אֶ֭קְרָא לֵֽאלֹהִ֣ים עֶלְיֹ֑ון לָ֝אֵ֗ל גֹּמֵ֥ר עָלָֽי׃
I will call to God Most High, to God who completes for me.
| # | Hebrew | Transliteration | Literal Gloss | Morph Tag |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | אֶקְרָא | ʾeqra | “I will call” | Qal imperfect 1cs |
| 2 | לֵאלֹהִים | le-ʾelohim | “to God” | Prep לְ + N(mp) |
| 3 | עֶלְיֹון | ʿelyon | “Most High” | Adj/N ms |
| 4 | לָאֵל | la-ʾel | “to God” | Prep לְ + Def. art. הַ + N(ms) |
| 5 | גֹּמֵר | gomer | “completing” | Qal participle ms |
| 6 | עָלָי | ʿalay | “for me” | Prep עַל + suff 1cs |
Morphology
- אֶקְרָא (ʾeqra) – Root: קרא (q-r-ʾ); Root Type: III-Guttural (א) (weak); Binyan: Qal; Form: Qal imperfect 1st person common singular; Translation: “I will call”; Notes: Expresses the speaker’s appeal to God.
- לֵאלֹהִים (le-ʾelohim) – Root: אלה (ʾ-l-h); Root Type: Strong; Form: Preposition לְ + noun masculine plural used as singular proper noun; Translation: “to God”; Notes: Marks the direction of the prayer.
- עֶלְיֹון (ʿelyon) – Root: עלה (ʿ-l-h); Root Type: III-He (weak); Form: Adjective/noun masculine singular; Translation: “Most High”; Notes: A divine title emphasizing supreme exaltation. The word עֶלְיֹון comes from the root עלה (ʿA-L-H), meaning “to go up.” It denotes the highest possible position. In the context of Dawid hiding in a cave (the historical setting of this Psalm), calling to the “Most High” is a profound act of perspective—he is in the depths of the earth, but his focus is on the highest point of reality.
- לָאֵל (la-ʾel) – Root: אל (ʾ-l); Root Type: I-Guttural (א) (weak); Form: Preposition לְ + definite article הַ + noun masculine singular; Translation: “to God”; Notes: Repeats the direction of appeal with the title ʾEl.
- גֹּמֵר (gomer) – Root: גמר (g-m-r); Root Type: Strong; Binyan: Qal; Form: Qal participle masculine singular; Translation: “completing”; Notes: Describes God as the one who brings matters to completion for the speaker. The root גמר means to bring to an end, to finish, or to perfect. “Completes for me” is a perfect literalism. It implies that God is not just an observer, but the one who brings David’s purpose or his current “story” to its intended conclusion. It suggests a God who “follows through.”
- עָלָי (ʿalay) – Root: —; Root Type: Particle with suffix; Form: Preposition עַל + suffix 1st person common singular; Translation: “for me”; Notes: Here the preposition conveys concern or action on behalf of the speaker. The Hebrew עָלָי literally means “upon me” or “concerning me.” It can imply that God completes the things that are “incumbent upon” Dawid, or simply that God’s completing work is directed “toward” him.