| 21. Linguistic Exegesis The causal conjunction ki {כִּי־ | kî} ‘for’ introduces a reason. The Qal perfect shamarti {שָׁמַרְתִּי | šāmartî} ‘I have kept’ expresses completed covenant obedience. The construct chain darkhei Yahweh {דַּרְכֵי יְהוָה | dar-khê Yə-hō-wāh} ‘ways of the LORD’ links life pattern to the divine covenant name, emphasizing God-ordained conduct. The vav-negative velo {וְלֹא־ | wə-lōʾ} plus Qal perfect rashati {רָשַׁעְתִּי | rāšaʿtî} ‘I have acted wickedly’ forms a parallel contrast. The prepositional phrase meeloha'i {מֵאֱלֹהָי | mēʾĕlōhāy} ‘from my God’ signals separation from divine relationship. Hebrew’s perfect–perfect parallelism underscores moral integrity while English retains SVO order and the causal-contrastive structure. |