In the first unit, lines 1/2 and 3/4 parallel 7/8, and 9/10. Lines 1 and 7 are “My soul delighteth” and lines 3 and 9 are “My heart pondereth.” The object of the delight and pondering in lines 1 and 3 are the scriptures. In 7 and 9 it is “the things of Yahweh.” These are intended to be variations on the same thing, and to reinforce the idea that scripture is equivalent to “the things of Yahweh.” Hebrew poetry frequently relies upon parallels of two or three elements and uses the variation of either the nouns or verbs as an intensifier of the simple meaning of each line. In this case, the similarities tell us that the basic subject is the same and that the intent of the variation is to intensify the idea divinity of the scriptures.
The parallel sets surround a single line that focuses on the word “write.” Lines 5 and 6 include Nephi’s writings on the plates in the conceptual framework of scripture being the things of God. This single phrase inside the parallels highlights that phrase and serves to claim that Nephi’s writings on the plates are also the things of God.
I have added “my heart/soul” to line 5 to emphasize the structural parallel. Because it is the unique line, neither “heart” nor “soul” alone adequately shows the structure. I speculate that the original language may have had some third term indicating the inner man that did not translate and simply became the implied subject of that phrase. The strict repetitions “reconstructed” for Nephi’s poem make sense in some languages, but appear unnecessarily repetitious in English.
Lines 11–13 comprise a literary pivot that swings the mood from the positive association of writing scripture/things of God to the exclamations of unworthiness in lines 14–24. The “nevertheless” and “notwithstanding” of line 11 appear to be a case of paralleled meaning with slightly different words. Following are two lines that emphasize Yahweh’s goodness/greatness. Those two concepts are intended to be parallel as well, and to set up the contrast between the quality of Yahweh’s efforts toward Nephi, and Nephi’s position relative to Yahweh’s essential goodness/greatness.
Lines 14–24 consist of two subunits that surround a single phrase, similar to the construction of the first unit. Thus, this unit balances the first unit around the pivot in lines 11–13. In this unit, however, the first parallel element has three components and the second has only two. In lines 14, 16, and 18, we have the words “heart” and “soul” that appeared in lines 1, 3, [5], 7, and 9. The duplication of “heart” in lines 14 and 16 suggests to me that there was a third element of variation that was not translated. I speculate that lines 14–19 are intended to reverse the order of lines 1–5 and that the hypothetical untranslated word I suggested for line 5 would have been the subject of line 14.
Line 20 has Nephi “encompassed about”; and fittingly, this phrase is also “encompassed about” by the effects of those “temptations and the sins which do so easily beset me.” The first three elements have the inner man (who is spiritually most affected by sin) forcefully exclaiming his distress over Nephi’s natural man. Lines 22 and 23/24 pick up the theme of the soul’s reaction to a sinful world, but they add a literary modification. They are not directly parallel but form a reversal in the verbs they use. The “desire to rejoice” is contrasted to the “heart groaneth.” These phrases are not only intended to continue the theme from lines 14–19 but also to create some literary interest by adding a variation from the direct parallelism. This parallelism in the verbs in lines 22 and 23 also tell us that Nephi intends that we see “I” in line 22 as parallel to “heart” in line 23. Both “heart” and “soul” are being used as parts descriptive of the whole. The “I” also represents the complete person. This device works in English, but it is another place where the hypothetical untranslated word might have been used in the original.
Line 25 is another pivot verse. The poem will now swing away from the soul’s lamentations to the “solution” for the human condition that is surrounded by sin. That solution lies in trust in Yahweh.
Lines 26–32 are declarations of the ways in which Yahweh has expressed his love and care for Nephi. Line 26 stands on its own as the basic statement elaborated in the following lines which consist of three paired sets. I have added “My God” to lines 27–32 to emphasize the parallelism. “God” is clearly implied.
Lines 27 and 28 parallel “led” and “preserve.” These are then linked to the antithetical pair “wilderness” and “waters of the great deep.”
Lines 29 and 30 create an antithetical pairing of “filled me with his love” and “confounded mine enemies.” The results of Yahweh’s actions also have conceptually parallel effects. For Nephi the love of God “consumed” his flesh/body. For the enemies, the flesh/body “quakes.” In both cases, Yahweh’s action has manifested as a physical result in the body.
Lines 31 and 32 are a reversal. Nephi cries by day, Yahweh answers by night. This simple reversal is elaborated in lines 33–35 and 36–38. Lines 33–35 expand upon Nephi’s “cry by day.” Nephi repeats the theme upon which he prayed in line 33. In lines 34 and 35 the result is another reversal of elements. The prayer is “sent up” and the angels (who are the answer) “came down.” Lines 36–38 follow the same pattern. Line 36 is intended to elaborate line 32’s “God hath given me knowledge by visions.” The parallelism in 37 and 38 is direct rather than reversed, with “body” and “eyes” as the repeated elements.
Line 39 is another conceptual pivot. It closes the first half of the psalm by finishing the thematic element of writing. All of these experiences result in Nephi’s writing the things of his soul on these plates. After this point, the poem shifts away from Nephi’s mission and to his person. Where the first part declares how a mortal man subject to sin can write the things of God, the second half declares how a mortal man can be a child of God. The first half explains what is written. The second half explains how what is written can save.
Lines 40 and 41 are the preparation for the remainder of the poem. They repeat the “if” conditionals. Those “if” questions rely upon the declarations of Yahweh’s involvement in Nephi’s life catalogued in lines 26–38. If all of these powerful experiences have been manifest to him, how can he still be tempted by the sins of the world (picking up the theme from lines 14–24)?
Lines 42 and 43 parallel “heart” and “soul” again. These are followed by the parallel “weep” and “linger in the valley of sorrow.” Lines 44 and 45/46 are a parallel set, with “flesh” being paralleled to “strength.” The verbs emphasize weakness: “waste away,” “slacken.” Nephi is probably referring to the situation that would exist if there were no physical resurrection. Sin does not necessarily cause physical weakness, but the human condition does; and if there were no Atonement, there would be no salvation from the debilitation of the body.
Lines 47/48 and 49/50 parallel “yield” and “give way.” The paralleled objects of this yielding or giving way are sin and temptations.
The structure of the poem tells us that lines 50/51 and 52/53 must also be parallel. In English they are not as strong a parallel as the other lines, suggesting again some disjunction between the original and the translation. These elements appear to be arranged chiastically, with “evil one” being paired with “enemy,” and “peace” with the antithetical “angry.” I have added the structurally implied “why should” to the beginning of line 50. This parallel also suggests that line 52 might be better translated “why should I be angry.” I have added the possible reading in brackets but left the original English text.
Lines 54–62 are intended to counteract the conditions of lines 42–53. The answer to “why should” is that Nephi commands his soul/heart to recognize the life-changing effect that God may have in one’s life. Line 54 commands the soul to awake. The result of this awakening is that it will “no longer droop in sin.” This is the “antidote” to lines 44 and 45 where the flesh wastes away and strength slackens. “Droop” echoes “waste away/slacken.”
When Nephi commands his heart to rejoice in lines 56–58, he provides the “antidote” to lines 50–51. In those lines, the enemy had place in his soul; now the enemy has place “no more.” Lines 59 and 60 parallel and reverse 52 and 53. Lines 61 and 62 parallel and reverse 45 and 46.
Lines 63–67 form a small chiasm. Lines 63 and 67 form the outside parallel of the chiasm, repeating the verb “rejoice,” and paralleling “heart” and “soul.” Lines 64 and 66 both praise Yahweh. I have added “I will” to line 64 to highlight the parallel. Like the other additions, this one is implied by the structure. The central phrase is the unadorned need for man to call upon God. There are no adjectives, no elaborations. The need is direct and simple. No matter what else we might say, the important thing is that we call upon God.
Lines 68–79 ask “wilt thou,” which is reversed in line 80 with the affirmative “thou wouldst.” Lines 68 and 69 parallel the verbs “redeem” and “deliver.” Lines 71–79 form a complete unit, leaving line 70 without an obvious parallel. I suggest that it should be seen as the third element of the parallel begun in 68 and 69. This understanding would make “make me that I may shake” parallel to “redeem” and “deliver.” The generic redemption of the soul in line 68 becomes more specific in 69 and 70. Line 69 shows deliverance from enemies: and in line 70 the intent is deliverance from sin. I suggest that the original language used a word that incorporated the meaning of “make me that I may shake” into a single verb, and indicated a revulsion from sin (hence deliverance from its temptations).
Lines 71–79 combine themes of a walled city and a road. The walled city is represented by the gates in lines 71 and 73 as well as “encircle” in line 76. Line 76 is the positive reversal of the negative aspect of the gates in 71 and the parallel to the “gates of righteousness” in 73. Lines 71 and 73 present the antithetical parallels “[wilt thou shut] the gates of hell” and “wilt thou not shut the gates of thy righteousness.” I have altered line 71 to restore the more complete parallel to line 73 by adding the initial “wilt thou shut” and removing “be shut”; that became redundant after the addition at the beginning of the phrase.
Lines 74 and 75 are a dual parallel that matches a triple parallel in lines 77–79. These two sets of parallels surround the central theme of line 76. This structure creates the image of walking on the road toward the good walled city whose “gates of righteousness” will be open and where one may enter into that safe place where Yahweh’s righteousness will “encircle” us. In lines 74 and 75, “path of the low valley” and “plain road” are clearly parallel and provide images of an unconfusing and relatively unstrenuous journey. The parallelism of these verses also tells us that “walk” (line 74) is parallel to “be strict” in line 75. It is probable that “be strict” is to be seen in the context of Matthew 7:14: “Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” Line 75’s “be strict” may imply the need to follow carefully because the road, while easy, is nevertheless “strait and narrow” and one might lose the destination if one does not strictly follow the prescribed path. Lines 77–79 request Yahweh to make the way unencumbered.
Lines 80–83 pick up the theme of the road. Line 80 reverses the “wilt thou” to a “thou wouldst.” Lines 81 and 82 reprise the theme of lines 77–79 that his way be unencumbered, but they are followed with a reversal in 83 with a plea to Yahweh to encumber way of the enemy. The “enemy” echoes lines 53 and 58, contrasting with Nephi. When Nephi is on the road to Yahweh’s righteousness, he is the antithesis of the enemy. Hence, while his way should be made easy, the reverse should be true of his antithesis.
Lines 84–90 form two sets of parallels surrounding a central line that serves as the pivot between them. Lines 84 and 85 positively state that Nephi “trusts” Yahweh. Line 86 turns the positive declaration of trust in Yahweh to a negative declaration that Nephi does not trust in man (“the arm of flesh”). Lines 87 and 89 reverse the verb “trust” with “curse.” Where the positive situation is that a man trusts God, if man trusts in man, then God curses man’s choice of the focus of his faith. The poetic reversal is not only in the action, but also in the direction. It begins with man to God and ends with God to man.
In lines 91–94, both clauses are directly paralleled in their companion sentence. God “gives” in both lines 91 and 93, and man “asks” in 92 and 94. As Nephi nears the end of his poem, the direct parallels emphasize the essential message that was also highlighted by line 65. Man should call upon God. God will answer.
If lines 91–94 are a poetic command to ask, lines 95–99 are Nephi’s declaration that he will do so. In line 95, “lift up” and “voice” are paralleled (and reversed in order for literary interest) by line 97’s “voice” and “ascend.” This passage contains three descriptions of God: line 96, “rock of my righteousness;” line 98, “rock;” and line 99, “everlasting.” This structure suggests that these three images are intended to be parallels and to create conceptual movement. This conceptual movement begins with the metaphorical “rock of my righteousness” and moves to the more concrete and physically permanent “rock.” The ultimate, however, is the “everlasting” of God, which is symbolically declared as more real and more permanent than the rocks of the world.
One of the more interesting aspects of this poem is that it appears to be a spontaneous creation. It flows directly from the theme of the prose preceding it, suggesting that it was not a poem written elsewhere and inserted here. It is triggered by Nephi’s discussion of his love of scripture and his charge to write. Those two themes also run through the poem as he contrasts himself with his personal inadequacies to his tremendous responsibility to present the things of God.
While there are structured units in the poem, the poem has no overall structure. The first and second units repeat their basic structure, but they are not precisely the same, and that structure is not used in other units. The first unit takes the form AB C AB and the second ABC D AB. The doubling or tripling of the parallel is a standard variant in using parallels, but the difference suggests that the poetry is being composed in the smaller units without an overarching structure to hold it together.
Text: This is the end of a chapter in the 1830 edition