Examples of Ancient Hebrew Poetry

Biblical Hebrew Parallelism in the Psalms

I. Synonymous

A.        Synonymous, Identical

            1.         Perfect—Psalm 83:1 (original)

            2.         Imperfect—Psalm 24:2 (original)

B.         Synonymous, Similar—Psalm 19:2

C.        Chiastic (Introverted, Inverted)—Psalm 51:1

D.        Incomplete with Compensation—Psalm 92:1

E.         Incomplete without Compensation—Psalm 114:7

II. Antithetic

A.        Cause-Effect—Psalm 1:6

B.         Accentuation—Psalm 34:10

III. Synthetic (Constructive, Ephithetic)

A.        Reason Type—Psalm 45:7

B.         Comparison Type—Psalm 19:10

C.        Completion Type (largely of rhythm) –Psalm 2:6 (original); Psalm 138:4 (original)

D.        Climactic (Comprehensive, Gradational)—Psalm 1:3; Psalm 29:1

E.         Emblematic with Connective—Psalm 126:1

F.         Emblematic without Connective—Psalm 23:1

G.        Palilogical (repetition of key words)(echo effect)—Psalm 94:1; Psalm 96:13; 145:12-13