Psalm 37

Psalms 37: Syllables: 726; Longest recitation: 11; Tenor: A 24.52%;

Ornament density: 9.5%; Average phrase length: 8.8.

Interesting tidbits in this longer psalm. Verse 13b dropped to the e after the atnah. This was not supported by the Aleppo codex. The identical phrase in verse 24b had a silluq on the syllable in both editions. 16 verses in this psalm begin on a note other than the tonic. But not the first verse. Why those verses in particular? Note also the sparse distribution of the tri-cola verses 7, 14, 25, and 40.

1 Of David. About evildoers do not burn. Do not be jealous over doers of injustice. (1-4-1)
א לדו֨ד אל־תתח֥ר במרע֑ים אל־ת֝קנ֗א בעש֥י עולֽה	9 9		a ldvid al-ttkr bmryim al-tqna byowi yvvlh
2 ♪B For like grass they will be swiftly snipped, and like verdant foliage they will wither. (B-1-4-1)
ב כ֣י כ֭חציר מהר֣ה ימ֑לו וכי֥רק ד֝֗שא יבולֽון	10 8		b ci ckxir mhrh iimlu ucirq dwa iibolun
3 Be trusting in Yahweh and do good. You will dwell in the earth and pasture in faith. (1-4-1)
ג בט֣ח בֽ֭יהוה ועשה־ט֑וב שכן־א֝֗רץ ורע֥ה אמונֽה	8 9		g bTk bihvh vywh-Tob wcon-arx uryh amunh
4 Delight exquisitely over Yahweh, and he will give you the requests of your heart. (1-4-1)
ד והתענ֥ג על־יהו֑ה ויֽתן־ל֝ך֗ משאל֥ת לבֽך	7 11		d vhtyng yl-ihvh viitn-lç mwalot libç
5 ♪B Go your way with Yahweh, and trust in him and he himself will do it. (B-1-4-1)
ה ג֣ול על־יהו֣ה דרכ֑ך ובט֥ח ע֝ל֗יו וה֣וא יעשֽה	7 9		h gol yl-ihvh drcç ubTk yliv vhua iywh
6 And he will bring out your righteousness as light, and your judgment as the midday. (1-4-1)
ו והוצ֣יא כא֣ור צדק֑ך ו֝משפט֗ך כֽצהרֽים	8 10		v vhoxia caor xdqç umwpTiç cxohriim
7 ♪C Dumb - mute - be still to Yahweh, endure your birth of him. Do not burn over one who prospers in his way, of someone making up schemes. (C-1-2-4-1)
ז ד֤ום ליהוה֮ והתח֪ול֫ל־ל֥ו אל־ת֭תחר במצל֣יח דרכ֑ו ב֝א֗יש עש֥ה מזמֽות	8 9 7		z dom lihvh vhtkoll-lo al-ttkr bmxlik drco baiw yowh mzimot
8 ♪B Have done with anger and forsake heat. Surely do not burn to do evil. (B-1-4-1)
ח ה֣רף מ֭אף ועז֣ב חמ֑ה אל־ת֝תח֗ר אך־להרֽע	9 8		k hrf maf vyzob kmh al-ttkr aç-lhry
9 For evildoers will be cut off, but those waiting for Yahweh, they will possess the earth. (1-4-1)
ט כֽי־מ֭רעים יכרת֑ון וקו֥י י֝הו֗ה ה֣מה יֽירשו־אֽרץ	8 10		T ci-mryim iicrtun vqovi ihvh hmh iirwu-arx
10 Verily yet a little and there is no wicked, and you will discern over his place and that he is not. (1-4-1)
י וע֣וד מ֭עט וא֣ין רש֑ע והתבונ֖נת על־מקומ֣ו ואינֽנו	8 13		i vyod myT vain rwy vhtbonnt yl-mqomo vainnu
11 And the afflicted will possess the earth, and will delight exquisitely in abundant peace. (1-4-1)
יא וענו֥ים יֽירשו־א֑רץ ו֝התענג֗ו על־ר֥ב שלֽום	7 8		ia vynvvim iirwu-arx vhtyngu yl-rob wlom
12 Zoning in is the wicked against one who is righteous, and he gnashes at him with his teeth. (1-4-1)
יב זמ֣ם ר֭שע לצד֑יק וחר֖ק על֣יו שנֽיו	7 7		ib zomm rwy lxdiq vkorq yliv winiv
13 My Lord laughs at him, for he sees that his day is coming. (1-4-1)
יג אדנ֥י ישחק־ל֑ו כֽי־ר֝א֗ה כֽי־יב֥א יומֽו	6 6		ig adonii iwkq-lo ci-rah ci-iboa iomo
14 ♪C Ha! the wicked have unsheathed sword and directed their bow, to make poor and needy fall, to slaughter those whose way is upright. (C-1-2-4-1)
יד ח֤רב פֽתח֣ו רשעים֮ ודרכ֪ו ק֫שת֥ם ל֭הפיל ענ֣י ואבי֑ון ל֝טב֗וח ישרי־דֽרך	12 8 6		id krb ptku rwyim vdrcu qwtm lhpil yni vabion lTbok iwri-drç
15 ♪g Their sword will come into their own heart, and their bows will be broken. (g-1-4-1)
טו ח֭רבם תב֣וא בלב֑ם ו֝קשתות֗ם תשבֽרנה	7 8		Tv krbm tboa blibm vqwtotm tiwbrnh
16 The little good of one who is righteous, than the tumult of many wicked. (1-4-1)
טז טוב־מ֭עט לצד֑יק מ֝המ֗ון רשע֥ים רבֽים	6 8		Tz Tob-myT lxdiq mhmon rwyim rbim
17 ♪C For the arms of the wicked will be broken, but Yahweh supports the righteous. (C-1-4-1)
יז כ֤י זרוע֣ות ר֭שעים תשב֑רנה וסומ֖ך צדיק֣ים יהוֽה	11 8		iz ci zroyot rwyim tiwbrnh vsomç xdiqim ihvh
18 Yahweh intimates the days of the complete, and their inheritance will be forever. (1-4-1)
יח יוד֣ע י֭הוה ימ֣י תמימ֑ם ו֝נחלת֗ם לעול֥ם תהיֽה	10 10		ik iody ihvh imi tmimim vnkltm lyolm thih
19 They will not be ashamed in a time of evil, and in days of famine they will be satisfied. (1-4-1)
יט לֽא־י֭בשו בע֣ת רע֑ה ובימ֖י רעב֣ון ישבֽעו	7 9		iT la-ibowu byt ryh ubimi rybon iwbyu
20 ♪C 'Cause the wicked will perish and the enemies of Yahweh as the preciousness of meadows. They will find their end. In smoke they will find their end. (C-1-4-1)
כ כ֤י רשע֨ים יאב֗דו ואיב֣י י֭הוה כיק֣ר כר֑ים כל֖ו בעש֣ן כֽלו	16 7		c ci rwyim iabdu vaoibi ihvh ciqr crim clu bywn clu
21 Loaned to is one who is wicked and he will not repay, but one who is righteous is gracious and giving. (1-4-1)
כא לו֣ה ר֭שע ול֣א ישל֑ם ו֝צד֗יק חונ֥ן ונותֽן	9 8		ca lovh rwy vla iwlm vxdiq konn vnotn
22 ♪B For from his blessing they possess the earth, and from his denial they are cut off. (B-1-4-1)
כב כ֣י מ֭ברכיו י֣ירשו א֑רץ ו֝מקלל֗יו יכרֽתו	9 8		cb ci mborciv iirwu arx umqulliv iicrtu
23 ♪g Marching orders from Yahweh are for one who prevails and he will delight in his way. (g-1-1)
כג מ֭יהוה מֽצעדי־ג֥בר כונ֗נו ודרכ֥ו יחפֽץ	15		cg mihvh mxydi-gbr connu vdrco ikpx
24 For he will not fall thrown down, for Yahweh supports with his hand. (1-4-1)
כד כֽי־יפ֥ל לֽא־יוט֑ל כֽי־י֝הו֗ה סומ֥ך ידֽו	4 8		cd ci-iipol la-iuTl ci-ihvh somç ido
25 ♪C Now old I have been young, but I have not seen one who is righteous forsaken, and his seed seeking bread. (C-1-2-4-1)
כה נ֤ער הי֗יתי גם־ז֫ק֥נתי וֽלא־ר֭איתי צד֣יק נעז֑ב ו֝זרע֗ו מבקש־לֽחם	9 9 8		ch nyr hiiti gm-zqnti vla-raiti xdiq nyzb vzryo mbqw-lkm
26 All the day long he is gracious and lending, and his seed blessed. (1-4-1)
כו כל־ה֭יום חונ֣ן ומלו֑ה ו֝זרע֗ו לברכֽה	8 6		cv cl-hiom konn umlvvh vzryo lbrch
27 ♪B Stay from evil and do good and dwell forever. (B-1-1)
כז ס֣ור מ֭רע ועשה־ט֗וב ושכ֥ן לעולֽם	12		cz sur mry vywh-Tob uwcon lyolm
28 ♪C For Yahweh loves judgment and does not forsake those under his mercy. Forever they are kept, but the seed of the wicked will be cut off. (C-1-4-1)
כח כ֤י יהו֨ה א֘ה֤ב משפ֗ט ולא־יעז֣ב את־ח֭סידיו לעול֣ם נשמ֑רו וז֖רע רשע֣ים נכרֽת	21 8		ck ci ihvh aohb mwpT vla-iyzob at-ksidiv lyolm nwmru vzry rwyim ncrt
29 Those righteous ones will possess the earth, and dwell in her endlessly. (1-4-1)
כט צדיק֥ים יֽירשו־א֑רץ וישכנ֖ו לע֣ד עלֽיה	6 9		cT xdiqim iirwu-arx viwcnu lyd ylih
30 Ponder quietly wisdom will the mouth of one who is righteous, and his tongue will speak judgment. (1-4-1)
ל פֽי־צ֭דיק יהג֣ה חכמ֑ה ו֝לשונ֗ו תדב֥ר משפֽט	6 8		l pi-xdiq ihgh kcmh ulwono tdbr mwpT
31 The instruction of his God in his heart, His steps are not unstable. (1-4-1)
לא תור֣ת אלה֣יו בלב֑ו ל֖א תמע֣ד אשריו	8 6		la tort alohiv blibo la tmyd awuriv
32 So the wicked looks out to a righteous one, and seeks to put him to death. (1-4-1)
לב צופ֣ה ר֭שע לצד֑יק ו֝מבק֗ש להמיתו	7 7		lb xoph rwy lxdiq umbqw lhmito
33 ♪g Yahweh will not forsake the one in his hand, and will not condemn him when he is judged. (g-1-4-1)
לג י֭הוה לא־יעזב֣נו ביד֑ו ול֥א י֝רשיע֗נו בהשפטֽו	9 10		lg ihvh la-iyzbnu bido vla irwiynu bhiwpTo
34 Quietly wait on Yahweh, and keep his way and he will exalt you to possess the earth, and you will see the wicked are cut off. (1-4-1)
לד קו֤ה אל־יהו֨ה ושמ֬ר דרכ֗ו וֽ֭ירוממך לר֣שת א֑רץ בהכר֖ת רשע֣ים תראֽה	18 9		ld qvvh al-ihvh uwmor drco virommç lrwt arx bhicrt rwyim trah
35 ♪g Ruthless I have seen the wicked, and exposed like a luxuriant bay tree. (g-1-4-1)
לה ר֭איתי רש֣ע ער֑יץ ו֝מתער֗ה כאזר֥ח רענֽן	7 10		lh raiti rwy yrix umtyrh cazrk rynn
36 ♪g Yet he will pass onward and then he is not, and I sought him and he could not be found. (g-1-4-1)
לו ו֭יֽעבר והנ֣ה אינ֑נו וֽ֝אבקש֗הו ול֣א נמצֽא	10 9		lv viybor vhnh ainnu vabqwhu vla nmxa
37 Shelter the complete and see the upright, because the result for each is peace. (1-4-1)
לז שמר־ת֭ם ורא֣ה יש֑ר כֽי־אחר֖ית לא֣יש שלֽום	7 7		lz wmor-tm urah iwr ci-akrit laiw wlom
38 ♪g But transgressors will be exterminated together. The result for the wicked is to be cut off. (g-1-4-1)
לח וֽ֭פשעים נשמד֣ו יחד֑ו אחר֖ית רשע֣ים נכרֽתה	8 9		lk upowyim nwmdu ikdiv akrit rwyim ncrth
39 The salvation of the righteous is from Yahweh, from their strength in a time of trouble. (1-4-1)
לט ותשוע֣ת צ֭דיקים מיהו֑ה מֽ֝עוז֗ם בע֣ת צרֽה	9 7		lT utwuyt xdiqim mihvh myuzm byt xrh
40 And Yahweh will help them and secure them. He will secure them from the wicked, and save them for they take refuge in him. (1-2-4-1)
מ וֽיעזר֥ם יהו֗ה וֽיפ֫לט֥ם יפלט֣ם מ֭רשעים ויושיע֑ם כי־ח֥סו בֽו	9 10 3		m viyzrm ihvh viplTm iplTm mrwyim viowiym ci-ksu bo

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