Psalms 111

Slowing down? Yes to some extent. So to keep up a single post per day, I am going to intersperse a Psalm every few days. I will try to cover the Psalms related to the Revised Common Lectionary during the week.

Here then is Psalm 111, one of a doublet of Acrostics (111-112). An acrostic celebrates the Psalm that precedes it. To have two acrostics following a Psalm is celebration indeed. In Psalms 111 and 112 we have a unique celebration of Psalm 110. (The link is to my translation from 2010. At the bottom of the linked page I have appended the current version of the Psalm.)

From my post in 2010

The most delightful rendition of this acrostic is here. In my earlier translation I did not begin to attempt an acrostic since Mary Herbert Countess of Pembroke had done such a lovely job. I can't help thinking that following the astonishing Psalm 110, these next two acrostics are simply play - the same that played before the foundation of the world. 

Psalms 111		Fn		Min	Max	Syll
הַ֥לְלוּ יָ֨הּ ׀ אוֹדֶ֣ה יְ֭הוָה בְּכָל־לֵבָ֑ב בְּס֖וֹד יְשָׁרִ֣ים וְעֵדָֽה	1	f	Hallelu Yah. I will thank Yahweh with a whole heart, Before the council of the upright, and assembly.	3e	4B	11 8
גְּ֭דֹלִים מַעֲשֵׂ֣י יְהוָ֑ה דְּ֝רוּשִׁ֗ים לְכָל־חֶפְצֵיהֶֽם	2	g	Great are the deeds of Yahweh, Delight of all who search them out.	3e	4B	8 8
הוֹד־וְהָדָ֥ר פָּֽעֳל֑וֹ וְ֝צִדְקָת֗וֹ עֹמֶ֥דֶת לָעַֽד	3		Honour and splendour his work, Verily his righteousness stands for ever.	3e	4A	7 9
זֵ֣כֶר עָ֭שָׂה לְנִפְלְאֹתָ֑יו חַנּ֖וּן וְרַח֣וּם יְהוָֽה	4	B	Zoomed in to memory makes he his wonderful works, How gracious and compassionate is Yahweh.	3e	4B	9 7
טֶ֭רֶף נָתַ֣ן לִֽירֵאָ֑יו יִזְכֹּ֖ר לְעוֹלָ֣ם בְּרִיתֽוֹ	5	g	To those who fear him he gives prey, Yea, he remembers forever his covenant.	3e	4B	7 8
כֹּ֣חַ מַ֭עֲשָׂיו הִגִּ֣יד לְעַמּ֑וֹ לָתֵ֥ת לָ֝הֶ֗ם נַחֲלַ֥ת גּוֹיִֽם	6	B	Known to his people is the power of his deeds, Letting them have the heritage of the nations.	3e	4B	10 9
מַעֲשֵׂ֣י יָ֭דָיו אֱמֶ֣ת וּמִשְׁפָּ֑ט נֶ֝אֱמָנִ֗ים כָּל־פִּקּוּדָֽיו	7		Mark the deeds of his hands: truth and judgment, Near and faithful are all his precepts,	3e	4B	10 8
סְמוּכִ֣ים לָעַ֣ד לְעוֹלָ֑ם עֲ֝שׂוּיִ֗ם בֶּאֱמֶ֥ת וְיָשָֽׁר	8		Supported for ever, forever, All done in truth and upright.	3e	4B	8 9
פְּד֤וּת ׀ שָׁ֘לַ֤ח לְעַמּ֗וֹ צִוָּֽה־לְעוֹלָ֥ם בְּרִית֑וֹ קָד֖וֹשׁ וְנוֹרָ֣א שְׁמֽוֹ	9		Purchase price he has sent to his people, So he commands his covenant forever, Quite holy and fearful his name.	3e	4C	15 7
רֵ֘אשִׁ֤ית חָכְמָ֨ה ׀ יִרְאַ֬ת יְהוָ֗ה שֵׂ֣כֶל ט֭וֹב לְכָל־עֹשֵׂיהֶ֑ם תְּ֝הִלָּת֗וֹ עֹמֶ֥דֶת לָעַֽד	10	~	Right at the beginning of wisdom is the fear of Yahweh, Surely a good insight for all doing them, To stand his praise for ever.	3e	4C	16 9