CORPUS-PSALTERIUMVol. II
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Corpus Psalterium · Vol. II

Psalm XXVIII (28)

Cantillated — Lament Turning

Paul Whitehorn

0:003:41
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Psalm 28 in Hebrew and English, and the words as they are sung.

By David.

1

To you, Yahweh, I call. My rock, don’t be deaf to me, lest, if you are silent to me, I would become like those who go down into the pit.

לְדָוִ֡ד אֵ֘לֶ֤יךָ יְהוָ֨ה ׀ אֶקְרָ֗א צוּרִי֮ אַֽל־תֶּחֱרַ֪שׁ מִ֫מֶּ֥נִּי פֶּן־תֶּֽחֱשֶׁ֥ה מִמֶּ֑נִּי וְ֝נִמְשַׁ֗לְתִּי עִם־י֥וֹרְדֵי בֽוֹר׃

2

Hear the voice of my petitions, when I cry to you, when I lift up my hands toward your Most Holy Place.

שְׁמַ֤ע ק֣וֹל תַּ֭חֲנוּנַי בְּשַׁוְּעִ֣י אֵלֶ֑יךָ בְּנָשְׂאִ֥י יָ֝דַ֗י אֶל־דְּבִ֥יר קָדְשֶֽׁךָ׃

3

Don’t draw me away with the wicked, with the workers of iniquity who speak peace with their neighbors, but mischief is in their hearts.

אַל־תִּמְשְׁכֵ֣נִי עִם־רְשָׁעִים֮ וְעִם־פֹּ֪עֲלֵ֫י אָ֥וֶן דֹּבְרֵ֣י שָׁ֭לוֹם עִם־רֵֽעֵיהֶ֑ם וְ֝רָעָ֗ה בִּלְבָבָֽם׃

4

Give them according to their work, and according to the wickedness of their doings. Give them according to the operation of their hands. Bring back on them what they deserve.

תֶּן־לָהֶ֣ם כְּפָעֳלָם֮ וּכְרֹ֪עַ מַֽעַלְלֵ֫יהֶ֥ם כְּמַעֲשֵׂ֣ה יְ֭דֵיהֶם תֵּ֣ן לָהֶ֑ם הָשֵׁ֖ב גְּמוּלָ֣ם לָהֶֽם׃

5

Because they don’t respect the works of Yahweh, nor the operation of his hands, he will break them down and not build them up.

כִּ֤י לֹ֤א יָבִ֡ינוּ אֶל־פְּעֻלֹּ֣ת יְ֭הוָה וְאֶל־מַעֲשֵׂ֣ה יָדָ֑יו יֶ֝הֶרְסֵ֗ם וְלֹ֣א יִבְנֵֽם׃

6

Blessed be Yahweh, because he has heard the voice of my petitions.

בָּר֥וּךְ יְהוָ֑ה כִּי־שָׁ֝מַע ק֣וֹל תַּחֲנוּנָֽי׃

7

Yahweh is my strength and my shield. My heart has trusted in him, and I am helped. Therefore my heart greatly rejoices. With my song I will thank him.

יְהוָ֤ה ׀ עֻזִּ֥י וּמָגִנִּי֮ בּ֤וֹ בָטַ֥ח לִבִּ֗י וְֽנֶ֫עֱזָ֥רְתִּי וַיַּעֲלֹ֥ז לִבִּ֑י וּֽמִשִּׁירִ֥י אֲהוֹדֶֽנּוּ׃

8

Yahweh is their strength. He is a stronghold of salvation to his anointed.

יְהוָ֥ה עֹֽז־לָ֑מוֹ וּמָ֘ע֤וֹז יְשׁוּע֖וֹת מְשִׁיח֣וֹ הֽוּא׃

9

Save your people, and bless your inheritance. Be their shepherd also, and bear them up forever.

הוֹשִׁ֤יעָה ׀ אֶת־עַמֶּ֗ךָ וּבָרֵ֥ךְ אֶת־נַחֲלָתֶ֑ךָ וּֽרְעֵ֥ם וְ֝נַשְּׂאֵ֗ם עַד־הָעוֹלָֽם׃

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.

To You

O LORD

I call

my Rock

do not be silent

to me

If You are silent

I become

like those

who go down

to the pit

Hear my voice

when I cry

when I lift my hands

to Your holy sanctuary

Do not take me away

with the wicked

with those

who speak peace

but hold evil

inside

Do not take me

Do not take me

with the wicked

with the wicked

Give to them

according to their deeds

according to the work

of their hands

Return to them

what they have done

They do not see

the works of the LORD

nor the work

of His hands

So You will tear down

You will not build them up

Blessed be the LORD

For He has heard

the voice

of my supplication

The LORD

is my strength

and my shield

My heart trusts

in Him

and I am helped

My heart rejoices

I will give thanks

I will give thanks

I will sing

to You

The LORD

is strength

for His people

a refuge

of salvation

for His anointed

Save Your people

Save Your people

Bless Your inheritance

Shepherd them

carry them

forever

Carry them

forever

carry us

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