PsALM 73 As rInG COMPOsITIOn 31 psalmist in vv. 27-28a, God is brought in at v. 28b, not so much as cause, but as result of the psalmist’s ynaw. And just as the wicked, referred to in v. 3 through the essentially synonymous pair ~yllwh (“the arrogant”) and ~y[vr (“the wicked”), function as part of the di- rect objects of ytanq (“I envied”) and hara (“I saw”), God, referred to in v. 28b through the related pair hwhy ynda (“the Lord YhWh”) and $ytwkalm-lk (“all your works”) also function as direct objects of ytv (“I have made”) and rpsl (“to recount”). Furthermore, the two first person verbs ytanq (“I envied”) and hara (“I saw”) in v. 3 are most naturally understood as simultaneous to each other, so that the pair is most commonly translated as “I envied [...] as I saw [...]” 53. Although the infinitive construct rpsl (“to re- count”) that follows the first person ytv (“I have made”) in v. 28b is often understood as indicating purpose/result, at least one english translation takes it as an infinitive of attendant circumstances, thus al- so implying a simultaneous relationship with the preceding verb 54. Admittedly, the infinitive construct is more commonly used to indicate purpose/result than attendant circumstances, but in v. 28 it is difficult to see such a logical connection since recounting God’s works does not require someone to first make him one’s refuge. In fact, there is no obvious cause-effect relationship between these two actions. Thus, if the simultaneous option indeed makes better sense, then vv. 1-3 and vv. 27-28 can be viewed as two parallel panels as follows: v. 1 surely God [...] v. 27 surely look, those far from you [...] v. 2 But as for me, [...] v. 28a But as for me, [...] v. 3 For I envied the arrogant v. 28b I have made the Lord YhWh [...] as I saw [...] the wicked as I recount [...] your works What is further noteworthy is the apparent embedding of a chiastic arrangement within these two panels based on the characters in focus: v. 1 God [...] v. 2 as for me [...] v. 3 the arrogant [...] the wicked v. 27 those far from you [...] all who are unfaithful towards you v. 28a as for me [...] v. 28b [...] the Lord YhWh [...] 53 see the various english translations, such as nIv, neT, esv, nAu, nJK, and nLT. 54 Translations that take the infinitive construct as purpose/result include TnK, esv, nAu, nKJ, nrs, and nJB. But neT takes it as attendant circumstances in- dicating simultaneous action.