James 24:7

Just like English poetry, Hebrew poetry bears certain characteristics.  Whereas English poetry, at least traditionally, often makes use of certain forms of rhythm and rhyme, Hebrew poetry made use of certain forms of repitition.  These forms of repitition are called parallel forms or parallelism.

The following are some examples of parallelism:

1.  Synonomous parallelism: The expression of the first line is repeated in the second. 

e.g. Psalm 24:1

"The earth is the Lord's and the fullness of it,

 the world and they that dwell in it."

(Parallel terms share the same emphasis)

The second line often focuses the first line.  i.e. "they that dwell in it" is more specific than "the fullness of it."

2. Antithetic parallelism: The second line is contrasted to the first line.

e.g. Psalm 1:6

"For the Lord knows the way of the righteous

but

the way of the ungodly shall perish."

Often the first line expresses a truth that is supported by the contrasting claim in the second line.

3. Synthetic parallelism: The first and the second line show some relation to each other such as cause and effect or "this statement follows from that statement".

Psalm 119:11

"Your word have I hidden in my heart

That I might not sin against you."

The idea is that the hiding of the word is the cause of the "not sinning against God."  Not sinning follows on the heels of hiding God's word in the center of our being.

4. Progressive parallelism comes in several forms such as:

• staircasing: each element adds a little more to the previous element perhaps to add emphasis or to expand the thought of the first line:
• e.g. Psalm 22:20-21

          "Deliver my soul from the sword,

            My life from the power of the dog!

            Save me from the mouth of the lion!"

Note how the ascending metaphors add a little bit more to the thought.  First, it's just the sword but then the psalmist goes on to speak of the power of the dog and the mouth of the lion...each metaphor progressively more powerful.

• Climactic: The second line (or third) completes the thought of the first line.
• e.g. 29:1

"Give to the Lord, O mighty ones,  (give what?)

Give to the Lord glory and strength!"  (oh!)

• introverted: The first line is repeated in the fourth and the second and third are parallel to one another
• e.g. Psalm 91:14

"Because he has set his love upon me

Therefore I will deliver him;

I will set him on high,

Because he has known my name."

Understanding the structural elements of Hebrew poetry (1) helps you develop an eye for the poetry and (2) enables you to better interpret the psalm.