Psalm 130

Psalm 130 (Septuagint numbering: Psalm 129), traditionally "De profundis" from its Latin incipit, is one of the Penitential psalms.

Words

The Hebrew transliteration of Psalm 130 is as follows:

Traditional Latin translation, used in compositions when in Latin, translated from the Septuagint Greek:

Latin translated:

Translation of the Hebrew text:
[A Song of ascents]

Commentary

This lament, a Penitential Psalm, is the De profundis used in liturgical prayers for the faithful departed in Western liturgical tradition. In deep sorrow the psalmist cries to God (1-2), asking for mercy (3-4). The psalmist's trust (5-6) becomes a model for the people (7-8).

v1. the depths: Here is a metaphor of total misery. Deep anguish makes the psalmist feel "like those who go down to the pit" (Psalm 143:7). Robert Alter points out that '..."the depths" are an epithet for the depths of the sea, which in turn is an image of the realm of death'. Other Bible passages (Creation, the dwelling of Leviathan, Jesus stilling the storm) also resonate with imagery of fear and chaos engendered by the depths of the sea.

Psalms

The Book of Psalms, Tehillim in Hebrew (תְּהִלִּים or תהילים meaning "Praises"), commonly referred to simply as Psalms or "the Psalms", is the first book of the Ketuvim ("Writings"), the third section of the Hebrew Bible, and a book of the Christian Old Testament. The title is derived from the Greek translation, ψαλμοί psalmoi, meaning "instrumental music" and, by extension, "the words accompanying the music." The book is an anthology of individual psalms, with 150 in the Jewish and Western Christian tradition and more in the Eastern Christian churches. Many of the psalms are linked to the name of King David, although his authorship is not accepted by modern Bible scholars.

Structure

Benedictions

The Book of Psalms is divided into five sections, each closing with a doxology (i.e., a benediction) – these divisions were probably introduced by the final editors to imitate the five-fold division of the Torah:

Psalm (disambiguation)

Psalms is a book of the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Old Testament.

Psalm may also refer to:

Psalm 79

Psalm 79 (Greek numbering: Psalm 78) is the 79th psalm in the biblical Book of Psalms.

Uses

Judaism

References