Saturday, December 13, 2008

Psalm 63

61 and 63 are both the king's prayers. I am suspecting that 61-67 are a unit - but judging by other people's groups of 7, I am suspicious that 7's can be invented everywhere. Multiple-structural overlap is certainly a possibility (52-55 and 56-60 are already strongly related through their titles) but a useful structure would allow visual memory and enhance conceptual grasp... hold your breath.

The foxes, of course, can only be understood in relation to Song 2:15 which was my signature for many years.

אֶֽחֱזוּ־לָנוּ שֽׁוּעָלִים שֽׁוּעָלִים קְטַנִּים מְחַבְּלִים כְּרָמִים וּכְרָמֵינוּ סְמָדַֽר
Catch the foxes, the little foxes that spoil the vineyards for our vineyards are in flower.

So pray this prayer - and may your land be no longer dry, languishing, or failing of water!

Need I say that there is great cost in stopping the mouths of those who speak lies?

A Psalm
Of David
when he was in the wilderness of Judah
O God you are my God
I will seek you early
My life thirsts for you
my flesh faints for you
in a land dry and languished failing in waters

So in your holiness I have beheld you
I have seen your power and your glory
for your loving kindness is better than life
my lips will adore you

So I will bless you in my life
and in your name I will lift up my hands
for with the choicest of fatness my being is satisfied
and my lips are joyful
my mouth gives praise

when I remember you on my bed
in the night-watches I groan in you
for you have been my help
and in the shadow of your wings I rejoice

my being clings to you
your right hand holds me
and those who seek to destroy my being
they will go to the nethermost parts of the earth
they will vanish by the hand of the sword
they will be a portion of foxes

but the king will rejoice in God
everyone swearing by him will boast
for the mouth of those speaking falsehood shall be stopped

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