How should Psalm 5:3 אֶֽעֱרָךְ־ best be translated

Question

The Hebrew is קוֹלִ֑י בֹּ֥קֶר אֶֽעֱרָךְ־ לְ֝ךָ֗ וַאֲצַפֶּֽה׃

NIV: In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly.

NKJV: My voice You shall hear in the morning, O Lord; In the morning I will direct it to You, And I will look up.

KJV: My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.

NASB: In the morning, Lord, You will hear my voice; In the morning I will present my prayer to You and be on the watch.

ESV: O Lord, in the morning you hear my voice; in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you and watch.

I notice that the NASB 1995 says: In the morning, O LORD, You will hear my voice; In the morning I will order [my] [prayer] to You and [eagerly] watch.

I notice that the Hebrew word used here is arak meaning: to arrange or set in order.

The translation here gives the verse a specific meaning.

1. Is he laying?
2. Is he directing?
3. Is he presenting?
4. Is he preparing?
5. Is he ordering?

I notice that neither "prayer" or "sacrifice" is mentioned in the original Hebrew. So does it make more sense to assume that he is still speaking of his "voice" being what he is אֶֽעֱרָךְ־ or "directing"?

Answer 1

אֶֽעֱרָךְ is qal imperfect 1st person singular

ערךְ: MHeb. to wage war, ... qal: ... —1. to lay out, set in rows: ... —2. a) to get ready, set out in order ... —3. tech. term עָ׳ מִלְחָמָה (1QM 2:9 to wage war) to draw up a battle formation, line up for the battle ... 4. to confront ... —5. legal tech. term: עָ׳ מִשְׁפָּט to present a case ... hif: ... to confront, assess ... -- Koehler, L., Baumgartner, W., Richardson, M. E. J., & Stamm, J. J. (1994–2000). In The Hebrew and Aramaic lexicon of the Old Testament (electronic ed., p. 884-885). E.J. Brill.

Given the typical meaning of hiphil/hifil, qal is confront defensively (thus looking and waiting goes with it) while hiphil would be an offensive confrontation.

The question is how does David prepare for God to confront him. Thus, the different meanings. The legal sense of presenting a case, thus positioning in prayer is appealing. However, prayer is more than translating. Petition might be a good translation.

Thus, the translations are good, but sacrifice doesn't seem to fit the context as well. They took a verb with no direct object, only an indirect object and had to give it an understood direct object (by guessing) to make sense in English.

וַאֲצַפֶּֽה is piel, imperfect with waw, 1st person singular of צפה.

Piel typically puts emphasis on the qal meaning, but not to cause the meaning of the qal. That is the hiphil.

צפה: MHeb. to look out, look, pi. to hope for, expect; ... qal: —1. to keep watch ... —2. to reconnoitre, keep a look-out .. —3. a. to spy, look ... —4. with לְ to lie in wait for ... —5. Jb 15:22b וְצָפוּ הוּא אֱלֵי־חָֽרֶב: meaning disputed: ... pi. ... —1. to be on the look-out for, look: ... -- Koehler, L., Baumgartner, W., Richardson, M. E. J., & Stamm, J. J. (1994–2000). In The Hebrew and Aramaic lexicon of the Old Testament (electronic ed., p. 1044-1045). E.J. Brill.

Thus, the piel gives the meaning of looking for emphasis with the meaning of looking for waiting with expectation.

Answer 2

Ps 5:3 is frustratingly terse in the Hebrew, consisting of just 8 words which would literally read (my translation):

YHWH morning you hear my voice; morning I arrange/set to you and look up

The "problem" here is the verb highlighted above which is עָרַךְ ('arak) which can mean (BDB):

• arrange or set in order, Num 23:4, or, arrange/direct a battle, Judges 20:22, 1 Sam 17:8, 2 Sam 10:8

Thus, the meaning of "directing" or "organizing" something; or "setting/arranging" something is within the range of meaning of this verb.

Note that words like the following are not in the Hebrew text at all:

• "prayer" (NASB, LSB, GNT)
• "requests" (NIV, NLT, ERV)
• "sacrifice" (ESV)
• "needs" (GWT)
• etc

Thus, the last half of Ps 5:3 could be saying any of the following

• I will set my "requests" before You and look up
• I will arrange my "affairs/priorities" before You and look up
• I will arrange my "prayers" before You and look up
• I will arrange my "sacrifice" to You and look up

However, all these are interpretive because none is actually stated.

Answer 3

To build on the excellent answers provided by Dottard and Perry Webb, it seems like the problem is that the "semantic range" of 'arak is greater than each of the chosen English verbs.

Thus, the translators justified choosing a more-specific English word based on context. So, let's consider what the translators of the Septuagint chose when they faced this challenge and let's include more context.

Take heed to the voice of my supplication! My king and my God. For to you I shall pray, O Lord. In the morning, you shall hear my voice. In the morning, I shall stand beside you, and he shall watch me. For God not wanting lawlessness you are, nor shall sojourn with you one being wicked. Nor shall abide lawbreakers in front of your eyes. - Psalm 5:2-5 ABP

The concept of standing by God and allowing him to watch us is interesting. To me, it's like presenting myself before the Lord in transparency rather than clothed with habitual duty or ritual, and the additional verses provide negative contrast to the concept in verse 3.

Answer 4

Psalm 5:3 is difficult to translate because the verb עָרַךְ has no direct object. Looking at the entry for עָרַךְ in BDAG, occurrences where the object is omitted are seen under three specific contexts: 1/ arranging a battle [1d], 2/ arranging words [1f], and 3/ setting forth a legal case [1g].

Brown-Driver-Briggs Lexicon (emphasis added)

Strong's H6186

עָרַךְ verb arrange or set in order
1. d. arrange a battle, i.e. draw up in battle order, מִלְחָמָה… object omitted Judges 20:22, 23, + לִקְרַאת 1 Samuel 4:2; 2 Samuel 10:9, 10 = 1 Chronicles 19:10, 11; 2 Samuel 10:17; + אֶל against Judges 20:30; Jeremiah 50:14; 1 Chronicles 19:17a, לְ against Jeremiah 50:9; — Job 6:4 read יַעַכְרוּנִי Di Bu Du.

e. arrange weapons of army in order for battle Jeremiah 46:3; 1 Chronicles 12:9 (van d. H. 1 Chronicles 12:8).

f. arrange words (מִלִּין) Job 32:14 (+ אֶל against), so (object omitted) Job 33:5 (+ לְפָנַי), Job 37:19; Psalm 5:4 (probably; > of arranging a sacrifice); compare recount things in order, יַעְרְכֶהָ לִי Isaiah 44:7.

g. state in order, set forth a legal case Job 13:18; Job 23:4, so probably (object omitted) of God Psalm 50:21 (+ לְעֵינֶיךָ), and (passive of בְּרִית) 2 Samuel 23:5 (compare Dr).

The OP asks, “So does it make more sense to assume that he is still speaking of his ‘voice’ being what he is אֶֽעֱרָךְ־ or ‘directing’?” According to the above reference, עָרַךְ could be used in reference to the arrangement of words. Gesenius' Lexicon, noting the ellipsis, also has עָרַךְ in Ps 5:3 as meaning to direct words towards someone (Gesenius). So yes, Ps 5:3 could mean the directing of the voice or the arranging of words toward God in worship/prayer.

Psalm 5:3 NKJV

My voice You shall hear in the morning, O Lord; In the morning I will direct it to You, And I will look up.

If we look at the rest of psalm 5, however, there is a narrative shift at v4, with the remainder of the psalm reading like an indictment against the evil utterances of men (vv. 5-6 and 9).

Psalm 5:9 NKJV

For there is no faithfulness in their mouth; Their inward part is destruction; Their throat is an open tomb; They flatter with their tongue.

Reflecting on the contrast/conflict between the voice raised in prayer and the mouths that speak iniquity, I suspect that Ps 5:3 may hold another meaning, one that has to do with the context of battle. In other words, he whose voice is raised to God in the morning is as one who is arrayed for battle, with God as his defender and shield (vv. 11-12). Only here, the opponent is the evil that comes from the mouths of men.

Psalm 5:3 YLT

Jehovah, at morning Thou hearest my voice, At morning I set in array for Thee, And I look out.