CORPUS-PSALTERIUMVol. VI
Corpus Psalterium Vol. VI cover

Corpus Psalterium · Vol. VI

Psalm CXXXI (131)

Cantillated — Individual Confidence Turning to Communal Hope

Paul Whitehorn

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Psalm 131 in Hebrew and English, and the words as they are sung.

A Song of Ascents. By David.

1

Yahweh, my heart isn’t arrogant, nor my eyes lofty; nor do I concern myself with great matters, or things too wonderful for me.

שִׁ֥יר הַֽמַּֽעֲל֗וֹת לְדָ֫וִ֥ד יְהוָ֤ה ׀ לֹא־גָבַ֣הּ לִ֭בִּי וְלֹא־רָמ֣וּ עֵינַ֑י וְלֹֽא־הִלַּ֓כְתִּי ׀ בִּגְדֹל֖וֹת וּבְנִפְלָא֣וֹת מִמֶּֽנִּי׃

2

Surely I have stilled and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with his mother, like a weaned child is my soul within me.

אִם־לֹ֤א שִׁוִּ֨יתִי ׀ וְדוֹמַ֗מְתִּי נַ֫פְשִׁ֥י כְּ֭גָמֻל עֲלֵ֣י אִמּ֑וֹ כַּגָּמֻ֖ל עָלַ֣י נַפְשִֽׁי׃

3

Israel, hope in Yahweh, from this time forward and forever more.

יַחֵ֣ל יִ֭שְׂרָאֵל אֶל־יְהוָ֑ה מֵֽ֝עַתָּ֗ה וְעַד־עוֹלָֽם׃

Hebrew: Westminster Leningrad Codex (public domain), from the Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible. English: World English Bible (public domain). Verse numbers follow the English Bible; the Hebrew numbering is shown beneath where it differs.

Lord

I'm not trying to be big

I don't look down

On anybody

I don't reach

For things too big for me

Wonders way up high

I've made my heart

Calm and still

Like a little child

Resting on his mama

No proud heart

No proud eyes

Lord

I've made my heart

Calm and still

Like a little child

Resting on his mama

My soul

Like that little child

Quiet inside

Me

Israel

Wait for the Lord

Starting today

And never ending

Israel

Wait for the Lord

Starting today

And never ending

I've made my heart

Calm and still

Like a little child

Resting on his mama

My heart

Is still

Israel

Wait for the Lord

Starting today

And never ending

Israel

Wait for the Lord

Starting today

And never ending

Wait for the Lord

Starting today

And never ending

I've made my heart

Calm and still

Like a little child

Resting on his mama

My heart

Still

Lord

I'm not trying to be big

I don't look down

On anybody

I don't reach

For things too big for me

Wonders way up high

I've made my heart

Calm and still

Like a little child

Resting on his mama

No proud heart

No proud eyes

Lord

I've made my heart

Calm and still

Like a little child

Resting on his mama

My soul

Like that little child

Quiet inside

Me

Israel

Wait for the Lord

Starting today

And never ending

Israel

Wait for the Lord

Starting today

And never ending

I've made my heart

Calm and still

Like a little child

Resting on his mama

My heart

Is still

Israel

Wait for the Lord

Starting today

And never ending

Israel

Wait for the Lord

Starting today

And never ending

I've made my heart

Calm and still

Like a little child

Resting on his mama

My heart

Still

Lyrics by Paul Whitehorn: a singable English rendering of the Hebrew, as sung on this recording.

Corpus Psalterium sets each psalm to music by its Hebrew grammar. Didactic psalms teach; Cantillated psalms are spoken, sung or performed before God. Hear all 150 psalms free.

About these songs. They are a summary and a commentary on the Psalms, not a word-for-word translation. Read what these songs are →

What These Songs Are, and What They Are Not

These songs are not a word-for-word translation of the Psalms. They were never meant to be. Nor do they try to capture every idea in every psalm. In a song, that would be impossible.

What we have done is capture the essence of each psalm: what matters most in it. Think of each song as a summary. Think of it as a cheat sheet. The purpose of the psalm is still being met. God's word to mankind is still being heard.

Behind many of these lines is word research: deep study of the meaning of the Hebrew. So where a line sounds different from your translation, and you think it is wrong, study it. We believe you will find that the essence of what we sing is true.

The truth is that no one can set the Psalms to music without also becoming a commentator. That is what this is. It is a modern commentary on the Psalms: not only the Psalms themselves, and not only the Psalms being sung. So do not think that every word of the psalm is here. It is not. Read the psalm itself, in full.

Why do this at all? Because we believe God intended humanity to be surrounded by His word. This was always the entertainment He wanted us to have: not hours of television, not a day lost in a phone looking at nonsense. The blessed man of Psalm 1 meditates on God's word day and night. How can we meditate on His word if we do not surround ourselves with it?

As ministers, our first responsibility is to share God's word with people. That is what these songs are for.

Paul Whitehorn