Psalm 61


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

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.

Uses

Judaism

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

Coptic Orthodox Church

In the Agpeya, the Coptic Church's book of hours, this psalm is prayed in the office of Sext.

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.

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.
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 in No. 6 of his Biblical Songs.
Alan Hovhaness set verses 1 through 4 in his 1951 work From the End of the Earth.

Text

The following table shows the Hebrew text of the Psalm with vowels, alongside the Koine Greek text in the Septuagint 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. In the Septuagint, this psalm is numbered Psalm 60.
#HebrewEnglishGreek
Εἰς τὸ τέλος, ἐν ὕμνοις· τῷ Δαυΐδ. -
1Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer.ΕΙΣΑΚΟΥΣΟΝ, ὁ Θεός, τῆς δεήσεώς μου, πρόσχες τῇ προσευχῇ μου.
2From 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.ἀπὸ τῶν περάτων τῆς γῆς πρὸς σὲ ἐκέκραξα ἐν τῷ ἀκηδιάσαι τὴν καρδίαν μου· ἐν πέτρᾳ ὕψωσάς με, ὡδήγησάς με,
3For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy.ὅτι ἐγενήθης ἐλπίς μου, πύργος ἰσχύος ἀπὸ προσώπου ἐχθροῦ.
4I will abide in thy tabernacle for ever: I will trust in the covert of thy wings. Selah.παροικήσω ἐν τῷ σκηνώματί σου εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας, σκεπασθήσομαι ἐν σκέπει τῶν πτερύγων σου..
5For thou, O God, hast heard my vows: thou hast given me the heritage of those that fear thy name.ὅτι σύ, ὁ Θεός, εἰσήκουσας τῶν εὐχῶν μου, ἔδωκας κληρονομίαν τοῖς φοβουμένοις τὸ ὄνομά σου.
6Thou wilt prolong the king's life: and his years as many generations.ἡμέρας ἐφ᾿ ἡμέρας τοῦ βασιλέως προσθήσεις, τὰ ἔτη αὐτοῦ ἕως ἡμέρας γενεᾶς καὶ γενεᾶς.
7He shall abide before God for ever: O prepare mercy and truth, which may preserve him.διαμενεῖ εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα ἐνώπιον τοῦ Θεοῦ· ἔλεος καὶ ἀλήθειαν αὐτοῦ τίς ἐκζητήσει;
8So will I sing praise unto thy name for ever, that I may daily perform my vows.οὕτως ψαλῶ τῷ ὀνόματί σου εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τοῦ αἰῶνος τοῦ ἀποδοῦναί με τὰς εὐχάς μου ἡμέραν ἐξ ἡμέρας.