| 4. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with the prepositional construct lifulot adam {לִפְעֻלוֹת אָדָם | lif-ʿu-lōt ʾā-dām} ‘concerning the deeds of man,’ framing the statement in terms of human action. The instrumental phrase bidvar safateikha {בִּדְבַר שְׂפָתֶיךָ | bi-də-var sə-fa-te-kha} indicates reliance on divine utterance rather than human advice. The perfect verb shamarti {שָׁמַרְתִּי | šā-mar-tî} expresses the psalmist’s active choice, and the object orkhoth parits {אָרְחוֹת פָּרִץ | ’or-ḥōt pā-rîṣ} ‘paths of the violent’ contrasts forbidden channels of wrongdoing. The Hebrew word order moves from a general prepositional phrase to personal agency and specific moral avoidance, highlighting the psalmist’s deliberate reliance on divine guidance. |