Psalm 131

In June I started the second pass at translation and looking for macro structures (see this map). These past two months, I have redrafted 90 psalms. Still I cannot put them all in my head at once for processing their structure. I will continue kneading.

A song of the steps
Of David

יְהוָה my heart is not high
nor are my eyes exalted
nor do I walk in great things
or in wonders beyond me

If I had not stilled and quieted
my life
as one weaned
from its mother
as one weaned
my life

Wait Israel in יְהוָה now and forever

Note: The 'if not' construction seems awkward and incomplete. The Greek makes a different sense of it than traditional translations of the Hebrew. I have not followed the sense or the extra words of the Greek - but it depends on whether you think a weaned child is always well behaved towards its mother or not. The Hebrew is a fragment so I have left it as a half sentence with unstated conclusion. Sometimes I have rendered that verb as matured rather than weaned.

This being the last psalm in my second pass, it is appropriate that I leave it inconclusive, for there is at yet no conclusive summary from me that I can draw from these pages. You will find links to every psalm in the right hand panel.

This month I have also restarted some work on the New Testament and I am republishing a colorful study done 6 years ago on Romans.

Psalm 130

A song of the steps

From the depths I cry to you יְהוָה
Lord hear my voice
let your ears attend
to the voice of my supplication

when you note iniquities יְהוָה
Lord who will stand
for with you there is forgiveness
so that you will be feared

I wait for יְהוָה
my life waits
and in his word I hope
my life for יְהוָה
more than those watching for the morning
- those watching for the morning

let Israel hope in יְהוָה
for with יְהוָה there is loving kindness
and with him abundant ransoms
and he will ransom Israel from all his iniquities

Psalm 129

The last three lines must reflect an insincere greeting. These songs of the steps are a mixture of negatives and positives.

A song of the steps

Exceedingly they afflicted me from my youth
so let it be said Israel
exceedingly they afflicted me from my youth
but they have not prevailed over me

On my back the ploughers ploughed
prolonging their furrows
righteous יְהוָה has cut in two the cords of the wicked

let all those hating Zion be ashamed and be turned back
let them become as housetop grass
which withers before it is matured
with which the reaper does not fill his palm
or his breast the binder

and those going by will not say
the blessing of יְהוָה on you
we bless you in the name of יְהוָה

Psalm 128

A song of the steps

Happy all fearing יְהוָה
those walking in his ways
you will eat the produce of your hands
your pleasure and your good
your wife as a vine bearing fruit by the sides of your house
your children like slips of olive trees surrounding your table

Indeed for such a warrior fearing יְהוָה will be blessed
יְהוָה will bless you from Zion
and you will see the good of Jerusalem all the days of your life
you will see your children's children

peace to Israel

Psalm 127

A song of the steps
of Solomon

If יְהוָה does not build a house they toil in vain who build it
if יְהוָה does not keep a city they watch in vain who keep it
In vain you rise early and sit late
to eat the bread of hardship
for he gives his beloved sleep

Hey! children are an inheritance of יְהוָה
the fruit of the womb a reward
as arrows in a warrior's hand so are children of the youthful
happy is the strong one who filled his quiver with them
he will not be ashamed when he speaks with enemies at the gate

Psalm 126

A song of the steps

When יְהוָה turned the captivity of Zion
we became like dreamers
then our mouth filled with laughter
and our lips a cry of joy

then they said among the nations
יְהוָה acted greatly among them
greatly יְהוָה acted among us
we become those who rejoice

Turn יְהוָה our captivity
as the river channels in the Negev
those sowing in tears
in joy they will harvest

going he will go out and weeping
bearing the trail of seed
coming he will come with joy
bearing his sheaves

Psalm 125

A song of the steps

Those trusting in יְהוָה are like mount Zion
it will not removed
forever it will stay

As the mountains surround Jerusalem
so יְהוָה surrounds his people from now and forever
for the sceptre of the wicked will not rest on the portion of the righteous
so that the righteous will not stretch their hand to evil

Do good יְהוָה to the good and to the upright in their hearts
and those turning aside to their tortuous ways
יְהוָה will lead them with the workers of the iniquity

peace to Israel

Psalm 124

A song of the steps
of David

Unless יְהוָה had been for us
let it be said Israel
Unless יְהוָה had been for us
when humanity rose against us
then they had swallowed us alive

when their their anger kindled against us
then the waters had overflowed us
a torrent passed over our life
then the proud waters passed over our life

Blessed is יְהוָה who has not given us as prey to their teeth
our life as a bird escaped from snare of trappers
the snare is broken and we have escaped
our help is in the name of יְהוָה who makes heaven and earth

Psalm 123

A song of the steps

To you
the one sitting in the heavens
I lift up my eyes

look now
as the eyes of servants to the hand of masters
as the eyes of a maid to the hand of a mistress
so our eyes to יְהוָה our God
until he will have mercy on us

have mercy on us יְהוָה
have mercy on us
for greatly are we filled with contempt
exceeding filled
our very life the scorn of those at ease
the contempt of the proud

Psalm 122

A song of the steps
Of David

I rejoiced when they said to me
to the house of יְהוָה we will go
our feet will be standing in your gates Jerusalem

Jerusalem is that one
built as a city
to be coupled together as one

there the tribes ascend
the tribes of יְהוָה a testimony to Israel
to give thanks to the name of יְהוָה
for there sit the thrones for judgment
the thrones of the house of David

ask peace for Jerusalem
those loving you will prosper
let peace be in your walls
prosperity in your citadels

for companions and friends
I will say let peace be in you
for the house of יְהוָה our God
I will seek your good

Psalm 121

A song of the steps

I will lift up my eyes to the hills from where comes my help
my help is from יְהוָה who makes heaven and earth
he will not let your foot be moved
he who keeps you will not snooze
Behold he who keeps Israel will not snooze or sleep

יְהוָה keeps you
יְהוָה your shade at hand on your right
by day the sun will not smite you
nor the moon in the night
יְהוָה will keep you from all evil
he will keep your very life
יְהוָה will keep your going and your coming
from now and forever

Psalm 120

Imagine that the poet's own tongue and lips are the ones for war

A song of the steps

To יְהוָה in my trouble I called and he answered me
יְהוָה snatch my being from lying lips from a deceitful tongue
what gives with you or what will do for you
deceitful tongue?
arrows of the mighty sharpened with coals of broom

woe to me for I live a charade
I tent in the tents of darkness
this my being has long put up with one hating peace
I speak for peace
they for the battle

Psalm 117

Praise יְהוָה all nations
be free in him all the peoples
for great towards us is his loving kindness
and the faithfulness of יְהוָה is forever

Hallelu Yah

Psalm 116

We love because he first loved us - I know you are not used to reading this psalm this way - but why not? Notice of course the ellipsis in the second line.

I love
for יְהוָה heard my voice
my supplication
for he inclined his ear to me
and in my days I will call

the cords of death surrounded me
and pains of Sheol found me
trouble and sorrow I find
so I call to the name of יְהוָה
I beseech you יְהוָה deliver my life

Gracious is יְהוָה and righteous
and our God is merciful
יְהוָה keeps the simple
I was brought low and he saves me

Return my being to your rest
for יְהוָה has matured you
for he delivered my life from death
my eyes from tears
my foot from expulsion
I will walk in the presence of יְהוָה
in the lands of the living

I believed so I spoke
I myself was greatly afflicted
I myself said in my fear
every human deceives

what will I return to יְהוָה for all his benefits to me?
the vessel of salvation I will bear
and on the name of יְהוָה I will call
my vows to יְהוָה I will complete
let it be before all his people

Precious in the eyes of יְהוָה is the death of those under his protection
I pray יְהוָה for I myself am your servant
I myself your servant and child of your faithfulness
you have loosed my bonds

to you I will offer the offering of thanksgiving
and on the name of יְהוָה I will call
my vows to יְהוָה I will complete
let it be before all his people
in the courts of the house of יְהוָה
in the centre of Jerusalem

Hallelu Yah

Psalm 114

This psalm has neither heading nor sound of praise. I have several piles of psalms without particular structural significance - still hidden in the chart. How does Psalm 107 get to 110? Why are there hallels in various spots in this book? I am thinking that a study of verb usage might yield some fruit - I hope to pursue it in the new year as part of a third pass that may reveal some more 'logic' in the editing of the psalter.

When Israel came out from Egypt
the house of Jacob from strange speakers
Judah became his sanctuary
Israel his parables

the sea saw and fled
the Jordan was driven back
the hills skipped like rams
the little hills like lambkin

what is it to you sea that you fled
Jordan that you were driven back
hills that you skipped like rams
little hills like lambkin?

from the presence of the Lord tremble O earth
from the presence of the God of Jacob
who turns the rock into troubled waters
the flint into a fountain of waters

Psalm 115

God's pleasure in creation and the subject of idols is echoed in psalm 135. Palestrina and Kenneth Branagh's Henry V make Non nobis famous.

Not to us יְהוָה not to us
but to your name be glory
for your loving-kindness and your faithfulness

why will the nations say
where pray tell is their God?
but our God is in the heavens
all that he delighted in he did

their idols are silver and gold
work of the hands of a human
mouth they have and speak not
eyes they have and see not
ears they have and hear not
nose they have and smell not
their hands and they feel not
their feet and they walk not
nor do they mutter with their neck
like them their makers will become
not to mention all that are trusting in them

Israel trust in יְהוָה
their help and their shield is he
House of Aaron trust in יְהוָה
their help and their shield is he
you who fear יְהוָה trust in יְהוָה
their help and their shield is he

יְהוָה remembers us and will bless
he will bless the house of Israel
he will bless the house of Aaron
he will bless those fearing יְהוָה
the small with the great

יְהוָה will increase you
you and your children
you are the blessed of יְהוָה who made heaven and earth
the heavens of heavens belongs to יְהוָה
but the earth he has given to the children of dust

the dead will not praise Yah
nor all descending to silence
but we will bless Yah
from now and for ever to the age

Hallelu Yah

Psalm 113

Hallelu Yah

Praise him servants of יְהוָה
Praise the name of יְהוָה
Blessed be the name of יְהוָה
from now and forever
from the rising of the sun to his going out
the name of יְהוָה is to be praised

high above all nations יְהוָה
over the heavens his glory
who is like יְהוָה our God dwelling on high
humbling himself to see in the heavens and on the earth?

raising from the dust the languid
from the dump lifting the poor
to make him dwell with princes
with the princes of his people
who makes the barren to dwell in a house
a joyful mother of children

Hallelu Yah

Psalm 138

of David

I will give you thanks with all my heart
before gods I will sing your praise
I will bow down to your holy temple and praise your name
for your loving-kindness and for your faithfulness
for you magnify your word by your full name

In the day I called
when you answered me
you encouraged me with strength in my life
יְהוָה all kings of earth will give you thanks
for they have heard the words of your mouth
and they shall sing of the ways of יְהוָה
for great is the glory of יְהוָה

For high is יְהוָה yet he meets the lowly
and the haughty he knows from afar
though I walk in midst of trouble you quicken me
against the wrath of my enemies you spread your hand
and you save me by your right hand

יְהוָה will complete his work for my sake
יְהוָה your mercy is forever
do not forsake the work of your hands

Psalm 137

By the torrents of Babel - there we sat
yea we wept in remembering Zion
on willows in the midst of her we hung our strings
for there our captors asked us the words of a song
and our tormentors mirth
Sing to us a song of Zion
how will we sing such a song of יְהוָה on strange ground?

If I forget you Jerusalem
let my right hand forget
let my tongue cleave to my palate
if I do not remember you
if I do not take you Jerusalem as my chief mirth

Remember יְהוָה of the children of Edom
in the day of Jerusalem
those saying
Expose
expose her to the foundations

Devastating daughter of Babel
happy the one who makes peace with you
even weans you as you weaned us
happy the one who takes and dashes
your unweaned against the rock

Psalm 135

Hallelu Yah

Praise the name of יְהוָה
Praise him servants of יְהוָה
who stand in the house of יְהוָה
in the courts of the house of our God

Hallelu Yah

for יְהוָה is good
make music to his name for beauty
for Yah has chosen Jacob for himself
Israel for his own treasure

for I myself know יְהוָה is great
and our Lord than all the gods
all that pleased יְהוָה he did
in the heavens and in the earth
in the seas and all deeps

bringing the mist from the ends of the earth
lightnings for the rain he made
delivering the wind out of his treasury

who struck the firstborn of Egypt both human and animal
He set miracles and wonders to your belly O Egypt
to Pharaoh and to all his servants
who chastised great nations and destroyed countless kings

so Sihon king of the Amorites
and so Og king of fruitful Bashan
and so all the kings of lowland Caanan
and gave their lands as inheritance
an inheritance to Israel his people

יְהוָה your name is for ever
יְהוָה your memory from age to age
for יְהוָה will govern his people
and all his servants he will console

The pained fetishes of the nations are silver and gold
the works of the hands of earthlings
a mouth they have but they don't speak
eyes they have but they don't see
ears they have but they don't listen

ha! no spirit being there in their mouths
those who make them become like them
and all who trust in them

House of Israel bless יְהוָה
House of Aaron bless יְהוָה
House of Levi bless יְהוָה
Those fearing יְהוָה bless יְהוָה
Blessed be יְהוָה from Zion dwelling in Jerusalem

Hallelu Yah