א׳
לַמְנַצֵּ֥חַ בִּנְגִינ֗וֹת מִזְמ֥וֹר לְדָוִֽד׃
1
For the leader; with instrumental music. A psalm of David.
1
For the Leader; with string-music. A Psalm of David.
לַמְנַצֵּחַ בִּנְגִינוֹת. מִזְמוֹר זֶה יָסַד דָּוִד, שֶׁיֹּאמְרוּהוּ בְּנֵי לֵוִי הַמְנַצְּחִין בִּנְגִינוֹת בְּשִׁיר עַל הַדּוּכָן. לְשׁוֹן נִצּוּחַ נוֹפֵל בַּמִּתְחַזְּקִים בָּעֲבוֹדָה, כְּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר ״יַעַמְדוּ הַלְוִיִּם מִבֶּן עֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה וָמַעְלָה לְנַצֵּחַ עַל מְלֶאכֶת בֵּית ה׳״ (עזרא ג:ח):
To the conductor with melodies David established this psalm so that the Levites who conduct the melodies when singing on the platform should recite it. The expression of נצוח denotes those who apply themselves to the service, as the matter is stated (Ezra 3:8): “and appointed the Levites from twenty years old and upwards to conduct the work of the house of the Lord.”
ב׳
בְּקָרְאִ֡י עֲנֵ֤נִי ׀ אֱלֹ֘הֵ֤י צִדְקִ֗י בַּ֭צָּר הִרְחַ֣בְתָּ לִּ֑י חָ֝נֵּ֗נִי וּשְׁמַ֥ע תְּפִלָּתִֽי׃
2
Answer me when I call,
O God, my vindicator!
You freed me from distress;
have mercy on me and hear my prayer.
2
Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness, Thou who didst set me free when I was in distress; be gracious unto me, and hear my prayer.
בַּצָּר הִרְחַבְתָּ לִּי. בַּיָּמִים שֶׁעָבְרוּ עָלַי, וּמֵעַתָּה חָנֵּנִי וּשְׁמַע תְּפִלָּתִי:
in my distress You have relieved me in the days that have passed over me. From now on, be gracious to me and hearken to my prayer.
ג׳
בְּנֵ֥י אִ֡ישׁ עַד־מֶ֬ה כְבוֹדִ֣י לִ֭כְלִמָּה תֶּאֱהָב֣וּן רִ֑יק תְּבַקְשׁ֖וּ כָזָ֣ב סֶֽלָה׃
3
You men, how long will my glory be mocked,
will you love illusions,
have recourse to frauds? Selah.
3
O ye sons of men, how long shall my glory be put to shame, in that ye love vanity, and seek after falsehood? Selah
בְּנֵי אִישׁ. בְּנֵי אַבְרָהָם יִצְחָק וְיַעֲקֹב הַקְּרוּיִים אִישׁ, בְּאַבְרָהָם נֶאֱמַר (בראשית כ:ז) ״הָשֵׁב אֶת אֵשֶׁת הָאִישׁ״, בְּיִצְחָק נֶאֱמַר (בראשית כד:סה) ״מִי הָאִישׁ הַלָּזֶה״, בְּיַעֲקֹב נֶאֱמַר (בראשית כה:כז) ״אִישׁ תָּם״:
Sons of man The sons of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who are called man. About Abraham it is stated (in Gen. 20:7): “Restore the man’s wife.” About Isaac it is stated (ibid. 24:65): “Who is that man...?” About Jacob, it is stated (ibid. 25:27): “and Jacob was a plain man.”
עַד מֶה כְבוֹדִי לִכְלִמָּה. עַד מָתַי אַתֶּם מְבַזִּים אוֹתִי? הֲרְאִיתֶם אֶת בֶּן יִשַׁי (שמואל א כב:ט), ״מִי דָוִד וּמִי בֶן יִשָׁי״ (שמואל א כה:י), ״בִּכְרָת בְּנִי עִם בֶּן יִשַׁי״ (שמואל א כב:ח), ״כִּי בוֹחֵר אַתָּה לְבֶן יִשַׁי״ (שמואל א כ:ל), אֵין לִי שֵׁם?
how long will my honor be disgraced How long will you disgrace me? (I Sam. 20:30): “that you choose the son of Jesse”; (ibid. 22:8), “when my son made a covenant with the son of Jesse”; (ibid. verse 9), “I saw the son of Jesse”; (ibid. 25:10), “Who is David, and who is the son of Jesse?” I have no name.
תְּבַקְשׁוּ כָזָב. תִּרְדְּפוּ לִמְצוֹא כְּזָבִים, כְּגוֹן הַזִּיפִים שֶׁמַּלְשִׁינִים עָלַי, וְלִי הָיוּ מַרְאִים שָׁלוֹם, וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָהֶם דִּילָטוֹרִין שֶׁהָיוּ בִּימֵי שָׁאוּל: ״הֲלֹא דָוִד מִסְתַּתֵּר בְּגִבְעַת הַחֲכִילָה״ (שמואל א כג:יט), וְכֵן הַרְבֵּה:
will you constantly seek lies Will you chase to find lies, e.g., the Ziphites, who inform on me, yet show me friendliness, and other informers like them who were in Saul’s time (I Sam. 23:19): “Is David not hiding...in the hill of Hachilah?” And so, many.
ד׳
וּדְע֗וּ כִּֽי־הִפְלָ֣ה יְ֭הוָה חָסִ֣יד ל֑וֹ יְהוָ֥ה יִ֝שְׁמַ֗ע בְּקָרְאִ֥י אֵלָֽיו׃
4
Know that the LORD singles out the faithful for Himself;
the LORD hears when I call to Him.
4
But know that the LORD hath set apart the godly man as His own; The LORD will hear when I call unto Him.
הִפְלָה. הִבְדִּיל:
has set apart Heb. הפלה, has separated.
ה׳
רִגְז֗וּ וְֽאַל־תֶּ֫חֱטָ֥אוּ אִמְר֣וּ בִ֭לְבַבְכֶם עַֽל־מִשְׁכַּבְכֶ֗ם וְדֹ֣מּוּ סֶֽלָה׃
5
So tremble, and sin no more;
ponder it on your bed, and sigh.
5
Tremble, and sin not; commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah
רִגְזוּ. חִרְדוּ מִלִּפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, וְאַל תֶּחֱטָאוּ:
Quake Tremble before the Holy One, blessed be He, and do not sin.
אִמְרוּ בִלְבַבְכֶם עַל מִשְׁכַּבְכֶם. הָשִׁיבוּ עַל לְבַבְכֶם שֶׁהִזְהִיר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עַל כָּךְ:
say [this] in your heart on your bed and be forever silent Bring back to your heart [the thought] that the Holy One, blessed be He, admonished [you] concerning that.
ו׳
זִבְח֥וּ זִבְחֵי־צֶ֑דֶק וּ֝בִטְח֗וּ אֶל־יְהוָֽה׃
6
Offer sacrifices in righteousness
and trust in the LORD.
6
Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in the LORD.
זִבְחוּ זִבְחֵי צֶדֶק. הַצְדִּיקוּ מַעֲשֵׂיכֶם, וַהֲרֵי אַתֶּם כִּמְקְרִיבִים זְבָחִים:
Offer up sacrifices of righteousness Perform righteous deeds, and it will be as if you are offering up sacrifices.
וּבִטְחוּ אֶל ה׳. שֶׁיַּשְׁפִּיעַ לָכֶם טוֹבָה, וְאַל תֶּחֱטָאוּ לוֹ בִּשְׁבִיל מָמוֹן, שֶׁאַתֶּם מְצַפִּים לְקַבֵּל שָׂכָר מֵאֵת שָׁאוּל:
and trust in the Lord to lavish upon you goodness, and do not sin against Him for money, in the hope that you will be rewarded by Saul.
ז׳
רַבִּ֥ים אֹמְרִים֮ מִֽי־יַרְאֵ֪נ֫וּ ט֥וֹב נְֽסָה־עָ֭לֵינוּ א֨וֹר פָּנֶ֬יךָ יְהוָֽה׃
7
Many say, “O for good days!”
Bestow Your favor on us, O LORD.
7
Many there are that say: 'Oh that we could see some good!' LORD, lift Thou up the light of Thy countenance upon us.
רַבִּים אוֹמְרִים מִי יַרְאֵנוּ טוֹב. רַבִּים מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל יֵשׁ שֶׁרוֹאִין רְשָׁעִים בְּעֹשֶׁר וּבְשַׁלְוָה וְאוֹמְרִים: מִי יַרְאֵנוּ טוֹב לִהְיוֹת עֲשִׁירִים וּמַשִּׂיגֵי תַּאֲוָה כָּאֵלּוּ?
Many say, “Who will show us goodness?” There are many Jews who see the nations of the world in wealth and tranquility, and say, “Who will show us goodness,” to be wealthy and achieve desires like these people?
נְסָה עָלֵינוּ. הָרֵם עָלֵינוּ לְנֵס אֶת אוֹר פָּנֶיךָ, לְשׁוֹן ״הָרִימוּ נֵס״ (ישעיהו סב:י), ״אָרִים נִסִּי״ (ישעיהו מט:כב). לָשׁוֹן אַחֵר: נְסָה עָלֵינוּ. רֶפְלַנְבִּי״ר בְּלַעַ״ז, כְּמוֹ ״אַבְנֵי נֵזֶר מִתְנוֹסְסוֹת״ (זכריה ט:טז). אֲבָל אֲנִי אֵינִי מְקַנֵּא בָּהֶם, כִּי שִׂמְחָה נְתוּנָה בְלִבִּי מֵעֵת דְּגָנָם וְתִירוֹשָׁם רַבּוּ. בָּטוּחַ אֲנִי: אִם לְמַכְעִיסִים כָּךְ, לְעוֹשֵׂי רְצוֹנוֹ עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה, לֶעָתִיד, שֶׁהוּא יוֹם קִבּוּל שְׂכָרָם:
Raise up over us Heb. נסה Raise up over us for a banner the light of Your countenance, an expression of (Isa. 62:10): “lift up a banner (נס)”;(ibid. 49:22), “I will raise My standard (נסי).” Another interpretation: נסה is reflordir(?) (resplendir) in Old French, gleam, as (Zech. 9:16), “crown stones gleam (מתנוססות).” But I do not envy them, for joy has been given into my heart from the time that the corn and the wine of the nations have increased. I am confident that if those who anger Him [have] such [tranquility], how much more will those who perform His will have it in the future, which is the day of the reception of their reward!
ח׳
נָתַ֣תָּה שִׂמְחָ֣ה בְלִבִּ֑י מֵעֵ֬ת דְּגָנָ֖ם וְתִֽירוֹשָׁ֣ם רָֽבּוּ׃
8
You put joy into my heart
when their grain and wine show increase.
8
Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than when their corn and their wine increase.
ט׳
בְּשָׁל֣וֹם יַחְדָּו֮ אֶשְׁכְּבָ֪ה וְאִ֫ישָׁ֥ן כִּֽי־אַתָּ֣ה יְהוָ֣ה לְבָדָ֑ד לָ֝בֶ֗טַח תּוֹשִׁיבֵֽנִי׃
9
Safe and sound, I lie down and sleep,
for You alone, O LORD, keep me secure.
9
In peace will I both lay me down and sleep; for Thou, LORD, makest me dwell alone in safety.
בְּשָׁלוֹם יַחְדָּו אֶשְׁכְּבָה וְאִישָׁן. אִם הָיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּשָׁלוֹם יַחְדָּו עִמִּי, הָיִיתִי שׁוֹכֵב וְיָשֵׁן בֶּטַח וְלֹא הָיִיתִי יָרֵא מִכָּל צַר וְאוֹיֵב:
In peace together, I would lie down and sleep If Israel were in peace together with me, I would lie down and sleep in confidence, and I would not fear any adversary or enemy.
לְבָדָד לָבֶטַח. כְּמוֹ ״בֶּטַח בָּדָד עֵין יַעֲקֹב״ (דברים לג:כח), לְשׁוֹן מִבְטָח וָשֶׁקֶט הוּא, שֶׁאֵינוֹ צָרִיךְ לְהוֹשִׁיב גְּיָסוֹת עִמּוֹ:
alone in safety As (in Deut. 33:28): “secure and alone, the fountain of Jacob.” It is an expression of safety and tranquility, that he need not station troops with him.