| 13. Linguistic Exegesis The verse begins with gam {גַּם | gām} ‘also’, linking this petition to the preceding plea. The prepositional phrase mi-zedim {מִזֵּדִים | miz-zē-ḏîm} ‘from presumptuous ones’ isolates the willful offenders. The noun pesha {פְּשַׁע | pə-šaʿ} ‘transgression’ specifies the nature of sin. The phrase avdeka {עַבְדֶּךָ | ʿaḇ-də-kha} ‘your servant’ expresses the psalmist’s dependent status. The prohibition al-yimshelu-bi {אַל־יִמְשְׁלוּ־בִי | ʾal-yim-šə-lū-bī} ‘do not let them rule over me’ combines the negative particle al with a Qal imperfect verb plus suffix, forming a forceful plea. The adverb az {אָז | ʾaz} ‘then’ introduces the result clause where etam {אֵיתָם | ʾē-tām} ‘I shall be blameless’ and ve-niqqeti {וְנִקֵּיתִי | və-niq-qē-ṯî} ‘and I shall be innocent’ affirm moral purity. The final phrase mi-pesha rav {מִפֶּשַׁע רָב | mi-pə-šaʿ rāḇ} ‘from great transgression’ intensifies the gravity of the plea. |