President unfamiliar with Psalm 46 - somebody didn't do their homework.

[ExSabotSender]

The President read Psalm 46 this morning at the September 11 memorial in New York. If he had been familiar with text he would have know that Bow - is a reference to a weapon of war like in bow & arrow. Two more weapons of war follow in verse 9 - the spear & chariot. Instead he pronounced the word as Bow - to been at the waist, the front of a boat, or limb of a tree.

Wonder if it was the first time he had read or heard the scriptural passage?

[GGpaX4DumpedTea]

“...and try to downplay the treat we face from Islam...”

Treat? Treat we face from Islam? And just what are they ‘treating’ us to on this special day?

[fightinJAG]

Psalm 46:9 (New Revised Standard):

9 He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; he breaks the bow, and shatters the spear; he burns the shields with fire

Good grief.

[fightinJAG]

Maybe Rev. Wright pronouces it as “bough” of a tree instead “bow” of an arrow?

Oh, wait. Obama never heard a word Wright said in 25 years, so forget that theory.

[fightinJAG]

As when Obama told Cantor, “Don’t call my bluff.”

When someone is bluffing, as thereby Obama admitted he was, it means he’s GOT NOTHING.

But Obama had no clue what that English idiom actually meant.

[twyn1]

He probably just wanted to read the second verse (Be still, and know that I am God...) but realized it might sound a bit *awkward* without the lead-in.

If I was going to be reading a Bible verse in front of any size audience (let alone at a nationally televised event), I certainly would make doubly sure of any questionable pronunciations and thoroughly know the context before I opened my mouth in front of a mic.

at least he knows how to spell "potato" :/

[ExSabotSender]

What's interesting is the Media is not familiar with the Psalm.

I am no Biblical scholar, but if you have seen the movie Zulu - Pastor Witt & Color Sergeant Borne recite the passage and it is in the common lectionary for Years A & C and during the Easter Vigil

46:9 He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; he breaks the bow, and shatters the spear; he burns the shields with fire.

Though in most versions the second shield is a chariot.

[ExSabotSender]

At 3:37 in the CBS Video - I hear it.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/09/11/national/main20104450.shtml

Heard it live this morning as well.

[thecodont]

Perhaps BO could benefit from an ESL course. :/

[Mercat]

Max McLean pronounces is bow with a long “o”

[luvie]

For a genius, he reads like a 7th grader in a ghetto school. Just sayin....

[this_ol_patriot]

Except the limb of a tree is a bough. Pronounced the same, spelled different. A homophone.

You sir are homophonic.

[Vigilanteman]

How well do you think you would do reading a Koranic verse? :->

[luvie]

heh-heh....very good point! :)

[Fledermaus]

What do you expect from a total moron, and total stupid staff, that let him say Lincoln founded the Republican Party.

Obama is a brain dead puppet.

[Fledermaus]

What do you expect from a total moron, and total stupid staff, that let him say Lincoln founded the Republican Party.

Obama is a brain dead puppet.

[Monterrosa-24]

The KJV is so much more poetic...especially with the Psalms.

[Bean Counter]

yep. It just demonstrates once again what rank amateurs are running the show. You would think that the President would be prepared enough by Staff to know how to pronounce words properly, especially with so many people who know that Psalm by heart. Not this crew.

Scary stupid.

[bunkerhill7]

Even the Devil quotes Scripture.

[dr_lew]

"bow" and "bow" are heteronyms = "same spelling, different sound and meaning", and are a subset of homographs, which comprises all words of the same spelling, whether identical words, heteronyms, or homonyms, e.g. "tire" and "tire" ( same sound, different meaning.) All this in a diagram at the Wikipedia entry for Homophone.

[cruise_missile]

Can you imagine if a conservative said this?
Along with him bowing to Japan’s Emperor Akihito.

This is a genius?