מַה־תִּשְׁתֹּ֬וחֲחִ֨י נַפְשִׁי֮ וַתֶּהֱמִ֪י עָ֫לָ֥י הֹוחִ֣ילִי לֵֽ֭אלֹהִים כִּי־עֹ֥וד אֹודֶ֗נּוּ יְשׁוּעֹ֥ות פָּנָֽיו׃ (Psalm 42:6)
Why are you cast down my soul and why do you murmur within me hope in God for I shall yet praise Him the salvations of His face
Introduction: Verbs in Conversation with the Self
Psalm 42:6 captures a spiritual conversation—not with God, but within the self. The psalmist questions his soul, rebukes its despair, and rekindles hope. But this inward discourse is framed by carefully chosen binyanim that mirror the emotional swing from depression to praise. In this rich poetic verse, three main verbal stems—Hitpael, Hiphil, and Qal—embody collapse, trembling, and revival.
Core Verbs and Their Binyanim
1. תִּשְׁתּוֹחֲחִי — “are you cast down?”
2. וַתֶּהֱמִי — “do you murmur/tumult?”
3. הֹוחִילִי — “hope!”
4. אֹודֶנּוּ — “I shall praise Him”
1. תִּשְׁתּוֹחֲחִי — Hitpael, Imperfect, 2fs
Root: שׁוּחַ (to sink down, bow down)
Binyan: Hitpael (reflexive/intensive)
Voice: Reflexive
Morphology:
– Prefix תִּ־: second person feminine singular
– Reflexive syllable הִתְ assimilated into תִּשְׁתּוֹ
– Suffix ־חִי: feminine singular (referring to נַפְשִׁי)
Meaning and Nuance:
– This is not simple bowing—it is the soul bowing itself down
– The Hitpael intensifies the collapse; the soul is internally sinking, not being forced down
– A visceral, reflexive grief
2. וַתֶּהֱמִי — Qal, Imperfect, 2fs with vav-consecutive
Root: הָמָה (to murmur, roar, stir tumultuously)
Binyan: Qal
Voice: Active
Function:
– Describes the noisy unrest of the soul
– The Qal retains raw, unrefined movement—no cause or manipulation
– The verb pairs perfectly with the image of internal emotional noise
3. הֹוחִילִי — Hiphil, Imperative, 2ms + suffix
Root: יָחַל (to wait, hope)
Binyan: Hiphil
Voice: Causative
Morphology:
– Prefix הֹו־: Hiphil stem with imperative vocalization
– Suffix ־ִי: first-person common singular (my soul)
Interpretation:
– The speaker commands his soul: cause yourself to hope!
– The Hiphil here is emotionally potent—it implies an act of will, of spiritual effort
– Hope is not passive—it must be enacted
4. אֹודֶנּוּ — Qal, Imperfect, 1cs + object suffix
Root: יָדָה (to give thanks, praise)
Binyan: Qal
Voice: Active
Structure:
– Future/imperfect tense: “I shall praise”
– Suffix ־נּוּ: him (object)
Effect:
– The Qal retains clarity and personal agency
– It signals certainty—though my soul sinks now, I shall yet rise to praise Him
Color Table: Emotional Grammar in Binyanim
| Verb | Root | Binyan | Voice | Function | Emotional Tone |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| תִּשְׁתּוֹחֲחִי | שׁוח | Hitpael | Reflexive | Soul bowing down within itself | Deep collapse, inner anguish |
| וַתֶּהֱמִי | המה | Qal | Active | Emotional turbulence | Restless rumbling of grief |
| הֹוחִילִי | יחל | Hiphil | Causative | Command to hope | Spiritual resolve |
| אֹודֶנּוּ | ידה | Qal | Active | Future praise | Renewed purpose and thanksgiving |
How the Binyanim Speak for the Soul
Psalm 42:6 doesn’t just describe emotion—it enacts it through grammar:
– Hitpael mirrors internal collapse.
– Qal captures raw unrest and forward hope.
– Hiphil commands transformation: don’t wait for hope—cause it.
In this poetic plea, binyanim are the anatomy of emotion. They stretch between despair and devotion, between silence and song. The soul bows, roars, braces—and rises.
This is Hebrew grammar as spiritual biography.
