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Psalms · Chapter 21

תהלים כ"א

א׳ לַמְנַצֵּ֗חַ מִזְמ֥וֹר לְדָוִֽד׃

1 For the leader. A psalm of David.

1 For the Leader. A Psalm of David.

ב׳ יְֽהוָ֗ה בְּעָזְּךָ֥ יִשְׂמַח־מֶ֑לֶךְ וּ֝בִישׁ֥וּעָתְךָ֗ מַה־יגיל [יָּ֥גֶל] מְאֹֽד׃

2 O LORD, the king rejoices in Your strength;
how greatly he exults in Your victory!

2 O LORD, in Thy strength the king rejoiceth; and in Thy salvation how greatly doth he exult!

בְּעָזְּךָ יִשְׂמַח מֶלֶךְ. רַבּוֹתֵינוּ פָּתְרוּהוּ עַל מֶלֶךְ הַמָּשִׁיחַ, וְנָכוֹן הַדָּבָר לְפוֹתְרוֹ עוֹד עַל דָּוִד עַצְמוֹ, לִתְשׁוּבַת אֲחֵרִים שֶׁדָּרְשׁוּ בוֹ שֶׁאַחַר שֶׁלָּקַח אֶת בַּת שֶׁבַע אָמַר מִזְמוֹר זֶה:

may the king rejoice with Your strength Our Rabbis (Mid. Ps. 21:1) interpreted it as referring to the King Messiah, but the matter may correctly be interpreted further as referring to David himself, in order to refute the sectarians, who became bold because of it.

ג׳ תַּאֲוַ֣ת לִ֭בּוֹ נָתַ֣תָּה לּ֑וֹ וַאֲרֶ֥שֶׁת שְׂ֝פָתָ֗יו בַּל־מָנַ֥עְתָּ סֶּֽלָה׃

3 You have granted him the desire of his heart,
have not denied the request of his lips. Selah.

3 Thou hast given him his heart's desire, and the request of his lips Thou hast not withholden. Selah

וַאֲרֶשֶׁת. לְשׁוֹן דִּבּוּר, וְאֵין לוֹ דִּמְיוֹן. וּמְנַחֵם הֵבִיא לוֹ חָבֵר: ״כְּרִשְׁיוֹן כּוֹרֶשׁ מֶלֶךְ פָּרַס״ (עזרא ג:ז), וּשְׁנֵיהֶם לְשׁוֹן מִבְטָא שְׂפָתַיִם:

and the speech of Heb. וארשת, an expression of speech, which has no similar word. Menachem (p. 167), however, brought a [word] similar to it (Ezra 3:7): “by the authorization (כרשיון) of Cyrus, king of Persia.”

ד׳ כִּֽי־תְ֭קַדְּמֶנּוּ בִּרְכ֣וֹת ט֑וֹב תָּשִׁ֥ית לְ֝רֹאשׁ֗וֹ עֲטֶ֣רֶת פָּֽז׃

4 You have proffered him blessings of good things,
have set upon his head a crown of fine gold.

4 For Thou meetest him with choicest blessings; Thou settest a crown of fine gold on his head.

כִּי תְקַדְּמֶנּוּ בִּרְכוֹת טוֹב. קֹדֶם שֶׁשָּׁאַלְתִּי מִמְּךָ, הִקְדַּמְתָּ לִי בִּרְכָתְךָ עַל יְדֵי נָתָן הַנָּבִיא ״וְהַקִימוֹתִי אֶת זַרְעֲךָ וְגוֹמֵר״ (שמואל ב ז:יב), ״וַהֲכִינֹתִי אֶת כִּסֵּא מַמְלַכְתְּךָ עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל לְעוֹלָם״ (שמואל ב ז:יג):

For You have preceded him with the blessings of the good man Before I asked You, You preceded me with Your blessing through Nathan the prophet (in II Sam. 7:12f.): “then I will raise up your seed...and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.”

תָּשִׁית לְרֹאשׁוֹ עֲטֶרֶת פָּז. ״וַיִּקַּח עֲטֶרֶת מַלְכָּם וַתְּהִי עַל רֹאשׁ דָּוִד״ (שמואל ב יב:ל):

You have placed a gold crown on his head (As in II Sam. 12:30): “And he took the crown of Malkam...and it was [set] upon David’s head.”

ה׳ חַיִּ֤ים ׀ שָׁאַ֣ל מִ֭מְּךָ נָתַ֣תָּה לּ֑וֹ אֹ֥רֶךְ יָ֝מִ֗ים עוֹלָ֥ם וָעֶֽד׃

5 He asked You for life; You granted it;
a long life, everlasting.

5 He asked life of Thee, Thou gavest it him; even length of days for ever and ever.

חַיִּים שָׁאַל מִמְּךָ. כְּשֶׁהָיִיתִי בּוֹרֵחַ לְחוּצָה לָאָרֶץ מִפְּנֵי שָׁאוּל, הָיִיתִי מִתְפַּלֵּל: ״אֶתְהַלֵּךְ לִפְנֵי ה׳ בְּאַרְצוֹת הַחַיִּים״ (תהלים קטז:ט):

He asked You for life As I fled outside the Holy Land from before Saul, I would pray, “May I walk before the Lord in the lands of the living” (below 116:9).

נָתַתָּה לוֹ. שֶׁהֲשִׁיבוֹתַנִי לְאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל:

You gave it to him For You restored me to the land of Israel.

אֹרֶךְ יָמִים. לְמַלְכוּתִי, שֶׁאָמַרְתָּ: ״וַהֲכִינֹתִי אֶת־כִּסֵּא מַמְלַכְתְּךָ עַד־עוֹלָם״ (שמואל ב ז:יג):

length of days to his kingdom, for You said, “and I will establish the throne of your (sic) kingdom forever” (II Sam. 7:13).

ו׳ גָּד֣וֹל כְּ֭בוֹדוֹ בִּישׁוּעָתֶ֑ךָ ה֥וֹד וְ֝הָדָר תְּשַׁוֶּ֥ה עָלָֽיו׃

6 Great is his glory through Your victory;
You have endowed him with splendor and majesty.

6 His glory is great through Thy salvation; Honour and majesty dost Thou lay upon him.

תְּשַׁוֶּה. מְנַחֵם פָּתַר תְּשַׁוֶּה, ״תָּשִׂים״ (בראשית ו:טז), ״תָּשִׁית״ (תהלים כא:ד), לָשׁוֹן אֶחָד לָהֶם:

You place Heb. תשוה Menachem (p. 171) interpreted: תשוה, תשים, and תשית have the same meaning.

ז׳ כִּֽי־תְשִׁיתֵ֣הוּ בְרָכ֣וֹת לָעַ֑ד תְּחַדֵּ֥הוּ בְ֝שִׂמְחָ֗ה אֶת־פָּנֶֽיךָ׃

7 You have made him blessed forever,
gladdened him with the joy of Your presence.

7 For Thou makest him most blessed for ever; Thou makest him glad with joy in Thy presence.

תְּחַדֵּהוּ. לְשׁוֹן חֶדְוָה:

You shall make him happy Heb. תחדהו, an expression of חדוה, joy.

אֶת פָּנֶיךָ. בְּגַן עֵדֶן. וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ, שֶׁדְּרָשׁוּהוּ בְּמֶלֶךְ הַמָּשִׁיחַ, הֵבִיאוּ רְאָיָה לַדָּבָר: ״וְעַד עַתִּיק יוֹמַיָּא מְטָה וּקְדָמוֹהִי הַקְרְבוּהִי״ (דניאל ז:יג); וְאוֹמֵר ״וְהִקְרַבְתִּיו וְנִגַּשׁ אֵלָי״ (ירמיה ל:כא):

before You in Paradise. Our Rabbis, who interpreted it as referring to the King Messiah, brought proof on that matter (from Dan. 7: 13): “and came to the Ancient of days and brought him near before Him.” Scripture also states (in Jer. 30:21): “and I will bring him near, and he shall approach Me.”

ח׳ כִּֽי־הַ֭מֶּלֶךְ בֹּטֵ֣חַ בַּיהוָ֑ה וּבְחֶ֥סֶד עֶ֝לְי֗וֹן בַּל־יִמּֽוֹט׃

8 For the king trusts in the LORD;
Through the faithfulness of the Most High
he will not be shaken.

8 For the king trusteth in the LORD, yea, in the mercy of the Most High; he shall not be moved.

בַּל יִמּוֹט. וּבְחֶסֶד עֶלְיוֹן הוּא בּוֹטֵחַ שֶׁלֹּא יִמּוֹט:

that he should not falter And he trusts in the loving-kindness of the Most High that he should not falter.

ט׳ תִּמְצָ֣א יָ֭דְךָ לְכָל־אֹיְבֶ֑יךָ יְ֝מִֽינְךָ תִּמְצָ֥א שֹׂנְאֶֽיךָ׃

9 Your hand is equal to all Your enemies;
Your right hand overpowers Your foes.

9 Thy hand shall be equal to all thine enemies; Thy right hand shall overtake those that hate thee.

תִּמְצָא יָדְךָ לְכָל אוֹיְבֶיךָ. כָּל מַכַּת יָדְךָ שֶׁיֵּשׁ לְךָ לְהָבִיא, הָבֵא עַל אוֹיְבֶיךָ:

Your hand shall suffice for all Your enemies All the smiting of Your hand that You have to bring, bring upon Your enemies.

י׳ תְּשִׁיתֵ֤מוֹ ׀ כְּתַנּ֥וּר אֵשׁ֮ לְעֵ֪ת פָּ֫נֶ֥יךָ יְ֭הוָה בְּאַפּ֣וֹ יְבַלְּעֵ֑ם וְֽתֹאכְלֵ֥ם אֵֽשׁ׃

10 You set them ablaze like a furnace
when You show Your presence.
The LORD in anger destroys them;
fire consumes them.

10 Thou shalt make them as a fiery furnace in the time of thine anger; The LORD shall swallow them up in His wrath, and the fire shall devour them.

לְעֵת פָּנֶיךָ. לְעֵת זַעְמְךָ:

at the time of Your anger Heb. פניך, at the time of Your fury.

בְּאַפּוֹ יְבַלְּעֵם. תְּפִלָּה הִיא זוֹ:

destroy them with His wrath This is a prayer.

י"א פִּ֭רְיָמוֹ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ תְּאַבֵּ֑ד וְ֝זַרְעָ֗ם מִבְּנֵ֥י אָדָֽם׃

11 You wipe their offspring from the earth,
their issue from among men.

11 Their fruit shalt thou destroy from the earth, and their seed from among the children of men.

פִּרְיָמוֹ מֵאֶרֶץ תְּאַבֵּד. לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא הוּא מִתְפַּלֵּל שֶׁיְּאַבֵּד זַרְעוֹ שֶׁל עֲמָלֵק הָרָשָׁע:

You shall destroy their fruit from the earth He prays to the Holy One, blessed be He, that He destroy the descendants of the wicked Esau.

י"ב כִּי־נָט֣וּ עָלֶ֣יךָ רָעָ֑ה חָֽשְׁב֥וּ מְ֝זִמָּ֗ה בַּל־יוּכָֽלוּ׃

12 For they schemed against You;
they laid plans,
but could not succeed.

12 For they intended evil against thee, They imagined a device, wherewith they shall not prevail.

כִּי נָטוּ עָלֶיךָ רָעָה. כְּנֶגֶד טִיטוּס הָרָשָׁע, שֶׁאָמַר: הָרַג אֶת עַצְמוֹ! (גיטין נו:):

For they have directed evil against You [This was said] regarding the wicked Titus, who said that he had killed Him.

בַּל יוּכָלוּ. לַעֲשׂוֹתָהּ:

that they cannot execute.

י"ג כִּ֭י תְּשִׁיתֵ֣מוֹ שֶׁ֑כֶם בְּ֝מֵֽיתָרֶ֗יךָ תְּכוֹנֵ֥ן עַל־פְּנֵיהֶֽם׃

13 For You make them turn back
by Your bows aimed at their face.

13 For thou shalt make them turn their back, Thou shalt make ready with thy bowstrings against the face of them.

כִּי תְשִׁיתֵמוֹ שֶׁכֶם. אֲשֶׁר תָּשִׁית אוֹתָם לְחֵלֶק, שֶׁיְּחַלְּקוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת מָמוֹנָם, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיהו כג:יח) ״וְהָיָה סַחְרָהּ וְאֶתְנַנָּהּ וְגוֹמֵר״:

For You shall place them as a portion For You shall place them as a portion, that Israel will divide their money, as it is stated (in Isa. 23:18): “And her commerce and her hire shall be...”

בְּמֵיתָרֶיךָ תְּכוֹנֵן עַל פְּנֵיהֶם. בְּמֵיתְרֵי קַשְּׁתוֹתֶיךָ תְּכוֹנֵן חִצֶּיךָ וְתַזְמִינֵם לִירוֹת עַל פְּנֵיהֶם:

with Your bowstrings You shall set toward their faces With the strings of Your bows, You shall aim Your arrows at their faces.

י"ד ר֣וּמָה יְהוָ֣ה בְּעֻזֶּ֑ךָ נָשִׁ֥ירָה וּֽ֝נְזַמְּרָה גְּבוּרָתֶֽךָ׃

14 Be exalted, O LORD, through Your strength;
we will sing and chant the praises of Your mighty deeds.

14 Be Thou exalted, O LORD, in Thy strength; so will we sing and praise Thy power.

רוּמָה ה׳ בְּעֻזֶּךָ. עַל הַקָּמִים, וְנָשִׁירָה וּנְזַמְּרָה (ספרים אחרי אינו):

Exalt Yourself, O Lord, with Your strength over those who rise up [against You], and let us sing and chant.

Psalms · Chapter 21

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