#Psalmtweet #Psalter 150:6

 Ponder how things might change.

breath-bearing, נשׁם (nshm), panting, used of a woman in childbirth (also Psalm 18:16, where the breath-bearing is used of God again implying a birthing process).

כֹּ֣ל הַ֭נְּשָׁמָה תְּהַלֵּ֥ל יָ֗הּ הַֽלְלוּ־יָֽהּ		6 ♪B All the breath-bearing praise Yah. Hallelu Yah.
v col hnwmh thll ih hllu-ih	11	cl h/nwm\h t/hll ih hll\v ih

Performance here. (General access should be available here.)

#Psalmtweet #Psalter 149:1

 

Remember that new song?

הַ֥לְלוּ־יָ֨הּ ׀ שִׁ֣ירוּ לַֽ֭יהוָה שִׁ֣יר חָדָ֑שׁ תְּ֝הִלָּת֗וֹ בִּקְהַ֥ל חֲסִידִֽים		1 ♪f Hallelu Yah. Sing to Yahweh a new song. His praise in the congregation of the-many who are under mercy.
a hllu-ih wiru lihvh wir kdw thilto bqhl ksidim	10 9	hll\v ih wir\v l/ihvh wir kdw t/hl\tv b/qhl ksid\im

the-many who are under mercy - ksidim - or more commonly in non-reversible transcriptions, Hasidim. But this is not the movement that originated in the 18th century CE and that has retrenched in reaction to modernity. Is it mystical? The word is from ksd kindness, KJV loving-kindness (a verbal overreach). I have used kindness and mercy as my glosses leading me to long-winded phrases at times. Is it as Elie Wiesel says, "difficult to be a mystic these days"? Yet in a later chapter he writes that "Hasidism teaches how to build on ruins".

This root ksd is used of Ruth and her character - she is kind in all her actions. She is also determined and strong. These are aspects of ksd (חסד). The purpose of the Psalms is to create such persons in community of reliable character and witness. Just look at how often (click the link to my concordance above) it and its related word ksh (refuge) are used in the Psalter.

#Psalmtweet #Psalter 148:1

 

Praise from the heights

הַ֥לְלוּ־יָ֨הּ ׀ הַֽלְל֣וּ אֶת־יְ֭הוָה מִן־הַשָּׁמַ֑יִם הַֽ֝לְל֗וּהוּ בַּמְּרוֹמִֽים		1 ♪f Hallelu Yah. Praise Yahweh from the heavens. Praise him on the high ground.
a hllu-ih hllu at-ihvh mn-hwmiim hlluhu bmromim	12 6	hll\v ih hll\v at ihvh mn h/wmim hll\vhv bm/rvm\im

#Psalmtweet #Psalter 147:1

 

Praise is lovely

הַ֥לְלוּ־יָ֨הּ ׀ כִּי־ט֭וֹב זַמְּרָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵ֑ינוּ כִּֽי־נָ֝עִים נָאוָ֥ה תְהִלָּֽה		1 ♪f Hallelu Yah, for it is good to sing a psalm to our God, for it is pleasant. Praise is lovely.
a hllu-ih ci-'tob zmrh alohinu ci-nyim navh thilh	11 7	hll\v ih ci 'tvb zmr\h alh\inv ci nym navh t/hl\h

#Psalmtweet #Psalter 146:1

 The beginning of the final doxology - five psalms of praise.

Individual praise

הַֽלְלוּ־יָ֡הּ הַלְלִ֥י נַ֝פְשִׁ֗י אֶת־יְהוָֽה		1 Hallelu Yah. Praise Yahweh, O my being.
a hllu-ih hlli npwi at-ihvh	10	hll\v ih hll\i npw\i at ihvh

#Psalmtweet #Psalter 145

 

The final acrostic - a praise of David

תְּהִלָּ֗ה לְדָ֫וִ֥ד אֲרוֹמִמְךָ֣ אֱלוֹהַ֣י הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ וַאֲבָרֲכָ֥ה שִׁ֝מְךָ֗ לְעוֹלָ֥ם וָעֶֽד		1 A praise of David. I will exalt you my God the king, and I will bless your name forever and ever.
a thilh ldvid arommç alohii hmlç vabrch wmç lyolm vyd	6 10 12	t/hl\h l/dvd a/rvm\mc alvh\i h/mlc va/brc\h wm\c l/yvlm v/yd

#Psalmtweet #Psalter 144:3

Remember Psalm 8?

יְֽהוָ֗ה מָה־אָ֭דָם וַתֵּדָעֵ֑הוּ בֶּן־אֱ֝נ֗וֹשׁ וַֽתְּחַשְּׁבֵֽהוּ		3 Yahweh, what is this humanity that you know it, a mortal child that you devised it?
g ihvh mh-adm vtdyhu bn-anow vtkwbhu	10 7	ihvh mh adm vt/dy\hv bn anvw vt/kwb\hv

#Psalmtweet #Psalter 143:1

 

A prayer of David - a tricolon with an interesting and unique shape

מִזְמ֗וֹר לְדָ֫וִ֥ד יְהוָ֤ה ׀ שְׁמַ֬ע תְּפִלָּתִ֗י הַאֲזִ֥ינָה אֶל־תַּחֲנוּנַ֑י בֶּאֱמֻנָתְךָ֥ עֲ֝נֵ֗נִי בְּצִדְקָתֶֽךָ		1 A psalm of David. Yahweh hear my prayer. Give ear to my supplication. In your faithfulness answer me, in your righteousness.
a mzmor ldvid ihvh wmy tpilti hazinh al-tknunii bamuntç ynni bxdqtç	5 17 13	m/zmr l/dvd ihvh wmy t/pl\ti h/azn\h al t/knvn\i b/amn\tc yn\ni b/xdq\tc

#Psalmtweet #Psalter 142:2

 

An insight -- and a prayer. Of David.

ק֭וֹלִי אֶל־יְהוָ֣ה אֶזְעָ֑ק ק֝וֹלִ֗י אֶל־יְהוָ֥ה אֶתְחַנָּֽן		2 ♪g My voice to Yahweh I will appeal. My voice to Yahweh I will supplicate.
b qoli al-ihvh azyq qoli al-ihvh atknn	7 8	qvl\i al ihvh a/zyq qvl\i al ihvh at/knn

#Psalmtweet #Psalter 141:3

 

A wise prayer

שִׁיתָ֣ה יְ֭הוָה שָׁמְרָ֣ה לְפִ֑י נִ֝צְּרָ֗ה עַל־דַּ֥ל שְׂפָתָֽי		3 Set, Yahweh, a guard on my mouth. Preserve the gateway of my lips.
g with ihvh womrh lpi nixrh yl-dl wptii	8 7	wit\h ihvh wmr\h l/p\i nxr\h yl dl wp\ti

#Psalmtweet #Psalter 140:2

 

May the anointed today have such a prayer answered

חַלְּצֵ֣נִי יְ֭הוָה מֵאָדָ֣ם רָ֑ע מֵאִ֖ישׁ חֲמָסִ֣ים תִּנְצְרֵֽנִי		2 Rescue me Yahweh from human evil, from violent persons preserve me,
b klxni ihvh madm ry maiw kmsim tnxrni	9 9	klx\ni ihvh m/adm ry m/aiw kms\im t/nxr\ni

Note the word kms - in Hebrew חמס Hamas. A coincidence?

#Psalmtweet #Psalter 139:14

 

Yahweh you have examined me and you know.

אֽוֹדְךָ֗ עַ֤ל כִּ֥י נוֹרָא֗וֹת נִ֫פְלֵ֥יתִי נִפְלָאִ֥ים מַעֲשֶׂ֑יךָ וְ֝נַפְשִׁ֗י יֹדַ֥עַת מְאֹֽד		14 I will thank you for fearfully I am reserved. Wonderful your deeds, as my self knows in full.
id aodç yl ci noraot npliti nplaim mywiç vnpwi iodyt maod	10 7 8	av/d\c yl ci nv/ra\vt n/pl\iti n/pla\im m/yw\ic v/npw\i idy\t mad

#Psalmtweet #Psalter 138:2

 

אֶשְׁתַּחֲוֶ֨ה אֶל־הֵיכַ֪ל קָדְשְׁךָ֡ וְא֘וֹדֶ֤ה אֶת־שְׁמֶ֗ךָ עַל־חַסְדְּךָ֥ וְעַל־אֲמִתֶּ֑ךָ כִּֽי־הִגְדַּ֥לְתָּ עַל־כָּל־שִׁ֝מְךָ֗ אִמְרָתֶֽךָ		2 I will worship in your holy temple and give thanks to your name over your kindness, and over your truth, for you magnify your promise over all your name.
b awtkvvh al-hicl qodwç vaodh at-wmç yl-ksdç vyl-amitç ci-hgdlt yl-cl-wmç amrtç	27 12	a/wk\vh al hicl qdw\c vav/dh at wm\c yl ksd\c v/yl amt\c ci h/gdl\t yl cl wm\c amr\tc

Now here's a throwback from 15 years ago when I was just starting out to translate and this psalm was the subject of one of many diagrams I drew to learn Hebrew.

From 2008 - just looking around - no knowledge of the music till Oxford 2010.

#Psalmtweet #Psalter 137:1

 

A lecture by Susan Gillingham not to be missed at this link from 2021

עַ֥ל נַהֲר֨וֹת ׀ בָּבֶ֗ל שָׁ֣ם יָ֭שַׁבְנוּ גַּם־בָּכִ֑ינוּ בְּ֝זָכְרֵ֗נוּ אֶת־צִיּֽוֹן		1 ♪f By the rivers of Babel - there we sat, yea we wept, when we remembered Zion.
a yl nhrot bbl wm iwbnu gm-bcinu bzocrnu at-xion	14 7	yl nhr\vt bbl wm iwb\nv gm bc\inv b/zcr\nv at xivn

#Psalmtweet #Psalter 136:5

 Give thanks to Yahweh ...

No conflict with science here - plenty of responsibility required though.
No one could operate in an inconsistent creation.

לְעֹשֵׂ֣ה הַ֭שָּׁמַיִם בִּתְבוּנָ֑ה כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ		5 For making the heavens with understanding, because forever is his kindness.
h lyowh hwmiim btbunh ci lyolm ksdo	9 6	l/ywh h/wmim bt/bvn\h ci l/yvlm ksd\v

#Psalmtweet #Psalter 135:1

 

Praise servants

הַ֥לְלוּ־יָ֨הּ ׀ הַֽ֭לְלוּ אֶת־שֵׁ֣ם יְהוָ֑ה הַֽ֝לְלוּ עַבְדֵ֥י יְהוָֽה		1 ♪f Hallelu Yah. Praise the name of Yahweh. Praise O servants of Yahweh,
a hllu-ih hllu at-wm ihvh hllu ybdi ihvh	9 6	hll\v ih hll\v at wm ihvh hll\v ybd\i ihvh

#Psalmtweet #Psalter 134:1

The last of the 15 songs of the ascents

שִׁ֗יר הַֽמַּ֫עֲל֥וֹת הִנֵּ֤ה ׀ בָּרֲכ֣וּ אֶת־יְ֭הוָה כָּל־עַבְדֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה הָעֹמְדִ֥ים בְּבֵית־יְ֝הוָ֗ה בַּלֵּילֽוֹת		1 ♪~ A song of the ascents. Here! bless Yahweh, all servants of Yahweh, those standing in the house of Yahweh in the nights.
a wir hmylot hnh brcu at-ihvh cl-ybdi ihvh hyomdim bbit-ihvh blilot	5 13 10	wir hm/yl\vt hnh brc\v at ihvh cl ybd\i ihvh h/ymd\im b/bit ihvh b/lil\vt

#Psalmtweet #Psalter 133:1

 

like the precious oil ...

שִׁ֥יר הַֽמַּעֲל֗וֹת לְדָ֫וִ֥ד הִנֵּ֣ה מַה־טּ֭וֹב וּמַה־נָּעִ֑ים שֶׁ֖בֶת אַחִ֣ים גַּם־יָֽחַד		1 ♪f A song of the ascents, of David. Here! How fine and how pleasant it is, for kin to sit as one.
a wir hmylot ldvid hnh mh-'tob umh-nyim wbt akim gm-ikd	8 8 7	wir hm/yl\vt l/dvd hnh mh 'tvb v/mh nym wb\t ak\im gm ikd

#Psalmtweet #Psalter 132:1

 

Poems of David are present in every book of the Psalms

שִׁ֗יר הַֽמַּ֫עֲל֥וֹת זְכוֹר־יְהוָ֥ה לְדָוִ֑ד אֵ֝ת כָּל־עֻנּוֹתֽוֹ		1 ♪~ A song of the ascents. Yahweh, remember David, with all his afflictions.
a wir hmylot zcor-ihvh ldvid at cl-yunoto	5 7 5	wir hm/yl\vt zcr ihvh l/dvd at cl yn\vtv

#Psalmtweet #Psalter 131:1-2

 

Not an excuse for ignorance

but an excuse for faithfulness

שִׁ֥יר הַֽמַּֽעֲל֗וֹת לְדָ֫וִ֥ד יְהוָ֤ה ׀ לֹא־גָבַ֣הּ לִ֭בִּי וְלֹא־רָמ֣וּ עֵינַ֑י וְלֹֽא־הִלַּ֓כְתִּי ׀ בִּגְדֹל֖וֹת וּבְנִפְלָא֣וֹת מִמֶּֽנִּי		1 ♪f A song of the ascents, Of David. Yahweh not haughty is my heart nor exalted my eyes, nor do I walk in great things or in wonders beyond me.
a wir hmylot ldvid ihvh la-gbh libi vla-rmu yinii vla-hilcti bgdolot ubnplaot mmni	8 11 14	wir hm/yl\vt l/dvd ihvh la gbh lb\i v/la rm\v yin\i v/la hlc\ti b/gdl\vt vbn/pla\vt m/mn\i
אִם־לֹ֤א שִׁוִּ֨יתִי ׀ וְדוֹמַ֗מְתִּי נַ֫פְשִׁ֥י כְּ֭גָמֻל עֲלֵ֣י אִמּ֑וֹ כַּגָּמֻ֖ל עָלַ֣י נַפְשִֽׁי		2 If I had not agreed and muted my being, as a nursing child on its mother, as a nursing child - my being.
b am-la wivviti vdommti npwi cgmul yli aimo cgmul ylii npwi	11 7 7	am la wv\iti v/dvm\mti npw\i c/gml yl\i am\v c/gml yl\i npw\i