Week 3: Down By The Bay Psalm

I think it is fair to trust the Alter translation as a more rigorous and unbiased interpretation of the original Hebrew psalm, as the structure of the book clearly shows that for every line of interpretation there is a great deal more research behind it. Every phrase is compared to it's other uses in the psalms, and whenever Alter is uncertain of line, he includes this in his citation. It is fairly safe to see that the Bay Psalm was interpreted much less scientifically, so I see the differences mainly as misinterpretations by the Bay Psalm translator.

The greatest difference is the change in who the psalm is referring to. The word "nation" is translated in the Bay Psalm as "Heathen", changing the feel of the psalm from it's original self-chastising (it seems to be reflecting on the attitudes of the powerful) to righteous (reflecting on the behavior of a different non-believing people. There is also an alteration to line 3- in the original psalm this line is spoken by the kings or princes as a renouncement of god, in the Bay psalm it is a call to action to cast off the cords of the "Heathen". Another significant change is the replacement of "with purity be armed" to "kiss ye the sonne". This seems to be a deliberate alteration.

There are obvious implications that these changes would have for the colonists. "Kiss ye the sonne" ties the psalm with the christian beliefs of the colonist, making the rest of it more relevant. The main material of the psalm then seems to describe a sort of manifest destiny- since the heathens (or Native Americans) "set themselves against the lord", it is only right that the lord should mock them and then grant the settlers all of their previous holdings- "the utmost coasts abroad". The general message of humility at the end, while worded differently, keeps most of its original meaning.