Psalm 91

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

Psalms 91: Syllables: 281; Longest recitation: 13; Tenor: A 24.56%;
Ornament density: 10.4%; Average phrase length: 9.

The music of verse 1 shows the connection between this psalm and the previous one. It looked as if I might notice a new motif in the music, a descending triad. Unfortunately the lowest note was not supported by the Aleppo codex in verses 3 and 4 so the triad disappeared. Premature return to the tonic is always to be suspect in these melodies. A similar error was corrected in verse 15. There are 80 verses with this potential correction. I will not do them all at once or I will go cross-eyed. Maybe some of them are ok.

1 ♪g One sitting in the secret of the Most High, in the shadow of the Sufficient will bide. (g-1-4-1)
א י֭שב בס֣תר עלי֑ון בצ֥ל ש֝ד֗י יתלונֽן	7 7		a iowb bstr ylion bxl wdii itlonn
2 I will say to Yahweh, My refuge and my fortress, my God, I will trust in him. (1-4-1)
ב אמ֗ר לֽ֭יהוה מחס֣י ומצודת֑י א֝לה֗י אבטח־בֽו	10 6		b aomr lihvh mksi umxudti alohii abTk-bo
3 ♪C For he himself will deliver you from a trapper's snare, from a pestilence of calamities. (C-1-1)
ג כ֤י ה֣וא י֭צֽילך מפ֥ח יק֗וש מד֥בר הוֽות	14		g ci hua ixilç mpk iquw mdbr hvot
4 With his feathers he will overshadow you, and under his wings you will take refuge, grappling hook and carapace his truth. (1-4-1)
ד באברת֨ו י֣סך ל֭ך ותֽחת־כנפ֣יו תחס֑ה צנ֖ה וֽסחר֣ה אמתֽו	15 9		d babrto isç lç vtkt-cnpiv tksh xinh vsokrh amito
5 You will not fear from dread by night, from an arrow that flies by day, (1-4-1)
ה לא־ת֭ירא מפ֣חד ל֑ילה מ֝ח֗ץ יע֥וף יומֽם	7 6		h la-tira mpkd lilh mkx iyuf iomm
6 ♪g from pestilence that walks in gloom, from canker that devastates at noon. (g-1-4-1)
ו מ֭דבר בא֣פל יהל֑ך מ֝ק֗טב יש֥וד צהרֽים	9 9		v mdbr baopl ihloç mqTb iwud xohriim
7 A thousand will fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand, to you it will make no overture. (1-4-1)
ז יפ֤ל מצדך֨ א֗לף ורבב֥ה מימינ֑ך א֝ל֗יך ל֣א יגֽש	14 6		z iipol mxidç alf urbbh miminç aliç la iigw
8 ♪g Certainly with your eyes you will take note, and payment for the wicked you will see. (g-1-4-1)
ח ר֭ק בעינ֣יך תב֑יט ושלמ֖ת רשע֣ים תראֽה	7 9		k rq byiniç tbiT vwilumt rwyim trah
9 For you Yahweh are my refuge. The Most High you have set up as your habitation. (1-4-1)
ט כֽי־את֣ה יהו֣ה מחס֑י ע֝לי֗ון ש֣מת מעונֽך	6 8		T ci-ath ihvh mksi ylion wmt myonç
10 Evil will not opportune you, and contagion will not approach within your tent. (1-4-1)
י לֽא־תאנ֣ה אל֣יך רע֑ה ו֝נ֗גע לא־יקר֥ב באהלֽך	9 11		i la-taunh aliç ryh vngy la-iqrb baohlç
11 ♪B For his messengers he will command about you, to keep you in all your ways. (B-1-4-1)
יא כ֣י מ֭לאכיו יצוה־ל֑ך ל֝שמרך֗ בכל־דרכֽיך	8 9		ia ci mlaciv ixvvh-lç lwmorç bcl-drciç
12 In their palms they will lift you up, lest you stub your foot with a stone. (1-4-1)
יב על־כפ֥ים ישא֑ונך פן־תג֖ף בא֣בן רגלֽך	7 9		ib yl-cpiim iiwaunç pn-tigof babn rglç
13 Over fierce lion and adder you will make your way. You will trample young lion and dragon. (1-4-1)
יג על־ש֣חל ופ֣תן תדר֑ך תרמ֖ס כפ֣יר ותנֽין	8 7		ig yl-wkl vptn tdroç trmos cpir vtnin
14 ♪C Because he attached himself to me, so I will secure him. I will set him on high, for he has known my name. (C-1-4-1)
יד כ֤י ב֣י ח֭שק ואפלט֑הו א֝שגב֗הו כֽי־יד֥ע שמֽי	9 8		id ci bi kwq vaplThu awgbhu ci-idy wmi
15 He will call me and I will answer him. I am with him in trouble. I will rescue him and I will glorify him. (1-4-1)
טו יקרא֨ני וֽאענ֗הו עמֽו־אנכ֥י בצר֑ה א֝חלצ֗הו וֽאכבדֽהו	16 9		Tv iqrani vaynhu yimo-anoci bxrh aklxhu vacbdhu
16 ♪B With length of days I will satisfy him, and I will show him my salvation. (B-1-4-1)
טז א֣רך י֭מים אשביע֑הו ו֝ארא֗הו בֽישועתֽי	8 8		Tz aorç imim awbiyhu varahu biwuyti