Skip to content

Hiphil Verb Density in the Psalms

Corpus: Hebrew Old Testament (MACULA/WLC) Book: Psalms (150 chapters) Focus: Which chapters are most Hiphil-dense, and which verb roots most commonly appear in the Hiphil

Contents

  1. Overview
  2. Chapter Density — Top 30 Psalms
  3. Full Density Map — All 150 Psalms
  4. Top Verb Roots in the Hiphil
  5. Detailed Chapter Table
  6. Grammar Note — The Hiphil Stem

Key Observations

  • Psalms contains 582 Hiphil verb tokens across 132 of 150 chapters (18 chapters have none).
  • Overall Psalms Hiphil rate: 3.0 per 100 words. 65 chapters exceed this baseline.
  • Most Hiphil-dense chapter: Psalm 75 (11.5 per 100 words, 10 tokens in 87 words).
  • Top 5 densest chapters: Ps 75 (11.5%), Ps 113 (10.0%), Ps 92 (7.1%), Ps 14 (6.8%), Ps 142 (6.7%).
  • Most common Hiphil root: הֹדוֹת ("give thanks") — 38 tokens.
  • Top 5 roots: הֹדוֹת "give thanks" (38), שָׁב "turn/repay" (21), הִגִּיד "declare" (20), הוֹשִׁיעַ "save" (16), הִבִּיט "pay attention/look" (15).
  • Theologically notable: the Hiphil of הֹדוֹת ("give thanks") is the most frequent root — the very verb behind the תּוֹדָה (todah) thanksgiving genre that dominates Psalms.

Overview

The Hiphil is Hebrew's causative stem: it turns an intransitive root into a transitive action, or expresses declarative and factitive meanings (see the grammar note at the end of this report). In poetry, the Hiphil is especially common in praise language — "cause to shine," "make great," "declare righteous," "save," "lift up."

This report measures Hiphil density two ways:

  • Per 100 words — controls for chapter length; the most useful cross-chapter comparison.
  • Per verse — useful for a feel of how Hiphil-saturated the poetry is at the verse level.

The Psalms-wide baseline is 3.0 Hiphil verbs per 100 words (582 tokens / 19,595 total words).

Chapter Density — Top 30 Psalms

Hiphil density — top 30 psalms

Bars in dark blue exceed twice the Psalms average. The red dashed line marks the Psalms-wide baseline (3.0 per 100 words).

Rank Psalm Hiphil tokens Total words Per 100 words Per verse
1 Psalm 75 10 87 11.49 0.91
2 Psalm 113 6 60 10.00 0.67
3 Psalm 92 8 112 7.14 0.50
4 Psalm 14 5 73 6.85 0.62
5 Psalm 142 5 75 6.67 0.62
6 Psalm 53 5 77 6.49 0.71
7 Psalm 78 33 530 6.23 0.45
8 Psalm 106 20 330 6.06 0.42
9 Psalm 94 10 169 5.92 0.43
10 Psalm 81 7 125 5.60 0.41
11 Psalm 136 9 166 5.42 0.35
12 Psalm 98 4 75 5.33 0.40
13 Psalm 30 5 97 5.15 0.38
14 Psalm 33 8 161 4.97 0.36
15 Psalm 17 6 124 4.84 0.38
16 Psalm 101 4 83 4.82 0.44
17 Psalm 107 13 278 4.68 0.30
18 Psalm 100 2 43 4.65 0.33
19 Psalm 132 6 131 4.58 0.32
20 Psalm 32 5 110 4.55 0.42

Full Density Map — All 150 Psalms

Hiphil density heatmap — all 150 psalms

Each cell is one psalm. The number is Hiphil verbs per 100 words. Darker = more Hiphil-dense. "—" = no Hiphil in that psalm.

Psalms with no Hiphil verbs (18): Ps 21, Ps 23, Ps 24, Ps 48, Ps 63, Ps 93, Ps 96, Ps 114, Ps 117, Ps 121, Ps 123, Ps 124, Ps 128, Ps 131, Ps 133, Ps 134, Ps 149, Ps 150.

Top Verb Roots in the Hiphil

Top Hiphil roots in Psalms

Rank Root Gloss Hiphil tokens
1 הֹדוֹת give thanks 38
2 שָׁב turn/repay 21
3 הִגִּיד declare 20
4 הוֹשִׁיעַ save 16
5 הִבִּיט pay attention/look 15
6 נָטָה incline 15
7 הֵכִין prepared/establish 14
8 רַע evil-doers 14
9 אוֹר make shine 13
10 הִסְתִּיר hide 13
11 הִכָּה struck 12
12 הִצִּיל deliverer/delivered 11
13 הֵרִים lifts/raised 11
14 שָׂכַל act/acts 10
15 נָרִיעָה shout 9
16 יָצָא brought/bring out 9
17 גָדַל made/magnified 8
18 יָדַע make known/made 8
19 יָסַף repeat/add 8
20 הֶאֱמִין believed 7
21 זָכַר bring remembrance/make remembrance 6
22 מָרָה rebelled 6
23 הִשְׁלִיךְ throw/us 6
24 רָחַב made/enlarged 6
25 נָפַל make fall 5

Notes on the top roots:

  • הֹדוֹת (give thanks): The Hiphil of this root is the standard Psalms verb for corporate and individual praise — "I will give thanks to the LORD." Its 38 occurrences top the list by a wide margin.
  • שׁוּב (return/restore/repay): The Hiphil expresses causative return — "bring back," "restore," "repay." Its breadth of meaning (petition, justice, deliverance) makes it the second most frequent Hiphil root across Psalms.
  • הִגִּיד (declare/proclaim): The Hiphil expresses the act of making something known, particularly God's works and righteousness before the congregation.
  • הוֹשִׁיעַ (save): The Hiphil expresses deliverance by God — the root behind יֵשׁוּעַ/יְשׁוּעָה (salvation). Central to the lament and praise genres alike.
  • הִבִּיט (look/pay attention): Hiphil "cause to look," often used in petition ("look upon me") or accusation.

Detailed Chapter Table

All 150 psalms, sorted by chapter number.

Psalm Hiphil tokens Total words Per 100 words Per verse
1 1 67 1.49 0.17
2 2 92 2.17 0.17
3 3 70 4.29 0.33
4 2 77 2.60 0.22
5 2 111 1.80 0.15
6 3 84 3.57 0.27
7 6 142 4.23 0.33
8 1 77 1.30 0.10
9 2 164 1.22 0.10
10 6 162 3.70 0.33
11 1 68 1.47 0.12
12 2 79 2.53 0.22
13 1 55 1.82 0.14
14 5 73 6.85 ✦ 0.62
15 2 55 3.64 0.33
16 1 97 1.03 0.08
17 6 124 4.84 0.38
18 14 397 3.53 0.27
19 5 126 3.97 0.33
20 2 70 2.86 0.20
21 0 104 0.00 0.00
22 8 253 3.16 0.25
23 0 57 0.00 0.00
24 0 89 0.00 0.00
25 4 160 2.50 0.17
26 2 85 2.35 0.15
27 5 149 3.36 0.33
28 1 96 1.04 0.10
29 3 91 3.30 0.25
30 5 97 5.15 0.38
31 5 220 2.27 0.20
32 5 110 4.55 0.42
33 8 161 4.97 0.36
34 3 165 1.82 0.13
35 5 229 2.18 0.17
36 4 100 4.00 0.31
37 8 298 2.68 0.20
38 5 168 2.98 0.22
39 5 129 3.88 0.36
40 2 185 1.08 0.11
41 4 119 3.36 0.29
42 2 132 1.52 0.17
43 1 59 1.69 0.20
44 6 198 3.03 0.22
45 2 160 1.25 0.11
46 3 100 3.00 0.25
47 2 77 2.60 0.20
48 0 111 0.00 0.00
49 4 167 2.40 0.19
50 7 178 3.93 0.29
51 5 153 3.27 0.25
52 1 90 1.11 0.10
53 5 77 6.49 ✦ 0.71
54 2 62 3.23 0.25
55 8 192 4.17 0.33
56 2 121 1.65 0.14
57 3 106 2.83 0.25
58 1 100 1.00 0.08
59 1 156 0.64 0.06
60 4 113 3.54 0.31
61 1 68 1.47 0.11
62 1 117 0.85 0.08
63 0 93 0.00 0.00
64 3 82 3.66 0.27
65 4 109 3.67 0.29
66 6 154 3.90 0.29
67 1 53 1.89 0.12
68 9 310 2.90 0.25
69 7 291 2.41 0.19
70 1 47 2.13 0.17
71 7 203 3.45 0.29
72 6 162 3.70 0.29
73 5 193 2.59 0.17
74 7 195 3.59 0.29
75 10 87 11.49 ✦ 0.91
76 3 90 3.33 0.23
77 4 154 2.60 0.19
78 33 530 6.23 ✦ 0.45
79 4 132 3.03 0.29
80 6 141 4.26 0.30
81 7 125 5.60 0.41
82 2 61 3.28 0.22
83 1 130 0.77 0.05
84 2 116 1.72 0.15
85 2 96 2.08 0.14
86 3 147 2.04 0.17
87 1 54 1.85 0.12
88 6 142 4.23 0.32
89 13 384 3.39 0.25
90 4 140 2.86 0.22
91 2 112 1.79 0.12
92 8 112 7.14 ✦ 0.50
93 0 45 0.00 0.00
94 10 169 5.92 0.43
95 3 89 3.37 0.27
96 0 112 0.00 0.00
97 3 95 3.16 0.25
98 4 75 5.33 0.40
99 1 83 1.20 0.11
100 2 43 4.65 0.33
101 4 83 4.82 0.44
102 4 213 1.88 0.14
103 5 167 2.99 0.22
104 7 271 2.58 0.20
105 13 294 4.42 0.29
106 20 330 6.06 ✦ 0.42
107 13 278 4.68 0.30
108 2 99 2.02 0.14
109 5 227 2.20 0.16
110 1 65 1.54 0.12
111 2 74 2.70 0.20
112 1 79 1.27 0.10
113 6 60 10.00 ✦ 0.67
114 0 52 0.00 0.00
115 1 135 0.74 0.06
116 4 131 3.05 0.21
117 0 17 0.00 0.00
118 4 198 2.02 0.14
119 23 1064 2.16 0.13
120 1 51 1.96 0.12
121 0 56 0.00 0.00
122 1 62 1.61 0.10
123 0 41 0.00 0.00
124 0 57 0.00 0.00
125 1 49 2.04 0.17
126 2 50 4.00 0.29
127 1 60 1.67 0.17
128 0 47 0.00 0.00
129 1 54 1.85 0.11
130 2 54 3.70 0.22
131 0 33 0.00 0.00
132 6 131 4.58 0.32
133 0 40 0.00 0.00
134 0 25 0.00 0.00
135 5 167 2.99 0.24
136 9 166 5.42 0.35
137 1 84 1.19 0.11
138 3 76 3.95 0.33
139 5 177 2.82 0.20
140 2 116 1.72 0.14
141 2 95 2.11 0.18
142 5 75 6.67 ✦ 0.62
143 4 117 3.42 0.31
144 3 130 2.31 0.19
145 5 159 3.14 0.23
146 1 85 1.18 0.10
147 6 141 4.26 0.30
148 1 111 0.90 0.07
149 0 64 0.00 0.00
150 0 37 0.00 0.00

✦ = more than twice the Psalms average (3.0 per 100 words)

Grammar Note — The Hiphil Stem

The Hiphil (הִפְעִיל) is one of the seven main Hebrew verb stems. It is most often causative: it takes an action or state expressed by the Qal and causes it to happen.

Qal Hiphil Meaning shift
בּוֹא — to come הֵבִיא — to bring cause to come
יָצָא — to go out הוֹצִיא — to bring out cause to go out
שָׁמַע — to hear הִשְׁמִיעַ — to proclaim cause to hear
גָּדַל — to be great הִגְדִּיל — to magnify cause to be great
יָשַׁע — to be saved הוֹשִׁיעַ — to save cause to be saved

In Psalms, the Hiphil frequently appears in:

  • Praise verbs: הוֹדָה (give thanks), הִגִּיד (declare), הִשְׁמִיעַ (proclaim)
  • Petition verbs: הַצִּילָה (deliver!), הוֹשִׁיעָה (save!), הַטֵּה (incline your ear!)
  • Narrative of God's acts: הוֹצִיא (brought out), הֵבִיא (brought), הִכָּה (struck down)

The high Hiphil density in psalms of praise and petition — compared with psalms of instruction or lament — reflects this functional pattern: the Hiphil is the verb of agency, and Psalms is full of appeals to God's agency on behalf of his people.

Report generated by scripts/ot/verbs/build_hiphil_psalms_report.py. Source: MACULA Hebrew (WLC morphology, CC BY 4.0).