Psalm 124

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This article is about Psalm 124 in Hebrew (Masoretic) numbering. For Psalm 124 in Greek Septuagint or Latin Vulgate numbering, see Psalm 125.
Psalm 124
"If it had not been the LORD who was on our side"
Song of Ascents
Enchiridion geistlicher Gesänge 25.jpg
Psalm 124 in the Erfurt Enchiridion
Other name
  • Psalm 123 (Vulgate)
  • Nisi quia Dominus
Related
LanguageHebrew (original)
Psalm 124
BookBook of Psalms
Hebrew Bible partKetuvim
Order in the Hebrew part1
CategorySifrei Emet
Christian Bible partOld Testament
Order in the Christian part19

Psalm 124 is the 124th psalm of the Book of Psalms, beginning in English in the King James Version: "If it had not been the LORD who was on our side, now may Israel say". The Book of Psalms is part of the third section of the Hebrew Bible, and a book of the Christian Old Testament. In the Greek Septuagint and the Latin Vulgate, this psalm is known as Psalm 123 in a slightly different numbering system. In Latin, it is known by as, "Nisi quia Dominus".[1] It is one of fifteen psalms that begin with the words "A song of ascents" (Shir Hama'alot).

The psalm is a regular part of Jewish, Catholic, Lutheran, Anglican and other Protestant liturgies. Marc-Antoine Charpentier set the psalm Marc-Antoine Charpentier set it 1690s as Nisi quia Dominus erat, H. 217, for soloists, chorus and continuo. The psalm It was paraphrase in two psalm songs by Protestant Reformers which were set as chorale cantatas by Johann Sebastian Bach.

Text[]

Hebrew Bible version[]

Following is the Hebrew text of Psalm 124:

Verse Hebrew
1 שִׁיר הַמַּעֲלוֹת, לְדָוִד:

לוּלֵי יְהוָה, שֶׁהָיָה לָנוּ-- יֹאמַר-נָא, יִשְׂרָאֵל.

2 לוּלֵי יְהוָה, שֶׁהָיָה לָנוּ-- בְּקוּם עָלֵינוּ אָדָם.
3 אֲזַי, חַיִּים בְּלָעוּנוּ-- בַּחֲרוֹת אַפָּם בָּנוּ.
4 אֲזַי, הַמַּיִם שְׁטָפוּנוּ-- נַחְלָה, עָבַר עַל-נַפְשֵׁנוּ.
5 אֲזַי, עָבַר עַל-נַפְשֵׁנוּ-- הַמַּיִם, הַזֵּידוֹנִים.
6 בָּרוּךְ יְהוָה-- שֶׁלֹּא נְתָנָנוּ טֶרֶף, לְשִׁנֵּיהֶם.
7 נַפְשֵׁנוּ-- כְּצִפּוֹר נִמְלְטָה, מִפַּח יוֹקְשִׁים:

הַפַּח נִשְׁבָּר, וַאֲנַחְנוּ נִמְלָטְנוּ.

8 עֶזְרֵנוּ, בְּשֵׁם יְהוָה-- עֹשֵׂה, שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ.

King James Version[]

  1. If it had not been the LORD who was on our side, now may Israel say;
  2. If it had not been the LORD who was on our side, when men rose up against us:
  3. Then they had swallowed us up quick, when their wrath was kindled against us:
  4. Then the waters had overwhelmed us, the stream had gone over our soul:
  5. Then the proud waters had gone over our soul.
  6. Blessed be the LORD, who hath not given us as a prey to their teeth.
  7. Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers: the snare is broken, and we are escaped.
  8. Our help is in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth.

Uses[]

Judaism[]

The psalm is recited following Mincha between Sukkot and Shabbat Hagadol.[2]

Lutheranism[]

In 1524, the psalm was paraphrased in German by the Protestant reformers Justus Jonas and Martin Luther. Jonas wrote "Wo Gott der Herr nicht bei uns hält", Luther "Wär Gott nicht mit uns diese Zeit".

Catholic Church[]

According to the rule of St Benedict around 530AD, this psalm was traditionally performed for the office of sext from Tuesday to Saturday.[3] In the Liturgy of the Hours, Psalm 124 is currently recited at the Vespers of the Monday of the third week.[4]

It also is the source of the ubiquitous versicle ℣: Our help is in the name of the Lord ℟: who created Heaven and Earth, especially used for introductions of any sort, which is the psalm's verse 8.

Music[]

In 1694, Michel-Richard de Lalande composed a motet with regard to Psalm 124 (S. 42), for the services of Louis XIV, in the royal chapel of the Chateau of Versailles. Marc-Antoine Charpentier set in 1690s one "Nisi quia Dominus erat in nobis" H.217, for soloists, chorus and continuo.

Johann Sebastian Bach created chorale cantatas from two paraphrases of the psalm by reformers, Wo Gott der Herr nicht bei uns hält, BWV 178, first performed on 30 July 1724,[5] and Wär Gott nicht mit uns diese Zeit, BWV 14, first performed on 30 January 1735.[6] Many composers wrote chorale preludes for the two hymns.

A setting of the psalm is part of the album Ascents, a collection of setting of Psalms 120-131 written and performed by Dennis Culp in the 1990s, and released in 2000. Psalm 124 is titled "My Help". A setting of the psalm is part of the album Fractures, a collection of psalms settings (16, 60, 68, 134, 34 and 124) by Sons of Korah, and released in 2017. The concluding Psalm 124 is titled "Out of the Snare".

Inscriptions[]

Grave stone quoting a line

The grave stone of the artist Florence St John Cadell bares a line from Psalm 124: "even as a bird out of the fowler's snare".

References[]

  1. ^ Parallel Latin/English Psalter / Psalmus 123 (124) medievalist.net
  2. ^ The Complete Artscroll Siddur page 530
  3. ^ Rule of Saint Benedict, translation of Prosper Gueranger, (Abbey of Saint-Pierre de Solesmes, reprint 2007) p. 46.
  4. ^ The main cycle of liturgical prayers takes place over four weeks.
  5. ^ "Wär Gott nicht mit uns diese Zeit BWV 14; BC A 40 / Chorale cantata (4th Sunday of Epiphany)". Bach Digital. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
  6. ^ "Wo Gott, der Herr, nicht bei uns hält BWV 178; BC A 112 / Chorale Cantata (8th Sunday after Trinity)". Bach Digital. Retrieved 28 January 2017.

External links[]

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