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Monday 22 January 2018

Psalms 111

Slowing down? Yes to some extent. So to keep up a single post per day, I am going to intersperse a Psalm every few days. I will try to cover the Psalms related to the Revised Common Lectionary during the week.

Here then is Psalm 111, one of a doublet of Acrostics (111-112). An acrostic celebrates the Psalm that precedes it. To have two acrostics following a Psalm is celebration indeed. In Psalms 111 and 112 we have a unique celebration of Psalm 110. (The link is to my translation from 2010. At the bottom of the linked page I have appended the current version of the Psalm.)

From my post in 2010
The most delightful rendition of this acrostic is here. In my earlier translation I did not begin to attempt an acrostic since Mary Herbert Countess of Pembroke had done such a lovely job. I can't help thinking that following the astonishing Psalm 110, these next two acrostics are simply play - the same that played before the foundation of the world. 
Psalms 111 Fn Min Max Syll
הַ֥לְלוּ יָ֨הּ ׀ אוֹדֶ֣ה יְ֭הוָה בְּכָל־לֵבָ֑ב
בְּס֖וֹד יְשָׁרִ֣ים וְעֵדָֽה
1 f Hallelu Yah. I will thank Yahweh with a whole heart,
Before the council of the upright, and assembly.
3e 4B 11
8
גְּ֭דֹלִים מַעֲשֵׂ֣י יְהוָ֑ה
דְּ֝רוּשִׁ֗ים לְכָל־חֶפְצֵיהֶֽם
2 g Great are the deeds of Yahweh,
Delight of all who search them out.
3e 4B 8
8
הוֹד־וְהָדָ֥ר פָּֽעֳל֑וֹ
וְ֝צִדְקָת֗וֹ עֹמֶ֥דֶת לָעַֽד
3 Honour and splendour his work,
Verily his righteousness stands for ever.
3e 4A 7
9
זֵ֣כֶר עָ֭שָׂה לְנִפְלְאֹתָ֑יו
חַנּ֖וּן וְרַח֣וּם יְהוָֽה
4 B Zoomed in to memory makes he his wonderful works,
How gracious and compassionate is Yahweh.
3e 4B 9
7
טֶ֭רֶף נָתַ֣ן לִֽירֵאָ֑יו
יִזְכֹּ֖ר לְעוֹלָ֣ם בְּרִיתֽוֹ
5 g To those who fear him he gives prey,
Yea, he remembers forever his covenant.
3e 4B 7
8
כֹּ֣חַ מַ֭עֲשָׂיו הִגִּ֣יד לְעַמּ֑וֹ
לָתֵ֥ת לָ֝הֶ֗ם נַחֲלַ֥ת גּוֹיִֽם
6 B Known to his people is the power of his deeds,
Letting them have the heritage of the nations.
3e 4B 10
9
מַעֲשֵׂ֣י יָ֭דָיו אֱמֶ֣ת וּמִשְׁפָּ֑ט
נֶ֝אֱמָנִ֗ים כָּל־פִּקּוּדָֽיו
7 Mark the deeds of his hands: truth and judgment,
Near and faithful are all his precepts,
3e 4B 10
8
סְמוּכִ֣ים לָעַ֣ד לְעוֹלָ֑ם
עֲ֝שׂוּיִ֗ם בֶּאֱמֶ֥ת וְיָשָֽׁר
8 Supported for ever, forever,
All done in truth and upright.
3e 4B 8
9
פְּד֤וּת ׀ שָׁ֘לַ֤ח לְעַמּ֗וֹ צִוָּֽה־לְעוֹלָ֥ם בְּרִית֑וֹ
קָד֖וֹשׁ וְנוֹרָ֣א שְׁמֽוֹ
9 Purchase price he has sent to his people,
So he commands his covenant forever,
Quite holy and fearful his name.
3e 4C 15
7
רֵ֘אשִׁ֤ית חָכְמָ֨ה ׀ יִרְאַ֬ת יְהוָ֗ה שֵׂ֣כֶל ט֭וֹב לְכָל־עֹשֵׂיהֶ֑ם
תְּ֝הִלָּת֗וֹ עֹמֶ֥דֶת לָעַֽד
10 ~ Right at the beginning of wisdom is the fear of Yahweh,
Surely a good insight for all doing them,
To stand his praise for ever.
3e 4C 16
9

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