Psalm 69

Psalms 69: Syllables: 734; Longest recitation: 15; Tenor: A 21.25%;
Ornament density: 9.5%; Average phrase length: 9.6.

You can see that the tenor differs in the first 18 verses and the second 18. Is this significant? Can it be heard by the listener? The tenor (the reciting note with the highest percent of the syllables in a section) for the first 4 verses is clearly f# (29.87%). For the next four verses the tenor is B (19.19%). For the next four verses the tenor is B (33.33%).  For verses 13 to 16, e, 28%. For verses 17 to 20, g at 22.37%. The tenor is A for the next 8 verses - 32.47%. Then back to f# for verses 29 to 32 at 23.53% and then to B for the last four verses at 25.64%. So the tenor varies within a long psalm. All five major reciting notes are dominant in this psalm in various sections. To what extent does this support the text? I expect this can be discovered with the experience of singing the psalm frequently.

Note that this is another shophar psalm.

Psalms 69: (Verses 1 to 18) Syllables: 378; Longest recitation: 15; Tenor: e 21.69%;
Ornament density: 9.9%; Average phrase length: 9.8.

1 For the leader. Upon lilies. Of David. (1-1)
א למנצ֬ח עֽל־שושנ֬ים לדוֽד	11		a lmnxk yl-wownim ldvid
2 Save me O God, for the waters have come up to the throat. (1-4-1)
ב הושיע֥ני אלה֑ים כ֤י ב֖או מ֣ים עד־נֽפש	7 7		b howiyni alohim ci bau mim yd-npw
3 I sink in a mire beyond depth and there is no foothold. I come into valleys of waters and the floods overflow me. (1-4-1)
ג טב֤עתי ביו֣ן מ֭צולה וא֣ין מעמ֑ד ב֥אתי במעמקי־מ֝֗ים ושב֥לת שטפֽתני	13 16		g Tbyti bivvn mxulh vain moymd bati bmymqi-mim vwibolt wTptni
4 I weary in my calling, my gullet parched. My eyes faint, hoping for my God. (1-2-4-1)
ד יג֣עתי בקראי֮ נח֪ר גר֫ונ֥י כל֥ו עינ֑י מ֝יח֗ל לאלהֽי	11 4 6		d igyti bqorai nikr groni clu yinii miikl lalohii
5 More than the hairs of my head are those hating me for nothing, numerous those who would annihilate me, my enemies false. What I did not ravage, must I return? (1-2-4-1)
ה רב֤ו משער֣ות ראשי֮ שנא֪י ח֫נ֥ם עצמ֣ו מ֭צמיתי איב֣י ש֑קר אש֥ר לא־ג֝ז֗לתי א֣ז אשֽיב	12 9 8		h rbu mwyrot rawi wonaii kinm yxmu mxmitii aoibii wqr awr la-gzlti az awib
6 O God you, you know my foolishness, and my offenses from you are not concealed. (1-4-1)
ו א‍ֽלה֗ים את֣ה י֭דעת לאולת֑י ו֝אשמות֗י ממך֥ לא־נכחֽדו	11 10		v alohim ath idyt laivvlti vawmotii mmç la-nckdu
7 May those waiting on you not be ashamed in me, O Lord Yahweh of hosts. May they who seek you not be humiliated in me, O God of Israel. (1-2-4-1)
ז אל־י֘ב֤שו ב֨י קויך֮ אדנ֥י יהו֗ה צב֫א֥ות אל־יכ֣למו ב֣י מבקש֑יך א֝לה֗י ישראֽל	16 9 6		z al-ibowu bi qoviç adonii ihvh xbaot al-iiclmu bi mbqwiç alohi iwral
8 Because for you I have borne reproach, my face covered with humiliation. (1-4-1)
ח כֽי־ע֭ליך נש֣אתי חרפ֑ה כסת֖ה כלמ֣ה פנֽי	8 7		k ci-yliç nwati krph cisth climh pnii
9 ♪g I have become estranged from my kin, and unrecognizable to the children of my mother. (g-1-4-1)
ט מ֭וזר הי֣יתי לאח֑י ו֝נכר֗י לבנ֥י אמֽי	8 7		T muzr hiiti lakii vnocri lbni aimi
10 For jealousy for your house has eaten me up, and the reproaches of those reproaching you have fallen on me. (1-4-1)
י כֽי־קנא֣ת ביתך֣ אכל֑תני וחרפ֥ות ח֝ורפ֗יך נפל֥ו עלֽי	9 10		i ci-qnat bitç acltni vkrpot korpiç nplu ylii
11 And I wept with fasting of my being, and it became reproaches to me. (1-4-1)
יא ואבכ֣ה בצ֣ום נפש֑י ותה֖י לחרפ֣ות לֽי	7 7		ia vabch bxom npwi vthi lkrpot li
12 And I gave myself clothing of sack, and I became among them as a proverb. (1-4-1)
יב ואתנ֣ה לבוש֣י ש֑ק ואה֖י לה֣ם למשֽל	7 8		ib vatnh lbuwi wq vahi lhm lmwl
13 Those sitting by the gate blather about me, with the warblings of drunkards. (1-4-1)
יג יש֣יחו ב֭י י֣שבי ש֑ער ו֝נגינ֗ות שות֥י שכֽר	8 7		ig iwiku bi iowbi wyr unginot woti wicr
14 But I, my prayer is to you Yahweh in a time of acceptance. O God, in your abundant mercy, answer me in the truth of your salvation. (1-4-1)
יד ואנ֤י תפלתֽי־לך֨ יהו֡ה ע֤ת רצ֗ון אלה֥ים ברב־חסד֑ך ע֝נ֗ני באמ֥ת ישעֽך	22 9		id vani tpilti-lç ihvh yt rxon alohim brob-ksdç ynni bamt iwyç
15 Deliver me from the muck and let me not sink. Let me be delivered from those hating me and from the valleys of waters. (1-4-1)
טו הציל֣ני מ֭טיט ואל־אטב֑עה אנצל֥ה מ֝שֽנא֗י וממֽעמקי מֽים	11 14		Tv hxilni mTiT val-aTbyh ainxlh mwonaii ummymqi mim
16 Do not let floods of waters overflow me and do not let depth swallow me. And do not let a well close her mouth on me. (1-4-1)
טז אל־תשטפ֤ני שב֣לת מ֭ים ואל־תבלע֣ני מצול֑ה ואל־תאטר־על֖י בא֣ר פֽיה	18 10		Tz al-twTpni wibolt mim val-tblyni mxulh val-taTr-ylii bar pih
17 Answer me Yahweh for your mercy is good. According to the multitude of your compassions be present to me. (1-4-1)
יז ענ֣ני י֭הוה כי־ט֣וב חסד֑ך כר֥ב ר֝חמ֗יך פנ֣ה אלֽי	10 10		iz ynni ihvh ci-Tob ksdç crob rkmiç pnh alii
18 And do not hide your presence from your servant, for there is trouble for me. Swiftly answer me. (1-4-1)
יח ואל־תסת֣ר פ֭ניך מֽעבד֑ך כֽי־צר־ל֝֗י מה֥ר ענֽני	11 8		ik val-tstr pniç mybdç ci-xr-li mhr ynni

Psalms 69: (Verses 19 to 36) Syllables: 336; Longest recitation: 10; Tenor: A 24.70%;
Ornament density: 9%; Average phrase length: 9.2.

19 Draw near to my being. Redeem it. For the sake of my enemies, ransom me. (1-4-1)
יט קרב֣ה אל־נפש֣י גאל֑ה למ֖ען איב֣י פדֽני	8 8		iT qorbh al-npwi galh lmyn aoibii pdni
20 You yourself have known my reproach and my shame and my humiliation. Before you are all my adversaries. (1-4-1)
כ את֤ה יד֗עת חרפת֣י ו֭בשתי וכלמת֑י נ֝גדך֗ כל־צוררֽי	15 6		c ath idyt krpti ubowti uclimti ngdç cl-xorrii
21 Reproach has broken my heart and I am despondent. And I waited for sympathy but there was none, and for comforters but I did not find any. (1-2-4-1)
כא חרפ֤ה שֽבר֥ה לב֗י וֽא֫נ֥ושה ואקו֣ה לנ֣וד וא֑ין ו֝למנחמ֗ים ול֣א מצֽאתי	10 8 10		ca krph wbrh libi vanuwh vaqvvh lnud vain vlmnkmim vla mxati
22 And they give venom for my meals, and for my thirst they make me drink vinegar. (1-4-1)
כב ויתנ֣ו בברות֣י ר֑אש ו֝לצמא֗י ישק֥וני חֽמץ	8 9		cb viitnu bbruti raw vlxmai iwquni komx
23 Let their table become a snare facing them, and in their desserts a trap. (1-4-1)
כג יהֽי־שלחנ֣ם לפניה֣ם לפ֑ח ולשלומ֥ים למוקֽש	10 7		cg ihi-wulknm lpnihm lpk vlwlomim lmoqw
24 Let their eyes be darkened from seeing, and their loins continually unstable. (1-4-1)
כד תחש֣כנה ע֭יניהם מרא֑ות ו֝מתנ֗יהם תמ֥יד המעֽד	8 8		cd tkwcnh yinihm mraot umotnihm tmid hmyd
25 Pour out on them your indignation, and your fierce anger will overtake them. (1-4-1)
כה שפך־עליה֥ם זעמ֑ך וחר֥ון א֝פך֗ ישיגֽם	8 8		ch wpoç-ylihm zymç vkron apç iwigm
26 Let their domicile become desolate. In their tents let no one be sitting. (1-4-1)
כו תהי־טֽירת֥ם נשמ֑ה ב֝אהליה֗ם אל־יה֥י ישֽב	7 10		cv thi-Tirtm nwmh baohlihm al-ihi iowb
27 For the one whom you yourself struck they persecute, and from the sorrow of your profaned they make their record. (1-4-1)
כז כֽי־את֣ה אשר־הכ֣ית רד֑פו ואל־מכא֖וב חלל֣יך יספֽרו	10 12		cz ci-ath awr-hcit rdpu val-mcaob klliç ispru
28 Give iniquity to their iniquity. And let them not come into your righteousness. (1-4-1)
כח תֽנה־ע֭ון על־עונ֑ם ואל־י֝ב֗או בצדקתֽך	8 9		ck tnh-yvon yl-yvonm val-iboau bxdqtç
29 ♪g They will be erased from the record of the living, and with the righteous let them not be written. (g-1-4-1)
כט י֭מחֽו מס֣פר חי֑ים וע֥ם צ֝דיק֗ים אל־יכתֽבו	8 10		cT iimku mspr kiim vym xdiqim al-iictbu
30 ♪g But I poor and in sorrow. Let your salvation, O God, be my retreat. (g-1-4-1)
ל ו֭אני ענ֣י וכוא֑ב ישועתך֖ אלה֣ים תשגבֽני	8 11		l vani yni vcoab iwuytç alohim twgbni
31 I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving. (1-4-1)
לא אהֽלל֣ה שם־אלה֣ים בש֑יר ואגדל֥נו בתודֽה	9 8		la ahllh wm-alohim bwir vagdlnu btodh
32 And this is good to Yahweh over a bull, a young bull, of horn or hoof. (1-1)
לב ותיט֣ב לֽ֭יהוה מש֥ור פ֗ר מקר֥ן מפרֽיס	12		lb vtiTb lihvh mwor pr mqrin mpris
33 The afflicted will see - they will be glad, those searching for God. And let your heart live. (1-4-1)
לג רא֣ו ענו֣ים ישמ֑חו דרש֥י א֝לה֗ים ויח֥י לבבכֽם	8 10		lg rau ynvvim iwmku dorwi alohim viki lbbcm
34 For Yahweh hears the-many needy, and his prisoners he does not despise. (1-4-1)
לד כֽי־שמ֣ע אל־אביונ֣ים יהו֑ה ואת־א֝סיר֗יו ל֣א בזֽה	9 8		ld ci-womy al-abionim ihvh vat-asiriv la bzh
35 ♪g Let heaven and earth praise him, seas and all that creep in them. (g-1-4-1)
לה יֽ֭הללוהו שמ֣ים וא֑רץ י֝מ֗ים וֽכל־רמ֥ש בֽם	9 7		lh ihlluhu wmiim varx imim vcl-romw bm
36 ♪C For God will save Zion, and will build the cities of Judah, and they will sit there and will possess her. (C-1-4-1)
לו כ֤י אלה֨ים י֘וש֤יע צי֗ון ו֭יבנה ער֣י יהוד֑ה וי֥שבו ש֝֗ם וירשֽוה	17 8		lv ci alohim iowiy xion vibnh yri ihudh viwbu wm virwuh

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