Corpus Psalterium · Vol. III
Psalm LIV (54)
Cantillated — Lament Turning
Paul Whitehorn
Study the Word
Psalm 54 in Hebrew and English, and the words as they are sung.
For the Chief Musician. On stringed instruments. A contemplation by David, when the Ziphites came and said to Saul, “Isn’t David hiding himself among us?”
לַמְנַצֵּ֥חַ בִּנְגִינֹ֗ת מַשְׂכִּ֥יל לְדָוִֽד׃
בְּב֣וֹא הַ֭זִּיפִים וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ לְשָׁא֑וּל הֲלֹ֥א דָ֝וִ֗ד מִסְתַּתֵּ֥ר עִמָּֽנוּ׃
Save me, God, by your name. Vindicate me in your might.
אֱ֭לֹהִים בְּשִׁמְךָ֣ הוֹשִׁיעֵ֑נִי וּבִגְבוּרָתְךָ֥ תְדִינֵֽנִי׃
Hear my prayer, God. Listen to the words of my mouth.
אֱ֭לֹהִים שְׁמַ֣ע תְּפִלָּתִ֑י הַ֝אֲזִ֗ינָה לְאִמְרֵי־פִֽי׃
For strangers have risen up against me. Violent men have sought after my soul. They haven’t set God before them. Selah.
כִּ֤י זָרִ֨ים ׀ קָ֤מוּ עָלַ֗י וְֽ֭עָרִיצִים בִּקְשׁ֣וּ נַפְשִׁ֑י לֹ֤א שָׂ֨מוּ אֱלֹהִ֖ים לְנֶגְדָּ֣ם סֶֽלָה׃
Behold, God is my helper. The Lord is the one who sustains my soul.
הִנֵּ֣ה אֱ֭לֹהִים עֹזֵ֣ר לִ֑י אֲ֝דֹנָ֗י בְּֽסֹמְכֵ֥י נַפְשִֽׁי׃
He will repay the evil to my enemies. Destroy them in your truth.
ישוב הָ֭רַע לְשֹׁרְרָ֑י בַּ֝אֲמִתְּךָ֗ הַצְמִיתֵֽם׃
With a free will offering, I will sacrifice to you. I will give thanks to your name, Yahweh, for it is good.
בִּנְדָבָ֥ה אֶזְבְּחָה־לָּ֑ךְ א֤וֹדֶה שִּׁמְךָ֖ יְהוָ֣ה כִּי־טֽוֹב׃
For he has delivered me out of all trouble. My eye has seen triumph over my enemies.
כִּ֣י מִכָּל־צָ֭רָה הִצִּילָ֑נִי וּ֝בְאֹיְבַ֗י רָאֲתָ֥ה עֵינִֽי׃
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.
God, by Your name
save me
By Your power
judge me
God, hear my prayer
listen
Give ear
to my words
Strangers rise
against me
Violent men
seek my life
They do not set
God before them
God is my helper
God is my helper
God is my helper
God is my helper
The Lord sustains
my life
God is my helper
God is my helper
God is my helper
God is my helper
The Lord sustains
my life
God is my helper
God is my helper
The Lord sustains
my life
He will return
the evil
He will return
the evil
To those
against me
In Your truth
destroy them
In Your truth
destroy them
Freely I will give
I will sacrifice
I will praise
Your name
For it is good
for it is good
For it is good
for it is good
God is my helper
God is my helper
The Lord sustains
my life
God is my helper
God is my helper
The Lord sustains
my life
God is my helper
God is my helper
The Lord sustains
my life
God is my helper
God is my helper
The Lord sustains
my life
You have delivered me
from every trouble
My eye has looked
on my enemies
You have delivered me
God is my helper
The Lord sustains
my life
God is my helper
God is my helper
The Lord sustains
my life
God is my helper
God is my helper
The Lord sustains
my life
God is my helper
God is my helper
The Lord sustains
my life
God is my helper
God is my helper
The Lord sustains
my life
I will praise
Your name
For it is good
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.