CORPUS-PSALTERIUMVol. V
Corpus Psalterium Vol. V cover

Corpus Psalterium · Vol. V

Psalm CXVI (116)

Cantillated — Deliverance Turning

Paul Whitehorn

0:006:42
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Psalm 116 in Hebrew and English, and the words as they are sung.

1

I love Yahweh, because he listens to my voice, and my cries for mercy.

אָ֭הַבְתִּי כִּֽי־יִשְׁמַ֥ע ׀ יְהוָ֑ה אֶת־ק֝וֹלִ֗י תַּחֲנוּנָֽי׃

2

Because he has turned his ear to me, therefore I will call on him as long as I live.

כִּֽי־הִטָּ֣ה אָזְנ֣וֹ לִ֑י וּבְיָמַ֥י אֶקְרָֽא׃

3

The cords of death surrounded me, the pains of Sheol got a hold of me. I found trouble and sorrow.

אֲפָפ֤וּנִי ׀ חֶבְלֵי־מָ֗וֶת וּמְצָרֵ֣י שְׁא֣וֹל מְצָא֑וּנִי צָרָ֖ה וְיָג֣וֹן אֶמְצָֽא׃

4

Then I called on Yahweh’s name: “Yahweh, I beg you, deliver my soul.”

וּבְשֵֽׁם־יְהוָ֥ה אֶקְרָ֑א אָנָּ֥ה יְ֝הוָ֗ה מַלְּטָ֥ה נַפְשִֽׁי׃

5

Yahweh is gracious and righteous. Yes, our God is merciful.

חַנּ֣וּן יְהֹוָ֣ה וְצַדִּ֑יק וֵ֖אלֹהֵ֣ינוּ מְרַחֵֽם׃

6

Yahweh preserves the simple. I was brought low, and he saved me.

שֹׁמֵ֣ר פְּתָאיִ֣ם יְהֹוָ֑ה דַּ֝לּוֹתִ֗י וְלִ֣י יְהוֹשִֽׁיעַ׃

7

Return to your rest, my soul, for Yahweh has dealt bountifully with you.

שׁוּבִ֣י נַ֭פְשִׁי לִמְנוּחָ֑יְכִי כִּֽי־יְ֝הוָ֗ה גָּמַ֥ל עָלָֽיְכִי׃

8

For you have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, and my feet from falling.

כִּ֤י חִלַּ֥צְתָּ נַפְשִׁ֗י מִ֫מָּ֥וֶת אֶת־עֵינִ֥י מִן־דִּמְעָ֑ה אֶת־רַגְלִ֥י מִדֶּֽחִי׃

9

I will walk before Yahweh in the land of the living.

אֶ֭תְהַלֵּךְ לִפְנֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה בְּ֝אַרְצ֗וֹת הַֽחַיִּֽים׃

10

I believed, therefore I said, “I was greatly afflicted.”

הֶ֭אֱמַנְתִּי כִּ֣י אֲדַבֵּ֑ר אֲ֝נִ֗י עָנִ֥יתִי מְאֹֽד׃

11

I said in my haste, “All people are liars.”

אֲ֭נִי אָמַ֣רְתִּי בְחָפְזִ֑י כָּֽל־הָאָדָ֥ם כֹּזֵֽב׃

12

What will I give to Yahweh for all his benefits toward me?

מָֽה־אָשִׁ֥יב לַיהוָ֑ה כָּֽל־תַּגְמוּל֥וֹהִי עָלָֽי׃

13

I will take the cup of salvation, and call on Yahweh’s name.

כּוֹס־יְשׁוּע֥וֹת אֶשָּׂ֑א וּבְשֵׁ֖ם יְהוָ֣ה אֶקְרָֽא׃

14

I will pay my vows to Yahweh, yes, in the presence of all his people.

נְ֭דָרַי לַיהוָ֣ה אֲשַׁלֵּ֑ם נֶגְדָה־נָּ֝֗א לְכָל־עַמּֽוֹ׃

15

Precious in Yahweh’s sight is the death of his saints.

יָ֭קָר בְּעֵינֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה הַ֝מָּ֗וְתָה לַחֲסִידָֽיו׃

16

Yahweh, truly I am your servant. I am your servant, the son of your servant girl. You have freed me from my chains.

אָֽנָּ֣ה יְהוָה֮ כִּֽי־אֲנִ֪י עַ֫בְדֶּ֥ךָ אֲֽנִי־עַ֭בְדְּךָ בֶּן־אֲמָתֶ֑ךָ פִּ֝תַּ֗חְתָּ לְמוֹסֵרָֽי׃

17

I will offer to you the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call on Yahweh’s name.

לְֽךָ־אֶ֭זְבַּח זֶ֣בַח תּוֹדָ֑ה וּבְשֵׁ֖ם יְהוָ֣ה אֶקְרָֽא׃

18

I will pay my vows to Yahweh, yes, in the presence of all his people,

נְ֭דָרַי לַיהוָ֣ה אֲשַׁלֵּ֑ם נֶגְדָה־נָּ֝֗א לְכָל־עַמּֽוֹ׃

19

in the courts of Yahweh’s house, in the middle of you, Jerusalem. Praise Yah!

בְּחַצְר֤וֹת ׀ בֵּ֤ית יְהוָ֗ה בְּֽת֘וֹכֵ֤כִי יְֽרוּשָׁלִָ֗ם הַֽלְלוּ־יָֽהּ׃

Hebrew: Westminster Leningrad Codex (public domain), from the Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible. English: World English Bible (public domain). Verse numbers follow the English Bible; the Hebrew numbering is shown beneath where it differs.

I love the LORD

because He heard my voice

He heard my cry for mercy

He bent His ear to me

so I will call on Him

as long as I live

The cords of death were wrapped around me

the grip of the grave took hold of me

I found only trouble and sorrow

Then I called on the name of the LORD

O LORD, I beg You

save my life

Gracious is the LORD and righteous

our God is full of mercy

The LORD watches over the simple

I was brought low

and He saved me

Return, my soul, to your rest

for the LORD has been good to you

You rescued my life from death

my eyes from tears

my feet from stumbling

I will walk before the LORD

in the land of the living

I kept believing even when I said

I am greatly afflicted

I said in my panic

every man is a liar

What can I give back to the LORD

for all His goodness to me

I will lift up the cup of salvation

and call on the name of the LORD

I will pay my vows to the LORD

in the presence of all His people

Precious in the sight of the LORD

is the death of His faithful ones

O LORD, truly I am Your servant

I am Your servant, the son of Your maidservant

You have loosed my chains

I will offer You a sacrifice of thanksgiving

and call on the name of the LORD

I will pay my vows to the LORD

in the presence of all His people

in the courts of the house of the LORD

in your midst, O Jerusalem

Hallelujah

I love the LORD

He heard my voice

I loved the Lord

Because He heard my voice

He heard my cry for mercy

He's been as near to me

So I will call on Him

As long as I live

The cords of death were wrapped around me

The grip of the grave took hold of me

I found only trouble and sorrow

Then I called on the name of the Lord

Oh Lord, I beg You, save my life

Gracious is the Lord and righteous

Our God is full of mercy

The Lord watches over the simple

I was brought low and He saved me

And He saved me

Return my soul

To your rest for the Lord has been good to you

You rescued my life from death

My eyes from tears

My feet from stumbling

I will walk before the Lord

In the land of the living

I kept believing even when I said

I am greatly afflicted

I said in my panic

Every man is a liar

What can I give back to the Lord

For all His goodness to me

I will lift up the cup of salvation

And call on

Lyrics by Paul Whitehorn: a singable English rendering of the Hebrew, as sung on this recording.

Corpus Psalterium sets each psalm to music by its Hebrew grammar. Didactic psalms teach; Cantillated psalms are spoken, sung or performed before God. Hear all 150 psalms free.

About these songs. They are a summary and a commentary on the Psalms, not a word-for-word translation. Read what these songs are →

What These Songs Are, and What They Are Not

These songs are not a word-for-word translation of the Psalms. They were never meant to be. Nor do they try to capture every idea in every psalm. In a song, that would be impossible.

What we have done is capture the essence of each psalm: what matters most in it. Think of each song as a summary. Think of it as a cheat sheet. The purpose of the psalm is still being met. God's word to mankind is still being heard.

Behind many of these lines is word research: deep study of the meaning of the Hebrew. So where a line sounds different from your translation, and you think it is wrong, study it. We believe you will find that the essence of what we sing is true.

The truth is that no one can set the Psalms to music without also becoming a commentator. That is what this is. It is a modern commentary on the Psalms: not only the Psalms themselves, and not only the Psalms being sung. So do not think that every word of the psalm is here. It is not. Read the psalm itself, in full.

Why do this at all? Because we believe God intended humanity to be surrounded by His word. This was always the entertainment He wanted us to have: not hours of television, not a day lost in a phone looking at nonsense. The blessed man of Psalm 1 meditates on God's word day and night. How can we meditate on His word if we do not surround ourselves with it?

As ministers, our first responsibility is to share God's word with people. That is what these songs are for.

Paul Whitehorn