Psalms 34

No available performance of this music. If you do one, please let me know.

Psalm 34 is one of 13 alphabetic acrostics in the Hebrew Bible. All 8 of these poems in the Psalms celebrate the preceding psalm. Four of the 8 are in Book 1 and are all incomplete or defective with respect to the letter sequence. The remaining 4 (all complete) are in Book 5, reinforcing the sandwich structure of the Psalter as a whole. This thesis is a consequence of my reading of recurring words in the Psalms as described in my book Seeing the Psalter. Four are in Lamentations, chapters 1 to 4, all complete, with peh and ayin in reverse order, to underline the reversal of fortune that is Israel. The last is in Chapter 31 of Proverbs, verses 10 to 31. It is part of the envelope for the Proverbs, a celebration of wisdom.

Psalms 34		Fn		Min	Max	Syll
לְדָוִ֗ד בְּשַׁנּוֹת֣וֹ אֶת־טַ֭עְמוֹ לִפְנֵ֣י אֲבִימֶ֑לֶךְ וַֽ֝יְגָרֲשֵׁ֗הוּ וַיֵּלַֽךְ	1		Of David, when he feigned his madness in the face of Abimelek, and he expelled him and he walked away.	3e	4B	16 8
אֲבָרֲכָ֣ה אֶת־יְהוָ֣ה בְּכָל־עֵ֑ת תָּ֝מִ֗יד תְּֽהִלָּת֥וֹ בְּפִֽי	2		I will bless Yahweh at all times. Continually his praise will be in my mouth.	3e	4B	10 8
בַּ֭יהוָה תִּתְהַלֵּ֣ל נַפְשִׁ֑י יִשְׁמְע֖וּ עֲנָוִ֣ים וְיִשְׂמָֽחוּ	3	g	Being - my being will praise Yahweh. The afflicted will hear and be glad.	3e	4B	7 10
גַּדְּל֣וּ לַיהוָ֣ה אִתִּ֑י וּנְרוֹמְמָ֖ה שְׁמ֣וֹ יַחְדָּֽו	4		Greatly magnify Yahweh with me, and let us exalt his name together.	3e	4B	6 7
דָּרַ֣שְׁתִּי אֶת־יְהוָ֣ה וְעָנָ֑נִי וּמִכָּל־מְ֝גוּרוֹתַ֗י הִצִּילָֽנִי	5		Determined I searched out Yahweh and he answered me, and from all my terrors he delivered me.	3e	4B	10 11
הִבִּ֣יטוּ אֵלָ֣יו וְנָהָ֑רוּ וּ֝פְנֵיהֶ֗ם אַל־יֶחְפָּֽרוּ	6		Him they noticed and were radiant, verily and their faces were not disappointed.	3e	4B	9 7
זֶ֤ה עָנִ֣י קָ֭רָא וַיהוָ֣ה שָׁמֵ֑עַ וּמִכָּל־צָ֝רוֹתָ֗יו הוֹשִׁיעֽוֹ	7	C	Zis poor one calls and Yahweh hears, and from all his troubles he saves him.	3e	4C	10 9
חֹנֶ֤ה מַלְאַךְ־יְהוָ֓ה סָ֘בִ֤יב לִֽירֵאָ֗יו וַֽיְחַלְּצֵֽם	8		Hovering, the angel of Yahweh surrounds those who fear him and rescues them.	3e	4C	14
טַעֲמ֣וּ וּ֭רְאוּ כִּי־ט֣וֹב יְהוָ֑ה אַֽשְׁרֵ֥י הַ֝גֶּ֗בֶר יֶחֱסֶה־בּֽוֹ	9		Taste and see for Yahweh is good. Happy the valiant that takes refuge in him.	3e	4B	9 9
יְר֣אוּ אֶת־יְהוָ֣ה קְדֹשָׁ֑יו כִּי־אֵ֥ין מַ֝חְס֗וֹר לִירֵאָֽיו	10		You his holy ones, fear Yahweh, for there is no lack to those who fear him.	3e	4B	8 7
כְּ֭פִירִים רָשׁ֣וּ וְרָעֵ֑בוּ וְדֹרְשֵׁ֥י יְ֝הוָ֗ה לֹא־יַחְסְר֥וּ כָל־טֽוֹב	11	g	Cubs - young lions want and are voracious, but those searching for Yahweh will not lack any good.	3e	4B	9 11
לְֽכוּ־בָ֭נִים שִׁמְעוּ־לִ֑י יִֽרְאַ֥ת יְ֝הוָ֗ה אֲלַמֶּדְכֶֽם	12		Little ones, walk, hear - listen, to me. The fear of Yahweh I will teach you.	3e	4A	6 8
מִֽי־הָ֭אִישׁ הֶחָפֵ֣ץ חַיִּ֑ים אֹהֵ֥ב יָ֝מִ֗ים לִרְא֥וֹת טֽוֹב	13		Man - who is it delights in life, loving days, to see good?	3e	4B	7 7
נְצֹ֣ר לְשׁוֹנְךָ֣ מֵרָ֑ע וּ֝שְׂפָתֶ֗יךָ מִדַּבֵּ֥ר מִרְמָֽה	14		Nip your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking deceit.	3e	4B	7 9
ס֣וּר מֵ֭רָע וַעֲשֵׂה־ט֑וֹב בַּקֵּ֖שׁ שָׁל֣וֹם וְרָדְפֵֽהוּ	15	B	Stay from evil and do good. Seek peace and pursue it.	3e	4B	7 8
עֵינֵ֣י יְ֭הוָה אֶל־צַדִּיקִ֑ים וְ֝אָזְנָ֗יו אֶל־שַׁוְעָתָֽם	16		Eyes, those of Yahweh are on the-many righteous, and his ears are on their cry for help.	3e	4B	8 7
פְּנֵ֣י יְ֭הוָה בְּעֹ֣שֵׂי רָ֑ע לְהַכְרִ֖ית מֵאֶ֣רֶץ זִכְרָֽם	17		Face, that of Yahweh is against those who do evil, to cut off their remembrance from the earth.	3e	4B	8 8
צָעֲק֣וּ וַיהוָ֣ה שָׁמֵ֑עַ וּמִכָּל־צָ֝רוֹתָ֗ם הִצִּילָֽם	18		Tza! they cry out and Yahweh hears, and he delivers them from all their troubles.	3e	4B	8 9
קָר֣וֹב יְ֭הוָה לְנִשְׁבְּרֵי־לֵ֑ב וְֽאֶת־דַּכְּאֵי־ר֥וּחַ יוֹשִֽׁיעַ	19		Quite near is Yahweh to those broken of heart, and he saves many a contrite spirit.	3e	4B	9 8
רַ֭בּוֹת רָע֣וֹת צַדִּ֑יק וּ֝מִכֻּלָּ֗ם יַצִּילֶ֥נּוּ יְהוָֽה	20	g	Right many are the evils of one who is righteous, and from all of them Yahweh will deliver him.	3e	4B	6 10
שֹׁמֵ֥ר כָּל־עַצְמוֹתָ֑יו אַחַ֥ת מֵ֝הֵ֗נָּה לֹ֣א נִשְׁבָּֽרָה	21		Sheltering all his bones, so that not one of them will be broken.	3e	4B	6 9
תְּמוֹתֵ֣ת רָשָׁ֣ע רָעָ֑ה וְשֹׂנְאֵ֖י צַדִּ֣יק יֶאְשָֽׁמוּ	22		The wicked one of evil will be put to death, and those hating one who is righteous will bear their guilt.	3e	4B	7 8
פּוֹדֶ֣ה יְ֭הוָה נֶ֣פֶשׁ עֲבָדָ֑יו וְלֹ֥א יֶ֝אְשְׁמ֗וּ כָּֽל־הַחֹסִ֥ים בּֽוֹ	23		Yahweh ransoms the being of his servants, and all who take refuge in him will not bear their guilt.	3e	4B	9 10