Psalm 124
Psalm 124 | |
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"If it had not been the LORD who was on our side" | |
Song of Ascents | |
![]() Psalm 124 in theErfurt Enchiridion | |
Other name |
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Related | |
Language | Hebrew (original) |
Psalm 124 | |
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Book | Book of Psalms |
Hebrew Bible part | Ketuvim |
Order in the Hebrew part | 1 |
Category | Sifrei Emet |
Christian Bible part | Old Testament |
Order in the Christian part | 19 |
Psalm 124is the 124th psalm of theBook of Psalms,beginning in the English of theKing James Version:"If it had not been the LORDwho was on our side, now may Israel say ". The Book of Psalms is part of thethird sectionof theHebrew Bible,and a book of theChristianOld Testament.InLatinit is known as "Nisi quia Dominus".[1]It is one of fifteen psalms that begin with the words"A song of ascents"(Shir Hama'alot). Using "conventionalmetaphors",[2]it recalls the dangers faced byIsraelfrom which the nation has been rescued.
In the slightly different numbering system used in the GreekSeptuagintand theLatin Vulgate,this psalm isPsalm 123.
The psalm forms a regular part ofJewish,Catholic,Lutheran,Anglicanand other Protestant liturgies.Marc-Antoine Charpentierset the psalm in the 1690s asNisi quia Dominus erat,H. 217, for soloists, chorus and continuo, and it was paraphrased in two psalm songs byProtestant Reformerswhich were set as chorale cantatas byJohann Sebastian Bach.
Text
[edit]Hebrew
[edit]The following table shows the Hebrew text[3][4]of the Psalm with vowels alongside an English translation based upon theJPS 1917translation (now in thepublic domain).
Verse | Hebrew | English translation (JPS 1917) |
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1 | שִׁ֥יר הַֽמַּעֲל֗וֹת לְדָ֫וִ֥ד לוּלֵ֣י יְ֭הֹוָה שֶׁהָ֣יָה לָ֑נוּ יֹאמַר־נָ֝֗א יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ | A Song of Ascents; of David. 'If it had not been the LORD who was for us', Let Israel now say; |
2 | לוּלֵ֣י יְ֭הֹוָה שֶׁהָ֣יָה לָ֑נוּ בְּק֖וּם עָלֵ֣ינוּ אָדָֽם׃ | 'If it had not been the LORD who was for us, When men rose up against us, |
3 | אֲ֭זַי חַיִּ֣ים בְּלָע֑וּנוּ בַּחֲר֖וֹת אַפָּ֣ם בָּֽנוּ׃ | Then they had swallowed us up alive, when their wrath was kindled against us; |
4 | אֲ֭זַי הַמַּ֣יִם שְׁטָפ֑וּנוּ נַ֝֗חְלָה עָבַ֥ר עַל־נַפְשֵֽׁנוּ׃ | Then the waters had overwhelmed us, the stream had gone over our soul; |
5 | אֲ֭זַי עָבַ֣ר עַל־נַפְשֵׁ֑נוּ הַ֝מַּ֗יִם הַזֵּידוֹנִֽים׃ | Then the proud waters Had gone over our soul.' |
6 | בָּר֥וּךְ יְהֹוָ֑ה שֶׁלֹּ֥א נְתָנָ֥נוּ טֶ֝֗רֶף לְשִׁנֵּיהֶֽם׃ | Blessed be the LORD, who hath not given us as a prey to their teeth. |
7 | נַפְשֵׁ֗נוּ כְּצִפּ֥וֹר נִמְלְטָה֮ מִפַּ֢ח י֫וֹקְשִׁ֥ים הַפַּ֥ח נִשְׁבָּ֗ר וַאֲנַ֥חְנוּ נִמְלָֽטְנוּ׃ | Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers; The snare is broken, and we are escaped. |
8 | עֶ֭זְרֵנוּ בְּשֵׁ֣ם יְהֹוָ֑ה עֹ֝שֵׂ֗ה שָׁמַ֥יִם וָאָֽרֶץ׃ | Our help is in the name of the LORD, Who made heaven and earth. |
King James Version
[edit]- If it had not been the LORD who was on our side, now may Israel say;
- If it had not been the LORD who was on our side, when men rose up against us:
- Then they had swallowed us up quick, when their wrath was kindled against us:
- Then the waters had overwhelmed us, the stream had gone over our soul:
- Then the proud waters had gone over our soul.
- Blessed be the LORD, who hath not given us as a prey to their teeth.
- Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers: the snare is broken, and we are escaped.
- Our help is in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth.
Uses
[edit]Judaism
[edit]The psalm is recited followingMinchabetweenSukkotandShabbat Hagadol.[5]
Lutheranism
[edit]In 1524, the psalm was paraphrased in German by theProtestant reformersJustus JonasandMartin Luther.Jonas wrote "Wo Gott der Herr nicht bei uns hält",Luther"Wär Gott nicht mit uns diese Zeit".
Catholic Church
[edit]According to theRule of St Benedictaround 530AD, this psalm was traditionally performed for the office ofsextfrom Tuesday to Saturday.[6]In the Liturgy of the Hours, Psalm 124 is currently recited at theVespersof the Monday of the third week.[7]
It also is the source of the ubiquitousversicle℣: Our help is in the name of theLord℟: who created Heaven and Earth,especially used for introductions of any sort, which is the psalm's verse 8.
Musical settings
[edit]Two hymns in German were derived from Psalm 124 as metred paraphrases, Martin Luther's "Wär Gott nicht mit uns diese Zeit"and"Wo Gott der Herr nicht bei uns hält"by Justus Jonas, both in 1524.
In 1694,Michel-Richard de Lalandecomposed amotetwith regard to Psalm 124 (S. 42), for the services ofLouis XIV,in the royal chapel of theChateau of Versailles.Marc-Antoine Charpentierset in 1690s one "Nisi quia Dominuseratin nobis "H.217, for soloists, chorus and continuo.
Heinrich Schützcomposed a setting of the hymn "Wär Gott nicht mit uns diese Zeit",SWV229, for theBecker Psalter,published first in 1628.
Johann Sebastian Bach created chorale cantatas from the two paraphrases of the psalm by reformers,Wo Gott der Herr nicht bei uns hält,BWV 178,first performed on 30 July 1724,[8]andWär Gott nicht mit uns diese Zeit,BWV 14,first performed on 30 January 1735.[9]Many composers wrote chorale preludes for the two hymns.
A setting of the psalm is part of the albumAscents,a collection of setting of Psalms 120-131 written and performed byDennis Culpin the 1990s, and released in 2000. Psalm 124 is titled "My Help". A setting of the psalm is part of the albumFractures,a collection of psalms settings (16, 60, 68, 134, 34 and 124) bySons of Korah,and released in 2017. The concluding Psalm 124 is titled "Out of the Snare".
Inscriptions
[edit]![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/06/The_grave_of_Florence_St_John_Cadell%2C_Dean_Cemetery.jpg/220px-The_grave_of_Florence_St_John_Cadell%2C_Dean_Cemetery.jpg)
The gravestone of the artistFlorence St John Cadellbears a line from Psalm 124: "even as a bird out of the fowler's snare".
References
[edit]- ^Parallel Latin/English Psalter / Psalmus 123 (124)medievalist.net
- ^Jerusalem Bible(1966), Footnote a at Psalm 124
- ^"Psalms – Chapter 124".Mechon Mamre.
- ^"Psalms 124 - JPS 1917".Sefaria.org.
- ^The Complete Artscroll Siddur, page 530
- ^Rule of Saint Benedict, translation ofProsper Gueranger,(Abbey of Saint-Pierre de Solesmes, reprint 2007) p. 46.
- ^The main cycle of liturgical prayers takes place over four weeks.
- ^"Wär Gott nicht mit uns diese Zeit BWV 14; BC A 40 / Chorale cantata (4th Sunday of Epiphany)".Bach Digital.Retrieved23 March2021.
- ^"Wo Gott, der Herr, nicht bei uns hält BWV 178; BC A 112 / Chorale Cantata (8th Sunday after Trinity)".Bach Digital.Retrieved28 January2017.
External links
[edit]![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg/38px-Wikisource-logo.svg.png)
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- Pieces with text from Psalm 124:Scores at theInternational Music Score Library Project
- Psalm 124:Free scores at theChoral Public Domain Library(ChoralWiki)
- Text of Psalm 124 according to the1928 Psalter
- Psalms Chapter 124text in Hebrew and English, mechon-mamre.org
- A song of ascents. Of David. Had not the LORD been with us, let Israel say.text and footnotes, usccb.org United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
- Psalm 124:1introduction and text, biblestudytools
- Psalm 124 – Thanking God for the Help Only He Can Bringenduringword
- Psalm 124 / Refrain: Our help is in the name of the Lord.Church of England
- Psalm 124at biblegateway
- Hymns for Psalm 124hymnary.org