א׳
לְדָוִ֨ד ׀ יְהוָ֤ה ׀ אוֹרִ֣י וְ֭יִשְׁעִי מִמִּ֣י אִירָ֑א יְהוָ֥ה מָֽעוֹז־חַ֝יַּ֗י מִמִּ֥י אֶפְחָֽד׃
1
Of David.
The LORD is my light and my help;
whom should I fear?
The LORD is the stronghold of my life,
whom should I dread?
1
[A Psalm] of David. The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
ב׳
בִּקְרֹ֤ב עָלַ֨י ׀ מְרֵעִים֮ לֶאֱכֹ֪ל אֶת־בְּשָׂ֫רִ֥י צָרַ֣י וְאֹיְבַ֣י לִ֑י הֵ֖מָּה כָשְׁל֣וּ וְנָפָֽלוּ׃
2
When evil men assail me
to devour my flesh—
it is they, my foes and my enemies,
who stumble and fall.
2
When evil-doers came upon me to eat up my flesh, Even mine adversaries and my foes, they stumbled and fell.
ג׳
אִם־תַּחֲנֶ֬ה עָלַ֨י ׀ מַחֲנֶה֮ לֹֽא־יִירָ֪א לִ֫בִּ֥י אִם־תָּק֣וּם עָ֭לַי מִלְחָמָ֑ה בְּ֝זֹ֗את אֲנִ֣י בוֹטֵֽחַ׃
3
Should an army besiege me,
my heart would have no fear;
should war beset me,
still would I be confident.
3
Though a host should encamp against me, My heart shall not fear; Though war should rise up against me, Even then will I be confident.
בְּזֹאת אֲנִי בוֹטֵחַ. בְּמַה שֶׁאָמַר לְמַעְלָה ה׳ מָעוֹז חַיַּי:
in this I trust In what is stated above: “The Lord is the stronghold of my life.”
ד׳
אַחַ֤ת ׀ שָׁאַ֣לְתִּי מֵֽאֵת־יְהוָה֮ אוֹתָ֪הּ אֲבַ֫קֵּ֥שׁ שִׁבְתִּ֣י בְּבֵית־יְ֭הוָה כָּל־יְמֵ֣י חַיַּ֑י לַחֲז֥וֹת בְּנֹֽעַם־יְ֝הוָ֗ה וּלְבַקֵּ֥ר בְּהֵיכָלֽוֹ׃
4
One thing I ask of the LORD,
only that do I seek:
to live in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life,
to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD,
to frequent His temple.
4
One thing have I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after: That I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, To behold the graciousness of the LORD, and to visit early in His temple.
וּלְבַקֵּר בְּהֵיכָלוֹ. לֵירָאוֹת שָׁם בְּכָל בֹּקֶר וָבֹקֶר. כָּךְ פֵּרְשׁוֹ דּוֹנָשׁ, וּמְנַחֵם חִבְּרוֹ עִם ״לֹא יְבַקֵּר בֵּין טוֹב לָרָע״ (ויקרא כז:לג), אֲבָל דּוֹנָשׁ פָּתַר לְשׁוֹן בֹּקֶר:
and to visit His Temple every morning To appear there every morning. Dunash (Teshuvoth Dunash, p. 53) explained in this manner. Menachem (Machbereth Menachem, p. 47) however associated it with (Lev. 27:33), “He shall not inquire (יבקר),” but Dunash interpreted it as an expression of “morning” (בקר).
ה׳
כִּ֤י יִצְפְּנֵ֨נִי ׀ בְּסֻכֹּה֮ בְּי֪וֹם רָ֫עָ֥ה יַ֭סְתִּרֵנִי בְּסֵ֣תֶר אָהֳל֑וֹ בְּ֝צ֗וּר יְרוֹמְמֵֽנִי׃
5
He will shelter me in His pavilion
on an evil day,
grant me the protection of His tent,
raise me high upon a rock.
5
For He concealeth me in His pavilion in the day of evil; He hideth me in the covert of His tent; He lifteth me up upon a rock. .
כִּי יִצְפְּנֵנִי בְּסֻכֹּה. בָּטוּחַ אֲנִי שֶׁיִּצְפְּנֵנִי בְּבֵית מִקְדָּשׁוֹ, וְשָׁנִינוּ בְּסֵדֶר עוֹלָם (סדר עולם רבה יח) שֶׁהַמִּקְרָא הַזֶּה נֶאֱמַר עַל יוֹאָשׁ בֶּן אֲחַזְיָה שֶׁהִסְתִּירָתוֹ יְהוֹשֶׁבַע אֲחוֹתוֹ בַּעֲלִיַּת בֵּית קָדְשֵׁי הַקֳּדָשִׁים, כְּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר ״וַיְהִי אִתָּהּ בֵּית ה׳ מִתְחַבֵּא שֵׁשׁ שָׁנִים״ (מלכים ב יא:ג):
That He will hide me in His tabernacle I am confident that He will hide me in His Temple, and we learned in Seder Olam (ch. 18) that this verse was stated concerning Joash the son of Ahaziah, who was hidden by his sister, Jehosheba, in the attic of the Holy of Holies, as the matter is stated (in II Kings 11:3): “And he was hiding with her in the house of the Lord for six years.”
בְּצוּר יְרוֹמְמֵנִי. הֶעֱמִיד עַל סֶלַע רַגְלִי (תהלים מ:ג):
He will lift me up on a rock He stood my feet on a rock.
ו׳
וְעַתָּ֨ה יָר֪וּם רֹאשִׁ֡י עַ֤ל אֹֽיְבַ֬י סְֽבִיבוֹתַ֗י וְאֶזְבְּחָ֣ה בְ֭אָהֳלוֹ זִבְחֵ֣י תְרוּעָ֑ה אָשִׁ֥ירָה וַ֝אֲזַמְּרָ֗ה לַיהוָֽה׃
6
Now is my head high
over my enemies round about;
I sacrifice in His tent with shouts of joy,
singing and chanting a hymn to the LORD.
6
And now shall my head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me; And I will offer in His tabernacle sacrifices with trumpet-sound; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the LORD.
זִבְחֵי תְרוּעָה. זְבָחִים שֶׁאוֹמֵר עֲלֵיהֶם שִׁיר:
sacrifices with joyous song Sacrifices over which a song is recited.
ז׳
שְׁמַע־יְהוָ֖ה קוֹלִ֥י אֶקְרָ֗א וְחָנֵּ֥נִי וַעֲנֵֽנִי׃
7
Hear, O LORD, when I cry aloud;
have mercy on me, answer me.
7
Hear, O LORD, when I call with my voice, And be gracious unto me, and answer me.
ח׳
לְךָ֤ ׀ אָמַ֣ר לִ֭בִּי בַּקְּשׁ֣וּ פָנָ֑י אֶת־פָּנֶ֖יךָ יְהוָ֣ה אֲבַקֵּֽשׁ׃
8
In Your behalf my heart says:
“Seek My face!”
O LORD, I seek Your face.
8
In Thy behalf my heart hath said: ‘Seek ye My face'; Thy face, LORD, will I seek.
לְךָ אָמַר לִבִּי בַּקְּשׁוּ פָנָי. בִּשְׁבִילְךָ, בִּשְׁלִיחוּתֶיךָ אוֹמֵר (לִי) לִבִּי: בַּקְּשׁוּ כֻּלְּכֶם, יִשְׂרָאֵל, אֶת פָּנַי; וַאֲנִי שׁוֹמֵעַ לוֹ, אֶת פָּנֶיךָ ה׳ אֲבַקֵּשׁ:
On Your behalf, my heart says, “Seek My presence.” On Your behalf, as Your agent, my heart says to me, “All of you Israelites, seek My presence.” And I obey it. “Your presence, O Lord, I will seek.”
לְךָ. כְּמוֹ ״הֵן אֲנִי כְפִיךָ לָאֵל״ (איוב לג:ו) – בִּמְקוֹמוֹ, ״אִם לָאֵל תְּרִיבוּן״ (איוב יג:ח) – בִּמְקוֹמוֹ, אַף כָּאן לְךָ אָמַר לִבִּי. בִּמְקוֹמְךָ בָּא אֵלַי לִבִּי לוֹמַר כֵּן:
[The word] לך is like (Job 33:6): “Behold I am like your mouth to God (לא-ל),” [that is,] in His stead; (ibid. 13:8), “Will you contend for God (לא-ל)?” [that is,] in His stead. Here, too, “On Your behalf, my heart says,” in Your stead, my heart comes to me to say this.
ט׳
אַל־תַּסְתֵּ֬ר פָּנֶ֨יךָ ׀ מִמֶּנִּי֮ אַֽל־תַּט־בְּאַ֗ף עַ֫בְדֶּ֥ךָ עֶזְרָתִ֥י הָיִ֑יתָ אַֽל־תִּטְּשֵׁ֥נִי וְאַל־תַּֽ֝עַזְבֵ֗נִי אֱלֹהֵ֥י יִשְׁעִֽי׃
9
Do not hide Your face from me;
do not thrust aside Your servant in anger;
You have ever been my help.
Do not forsake me, do not abandon me,
O God, my deliverer.
9
Hide not Thy face far from me; Put not Thy servant away in anger; Thou hast been my help; Cast me not off, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation.
אַל תַּט. אַל תַּכְרִיעַ, כְּמוֹ ״וַיֵּט שָׁמַיִם״ (תהלים יח:י):
do not turn...away Heb. תט, do not bend over, as (above 18:10): “And He bent (ויט) the heavens.”
י׳
כִּי־אָבִ֣י וְאִמִּ֣י עֲזָב֑וּנִי וַֽיהוָ֣ה יַֽאַסְפֵֽנִי׃
10
Though my father and mother abandon me,
the LORD will take me in.
10
For though my father and my mother have forsaken me, The LORD will take me up.
כִּי אָבִי וְאִמִּי עֲזָבוּנִי. בִּשְׁעַת תַּשְׁמִישׁ לַהֲנָאָתָן נִתְכַּוְּנוּ; כֵּיוָן שֶׁגָּמְרוּ הֲנָאָתָן, זֶה הוֹפֵךְ פָּנָיו אֵילָךְ וְזֶה הוֹפֵךְ פָּנָיו אֵילָךְ:
For my father and my mother have forsaken me At the time of coitus, they intended their own pleasure. As soon as their pleasure is over, this one turns his face this way and that one turns her face the other way.
וַה׳ יַאַסְפֵנִי. הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שׁוֹמֵר אֶת הַטִּפָּה וְצָר אֶת הָעֻבָּר (ויקרא רבה יד, ה):
but the Lord gathers me in The Holy One, blessed be He, guards the droplet and forms the fetus.
י"א
ה֤וֹרֵ֥נִי יְהוָ֗ה דַּ֫רְכֶּ֥ךָ וּ֭נְחֵנִי בְּאֹ֣רַח מִישׁ֑וֹר לְ֝מַ֗עַן שׁוֹרְרָֽי׃
11
Show me Your way, O LORD,
and lead me on a level path
because of my watchful foes.
11
Teach me Thy way, O LORD; And lead me in an even path, Because of them that lie in wait for me.
י"ב
אַֽל־תִּ֭תְּנֵנִי בְּנֶ֣פֶשׁ צָרָ֑י כִּ֥י קָֽמוּ־בִ֥י עֵֽדֵי־שֶׁ֝֗קֶר וִיפֵ֥חַ חָמָֽס׃
12
Do not subject me to the will of my foes,
for false witnesses and unjust accusers
have appeared against me.
12
Deliver me not over unto the will of mine adversaries; For false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out violence.
בְּנֶפֶשׁ צָרָי. בְּתַאֲוַת שׂוֹנְאַי, לִהְיוֹת תַּאֲוָתָם מִתְקַיֶּמֶת עָלַי:
to the desires of my adversaries To the desire of my enemies, to have their desire fulfilled through me.
וִיפֵחַ חָמָס. דּוֹבְרֵי רָעָה. לָשׁוֹן אַחֵר: לְשׁוֹן מוֹקֵשׁ (ס״א אינו):
and speakers of evil Heb. ויפח חמס, speakers of evil. Another explanation: An expression of a trap (פח).
י"ג
לׅׄוּלֵׅׄ֗אׅׄ הֶ֭אֱמַנְתִּי לִרְא֥וֹת בְּֽטוּב־יְהוָ֗ה בְּאֶ֣רֶץ חַיִּֽים׃
13
Had I not the assurance
that I would enjoy the goodness of the LORD
in the land of the living…
13
If I had not believed to look upon the goodness of the LORD In the land of the living!—
לוּלֵא הֶאֱמַנְתִּי וְגוֹ׳. אִם לֹא שֶׁהֶאֱמַנְתִּי בְּהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, כְּבָר קָמוּ בִי אוֹתָם עֵדֵי שֶׁקֶר וְכִלּוּנִי. לוּלֵא נָקוּד עָלָיו, לְמִדְרָשׁ שֶׁדָּרְשׁוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ (ברכות ד.): יוֹדֵעַ אֲנִי שֶׁאַתָּה נוֹתֵן שָׂכָר לַצַּדִּיקִים לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא, אֲבָל אֵינִי יוֹדֵעַ אִם יֵשׁ לִי חֵלֶק עִמָּהֶם אִם לָאו:
Had I not believed in seeing, etc. If I had not believed in the Holy One, blessed be He, those false witnesses would have already risen against me and destroyed me. [The word] לולא is punctuated for the homily which our Sages expounded (Ber. 4a): I know that You give reward to the righteous in the world to come, but I do not know whether I have a share with them or not.
י"ד
קַוֵּ֗ה אֶל־יְה֫וָ֥ה חֲ֭זַק וְיַאֲמֵ֣ץ לִבֶּ֑ךָ וְ֝קַוֵּ֗ה אֶל־יְהוָֽה׃
14
Look to the LORD;
be strong and of good courage!
O look to the LORD!
14
Wait on the LORD; Be strong, and let thy heart take courage; Yea, wait thou for the LORD.
וְקַוֵּה אֶל ה׳. וְאִם לֹא תִתְקַבֵּל תְּפִלָּתְךָ, חֲזוֹר וְקַוֵּה (ברכות לב:):
Hope for the Lord and if your prayer is not accepted, reinforce your hope.