Psalm 8

Psalms 8: Syllables: 192; Longest recitation: 8; Tenor: f# 23.44%;
Ornament density: 10.4%; Average phrase length: 9.6.

Verse 1, the incipit is a single phrase, low tessitura. Performance is available here. Notice that the edition they are using has a revia-mugrash in verse 1. Not there in the Aleppo or Leningrad codices.

I decided to run a select statement to show the harmonic structure for the verses. I learned immediately that the revia mugrash only occurs in the Leningrad codex once in a bi-colon-f#, Psalm 58 verse 3. We'll see that when it comes up. The shape is in the Aleppo codex.

As instructed years ago by David Mitchell, Precentor and Director of Music at Holy Trinity, Brussels, from whom I first learned of this music in 2010, I must verify every psalm against the Aleppo codex. There are so many errors in the later editions. The accents were misunderstood from the moment they were included in that 9th century text.

Harmonic structure for psalm 8: Verse 1, 1-1; Verse 2, 1-4-1; Verse 3, 1-2-4-1; Verses 4 to 10, 1-4-1. Ornaments are few except for the joyful verse 3 (corrected to avoid the premature drop to the tonic in verse 3). Note the exceptional verse 7 with the start of a geresh but truncated by munah instead of the expected revia.

1 For the leader on musing. A psalm of David.
א למנצ֥ח עֽל־הגת֗ית מזמ֥ור לדוֽד	13		a lmnxk yl-hgitit mzmor ldvid
2 Yahweh our Lord how majestic your name in all the earth, whose splendour is chanted above the heavens.
ב יהו֤ה אדנ֗ינו מה־אד֣יר ש֭מך בכל־הא֑רץ אש֥ר תנ֥ה ה֝ודך֗ על־השמֽים	16 11		b ihvh adoninu mh-adir wmç bcl-harx awr tnh hodç yl-hwmiim
3 From the mouths of babies and nurslings, you have founded strength, for the sake of your adversaries, that you might cease enemy and vengeance.
ג מפ֤י עולל֨ים וֽינקים֮ יס֪דת֫־ע֥ז למ֥ען צורר֑יך להשב֥ית א֝וי֗ב ומתנקֽם	11 6 9		g mpi yollim vionqim iisdt-yoz lmyn xorriç lhwbit aoib umtnqm
4 For I see your heavens that your fingers make, moon and stars which you have established.
ד כֽי־ארא֣ה ש֭מיך מעש֣י אצבעת֑יך יר֥ח ו֝כוכב֗ים אש֣ר כונֽנתה	14 12		d ci-arah wmiç mywi axbyotiç irk vcocbim awr connt
5 What is a mortal? for you remember it. And a child of humanity? for you visit it,
ה מֽה־אנ֥וש כֽי־תזכר֑נו ובן־א֝ד֗ם כ֣י תפקדֽנו	8 9		h mh-anow ci-tzcrnu ubn-adm ci tpqdnu
6 And you make it a little less than God, and with glory and honour you crown it.
ו ותחסר֣הו מ֭עט מאלה֑ים וכב֖וד והד֣ר תעטרֽהו	10 10		v vtksrhu myT malohim vcbod vhdr tyTrhu
7 ♪g You give it governance over what your hands make. All, you put under its feet.
ז ת֭משילהו במעש֣י יד֑יך כ֝ל ש֣תה תֽחת־רגלֽיו	11 8		z tmwilhu bmywi idiç col wth tkt-rgliv
8 Flock and drove, all of them, and even beasts of the field.
ח צנ֣ה ואלפ֣ים כל֑ם ו֝ג֗ם בהמ֥ות שדֽי	8 7		k xonh valpim culm vgm bhmot wdii
9 Bird of the heavens and fish of the sea, traversing the paths of the seas.
ט צפ֣ור ש֭מים ודג֣י הי֑ם ע֝ב֗ר ארח֥ות ימֽים	8 6		T xipor wmiim udgi him yobr aorkot imim
10 Yahweh our Lord, how majestic your name in all the earth.
י יהו֥ה אדנ֑ינו מֽה־אד֥יר ש֝מך֗ בכל־האֽרץ	6 10		i ihvh adoninu mh-adir wmç bcl-harx

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