Psalm 119*

Note: Does this alphabetic acrostic psalm have other structural features? Readers may be interested in the following  quoted from Professor Casper Labuschagne https://www.labuschagne.nl/ps119.pdf

“- Christensen (www.bibal.net) discerns a regular structure of the 22 alphabetic units (cantos) and finds 44 strophes of 4 verselines each. The 22 cantos are outlined in a ‘nested’ menorah pattern, a menorah within a menorah within a menorah, as follows:

1-8, 9-16, 17-24 {25-32, 33-40, 41-48 [49-56, 57-64, 65-72 (73-80, 81-88, 89-96, 97-104) 105-112, 113-120, 121-128] 129-136, 137-144, 145-152} 153-160, 161-168, 169-176.

Additionally, on prosodic grounds, he detects a larger sevenfold structure, which is supposed to overlie his presumed ‘nested’ menorah structures. It consists of 7 cantica outlined in a menorah pattern, which is similar to the menorah I propose. The 176 Masoretic verses divide into: 1-24, 25-48, 49-72, 73-104, 105-128, 129-152, 153-176.

Canticum I vs. 1-24             3 cantos 24 verselines
Canticum II vs. 25-48         3 cantos 24 verselines
Canticum III vs. 49-72        3 cantos 24 verselines
Canticum IV vs. 73-104     4 cantos 32 verselines
Canticum V vs. 105-128    3 cantos 24 verselines
Canticum VI vs.129-152    3 cantos 24 verselines
Canticum VII vs.153-176   3 cantos 24 verselines”

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