Psalm 23

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

Psalms 23: Syllables 134 Longest recitation 9 Tenor f# 32.84%

The psalm has a tenor of f# -- pending, not a stable place. Verses 4 and 6 link themselves to the previous verse via their opening pitch. Each on the high C, a note of imprecation - the drop to the tonic in verse 4 gives a low tessitura to the shadow of death. The zarqa underlines the confidence and aids the singer to the leap back to the C before coming to the mid-verse rest on the subdominant. We often forget the adversaries (not enemies -- there's no need for a discordant translation here). But verse 6 returning again to the high note transforms it into a confident conclusion. See further reflections here from Heather Thiessen.

Performances here and here.

1 A psalm of David. Yahweh is my shepherd. I will not lack. (1-4-1)
א מזמ֥ור לדו֑ד יהו֥ה ר֝ע֗י ל֣א אחסֽר	5 7		a mzmor ldvid ihvh royi la aksr
2 In verdant loveliness he makes me recline. By waters at rest he refreshes me. (1-4-1)
ב בנא֣ות ד֭שא ירביצ֑ני על־מ֖י מנח֣ות ינהלֽני	8 10		b bnaot dwa irbixni yl-mi mnukot inhlni
3 My being he repairs. He guides me in tracks of righteousness for the sake of his name. (1-4-1)
ג נפש֥י ישוב֑ב יֽנח֥ני במעגלי־צ֝֗דק למ֣ען שמֽו	5 14		g npwi iwobb inkni bmygli-xdq lmyn wmo
4 ♪C Furthermore because I walk in the gorge shadowing death, I will not fear evil, because you are with me. Your sceptre and your staff, they re-create me. (C-1-4-1)
ד ג֤ם כֽי־אל֨ך בג֪יא צלמ֡ות לא־א֘יר֤א ר֗ע כי־את֥ה עמד֑י שבטך֥ ו֝משענת֗ך ה֣מה ינֽחמֽני	19 15		d gm ci-alç bgia xlmvvt la-aira ry ci-ath yimdi wbTç umwyntç hmh inkmuni
5 You arrange facing me a table in front of my adversaries. You fatten with oil my head. My cup is saturated. (1-4-1)
ה תער֬ך לפנ֨י שלח֗ן נ֥גד צרר֑י דש֖נת בש֥מן ר֝אש֗י כוס֥י רויֽה	12 13		h tyroç lpnii wulkn ngd xorrii diwnt bwmn rawi cosi rvvih
6 ♪C Surely goodness and kindness pursue me all the days of my life, and I will sit in the house of Yahweh for length of days. (C-1-4-1)
ו א֤ך ט֤וב וח֣סד י֭רדפוני כל־ימ֣י חי֑י ושבת֥י בבית־י֝הו֗ה לא֣רך ימֽים	14 12		v aç Tob vksd irdpuni cl-imi kii vwbti bbit-ihvh laorç imim