PsALM 73 As rInG COMPOsITIOn 29 Ample evidence exists to support such an understanding. To begin with, even those who see a tripartite structure to the psalm, based pri- marily on the occurrences of $a, rarely treat the psalm simply as three major blocs of material, but, instead, they further break the blocs down into subdivisions according to the logical flow of thought 46. But the most common locations where these subdivisions are made happen to be exactly where the three asseverative uses of yk are found: at v. 4, v. 21, and v. 27 47. In addition, it is noteworthy that the six instances where the two particles carry an asseverative nuance happen to be located where major shifts in subject references are found. For while an emphatic contrast between God and the psalmist is featured in vv. 1-3 (the section beginning with $a), vv. 4-12 (beginning with yk) focus exclusively on the wicked, as all finite verbs and subject refer- ences are in the third person 48. In vv. 13-17 (beginning with $a), sub- ject references and finite verbs are all in the first person as the focus shifts back exclusively to the psalmist 49. In vv. 18-20 (beginning with $a), the finite verbs shift again to second and third person forms, as God, being addressed directly, and the wicked alternate as subject. Another shift occurs in vv. 21-26 (beginning with yk), where the subject now alternates between God and the psalmist, with God being addressed mainly in the second person. A final shift occurs in v. 27 (beginning with hnh-yk) where, just as in vv. 1-3, an emphatic contrast is featured, this time between the wicked and the psalmist 50. Furthermore, under this arrangement, if one disregards for the mo- ment the introductory and concluding sections in vv. 1-3 and vv. 27- 46 COLe, Shape and Message, 19, 23, for example, speaks of “verse para- graphs” within the three main strophes. CLIFFOrD, Psalms 73–150, 16-17, MCCAnn, “Psalm 73”, 249; MAYs, Psalms, 240, also make further subdivisions within their tripartite structure. 47 KrAšOveC, Antithetic Structure, 39, 41; MCCAnn, “Psalm 73”, 249; MAYs, Psalms, 240; COLe, Shape and Message, 21, 23; hOssFeLD – ZenGer, Psalms, 226. In fact, KrAšOveC, Antithetic Structure, 42; CLIFFOrD, Psalms 73–150, 17; COLe, Shape and Message, 19, even make a subdivision at v. 3, which happens to be where the lone causal yk is found. 48 Although there is a reference to God in v. 11, it occurs in a quotation of the words of the wicked. The focus of v. 11, therefore, is not so much on God but on how the wicked view God. 49 While this statement is generally true, it requires further refinement because there appears to be evidence to support the further subdivision of vv. 13-17 into two subsections. This will be discussed subsequently. 50 For a more visual presentation of the distribution of subject references in the various sections, see the chart of pronominal elements in IrsIGLer, Pslam 73, 173.