CORPUS-PSALTERIUMVol. V
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Corpus Psalterium · Vol. V

Psalm CXX (120)

Cantillated — Lament Ascent

Paul Whitehorn

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Psalm 120 in Hebrew and English, and the words as they are sung.

A Song of Ascents.

1

In my distress, I cried to Yahweh. He answered me.

שִׁ֗יר הַֽמַּ֫עֲל֥וֹת אֶל־יְ֭הוָה בַּצָּרָ֣תָה לִּ֑י קָ֝רָ֗אתִי וַֽיַּעֲנֵֽנִי׃

2

Deliver my soul, Yahweh, from lying lips, from a deceitful tongue.

יְֽהוָ֗ה הַצִּ֣ילָה נַ֭פְשִׁי מִשְּׂפַת־שֶׁ֑קֶר מִלָּשׁ֥וֹן רְמִיָּֽה׃

3

What will be given to you, and what will be done more to you, you deceitful tongue?

מַה־יִּתֵּ֣ן לְ֭ךָ וּמַה־יֹּסִ֥יף לָ֗ךְ לָשׁ֥וֹן רְמִיָּֽה׃

4

Sharp arrows of the mighty, with coals of juniper.

חִצֵּ֣י גִבּ֣וֹר שְׁנוּנִ֑ים עִ֝֗ם גַּחֲלֵ֥י רְתָמִֽים׃

5

Woe is me, that I live in Meshech, that I dwell among the tents of Kedar!

אֽוֹיָה־לִ֭י כִּי־גַ֣רְתִּי מֶ֑שֶׁךְ שָׁ֝כַ֗נְתִּי עִֽם־אָהֳלֵ֥י קֵדָֽר׃

6

My soul has had her dwelling too long with him who hates peace.

רַ֭בַּת שָֽׁכְנָה־לָּ֣הּ נַפְשִׁ֑י עִ֝֗ם שׂוֹנֵ֥א שָׁלֽוֹם׃

7

I am for peace, but when I speak, they are for war.

אֲֽנִי־שָׁ֭לוֹם וְכִ֣י אֲדַבֵּ֑ר הֵ֝֗מָּה לַמִּלְחָמָֽה׃

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.

In my trouble

I called to the LORD

and He answered me

He answered me

LORD, pull my soul free

from lips that lie

from a tongue

that twists the truth

What will He give you

what more will He add

you twisting tongue

Arrows of a warrior

sharpened to a point

with glowing coals

of the broom tree

Woe is me

a stranger in Meshech

camped among

the tents of Kedar

Too long my soul

has made its home

with the one

who hates peace

What will He give you

what more will He add

you twisting tongue

Arrows of a warrior

sharpened to a point

with glowing coals

of the broom tree

I am peace

I am peace

but when I speak

they are for war

What will He give you

what more will He add

you twisting tongue

Arrows of a warrior

sharpened to a point

with glowing coals

of the broom tree

I am peace

they are for war

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