Psalm 4

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. 

Psalm 4:  Syllables 179 Longest recitation 9 Tenor e  26.82%

The illuy ֬-- shaped like a munah but above the text -- occurs 3 times in this psalm: bars 11, 39 and 42. It occurs 191 times and only in the 3 poetry books, most of those occurrences are on e and C. Here are two of the rare ones on g and A. It's fair to say that it 'punctuates' the musical line. When it is on C, Haïk-Vantoura almost inevitably takes the note down an octave.

Verse 1 is a single phrase. Verse 2 has a long first phrase to the atnah, easily split at the revia in bar 5. Verse 3 has another long phrase to the atnah. Verse 4 seems to requires another voice. How would you, as an arranger, assign parts of the text to different voices? Verse 5 is a bi-colon-f#. It's good to have a choice of cadences as a composer.

Who would want to have a stable mid-verse cadence on the word in the mid-verse of verse 5. Perhaps this tells us something about the tone of verse 2 also. Verse 3 is a rebuke. Perhaps the use of illuy is an indicator of such types of things. Its use certainly fits the sneering tone of verse 7, another bi-colon-f#, i.e. with a pending cadence rather than a stable one.

Verse 6 is a bi-colon-A, verse 8 also, and verse 9 a tri-colon. Perhaps in later presentations I will not need to say these things. In fact, the statements could be automated, but I might have my eyes glaze over when reading and hearing the music if I did that.

Verse 6 could serve as an antiphon or perhaps it is the voice of the 'selah'. Verse 7 is an angry plea. Verse 8 a change in voice again. Verse 9 hearkens back to the sleep and awake of psalm 3 where we could highlight the short 4-syllable phrase on bars 29-30 (click the link and look it up - don't be in a hurry).

The other things I am searching for are changes in style within the Psalter. Will that best be done in sequence or in some other presentation order? Who knows.

1 For the leader on strings. A psalm of David.
א למנצ֥ח בנגינ֗ות מזמ֥ור לדוֽד	12		a lmnxk bnginot mzmor ldvid
2 When I call answer me, my God my righteousness. In straits you have made spacious room for me. Be gracious and hear my prayer.
ב בקרא֡י ענ֤ני אל֘ה֤י צדק֗י ב֭צר הרח֣בת ל֑י ח֝נ֗ני ושמ֥ע תפלתֽי	17 9		b bqorai ynni alohi xdqi bxr hrkbt li konni uwmy tpilti
3 Children, each of you, how long will you humiliate my glory? your love empty? your seeking a lie? Selah.
ג בנ֥י א֡יש עד־מ֬ה כבוד֣י ל֭כלמה תאהב֣ון ר֑יק תבקש֖ו כז֣ב סֽלה	16 7		g bni aiw yd-mh cbodi lclimh tahbun riq tbqwu czb slh
4 Now set down this: Yahweh reserved one who is under mercy as his own. Yahweh will hear when I call to him.
ד ודע֗ו כֽי־הפל֣ה י֭הוה חס֣יד ל֑ו יהו֥ה י֝שמ֗ע בקרא֥י אלֽיו	10 9		d udyu ci-hplh ihvh ksid lo ihvh iwmy bqorai aliv
5 Shudder and do not sin. Promise in your heart where you lie down and be mute. Selah.
ה רגז֗ו וֽאל־ת֫חט֥או אמר֣ו ב֭לבבכם עֽל־משכבכ֗ם וד֣מו סֽלה	8 14		h rgzu val-tkTau amru blbbcm yl-mwcbcm vdomu slh
6 Offer offerings of righteousness, and trust in Yahweh.
ו זבח֥ו זבחי־צ֑דק ו֝בטח֗ו אל־יהוֽה	6 6		v zbku zbki-xdq ubTku al-ihvh
7 Many say, Who will show us good? Prove over us the light of your face, Yahweh!
ז רב֥ים אמרים֮ מֽי־ירא֪נ֫ו‬־ט֥וב נֽסה ע֭לינו א֨ור פנ֬יך יהוֽה	9 11		z rbim aomrim mi-iranu-Tob nsh ylinu aor pniç ihvh
8 You have given gladness in my heart, more than when their grain and their new wine multiplied.
ח נת֣תה שמח֣ה בלב֑י מע֬ת דגנ֖ם ותֽירוש֣ם רֽבו	8 11		k ntt wmkh blibi myt dgnm vtirowm rbu
9 In peace as one I will lie down and sleep, for you Yahweh of solitude, to trust you let me sit.
ט בשל֣ום יחדו֮ אשכב֪ה וא֫יש֥ן כֽי־את֣ה יהו֣ה לבד֑ד ל֝ב֗טח תושיבֽני	11 8 7		T bwlom ikdiv awcbh vaiwn ci-ath ihvh lbdd lbTk towibni