מַה־תִּשְׁתֹּ֬וחֲחִ֨י נַפְשִׁי֮ וּֽמַה־תֶּהֱמִ֪י עָ֫לָ֥י הֹוחִ֣ילִי לֵֽ֭אלֹהִים כִּי־עֹ֣וד אֹודֶ֑נּוּ יְשׁוּעֹ֥ת פָּ֝נַ֗י וֵֽאלֹהָֽי׃
Why do you bow yourself down, my soul, and why do you murmur upon me? Wait in hope for God, for I shall still praise Him, the salvations of my face and my God.
| # | Hebrew | Transliteration | Literal Gloss | Morph Tag |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | מַה | mah | “why” | Interrogative particle |
| 2 | תִּשְׁתֹּוחֲחִי | tishtoḥaḥi | “you bow yourself down” | Hitpael imperfect 2fs |
| 3 | נַפְשִׁי | nafshi | “my soul” | N(fs) + suff 1cs |
| 4 | וּמַה | u-mah | “and why” | Conj וְ + interrogative particle |
| 5 | תֶּהֱמִי | tehemi | “you murmur” | Qal imperfect 2fs |
| 6 | עָלָי | ʿalay | “upon me” | Prep עַל + suff 1cs |
| 7 | הֹוחִילִי | hoḥili | “wait in hope” | Hiphil imperative 2fs |
| 8 | לֵאלֹהִים | le-Elohim | “for God” | Prep לְ + N(mp) |
| 9 | כִּי | ki | “for” | Conjunction |
| 10 | עֹוד | ʿod | “still” | Adverb |
| 11 | אֹודֶנּוּ | ʾodennu | “I shall praise Him” | Hiphil imperfect 1cs + suff 3ms |
| 12 | יְשׁוּעֹת | yeshuʿot | “salvations of” | N(fp construct) |
| 13 | פָּנַי | panay | “my face” | N(mp) + suff 1cs |
| 14 | וֵאלֹהָי | ve-Elohai | “and my God” | Conj וְ + N(ms) + suff 1cs |
Morphology
- מַה (mah) – Root: —; Root Type: Particle (Strong); Form: Interrogative particle; Translation: “why”; Notes: Introduces a rhetorical question addressed to the soul.
- תִּשְׁתֹּוחֲחִי (tishtoḥaḥi) – Root: שׁוח (sh-w-ḥ); Root Type: Hollow; Binyan: Hitpael; Form: Imperfect 2nd person feminine singular; Translation: “you bow yourself down”; Notes: The reflexive stem portrays the soul casting itself down.
- נַפְשִׁי (nafshi) – Root: נפשׁ (n-p-sh); Root Type: I-Nun; Form: Noun feminine singular + suffix 1st person common singular; Translation: “my soul”; Notes: The inner self addressed directly.
- וּמַה (u-mah) – Root: —; Root Type: Particle (Strong); Form: Conjunction וְ + interrogative particle; Translation: “and why”; Notes: Intensifies the questioning.
- תֶּהֱמִי (tehemi) – Root: המה (h-m-h); Root Type: III-He; Binyan: Qal; Form: Imperfect 2nd person feminine singular; Translation: “you murmur”; Notes: Expresses inner turmoil.
- עָלָי (ʿalay) – Root: על (ʿ-l); Root Type: I-Guttural (ע); Form: Preposition עַל + suffix 1st person common singular; Translation: “upon me”; Notes: Indicates the burden felt by the speaker.
- הֹוחִילִי (hoḥili) – Root: יחל (y-ḥ-l); Root Type: I-Yod; Binyan: Hiphil; Form: Imperative 2nd person feminine singular; Translation: “wait in hope”; Notes: Command to place expectation in God.
- לֵאלֹהִים (le-Elohim) – Root: אלה (ʾ-l-h); Root Type: I-Guttural (א); Form: Preposition לְ + noun masculine plural; Translation: “for God”; Notes: Direction of hope.
- כִּי (ki) – Root: —; Root Type: Particle (Strong); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “for”; Notes: Introduces reason.
- עֹוד (ʿod) – Root: עוד (ʿ-w-d); Root Type: Hollow; Form: Adverb; Translation: “still”; Notes: Indicates continued expectation.
- אֹודֶנּוּ (ʾodennu) – Root: ידה (y-d-h); Root Type: I-Yod; Binyan: Hiphil; Form: Imperfect 1st person common singular + suffix 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “I shall praise Him”; Notes: Future-oriented praise.
- יְשׁוּעֹת (yeshuʿot) – Root: ישׁע (y-sh-ʿ); Root Type: III-Guttural (ע); Form: Noun feminine plural construct (state: construct); Translation: “salvations of”; Notes: Refers to acts of deliverance.
- פָּנַי (panay) – Root: פנה (p-n-h); Root Type: III-He; Form: Noun masculine plural + suffix 1st person common singular; Translation: “my face”; Notes: Suggests visible restoration.
- וֵאלֹהָי (ve-Elohai) – Root: אלה (ʾ-l-h); Root Type: I-Guttural (א); Form: Conjunction וְ + noun masculine singular + suffix 1st person common singular; Translation: “and my God”; Notes: Personal declaration of faith.