Psalm 82:3 #VOTD [+ Memorization Tutorial Video]

Verse of the Day 1.10.18: Psalm 82:3

1. Text
2. C4C Translation
3. Memorization

Text

3 שִׁפְטוּ־דַ֥ל וְיָת֑וֹם עָנִ֖י וָרָ֣שׁ הַצְדִּֽיקוּ׃¹

3 Defend the weak and the fatherless;
uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed.²

C4C Translation

Vindicate the powerless and the fatherless;

to the afflicted and the poor, do justice

The verb translated “vindicate” (שָׁפַט | šāpaṭ; cf. NASB) more literally means “judge, govern.”³ However, judge (cf. JPS)⁴ “describes a range of actions that restore or preserve order in society, so that justice, especially social justice, is guaranteed.”⁵ Hence “defend” (NIV, KJV), “give justice” (NRSV, ESV, NLT), or “provide justice” (HCSB).

When appropriate — as it often is in Hebrew poetry — I usually strive to reflect the word order in the Hebrew text. This line seems to be structured chiastically.

Vindicate the powerless and the fatherless;

to the afflicted and the poor, do justice

Chiasm

A chiasm is “a sequence of components repeated in inverted order…(named for the crossover pattern of the Greek letter chi: X)…Any number of terms may comprise a chiasm, forming either a fully doubled scheme (e.g., A, B, C :: C′, B′, A′) or a scheme with an isolated center (e.g., A, B, C: D: C′, B′, A′).”⁶ In Hebrew poetry, the element(s) in the center of the chiasm are often the focal point — literally the central point.⁷

In this verse (ABB’A’), A (vindicate) and A’ (do justice) appear to be on the outside of the ‘X’ of the chiasm, while B (powerless and the fatherless) and B’ (the afflicted and the poor) appear to be on the inside of the chiasm.

Today, C4C is studying Psalm 82, a psalm of Asaph.

Read more about the context of the Psalms here.

Memorization

Memorize Psalm 82:3 after watching a brief video tutorial demonstrating the How to Memorize Any Bible Verse in Less Than Five Minutes method below: