CORPUS-PSALTERIUMVol. I
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Corpus Psalterium · Vol. I

Psalm XVI (16)

Cantillated — Trust Delight

Paul Whitehorn

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Psalm 16 in Hebrew and English, and the words as they are sung.

A Poem by David.

1

Preserve me, God, for I take refuge in you.

מִכְתָּ֥ם לְדָוִ֑ד שָֽׁמְרֵ֥נִי אֵ֝֗ל כִּֽי־חָסִ֥יתִי בָֽךְ׃

2

My soul, you have said to Yahweh, “You are my Lord. Apart from you I have no good thing.”

אָמַ֣רְתְּ לַֽ֭יהוָה אֲדֹנָ֣י אָ֑תָּה ט֝וֹבָתִ֗י בַּל־עָלֶֽיךָ׃

3

As for the saints who are on the earth, they are the excellent ones in whom is all my delight.

לִ֭קְדוֹשִׁים אֲשֶׁר־בָּאָ֣רֶץ הֵ֑מָּה וְ֝אַדִּירֵ֗י כָּל־חֶפְצִי־בָֽם׃

4

Their sorrows shall be multiplied who give gifts to another god. Their drink offerings of blood I will not offer, nor take their names on my lips.

יִרְבּ֥וּ עַצְּבוֹתָם֮ אַחֵ֪ר מָ֫הָ֥רוּ בַּל־אַסִּ֣יךְ נִסְכֵּיהֶ֣ם מִדָּ֑ם וּֽבַל־אֶשָּׂ֥א אֶת־שְׁ֝מוֹתָ֗ם עַל־שְׂפָתָֽי׃

5

Yahweh assigned my portion and my cup. You made my lot secure.

יְֽהוָ֗ה מְנָת־חֶלְקִ֥י וְכוֹסִ֑י אַ֝תָּ֗ה תּוֹמִ֥יךְ גּוֹרָלִֽי׃

6

The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places. Yes, I have a good inheritance.

חֲבָלִ֣ים נָֽפְלוּ־לִ֭י בַּנְּעִמִ֑ים אַף־נַ֝חֲלָ֗ת שָֽׁפְרָ֥ה עָלָֽי׃

7

I will bless Yahweh, who has given me counsel. Yes, my heart instructs me in the night seasons.

אֲבָרֵ֗ךְ אֶת־יְ֭הוָה אֲשֶׁ֣ר יְעָצָ֑נִי אַף־לֵ֝יל֗וֹת יִסְּר֥וּנִי כִלְיוֹתָֽי׃

8

I have set Yahweh always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.

שִׁוִּ֬יתִי יְהוָ֣ה לְנֶגְדִּ֣י תָמִ֑יד כִּ֥י מִֽ֝ימִינִ֗י בַּל־אֶמּֽוֹט׃

9

Therefore my heart is glad, and my tongue rejoices. My body shall also dwell in safety.

לָכֵ֤ן ׀ שָׂמַ֣ח לִ֭בִּי וַיָּ֣גֶל כְּבוֹדִ֑י אַף־בְּ֝שָׂרִ֗י יִשְׁכֹּ֥ן לָבֶֽטַח׃

10

For you will not leave my soul in Sheol, neither will you allow your holy one to see corruption.

כִּ֤י ׀ לֹא־תַעֲזֹ֣ב נַפְשִׁ֣י לִשְׁא֑וֹל לֹֽא־תִתֵּ֥ן חֲ֝סִידְךָ֗ לִרְא֥וֹת שָֽׁחַת׃

11

You will show me the path of life. In your presence is fullness of joy. In your right hand there are pleasures forever more.

תּֽוֹדִיעֵנִי֮ אֹ֤רַח חַ֫יִּ֥ים שֹׂ֣בַע שְׂ֭מָחוֹת אֶת־פָּנֶ֑יךָ נְעִמ֖וֹת בִּימִינְךָ֣ נֶֽצַח׃

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.

Preserve me, O God

I take refuge in You

I say to the LORD

You are my Lord

I have no good

apart from You

The holy ones in the land

they are the noble ones

All my delight

is in them

Those who run after other gods

their sorrows multiply

I will not pour out

their offerings of blood

I will not take

their names on my lips

You are my portion

You are my cup

You hold my life

You hold my lot

You are my portion

You are my cup

You hold me firm

I will not fall

The lines have fallen

for me in pleasant places

Yes, I have

a beautiful inheritance

I bless the LORD

who gives me counsel

Even in the night

my heart instructs me

I set the LORD

always before me

He is at my right hand

I will not be shaken

My heart is glad

My whole being rejoices

Even my flesh

dwells secure

You will not abandon me

You are my portion

You are my cup

You hold my life

You hold my lot

You are my portion

You are my joy

In Your presence

is fullness of joy

You will show me life

In Your presence

there is joy

forever

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