Maggie's Farm

... I've often wondered why your Lectionary truncates texts - especially the relatively short texts of Psalms.

This is a good example of lost poetic structure and effect: "For God alone my soul waits in silence" is a repeated phrase, that first appears earlier in the psalm.

Here's the full psalm:

(i) For the Choirmaster, for Yeduthan, a song of David.

- "Yeduthan" is either the name of a favored musician - or it means "a song of fellowship/love". This is the same root as the name "David" itself - which literally means "beloved". In modern Hebrew, a friend/companion is "Yedid".

(1) ONLY to God, my soul waits silently - from Him, my salvation.

- "waits silently" is one word, which implies deep stillness or keeping silent despite anguish. The same root is used in modern Hebrew for standing at attention, and for a heart attack (God forbid).

- this is the first use of the word "ONLY" - which is a key to this psalm's tonal pattern. It also means "but" and is pronounced and used like the German "ach" (Ach! du liebe). Many of the verses (1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 9 by your numbering) open with this word - giving angry rhythmic drive to the psalm... verse 3 uses a similar sounding, short word for "until" - "Ad" and verse 11 opens with a similar word for "once" - "Achat".

(2) ONLY He is my rock and salvation, my fortress - I shall not stumble much.

-"rock" is the word for flinty bedrock; the word "much" can describe the ease of stumbling (ie I won't easily stumble) or its extent (ie I'll recover quickly from any mistake).

(3) Til when shall you all set upon a man and kill him, like a leaning wall, a tottering fence.

(4) Their ONLY task and counsel is to cast him down, delighting in lies - with their mouth they bless, in their gut they curse. Selah!

- "selah" means either "et cetera" (a musical instruction) or "meditate further on this".

(5) ONLY to God, my soul waits silently - from Him, my hope.
(6) ONLY He is my rock and salvation, my fortress - I shall not stumble.

- almost exact repeat of the opening verses.... don't know why your Lectionary cuts this strophic structure.

(7) On God (rests) my deliverance and my honor; my mighty rock, my refuge is in God.

- again, the word for "bedrock" is used... there is no verb in the verse, so "rests" could also be "I cast my hopes for deliverance" or other meanings.

(8) Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us. Selah.

(9) ONLY vapor the sons of men, dissembling the sons of the prominent - together they'd rise in the scales (when weighed) against mist.

- this verse turns on Hebrew idiom - the word for mist/vapor means "vain, for naught" and hence "vanity". High and low together weigh less than nothing...

(10) Trust not in extortion, that thievery not undo you - to yield wealth, don't set (your) heart (on them).

- "extortion" also means "oppression"; "thievery" means brazenly grabbing (there's another word for stealthy embezzlement); "wealth" here is from a root meaning "might, strength"....

(11) Once God spoke, twice I heard it - surely power is God's.

- the Jewish tradition is that this verse explains textual differences in the Ten Commandments between Exodus and Deuteronomy - God miraculously pronounced both versions at once... it also refers to the written Torah and the oral law.

(12) And to you, Lord, kindness - surely you reward a man for his actions.

- "reward" is literally "pay".