THE PSALMS IN SCOTCH

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXVI, Issue 8448, 21 February 1899, Page 4

THE PSALMS IN SCOTCH

One of the most interesting versions of the Psalms is the broad Scotch version by P. Hately Waddell, LL.D. It is entitled "The Psalms, Frae Hebrew Intil Scottis." The headings of many of the Psalms are pathetically quaint, and often suggestive. For instance, the 19th Psalm, which begins " The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament showeth his handiwork," is headed "God's Lift an' God's Law: what David sees intil them baith air kens ; what mony might see forby, an' they leuk in' His e'en." The 51th Psalm, which begins "Save me, 0 God, by" thy name, and judge me by thy strength," rejoices in this title, " David, uncolie worried an' harried, flings the weight o' a' ontil God." At the beginning of each Psalm we are told who wrote it, as "Ane heigh-lilt o' Dovid," or "Ane heigh-lilt o' Asaph's," or sometimes for the anonymous Psalms "By wha's no said." As a sample we will quote the 23rd Psalm, which all our readers know so well that they will not need a glossary for its interpretation : — PSALM XXIII. The sheep-keepin' o' the Lord's kind an' canny, wi' a braw howff at lang last ; David keeps hia sheep ; the Lord keeps David. Ane heigh-lilt o' David's. 1. The Lord is my herd, nae want sal fa' me ; 2. He louts me till lie among green howes ; He airts me atowre by tiie lown watirs ; 3. He waukens my wa'-gaen soul ; He wcises mo roun, for His am Name's sake, intil right roddins. 4. Na ! tbo' I gang thro' the dead-mirk-dail; c'en thar' sal I dread nae skaithin' ; for Yersel are nar-by me. Yer stock an' Yer stay hand me haith fn' cheerie. 5. Aly build Ye hae hansell'd in face o' my faes ; Ye hae drookit my head wi' oyle ; my bicker is fu' an' skailin. B. E'en sac, sal gude-guidin an' gudegree gang wi' me, ilk clay o' my living; an' evir niair syne, i' tlie Lord's ajn howff at lang last, sal I niak bydan.