Sunday, June 9, 2013

"Others go down to the sea in ships, ply their trade in the mighty waters"

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Psalm 107:23  is quoted on a first day cover that Israel issued on April 17, 2012.
See the envelope and stamps below. (They are enlargeable.)

Wikipedia says this psalm "is  beloved of mariners . . . and is often quoted at events involving the navy and seafarers, such as the launching of ships."
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PSALM 107
O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
    for his steadfast love endures for ever!
Let the redeemed of the Lord say so,
    whom he has redeemed from trouble
and gathered in from the lands,
    from the east and from the west,
    from the north and from the south.
Some wandered in desert wastes,
    finding no way to a city to dwell in;
hungry and thirsty,
    their soul fainted within them.
Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
    and he delivered them from their distress;
he led them by a straight way,
    till they reached a city to dwell in.
Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love,
    for his wonderful works to the sons of men!
For he satisfies him who is thirsty,
    and the hungry he fills with good things.
10 Some sat in darkness and in gloom,
    prisoners in affliction and in irons,
11 for they had rebelled against the words of God,
    and spurned the counsel of the Most High.
12 Their hearts were bowed down with hard labor;
    they fell down, with none to help.
13 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
    and he delivered them from their distress;
14 he brought them out of darkness and gloom,
    and broke their bonds asunder.
15 Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love,
    for his wonderful works to the sons of men!
16 For he shatters the doors of bronze,
    and cuts in two the bars of iron.
17 Some were sick through their sinful ways,
    and because of their iniquities suffered affliction;
18 they loathed any kind of food,
    and they drew near to the gates of death.
19 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
    and he delivered them from their distress;
20 he sent forth his word, and healed them,
    and delivered them from destruction.
21 Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love,
    for his wonderful works to the sons of men!
22 And let them offer sacrifices of thanksgiving,
    and tell of his deeds in songs of joy!



 23 Some went down to the sea in ships,
    doing business on the great waters;
    .יוֹרְדֵי הַיָּם, בָּאֳנִיּוֹת;    עֹשֵׂי מְלָאכָה, בְּמַיִם רַבִּים
24 they saw the deeds of the Lord,
    his wondrous works in the deep.

 25 For he commanded, and raised the stormy wind,
    which lifted up the waves of the sea.
26 They mounted up to heaven, they went down to the depths;
    their courage melted away in their evil plight;
27 they reeled and staggered like drunken men,
    and were at their wits’ end.

 28 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
    and he delivered them from their distress;
29 he made the storm be still,
    and the waves of the sea were hushed.
30 Then they were glad because they had quiet,
    and he brought them to their desired haven.


 31 Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love,
    for his wonderful works to the sons of men!
32 Let them extol him in the congregation of the people,
    and praise him in the assembly of the elders.
33 He turns rivers into a desert,
    springs of water into thirsty ground,
34 a fruitful land into a salty waste,
    because of the wickedness of its inhabitants.
35 He turns a desert into pools of water,
    a parched land into springs of water.
36 And there he lets the hungry dwell,
    and they establish a city to live in;
37 they sow fields, and plant vineyards,
    and get a fruitful yield.
38 By his blessing they multiply greatly;
    and he does not let their cattle decrease.
39 When they are diminished and brought low
    through oppression, trouble, and sorrow,
40 he pours contempt upon princes
    and makes them wander in trackless wastes;
41 but he raises up the needy out of affliction,
    and makes their families like flocks.
42 The upright see it and are glad;
    and all wickedness stops its mouth.
43 Whoever is wise, let him give heed to these things;
    let men consider the steadfast love of the Lord.
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Please click on the information sheet to know more about the stamps and ships.
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Hear the Psalm read in Hebrew here or read the beautiful old  Jewish Publication Society translation from 1917.

The newer translation I used above is the RSVCE.
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And as dear Papa Francesco in Rome always says following the Angelus, "I wish you a good Sunday and a good lunch [buon pranzo]!”
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6 comments:

  1. What a nice connection you have made Dina, the stamps are lovely.

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  2. Dina, Thank you for this history lesson and I appreciate another view of these songs. Have a great week. Mary

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  3. I used to collect stamps when I was younger. These would be a great addition.

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  4. Verse 23 - Some went down to the sea in ships, doing business on the great waters - reminded me a a recent article I read on the Phoenician sailors and how much of the world they did business with. It is thought that they even circumnavigated Africa.

    An Arkies Musings

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  5. A great quote, but I'll skip the psalm because I saw the Sara A (former Quattro Venti)...

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  6. This psalm is very beautiful!
    Written by one who knew something about storm winds, waves of life and the Lord´s miracels.

    Your stamps are wonderful. (I also collected stamps when I was younger, still have them:-))

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