Lowth on Acrostics #1

I should have started my studies 60 years ago instead of whenever. The world is a product of random choices. I came across this comment almost by accident in Legaspi's dissertation on Lowth.

Lowth identifies twelve such acrostics in the Hebrew Bible, three of which are “perfectly” alphabetical, having twenty-two lines that each begin with successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet (Psalms 111 and 112; Lamentations 2), and nine in which stanzas rather than lines begin with successive letters (Psalms 25, 34, 38, 119, 145; Proverbs 31:10 –31; Lamentations 1, 3, 4). In these poems, the structural principle is evident: each unit corresponds to a Hebrew letter. More important is the observation that the units are built from discrete lines “remarkably equal to one another in length,” or from stanzas that are made up of two, three, or four lines. In either case, the compact poetic line is the essential building block. Poetic lines can vary in length, being either short or long, but within compositions, they do not vary; “the Lines have the same congruity one with another in matter and form.”

Having studied the 13 acrostics, I am intrigued by the last line and wonder just how the 'congruence' can be measured. The thirteenth, not counted by Lowth according to this treatise of Legaspi'  is the pair of Psalms 9 and 10. The 7 poems preceding the 9 acrostics in the Psalter are in a chiastic relationship to each other. 8 and 144 preceding the first and last acrostics share two contrasting versions of the human and are in chiasm with 36 and 110, the two oracles in the Psalter, preceding the last acrostic of book 1 and the first of book 5.

So how would one measure these, especially considering that every acrostic in Book 1 is flawed, and every one in Book 4 is complete. And the four in Lamentations reverse two of the letters (peh and ayin).

Here is Psalms 111 - to start with an easy one. My syllable counts are 19, 16, 16, 16, 15, 19, 18, 17, 22, 25 for a total of 183. (The software counts them and it is not perfect. You can count them from the music also.) 

It's very clear we should give due weight to the revia in the final tricola. My software does not observe this pause, but singers would as a matter of course. [It's safe to say that not all revia in prose or poetry behave so strongly.]

הַ֥לְלוּ־יָ֨הּ ׀ אוֹדֶ֣ה יְ֭הוָה בְּכָל־לֵבָ֑ב בְּס֖וֹד יְשָׁרִ֣ים וְעֵדָֽה		1 ♪f Hallelu Yah. I will thank Yahweh with a whole heart, Before the council of the upright, and assembly.
a hllu-ih aodh ihvh bcl-lbb bsod iwrim vydh	11 8	hll\v ih av/dh ihvh b/cl lbb b/svd iwr\im v/ydh
גְּ֭דֹלִים מַעֲשֵׂ֣י יְהוָ֑ה דְּ֝רוּשִׁ֗ים לְכָל־חֶפְצֵיהֶֽם		2 ♪g Great are the deeds of Yahweh, Delight of all who search them out.
b gdolim mywi ihvh druwim lcl-kpxihm	8 8	gdl\im m/yw\i ihvh drvw\im l/cl kpx\ihm
הוֹד־וְהָדָ֥ר פָּֽעֳל֑וֹ וְ֝צִדְקָת֗וֹ עֹמֶ֥דֶת לָעַֽד		3 Honour and splendour his work, Verily his righteousness stands for ever.
g hod-vhdr poylo vxdqto yomdt lyd	7 9	hvd v/hdr pyl\v v/xdq\tv ymd\t l/yd
זֵ֣כֶר עָ֭שָׂה לְנִפְלְאֹתָ֑יו חַנּ֖וּן וְרַח֣וּם יְהוָֽה		4 ♪B Zoomed in to memory makes he his wonderful works, How gracious and compassionate is Yahweh.
d zcr ywh lnplaotiv knun vrkum ihvh	9 7	zcr ywh ln/pla\vtiv knvn v/rkvm ihvh
טֶ֭רֶף נָתַ֣ן לִֽירֵאָ֑יו יִזְכֹּ֖ר לְעוֹלָ֣ם בְּרִיתֽוֹ		5 ♪g To those who fear him he gives prey, Yea, he remembers forever his covenant.
h 'trf ntn liraiv izcor lyolm brito	7 8	'trp ntn l/ira\iv i/zcr l/yvlm brit\v
כֹּ֣חַ מַ֭עֲשָׂיו הִגִּ֣יד לְעַמּ֑וֹ לָתֵ֥ת לָ֝הֶ֗ם נַחֲלַ֥ת גּוֹיִֽם		6 ♪B Known to his people is the power of his deeds, Letting them have the heritage of the nations.
v cok mywiv hgid lymo ltt lhm nklt goiim	10 9	ck m/yw\iv h/gd l/ym\v l/tt l/hm nkl\t gvi\m
מַעֲשֵׂ֣י יָ֭דָיו אֱמֶ֣ת וּמִשְׁפָּ֑ט נֶ֝אֱמָנִ֗ים כָּל־פִּקּוּדָֽיו		7 Mark the deeds of his hands: truth and judgment, Near and faithful are all his precepts,
z mywi idiv amt umwp't namnim cl-piqudiv	10 8	m/yw\i id\iv amt vm/wp't n/amn\im cl pqvd\iv
סְמוּכִ֣ים לָעַ֣ד לְעוֹלָ֑ם עֲ֝שׂוּיִ֗ם בֶּאֱמֶ֥ת וְיָשָֽׁר		8 Supported for ever, forever, All done in truth and upright.
k smucim lyd lyolm ywuiim bamt viwr	8 9	smvc\im l/yd l/yvlm yw\vim b/amt v/iwr
פְּד֤וּת ׀ שָׁ֘לַ֤ח לְעַמּ֗וֹ צִוָּֽה־לְעוֹלָ֥ם בְּרִית֑וֹ קָד֖וֹשׁ וְנוֹרָ֣א שְׁמֽוֹ		9 Purchase price he has sent to his people, So he commands his covenant forever, Quite holy and fearful his name.
't pdut wlk lymo xivvh-lyolm brito qdow vnora wmo	15 7	pd\vt wlk l/ym\v xvh l/yvlm brit\v qdw vnv/ra wm\v
רֵ֘אשִׁ֤ית חָכְמָ֨ה ׀ יִרְאַ֬ת יְהוָ֗ה שֵׂ֣כֶל ט֭וֹב לְכָל־עֹשֵׂיהֶ֑ם תְּ֝הִלָּת֗וֹ עֹמֶ֥דֶת לָעַֽד		10 ♪~ Right at the beginning of wisdom is the fear of Yahweh, Surely a good insight for all doing them, To stand his praise for ever.
i rawit kcmh irat ihvh wcl 'tob lcl-ywihm thilto yomdt lyd	16 9	raw\it kcm\h ira\t ihvh wcl 'tvb l/cl ywh\m t/hl\tv ymd\t l/yd

Psalms 111 is about Yahweh. Psalms 112 is about the the one who fears Yahweh.  

One can see how the one is the image of the other. Both these psalms reflect the glory and are a celebration of Psalms 110. This is not a hoped-for Messianic psalm, but a hoped for imitation of Yahweh by the people who know about sharing the characteristics of Yahweh. You might well ask, Does Yahweh fear Yahweh?

Psalms 112 has syllable counts of 19, 16, 16, 17, 16, 15, 17, 15, 23, 23 for a total of 177. In both poems, the dominant line length is 8 +/- 1 syllables. (My counts are likely short by 1 for hllu. I think the schwa should be an open syllable rather than closing the first syllable. One day maybe I will get around to coding that exception.)

 

הַ֥לְלוּ־יָ֨הּ ׀ אַשְׁרֵי־אִ֭ישׁ יָרֵ֣א אֶת־יְהוָ֑ה בְּ֝מִצְוֺתָ֗יו חָפֵ֥ץ מְאֹֽד		1 ♪f Hallelu Yah. A happy person fears Yahweh. By his commandments he has much delight.
a hllu-ih awri-aiw ira at-ihvh bmxvotiv kpx maod	11 8	hll\v ih awr\i aiw ira at ihvh bm/xv\tiv kpx mad
גִּבּ֣וֹר בָּ֭אָרֶץ יִהְיֶ֣ה זַרְע֑וֹ דּ֭וֹר יְשָׁרִ֣ים יְבֹרָֽךְ		2 Grandly valiant in the earth will be his seed. Days of the upright will be blessed.
b gibor barx ihih zryo dor iwrim iborç	9 7	gbr b/arx i/hih zry\v dvr iwr\im i/brc
הוֹן־וָעֹ֥שֶׁר בְּבֵית֑וֹ וְ֝צִדְקָת֗וֹ עֹמֶ֥דֶת לָעַֽד		3 High value and riches are in his house. Verily his righteousness stands for ever.
g hon-vyowr bbito vxdqto yomdt lyd	7 9	hvn v/ywr b/bit\v v/xdq\tv ymd\t l/yd
זָ֘רַ֤ח בַּחֹ֣שֶׁךְ א֭וֹר לַיְשָׁרִ֑ים חַנּ֖וּן וְרַח֣וּם וְצַדִּֽיק		4 ♪~ Zenith-bearing in the darkness there is light to the upright. He is gracious and compassionate and righteous.
d zrk bkowç aor liwrim knun vrkum vxdiq	9 8	zrk b/kwc avr l/iwr\im knvn v/rkvm v/xdiq
טֽוֹב־אִ֭ישׁ חוֹנֵ֣ן וּמַלְוֶ֑ה יְכַלְכֵּ֖ל דְּבָרָ֣יו בְּמִשְׁפָּֽט		5 This is a good person, gracious and lending. Yea, he will rein in his words with judgment.
h 'tob-aiw konn umlvvh iclcl dbriv bmwp't	7 9	'tvb aiw kvnn vm/lvh icl/cl dbr\iv bm/wp't
כִּֽי־לְעוֹלָ֥ם לֹא־יִמּ֑וֹט לְזֵ֥כֶר ע֝וֹלָ֗ם יִהְיֶ֥ה צַדִּֽיק		6 Causing him never to be moved. Lasting forever in memory is one who is righteous.
v ci-lyolm la-iimo't lzcr yolm ihih xdiq	6 9	ci l/yvlm la i/mv't l/zcr yvlm i/hih xdiq
מִשְּׁמוּעָ֣ה רָ֭עָה לֹ֣א יִירָ֑א נָכ֥וֹן לִ֝בּ֗וֹ בָּטֻ֥חַ בַּיהוָֽה		7 Messages of evil he does not fear. Now his heart is prepared, trusting in Yahweh.
z mwmuyh ryh la iira ncon libo b'tuk bihvh	8 9	m/wmvy\h ry\h la i/ira n/cvn lb\v b'tk b/ihvh
סָמ֣וּךְ לִ֭בּוֹ לֹ֣א יִירָ֑א עַ֖ד אֲשֶׁר־יִרְאֶ֣ה בְצָרָֽיו		8 Supported is his heart, he does not fear, Even when it is that he sees his troubles.
k smuç libo la iira yd awr-irah bxriv	7 8	smvc lb\v la i/ira yd awr i/rah b/xr\iv
פִּזַּ֤ר ׀ נָ֘תַ֤ן לָאֶבְיוֹנִ֗ים צִ֭דְקָתוֹ עֹמֶ֣דֶת לָעַ֑ד קַ֝רְנ֗וֹ תָּר֥וּם בְּכָבֽוֹד		9 Prodigal of love, he gives to the-many needy. Standing for ever is his righteousness. Quite full his horn, exalted in glory.
't pizr ntn labionim xdqto yomdt lyd qrno trum bcbod	16 7	pzr ntn l/abivn\im xdq\tv ymd\t l/yd qrn\v t/rvm b/cbd
רָ֘שָׁ֤ע יִרְאֶ֨ה ׀ וְכָעָ֗ס שִׁנָּ֣יו יַחֲרֹ֣ק וְנָמָ֑ס תַּאֲוַ֖ת רְשָׁעִ֣ים תֹּאבֵֽד		10 ♪~ Rebel will see and will grieve. So will his teeth gnash and decay. The desire of rebels will perish.
i rwy irah vcys winiv ikroq vnms tavvt rwyim tabd	15 8	rwy i/rah v/cys wn\iv i/krq vn/ms t/av\t rwy\im t/abd

We will come to Lamentations in the next post.