וַֽתְּפַלְּטֵ֔נִי מֵרִיבֵ֖י עַמִּ֑י תִּשְׁמְרֵ֨נִי֙ לְרֹ֣אשׁ גֹּויִ֔ם עַ֥ם לֹא־יָדַ֖עְתִּי יַעַבְדֻֽנִי׃
And You delivered me from the quarrels of my people; You kept me to be head of nations. A people I had not known shall serve me.
Morphology
- וַתְּפַלְּטֵנִי (vatpelṭeni) – Root: פלט (palat); Form: Piel wayyiqtol 2nd person masculine singular + 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “And You delivered me”; Notes: Intensive stem—rescued or brought to safety.
- מֵרִיבֵי (merivei) – Root: ריב (riv); Form: Preposition + noun masculine plural construct; Translation: “from the quarrels (or disputers) of”; Notes: Refers to contention or strife.
- עַמִּי (ʿammi) – Root: עם (ʿam); Form: Noun masculine singular with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “my people”; Notes: Likely refers to internal opponents or factions.
- תִּשְׁמְרֵנִי (tishmereni) – Root: שׁמר (shamar); Form: Qal imperfect 2nd person masculine singular + 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “You kept me”; Notes: Protective action—guarding or preserving.
- לְרֹאשׁ (le-roʾsh) – Root: ראשׁ (roʾsh); Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular; Translation: “as head”; Notes: Denotes leadership or preeminence.
- גֹּויִם (goyim) – Root: גוי (goy); Form: Noun masculine plural; Translation: “nations”; Notes: Often refers to foreign peoples.
- עַם (ʿam) – Root: עם (ʿam); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “a people”; Notes: General term for a collective people group.
- לֹא (lo) – Root: לא (lo); Form: Negative particle; Translation: “not”; Notes: Negates the following verb.
- יָדַעְתִּי (yadaʿti) – Root: ידע (yadaʿ); Form: Qal perfect 1st person singular; Translation: “I had known”; Notes: Refers to prior acquaintance or recognition.
- יַעַבְדֻנִי (yaʿavduni) – Root: עבד (ʿavad); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural + 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “they shall serve me”; Notes: Indicates submission or allegiance to the speaker.