א׳
לְדָוִ֨ד ׀ בָּ֘ר֤וּךְ יְהוָ֨ה ׀ צוּרִ֗י הַֽמְלַמֵּ֣ד יָדַ֣י לַקְרָ֑ב אֶ֝צְבְּעוֹתַ֗י לַמִּלְחָמָֽה׃
1
Of David.
Blessed is the LORD, my rock,
who trains my hands for battle,
my fingers for warfare;
1
[A Psalm] of David. Blessed be the LORD my Rock, Who traineth my hands for war, And my fingers for battle;
ב׳
חַסְדִּ֥י וּמְצוּדָתִי֮ מִשְׂגַּבִּ֪י וּֽמְפַלְטִ֫י לִ֥י מָ֭גִנִּי וּב֣וֹ חָסִ֑יתִי הָרוֹדֵ֖ד עַמִּ֣י תַחְתָּֽי׃
2
my faithful one, my fortress,
my haven and my deliverer,
my shield, in whom I take shelter,
who makes peoples subject to me.
2
My lovingkindness, and my fortress, My high tower, and my deliverer; My shield, and He in whom I take refuge; Who subdueth my people under me.
הָרוֹדֵד עַמִּי תַחְתָּי. הָרוֹקֵעַ וְשׁוֹטֵחַ אֶת עַמִּי לִרְבֹּץ בִּמְקוֹמוֹ, כְּמוֹ ״שׁוֹטֵחַ לַגּוֹיִם״ (איוב יב:כג) מַגְדִּיל אוֹתָם. רוֹדֵד תַּרְגּוּם שֶׁל רוֹקֵעַ, כְּדִמְתַרְגֵּם ״וַיְרַקְּעוּ״ (שמות לט:ג): ״וְרַדִּידוּ״. וְיֵשׁ פּוֹתְרִים: הָרוֹדֵד עַמִּים תַּחְתִּי, הַמַּחֲלִישׁ עַמִּים תַּחְתִּי. אַךְ בְּסֵפֶר מְדֻיָּק מֻגֶּה עַמִּי, וּמְסוֹרָה עָלָיו: שְׁלֹשָׁה סְבִירִין עַמִּים וְקוֹרִין עַמִּי. וְעַל תַּחְתִּי יֵשׁ מְסוֹרָה עָלָיו: תַּחְתָּיו קְרִי:
Who flattens peoples beneath me Who flattens and spreads out my people to rest in its place, as (Job 12:23): He spreads out (שוטח) the nations.” He makes them great. רוֹדֵד is the Aramaic translation of רוֹקַע, as the Targum renders (Exod. 39:3): וַיְרַקְעוּ, and they spread out; וְרַדִּידוּ. Others interpret הרודד, Who weakens peoples under me. But in an accurate revised version, [the reading is]: עמי, upon which the Masorah states: In three cases, the meaning is עמים, peoples, but the reading is עמי, and on תחתי, it says: the reading is תחתיו, under Him.
ג׳
יְֽהוָ֗ה מָה־אָ֭דָם וַתֵּדָעֵ֑הוּ בֶּן־אֱ֝נ֗וֹשׁ וַֽתְּחַשְּׁבֵֽהוּ׃
3
O LORD, what is man that You should care about him,
mortal man, that You should think of him?
3
LORD, what is man, that Thou takest knowledge of him? Or the son of man, that Thou makest account of him?
מָה אָדָם. מַה פָּרַס וְיִשְׁמָעֵאל לְפָנֶיךָ, כִּי יְדַעְתָּם לְהַרְבּוֹת לָהֶם גְּדֻלָּה?
what is man What are Persia [Esau, acc. to mss.] and Ishmael before You that You know them to lavish greatness upon them?
ד׳
אָ֭דָם לַהֶ֣בֶל דָּמָ֑ה יָ֝מָ֗יו כְּצֵ֣ל עוֹבֵֽר׃
4
Man is like a breath;
his days are like a passing shadow.
4
Man is like unto a breath; His days are as a shadow that passeth away.
יָמָיו כְּצֵל עוֹבֵר. שְׁלֹמֹה אָמַר ״וַיַּעֲשֵׂם כַּצֵּל״ (קהלת ו:יב), וְלֹא פֵּרַשׁ אִם צֵל דֶּקֶל אוֹ צֵל כּוֹתֶל שֶׁהֵם קְבוּעִים. כְּבָר פֵּרַשׁ אָבִיו: כְּצֵל עוֹבֵר. צִלּוֹ שֶׁל עוֹף הַפּוֹרֵחַ (קהלת רבה א:ב):
his days are as a fleeting shadow Solomon said (Ecc. 6:12): “that he do them like a shadow,” but he did not explain whether [this refers to] the shadow of a palm or the shadow of a wall, which are permanent. His father already explained, “as a fleeting shadow,” the shadow of a flying bird.
ה׳
יְ֭הוָה הַט־שָׁמֶ֣יךָ וְתֵרֵ֑ד גַּ֖ע בֶּהָרִ֣ים וְֽיֶעֱשָֽׁנוּ׃
5
O LORD, bend Your sky and come down;
touch the mountains and they will smoke.
5
O LORD, bow Thy heavens, and come down; Touch the mountains, that they may smoke.
ו׳
בְּר֣וֹק בָּ֭רָק וּתְפִיצֵ֑ם שְׁלַ֥ח חִ֝צֶּ֗יךָ וּתְהֻמֵּֽם׃
6
Make lightning flash and scatter them;
shoot Your arrows and rout them.
6
Cast forth lightning, and scatter them; Send out Thine arrows, and discomfit them.
ז׳
שְׁלַ֥ח יָדֶ֗יךָ מִמָּ֫ר֥וֹם פְּצֵ֣נִי וְ֭הַצִּילֵנִי מִמַּ֣יִם רַבִּ֑ים מִ֝יַּ֗ד בְּנֵ֣י נֵכָֽר׃
7
Reach Your hand down from on high;
rescue me, save me from the mighty waters,
from the hands of foreigners,
7
Stretch forth Thy hands from on high; Rescue me, and deliver me out of many waters, Out of the hand of strangers;
פְּצֵנִי. הוֹצִיאֵנִי, וּלְשׁוֹן הַצָּלָה הוּא, וְכֵן ״הַפּוֹצֶה אֶת דָּוִד עַבְדּוֹ״ (תהלים קמד:י) (מצאתי):
deliver me פצני, take me out. That is an expression of saving, and so is (verse 10): “Who delivers (הפוצה) David His servant.” (I found.)
ח׳
אֲשֶׁ֣ר פִּ֭יהֶם דִּבֶּר־שָׁ֑וְא וִֽ֝ימִינָ֗ם יְמִ֣ין שָֽׁקֶר׃
8
whose mouths speak lies,
and whose oaths are false.
8
Whose mouth speaketh falsehood, And their right hand is a right hand of lying.
פִּיהֶם דִּבֶּר שָׁוְא וְגוֹ׳. תָּלָה הַכָּתוּב שָׁוְא בַּפֶּה וְשֶׁקֶר בַּיָּמִין, בָּאוּ לְסַפֵּר בַּפֶּה בּוֹדִים גּוּזְמָא עַל שָׁוְא אַף לְשַׁנּוֹת אֶת הַיָּדוּעַ, בָּאוּ לִפְשֹׁט יְמִינָם לִשְׁבוּעָה חָדְלוּ מִשָּׁוְא שֶׁנִּתְפַּס עָלָיו כְּגַנָּב אֲבָל בְּשֶׁקֶר נִשְׁבָּעִין שֶׁכָּךְ גּוֹרָלָם:
Whose mouth speaks vanity, etc. Scripture connects vanity with the mouth and falsehood with the right hand. When they come to tell with their mouth, they invent exaggerations of vanity, even to misrepresent what is known. If they come to stretch forth their right hand to swear, they refrain from vanity, lest they be caught as thieves, but they do swear falsely, for so is their lot.
ט׳
אֱֽלֹהִ֗ים שִׁ֣יר חָ֭דָשׁ אָשִׁ֣ירָה לָּ֑ךְ בְּנֵ֥בֶל עָ֝שׂ֗וֹר אֲזַמְּרָה־לָּֽךְ׃
9
O God, I will sing You a new song,
sing a hymn to You with a ten-stringed harp,
9
O God, I will sing a new song unto Thee, Upon a psaltery of ten strings will I sing praises unto Thee;
י׳
הַנּוֹתֵ֥ן תְּשׁוּעָ֗ה לַמְּלָ֫כִ֥ים הַ֭פּוֹצֶה אֶת־דָּוִ֥ד עַבְדּ֗וֹ מֵחֶ֥רֶב רָעָֽה׃
10
to You who give victory to kings,
who rescue His servant David from the deadly sword.
10
Who givest salvation unto kings, Who rescuest David Thy servant from the hurtful sword.
הַנּוֹתֵן תְּשׁוּעָה לַמְּלָכִים. מְדַבֵּר עַל ״סֶלַע הַמַּחְלְקוֹת״ (שמואל א כג:כח) שֶׁהָיָה דָּוִד קָרוֹב לִיתָּפֵשׂ בְּיַד שָׁאוּל, וּבָא מַלְאָךְ אֶל שָׁאוּל: ״מַהֲרָה וְלֵכָה וְגוֹ׳״ (שמואל א כג:כז). הִצִּיל אֶת שָׁאוּל מִהְיוֹת שׁוֹפֵךְ דָּם נָקִי, וְאֶת דָּוִד מִהְיוֹת נֶהֱרָג:
Who gives salvation to kings This speaks about the Rock of the Divisions, when David was close to being seized by Saul (I Sam. 23:27): “A messenger came to Saul, saying, ‘Make haste and go, etc.’” He saved Saul from shedding innocent blood, and David from being killed.
י"א
פְּצֵ֥נִי וְהַצִּילֵנִי֮ מִיַּ֪ד בְּֽנֵי־נֵ֫כָ֥ר אֲשֶׁ֣ר פִּ֭יהֶם דִּבֶּר־שָׁ֑וְא וִֽ֝ימִינָ֗ם יְמִ֣ין שָֽׁקֶר׃
11
Rescue me, save me from the hands of foreigners,
whose mouths speak lies,
and whose oaths are false.
11
Rescue me, and deliver me out of the hand of strangers, Whose mouth speaketh falsehood, And their right hand is a right hand of lying.
פְּצֵנִי וְהַצִּילֵנִי. כַּאֲשֶׁר פָּצִיתָ אָז, כֵּן פְּצֵנִי עַתָּה:
Deliver me and rescue me As You delivered me then, so shall You deliver me now.
י"ב
אֲשֶׁ֤ר בָּנֵ֨ינוּ ׀ כִּנְטִעִים֮ מְגֻדָּלִ֪ים בִּֽנְעוּרֵ֫יהֶ֥ם בְּנוֹתֵ֥ינוּ כְזָוִיֹּ֑ת מְ֝חֻטָּב֗וֹת תַּבְנִ֥ית הֵיכָֽל׃
12
For our sons are like saplings,
well-tended in their youth;
our daughters are like cornerstones
trimmed to give shape to a palace.
12
We whose sons are as plants grown up in their youth; Whose daughters are as corner-pillars carved after the fashion of a palace;
אֲשֶׁר בָּנֵינוּ וְגוֹ׳. כְּלוֹמַר: גַּם עַתָּה דּוֹר זֶה כָּשֵׁר הוּא:
For our sons are, etc. That is to say that now too this generation is righteous.
בָּנֵינוּ כִּנְטִעִים. שֶׁאֵין בָּהֶם מוּם, כָּל כָּךְ הֵם מְנֻקִּים מֵעֲבֵירָה (מצאתי):
our sons are like saplings which have no blemish, so pure are they from sin. (I found.)
מְגֻדָּלִים בִּנְעוּרֵיהֶם. בְּשֵׁם טוֹב זֶה, שֶׁהֵם כִּנְטִיעִים בְּנַעֲרוּתָם, גְּדֵלִים כָּל יְמֵיהֶם. וְאִי אֶפְשָׁר לְקַיֵּם כָּל שֶׁבַח זֶה אֶלָּא בְּדוֹרוֹ שֶׁל חִזְקִיָּהוּ:
grown up in their youth with this good name, that they are like saplings in their youth, growing all their lives; and this praise cannot be substantiated except in the generation of Hezekiah.
בְּנוֹתֵינוּ. גְּבוֹהוֹת קוֹמָה נָאָה כְזָוִיֹּת שֶׁל בַּיִת אֲבָנִים, שֶׁזָּוִיּוֹת אֶבֶן מְכֻוָּנוֹת כְּנֶגֶד חֲבֶרְתָּהּ וְעוֹלָה לְמַעְלָה עַד שֶׁהַזָּוִיּוֹת מְיֻשָּׁרוֹת:
our daughters are of tall, beautiful stature like the cornerstones of a stone house, in which the cornerstones are placed exactly one opposite the other, and it ascends upward until the corners are even.
מְחֻטָּבוֹת תַּבְנִית הֵיכָל. מְהֻלָּלוֹת בְּפִי רוֹאֵיהֶן, וּמְדַמִּין אוֹתָם לְתַבְנִית קוֹמַת הַהֵיכָל. וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ פֵּרְשׁוּ (פסחים פז.) בְּנוֹתֵינוּ כְזָוִיֹּת. מִתְמַלְּאוֹת תַּאֲוָה כְּזָוִיּוֹת מִזְבֵּחַ הַמְּלֵאוֹת דָּם, וְאֵינָן נִבְעָלוֹת אֶלָּא לְבַעֲלֵיהֶן:
praised as the form of the Temple Praised by those who see them and compare them to the form of the height of the Temple. Our Rabbis, however, explained: Our daughters are like corners Full of desire as the corners of the altar are full of blood, but they are intimate only with their husbands.
י"ג
מְזָוֵ֣ינוּ מְלֵאִים֮ מְפִיקִ֥ים מִזַּ֗ן אֶ֫ל־זַ֥ן צֹאונֵ֣נוּ מַ֭אֲלִיפוֹת מְרֻבָּב֗וֹת בְּחוּצוֹתֵֽינוּ׃
13
Our storehouses are full,
supplying produce of all kinds;
our flocks number thousands,
even myriads, in our fields;
13
Whose garners are full, affording all manner of store; Whose sheep increase by thousands and ten thousands in our fields;
מְזָוֵינוּ מְלֵאִים. זָוִיּוֹת אוֹצְרוֹתֵינוּ מְלֵאִים טוֹב:
Our corners are full The corners of our storehouses are full of goodness.
מְפִיקִים מִזַּן אֶל זָן. מַסְפִּיקִים מָזוֹן מִשָּׁנָה לְשָׁנָה, מִזַּן אֶל זָן מִשְּׁעַת אָסִיף מָזוֹן לְשָׁנָה זוֹ עַד זְמַן אָסִיף לְשָׁנָה אַחֶרֶת, זָן גוֹבִירְנִיי״ל בְּלַעַ״ז:
supplying from harvest to harvest Supplying food from year to year. from harvest to harvest Heb. מזן אל זן, from the time of the ingathering of this year’s food until the time of the ingathering of next year’s food. זַן is gouvernayl in Old French, food, provisions.
מַאֲלִיפוֹת מְרֻבָּבוֹת. לַאֲלָפִים וְלִרְבָבוֹת עוֹשׂוֹת פְּרִי:
produce thousands, yea, ten thousands They produce offspring of thousands and ten thousands.
י"ד
אַלּוּפֵ֗ינוּ מְֽסֻבָּ֫לִ֥ים אֵֽין־פֶּ֭רֶץ וְאֵ֣ין יוֹצֵ֑את וְאֵ֥ין צְ֝וָחָ֗ה בִּרְחֹבֹתֵֽינוּ׃
14
our cattle are well cared for.
There is no breaching and no sortie,
and no wailing in our streets.
14
Whose oxen are well laden; With no breach, and no going forth, And no outcry in our broad places;
אַלּוּפֵינוּ מְסֻבָּלִים. אַלּוּפִים גְּדוֹלִים שֶׁבָּנוּ נִסְבָּלִים עַל קְטַנֵּיהֶם, שֶׁהַקְּטַנִּים נִשְׁמָעִים לַגְּדוֹלִים, וּמִתּוֹךְ כָּךְ אֵין פֶּרֶץ בָּנוּ:
Our princes are borne The great princes among us are borne by those smaller than they, for the small ones obey the greater ones, the result being that there is no breach among us.
וְאֵין יוֹצֵאת. אֵין שְׁמוּעָה רָעָה יוֹצֵאת לְמֵרָחוֹק:
nor rumor going out No bad news goes far away.
וְאֵין צְוָחָה. וְאֵין קוֹל מְהוּמוֹת מִלְחָמָה:
nor is there a cry There is no sound of the confusion of war.
ט"ו
אַשְׁרֵ֣י הָ֭עָם שֶׁכָּ֣כָה לּ֑וֹ אַֽשְׁרֵ֥י הָ֝עָ֗ם שֶׁיֲהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהָֽיו׃
15
Happy the people who have it so;
happy the people whose God is the LORD.
15
Happy is the people that is in such a case. Yea, happy is the people whose God is the LORD.
שֶׁכָּכָה לּוֹ. שֶׁכָּל טוֹבָה הַזֹּאת שֶׁלּוֹ:
Praiseworthy is the people that has this That has all this good.