א׳
לְדָוִ֗ד מַ֫שְׂכִּ֥יל אַשְׁרֵ֥י נְֽשׂוּי־פֶּ֗שַׁע כְּס֣וּי חֲטָאָֽה׃
1
Of David. A maskil.
Happy is he whose transgression is forgiven,
whose sin is covered over.
1
[A Psalm] of David. Maschil. Happy is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is pardoned.
לְדָוִד מַשְׂכִּיל. אָמְרוּ חֲכָמִים (פסחים קיז.): כָּל מִזְמוֹר שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בּוֹ מַשְׂכִּיל, עַל יְדֵי מְתוּרְגְּמָן אֲמָרוֹ:
Of David, a maskil The Sages said (Pes. 117a): Every Psalm in which “maskil” is mentioned was said through an interpreter.
אַשְׁרֵי נְשׂוּי פֶּשַׁע. שֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא נוֹשֵׂא פֶּשַׁע וּמְכַסֶּה חֲטָאָיו:
Praiseworthy is he whose transgression is forgiven Whose transgression the Holy One, Blessed Be He, forgives, and He conceals his sins.
נְשׂוּי. אַנְפוֹרְדוֹנִי״ץ בְּלַעַ״ז:
(נשוי is anpardone in Old French, pardoned. The implication is forgiveness, because the forgiveness of iniquity represents [the sin] being lifted up and withdrawn from upon a person.)
ב׳
אַ֥שְֽׁרֵי אָדָ֗ם לֹ֤א יַחְשֹׁ֬ב יְהוָ֣ה ל֣וֹ עָוֺ֑ן וְאֵ֖ין בְּרוּח֣וֹ רְמִיָּה׃
2
Happy the man whom the LORD does not hold guilty,
and in whose spirit there is no deceit.
2
Happy is the man unto whom the LORD counteth not iniquity, And in whose spirit there is no guile.
וְלֹא יַחְשֹׁב לוֹ עָוֺן. וּבִלְבַד שֶׁלֹּא תִּהְיֶה בְּרוּחוֹ רְמִיָּה לִהְיוֹת בְּדַעְתּוֹ לָשׁוּב אֶל קִיאוֹ (משלי כו:יא):
to whom the Lord ascribes no iniquity provided that in his spirit there is no guile, thinking to revert to his “vomit.”
ג׳
כִּֽי־הֶ֭חֱרַשְׁתִּי בָּל֣וּ עֲצָמָ֑י בְּ֝שַׁאֲגָתִ֗י כָּל־הַיּֽוֹם׃
3
As long as I said nothing,
my limbs wasted away
from my anguished roaring all day long.
3
When I kept silence, my bones wore away Through my groaning all the day long.
כִּי הֶחֱרַשְׁתִּי. כַּאֲשֶׁר הֶחֱרַשְׁתִּי מִלְּהִתְוַדּוֹת עַל פְּשָׁעַי לְפָנֶיךָ:
When I was silent When I was silent, [when I refrained] from confessing my transgressions before You.
בָּלוּ עֲצָמָי. מֵרוֹב אַנְחוֹתַי וּדְאָגוֹתַי כָּל הַיּוֹם שֶׁהָיִיתִי דּוֹאֵג מִפְּנֵי הַפֻּרְעָנוּת:
my bones decayed because of my many sighs and my worries all day, that I was worrying about the punishment.
ד׳
כִּ֤י ׀ יוֹמָ֣ם וָלַיְלָה֮ תִּכְבַּ֥ד עָלַ֗י יָ֫דֶ֥ךָ נֶהְפַּ֥ךְ לְשַׁדִּ֑י בְּחַרְבֹ֖נֵי קַ֣יִץ סֶֽלָה׃
4
For night and day
Your hand lay heavy on me;
my vigor waned
as in the summer drought. Selah.
4
For day and night Thy hand was heavy upon me; My sap was turned as in the droughts of summer. Selah
כִּי יוֹמָם וָלַיְלָה. הָיָה כָבֵד עָלַי מוֹרָא יָדְךָ וּגְזֵרוֹתֶיךָ:
For [both] day and night the fear of Your hand and Your decrees was heavy upon me.
נֶהְפַּךְ לְשַׁדִּי. לַחְלוּחַ שֶׁלִּי, וְכֵן ״לְשַׁד הַשֶּׁמֶן״ (במדבר יא:ח), לַחְלוּחַ שֶׁמֶן. כָּךְ פֵּרְשׁוֹ דוּנַשׁ, וּמְנַחֵם חִבֵּר לְשׁוֹן שְׁדִידָה כְּמוֹ ״מִשֹּׁד עֲנִיִּים״ (תהלים יב:ו), ״רְשָׁעִים זוּ שַׁדּוּנִי״ (תהלים יז:ט):
my freshness was transformed Heb. לשדי, my moisture, and so (in Num. 11:8): “the moisture (לשד) of oil,” the moisture of oil. This is how Dunash explained it (p. 14). Menachem (p. 171) associates [it with] an expression of plunder as (above 12:6): “from the plunder (משד) of the poor”; (above 17: 9) “Because of the wicked who have robbed me (שדוני).”
בְּחַרְבוֹנֵי קַיִץ. עַד שֶׁיִּיבַשׁ בְּחֹרֶב הַקַּיִץ מִפְּנֵי דַּאֲגַת כֹּבֶד יָדְךָ, שֶׁהָיִיתִי דּוֹאֵג עַל חַטָּאתִי; וּלְפִיכָךְ:
as in the droughts of summer Until it dries up as the drought of summer out of my worry of the heaviness of Your hand, that I was worrying about my sins; therefore...
ה׳
חַטָּאתִ֨י אוֹדִ֪יעֲךָ֡ וַעֲוֺ֘נִ֤י לֹֽא־כִסִּ֗יתִי אָמַ֗רְתִּי אוֹדֶ֤ה עֲלֵ֣י פְ֭שָׁעַי לַיהוָ֑ה וְאַתָּ֨ה נָ֘שָׂ֤אתָ עֲוֺ֖ן חַטָּאתִ֣י סֶֽלָה׃
5
Then I acknowledged my sin to You;
I did not cover up my guilt;
I resolved, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,”
and You forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah.
5
I acknowledged my sin unto Thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid; I said: 'I will make confession concerning my transgressions unto the LORD' — And Thou, Thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah
חַטָּאתִי אוֹדִיעֲךָ. תָּמִיד וּלְשׁוֹן הֹוֶה הוּא, כִּי אָמַרְתִּי: טוֹב שֶׁאוֹדֶה עֲלֵי פְשָׁעַי לַה׳. וְעַתָּה כְּשֶׁהוֹדֵיתִי וְאָמַרְתִּי לְנָתָן הַנָּבִיא ״חָטָאתִי״ (שמואל ב יב:יג), נָשָׂאתָ עֲוֺן חַטָּאתִי, כְּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שם): ״גַּם ה׳ הֶעֱבִיר חַטָּאתְךָ וְגוֹ׳״:
I would inform You of my sin always. This is a present tense. For I said, It is good that I should confess my transgressions to the Lord, and now that I confessed and said to Nathan the prophet, “I have sinned,” (as in II Samuel 12:13)...You forgave the iniquity of my sin as the matter that is stated there (verse 13): “Also the Lord has removed your sin, etc.”
ו׳
עַל־זֹ֡את יִתְפַּלֵּ֬ל כָּל־חָסִ֨יד ׀ אֵלֶיךָ֮ לְעֵ֪ת מְ֫צֹ֥א רַ֗ק לְ֭שֵׁטֶף מַ֣יִם רַבִּ֑ים אֵ֝לָ֗יו לֹ֣א יַגִּֽיעוּ׃
6
Therefore let every faithful man pray to You
upon discovering [his sin],
that the rushing mighty waters
not overtake him.
6
For this let every one that is godly pray unto Thee in a time when Thou mayest be found; Surely, when the great waters overflow, they will not reach unto him.
לְעֵת מְצוֹא. בְּהִמָּצְאֲךָ לְקַבֵּל תְּפִלָּתוֹ, וּמַה הִיא זֹאת? רַק לְשֵׁטֶף מַיִם רַבִּים אֲשֶׁר לֹא יַגִּיעוּ אֵלָיו – שֶׁלֹּא יִפֹּל בְּיַד הָאֻמּוֹת, שֶׁהֵם כְּמַיִם שׁוֹטְפִים. וְכֵן מָצִינוּ שֶׁהִתְפַּלֵּל דָּוִד עַל זֹאת וְאָמַר: ״נִפְּלָה נָּא בְיַד ה׳ כִּי רַבִּים רַחֲמָיו וּבְיַד אָדָם אַל אֶפֹּלָה״ (שמואל ב כד:יד):
at the time that You are found When You are found to accept his prayer, and what is this?...only about a flood of vast waters that they should not reach him, that he should not fall into the hands of enemies, who are like flooding waters. And so we find that David prayed for this and said (II Sam. 24: 14): “Let us fall now into the hand of the Lord, for His mercies are great; but into the hand of man let me not fall.”
ז׳
אַתָּ֤ה ׀ סֵ֥תֶר לִי֮ מִצַּ֪ר תִּ֫צְּרֵ֥נִי רָנֵּ֥י פַלֵּ֑ט תְּס֖וֹבְבֵ֣נִי סֶֽלָה׃
7
You are my shelter;
You preserve me from distress;
You surround me with the joyous shouts of deliverance. Selah.
7
Thou art my hiding-place; Thou wilt preserve me from the adversary; With songs of deliverance Thou wilt compass me about. Selah
אַתָּה סֵתֶר לִי. לְהִסָּתֵר בְּצִלְּךָ מִפְּנֵי פַּחַד אוֹיֵב:
You are a shelter for me to hide in Your shadow from before the enemy.
תִּצְּרֵנִי. כְּמוֹ תִּשְׁמְרֵנִי:
You guard me Heb. תצרני, like תשמרני.
רָנֵּי פַלֵּט. רִנָּה שֶׁל הַצָּלָה:
songs of deliverance A song of rescue.
תְּסוֹבְבֵנִי. לְשׁוֹן הֹוֶה הוּא: סִבַּבְתַּנִי תָּמִיד רָנֵּי פַלֵּט. וְכָךְ אָמַרְתָּ לִי:
You encompass me Heb. תסובבני. This is the present tense. You always encompassed me with songs of deliverance. And so You said to me...
ח׳
אַשְׂכִּֽילְךָ֨ ׀ וְֽאוֹרְךָ֗ בְּדֶֽרֶךְ־ז֥וּ תֵלֵ֑ךְ אִֽיעֲצָ֖ה עָלֶ֣יךָ עֵינִֽי׃
8
Let me enlighten you
and show you which way to go;
let me offer counsel; my eye is on you.
8
'I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go; I will give counsel, Mine eye being upon thee.'
אַשְׂכִּילְךָ וְאוֹרְךָ. דֶּרֶךְ לָלֶכֶת:
I will enlighten you and instruct you which way to go.
אִיעֲצָה. אֶרְמֹז לְךָ בְּעֵינִי רֶמֶז מַה תַּעֲשֶׂה, אִיעֲצָה לְשׁוֹן קְרִיצַת עַיִן כְּמוֹ ״עֹצֵם עֵינָיו לַחְשֹׁב תַּהְפֻּכוֹת״ (משלי טז:ל):
I will wink With My eye; I will hint to you what to do. איעצה is an expression of winking the eye, as (in Prov. 16:30): “He winks (עצה) his eyes to think perverse thoughts.”
ט׳
אַל־תִּֽהְי֤וּ ׀ כְּס֥וּס כְּפֶרֶד֮ אֵ֤ין הָ֫בִ֥ין בְּמֶֽתֶג־וָרֶ֣סֶן עֶדְי֣וֹ לִבְל֑וֹם בַּ֝֗ל קְרֹ֣ב אֵלֶֽיךָ׃
9
Be not like a senseless horse or mule
whose movement must be curbed by bit and bridle;
far be it from you!
9
Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding; Whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, That they come not near unto thee.
אַל תִּהְיוּ כְּסוּס כְּפֶרֶד. שֶׁאֵינוֹ מֵבִין בֵּין הָעוֹשֶׂה לוֹ טוֹבָה לְעוֹשֶׂה לוֹ רָעָה, כְּשֶׁאַתָּה מְמַתְּגָם בּוֹ בְּמֶתֶג הוּא בּוֹלֵם פִּיו וּמְכַסְכֵּס בְּרִסְנוֹ, וּכְשֶׁאַתָּה מְקָרְדוֹ וּמְקַרְצְפוֹ אַתָּה צָרִיךְ לִבְלֹם וְלִסְגֹּר פִּיו וּלְיַסְּרוֹ בְּמֶתֶג וָרֶסֶן כְּשֶׁאַתָּה מְעַדֵּהוּ עֲדִי וּמְיַפֵּהוּ:
Be not like a horse, like a mule which does not discern between one who benefits him and one who does him harm, for when you insert a bit into his mouth, he closes his mouth and shakes his bridle, and when you curry him and brush him, you must close his mouth and chastise him with a bit and bridle while you adorn him and groom him.
בַּל קְרֹב אֵלֶיךָ. שֶׁלֹּא יִקְרַב אֵלֶיךָ, לְהַזִּיקְךָ כְּשֶׁאַתָּה מְיַפֵּהוּ. בְּמֶתֶג וָרֶסֶן עֶדְיוֹ לִבְלוֹם. בִּשְׁעַת עֶדְיוֹ, שֶׁאַתָּה מְקַרְדּוֹ וּמְקַרְצְפוֹ, אַתָּה צָרִיךְ לְסוֹגְרוֹ בְּמֶתֶג וָרֶסֶן שֶׁלֹּא יִקְרַב אֵלֶיךָ. בְּלִימָה בִּלְשׁוֹן מִשְׁנָה לְשׁוֹן מַסְגֵּר: פִּיו בָּלוּם, רַגְלָיו מְבֻלָּמוֹת (בכורות מ:). וּמְנַחֵם חִבֵּר לִבְלוֹם וְכֵן ״עַל בְּלִימָה״ (איוב כו:ז) לְשׁוֹן תֹּכֶן (ס״א אינו):
so that...he does not come near you So that he should not come near you to hurt you while you groom him, with bit and bridle (when he is being groomed, to close his mouth. When he is being groomedwhile you curry him and brush himyou must close his mouth with a bit and bridle so that he does not come near you.) בלימה is an expression of closing in the language of the Mishnah: Its mouth is closed (בלום), its feet are closed (מבלמות), in Tractate Bechoroth (40b). (Menachem associated לבלום, and also בלימה [Job 26:7] as an expression of regulating [p. 45].)
י׳
רַבִּ֥ים מַכְאוֹבִ֗ים לָרָ֫שָׁ֥ע וְהַבּוֹטֵ֥חַ בַּיהוָ֑ה חֶ֝֗סֶד יְסוֹבְבֶֽנּוּ׃
10
Many are the torments of the wicked,
but he who trusts in the LORD
shall be surrounded with favor.
10
Many are the sorrows of the wicked; But he that trusteth in the LORD, mercy compasseth him about.
י"א
שִׂמְח֬וּ בַֽיהוָ֣ה וְ֭גִילוּ צַדִּיקִ֑ים וְ֝הַרְנִ֗ינוּ כָּל־יִשְׁרֵי־לֵֽב׃
11
Rejoice in the LORD and exult, O you righteous;
shout for joy, all upright men!
11
Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, ye righteous; And shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart.