CORPUS-PSALTERIUMVol. IV
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Corpus Psalterium · Vol. IV

Psalm LXXXVI (86)

Cantillated — Lament Dependence

Paul Whitehorn

0:004:22
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Psalm 86 in Hebrew and English, and the words as they are sung.

A Prayer by David.

1

Hear, Yahweh, and answer me, for I am poor and needy.

תְּפִלָּ֗ה לְדָ֫וִ֥ד הַטֵּֽה־יְהוָ֣ה אָזְנְךָ֣ עֲנֵ֑נִי כִּֽי־עָנִ֖י וְאֶבְי֣וֹן אָֽנִי׃

2

Preserve my soul, for I am godly. You, my God, save your servant who trusts in you.

שָֽׁמְרָ֣ה נַפְשִׁי֮ כִּֽי־חָסִ֪יד אָ֥נִי הוֹשַׁ֣ע עַ֭בְדְּךָ אַתָּ֣ה אֱלֹהַ֑י הַבּוֹטֵ֥חַ אֵלֶֽיךָ׃

3

Be merciful to me, Lord, for I call to you all day long.

חָנֵּ֥נִי אֲדֹנָ֑י כִּ֥י אֵלֶ֥יךָ אֶ֝קְרָ֗א כָּל־הַיּֽוֹם׃

4

Bring joy to the soul of your servant, for to you, Lord, do I lift up my soul.

שַׂ֭מֵּחַ נֶ֣פֶשׁ עַבְדֶּ֑ךָ כִּ֥י אֵלֶ֥יךָ אֲ֝דֹנָ֗י נַפְשִׁ֥י אֶשָּֽׂא׃

5

For you, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, abundant in loving kindness to all those who call on you.

כִּֽי־אַתָּ֣ה אֲ֭דֹנָי ט֣וֹב וְסַלָּ֑ח וְרַב־חֶ֝֗סֶד לְכָל־קֹרְאֶֽיךָ׃

6

Hear, Yahweh, my prayer. Listen to the voice of my petitions.

הַאֲזִ֣ינָה יְ֭הוָה תְּפִלָּתִ֑י וְ֝הַקְשִׁ֗יבָה בְּק֣וֹל תַּחֲנוּנוֹתָֽי׃

7

In the day of my trouble I will call on you, for you will answer me.

בְּי֣וֹם צָ֭רָתִ֥י אֶקְרָאֶ֗ךָּ כִּ֣י תַעֲנֵֽנִי׃

8

There is no one like you among the gods, Lord, nor any deeds like your deeds.

אֵין־כָּמ֖וֹךָ בָאֱלֹהִ֥ים ׀ אֲדֹנָ֗י וְאֵ֣ין כְּֽמַעֲשֶֽׂיךָ׃

9

All nations you have made will come and worship before you, Lord. They shall glorify your name.

כָּל־גּוֹיִ֤ם ׀ אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשִׂ֗יתָ יָב֤וֹאוּ ׀ וְיִשְׁתַּחֲו֣וּ לְפָנֶ֣יךָ אֲדֹנָ֑י וִֽיכַבְּד֣וּ לִשְׁמֶֽךָ׃

10

For you are great, and do wondrous things. You are God alone.

כִּֽי־גָד֣וֹל אַ֭תָּה וְעֹשֵׂ֣ה נִפְלָא֑וֹת אַתָּ֖ה אֱלֹהִ֣ים לְבַדֶּֽךָ׃

11

Teach me your way, Yahweh. I will walk in your truth. Make my heart undivided to fear your name.

ה֘וֹרֵ֤נִי יְהוָ֨ה ׀ דַּרְכֶּ֗ךָ אֲהַלֵּ֥ךְ בַּאֲמִתֶּ֑ךָ יַחֵ֥ד לְ֝בָבִ֗י לְיִרְאָ֥ה שְׁמֶֽךָ׃

12

I will praise you, Lord my God, with my whole heart. I will glorify your name forever more.

אוֹדְךָ֤ ׀ אֲדֹנָ֣י אֱ֭לֹהַי בְּכָל־לְבָבִ֑י וַאֲכַבְּדָ֖ה שִׁמְךָ֣ לְעוֹלָֽם׃

13

For your loving kindness is great toward me. You have delivered my soul from the lowest Sheol.

כִּֽי־חַ֭סְדְּךָ גָּד֣וֹל עָלָ֑י וְהִצַּ֥לְתָּ נַ֝פְשִׁ֗י מִשְּׁא֥וֹל תַּחְתִּיָּֽה׃

14

God, the proud have risen up against me. A company of violent men have sought after my soul, and they don’t hold regard for you before them.

אֱלֹהִ֤ים ׀ זֵ֘דִ֤ים קָֽמוּ־עָלַ֗י וַעֲדַ֣ת עָ֭רִיצִים בִּקְשׁ֣וּ נַפְשִׁ֑י וְלֹ֖א שָׂמ֣וּךָ לְנֶגְדָּֽם׃

15

But you, Lord, are a merciful and gracious God, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness and truth.

וְאַתָּ֣ה אֲ֭דֹנָי אֵל־רַח֣וּם וְחַנּ֑וּן אֶ֥רֶךְ אַ֝פַּ֗יִם וְרַב־חֶ֥סֶד וֶאֱמֶֽת׃

16

Turn to me, and have mercy on me! Give your strength to your servant. Save the son of your servant.

פְּנֵ֥ה אֵלַ֗י וְחָ֫נֵּ֥נִי תְּנָֽה־עֻזְּךָ֥ לְעַבְדֶּ֑ךָ וְ֝הוֹשִׁ֗יעָה לְבֶן־אֲמָתֶֽךָ׃

17

Show me a sign of your goodness, that those who hate me may see it, and be shamed, because you, Yahweh, have helped me, and comforted me.

עֲשֵֽׂה־עִמִּ֥י א֗וֹת לְט֫וֹבָ֥ה וְיִרְא֣וּ שֹׂנְאַ֣י וְיֵבֹ֑שׁוּ כִּֽי־אַתָּ֥ה יְ֝הוָ֗ה עֲזַרְתַּ֥נִי וְנִחַמְתָּֽנִי׃

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.

Incline Your ear

O LORD

answer me

For I am poor

and needy

Guard my soul

for I am faithful

Save Your servant

I trust in You

Be gracious

all day I call

Lift my soul

to You

You are good

forgiving

Abundant in mercy

to all who call

Hear my prayer

listen

To my plea

Hear me

Answer me

Hear me

Answer me

In the day

of trouble

I call

You answer

There is none

like You

No works

like Yours

All nations

You made

Will bow

before You

Glorify

Your name

You alone

are God

Teach me

Your way

I will walk

in truth

Unite my heart

to fear Your name

Hear me

Answer me

Hear me

Answer me

In the day

of trouble

I call

You answer

Arrogant men

rise against me

Violent men

seek my life

They do not set

You before them

But You

Lord

Compassionate

gracious

Slow to anger

rich in truth

Turn to me

be gracious

Give strength

to Your servant

Save me

Show me a sign

for good

Those who hate me

will see

They will be ashamed

You have helped me

You have comforted me

Hear me

Answer me

Hear me

Answer me

In the day

of trouble

I call

You answer

You have helped me

You have comforted me

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