Psalm 144

Psalms 144: Syllables: 330; Longest recitation: 11; Tenor: f# 25.76%;
Ornament density: 14%; Average phrase length: 9.4.

I have automated some of the analysis by listing the harmonics in parenthesis for each verse below. This frees us up to listen to the line shapes and ornaments. I can include a table of ornament density measurements to show the verses that may have some interest. In this psalm verse 1 ornaments 6 syllables of 24, or 25% and verse 5 has no accents above the text.

The ornaments above the text are very clear in the Hebrew below -- and I have increased the size of the font in the stylesheet for the blog. I could also identify rarer ornament combinations in a psalm, but I think that might be better in a separate post -- and I have probably already done it in some obscure table in a blog post. Instant musical criticism is difficult to imagine. We need to take time to listen either internally with sight reading or explicitly with performance. I can't shorten this necessary learning experience.

One shape in this psalm that I have not noted elsewhere so far is the approach to the cadence on the supertonic (ole-veyored) from lower single syllable bars. Note yerah in bars 8, 61, and 71. It turns out there is a rule. If a d is in the music and the music cadences on f#, then the d always precedes the f#. There are constraints on the sequences of the accents. The yerah may appear without an ole but not after it. There are 25 verses with atnah (A) and a d preceding it. The d always is in the earlier part of the verse. There are 2 verses in the Psalms with a d and no inner verse cadence. (There is no such constraint on the tevir, the d used only in the 21 books.)

1 Of David. Blessed is Yahweh my rock, the teacher of my hands to close combat, my fingers to war. (1-4-1)
א לדו֨ד ב֘ר֤וך יהו֨ה צור֗י הֽמלמ֣ד יד֣י לקר֑ב א֝צבעות֗י למלחמֽה	16 8		a ldvid bruç ihvh xuri hmlmd idii lqrb axbyotii lmlkmh
2 My kindness and my fortress, my retreat and my security, mine, my shield, and in him I have taken refuge, wrapping my people under me. (1-2-4-1)
ב חסד֥י ומצודתי֮ משגב֪י וֽמפלט֫י־ל֥י מ֭גני וב֣ו חס֑יתי הרוד֖ד עמ֣י תחתֽי	13 8 7		b ksdi umxudti mwgbi umplTi-li mgini ubo ksiti hrodd ymi tktii
3 Yahweh, what is this humanity that you know it, a mortal child that you devised it? (1-4-1)
ג יֽהו֗ה מה־א֭דם ותדע֑הו בן־א֝נ֗וש וֽתחשבֽהו	10 7		g ihvh mh-adm vtdyhu bn-anow vtkwbhu
4 ♪g Humanity is like futility, its days as a shadow passing away. (g-1-4-1)
ד א֭דם לה֣בל דמ֑ה י֝מ֗יו כצ֣ל עובֽר	7 6		d adm lhbl dmh imiv cxl yobr
5 ♪g Yahweh, bend your heavens and come down. Touch hills and they will smoke. (g-1-4-1)
ה י֭הוה הט־שמ֣יך ותר֑ד ג֖ע בהר֣ים וֽיעשֽנו	9 9		h ihvh hT-wmiç vtrd gy bhrim viywnu
6 A lightning bolt and you will disperse them. Send out your arrows and you will confuse them. (1-4-1)
ו בר֣וק ב֭רק ותפיצ֑ם של֥ח ח֝צ֗יך ותהמֽם	7 8		v broq brq utpixm wlk kixiç uthumm
7 Send out your hands from on high. Set me free and deliver me from abundant waters, from the hand of the children of the alien, (1-2-4-1)
ז של֥ח יד֗יך ממ֫ר֥ום פצ֣ני ו֭הצילני ממ֣ים רב֑ים מ֝י֗ד בנ֣י נכֽר	8 12 6		z wlk idiç mmrom pxni vhxilni mmim rbim mid bni ncr
8 whose mouths speak vanity, and their right hand a right hand of falsehood. (1-4-1)
ח אש֣ר פ֭יהם דבר־ש֑וא וֽ֝ימינ֗ם ימ֣ין שֽקר	7 7		k awr pihm dibr-wva viminm imin wqr
9 O God, a new song I will sing to you. On a ten-stringed lute I will sing a psalm to you. (1-4-1)
ט א‍ֽלה֗ים ש֣יר ח֭דש אש֣ירה ל֑ך בנ֥בל ע֝ש֗ור אזמרה־לֽך	9 9		T alohim wir kdw awirh lç bnbl ywor azmrh-lç
10 Giving salvation to kings, setting even David his servant free from a sword of evil. (1-2-1)
י הנות֥ן תשוע֗ה למל֫כ֥ים ה֭פוצה את־דו֥ד עבד֗ו מח֥רב רעֽה	9 13		i hnotn twuyh lmlcim hpoxh at-dvid ybdo mkrb ryh
11 Set me free and deliver me from the hand of the children of the alien, whose mouths speak vanity, and their right hand a right hand of falsehood, (1-2-4-1)
יא פצ֥ני והצילני֮ מי֪ד בֽני־נ֫כ֥ר אש֣ר פ֭יהם דבר־ש֑וא וֽ֝ימינ֗ם ימ֣ין שֽקר	13 7 7		ia pxni vhxilni mid bni-ncr awr pihm dibr-wva viminm imin wqr
12 that our sons may be as plants developed in their youth, with our daughters as cornerstones, dressed in the manner of a temple, (1-2-4-1)
יב אש֤ר בנ֨ינו כנטעים֮ מגדל֪ים בֽנעור֫יה֥ם בנות֥ינו כזוי֑ת מ֝חטב֗ות תבנ֥ית היכֽל	16 8 8		ib awr bninu cnTiyim mgudlim bnyurihm bnotinu czvviiot mkuTbot tbnit hicl
13 so our granaries are full furnished from kind to kind, our sheep by thousands, to ten thousands in our streets, (1-2-1)
יג מזו֣ינו מלאים֮ מפיק֥ים מז֗ן א֫ל־ז֥ן צאונ֣נו מ֭אליפות מרבב֗ות בחוצותֽינו	14 16		ig mzvvinu mlaim mpiqim mzn al-zn xannu malipot mrubbot bkuxotinu
14 our droves bearing burdens, without breach without sally, without complaint in our piazzas. (1-2-4-1)
יד אלופ֗ינו מֽסב֫ל֥ים אֽין־פ֭רץ וא֣ין יוצ֑את וא֥ין צ֝וח֗ה ברחבתֽינו	8 7 10		id alupinu msublim ain-prx vain ioxat vain xvvkh brkobotinu
15 Happy the people who are such to him. Happy the people who have Yahweh as their God. (1-4-1)
טו אשר֣י ה֭עם שכ֣כה ל֑ו אֽשר֥י ה֝ע֗ם שיהו֥ה אלהֽיו	8 10		Tv awri hym wcch lo awri hym wihvh alohiv

The music in these posts is derived from the accents in the Hebrew Bible. Introductions - letters, music, text and music, and terminology, are here.