words, using the same working definition that I independently incorporated into my keyword algorithms.
• the meaningful centre of the text - an idea that others confirm though they do not always arrive at the same centre.
• the observed architecture as 'a reminiscence of a compositional technique'.

Poets typically do have a compositional technique - except in the 20th century. They set challenges for themselves to form their message into a frame that speaks in its own way - and in some senses is a poetic signature. Why not so much more those poets who have to form the Word of God to them on behalf of others - the generation yet to come?

- Why not discipline yourself, Bob! and stop blathering on with formless abandon. Did I not give you something to say?

- Yes Love, but I must find words, as you commanded.

Seriously, Beloved, I have no intention of counting words, as if that would help my limited expressiveness.

Here for example are some testable (but not without effort) claims:

In order to draw attention to the meaningful arithmetic centre of a poem, the authors used a number of clever scribal devices to highlight and emphasize that centre.
1) In a great number of psalms it appears that they did so by means of a sudden switch from one form of address to another, usually from the 2nd to the 3rd person or vice versa. In other words, they positioned the arithmetic centre at the boundary of two forms of address. For examples, see Ps. 6, 7, 12, 16, 21-23, 25, 27, 28, 30, 34, 40.
2) Another highlighting device used was the exceptional form of the arithmetic centre, e.g. its relatively shortness, as in the case of Psalm 92 (for which see my Numerical Secrets of the Bible, p. 134), or its unique syntactical structure, as in Psalm 58 – see Observation 2 in my Analysis of Psalm 58 - or the centre being a refrain, as in the case of Psalms 56 and 59 – see my Analyses of these psalms.
3) Another significant highlighting technique was to structure a series of occurrences of the name YHWH in such a way that the middle instance falls precisely within the centre of the text. See, e.g., Observation 3 in the Analysis of Psalms 11, Observation 4 in the Analyses of Psalm 12 and 13 respectively, Observation 1 in that of Psalm 30, Observation 2 in that of Psalm 40.
4) As in the case of the divine name, I have detected a considerable number of instances of an important key-word in the text being positioned exactly within the arithmetic centre, obviously in order to highlight and emphasize its significance. See e.g. Ps. 33, 35, 37, 51, 52, and 57.
5) A very popular technique was to let the arithmetic centre on word level coincide with the middle colon, bicolon or entire verseline. For a clear example - which can easily be multiplied - see my Analysis of Psalm 37, "Specific features of Psalm 37", and Observation 1, where several highlighting techniques are used simultaneously.
6) Some psalms, divide into two arithmetically equal halves: Psalms 6, 12, 20, 35, 79, 90, 91, 121, and 139. In these cases, the meaningful centre is situated either at the end of the first half, or at the beginning of the second half, as is clearly the case in the alphabetic acrostics. Psalm 92 is a special case: it has its meaningful centre in a separate verse between the two equal halves of 7 verselines and 52 words each.
It is intriguing to note that in four of these psalms the two halves have identical compositional formulae in terms of the atnach (Psalms 6, 20, 79 and 121 – compare also Psalms 12 and 90!).

I will hold my fire - but I think some experiments within the database are called for.

Regrettably, the very first test fails. There are by my count 28 occurrences of אַשְׁרֵי, not 26 as his article claims (but 3 are translated steps rather than happy - leaving us one short!).

They are:

Psalm --1 א Happy the man who אַשְׁרֵי הָאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר
Psalm --2 יב Happy אַשְׁרֵי
Psalm -17 ה my steps אֲשֻׁרַי
Psalm -32 א happy אַשְׁרֵי
Psalm -32 ב happy אַשְׁרֵי
Psalm -33 יב happy אַשְׁרֵי
Psalm -34 ט happy אַשְׁרֵי
Psalm -40 ג my steps אֲשֻׁרָי
Psalm -40 ה happy אַשְׁרֵי
Psalm -41 ב happy אַשְׁרֵי
Psalm -65 ה Happy אַשְׁרֵי
Psalm -73 ב my steps אֲשֻׁרָי
Psalm -84 ה Happy אַשְׁרֵי
Psalm -84 יג happy אַשְׁרֵי
Psalm -84 ו Happy אַשְׁרֵי
Psalm -89 יד Happy אַשְׁרֵי
Psalm -94 יב Happy אַשְׁרֵי
Psalm 106 ג happy אַשְׁרֵי
Psalm 112 א a happy man אַשְׁרֵי אִישׁ
Psalm 119-A-H א All joy for אַשְׁרֵי
Psalm 119-A-H ב All joy for אַשְׁרֵי
Psalm 127 ה happy is אַשְׁרֵי
Psalm 128 א Happy אַשְׁרֵי
Psalm 137 ח happy אַשְׁרֵי
Psalm 137 ט happy אַשְׁרֵי
Psalm 144 יד happy אַשְׁרֵי
Psalm 144 יד happy אַשְׁרֵי
Psalm 146 ה happy who has the God אַשְׁרֵי שֶׁאֵל

Another test: Psalm 144: the important key-word אַשְׁרֵי ‘happy’, occurs twice at the end of the psalm (vs. 15a and 15b). Its numerical value (52) determines the number of words in vs. 3-9.

And what is the word count between verses 3 to 9? - Yes it is 52. But why these verses?

Psalm 144 ג LORD what is this humus יְהוָה מָה אָדָם
that you know it וַתֵּדָעֵהוּ
the children of humanity בֶּן אֱנוֹשׁ
that you value them וַתְּחַשְּׁבֵהוּ
ד the human אָדָם
like a wind לַהֶבֶל
it is דָּמָה
its days יָמָיו
as a shadow כְּצֵל
passing away עוֹבֵר
ה LORD יְהוָה
spread out the heavens הַט שָׁמֶיךָ
and you will come down וְתֵרֵד
Touch גַּע
hills בֶּהָרִים
and they will smoke וְיֶעֱשָׁנוּ
ו Strike בְּרוֹק
lightning בָּרָק
and you will scatter them וּתְפִיצֵם
let loose שְׁלַח
your arrows חִצֶּיךָ
and you will trouble them וּתְהֻמֵּם
ז let loose שְׁלַח
your hands יָדֶיךָ
from above מִמָּרוֹם
Set me free פְּצֵנִי
and rescue me וְהַצִּילֵנִי
from the great seas מִמַּיִם רַבִּים
from the hand of מִיַּד
the children of בְּנֵי
the alien נֵכָר
ח whose אֲשֶׁר
mouths פִּיהֶם
speak emptiness דִּבֶּר שָׁוְא
and their right hand וִימִינָם
a right hand of יְמִין
falsehood שָׁקֶר
ט O God a song אֱלֹהִים שִׁיר
that is new חָדָשׁ
I will sing אָשִׁירָה
to you לָּךְ
on lute בְּנֵבֶל
a ten-stringed harp עָשׂוֹר
I will make music to you אֲזַמְּרָה לָּךְ

More on structure

The structure map has refined itself a bit [update - much more]. The beginning and ending clusters have each lost a member - making their pillars just a bit smaller. 6 and 143 are traditionally part of the 7 penitential psalms (7, 32, 38, 51, 102, 130, and 143). This aspect of form in the psalter has been known for so long that I can hardly ignore it.

I have also added the traditional overlaps. So there are 7 columns Torah, Royal, Acrostics, Penitential, Maskilim, and Miktamim. The overlap between categories is shown by various colour connectors.

I see I have a few psalms that are not in a column - next version will deal with that...

Structure getting more complex to see

Write me an essay on this. I have added the maskilim and moved the miktamim to the right. Several more pillars have appeared. We have 7 at the moment: the opening and closing personal Davidic clusters, the Hallel at the end of the Psalter, the groups of adjacent maskilim and miktamim, the historical group, the royal group 96-99. You can't hold up a cathedral with 7 pillars - I think there are three more, maybe 5 more, likely at least 1 more. Maybe the Do Not Destroy group is the Altar in this building.

Structural Map with Royal psalms outlined

I have updated my structural map of the psalter to show the Royal psalms identified in the last post.

What is the theme of the psalter?

Richard has posed a quote from Cole on the theme of the psalter. Much as I have benefited from Cole's paper on psalms 1, 2 and 149, I think that a single word can sum up the theme of the psalter: praise.

Why do I pick this one word? Because of the cumulative weighting of praise (הַלְל) in Book 5 as the chart on the left shows. One could also read into the weighting of forever in book 5, לְעוֹלָם - so there it is - praise for ever. I expect that תהלים, the name for the Psalms that is traditional in Hebrew thought, comes from similar observation. Psalm 22:3 captures it also: יוֹשֵׁב תְּהִלּוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל - enthroned on the praises of Israel. John Hobbins has a nice expansion on the word praise here.

Eventually, I want to move from the multi-thematic frequently used words of the Psalter to this single aspect of praise. How does such a theme arise out of a long and tortuous tradition and an equally long and fractious history? How does it unify the movement from the wicked to the saints exemplified by the plural of Psalm 1 and the judgment of the plural חֲסִידִים in Psalm 149? This word is usually rendered as saints - but it is like its root, chesed, untranslatable. It means those to whom God has shown his chesed or those who are under God's protection, in this case loving kindness or mercy as shown through the covenant. (Lots of words for one word!)

We have seen the words that suggest to us that there are many themes in the Psalter: Whether it is the 8 repeated words of Psalm 119 that expand on the nurturing love of God for each individual and for the chosen, or whether it is the promise of covenant and the lament at its difficulty that pervades books 1 to 3, it is clear that enemies, troubles, sins, and failures, mercy, delight, and joy of the people - both chosen and otherwise - provide the context in which faith and trust in God's instruction are expressed.

I want also to return to my first questions on this blog over two years ago: why it is that there is no trumping of tradition by the words of Jesus in the letter to the Hebrews? Rather the tradition itself speaks of the anointing of the people and of the embodied dialogue of God with his equally concrete chosen anointed from the beginning, in the record of their lives and in the life of the nation.

Distribution of the top 12 (3)

Better finish - Some more from psalm 2 - Goy (psalm 9) and Earth (psalm 105 still in first draft).





Now what about the poor and needy - maybe later - I am not sure the algorithm is close and it is nearly supper time.

'Good' and 'hear' are also future candidates - but particularly the refuge/trust axis must be done. Saved for later...

Here are two graphs in 2 dimensions - easier to read... iniquity (psalm 36) and soul (psalm 35).

Distribution of the top 12 (2)

Now moving to psalm 2 and picking up a few of the high usage words. Here I will have trouble with 'trust' for this is a major word in the Psalms, but my algorithm cannot see it since so many letters of the root are dropped in the word as written. E.g. in the text of psalm 2 we have חֹוסֵי and in the text of psalm 5 we have the same, but the 'root' is חסה. Find that one with a computer! There is a vav added and an ה removed. Back to work on verbs! Or back to trying to figure out when a vav is a mater. Similar problem with anointed...

So the heavens figure in four psalms - 57, 89, 115 (still in first draft), 148 (where there are 5 not 4 - must have missed one - ah construct form!). I already had to code an exception to the rule-sequence for this word - hopefully I won't have to code 1000 exceptions!

Holy gets a lot of hits and a focus in psalm 89. Face or presence has a focus in psalm 68 - but there are false hits which include the connector PN = lest or if.

It is still an interesting experiment.

Distribution of the top 12 of content

The prior post shows what one would expect - the great 8 words of psalm 119 are used in other psalms but to a lesser extent. The frequency of some is greater than that of others - like Torah (Teaching) is less used than Dabar (word) - but in some cases, my graph may not distinguish verb from noun and in some cases it might - so it is all a bit of a vague feeling towards the language in terms of common usage of words.

Now this post will look at words that capture the content of the Psalter: I have picked heaven and earth, mercy, injustice, wicked, righteous, face/presence, life/soul, the poor, the king, hearing, and good. The question is - is there one psalm that focuses any of these words - thus showing them to be a particular theme of the psalter?

Here are the high usage words from Psalm 1 in reverse order: wicked, sinner, delight, righteous.

Note that psalm 37 focuses the righteous and the wicked. Psalm 51 captures both delight and sin.

Distribution of the great 8

The great 8 are on the right - law or instruction, testimony, promise, precept, statute, commandment, judgment, word.

About 18 months ago, I counted them. I hope the counts are the same this time. (Hours later - after many refinements ...)

The sequence of rules is sensitive and I just came across the problem of root letters missing from the word on the page. I see no immediate solution but to code some individual exceptions until I figure out when to insert an 'H' or whatever is needed. In this case the example is mitsvot - which drops the H from tsvh.

It is a near impossibility to code such a rule. How do we do it! By applying several rules concurrently and then choosing the most likely. Too much for me at the moment.

Where the wild words are

What words are most frequent in the vocabulary of the Psalms? What is their distribution over the Psalter?

These two questions are of somewhat limited interest - but could be fun in learning the frequently used words.

This is a limited and not necessarily 100% true result since my 'root recognition algorithm' is still in its infancy. (There are definitely some false hits! - I will keep the selects so I can see if the root algorithm improves in the next 6 months.)

Here are the top 38 records. In my next 2 posts, I will show charts of the distribution of the great 8 from psalm 119 and of other high content words like: wicked, righteous, enemy, sin, earth, heaven, king, etc.

I see I have a few exceptions to the rules to code - proper names like יִשְׂרָאֵל and such and regular plurals (like מִשָּׁמַיִם - heavens!) that are probably not in the root table I have.

It is a bit of an accident that psalms 14 and 53 turn up so often! They happen to be the last two that I split into separate diagrams so the highly frequent words are used in both these diagrams.

יי is used 691 times, for example, see Psalm -14 verse ז the LORD יְהוָה
כי is used 446 times, for example, see Psalm -53 verse ו for כִּי
אלה is used 358 times, for example, see Psalm -53 verse ז God אֱלֹהִים
כל is used 340 times, for example, see Psalm -14 verse ד all כָּל
על is used 334 times, for example, see Psalm -53 verse ג at the children of dust עַל בְּנֵי אָדָם
לא is used 324 times, for example, see Psalm -53 verse ו Not there לֹא הָיָה
אל is used 271 times, for example, see Psalm -39 verse ט you will not make me אַל תְּשִׂימֵנִי
שׁם is used 200 times, for example, see Psalm -53 verse ו There שָׁם
עם is used 189 times, for example, see Psalm -53 verse ז his people עַמּוֹ
ארץ is used 186 times, for example, see Psalm 105 verse יא the land of Canaan אֶת אֶרֶץ כְּנָעַן
את is used 155 times, for example, see Psalm -53 verse ג God אֶת אֱלֹהִים
עד is used 154 times, for example, see Psalm 119-K-* verse קכה your testimonies עֵדֹתֶיךָ
דבר is used 150 times, for example, see Psalm 103 verse כ his word דְּבָרוֹ
לי is used 149 times, for example, see Psalm 144 verse ב of me for me deliverer וּמְפַלְטִי לִי
חסד is used 148 times, for example, see Psalm 119-K-* verse קכד according to your mercy כְחַסְדֶּךָ
פן is used 139 times, for example, see Psalm 147 verse יז in the face of לִפְנֵי
נפשׁ is used 137 times, for example, see Psalm 103 verse כב my being נַפְשִׁי
עשׁ is used 134 times, for example, see Psalm -53 verse ד doing good עֹשֵׂה טוֹב
אשׁר is used 133 times, for example, see Psalm 148 verse ד which אֲשֶׁר
עול is used 128 times, for example, see Psalm -53 verse ב injustice עָוֶל
אתה is used 117 times, for example, see Psalm -76 verse ח even you אַתָּה
לך is used 113 times, for example, see Psalm -40 verse ו to you אֵלֶיךָ
מים is used 106 times, for example, see Psalm -53 verse ג from the heavens מִשָּׁמַיִם
אמר is used 105 times, for example, see Psalm -53 verse ב Said אָמַר
ען is used 94 times, for example, see Psalm -14 verse ו Advice of the poor עֲצַת עָנִי
שׁפט is used 93 times, for example, see Psalm 119-K-* verse קכא judgment מִשְׁפָּט
ישׁר is used 93 times, for example, see Psalm -53 verse ז Israel יִשְׂרָאֵל
דוד is used 90 times, for example, see Psalm -53 verse א of David לְדָוִד
רשׁע is used 89 times, for example, see Psalm 125 verse ג the wicked הָרֶשַׁע
צדק is used 87 times, for example, see Psalm 119-K-* verse קכא and righteousness וָצֶדֶק
מלך is used 86 times, for example, see Psalm 103 verse יט and his kingdom וּמַלְכוּתוֹ
רב is used 82 times, for example, see Psalm 123 verse ד Exceeding רַבַּת
יה is used 82 times, for example, see Psalm 122 verse ד tribes of the LORD שִׁבְטֵי יָהּ
ים is used 81 times, for example, see Psalm 103 verse יד his days יָמָיו
שׁמע is used 76 times, for example, see Psalm 103 verse כ hearing לִשְׁמֹעַ
אני is used 76 times, for example, see Psalm 119-K-* verse קכה I am your servant עַבְדְּךָ אָנִי
מי is used 76 times, for example, see Psalm -53 verse ז Let מִי
טוב is used 76 times, for example, see Psalm -53 verse ד doing good עֹשֵׂה טוֹב

Here are the same 38 chosen from the earliest diagrams that I created.

יי is used 691 times, for example, see Psalm 145 verse ג the LORD יְהוָה
כי is used 446 times, for example, see Psalm --1 verse ב In this case כִּי אִם
אלה is used 358 times, for example, see Psalm 138 verse א before gods נֶגֶד אֱלֹהִים
כל is used 340 times, for example, see Psalm 145 verse ב in every day בְּכָל-יוֹם
על is used 334 times, for example, see Psalm 145 verse ט over all his works עַל-כָּל-מַעֲשָׂיו
לא is used 324 times, for example, see Psalm --1 verse א has not walked לֹא הָלַךְ
אל is used 271 times, for example, see Psalm 138 verse ב to your holy temple אֶל-הֵיכַל קָדְשְׁךָ
שׁם is used 200 times, for example, see Psalm 145 verse א your name שִׁמְךָ
עם is used 189 times, for example, see Psalm 145 verse יט and will save them וְיוֹשִׁיעֵם
ארץ is used 186 times, for example, see Psalm 138 verse ד all kings of earth כָּל-מַלְכֵי-אָרֶץ
את is used 155 times, for example, see Psalm 145 verse יד their food אֶת-אָכְלָם
עד is used 154 times, for example, see Psalm 145 verse א and ever וָעֶד
דבר is used 150 times, for example, see Psalm 145 verse ה I speak וְדִבְרֵי
לי is used 149 times, for example, see Psalm --2 verse ז said to me אָמַר אֵלַי
חסד is used 148 times, for example, see Psalm 145 verse ח and of great kindness וּגְדָל-חָסֶד
פן is used 139 times, for example, see Psalm --3 verse א the face of מִפְּנֵי
נפשׁ is used 137 times, for example, see Psalm 138 verse ג in my life בְנַפְשִׁי
עשׁ is used 134 times, for example, see Psalm 145 verse ד your works מַעֲשֶׂיךָ
אשׁר is used 133 times, for example, see Psalm 145 verse יח to all who לְכֹל אֲשֶׁר
עול is used 128 times, for example, see Psalm 145 verse א always לְעוֹלָם
אתה is used 117 times, for example, see Psalm 145 verse יד and you וְאַתָּה
לך is used 113 times, for example, see Psalm 145 verse יד to you אֵלֶיךָ
מים is used 106 times, for example, see Psalm --1 verse ג by streams of water עַל-פַּלְגֵי-מָיִם
אמר is used 105 times, for example, see Psalm 145 verse ו they will speak יֹאמֵרוּ
ען is used 94 times, for example, see Psalm -23 verse ב on account of his name לְמַעַן שְׁמוֹ
שׁפט is used 93 times, for example, see Psalm --1 verse ה in the judgment בַּמִּשְׁפָּט
ישׁר is used 93 times, for example, see Psalm -46 verse י He burns יִשְׂרֹף
דוד is used 90 times, for example, see Psalm 145 verse א of David לְדָוִד
רשׁע is used 89 times, for example, see Psalm 145 verse כ all the wicked כָּל-הָרְשָׁעִים
צדק is used 87 times, for example, see Psalm 145 verse ז and of your righteousness וְצִדְקָתְךָ
מלך is used 86 times, for example, see Psalm 145 verse א the king הַמֶּלֶךְ
רב is used 82 times, for example, see Psalm 145 verse ז your abundant-goodness רַב-טוּבְךָ
יה is used 82 times, for example, see Psalm -23 verse ד my vessel is full כּוֹסִי רְוָיָה
ים is used 81 times, for example, see Psalm -23 verse ו for long days לְאֹרֶךְ יָמִים
שׁמע is used 76 times, for example, see Psalm 145 verse יט he will hear יִשְׁמַע
אני is used 76 times, for example, see Psalm --3 verse ו I אֲנִי
מי is used 76 times, for example, see Psalm -23 verse א by waters at rest עַל-מֵי מְנֻחוֹת
טוב is used 76 times, for example, see Psalm 145 verse ז your abundant-goodness רַב-טוּבְךָ

Another image of globular structures in the psalter

Here's the next stage of the image of the psalter as I translate a second time striving to see if there are shapes in the vagueness of my understanding.

Note the overall beginning and end: 1-2 / 149

then the cluster of personal psalms after the opening bracket and before the closing one

then individual psalms 8 and 144 following each personal cluster and related by the question - what is man?

then the pillars surrounding the Elohist Psalter

then groups of psalms related to Instruction 1, 15, 19, 24, 119

then the acrostics - in books I and V only

then the miktamim, a single psalm 16 and a sequence of 5 56-60 and the do not destroy, 3 of the 5 and a single psalm 75

then Wilson's suggested: "Royal Covenantal Frame" 2, 72, 89, and 144, and a "Final Wisdom Frame," 1, 73, 90, 107, and 145 (the first psalms of Books I, III, IV, and V, along with the final psalm of Book V proper).

finally (so far) psalms 103-106 - the one and the many in the created and redeemed order.

Sketch of structure

Beginning to sketch a structural map. Anyone who sees good structural ideas in papers on psalms - please let me know.

Update: added the acrostics - the next set of obvious connections - though each of them is unique. Around these markers do you think the remaining psalms will form recognizable patterns?

Posts with somewhat smoothed translations

It is still a long road to fluency but I search out the psalms for a more fluent English which can perhaps depend less on Hebrew word order and the enigmatic presence of the text of two languages - fun though that is.

These are the posts so far in the series:
Psalm 1, 2, and 149 The outer circle
Psalm 3, 4, 5 A left buttress for Psalm 6
Psalm 6 and 143 An inner circle
Psalm 140, 141, 142 A left buttress for Psalm 143
Psalm 42 and 86 Surrounding the Elohist Psalter

So it seems to me that there is a circular structure to the Psalter - with some eccentricity. The next pairing is Psalm 8 with 144. Psalm 144 also picks up themes from 40 and 90. Psalms 145-148, 150 provide completion on other grounds - of acrostic and praise. Psalm 7 is a trickier piece to place - unique as a reel (שִׁגָּיוֹן shiggaion), potentially in agreement with the wicked falling into their own net image of Psalm 141 - but with reservation as to who the subject of that verb is in Psalm 7. It is sufficiently ambiguous that it is feasible that God falls into the net that the wicked have set.

Addendum: why pair 144 with 8? - because 144:3 invokes it directly. Then 144 drags in 40-45-58-90 which by my rough measure are strongly related - scoring > 3.5 in my sounds-like measurement. Another set of pillars? Don't know yet.
Update - links to these psalms:
Psalm 7
Psalm 139
Psalm 8
Psalm 144

Psalm 111 Countess Mary Herbert Pembroke - comparing notes

הַלְלוּ-יָהּ אוֹדֶה יְהוָה, בְּכָל-לֵבָב בְּסוֹד יְשָׁרִים וְעֵדָה	1 Hallelujah. I will thank יְהוָה with a whole heart, in the council of the upright, and assembly.	1: At home, abroad most willingly I will 2: Bestow on God my praises uttmost skill:
גְּדֹלִים, מַעֲשֵׂי יְהוָה דְּרוּשִׁים, לְכָל-חֶפְצֵיהֶם	2 Great are the works of יְהוָה, sought of all that delight in them.	3: Chaunting his workes, workes of unmatched might, 4: Deem'd so by them, who in their search delight.
הוֹד-וְהָדָר פָּעֳלוֹ וְצִדְקָתוֹ, עֹמֶדֶת לָעַד	3 Splendor and majesty his doing; and his righteousness stands in perpetuity.	5: Endlesse the honor to his powre pertaines: 6: From end as farre his justice eake remaines,
זֵכֶר עָשָׂה, לְנִפְלְאוֹתָיו חַנּוּן וְרַחוּם יְהוָה	4 He makes present his wonderful works; gracious and compassionate is יְהוָה.	7: Gratious and good and working wonders soe 8: His wonders never can forgotten goe.
טֶרֶף, נָתַן לִירֵאָיו יִזְכֹּר לְעוֹלָם בְּרִיתוֹ	5 Food he gives to those fearing him; he makes present for ever his covenant.	9: In hungry waste he fedd his faithful Crue, 10: Keeping his league, and still in promise true.
כֹּחַ מַעֲשָׂיו, הִגִּיד לְעַמּוֹ לָתֵת לָהֶם, נַחֲלַת גּוֹיִם	6 The power of his works he reveals to his people, in giving them the heritage of the nations.	11: Lastly his strength he caus'd them understand, 12: Making them lords of all the heathens land.
מַעֲשֵׂי יָדָיו, אֱמֶת וּמִשְׁפָּט נֶאֱמָנִים, כָּל-פִּקּוּדָיו	7 The works of his hands are truth and judgment; faithful are all his precepts,	13: Now what could more each promise, doome, decree, 14: Of him confirme sure, just, unmov'd to be!
סְמוּכִים לָעַד לְעוֹלָם עֲשׂוּיִם, בֶּאֱמֶת וְיָשָׁר	8 Established in perpetuity and for ever, worked in truth and uprightness.	15: Preserv'd his folk, his league eternall fram'd: 16: Quake then with feare when holy he is nam'd.
פְּדוּת, שָׁלַח לְעַמּוֹ צִוָּה-לְעוֹלָם בְּרִיתוֹ קָדוֹשׁ וְנוֹרָא שְׁמוֹ	9 Redemption he sent to his people; he commands his covenant for ever; Holy and fearful is his name.	17: Reverence of him is Perfect wisdoms well: 18: Stand in his lawe, so understand you well.
רֵאשִׁית חָכְמָה, יִרְאַת יְהוָה שֵׂכֶל טוֹב, לְכָל-עֹשֵׂיהֶם תְּהִלָּתוֹ, עֹמֶדֶת לָעַד	10 The beginning of wisdom is the fear of יְהוָה; a good intelligence to all in their working; his praise stands in perpetuity.	19: The praise of him (though wicked hartes repine) 20: Unbounded bides, noe time can it define.

The circle of Elohim

Psalms 42 and 86 surround those psalms that use Elohim more than they use the Name as a designation for God. As I did this I realized that switching from David to Korah is quite a task - and there are significant differences in the refrain in Psalm 42 - is it my face that God saves or his presence - his face - just a yod or a vav difference.

I have used 'One' where 'El' rather than 'Elohim' occurs. I would like a better distinction - but I think it better to distinguish than to say God in both cases. Note the three times where it occurs. Is it a mark of tenderness? Why is this poem a maskil?

For the leader, an insight of the children of Korah

As a hart longs for streams of water
so my being longs for you, O God
thirsts my being for God, for the One living
When will I go in and see the presence of God?

So for me my tears, as bread day and night,
in saying to me every day, where is your God?
Such I remember as I pour out within me my being
for I go under cover

I led them to the house of God
with a voice of a loud cry and thanksgiving
a tumult of festival

Why be depressed, O my being, and murmur in me?
wait in God for yet I will thank him
for the deliverance of his presence

O my God, in me my being is depressed
therefore I will remember you
from the land of Jordan
from the Hermons
even from a small hill

Depth to depth calling to the voice of your waterspouts
All your breakers, and your waves have passed over me

By day יְהוָה will command his loving kindness
and in the night his song to me
is a prayer to the One of my life

I will say to the One, my fortress, why have you forgotten me?
why mourning do I exist under an oppressive enemy?
with a sword in my bones, my reproach, my distress?
in saying to me every day, where is your God?

Why be depressed, O my being, and why murmur in me?
wait in God for yet I will thank him
for deliverance in my presence and my God.

Psalm -86
A prayer Of David

Stretch יְהוָה your ear and answer me
for I am afflicted
and in need am I
Guard my being for under your protection am I
save your servant
you, my God, the one trusting in you
have mercy on me, O Lord
for to you I cry every day

Rejoice the being of your servant
for to you, O Lord, my being I lift up
for you, O Lord, are good
and forgiving and great in loving kindness
to all calling on you

Listen יְהוָה to my prayer
and attend to the voice of my supplication
In the day of my distress I will call on you
for you will answer me
there is none like you among the gods
O Lord, and there is nothing like your works

All nations whom you made will come
and worship in your presence, O Lord
and glorify your name
for you are great and do wonders
you O God, you alone

Instruct me יְהוָה your way
I will walk in your truth
make one my heart to fear your name
I will thank you, O Lord my God with all my heart
and I will glorify your name for ever
for your loving kindness is great to me
and you have delivered my being from Sheol's nether parts

O God the proud rise up against me
and an assembly of violent ones seek my being
and not do they set you before them
but you O Lord God are compassionate and gracious
slow to anger and full of loving kindness and truth

look to me and have mercy on me
give your strength to your servant
and salvation to the child of your truth
make for me a sign of good
and those hating me will see and be ashamed
for you יְהוָה have helped me and comforted me.

The next circle

True to my prior post on the second great circle, I will attempt a patterned translation of Psalms 3-5 then to follow, Psalms 6, 42, 86, and 143. These represent personal psalms, the personal encircled by the promise in the first great circle (1,2,149). In the following psalms, I use יְהוָה for the Name. 'The Name' does not work as vocative. Read aloud substituting Hashem or Adonai or O Lord / Lord / the Lord or whatever is your own practice.

Again there is deliberate play on the many and the one, who now takes on additional properties - beloved, righteous, reserved.

There are many verbal connections in the Psalms 3-5 with Psalms 1,2 and 149. I hope you can hear them in the English. They are in the Hebrew but not explicit with respect to sound in any translation I have yet seen. So in translation philosophies, I advocate a pattern matching approach.

A Psalm of David, when he fled from the face of Absalom his son.

יְהוָה, how many my straits!

Many rising against me

Many saying of my life

'There is no victory for him in God'

Selah

But you, יְהוָה, a shield about me

my glory, and raising my head

My voice, to יְהוָה I call

and he answers me

from the hill of his holiness

Selah

I lie down, and I sleep

I awake, for יְהוָה sustains me

I am not afraid of the many many people

surrounding, set against me

Arise, יְהוָה

save me, my God

for you strike all my enemies on the cheek

teeth of the many wicked broken

To יְהוָה is victory

To your people your blessing

Selah

For the leader with strings A Psalm of David

When I call answer me

my God my upright

In straits you have made room for me

Be compassionate and hear my prayer

My human child, how long will you insult my glory?

your loving on empty? your seeking a lie?

Selah

Now set down this: יְהוָה reserved

the beloved as his own

יְהוָה will hear when I call to him
Tremble and do not be missing the goal

speak with your heart

on your bed and be still

Selah

Offer offerings of righteousness

and trust in יְהוָה

Many say who will show us good?

Prove to us the light of your face יְהוָה!

You have put joy in my heart

more than when their grain

and their new wine increased

In peace as one I will lie down and sleep

for you יְהוָה in solitude in safety make me live

For the leader On the flutes A Psalm of David

To my words give ear יְהוָה

Discern my meditation

Listen to the voice of my cry
my king and my God

for to you I pray

יְהוָה, morning will hear my voice

Morning I will set forth to you

and I will be observant

For you are not a God of pleasure in wickedness

You do not entertain evil

Boasters have no station before your eyes

You hate all workers of trouble

You will destroy speakers of a lie

A man of blood and deceit you will abhor, יְהוָה

But I, in the greatness of your loving kindness
will enter your house

I will adore in your holy temple
in your fear
יְהוָה lead me in your righteousness

on account of my watchers
straight in my face be your way

For there is no stability in their mouth

their belly is a chasm

an open sepulcher their neck

their tongue deceives

Declare them guilty O God

let them lie by their devices

in their many faults banish them

for they rebelled against you

And they will rejoice

All those under your protection through the age

They will cry aloud and you will be cover to them

and they will exult in you

loving your name

For you will bless a righteous one יְהוָה

with a thorn of approval you will crown him