Corpus Psalterium · Vol. V
Psalm CXXIV (124)
Cantillated — Refrain Deliverance
Paul Whitehorn
Study the Word
Psalm 124 in Hebrew and English, and the words as they are sung.
A Song of Ascents. By David.
If it had not been Yahweh who was on our side, let Israel now say,
שִׁ֥יר הַֽמַּעֲל֗וֹת לְדָ֫וִ֥ד לוּלֵ֣י יְ֭הוָה שֶׁהָ֣יָה לָ֑נוּ יֹֽאמַר־נָ֝א יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
if it had not been Yahweh who was on our side, when men rose up against us,
לוּלֵ֣י יְ֭הוָה שֶׁהָ֣יָה לָ֑נוּ בְּק֖וּם עָלֵ֣ינוּ אָדָֽם׃
then they would have swallowed us up alive, when their wrath was kindled against us,
אֲ֭זַי חַיִּ֣ים בְּלָע֑וּנוּ בַּחֲר֖וֹת אַפָּ֣ם בָּֽנוּ׃
then the waters would have overwhelmed us, the stream would have gone over our soul.
אֲ֭זַי הַמַּ֣יִם שְׁטָפ֑וּנוּ נַ֗֜חְלָה עָבַ֥ר עַל־נַפְשֵֽׁנוּ׃
Then the proud waters would have gone over our soul.
אֲ֭זַי עָבַ֣ר עַל־נַפְשֵׁ֑נוּ הַ֝מַּ֗יִם הַזֵּֽידוֹנִֽים׃
Blessed be Yahweh, who has not given us as a prey to their teeth.
בָּר֥וּךְ יְהוָ֑ה שֶׁלֹּ֥א נְתָנָ֥נוּ טֶ֝֗רֶף לְשִׁנֵּיהֶֽם׃
Our soul has escaped like a bird out of the fowler’s snare. The snare is broken, and we have escaped.
נַפְשֵׁ֗נוּ כְּצִפּ֥וֹר נִמְלְטָה֮ מִפַּ֪ח י֫וֹקְשִׁ֥ים הַפַּ֥ח נִשְׁבָּ֗ר וַאֲנַ֥חְנוּ נִמְלָֽטְנוּ׃
Our help is in Yahweh’s name, who made heaven and earth.
עֶ֭זְרֵנוּ בְּשֵׁ֣ם יְהוָ֑ה עֹ֝שֵׂ֗ה שָׁמַ֥יִם וָאָֽרֶץ׃
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.
If the LORD
had not stood with us
now let Israel say it
If the LORD
had not stood with us
when men rose up
against us
then they would have swallowed us
swallowed us alive
when their anger burned
against us
then the waters
would have swept us away
the torrent
gone over our soul
then over our soul
would have gone
the raging waters
Blessed be the LORD
who did not hand us over
as prey
to their teeth
Our soul slipped free
like a bird
from the trapper's net
the snare is snapped
and we got away
If the LORD
had not stood with us
now let Israel say it
If the LORD
had not stood with us
when men rose up
against us
Our help
is in the LORD's own name
the One who made
the sky and the land
Blessed be the LORD
who did not hand us over
as prey
to their teeth
Our soul slipped free
like a bird
from the trapper's net
the snare is snapped
and we got away
Our help
is in the LORD's own name
the One who made
the sky and the land
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.