Psalm 9

Psalms 9 and 10 comprise the first acrostic in the Psalms. Each acrostic celebrates the psalm prior to it. The connection here is signaled by the opening note.

Psalms 9: Syllables: 395; Longest recitation: 12; Tenor: f# 27.59%;
Ornament density: 11.7%; Average phrase length: 8.7.

The mode is major-minor, e major with a flattened 6th. This can be done as e-major with a consistently naturalized C, or as e minor with a consistently sharpened g, d and D if they occur. I had generated psalm 9 with the strange mode. This mode with the sharpened fourth and double semitone at the top of the scale did not seem to work here, so I changed the score by hand. (It's not very difficult with Musescore since it has excellent global selection and change.)

The world is not divided. My work in the Spirit is supported by a host of people, the creators of Musescore, the internet, MusicXML, and the devices and buggy software we all use, whether religious or not, not to mention the thousands of people I don't know who supply my medical, food, clothing, shelter, and energy needs. Those of you who seek violence and vengeance, take care that you don't wish upon yourselves your own destruction.

This comment raises the question as to how we read psalms like this one and what mode we assign to it.

Would your ear pick up the tri-cola followed by the g opening verse 8?

1 ♪g For the leader on death of the son. A psalm of David. (g-1-1)
א ל֭מנצח על־מ֥ות לב֗ן מזמ֥ור לדוֽד	13		a lmnxk yl-mut lbn mzmor ldvid
2 I will thank Yahweh with all my heart. I will recount all your wonders. (1-4-1)
ב אוד֣ה י֭הוה בכל־לב֑י א֝ספר֗ה כל־נפלאותֽיך	8 9		b aodh ihvh bcl-libi asprh cl-nplaotiç
3 I will be glad and I will be elated in you. I will sing a psalm to your name Most High. (1-4-1)
ג אשמח֣ה ואעלצ֣ה ב֑ך אזמר֖ה שמך֣ עליֽון	8 7		g awmkh vaylxh bç azmrh wmç ylion
4 But when my enemies turn back, let them stumble and perish from your presence. (1-4-1)
ד בשוב־אויב֥י אח֑ור יכשל֥ו ו֝יאבד֗ו מפנֽיך	6 10		d bwub-aoibii akor iicwlu viabdu mpniç
5 For you have made my judgment and my case. You sit enthroned judging right. (1-4-1)
ה כֽי־ע֭שית משפט֣י ודינ֑י יש֥בת ל֝כס֗א שופ֥ט צֽדק	9 10		h ci-ywit mwpTi vdini iwbt lcisa wopT xdq
6 God, you rebuked the nations. You made wickedness perish. You have erased their name forever and ever. (1-4-1)
ו גע֣רת ג֭וים אב֣דת רש֑ע שמ֥ם מ֝ח֗ית לעול֥ם ועֽד	10 10		v gyrt goiim aibdt rwy wmm mkit lyolm vyd
7 Here O enemy, completed are ruins in perpetuity, and cities you have blotted out. Perished is their memory of them. (1-2-4-1)
ז הֽאוי֨ב ת֥מו חרב֗ות ל֫נ֥צח וער֥ים נת֑שת אב֖ד זכר֣ם הֽמה	11 6 6		z haoib tmu korbot lnxk vyrim ntwt abd zcrm hmh
8 ♪g Verily, Yahweh forever sits. He has established his throne for judgment. (g-1-4-1)
ח וֽ֭יהוה לעול֣ם יש֑ב כונ֖ן למשפ֣ט כסאֽו	7 7		k vihvh lyolm iiwb conn lmwpT cisao
9 And he himself will judge the world in righteousness. He will make the case for the tribes in uprightness. (1-4-1)
ט וה֗וא ישפֽט־תב֥ל בצ֑דק יד֥ין ל֝אמ֗ים במישרֽים	9 9		T vhua iwpoT-tbl bxdq idin laumim bmiwrim
10 ♪~ And Yahweh will be a retreat for the crushed, a- retreat in times of trouble. (~1-4-1)
י ו֘יה֤י יהו֣ה משג֣ב לד֑ך מ֝שג֗ב לעת֥ות בצרֽה	8 8		i vihi ihvh mwgb ldç mwgb lyitot bxrh
11 And they will trust in you knowing your name, for you Yahweh do not forsake those searching for you. (1-4-1)
יא ויבטח֣ו ב֭ך יודע֣י שמ֑ך כ֤י לֽא־עז֖בת דרש֣יך יהוֽה	11 9		ia vibTku bç iodyi wmç ci la-yzbt dorwiç ihvh
12 Zion in Zion where Yahweh sits, let all sing a psalm. Evident among the peoples is his prodigality. (1-4-1)
יב זמר֗ו ל֭יהוה יש֣ב צי֑ון הג֥ידו ב֝עמ֗ים עלֽילותֽיו	8 10		ib zmru lihvh iowb xion hgidu bymim ylilotiv
13 Because searching out blood, he remembers them. He does not forget the outcry of the afflicted. (1-4-1)
יג כֽי־דר֣ש ד֭מים אות֣ם זכ֑ר לֽא־ש֝כ֗ח צעק֥ת ענוֽים	8 8		ig ci-dorw dmim aotm zcr la-wck xyqt ynvvim

Psalm 9: 2/2

14 Have mercy, be gracious to me Yahweh. See my impoverishment from those hating me, you who lift me high from the gates of death, (1-4-1)
יד חֽננ֬ני יהו֗ה רא֣ה ע֭ניי משנא֑י מ֝רוממ֗י מש֥ערי מֽות	12 9		id konnni ihvh rah yonii mwonaii mrommi mwyri mvvt
15 so that I will recount all your praises, in the gates of the daughter of Zion. I will rejoice in your salvation. (1-2-4-1)
טו למ֥ען אספר֗ה כֽל־תהל֫ת֥יך בשֽער֥י בת־צי֑ון א֝ג֗ילה בישועתֽך	12 7 8		Tv lmyn asprh cl-thilotiç bwyri bt-xion agilh biwuytç
16 The nations sink in the destruction they made. In this net that they buried, their foot is caught. (1-4-1)
טז טבע֣ו ג֭וים בש֣חת עש֑ו ברֽשת־ז֥ו ט֝מ֗נו נלכד֥ה רגלֽם	9 12		Tz Tbyu goiim bwkt ywu brwt-zu Tmnu nlcdh rglm
17 ♪C Yahweh is known, Judgment he makes. In the work of his palms he lays a trap for the wicked. Meditation. Selah. (C-1-2-4-1)
יז נ֤וד֨ע יהוה֮ משפ֪ט ע֫ש֥ה בפ֣על כ֭פיו נוק֣ש רש֑ע הגי֥ון סֽלה	8 9 5		iz nody ihvh mwpT ywh bpoyl cpiv noqw rwy higion slh
18 Into their grave the wicked will turn, all nations that forget God. (1-4-1)
יח יש֣ובו רשע֣ים לשא֑ולה כל־ג֝וי֗ם שכח֥י אלהֽים	9 9		ik iwubu rwyim lwaolh cl-goiim wcki alohim
19 ♪C Causes of the needy will not always be forgotten. The expectation of the poor will not perish for ever. (C-1-4-1)
יט כ֤י ל֣א ל֭נצח ישכ֣ח אבי֑ון תקו֥ת ע֝ני֗ים תאב֥ד לעֽד	10 9		iT ci la lnxk iiwck abion tqvvt yniim tabd lyd
20 Arise Yahweh, let a mortal not be strong. Let the nations be judged in your presence. (1-4-1)
כ קומ֣ה י֭הוה אל־יע֣ז אנ֑וש ישפט֥ו ג֝וי֗ם על־פנֽיך	9 9		c qumh ihvh al-iyoz anow iiwpTu goiim yl-pniç
21 ♪~ Impose, Yahweh. Fear to them. let the nations know their mortality. Selah. (~1-2-4-1)
כא ש֘ית֤ה יהו֨ה מור֗ה ל֫ה֥ם ידע֥ו גוי֑ם אנ֖וש ה֣מה סֽלה	8 4 6		ca with ihvh morh lhm iidyu goiim anow hmh slh