א׳
מִכְתָּ֥ם לְדָוִ֑ד שָֽׁמְרֵ֥נִי אֵ֝֗ל כִּֽי־חָסִ֥יתִי בָֽךְ׃
1
A michtam of David.
Protect me, O God, for I seek refuge in You.
1
Michtam of David. Keep me, O God; for I have taken refuge in Thee.
מִכְתָּם לְדָוִד. אָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ (סוטה י:): לְדָוִד שֶׁהָיָה מָךְ וְתָם, שֶׁהָיְתָה מַכָּתוֹ תַמָּה, שֶׁנּוֹלַד מָהוּל. וְאֵין שִׁיטַת הַמִּקְרָא נוֹפֵל עַל הַמִּדְרָשׁ כָּאן. יֵשׁ מִזְמוֹר שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בּוֹ ״לְדָוִד מִכְתָּם״ (תהלים נו:א), שָׁם יֵשׁ לְפָרֵשׁ: שִׁיר זֶה לְדָוִד שֶׁהָיָה מָךְ וְתָם, אֲבָל כָּאן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר מִכְתָּם לְדָוִד אֵין לְפָרְשׁוֹ כֵּן. וְאוֹמֵר אֲנִי שֶׁהוּא אֶחָד מִן שְׁמוֹת מִינֵי נְעִימוֹת הַזֶּמֶר וְחִלּוּק בִּנְעִימוֹת הַשִּׁיר. דָּבָר אַחֵר: מִכְתָּם לְדָוִד לְשׁוֹן עֲטָרָה כְּמוֹ ״כֶּתֶם״ (שיר השירים ה:יא), שֶׁמַּשְׁמָע דָּבָר זֶה הָיָה רָגִיל לוֹמַר דָּוִד שָׁמְרֵנִי אֵל כִּי חָסִיתִי בָךְ וְהָיָה לוֹ כַּעֲטָרָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים ה:יג) ״כִּי כַצִּנָּה רָצוֹן תַּעְטְרֶנּוּ״ (ס״א אינו):
A michtam of David Our Sages said (Sotah 10b, Mid. Ps. 16:1): Of David, who was poor (מך) and perfect (ותם), whose wound (מכתו) was perfect (תמה), for he was born circumcised. However, the sequence of the verse here does not lend itself to be interpreted according to the Midrash. There are psalms prefaced by the title לדוד מכתם, which may be interpreted: This song is David’s, who was poor and perfect, but here, where it is stated מכתם לדוד, it cannot be interpreted in this manner. I therefore say that it is one of the names of the various types of melodies and the variations in the music. Another explanation: מכתם is an expression of a crown, like כתם, meaning that David was accustomed to say, “O God, guard me for I have taken refuge in You.” And this was to him as a crown, as it is stated (5:13): “You shall crown him with will.”
ב׳
אָמַ֣רְתְּ לַֽ֭יהוָה אֲדֹנָ֣י אָ֑תָּה ט֝וֹבָתִ֗י בַּל־עָלֶֽיךָ׃
2
I say to the LORD,
“You are my Lord, my benefactor;
there is none above You.”
2
I have said unto the LORD: 'Thou art my Lord; I have no good but in Thee';
אָמַרְתְּ לַה׳ אֲדֹנָי אָתָּה וְגוֹ׳. לִכְנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל אָמַר דָּוִד: יֵשׁ עָלַיִךְ לוֹמַר לַה׳: אָדוֹן אַתָּה, וְיָדְךָ עַל הָעֶלְיוֹנָה לְכָל הַבָּא עָלַי. דָּבָר אַחֵר: אָמַרְתְּ לַה׳ אֲדֹנָי אָתָּה, לְנַפְשׁוֹ הָיָה אוֹמֵר. וְכֵן מָצִינוּ דֻגְמָתוֹ: ״וַתְּכַל דָּוִד״ (שמואל ב יד:לט), וּפִתְרוֹנוֹ: ׳וַתְּכַל נֶפֶשׁ דָּוִד׳; אַף כָּאן: אָמַרְתְּ נַפְשִׁי לַה׳ – אַתְּ, נַפְשִׁי, יֵשׁ עָלַיִךְ לוֹמַר כֵּן לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא (ס״א אינו):
You should say to the Lord, “You are my Master, etc.” David addresses the Congregation of Israel. “It is your duty to say to the Lord, ‘You are the Master, and You have the upper hand in all that befalls me.’” Another explanation: You should say to the Lord, “You are my Master.” He [David] was saying this to his soul. Similarly, we find on this order (in II Sam. 13:39): “And David longed,” which means: And the soul of David longed. Here too, “You, my soul, have said to the Lord,” you my soul, should say to the Holy One, blessed be He. (The second interpretation appears in very few early editions.)
טוֹבָתִי בַּל עָלֶיךָ. טוֹבוֹת שֶׁאַתָּה עוֹשֶׂה לִי, לֹא עָלֶיךָ הֵם לְגָמְלֵנִי, כִּי לֹא בְצִדְקָתִי אַתָּה מֵטִיב לִי:
my good is not incumbent upon You. The benefits that You do for meit is not incumbent upon You to bestow [them] upon me, because You do not benefit me on account of my righteousness.
ג׳
לִ֭קְדוֹשִׁים אֲשֶׁר־בָּאָ֣רֶץ הֵ֑מָּה וְ֝אַדִּירֵ֗י כָּל־חֶפְצִי־בָֽם׃
3
As to the holy and mighty ones that are in the land,
my whole desire concerning them is that
3
As for the holy that are in the earth, They are the excellent in whom is all my delight.
לִקְדוֹשִׁים אֲשֶׁר בָּאָרֶץ הֵמָּה. בִּשְׁבִיל הַקְּדוֹשִׁים אֲשֶׁר הֵמָּה קְבוּרִים בָּאָרֶץ, אֲשֶׁר הִתְהַלְּכוּ לְפָנֶיךָ בֶּאֱמֶת:
For the holy ones who are in the earth For the sake of the holy ones who are buried in the earth, who walked before You with sincerity.
וְאַדִּירֵי כָּל חֶפְצִי בָם. הֵם הָאַדִּירִים, אֲשֶׁר כָּל חֶפְצִי בָם וְכָל צְרָכַי נַעֲשִׂים בִּשְׁבִילָם:
and the mighty ones in whom is all my delight They are the mighty ones in whom is all my delight and for whose sake all my necessities are accomplished.
ד׳
יִרְבּ֥וּ עַצְּבוֹתָם֮ אַחֵ֪ר מָ֫הָ֥רוּ בַּל־אַסִּ֣יךְ נִסְכֵּיהֶ֣ם מִדָּ֑ם וּֽבַל־אֶשָּׂ֥א אֶת־שְׁ֝מוֹתָ֗ם עַל־שְׂפָתָֽי׃
4
those who espouse another [god]
may have many sorrows!
I will have no part of their bloody libations;
their names will not pass my lips.
4
Let the idols of them be multiplied that make suit unto another; Their drink-offerings of blood will I not offer, Nor take their names upon my lips.
יִרְבּוּ עַצְּבוֹתָם וְגוֹ׳. כָּל זֶה אָמְרִי לַה׳: יִרְבּוּ עַצְּבוֹתָם שֶׁל כּוֹפְרִים בְּךָ, הַמְּהִירִים וַחֲרֵדִים לַעֲבוֹדַת אֵל אַחֵר. לָשׁוֹן אַחֵר: מָהָרוּ לְשׁוֹן ״מֹהַר״ (בראשית לד:יב), דוֹאִירְנְ״ט בְּלַעַ״ז:
May the sorrows...increase All this you should say to the Lord, “May the sorrows of those who do not believe in You increase,” viz. those who hasten and scurry to idolatry. Another explanation: מהרו is an expression of מֹהַר, dowry, douaire in French.
בַּל אַסִּיךְ נִסְכֵּיהֶם מִדָּם. אֲנִי לֹא אֶהְיֶה כְּמוֹתָם, לִזְרֹק דָּם לַעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, וְלֹא אֶשָּׂא שֵׁם עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה עַל שְׂפָתַי:
I will not pour their libations of blood I will not be like them, to sprinkle blood for pagan deities, neither will I take up the name of pagan deities upon my lips.
ה׳
יְֽהוָ֗ה מְנָת־חֶלְקִ֥י וְכוֹסִ֑י אַ֝תָּ֗ה תּוֹמִ֥יךְ גּוֹרָלִֽי׃
5
The LORD is my allotted share and portion;
You control my fate.
5
O LORD, the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup, Thou maintainest my lot.
ה׳ מְנָת חֶלְקִי וְכוֹסִי. כָּל טוֹבָתִי הֵימֶנּוּ. לָשׁוֹן אַחֵר: וְכוֹסִי וְחֶשְׁבּוֹנִי, כְּמוֹ ״תָּכֹסּוּ עַל הַשֶּׂה״ (שמות יב:ד), וְכֵן חִבְּרוֹ מְנַחֵם:
The Lord is my allotted portion and my cup All my benefit is from Him. Another explanation: כוסי means “my share,” as (in Exod. 12:4): “you shall make your count (תכסו) on the lamb.” This is how Menachem (p. 107) associated it.
אַתָּה תּוֹמִיךְ גּוֹרָלִי. אַתָּה הוּא אֲשֶׁר הֲנִיחוֹתָ יָדִי עַל הַחֵלֶק הַטּוֹב, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״הַחַיִּים וְהַמָּוֶת נָתַתִּי וְגוֹמֵר וּבָחַרְתָּ בַּחַיִּים״ (דברים ל:יט). כְּאָדָם הָאוֹהֵב אֶחָד מִבָּנָיו וּמַנִּיחַ יָדוֹ עַל הַחֵלֶק הַטּוֹב וְאוֹמֵר: אֶת זֶה בְּחַר לְךָ:
You guide my destiny It is You Who placed my hand on the good share, as it is stated (in Deut. 30:19): “I have set life and death before you...Choose life...” as a man who loves one of his sons and lays his hand on the better share, saying, “Choose this one for yourself.”
תּוֹמִיךְ. הִשְׁפַּלְתָּ יָדִי עַל הַגּוֹרָל, לְשׁוֹן ״יִמַּךְ הַמְּקָרֶה״ (קהלת י:יח) – יִשְׁפַּל. כָּךְ הוּא נִדְרָשׁ בַּסִּפְרִי (ספרי דברים כג). וְגַם יֵשׁ לְפוֹתְרוֹ לְשׁוֹן תְּמִיכָה, לְמִדְרַשׁ הָאַגָּדָה, כְּמוֹ ״וַיִּתְמֹךְ יַד אָבִיו״ (בראשית מח:יז):
guide Heb. תומיך. You lowered my hand onto the portion, an expression of (Ecc. 10: 18): “the rafter sinks (ימך),” is lowered. In this manner it is expounded upon in Sifrei (Deut. 11:26, 27). It can also be interpreted as an expression of support, according to the Midrash Aggadah, as (in Gen. 48:17) “he supported (ויתמך) his father’s hand.”
ו׳
חֲבָלִ֣ים נָֽפְלוּ־לִ֭י בַּנְּעִמִ֑ים אַף־נַ֝חֲלָ֗ת שָֽׁפְרָ֥ה עָלָֽי׃
6
Delightful country has fallen to my lot;
lovely indeed is my estate.
6
The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; Yea, I have a goodly heritage.
חֲבָלִים נָפְלוּ לִי בַּנְּעִימִים. כְּשֶׁנָּפַל לִי הַגּוֹרָל לִהְיוֹת בְּחֶלְקְךָ, חֶבֶל נָעִים הוּא זֶה. אַף עָלַי שָׁפְרָה נַחֲלָה כָּזוֹ:
Portions have fallen to me in pleasant places When the lot fell to me to be in Your portion, it is a pleasant portion. Also, such an inheritance is pleasing to me.
ז׳
אֲבָרֵ֗ךְ אֶת־יְ֭הוָה אֲשֶׁ֣ר יְעָצָ֑נִי אַף־לֵ֝יל֗וֹת יִסְּר֥וּנִי כִלְיוֹתָֽי׃
7
I bless the LORD who has guided me;
my conscience admonishes me at night.
7
I will bless the LORD, who hath given me counsel; Yea, in the night seasons my reins instruct me.
אֲבָרֵךְ אֶת ה׳. עַד כָּאן נִבָּא דָּוִד עַל כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁתֹּאמַר כֵּן, וְעַכְשָׁיו אוֹמֵר: וַאֲנִי, גַּם אֲנִי אֲבָרֵךְ אֶת ה׳ אֲשֶׁר יְעָצָנִי לִבְחוֹר בַּחַיִּים וְלָלֶכֶת בִּדְרָכָיו:
I will bless the Lord Until here, David prophesied concerning the Congregation of Israel, that she would say this, and now he says, “I, too, will bless the Lord, Who counseled me to choose life and to go in His ways.”
אַף לֵילוֹת יִסְּרוּנִי כִלְיוֹתָי. לְיִרְאָה אוֹתוֹ וּלְאַהֲבָה. וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ פֵּרְשׁוּהוּ עַל אַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ, שֶׁלָּמַד תּוֹרָה מֵאֵלָיו עַד שֶׁלֹּא נִתְּנָה תּוֹרָה. אַף אָנוּ צְרִיכִין לְיַשֵּׁב הַמִּקְרָאוֹת עַל סִדְרָן:
even at night my conscience instructs me to fear Him and to love Him. Our Sages though, (Mid. Ps. 16:7) explained it as referring to our father Abraham, who learned Torah by himself before the Torah was given, but we must reconcile the verses according to their sequence.
ח׳
שִׁוִּ֬יתִי יְהוָ֣ה לְנֶגְדִּ֣י תָמִ֑יד כִּ֥י מִֽ֝ימִינִ֗י בַּל־אֶמּֽוֹט׃
8
I am ever mindful of the LORD’s presence;
He is at my right hand; I shall never be shaken.
8
I have set the LORD always before me; Surely He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.
שִׁוִּיתִי ה׳ לְנֶגְדִּי תָמִיד. בְּכָל מַעֲשַׂי שַׂמְתִּי מוֹרָאוֹ לְנֶגֶד עֵינַי, וְלָמָּה? כִּי מִימִינִי הוּא תָּמִיד לְעָזְרֵנִי לְבַל אֶמּוֹט. דָּבָר אַחֵר: שִׁוִּיתִי ה׳ לְנֶגְדִּי תָמִיד. סֵפֶר תּוֹרָה הָיָה עִמּוֹ לִקְרוֹת בּוֹ כָּל יְמֵי חַיָּיו (דברים יז:יט), וְזֶה שֶׁאָמַר: מִימִינִי בַּל אֶמּוֹט. עַל שֵׁם הַתּוֹרָה שֶׁנִּתְּנָה בִּימִינוֹ, שֶׁאֲנִי עוֹסֵק בָּהּ וּלְפִיכָךְ בַּל אֶמּוֹט (סנהדרין כב.) (ס״א אינו):
I have placed the Lord before me constantly In all my deeds, I have placed His fear before my eyes. Why? Because He is always at my right hand to help me so that I should not falter. Another explanation: I have placed the Lord before me constantly. [This alludes to] the sefer Torah [that] was with him [for him] to read all the days of his life [as in Deut. 17:19]. This is what he states: “from my right hand I will not falter,” meaning that because of the Torah in which I am engaged, which was given with His right hand, I will not falter. (This interpretation does not appear in any manuscript. It does, however, appear in several early printed editions.) Rashi to Sanhedrin explains that the “right hand” alludes to the Torah scroll that the king would carry suspended from his arm. David is confident that in the merit of that scroll, he will not falter.
ט׳
לָכֵ֤ן ׀ שָׂמַ֣ח לִ֭בִּי וַיָּ֣גֶל כְּבוֹדִ֑י אַף־בְּ֝שָׂרִ֗י יִשְׁכֹּ֥ן לָבֶֽטַח׃
9
So my heart rejoices,
my whole being exults,
and my body rests secure.
9
Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth; my flesh also dwelleth in safety;
לָכֵן שָׂמַח לִבִּי וְגוֹ׳. לְפִי שֶׁאֲנִי בּוֹטֵחַ כִּי לֹא תַעֲזֹב נַפְשִׁי לִשְׁאוֹל, שֶׁהֲרֵי בַּעֲוֹן עֲבֵרָה גְּדוֹלָה שֶׁהָיְתָה בְּיָדִי בִּשַּׂרְתַּנִי ״גַּם ה׳ הֶעֱבִיר חַטָּאתְךָ״ (שמואל ב יב:יג), קַל וָחֹמֶר שֶׁמֵּעַתָּה לֹא תַעַזְבֵנִי לָסוּר מִמְּךָ:
Therefore, my heart rejoiced, etc. because I am confident that You will not forsake my soul to the grave. Since, concerning the iniquity of a grave transgression which I committed, You sent me the tidings (in II Sam. 12:13): “Also the Lord has removed your sin,” certainly from now on You will not forsake me [to cause me] to turn away from You.
י׳
כִּ֤י ׀ לֹא־תַעֲזֹ֣ב נַפְשִׁ֣י לִשְׁא֑וֹל לֹֽא־תִתֵּ֥ן חֲ֝סִידְךָ֗ לִרְא֥וֹת שָֽׁחַת׃
10
For You will not abandon me to Sheol,
or let Your faithful one see the Pit.
10
For Thou wilt not abandon my soul to the nether-world; Neither wilt Thou suffer Thy godly one to see the pit.
י"א
תּֽוֹדִיעֵנִי֮ אֹ֤רַח חַ֫יִּ֥ים שֹׂ֣בַע שְׂ֭מָחוֹת אֶת־פָּנֶ֑יךָ נְעִמ֖וֹת בִּימִינְךָ֣ נֶֽצַח׃
11
You will teach me the path of life.
In Your presence is perfect joy;
delights are ever in Your right hand.
11
Thou makest me to know the path of life; In Thy presence is fulness of joy, In Thy right hand bliss for evermore.
תּוֹדִיעֵנִי אֹרַח חַיִּים. לְשׁוֹן עָתִיד הוּא, וְאֵינוֹ לְשׁוֹן תְּפִלָּה:
You shall let me know the way of life This is the future tense, not an expression of prayer.
שֹׂבַע שְׂמָחוֹת. שִׂמְחָה שֶׁאֵין לָהּ קֵץ וְתַכְלָה הִיא הַשִּׂמְחָה שֶׁל עָתִיד (ס״א אינו):
the fullness of joys Endless joy. That is the joy of the future. (Found only in certain manuscripts.)
אֶת פָּנֶיךָ. שְׂמָחוֹת אֲשֶׁר לְפָנֶיךָ, בַּכַּת הַקְּרוֹבָה לְךָ:
in Your presence Joys that are before You, in a company that is near You.