Psalm 16

This article is about Psalm 16 in Hebrew (Masoretic) numbering. For Psalm 16 in Greek Septuagint or Latin Vulgate numbering, see Psalm 17.
Psalm 16
"Preserve me, O God: for in thee do I put my trust"
Psalm 16 in a Scottish metrical psalter
Other name
  • Psalm 15
  • "Conserva me Domine"
Textattributed to David
LanguageHebrew (original)

Psalm 16 is the 16th psalm in the Book of Psalms, beginning in English in the King James Version: "Preserve me, O God: for in thee do I put my trust."

In the slightly different numbering system used in the Greek Septuagint and Latin Vulgate translations of the Bible, this psalm is Psalm 15. The Latin version begins "Conserva me Domine".[1]

The psalm is attributed to David and described as a Michtam of David.[2] Psalms 56-60 also share this title. Sarah Hoyt describes this term as "obscure".[3] Semitic scholar Paul Haupt suggests that it may mean "restricted by the meter", or "conformed to poetical measure".[3] The psalm forms a regular part of Jewish, Catholic, Anglican, Eastern Orthodox Church and Protestant liturgies. It has been set to music, including compositions by Marc-Antoine Charpentier and George Frideric Handel.

Text

Hebrew

The following table shows the Hebrew text[4][5] of the Psalm with vowels alongside an English translation based upon the JPS 1917 translation (now in the public domain).

Verse Hebrew English translation (JPS 1917)
1 מִכְתָּ֥ם לְדָוִ֑ד שׇֽׁמְרֵ֥נִי אֵ֝֗ל כִּֽי־חָסִ֥יתִי בָֽךְ׃‎ Michtam of David. Keep me, O God; for I have taken refuge in Thee.
2 אָמַ֣רְתְּ לַֽ֭יהֹוָה אֲדֹנָ֣י אָ֑תָּה ט֝וֹבָתִ֗י בַּל־עָלֶֽיךָ׃‎ I have said unto the LORD: 'Thou art my Lord; I have no good but in Thee';
3 לִ֭קְדוֹשִׁים אֲשֶׁר־בָּאָ֣רֶץ הֵ֑מָּה וְ֝אַדִּירֵ֗י כׇּל־חֶפְצִי־בָֽם׃‎ As for the holy that are in the earth, They are the excellent in whom is all my delight.
4 יִרְבּ֥וּ עַצְּבוֹתָם֮ אַחֵ֢ר מָ֫הָ֥רוּ בַּל־אַסִּ֣יךְ נִסְכֵּיהֶ֣ם מִדָּ֑ם וּֽבַל־אֶשָּׂ֥א אֶת־שְׁ֝מוֹתָ֗ם עַל־שְׂפָתָֽי׃‎ Let the idols of them be multiplied that make suit unto another; Their drink-offerings of blood will I not offer, Nor take their names upon my lips.
5 יְֽהֹוָ֗ה מְנָת־חֶלְקִ֥י וְכוֹסִ֑י אַ֝תָּ֗ה תּוֹמִ֥יךְ גּוֹרָלִֽי׃‎ O LORD, the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup, Thou maintainest my lot.
6 חֲבָלִ֣ים נָֽפְלוּ־לִ֭י בַּנְּעִמִ֑ים אַף־נַ֝חֲלָ֗ת שָֽׁפְרָ֥ה עָלָֽי׃‎ The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; Yea, I have a goodly heritage.
7 אֲבָרֵ֗ךְ אֶת־יְ֭הֹוָה אֲשֶׁ֣ר יְעָצָ֑נִי אַף־לֵ֝יל֗וֹת יִסְּר֥וּנִי כִלְיוֹתָֽי׃‎ I will bless the LORD, who hath given me counsel; Yea, in the night seasons my reins instruct me.
8 שִׁוִּ֬יתִי יְהֹוָ֣ה לְנֶגְדִּ֣י תָמִ֑יד כִּ֥י מִֽ֝ימִינִ֗י בַּל־אֶמּֽוֹט׃‎ I have set the LORD always before me; Surely He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.
9 לָכֵ֤ן ׀ שָׂמַ֣ח לִ֭בִּי וַיָּ֣גֶל כְּבוֹדִ֑י אַף־בְּ֝שָׂרִ֗י יִשְׁכֹּ֥ן לָבֶֽטַח׃‎ Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth; my flesh also dwelleth in safety;
10 כִּ֤י ׀ לֹא־תַעֲזֹ֣ב נַפְשִׁ֣י לִשְׁא֑וֹל לֹֽא־תִתֵּ֥ן חֲ֝סִידְךָ֗ לִרְא֥וֹת שָֽׁחַת׃‎ For Thou wilt not abandon my soul to the nether-world; Neither wilt Thou suffer Thy godly one to see the pit.
11 תּֽוֹדִיעֵנִי֮ אֹ֤רַח חַ֫יִּ֥ים שֹׂ֣בַע שְׂ֭מָחוֹת אֶת־פָּנֶ֑יךָ נְעִמ֖וֹת בִּימִינְךָ֣ נֶֽצַח׃‎ Thou makest me to know the path of life; In Thy presence is fulness of joy, In Thy right hand bliss for evermore.

King James Version

  1. Preserve me, O God: for in thee do I put my trust.
  2. O my soul, thou hast said unto the LORD, Thou art my Lord: my goodness extendeth not to thee;
  3. But to the saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent, in whom is all my delight.
  4. Their sorrows shall be multiplied that hasten after another god: their drink offerings of blood will I not offer, nor take up their names into my lips.
  5. The LORD is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot.
  6. The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage.
  7. I will bless the LORD, who hath given me counsel: my reins also instruct me in the night seasons.
  8. I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.
  9. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope.
  10. For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.
  11. Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.

Composition

Charles and Emilie Briggs summarized its contents as follows:

Ps[alm] 16 is a psalm of faith. The psalmist has sought refuge in Yahweh his sovereign Lord, and supreme welfare (v. 1-2); whose good pleasure is in His saints (v. 3). The apostates have many sorrows, and he keeps apart from them and their impious worship (v. 4). Yahweh is his portion and his inheritance in pleasant places (v. 5-6); he enjoys His counsel (v. 7) and continual helpful presence (v. 8); he is glad and secure (v. 9), confident that Yahweh will not abandon him in Sheol (v. 10), but will grant him life and joy forever in His presence (v.11).[6]

According to the Briggs, the author of this Psalm drew on Jeremiah 23:6, 33:16; Deuteronomy 33:12; and the Book of Ezra for phrases and concepts, and most likely wrote the Psalm in the Persian period (i.e., after 539 BC).[6]

Uses

Judaism

Verse 3 is found in Pirkei Avot Chapter 6, no. 10.[7]

Psalm 16 is one of the ten psalms of the Tikkun HaKlali of Rebbe Nachman of Breslov.[8][9]

New Testament

The following verses of Psalm 16 are referenced in the New Testament:

In those cases both Peter and Paul applied Psalm 16 to Jesus' resurrection and not to David's life.[11]

Book of Common Prayer

In the Church of England's Book of Common Prayer, Psalm 16 is appointed to be read on the morning of the third day of the month.[12]

Musical settings

Heinrich Schütz wrote a setting of a metric paraphrase of Psalm 16 in German, "Bewahr mich, Gott, ich trau auf dich", SWV 112, for the Becker Psalter, published first in 1628. In 1699, Marc-Antoine Charpentier wrote "Conserva me Domine", H.230, for soloists, chorus, strings, and continuo. The King James Version of verse 10 is used in Handel's oratorio Messiah, HWV 56.[13]

References

  1. ^ Parallel Latin/English Psalter / Psalmus 15 (16) Archived 2017-05-07 at the Wayback Machine medievalist.net
  2. ^ New King James Version: Psalm 16
  3. ^ a b Hoyt, S. F., The Holy One in Psalm 16, 10, Journal of the American Oriental Society, 1912, Vol. 32, No. 2 (1912), pp. 120-125, accessed 6 October 2021
  4. ^ "Psalms – Chapter 16". Mechon Mamre.
  5. ^ "Psalms 16 - JPS 1917". Sefaria.org.
  6. ^ a b Charles Augustus Briggs; Emilie Grace Briggs (1960) [1906]. A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Book of Psalms. International Critical Commentary. Vol. 1. Edinburgh: T & T Clark. p. 117.
  7. ^ The Complete Artscroll Siddur, page 587
  8. ^ Weintraub, Rabbi Simkha Y. (2018). "Psalms as the Ultimate Self-Help Tool". My Jewish Learning. Retrieved September 25, 2018.
  9. ^ Greenbaum, Rabbi Avraham (2007). "The Ten Psalms: English Translation". azamra.org. Retrieved September 25, 2018.
  10. ^ a b Kirkpatrick, A. F. (1901). The Book of Psalms: with Introduction and Notes. The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges. Vol. Book IV and V: Psalms XC-CL. Cambridge: At the University Press. p. 838. Retrieved February 28, 2019.
  11. ^ Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David: Psalm 16, accessed 1 March 2021
  12. ^ Church of England, Book of Common Prayer: The Psalter as printed by John Baskerville in 1762, pp. 196ff
  13. ^ Block, Daniel I. (2001). "Handel's Messiah: Biblical and Theological Perspectives" (PDF). Didaskalia. 12 (2). Retrieved 19 July 2011.
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