| 1. Linguistic Exegesis The superscription term miktam {מִכְתָּ֥ם | mik-tām} ‘poetic inscription’ functions as a genre marker, followed by the authorship clause le-David {לְדָוִ֑ד | lə-dā-vid}. The main clause opens with the imperative shomreni {שָֽׁמְרֵ֥נִי | šə-mərē-nî} ‘protect me’, addressing El {אֵ֝֗ל | ʾēl} ‘God’. The conjunction kî-ḥā-sîtî {כִּֽי־חָסִ֥יתִי | kî-ḥā-sîtî} introduces a causal perfect clause, with bakh {בָֽךְ | bāḵ} ‘in you’ completing the rationale. The sequence of imperative plus causal clause intensifies the psalmist’s urgent plea and expressed trust. |