Psalm 61

Psalm 61
"Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer."
Psalm 61 in the Parma Psalter
Other name	Psalm 60 "Exaudi Deus"
Language	Hebrew (original)

Psalm 61
← Psalm 60 Psalm 62 →
Book	Book of Psalms
Hebrew Bible part	Ketuvim
Order in the Hebrew part	1
Category	Sifrei Emet
Christian Bible part	Old Testament
Order in the Christian part	19

Psalm 61 is the 61st psalm of the Book of Psalms, beginning in English in the King James Version: "Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer.". In the slightly different numbering system of the Greek Septuagint version of the Bible and the Latin Vulgate, this psalm is Psalm 60. In Latin, it is known as "Exaudi Deus".^[1]^[2] The psalm is to be played on a neginah or stringed instrument. The Psalm is attributed to King David. The Jerusalem Bible calls it a "prayer of an exile".^[3]

The psalm forms a regular part of Jewish, Catholic, Lutheran, Anglican and other Protestant liturgies. It has been set to music.

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Transcription

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	לַמְנַצֵּ֬חַ ׀ עַֽל־נְגִינַ֬ת לְדָוִֽד׃‎	For the Leader; with string-music. [A Psalm] of David.
2	שִׁמְעָ֣ה אֱ֭לֹהִים רִנָּתִ֑י הַ֝קְשִׁ֗יבָה תְּפִלָּתִֽי׃‎	Hear my cry, O God; Attend unto my prayer.
3	מִקְצֵ֤ה הָאָ֨רֶץ ׀ אֵלֶ֣יךָ אֶ֭קְרָא בַּעֲטֹ֣ף לִבִּ֑י בְּצוּר־יָר֖וּם מִמֶּ֣נִּי תַנְחֵֽנִי׃‎	From the end of the earth will I call unto Thee, when my heart fainteth; Lead me to a rock that is too high for me.
4	כִּֽי־הָיִ֣יתָ מַחְסֶ֣ה לִ֑י מִגְדַּל־עֹ֝֗ז מִפְּנֵ֥י אוֹיֵֽב׃‎	For Thou hast been a refuge for me, A tower of strength in the face of the enemy.
5	אָג֣וּרָה בְ֭אׇהׇלְךָ עוֹלָמִ֑ים אֶ֥חֱסֶ֨ה בְסֵ֖תֶר כְּנָפֶ֣יךָ סֶּֽלָה׃‎	I will dwell in Thy Tent for ever; I will take refuge in the covert of Thy wings. Selah
6	כִּֽי־אַתָּ֣ה אֱ֭לֹהִים שָׁמַ֣עְתָּ לִנְדָרָ֑י נָתַ֥תָּ יְ֝רֻשַּׁ֗ת יִרְאֵ֥י שְׁמֶֽךָ׃‎	For Thou, O God, hast heard my vows; Thou hast granted the heritage of those that fear Thy name. .
7	יָמִ֣ים עַל־יְמֵי־מֶ֣לֶךְ תּוֹסִ֑יף שְׁ֝נוֹתָ֗יו כְּמוֹ־דֹ֥ר וָדֹֽר׃‎	Mayest Thou add days unto the king's days! May his years be as many generations!
8	יֵשֵׁ֣ב ע֭וֹלָם לִפְנֵ֣י אֱלֹהִ֑ים חֶ֥סֶד וֶ֝אֱמֶ֗ת מַ֣ן יִנְצְרֻֽהוּ׃‎	May he be enthroned before God for ever! Appoint mercy and truth, that they may preserve him.
9	כֵּ֤ן אֲזַמְּרָ֣ה שִׁמְךָ֣ לָעַ֑ד לְֽשַׁלְּמִ֥י נְ֝דָרַ֗י י֣וֹם ׀ יֽוֹם׃‎	So will I sing praise unto Thy name for ever, That I may daily perform my vows.

King James Version

Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer.
From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I.
For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy.
I will abide in thy tabernacle for ever: I will trust in the covert of thy wings. Selah.
For thou, O God, hast heard my vows: thou hast given me the heritage of those that fear thy name.
Thou wilt prolong the king's life: and his years as many generations.
He shall abide before God for ever: O prepare mercy and truth, which may preserve him.
So will I sing praise unto thy name for ever, that I may daily perform my vows.

Prayer of an exile

The Jerusalem Bible notes that verses 1-5 of this psalm are the lament of an exiled Levite, and verses 6-7 are a prayer for the king.^[6]

Uses

Judaism

This psalm is recited on Hoshana Rabbah.^[7]
Verse 5 is found in the repetition of the Amidah during Rosh Hashanah.^[8]

Catholic Church

During the Middle Ages monasteries used this psalm traditionally recited or sung during the celebration of the matins of Wednesday,^[9]^[10] according to the Rule of Saint Benedict established in 530.^[11]

In the current Liturgy of the Hours, Psalm 61 is sung or recited at the midday office on the Saturday of the second week of the four weekly cycle of liturgical prayers.

Book of Common Prayer

In the Church of England's Book of Common Prayer, this psalm is appointed to be read on the evening of the 11th day of the month.^[12]

Musical settings

Part of the text of Psalm 61, verses 6 to 8, have been adapted as a coronation anthem for English kings, O Lord, grant the King a long life. Early settings were written by Thomas Weelkes and Thomas Tomkins, and was sung during the procession of the monarch between Westminster Hall and Westminster Abbey. It was last used in that way at the coronation of George IV in 1821 to a setting by William Child; neither the procession nor the anthem was included in later British coronations.^[13]

Heinrich Schütz set the psalm in a metred version in German, "Gott, mein Geschrei erhöre", SWV 158, as part of the Becker Psalter, first published in 1628. Antonín Dvořák set verses 1, 3, and 4 to music (together with part of Psalm 63) in No. 6 of his Biblical Songs (1894).

Alan Hovhaness set verses 1 through 4 in his 1951 work From the End of the Earth.^[14]