Nephi's Psalm

1. Form Analyzed:

I examined the language of the passage, specifically the use of repetition, imagery and metaphor.

2. Passage Analyzed:

I focused primarily on the tone and style of part of Nephi’s Psalm (2 Nephi 4:28-33) within my assigned section of 2 Nephi 1-8.

3. Annotated Text:

4. Breakdown/Listing of things found:

Nephi repeats the phrases “Rejoice, O my heart”, “O Lord”, and “wilt thou” many times in his address to God in this passage. He also uses descriptive imagery, such as when he calls for his soul to stop “droop[ing] in sin.” The text contains many metaphors pertaining to righteousness. God is described as the “rock of [his] salvation” and the righteous living is compared to the “path of the low valley.”

5. Interpretation:

Nephi’s repetition of “wilt thou” emphasizes the pleading nature of his communication with God. He is reaffirming his role as a suppliant. He continually stresses the exalted position of God by repeating “O Lord” before every petition. This also helps give a clear structure to the passage. The repetition of other words and phrases underscores their importance. Nephi uses imagery to more fully convey to the reader the strict righteousness he aspires too. He wants to physically “shake” when exposed to sin. The metaphorical language of the text allows righteousness to be conceptualized repeatedly in differing ways.

6. Connections/Questions:

I wonder if other figures of the Book of Mormon use repetition to the same extent as Nephi when talking to God? In her post, Lizzy questioned whether personal pronouns were incorporated in the text for future readers. Similarly, I question whether Nephi’s liberal use of metaphor was meant for the instruction of future readers or simply as a poetic way to express the feelings of his heart.