Alternative Psalms Manuscripts: 4QPs-a (4Q83)

I thought I would take a moment to lay out some evidence for alternative arrangements of the psalms in the Dead Sea Scrolls. These scrolls present some traditional psalms (traditionally found in the Tanak) in sequences that are non-traditional (i.e., the Tanak has a different sequence). Of the 36 Psalms-bearing manuscripts from Qumran (Yarchin's terminology, 777n4), 9 of them have these alternative sequences. This post covers only the first of these. Subsequent posts will treat the others. 

4QPsa (4Q83)

• Date: mid-II BCE
• Preserved contents: Ps 5:9–13; 6:1–4; 25:8, 10, 12, 15; 31:23–24; 33:2, 4–6, 8, 10, 12; 34:21–22; 35:2, 13–18, 20, 26–27; 36:1, 3, 5–7, 9; 38:2, 4, 6, 8–10, 12, 16–23; 71:1–14; 47:2; 53:2, 4–5, 27; 54:2–3, 5–6; 56:4; 62:13; 63:2, 4; 66:16, 18–20; 67:1–2, 4–8; 69:1–19.
• Alternative sequences: 31→33 (cf. 4QPsq), 38→71 (considered one psalm)

Ps. 31→33. 4QPsa frg 4.   Yellow line: middle of Ps 31:24 (אמנם[ נ]וצר) Green line: vacat after Ps 31:25 Pink line: end of Ps 33:2 (עשור זמרו לו) Purple line: end of Ps 35
Red line: start of Ps 36

4QPsa frg 9 ii. The arrow shows the beginning of Ps 71, following immediately Ps 38.