א׳
לַמְנַצֵּ֥חַ אֶֽל־הַנְּחִיל֗וֹת מִזְמ֥וֹר לְדָוִֽד׃
1
For the leader; on neḥiloth. A psalm of David.
1
For the Leader; upon the Nehiloth. A Psalm of David.
אֶל הַנְּחִילוֹת. מְנַחֵם פָּתַר בְּכֻלָּן: נְחִילוֹת וַעֲלָמוֹת, גִּתִּית, יְדוּתוּן – כֻּלָּם שְׁמוֹת כְּלֵי זֶמֶר הֵם, וּנְעִימַת הַמִּזְמוֹר הָיְתָה לְפִי שִׁיר הָרָאוּי לְאוֹתוֹ כְּלִי. וּמִדְרַשׁ אַגָּדָה יֵשׁ מְפָרְשִׁים נְחִילוֹת לְשׁוֹן נַחֲלָה; וְאֵין זֶה מַשְׁמָעוּת הַתֵּיבָה, וְגַם עִנְיַן הַמִּזְמוֹר אֵינוֹ מְדַבֵּר בְּנַחֲלָה. וְיִתָּכֵן לִפְתּוֹר נְחִילוֹת – גְּיָסוֹת, כְּמוֹ נָחִיל שֶׁל דְּבוֹרִים (בבא קמא י:); וּכְמוֹ ״וְנַחֲלֵי בְלִיַּעַל״ (שמואל ב כב:ה), וְתִרְגֵּם יוֹנָתָן: ״סִיעַת חַיָּבִין״. תְּפִלָּה בִּשְׁבִיל גְּיָסוֹת אוֹיְבִים הַבָּאִים עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל; וְאוֹמֵר הַמְשׁוֹרֵר מִזְמוֹר הַזֶּה בִּשְׁבִיל כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל:
on nehiloth Menachem interpreted all of them: nehiloth, alamoth, gittith, jeduthun, that they are all names of musical instruments, and the melody of the psalm was according to the melody fit for that instrument. However, [in the] Midrash Aggadah (Mid. Ps. 5:1,2,4) some explain “nehiloth” as an expression of heritage, but that is not the meaning of the word; moreover, the contents of the psalm do not deal with heritage. It is, however, possible to interpret נחלות as troops, like “a swarm (נחיל) of bees,” (Bava Kamma 114a, 81b), and like (II Sam. 22:5), “Bands (נחלי) of scoundrels would affright me,” which Jonathan renders: Bands (סיען) of sinners. [This is] a prayer concerning the bands of the enemies that come upon Israel, and the Psalmist recited this psalm on behalf of all Israel.
ב׳
אֲמָרַ֖י הַאֲזִ֥ינָה ׀ יְהוָ֗ה בִּ֣ינָה הֲגִֽיגִי׃
2
Give ear to my speech, O LORD;
consider my utterance.
2
Give ear to my words, O LORD, consider my meditation.
אֲמָרַי הַאֲזִינָה ה׳. כְּשֶׁיֵּשׁ בִּי כֹּחַ לִשְׁאֹל צְרָכַי לְפָנֶיךָ, וּכְשֶׁאֵין בִּי כֹּחַ לְהִתְפַּלֵּל לְפָנֶיךָ וְהַדְּאָגָה עֲצוּרָה בְּלִבִּי, בִּינָה הֲגִיגִי. הָבֵן הֲגִיוֹן לִבִּי. כָּךְ מְפֹרָשׁ בַּמִּדְרָשׁ. כָּל בִּינָה שֶׁבַּמִּקְרָא הַטַּעַם תַּחַת הַנּוּ״ן, חוּץ מִזֶּה וַחֲבֵרוֹ (איוב לד:טז) ״וְאִם בִּינָה שִׁמְעָה זֹאת״, שֶׁאֵינוֹ שֵׁם דָּבָר אֶלָּא לְשׁוֹן הָבֵן, כְּמוֹ (משלי כג:א) ״בִּין תָּבִין אֶת אֲשֶׁר לְפָנֶיךָ״, לְפִיכָךְ הַטַּעַם תַּחַת הַבֵּי״ת:
Give ear to my words, O Lord when I have strength to ask before You and, when I have no strength to pray before You and the worry is confined to my heart...consider my meditation Heb. בינה. Consider the meditation of my heart. So it is explained in Midrash [Psalms 5:6]: In every [instance of] בינה in Scripture, the accent is under the “nun,” except this one and its fellow (in Job 34: 16): “And if you wish, understand (בִּנָה), hearken to this,” which is not a noun but an expression of “understand,” like (Prov. 23:1): “you should understand well (בין תבין) who is in front of you.” Therefore, the accent is under the “beth.”
ג׳
הַקְשִׁ֤יבָה ׀ לְק֬וֹל שַׁוְעִ֗י מַלְכִּ֥י וֵאלֹהָ֑י כִּֽי־אֵ֝לֶ֗יךָ אֶתְפַּלָּֽל׃
3
Heed the sound of my cry,
my king and God,
for I pray to You.
3
Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my God; For unto Thee do I pray.
ד׳
יְֽהוָ֗ה בֹּ֭קֶר תִּשְׁמַ֣ע קוֹלִ֑י בֹּ֥קֶר אֶֽעֱרָךְ־לְ֝ךָ֗ וַאֲצַפֶּֽה׃
4
Hear my voice, O LORD, at daybreak;
at daybreak I plead before You, and wait.
4
O LORD, in the morning shalt Thou hear my voice; In the morning will I order my prayer unto Thee, and will look forward.
בֹּקֶר תִּשְׁמַע קוֹלִי. בַּבֹּקֶר אֲנִי קוֹרֵא לְךָ עֲלֵיהֶם, שֶׁהוּא עֵת מִשְׁפָּט בָּרְשָׁעִים, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר ״לַבְּקָרִים אַצְמִית כָּל רִשְׁעֵי אָרֶץ״ (תהלים קא:ח), ״הֱיֵה זְרוֹעָם לַבְּקָרִים״ (ישעיהו לג:ב), ״כִּי בַבֹּקֶר בַּבֹּקֶר יַעֲבֹר״ (ישעיהו כח:יט):
in the morning You shall hearken to my voice In the morning, I call out to You about them, because it is a time of judgment for the wicked, as it is stated (below 101:8): “Morning by morning will I destroy all the wicked of the land”; (Isa: 33:2), “Be their arm every morning”; (ibid. 28:19), “for every morning it shall pass.”
בֹּקֶר אֶעֱרָךְ לְךָ. תְּפִלָּתִי עַל זֹאת, אֶעֱרֹךְ לְשׁוֹן מַעֲרָכָה הוּא, כָּךְ חִבְּרוֹ מְנַחֵם:
in the morning I shall arrange to You my prayer concerning this. [The word]: אערך is an expression of arrangement (מערכה). Menachem (p. 138) classifies it in this manner.
וַאֲצַפֶּה. שֶׁתַּעֲשֶׂה בָּהֶם מִשְׁפָּטִים:
and I shall look forward that You execute justice upon them.
ה׳
כִּ֤י ׀ לֹ֤א אֵֽל־חָפֵ֘ץ רֶ֥שַׁע ׀ אָ֑תָּה לֹ֖א יְגֻרְךָ֣ רָֽע׃
5
For You are not a God who desires wickedness;
evil cannot abide with You;
5
For Thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness; Evil shall not sojourn with Thee.
כִּי לֹא אֵל חָפֵץ רֶשַׁע אָתָּה. וְנָאֶה לְךָ לְאַבֵּד הָרִשְׁעָה מִן הָעוֹלָם:
For You are not a God Who desires wickedness Therefore, I arrange my prayer to You in the morning (appears only in certain editions) and it befits You to destroy wickedness from the world.
לֹא יְגֻרְךָ רָע. לֹא יָגוּר אֶצְלְךָ:
evil does not abide with You Heb. יגרך, it will not abide beside You.
ו׳
לֹֽא־יִתְיַצְּב֣וּ הֽ֭וֹלְלִים לְנֶ֣גֶד עֵינֶ֑יךָ שָׂ֝נֵ֗אתָ כָּל־פֹּ֥עֲלֵי אָֽוֶן׃
6
wanton men cannot endure in Your sight.
You detest all evildoers;
6
The boasters shall not stand in Thy sight; Thou hatest all workers of iniquity.
הוֹלְלִים. מִשְׁתַּטִּים, וּבִלְשׁוֹן מִשְׁנָה מְעֻרְבָּבִין:
Confused people who make themselves mad, and in the language of the Mishnah, מערבבין, confused.
ז׳
תְּאַבֵּד֮ דֹּבְרֵ֪י כָ֫זָ֥ב אִישׁ־דָּמִ֥ים וּמִרְמָ֗ה יְתָ֘עֵ֥ב ׀ יְהוָֽה׃
7
You doom those who speak lies;
murderous, deceitful men the LORD abhors.
7
Thou destroyest them that speak falsehood; The LORD abhorreth the man of blood and of deceit.
אִישׁ דָּמִים וּמִרְמָה. זֶה עֲמָלֵק וְזַרְעוֹ:
a man of blood and deceit This [refers to] Esau and his descendants.
ח׳
וַאֲנִ֗י בְּרֹ֣ב חַ֭סְדְּךָ אָב֣וֹא בֵיתֶ֑ךָ אֶשְׁתַּחֲוֶ֥ה אֶל־הֵֽיכַל־קָ֝דְשְׁךָ֗ בְּיִרְאָתֶֽךָ׃
8
But I, through Your abundant love, enter Your house;
I bow down in awe at Your holy temple.
8
But as for me, in the abundance of Thy lovingkindness will I come into Thy house; I will bow down toward Thy holy temple in the fear of Thee.
וַאֲנִי אָבוֹא בֵיתֶךָ. לְהוֹדוֹת לְךָ בְּרֹב חַסְדְּךָ שֶׁהִפְלֵאתָ עָלֵינוּ, לְהַרְאוֹתֵנוּ נְקָמָה מֵהֶם:
I...shall enter Your House to thank You for Your great loving-kindness that You have wondrously bestowed upon us, to grant us revenge upon them.
ט׳
יְהוָ֤ה ׀ נְחֵ֬נִי בְצִדְקָתֶ֗ךָ לְמַ֥עַן שׁוֹרְרָ֑י הושר [הַיְשַׁ֖ר] לְפָנַ֣י דַּרְכֶּֽךָ׃
9
O LORD, lead me along Your righteous [path]
because of my watchful foes;
make Your way straight before me.
9
O LORD, lead me in Thy righteousness because of them that lie in wait for me; Make Thy way straight before my face.
שׁוֹרְרָי. עוֹיְנַי הַמְּצַפִּים שֶׁאֶבְגּוֹד בְּךָ וְתַעַזְבֵנִי, שׁוֹרְרָי כְּמוֹ ״אֲשׁוּרֶנּוּ וְלֹא קָרוֹב״ (במדבר כד:יז):
those who lie in wait for me Heb. שוררי, those who look after me, who look forward to my betraying You, so that You should forsake me. [The word] שוררי is like (Num. 24:17): “I behold it (אשורינו), but it is not near.”
י׳
כִּ֤י אֵ֪ין בְּפִ֡יהוּ נְכוֹנָה֮ קִרְבָּ֪ם הַ֫וּ֥וֹת קֶֽבֶר־פָּת֥וּחַ גְּרוֹנָ֑ם לְ֝שׁוֹנָ֗ם יַחֲלִֽיקוּן׃
10
For there is no sincerity on their lips;
their heart is [filled with] malice;
their throat is an open grave;
their tongue slippery.
10
For there is no sincerity in their mouth; Their inward part is a yawning gulf, Their throat is an open sepulchre; They make smooth their tongue.
כִּי אֵין בְּפִיהוּ נְכוֹנָה. נִרְאִים כְּאוֹהֲבִים, וְהֵם אוֹיְבִים:
For there is no sincerity in his mouth They appear as friends but they are enemies.
קִרְבָּם הַוּוֹת. מַחְשְׁבוֹתָם מִרְמָה:
there is malice in their heart Their thoughts are deceitful.
קֶבֶר פָּתוּחַ גְּרוֹנָם. לִבְלֹעַ יְגִיעַ אֲחֵרִים כְּקֶבֶר הַבּוֹלֵעַ אֶת הַגּוּף:
their throat is an open grave to swallow others’ toil, like a grave that swallows up the body.
יַחֲלִיקוּן. דִּבְרֵי חֲלַקְלַקּוֹת:
they make their tongue smooth with words of flattery.
י"א
הַֽאֲשִׁימֵ֨ם ׀ אֱֽלֹהִ֗ים יִפְּלוּ֮ מִֽמֹּעֲצ֪וֹתֵ֫יהֶ֥ם בְּרֹ֣ב פִּ֭שְׁעֵיהֶם הַדִּיחֵ֑מוֹ כִּי־מָ֥רוּ בָֽךְ׃
11
Condemn them, O God;
let them fall by their own devices;
cast them out for their many crimes,
for they defy You.
11
Hold them guilty, O God, Let them fall by their own counsels; Cast them down in the multitude of their transgressions; For they have rebelled against Thee.
מִמּוֹעֲצוֹתֵיהֶם. שֶׁהֵם יוֹעֲצִים עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְאָז יִשְׂמְחוּ כָּל חוֹסֵי בָךְ:
by their own counsels which they formulate against Israel. Then all who take shelter in You shall rejoice.
י"ב
וְיִשְׂמְח֨וּ כָל־ח֪וֹסֵי בָ֡ךְ לְעוֹלָ֣ם יְ֭רַנֵּנוּ וְתָסֵ֣ךְ עָלֵ֑ימוֹ וְֽיַעְלְצ֥וּ בְ֝ךָ֗ אֹהֲבֵ֥י שְׁמֶֽךָ׃
12
But let all who take refuge in You rejoice,
ever jubilant as You shelter them;
and let those who love Your name exult in You.
12
So shall all those that take refuge in Thee rejoice, They shall ever shout for joy, And Thou shalt shelter them; Let them also that love Thy name exult in Thee.
וְתָסֵךְ עָלֵימוֹ. תָּגוֹנֵן וּתְסוֹכֵךְ עָלֵימוֹ:
and You shall shelter them You shall shield and shelter them.
וְיַעְלְצוּ בְךָ. כְּשֶׁיִּרְאוּ שֶׁאַתָּה תְּבָרֵךְ רֵעֶיךָ וְאוֹהֲבֶיךָ:
exult in You when they see that You bless the righteous man, Jacob, and his seed.
י"ג
כִּֽי־אַתָּה֮ תְּבָרֵ֪ךְ צַ֫דִּ֥יק יְהוָ֑ה כַּ֝צִּנָּ֗ה רָצ֥וֹן תַּעְטְרֶֽנּוּ׃
13
For You surely bless the righteous man, O LORD,
encompassing him with favor like a shield.
13
For Thou dost bless the righteous; O LORD, Thou dost encompass him with favour as with a shield.
כַּצִּנָּה. הַמַּקֶּפֶת שָׁלֹשׁ רוּחוֹתָיו שֶׁל אָדָם:
like a shield which encompasses a man from three sides.
רָצוֹן. נַחַת רוּחַ, אֵפִּימַנְ״ט בְּלַעַ״ז:
will satisfaction, apayement in Old French; appeasement, kindness, peace of heart.
תַּעְטְרֶנּוּ. תְּסוֹבְבֶנּוּ, כְּמוֹ (שמואל א כג:כו) ״וְשָׁאוּל וַאֲנָשָׁיו עוֹטְרִים אֶל דָּוִד וְאֶל אֲנָשָׁיו״:
You shall encompass him תעטרנו, You shall encompass him (in Sam. 23:26): “but Saul and his men were encircling (עוטרים) David and his men.”