Psalms 118

 Long Psalm, short psalm. When we were learning to sing psalms to Anglican chant or plainsong, I used to remember when there were several psalms appointed for the day, or a particularly long psalm. I wasn't always happy to see a long psalm. How long does it take us to learn to live rather than looking forward to the time that is not yet when we can get back to doing something else?

There are still some long psalms where I can say to myself, 'been here before'. But I think I could be more patient even with English poetry and not be in such a hurry.

For some reason, I never posted a score of Psalms 118, though it is in my book as an example of a psalm that can be used liturgically. It was 2016 and this is among the early setting of the underlay for a passage. As you can see, being a long psalm, and conscious that lunch is in the oven, the liturgist has shortened the psalm to be a reasonable length. (This is very useful if it will be poorly sung.)

Psalms 118, for Easter Day, all years, part 1

Psalms 118, for Easter Day, all years, part 2

This is the day. It is 50 days long. This is the one day that Herbert writes of in his poem, Easter.

Here is the whole psalm. I may have made changes to the translation since I did the underlay.

	Psalms 118	Fn	Min	Max	Syll
הוֹד֣וּ לַיהוָ֣ה כִּי־ט֑וֹב כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ	1 Give thanks to Yahweh for it is good, for his kindness is forever.		3e	4B	6 6
יֹֽאמַר־נָ֥א יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ	2 May Israel say, For his kindness is forever.		3e	4B	6 6
יֹֽאמְרוּ־נָ֥א בֵֽית־אַהֲרֹ֑ן כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ	3 May the house of Aaron say, For his kindness is forever.		3e	4B	6 6
יֹֽאמְרוּ־נָ֭א יִרְאֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ	4 May those who fear Yahweh say, For his kindness is forever.		3e	4B	6 6
מִֽן־הַ֭מֵּצַ֥ר קָרָ֣אתִי יָּ֑הּ עָנָ֖נִי בַמֶּרְחָ֣ב יָֽהּ	5 From the trouble I called Yah. Yah answered me in a spacious room.		3e	4B	8 7
יְהוָ֣ה לִ֭י לֹ֣א אִירָ֑א מַה־יַּעֲשֶׂ֖ה לִ֣י אָדָֽם	6 Yahweh for me - I will not fear. What will an earthling do to me?		3e	4B	6 7
יְהוָ֣ה לִ֭י בְּעֹזְרָ֑י וַ֝אֲנִ֗י אֶרְאֶ֥ה בְשֹׂנְאָֽי	7 Yahweh is for me with those helping me, and I myself will see with those hating me.		3e	4B	6 8
ט֗וֹב לַחֲס֥וֹת בַּיהוָ֑ה מִ֝בְּטֹ֗חַ בָּאָדָֽם	8 Good it is to take refuge in Yahweh, over trusting in an earthling.	~	3e	4A	6 6
ט֗וֹב לַחֲס֥וֹת בַּיהוָ֑ה מִ֝בְּטֹ֗חַ בִּנְדִיבִֽים	9 Good it is to take refuge in Yahweh, over trusting in princes.	~	3e	4A	6 6
כָּל־גּוֹיִ֥ם סְבָב֑וּנִי בְּשֵׁ֥ם יְ֝הוָ֗ה כִּ֣י אֲמִילַֽם	10 All nations surrounded me. In the name of Yahweh - for I will have them cut down.		3e	4B	7 8
סַבּ֥וּנִי גַם־סְבָב֑וּנִי בְּשֵׁ֥ם יְ֝הוָ֗ה כִּ֣י אֲמִילַֽם	11 They surrounded me yea surrounded me. In the name of Yahweh - for I will have them cut down.		3e	4B	8 8
סַבּ֤וּנִי כִדְבוֹרִ֗ים דֹּ֭עֲכוּ כְּאֵ֣שׁ קוֹצִ֑ים בְּשֵׁ֥ם יְ֝הוָ֗ה כִּ֣י אֲמִילַֽם	12 They surrounded me like a swarm of bees; they are extinguished like a fire of brambles. In the name of Yahweh - for I will have them cut down.		3e	4C	13 8
דַּחֹ֣ה דְחִיתַ֣נִי לִנְפֹּ֑ל וַ֖יהוָ֣ה עֲזָרָֽנִי	13 Pushing you push me to fall, but Yahweh has helped me.		3e	4B	8 6
עָזִּ֣י וְזִמְרָ֣ת יָ֑הּ וַֽיְהִי־לִ֝֗י לִֽישׁוּעָֽה	14 My strength and psalm is Yah, and he has become my salvation.		3e	4B	6 6
ק֤וֹל ׀ רִנָּ֬ה וִֽישׁוּעָ֗ה בְּאָהֳלֵ֥י צַדִּיקִ֑ים יְמִ֥ין יְ֝הוָה עֹ֣שָׂה חָֽיִל	15 A voice of a shout and salvation in the tents of righteous ones, the right hand of Yahweh making weal,	C	3e	4C	13 8
יְמִ֣ין יְ֭הוָה רוֹמֵמָ֑ה יְמִ֥ין יְ֝הוָה עֹ֣שָׂה חָֽיִל	16 the right hand of Yahweh celebrated, the right hand of Yahweh making weal.		3e	4B	7 8
לֹֽא־אָמ֥וּת כִּי־אֶֽחְיֶ֑ה וַ֝אֲסַפֵּ֗ר מַֽעֲשֵׂ֥י יָֽהּ	17 I will not die for I will live, and recount the deeds of Yah.		3e	4A	5 8
יַסֹּ֣ר יִסְּרַ֣נִּי יָּ֑הּ וְ֝לַמָּ֗וֶת לֹ֣א נְתָנָֽנִי	18 To chasten Yah chastened me, but to death he did not give me over.		3e	4B	6 9
פִּתְחוּ־לִ֥י שַׁעֲרֵי־צֶ֑דֶק אָֽבֹא־בָ֝ם אוֹדֶ֥ה יָֽהּ	19 Open to me the gates of righteousness. I will go into them. I will give thanks to Yah.		3e	4A	7 6
זֶֽה־הַשַּׁ֥עַר לַיהוָ֑ה צַ֝דִּיקִ֗ים יָבֹ֥אוּ בֽוֹ	20 This is the gate of Yahweh. Righteous ones will go into it.		3e	4A	6 6
א֭וֹדְךָ כִּ֣י עֲנִיתָ֑נִי וַתְּהִי־לִ֝֗י לִֽישׁוּעָֽה	21 I will thank you for you have answered me, and you are my salvation.	g	3e	4B	7 6
אֶ֭בֶן מָאֲס֣וּ הַבּוֹנִ֑ים הָ֝יְתָ֗ה לְרֹ֣אשׁ פִּנָּֽה	22 A stone the builders refused, becomes the head of the corner.	g	3e	4B	8 6
מֵאֵ֣ת יְ֭הוָה הָ֣יְתָה זֹּ֑את הִ֖יא נִפְלָ֣את בְּעֵינֵֽינוּ	23 From Yahweh is this. It is wonderful in our eyes.		3e	4B	7 7
זֶה־הַ֭יּוֹם עָשָׂ֣ה יְהוָ֑ה נָגִ֖ילָה וְנִשְׂמְחָ֣ה בֽוֹ	24 This is the day Yahweh made. We will rejoice and be glad in it.		3e	4B	7 8
אָנָּ֣א יְ֭הוָה הוֹשִׁ֘יעָ֥ה נָּ֑א אָֽנָּ֥א יְ֝הוָ֗ה הַצְלִ֘יחָ֥ה נָּֽא	25 Beseeching Yahweh may you save. Beseeching Yahweh may you send prosperity.		3e	4B	8 8
בָּר֣וּךְ הַ֭בָּא בְּשֵׁ֣ם יְהוָ֑ה בֵּ֝רַֽכְנוּכֶ֗ם מִבֵּ֥ית יְהוָֽה	26 Blessed is the one coming in the name of Yahweh. We have blessed you from the house of Yahweh.		3e	4B	8 8
אֵ֤ל ׀ יְהוָה֮ וַיָּ֪אֶר־לָ֥נוּ אִסְרוּ־חַ֥ג בַּעֲבֹתִ֑ים עַד־קַ֝רְנ֗וֹת הַמִּזְבֵּֽחַ	27 Yahweh is God and will show us light. Bind a festive sacrifice with the cords, even to the horns of the altar.	C	3d	4C	15 7
אֵלִ֣י אַתָּ֣ה וְאוֹדֶ֑ךָּ אֱ֝לֹהַ֗י אֲרוֹמְמֶֽךָּ	28 My God you are - I will thank you. My God, I will exalt you.		3e	4B	8 7
הוֹד֣וּ לַיהוָ֣ה כִּי־ט֑וֹב כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ	29 Give thanks to Yahweh for it is good, for his kindness is forever.		3e	4B	6 6