Psalm 39

The first of the three psalms that mention Jeduthun in the inscription. Psalms 39 and 62 share 35% of their words.

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

Psalms 39: Syllables: 303; Longest recitation: 15; Tenor: e 25.41%;
Ornament density: 12.9%; Average phrase length: 10.4.

The 15 syllable recitation is in bar 68. Verse 13, a tricolon, 1-2-4-1. It's a long way to the first cadence, though there are two breathing places for the singer. No available performances of this music from those that Suzanne Haïk-Vantoura sponsored on her trip to the US in the mid 1980's.

There are 6 qadma in two groups of 3, verses 4-5, and 12-13. Note the words that are highlighted by them. The sequence zarqa followed immediately by C, occurs twice in this psalm. This is a poetry feature only, occurring 168 times in the 3 books. Tsinnor followed by C occurs in the 3 books 22 times. These ornaments are used in other ways also, e.g. verse 6.

Note the illuy in verse 12. On chasten יס֬רת iisrt - a high note or a low note. Extreme is chastening. Or calm is mentoring, the same stem isr. Don't believe every gloss that I use, but take the presence of my concordance as a sign that I have thought about them. With 305,000 words in this puzzle, you can be sure that I have not thought about everything.

1 For the leader. Of Jeduthun. A psalm of David. (1-1)
א למנצ֥ח לֽידות֗ון מזמ֥ור לדוֽד	12		a lmnxk lidutun mzmor ldvid
2 I said I will keep my ways from sin with my tongue. I will keep my mouth muzzled, while a wicked one is before me. (1-2-4-1)
ב אמ֗רתי אֽשמר֣ה דרכי֮ מחט֪וא בלש֫ונ֥י אשמר֥ה לפ֥י מחס֑ום בע֖ד רש֣ע לנגדֽי	15 7 7		b amrti awmrh drcii mkToa blwoni awmrh lpi mksom byod rwy lngdi
3 I was dumb mute. I was calm from good, and my sorrow was agitated. (1-4-1)
ג נאל֣מתי ד֭ומיה החש֣יתי מט֑וב וכאב֥י נעכֽר	13 5		g nalmti dumiih hkwiti mTob ucabi nycr
4 Hot was my heart within me. In musing fire kindled. I spoke with my tongue. (1-4-1)
ד חם־לב֨י בקרב֗י בהגיג֥י תבער־א֑ש ד֝ב֗רתי בלשֽוני	13 6		d km-libi bqrbi bhgigi tbyr-aw dibrti blwoni
5 Make me know, Yahweh, my end and the measure of my days, such as it is. Let me know how finite I am! (1-4-1)
ה הוד֘יע֤ני יהו֨ה קצ֗י ומד֣ת ימ֣י מה־ה֑יא א֝דע֗ה מה־חד֥ל אֽני	15 7		h hodiyni ihvh qixi umidt imii mh-hia adyh mh-kdl ani
6 Here are the hand-breadths you have given as my days, but my transience is as nothing before you. Surely all futility, every human taking a stand. Selah. (1-4-1)
ו הנ֤ה טפח֨ות נ֘ת֤תה ימ֗י וחלד֣י כא֣ין נגד֑ך א֥ך כֽל־ה֥בל כל־א֝ד֗ם נצ֥ב סֽלה	18 11		v hnh Tpkot ntt imii vkldi cain ngdç aç cl-hbl cl-adm nixb slh
7 Surely in a semblance a person walks. Surely futility they murmur. They accumulate things and don't know who will get them next. (1-4-1)
ז אך־בצ֤לם יֽתהלך־א֗יש אך־ה֥בל יהמי֑ון י֝צב֗ר וֽלא־יד֥ע מי־אספֽם	15 8		z aç-bxlm ithlç-aiw aç-hbl ihmiun ixbor vla-iidy mi-aospm
8 And now why do I wait, my Lord? my hope? It is of you. (1-4-1)
ח ועת֣ה מה־קו֣יתי אדנ֑י ת֝וחלת֗י לך֣ הֽיא	10 6		k vyth mh-qivviti adonii toklti lç hia
9 From all my transgressions deliver me. As a reproach of the senseless, do not set me up. (1-4-1)
ט מכל־פשע֥י הציל֑ני חרפ֥ת נ֝ב֗ל אל־תשימֽני	9 9		T mcl-pwyii hxilni krpt nbl al-twimni
10 ♪g I was dumb. I was not opening my mouth, because you yourself had made it so. (g-1-4-1)
י נ֭אלמתי ל֣א אפתח־פ֑י כ֖י את֣ה עשֽית	8 6		i nalmti la aptk-pi ci ath ywit
11 Put aside from me your touch. From the stroke of your hand, I, I am finished. (1-4-1)
יא הס֣ר מעל֣י נגע֑ך מתגר֥ת י֝דך֗ אנ֣י כלֽיתי	8 10		ia hsr mylii ngyç mtgrt idç ani cliti
12 With corrections over iniquity, you chasten a person, and dissolves like a moth, its attractiveness. Surely every human is futility. Selah. (1-4-1)
יב בֽתוכ֘ח֤ות על־עו֨ן יס֬רת א֗יש ות֣מס כע֣ש חמוד֑ו א֤ך ה֖בל כל־אד֣ם סֽלה	19 8		ib btockot yl-yvon iisrt aiw vtms cyw kmudo aç hbl cl-adm slh
13 Hear my prayer Yahweh, and give ear to my cry. To my tears do not be silent, for a guest I am with you, an emigrant as were all my ancestors. (1-2-4-1)
יג שֽמע֥ה תפלת֨י יהו֡ה ושועת֨י האזינה֮ אֽל־דמעת֗י אֽל־ת֫חר֥ש כ֤י ג֣ר אנכ֣י עמ֑ך ת֝וש֗ב ככל־אבותֽי	24 7 7		ig wmyh tpilti ihvh vwvvyti hazinh al-dmyti al-tkrw ci gr anoci yimç towb ccl-abotii
14 Look at me and I will smile, ere I walk off and there is no me. (1-4-1)
יד הש֣ע ממ֣ני ואבל֑יגה בט֖רם אל֣ך ואינֽני	9 9		id hwy mmni vabligh bTrm alç vainni