If you can take time to read the following, I think you might agree that using recurrence as a means of deciding the higher level subdivisions of a longish psalm is helpful. Smaller tables make it very easy to see the patterns. Verses 8-15 are a surprise to me but I suspect that for the long psalms I will see more of these patterns if I persevere in using the measuring rod I have. And I think it is likely that I am also seeing the inner workings of the poetic mind of 2500 years ago. So scan the psalm and glance at the patterns in the tables that follow.
Ashamed and your righteousness frame the poem as a whole. The content of the poem divides into 4 groups.
Verses 1-7: the poet expresses confidence to יְהוָה - this section is framed by refuge
Verses 8-15: framed by mouth and praise
Verses 16-18: framed by come and valour
Verses 19-24: framed by righteousness
Personally, I think recurrence is more objective than either parallelism or prosody in determining larger structures. For the tools see here.
Psalm 71 - the declarations of youth and age
בְּךָ יְהוָה חָסִיתִי אַל אֵבוֹשָׁה לְעוֹלָם | 1 | In you יְהוָה I take refuge I will never be ashamed |
בְּצִדְקָתְךָ תַּצִּילֵנִי וּתְפַלְּטֵנִי הַטֵּה אֵלַי אָזְנְךָ וְהוֹשִׁיעֵנִי | 2 | In your righteousness you will deliver me and you will secure me Incline to me your ear and save me |
הֱיֵה לִי לְצוּר מָעוֹן לָבוֹא תָּמִיד צִוִּיתָ לְהוֹשִׁיעֵנִי כִּי סַלְעִי וּמְצוּדָתִי אָתָּה | 3 | be to me a rock a habitation to go to continually you have commanded that I be saved for my cliff and my fortress you are |
אֱלֹהַי פַּלְּטֵנִי מִיַּד רָשָׁע מִכַּף מְעַוֵּל וְחוֹמֵץ | 4 | O my God secure me from the hand of the wicked from the palm from an unjust and sour person |
כִּי אַתָּה תִקְוָתִי אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה מִבְטַחִי מִנְּעוּרָי | 5 | for you I wait O Lord יְהוָה from my trust from my youth |
עָלֶיךָ נִסְמַכְתִּי מִבֶּטֶן מִמְּעֵי אִמִּי אַתָּה גוֹזִי בְּךָ תְהִלָּתִי תָמִיד | 6 | by you I have been supported from the belly from the inner parts of my mother you yourself severed me in you is my praise continually |
כְּמוֹפֵת הָיִיתִי לְרַבִּים וְאַתָּה מַחֲסִי עֹז | 7 | I have become as a portent to many for you are my strong refuge |
יִמָּלֵא פִי תְּהִלָּתֶךָ כָּל הַיּוֹם תִּפְאַרְתֶּךָ | 8 | let my mouth be filled with your praise every day your adornment |
אַל תַּשְׁלִיכֵנִי לְעֵת זִקְנָה כִּכְלוֹת כֹּחִי אַל תַּעַזְבֵנִי | 9 | do not cast me off in the time of old age when my power is consumed do not forsake me |
כִּי אָמְרוּ אוֹיְבַי לִי וְשֹׁמְרֵי נַפְשִׁי נוֹעֲצוּ יַחְדָּו | 10 | for my enemies say of me and watching for my being they conspire as one |
לֵאמֹר אֱלֹהִים עֲזָבוֹ רִדְפוּ וְתִפְשׂוּהוּ כִּי אֵין מַצִּיל | 11 | saying God has forsaken him pursue him and arrest him for there is none to deliver |
אֱלֹהִים אַל תִּרְחַק מִמֶּנִּי אֱלֹהַי לְעֶזְרָתִי חוּשָׁה | 12 | And your righteousness O God is to the heights Who has done great things O God? Who is like you |
יֵבֹשׁוּ יִכְלוּ שֹׂטְנֵי נַפְשִׁי יַעֲטוּ חֶרְפָּה וּכְלִמָּה מְבַקְשֵׁי רָעָתִי | 13 | Let the accusers of my being be ashamed and consumed let them wrap themselves with reproach and humiliation from seeking my hurt |
וַאֲנִי תָּמִיד אֲיַחֵל וְהוֹסַפְתִּי עַל כָּל תְּהִלָּתֶךָ | 14 | but I continually will hope and I will repeatedly add to all your praises |
פִּי יְסַפֵּר צִדְקָתֶךָ כָּל הַיּוֹם תְּשׁוּעָתֶךָ כִּי לֹא יָדַעְתִּי סְפֹרוֹת | 15 | my mouth will recount your righteousness every day your salvation for I do not know the counts |
אָבוֹא בִּגְבֻרוֹת אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה אַזְכִּיר צִדְקָתְךָ לְבַדֶּךָ | 16 | I will go in valour O Lord יְהוָה I will remember your righteousness yours alone |
אֱלֹהִים לִמַּדְתַּנִי מִנְּעוּרָי וְעַד הֵנָּה אַגִּיד נִפְלְאוֹתֶיךָ | 17 | O God you have taught me from my youth and till now I have announced your wonderful works |
וְגַם עַד זִקְנָה וְשֵׂיבָה אֱלֹהִים אַל תַּעַזְבֵנִי עַד אַגִּיד זְרוֹעֲךָ לְדוֹר לְכָל יָבוֹא גְּבוּרָתֶךָ | 18 | and even to old age and grey haired O God do not forsake me till I have announced your arm to a generation to all who come, your valour |
וְצִדְקָתְךָ אֱלֹהִים עַד מָרוֹם אֲשֶׁר עָשִׂיתָ גְדֹלוֹת אֱלֹהִים מִי כָמוֹךָ | 19 | And your righteousness O God is to the heights Who has done great things O God? Who is like you |
אֲשֶׁר הִרְאִיתַנִי צָרוֹת רַבּוֹת וְרָעוֹת תָּשׁוּב תְּחַיֵּנִי וּמִתְּהֹמוֹת הָאָרֶץ תָּשׁוּב תַּעֲלֵנִי | 20 | who showed me many and evil troubles you will turn and give me life and from the abysses of the earth! You will turn and make me ascend |
תֶּרֶב גְּדֻלָּתִי וְתִסֹּב תְּנַחֲמֵנִי | 21 | you will increase my greatness and you will surround and comfort me |
גַּם אֲנִי אוֹדְךָ בִכְלִי נֶבֶל אֲמִתְּךָ אֱלֹהָי אֲזַמְּרָה לְךָ בְכִנּוֹר קְדוֹשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל | 22 | Also I, I will give thanks to you in this instrument of skin in your truth O my God I will sing a psalm to you on a harp the Holy One of Israel |
תְּרַנֵּנָּה שְׂפָתַי כִּי אֲזַמְּרָה לָּךְ וְנַפְשִׁי אֲשֶׁר פָּדִיתָ | 23 | My lips will shout for joy for I will sing a psalm to you and my being which you have ransomed |
גַּם לְשׁוֹנִי כָּל הַיּוֹם תֶּהְגֶּה צִדְקָתֶךָ כִּי בֹשׁוּ כִי חָפְרוּ מְבַקְשֵׁי רָעָתִי | 24 | even my tongue every day will meditate on your righteousness for they are shamed for they are disappointed from seeking my hurt |
Notes by verse
| 4 | the repeated from (mem) in verses 4 to 6 is accurate as to sound and structure. |
| 16 | I have chosen words related to valiant, valour, and prevail for all words with the root גבר |
| 22 | skin נבל (nbl) as instrument,I chose lute (also could be guitar, psaltery, etc), but here it seems like a joke, meaning the foolishness of the not senseless (נבל) skin of the poet, i.e. the instrument that is the body itself. |
Selected recurring words (1-7)
| Word and gloss * first usage | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | Vs | Root |
בך in you | ░ | 1 | בך | ||||||
חסיתי I take refuge | ░ | 1 | חסה | ||||||
ותפלטני and you will secure me | ░ | 2 | פלט | ||||||
והושׁיעני and save me | ░ | 2 | ישׁע | ||||||
היה be | ░ | 3 | היה | ||||||
תמיד continually | ░ | 3 | תמיד | ||||||
להושׁיעני that I be saved | ░ | 3 | ישׁע | ||||||
אתה you are | ░ | 3 | אתה | ||||||
פלטני secure me | ░ | 4 | פלט | ||||||
אתה you are | ░ | 5 | אתה | ||||||
אתה you yourself | ░ | 6 | אתה | ||||||
בך in you | ░ | 6 | בך | ||||||
תמיד continually | ░ | 6 | תמיד | ||||||
הייתי I have become | ░ | 7 | היה | ||||||
ואתה for you | ░ | 7 | אתה | ||||||
מחסי are my refuge | ░ | 7 | חסה |
Selected recurring words (8-15)
| Word and gloss * first usage | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Vs | Root |
פי my mouth | ░ | 8 | פה | ||||||||
תהלתך your praise | ░ | 8 | הלל | ||||||||
כל every | ░ | 8 | כל | ||||||||
היום day | ░ | 8 | יום | ||||||||
ככלות when is consumed | ░ | 9 | כלה | ||||||||
תעזבני do forsake be | ░ | 9 | עזב | ||||||||
אמרו say | ░ | 10 | אמר | ||||||||
נפשׁי my being | ░ | 10 | נפשׁ | ||||||||
לאמר saying | ░ | 11 | אמר | ||||||||
עזבו has forsaken him | ░ | 11 | עזב | ||||||||
יכלו and consumed | ░ | 13 | כלה | ||||||||
נפשׁי my being | ░ | 13 | נפשׁ | ||||||||
כל all | ░ | 14 | כל | ||||||||
תהלתך your praises | ░ | 14 | הלל | ||||||||
פי my mouth | ░ | 15 | פה | ||||||||
יספר will recount | ░ | 15 | ספר | ||||||||
כל every | ░ | 15 | כל | ||||||||
היום day | ░ | 15 | יום | ||||||||
ספרות the counts | ░ | 15 | ספר |
Selected recurring words (16-18)
| Word and gloss * first usage | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Vs | Root |
אבוא I will go | ░ | 16 | בוא | |||
בגברות in valour | ░ | 16 | גבר | |||
ועד and till | ░ | 17 | עד | |||
אגיד I have announced | ░ | 17 | נגד | |||
עד to | ░ | 18 | עד | |||
עד till | ░ | 18 | עד | |||
אגיד I have announced | ░ | 18 | נגד | |||
יבוא who come | ░ | 18 | בוא | |||
גבורתך your valour | ░ | 18 | גבר |
Selected recurring words (19-24)
| Word and gloss * first usage | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | Vs | Root |
וצדקתך and your righteousness | ░ | 19 | צדק | |||||||
אשׁר who | ░ | 19 | אשׁר | |||||||
גדלות great things | ░ | 19 | גדל | |||||||
אשׁר who | ░ | 20 | אשׁר | |||||||
ורעות and evil | ░ | 20 | רע | |||||||
תשׁוב you will turn | ░ | 20 | שׁוב | |||||||
תשׁוב you will turn | ░ | 20 | שׁוב | |||||||
גדלתי my greatness | ░ | 21 | גדל | |||||||
גם also | ░ | 22 | גם | |||||||
אזמרה I will sing a psalm | ░ | 22 | זמר | |||||||
לך to you | ░ | 22 | לך | |||||||
אזמרה I will sing a psalm | ░ | 23 | זמר | |||||||
לך to you | ░ | 23 | לך | |||||||
אשׁר which | ░ | 23 | אשׁר | |||||||
גם even | ░ | 24 | גם | |||||||
צדקתך your righteousness | ░ | 24 | צדק | |||||||
רעתי my hurt | ░ | 24 | רע |
