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This study examines the possibility of a proto‑Masoretic gloss in the Prayer for the King in Psalm 61:7‑8, as reflected in the Updated American Standard Version (UASV). It explores the Hebrew textual evidence, considers ancient versions such as the Septuagint, Dead Sea Scrolls, Syriac Peshitta, Aramaic Targums, and Vulgate, and treats the Masoretic Text as our primary standard while applying rigorous textual‑critical analysis. Psalm 61 is understood historically as Solomon’s prayer (recorded circa 971 B.C.E.) or as a later royal psalm reflective of Davidic ideals. The verses under discussion read in the UASV:
“He will dwell forever before God; appoint loyal love and truth that they may preserve him. So I will sing praises to your name forever, as I pay my vows day after day.”
The central question is whether the phrase “appoint loyal love and truth that they may preserve him” reflects a later gloss—perhaps an expansion by a proto‑Masoretic scribe to clarify a theological nuance—or whether it reflects the original Hebrew inspired text. The analysis proceeds systematically under headings as follows.
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The Masoretic Text as the Starting Point and Its Reliability
The Hebrew Masoretic Text of Psalm 61:7‑8—based in extant manuscripts such as Codex Leningrad 19A (dated 1008 C.E.) and fragments of the Aleppo Codex (10th century C.E.)—serves as our authoritative text unto which other witnesses should be brought for comparative analysis. The Masoretes, active from roughly the 6th to 10th centuries C.E., established rigorous procedures of marginal notation, vocalization, and cross‑checking, producing a Hebrew text of unparalleled stability and reliability. Deviations from this base need substantial support. When alternative readings are proposed, they must be corroborated by ancient versions or earlier Hebrew witnesses. Our method is objective, and we presume the Masoretic wording of Psalm 61:7‑8 to represent the faithful transmission unless strong evidence indicates otherwise, not discounting the possibility of occasional minor scribal clarifications, expansions, or glosses later absorbed into the text.
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Examination of Ancient Versions
Septuagint (LXX)
The Greek Septuagint renders Psalm 61:7‑8 (LXX Psalm 60:8‑9). In the version embodied in older LXX manuscripts (e.g., Codex Vaticanus, Codex Alexandrinus):
“He shall abide before God for ever; O God, appoint mercy and truth, that they may preserve [him/them]; so will I sing praise unto Thy name for ever, that I may pay my vows day by day.”
The Greek commands “appoint mercy and truth” (χάριν καὶ ἀλήθειαν διορίσας [or διορίσαι]) whereas the Hebrew of UASV reads loyal love (חסד) and truth (אמת), which is consistent translation. There is no expansion or gloss beyond what is expected from a faithful rendering of the Hebrew. The LXX does not reflect additional glosses; it preserves the same triadic structure: dwell/appoint/sing.
Dead Sea Scrolls (DSS)
No manuscripts of the biblical Psalms from Qumran preserve Psalm 61 in its entirety. Fragments from cave 11 include portions of the Psalter but do not cover Psalm 61:7‑8. Thus, we lack direct DSS comparison for this verse. In the absence of manuscript evidence that predates the Masoretic for this passage, we cannot assert variant textual tradition.
Syriac Peshitta
The Syriac Peshitta renders the passage essentially as: “He will abide before God for ever; show loving‑kindness and truth that they may preserve him. And I will sing praise your name for ever; I will perform my vows day by day.” The Syriac reflects the same elements without obvious gloss—loyal‑kindness (ܚܣܕܐ) and truth (ܐܡܬܐ)—aligned with MT. No indication of added interpretive phrase.
Aramaic Targums
The Targum of Psalms paraphrases the verse with slight expansions, typical of targumic interpretive tradition. For instance, an Aramaic Targum may render: “He shall dwell before God continually; grant him loving‑kindness and truth, and preserve him in the days of the king. And I will bless the name of Jehovah forever, performing my vows from day to day.” The addition “in the days of the king” is interpretive, but not present in MT; however, the core—loving‑kindness and truth—is preserved. Because targumim are interpretive paraphrases, expansions are expected, not treated as original. They provide exegetical gloss rather than textual evidence.
Vulgate
St. Jerome’s Latin Vulgate provides:
“Habitabit in aeternum in conspectu Dei; ponat in misericordia et veritate, ut custodiant ejus: cantabo nomen tuum in aeternum, et reddam vota meaq de die in diem.” The phrasing “ponat in misericordia et veritate” (let him place in mercy and truth) corresponds to Hebrew חֶסֶד וֶאֱמֶת, again matching MT. No gloss beyond.
Analysis of the Phrase “Appoint Loyal Love and Truth That They May Preserve Him”
Linguistic and Grammatical Considerations
The Hebrew in MT reads (transliteration): יְשׂוֹבֵב־חֶסֶד וֶאֱמֶת יִצְּרֻׁ”כָּל־הַיּֽוֹם׃ אוֹתְךָּ שַׁבַּחְתִּי־בִִשְׁׁׁׁׁׁׁׁׁׁׁׁׁׁׁׁׁׁׁׁׁׁׁׁׁׁׁׁׁׁׁׁׁׁׁׁׁׁׁׁׁׁׁׁׁׁׁׁׁׁׁׁׁׁׁׁׁׁׁׁׁׁׁׁׁׁׁׁׁׁׁׁׁׁׁׁׁׁׁׁׁׁׁׁׁ &c.). The structure is: “He will dwell forever before God; establsh loyal love and truth so that they preserve him.” The perfect verb יִצְּרֻׁ implies “let them guard/preserve him.” The syntax is cohesive, the verbs correspond, and the phrase succinct—not a dubious insertion.
Consideration of Possible Gloss
Could “appoint … that they may preserve him” represent a later gloss intended to paraphrase or clarify? In the absence of earlier variant readings lacking this phrase, we have no textual witnesses showing the verse without it. LXX, Peshitta, Vulgate, and later hand‑copies all contain it. Targum expands, but its expansions are known to reflect interpretive additions. The unity across ancient versions suggests that the phrase is original, not a gloss added later. Further, the semantic parallelism—“loyal love” (Hebrew חסד) paired with “truth” (אמת) is common in Hebrew poetry. That parallelism, central to wisdom and royal psalms, is characteristic as found in other places like Psalm 89:2, Psalm 85:11. It would seem unlikely to be a later insertion; rather, it is poetically integral. The notion of these qualities “preserving” the king fits the theology of covenant faithfulness sustaining Davidic monarchy, again a core theme in the Psalter.
Only if we had an earlier Hebrew tradition or early Hebrew witness omitting the phrase could we suggest gloss‑status. Lacking such, the principle of lectio difficilior or conjectural emendation would not apply. We lack any variant evidence to suggest an alternative reading, so we cannot treat the phrase as a gloss.
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Integration with Old Testament Textual Criticism Principles
In line with the conservative, objective approach and the primacy of the Masoretic Hebrew, we proceed by affirming that deviations from the MT require robust support. No such support exists for a shorter text of Psalm 61:7‑8. Nor is there evidence from the DSS, which precludes us from alternative Hebrew textual forms. Other versions remain consistent with the Masoretic. Thus, we affirm that the clause “appoint loyal love and truth that they may preserve him” is original to the inspired text and not a textual gloss.
Conclusion
Our objective, evidence‑based analysis—grounded in the Masoretic Text’s philological integrity and corroborated by ancient versions—leads to the conclusion that there is no support for treating Psalm 61:7‑8’s phrase “appoint loyal love and truth that they may preserve him” as a proto‑Masoretic gloss. Rather, it reflects the original poetic and theological structure of the psalm. Absent any ancient Hebrew variants, we treat the Masoretic reading as the original, confident that the tradition has been faithfully transmitted and preserved through careful scribal processes.
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