Psalm 125
Psalm 125 is the 125th psalm of the Book of Psalms, beginning in English in the King James Version: "They that trust in the LORD shall be as mount Zion". In Latin, it is known by as, "Qui confidunt in Domino".[1] The Book of Psalms is part of the third section of the Hebrew Bible, and a book of the Christian Old Testament. Psalm 125 is one of fifteen psalms that begin with the words "A song of ascents" (Shir Hama'alot).
In the slightly different numbering system used in the Greek Septuagint and the Latin Vulgate, this psalm is Psalm 124.
The psalm forms a regular part of Jewish, Catholic, Lutheran, Anglican and other Protestant liturgies.
Uses
Judaism
This psalm is recited in some communities following Mincha between Sukkot and Shabbat Hagadol.[2]
Catholic Church
Around 530, St. Benedict of Nursia used this for the office of Sext from Tuesday until Saturday, after Psalms 123 and 124, according to the Rule of St. Benedict.[3][4] Today its use is in the Liturgy of the Hours, being recited or sung at vespers on Monday of the third week of the four weekly liturgical cycle.
Coptic Orthodox Church
In the Agpeya, the Coptic Church's book of hours, this psalm is prayed in the office of Vespers[5] and the second watch of the Midnight office.[6]
Musical settings
Heinrich Schütz composed a setting of a metred paraphrase in German of Psalm 125, "Die nur vertraulich stellen", SWV 230, for the Becker Psalter, published first in 1628.
In popular culture
Verse 2 was adapted into the song Yerushalayim by the Orthodox Pop group Miami Boys Choir.[7]
Text
The following table shows the Hebrew text[8][9] of the Psalm with vowels, alongside the Koine Greek text in the Septuagint[10] and the English translation from the King James Version. Note that the meaning can slightly differ between these versions, as the Septuagint and the Masoretic text come from different textual traditions.[note 1] In the Septuagint, this psalm is numbered Psalm 124.
| # | Hebrew | English | Greek |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | שִׁ֗יר הַֽמַּ֫עֲל֥וֹת הַבֹּטְחִ֥ים בַּיהֹוָ֑ה כְּֽהַר־צִיּ֥וֹן לֹא־יִ֝מּ֗וֹט לְעוֹלָ֥ם יֵשֵֽׁב׃ | (A Song of degrees.) They that trust in the LORD shall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever. | ᾿ῼδὴ τῶν ἀναβαθμῶν. - ΟΙ ΠΕΠΟΙΘΟΤΕΣ ἐπὶ Κύριον ὡς ὄρος Σιών· οὐ σαλευθήσεται εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα ὁ κατοικῶν ῾Ιερουσαλήμ. |
| 2 | יְֽרוּשָׁלַ֗͏ִם הָרִים֮ סָבִ֢יב לָ֥֫הּ וַ֭יהֹוָה סָבִ֣יב לְעַמּ֑וֹ מֵ֝עַתָּ֗ה וְעַד־עוֹלָֽם׃ | As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the LORD is round about his people from henceforth even for ever. | ὄρη κύκλῳ αὐτῆς, καὶ ὁ Κύριος κύκλῳ τοῦ λαοῦ αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ τοῦ νῦν καὶ ἕως τοῦ αἰῶνος. |
| 3 | כִּ֤י לֹ֪א יָנ֡וּחַ שֵׁ֤בֶט הָרֶ֗שַׁע עַל֮ גּוֹרַ֢ל הַֽצַּדִּ֫יקִ֥ים לְמַ֡עַן לֹא־יִשְׁלְח֖וּ הַצַּדִּיקִ֨ים בְּעַוְלָ֬תָה יְדֵיהֶֽם׃ | For the rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous; lest the righteous put forth their hands unto iniquity. | ὅτι οὐκ ἀφήσει Κύριος τὴν ῥάβδον τῶν ἁμαρτωλῶν ἐπὶ τὸν κλῆρον τῶν δικαίων, ὅπως ἂν μὴ ἐκτείνωσιν οἱ δίκαιοι ἐν ἀνομίαις χεῖρας αὐτῶν. |
| 4 | הֵיטִ֣יבָה יְ֭הֹוָה לַטּוֹבִ֑ים וְ֝לִישָׁרִ֗ים בְּלִבּוֹתָֽם׃ | Do good, O LORD, unto those that be good, and to them that are upright in their hearts. | ἀγάθυνον, Κύριε, τοῖς ἀγαθοῖς καὶ τοῖς εὐθέσι τῇ καρδίᾳ· |
| 5 | וְהַמַּטִּ֤ים עֲֽקַלְקַלּוֹתָ֗ם יוֹלִיכֵ֣ם יְ֭הֹוָה אֶת־פֹּעֲלֵ֣י הָאָ֑וֶן שָׁ֝ל֗וֹם עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ | As for such as turn aside unto their crooked ways, the LORD shall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity: but peace shall be upon Israel. | τοὺς δὲ ἐκκλίνοντας εἰς τὰς στραγγαλιὰς ἀπάξει Κύριος μετὰ τῶν ἐργαζομένων τὴν ἀνομίαν εἰρήνη ἐπὶ τὸν ᾿Ισραήλ. |
Verse 5
- As for such as turn aside to their crooked ways,
- The Lord shall lead them away
- With the workers of iniquity.
- Peace be upon Israel![11]
For "crooked ways", the Vulgate has the words in obligationes,[12] translated in the Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition as "such as turn aside into bonds".[13][14]
The concluding prayer for peace upon Israel recurs at the end of Psalm 128. It is best taken as a "detached clause", according to the Pulpit Commentary.[15]
Notes
- ^ A 1917 translation directly from Hebrew to English by the Jewish Publication Society can be found here or here, and an 1844 translation directly from the Septuagint by L. C. L. Brenton can be found here. Both translations are in the public domain.
References
- ^ Parallel Latin/English Psalter / Psalmus 124 (125) medievalist.net
- ^ The Complete Artscroll Siddur, page 530
- ^ D’après le Complete Artscroll Siddur, compilation des prières juives.
- ^ Traduction par Prosper Guéranger, Règle de saint Benoît, (Abbaye Saint-Pierre de Solesmes, réimpression 2007) p 46.
- ^ "Vespers". agpeya.org. Retrieved 3 March 2025.
- ^ "Midnight". agpeya.org. Retrieved 3 March 2025.
- ^ "Miami Boys Choir performing viral song "Yerushalayim" live in concert". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. 2022-10-14. Retrieved 2024-09-08.
- ^ "Psalms – Chapter 125". Mechon Mamre.
- ^ "Psalms 125 - JPS 1917". Sefaria.org.
- ^ "Psalm 124 - Septuagint and Brenton's Septuagint Translation". Ellopos. Retrieved 3 March 2025.
- ^ Psalm 125:5: New King James Version
- ^ Psalm 124:5: Vulgate numbering
- ^ Psalm 124:5: Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition
- ^ Haydock, G. L., Haydock Catholic Bible Commentary on Psalm 124, accessed 8 June 2022
- ^ Pulpit Commentary on Psalm 128, accessed 23 September 2018
External links
- Pieces with text from Psalm 125: Scores at the International Music Score Library Project
- Psalm 125: Free scores at the Choral Public Domain Library (ChoralWiki)
- Text of Psalm 125 according to the 1928 Psalter
- Psalms Chapter 125 text in Hebrew and English, mechon-mamre.org
- A song of ascents. / Those trusting in the LORD are like Mount Zion text and footnotes, usccb.org United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
- Psalm 125:1 introduction and text, biblestudytools.com
- Psalm 125 – As the Mountains Surround Jerusalem enduringword.com
- Psalm 125 / Refrain: Glorious things are spoken of you, / Zion, city of our God. Church of England
- Psalm 125 at biblegateway.com
- Hymnary.org, Hymns for Psalm 125