CORPUS-PSALTERIUMVol. III
Corpus Psalterium Vol. III cover

Corpus Psalterium · Vol. III

Psalm LXI (61)

Cantillated — Refuge Lament Turning

Paul Whitehorn

0:005:27
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Psalm 61 in Hebrew and English, and the words as they are sung.

Heb 1

For the Chief Musician. For a stringed instrument. By David.

לַמְנַצֵּ֬חַ ׀ עַֽל־נְגִינַ֬ת לְדָוִֽד׃

1Heb 2

Hear my cry, God. Listen to my prayer.

שִׁמְעָ֣ה אֱ֭לֹהִים רִנָּתִ֑י הַ֝קְשִׁ֗יבָה תְּפִלָּתִֽי׃

2Heb 3

From the end of the earth, I will call to you when my heart is overwhelmed. Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

מִקְצֵ֤ה הָאָ֨רֶץ ׀ אֵלֶ֣יךָ אֶ֭קְרָא בַּעֲטֹ֣ף לִבִּ֑י בְּצוּר־יָר֖וּם מִמֶּ֣נִּי תַנְחֵֽנִי׃

3Heb 4

For you have been a refuge for me, a strong tower from the enemy.

כִּֽי־הָיִ֣יתָ מַחְסֶ֣ה לִ֑י מִגְדַּל־עֹ֝֗ז מִפְּנֵ֥י אוֹיֵֽב׃

4Heb 5

I will dwell in your tent forever. I will take refuge in the shelter of your wings. Selah.

אָג֣וּרָה בְ֭אָהָלְךָ עוֹלָמִ֑ים אֶֽחֱסֶ֨ה בְסֵ֖תֶר כְּנָפֶ֣יךָ סֶּֽלָה׃

5Heb 6

For you, God, have heard my vows. You have given me the heritage of those who fear your name.

כִּֽי־אַתָּ֣ה אֱ֭לֹהִים שָׁמַ֣עְתָּ לִנְדָרָ֑י נָתַ֥תָּ יְ֝רֻשַּׁ֗ת יִרְאֵ֥י שְׁמֶֽךָ׃

6Heb 7

You will prolong the king’s life. His years will be for generations.

יָמִ֣ים עַל־יְמֵי־מֶ֣לֶךְ תּוֹסִ֑יף שְׁ֝נוֹתָ֗יו כְּמוֹ־דֹ֥ר וָדֹֽר׃

7Heb 8

He shall be enthroned in God’s presence forever. Appoint your loving kindness and truth, that they may preserve him.

יֵשֵׁ֣ב ע֭וֹלָם לִפְנֵ֣י אֱלֹהִ֑ים חֶ֥סֶד וֶ֝אֱמֶ֗ת מַ֣ן יִנְצְרֻֽהוּ׃

8Heb 9

So I will sing praise to your name forever, that I may fulfill my vows daily.

כֵּ֤ן אֲזַמְּרָ֣ה שִׁמְךָ֣ לָעַ֑ד לְֽשַׁלְּמִ֥י נְדָרַ֗י י֣וֹם ׀ יֽוֹם׃

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.

Hear my cry

O God

Attend

to my prayer

From the ends of the earth

I call to You

When my heart

is faint within me

Lead me

to the rock

Higher

than I

For You have been

a refuge to me

A strong tower

from the enemy

Let me dwell

in Your tent forever

Let me take refuge

beneath Your wings

Let me dwell

in Your tent forever

My shelter

my King

For You, O God

have heard my vows

You have given

the inheritance

Of those who fear

Your name

You have been faithful

all my days

Add days

to the days of the king

Let his years

be through generations

Let me dwell

in Your tent forever

Let me take refuge

beneath Your wings

Let me dwell

in Your tent forever

My shelter

my King

He shall sit

before God forever

Appoint

steadfast love and truth

Let them guard him

let them keep him

So I will sing

Your name forever

To fulfill my vows

day by day

Let me dwell

in Your tent forever

Let me take refuge

beneath Your wings

Let me dwell

in Your tent forever

My shelter

my King

I will sing

Your name forever

To fulfill my vows

day by day

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