Psalm 19

The music in these posts is entirely derived from the accents in the Hebrew Bible.

Psalm 19, Syllables: 304, Longest recitation: 11, Tenor f#: 27.30%.

Silence to be observed

Note how similar verse 1 is to verse 2, bars 4 to 6, e-revia-f#-e but bar 3 comes to the tonic as complete. The inscription in this case is a verse without an inner cadence. In verse 2, bar 6 has no pause and moves immediately to the sub-dominant condence e-revia-f#-e-A. The silluq in this sequence is just a note in a musical phrase. The accent on the tonic is an upbeat to bar 7. The second verse like the majority of verses is a bi-colon-A with a cadence on the sub-dominant A, a resting place in the midst of many verses.

Note the occurrence of the turn, zarqa in bar 7 and the ole-veyored in bar 8 returning to the tonic for verse 2. Verse 3 is a B-bi-colon-A. It begins on the fifth note of the scale, continuing the thought of the prior verse. The return to the tonic in bar 13 is the same sequence as verse 2. In each verse of this group the return to the tonic is via mercha, adding more and more syllables to the f# and making it the 'tenor' of the psalm. Verse 4 (bi-colon-A) reflects the first verse of Genesis with its major triad, a suitable allusion for this psalm.

1 For the leader. A psalm of David.
א למנצ֗ח מזמ֥ור לדוֽד	9		a lmnxk mzmor ldvid
2 The heavens recount the glory of God, and what his hands make is evident from the expanse.
ב השמ֗ים מֽספר֥ים כבֽוד־א֑ל ומ֘עש֥ה י֝ד֗יו מג֥יד הרקֽיע	9 12		b hwmiim msprim cbod-al umywh idiv mgid hrqiy
3 ♪B Day to day ferments promise, and night to night breathes knowledge.
ג י֣ום ל֭יום יב֣יעֽ א֑מר ול֥ילה ל֝ל֗ילה יחוה־דֽעת	8 11		g iom liom ibiy aomr vlilh llilh ikvvh-dyt
4 There is no promise and there are no words. Their voice is not heard.
ד אֽין־א֭מר וא֣ין דבר֑ים ב֝ל֗י נשמ֥ע קולֽם	8 6		d ain-aomr vain dbrim bli nwmy qolm

Here is a possible rendering of the thematic material above with an English underlay.

Music is allowed in the silence -- and silence in the music

Their line is gone out

Note the turn ֘ (zarqa) in bar 22. In verse 2, bar 7 above, the turn is on the rest note. In verse 5, it is followed by C. The silent speech of the heavens is known everywhere and by everyone.  All three verses are bi-cola-A type verses with possible extra breaths for the long lines on the revia.

5 In all the earth their line has gone out, and to the extremity of the world their speech. For the sun he pitched a tent in them.
ה בכל־הא֨רץ י֘צ֤א קו֗ם ובקצ֣ה ת֭בל מליה֑ם ל֝ש֗מש שֽם־א֥הל בהֽם	17 8		h bcl-harx ixa qvvm ubqxh tbl milihm lwmw wm-aohl bhm
6 And he as bridegroom going forth from his canopy, joys as one who prevails racing on a path.
ו וה֗וא כ֭חתן יצ֣א מחפת֑ו יש֥יש כ֝גב֗ור לר֥וץ אֽרח	11 9		v vhua cktn ioxa mkupto iwiw cgibor lrux aork
7 From an extreme of the heavens its going forth, and its circuit to their extremities, and there is no hiding from its heat.
ז מקצ֤ה השמ֨ים מוצא֗ו ותקופת֥ו על־קצות֑ם וא֥ין נ֝סת֗ר מֽחמתו	16 8		z mqxh hwmiim moxao utqupto yl-qxotm vain nstr mkmto

To set the above to music in English, some manipulation of natural English word order is required for verse 5: In all the earth has gone out their line… If you make this change, you can hear the parallelism between line as story, and speech.

There are no easy answers to the problems of translation and the process never ends. As an arranger, allow yourself some leeway to make the rhythms work. Often as in verse 6, there is no difficulty translating in Hebrew word order, though I did not do it at first, since I was biased to the translations and poetry I had heard in my younger days.

Love of Torah

The music of the instruction is begun with the same zarqa ornament connecting this section to what went before, but true to the humility of the word that does not cry out in the streets or unsuitably draw attention to itself, the proclamation lowers after two notes to B and g to describe the impact. Notice how verses 8 and 9 (bi-cola-A) share the same shape and where the cadence comes in the verse on npw (soul), lb (heart). Our spirits soar to the heavens, but instruction, testimony, precepts, and commandment bring reality home.

In verse 10 (tri-colon) the fear parallels part of the shape of the journey of the sun in verse 7. The turn (tsinnor) is on the word clean. Then the melody leaps down a seventh and moves to the cadence on the supertonic, creating a three-fold division of the verse including true judgments and a unity of what is righteous. Pause where marked to give the hearer time to think in this short spondaic phrase. Verse 11 (bi-colon-A) continues in a lower tessitura bringing this section to a close with the first cadence from dominant (munah) to tonic  (silluq) in the recitation.

8 ♪~ The instruction of Yahweh is complete, repairing any being. The testimony of Yahweh is faithful, making wise simplicity.
ח ת֘ור֤ת יהו֣ה ת֭מימה מש֣יבת נ֑פש עד֥ות יהו֥ה נ֝אמנ֗ה מחכ֥ימת פֽתי	12 13		k tort ihvh tmimh mwibt npw ydut ihvh namnh mkcimt pti
9 The precepts of Yahweh are upright, making glad a heart. The commandment of Yahweh is pure, enlightening eyes.
ט פק֘וד֤י יהו֣ה י֭שרים משמחי־ל֑ב מצו֥ת יהו֥ה ב֝ר֗ה מאיר֥ת עינֽים	12 12		T piqudi ihvh iwrim mwmki-lb mxvt ihvh brh mairt yiniim
10 The fear of Yahweh is clean, standing for ever. The judgments of Yahweh are true, righteous altogether.
י ירא֤ת יהו֨ה טהורה֮ עומ֪דת ל֫ע֥ד מֽשפטי־יהו֥ה אמ֑ת צֽדק֥ו יחדֽו	12 8 4		i irat ihvh Thorh yomdt lyd mwpTi-ihvh amt xdqu ikdiv
11 More attractive than gold, and than abundant pure gold, and sweeter than honey, even the flowing honey of treetops.
יא הֽנחמד֗ים מ֭זהב ומפ֣ז ר֑ב ומתוק֥ים מ֝דב֗ש ונ֣פת צופֽים	12 10		ia hnkmdim mzhb umpz rb umtuqim mdbw vnopt xupim

Deliverance from presumptions - all four verses are of  the form bi-colon-A

Notice the recurring words at the start of verses 12 and 14 - gm, likewise. The first puts the servant of God in the frame of instruction, the second appeals for deliverance from presumptions. Verse 12 imitates the final cadence of verse 11. Verse 13 is a low tessitura and personal in tone. The second occurrence of gm links to the first with the high C, a note appealing for good governance and its consequence, completeness. The ole-veyored on the subdominant, the rest note reinforces the thought and the recurrence of innocent links the four verses together.

Verse 15 is unique in its long recitation on f# on the way to the subdominant inner cadence on presence. The second part of the verse again extends the A, a note of repose, closing the psalm with a clear indication of the One to whom it is all addressed.

12 Likewise your servant is admonished in them. In keeping them is a foot firmly planted.
יב גֽם־ע֭בדך נזה֣ר בה֑ם ב֝שמר֗ם ע֣קב רֽב	8 6		ib gm-ybdç nzhr bhm bwomrm yqb rb
13 Who will understand errors? From the hidden make me innocent.
יג שגיא֥ות מֽי־יב֑ין מֽנסתר֥ות נקֽני	5 7		ig wgiaot mi-ibin mnstrot nqni
14 ♪C Likewise from presumptions keep your servant back, that they may not govern in me. Then I will be complete. And I will be innocent of abundant transgression.
יד ג֤ם מזד֨ים חש֬ך עבד֗ך אֽל־ימשלו־ב֣י א֣ז אית֑ם ו֝נק֗יתי מפ֥שֽע רֽב	17 8		id gm mzdim kwoç ybdç al-imwlu-bi az aitm vniqiti mpwy rb
15 May the promises of my mouth find acceptance, and the musing of my heart in your presence, Yahweh my rock and my redeemer.
טו יֽהי֥ו לרצ֨ון אמרי־פ֡י והגי֣ון לב֣י לפנ֑יך י֝הו֗ה צור֥י וגאלֽי	17 7		Tv ihiu lrxon amri-pi vhgion libi lpniç ihvh xuri vgoali

Introductions - letters, music, text and music, and terminology, are available here.