א׳
לַמְנַצֵּ֥חַ עַֽל־יְדוּת֗וּן מִזְמ֥וֹר לְדָוִֽד׃
1
For the leader; on Jeduthun. A psalm of David.
1
For the Leader; for Jeduthun. A Psalm of David.
עַל יְדוּתוּן. שֵׁם כְּלִי שִׁיר, וּמִדְרַשׁ אַגָּדָה : עַל הַדָּתוֹת וְעַל הַדִּינִין הַנִּגְזָרִים עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל מֵאוֹיְבֵיהֶם:
on jeduthun The name of a musical instrument. The Midrash Aggadah, though, [explains it to mean]: concerning the ordinances (דתות) and laws that are decreed upon Israel by their enemies.
ב׳
אַ֣ךְ אֶל־אֱ֭לֹהִים דּֽוּמִיָּ֣ה נַפְשִׁ֑י מִ֝מֶּ֗נּוּ יְשׁוּעָתִֽי׃
2
Truly my soul waits quietly for God;
my deliverance comes from Him.
2
Only for God doth my soul wait in stillness; From Him cometh my salvation.
דּוּמִיָּה נַפְשִׁי. מְצַפָּה נַפְשִׁי, כְּמוֹ ״דּוֹם לַה׳ וְהִתְחוֹלֵל לוֹ״ (תהלים לז:ז):
does my soul hope Heb. דומיה. My soul hopes, as (above 37:7): “Wait (דום) for the Lord and hope for Him.”
ג׳
אַךְ־ה֣וּא צ֭וּרִי וִֽישׁוּעָתִ֑י מִ֝שְׂגַּבִּ֗י לֹא־אֶמּ֥וֹט רַבָּֽה׃
3
Truly He is my rock and deliverance,
my haven; I shall never be shaken.
3
He only is my rock and my salvation, My high tower, I shall not be greatly moved.
לֹא אֶמּוֹט רַבָּה. מְטוֹת גְּדוֹלוֹת, וּמִדְרַשׁ אַגָּדָה: רַבָּה גֵּיהִנֹּם:
I shall not falter greatly Great falterings. According to the Midrash Aggadah (Mid. Ps. 62: 2), “greatly” refers to Gehinnom.
ד׳
עַד־אָ֤נָה ׀ תְּהֽוֹתְת֣וּ עַל אִישׁ֮ תְּרָצְּח֪וּ כֻ֫לְּכֶ֥ם כְּקִ֥יר נָט֑וּי גָּ֝דֵ֗ר הַדְּחוּיָֽה׃
4
How long will all of you attack a man,
to crush him, as though he were
a leaning wall, a tottering fence?
4
How long will ye set upon a man, That ye may slay him, all of you, As a leaning wall, a tottering fence?
תְּהוֹתְתוּ. מְנַחֵם פֵּירֵשׁ מִגִּזְרַת ״הֵתָיוּ לְאָכְלָה״ (ירמיהו יב:ט), ״וַיֵּתֵא רָאשֵׁי עָם״ (דברים לג:כא): עַד אָנָה תֵּאָסְפוּ עַל אִישׁ. וְלִי נִרְאֶה שֶׁיֵּשׁ לְפוֹתְרוֹ לְשׁוֹן ״הַוּוֹת״ (תהלים ה:י), וִיהֵא הֵ״א וְתָי״ו שֹׁרֶשׁ: כַּאֲשֶׁר יֹאמַר מִן ׳מֵת׳ – ׳מוֹת׳, כָּךְ נֹאמַר מִן יְסוֹד ׳הֵת׳ – ׳הוֹת׳, וּלְשׁוֹן רַבִּים ׳הַוּוֹת׳; וְהוּא לְשׁוֹן מַחֲשֶׁבֶת שֶׁבֶר וְתַרְמִית. וְיֵשׁ מְפָרְשִׁין: תְּהוֹתְתוּ כְּמוֹ תַּאֲרִיכוּ לְשׁוֹנְכֶם עַל בְּנֵי אָדָם בְּרַע. וְדִמּוּהָּ לִלְשׁוֹן הָעֲרָב כְּשֶׁמַּרְבֶּה בִּדְבָרִים (ס״א אינו):
will you plan destruction Heb. תהותתו. Menachem (p. 69) explained it as derived from (Jer. 12: 9): “come (התיו) to eat”; (Deut. 33:21), “He came (ויתא) to the head of the people.” How long will you gather against a man? But it appears to me that it should be interpreted as an expression of הַוּוֹת destruction, and the “hey” and “tav” are the radical. As one says from מֵת, מוֹת, so shall we say from the root הֵת, הוֹת, and the plural is הוּוֹת. It is an expression of a destructive and deceitful plot. Others explain תְּהוֹתֲתוּ as “you extend.” i.e., you extend your tongue on the sons of men with evil, and they compared it to Arabic, when one speaks overly much.
כְּקִיר נָטוּי. הַמּוּכָן לִיפּוֹל עַל בְּנֵי אָדָם:
as a leaning wall which is ready to fall upon the sons of men.
ה׳
אַ֤ךְ מִשְּׂאֵת֨וֹ ׀ יָעֲצ֣וּ לְהַדִּיחַ֮ יִרְצ֪וּ כָ֫זָ֥ב בְּפִ֥יו יְבָרֵ֑כוּ וּ֝בְקִרְבָּ֗ם יְקַלְלוּ־סֶֽלָה׃
5
They lay plans to topple him from his rank;
they delight in falsehood;
they bless with their mouths,
while inwardly they curse. Selah.
5
They only devise to thrust him down from his height, delighting in lies; They bless with their mouth, but they curse inwardly. Selah
מִשְּׂאֵתוֹ. לְפִי שֶׁאַתֶּם יְגוּרִים מִן בְּנֵי אָדָם שֶׁמָּא יִמְלֹךְ וִישַׁלֵּם גְּמוּלְכֶם, יְעַצְתֶּם לְהַדִּיחַ עָלָיו הָרָעָה:
because of his loftiness Because you are afraid of people (sic) perhaps he will reign and repay you your recompense, and your counsel is to cause harm to fall upon him.
בְּפִיו. שֶׁל כָּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד מֵהֶם יְבָרֵכוּ:
with his mouth of each of them they bless.
וּבְקִרְבָּם. וּבְמַחְשְׁבוֹתָם יְקַלְלוּ סֶלָה:
but inwardly But in their thoughts they curse forever.
ו׳
אַ֣ךְ לֵ֭אלֹהִים דּ֣וֹמִּי נַפְשִׁ֑י כִּי־מִ֝מֶּ֗נּוּ תִּקְוָתִֽי׃
6
Truly, wait quietly for God, O my soul,
for my hope comes from Him.
6
Only for God wait thou in stillness, my soul; For from Him cometh my hope.
ז׳
אַךְ־ה֣וּא צ֭וּרִי וִֽישׁוּעָתִ֑י מִ֝שְׂגַּבִּ֗י לֹ֣א אֶמּֽוֹט׃
7
He is my rock and deliverance,
my haven; I shall not be shaken.
7
He only is my rock and my salvation, My high tower, I shall not be moved.
ח׳
עַל־אֱ֭לֹהִים יִשְׁעִ֣י וּכְבוֹדִ֑י צוּר־עֻזִּ֥י מַ֝חְסִ֗י בֵּֽאלֹהִֽים׃
8
I rely on God, my deliverance and glory,
my rock of strength;
in God is my refuge.
8
Upon God resteth my salvation and my glory; The rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God.
ט׳
בִּטְח֘וּ ב֤וֹ בְכָל־עֵ֨ת ׀ עָ֗ם שִׁפְכֽוּ־לְפָנָ֥יו לְבַבְכֶ֑ם אֱלֹהִ֖ים מַחֲסֶה־לָּ֣נוּ סֶֽלָה׃
9
Trust in Him at all times, O people;
pour out your hearts before Him;
God is our refuge. Selah.
9
Trust in Him at all times, ye people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. Selah
י׳
אַ֤ךְ ׀ הֶ֥בֶל בְּנֵֽי־אָדָם֮ כָּזָ֪ב בְּנֵ֫י אִ֥ישׁ בְּמֹאזְנַ֥יִם לַעֲל֑וֹת הֵ֝֗מָּה מֵהֶ֥בֶל יָֽחַד׃
10
Men are mere breath;
mortals, illusion;
placed on a scale all together,
they weigh even less than a breath.
10
Men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a lie; If they be laid in the balances, they are together lighter than vanity.
אַךְ הֶבֶל בְּנֵי אָדָם. וְאַל תִּירְאוּ מֵהֶם מֵאַחַר שֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מַחֲסֶה לָנוּ בְּעֵת צָרָה סֶלָה:
The sons of men are but vanity Do not fear them, since God is forever our shelter in time of trouble.
בְּמֹאזְנַיִם לַעֲלוֹת. אִם בָּאוּ לַעֲלוֹת בְּמֹאזְנַיִם וְהַבְלֵיהֶם שָׁוִים, כֵּן פְּשׁוּטוֹ. וּמִדְרָשׁוֹ לְעִנְיַן הַזּוּגוֹת (ויקרא רבה כט:ח):
were they to be put on a scale If they came to go up on a scale, they and their vanities would be equal. This is the simple meaning, but midrashically, it is interpreted as concerning couples (Lev. Rabbah 29:8).
י"א
אַל־תִּבְטְח֣וּ בְעֹשֶׁק֮ וּבְגָזֵ֪ל אַל־תֶּ֫הְבָּ֥לוּ חַ֤יִל ׀ כִּֽי־יָנ֑וּב אַל־תָּשִׁ֥יתוּ לֵֽב׃
11
Do not trust in violence,
or put false hopes in robbery;
if force bears fruit pay it no mind.
11
Trust not in oppression, And put not vain hope in robbery; If riches increase, set not your heart thereon.
חַיִל כִּי יָנוּב. אִם תִּרְאוּ רְשָׁעִים שֶׁמָּמוֹנָם מַצְלִיחַ וְגָדֵל, אַל תָּשִׁיתוּ לֵב:
if wealth burgeons If you see wicked men whose money prospers and increases, pay it no heed.
חַיִל. מָמוֹן:
חיל is money.
יָנוּב. יִצְמַח, לְשׁוֹן ״תְּנוּבָה״ (ישעיה כז:ו):
burgeons Heb. ינוב, grows, an expression of produce (תנובה).
י"ב
אַחַ֤ת ׀ דִּבֶּ֬ר אֱלֹהִ֗ים שְׁתַּֽיִם־ז֥וּ שָׁמָ֑עְתִּי כִּ֥י עֹ֝֗ז לֵאלֹהִֽים׃
12
One thing God has spoken;
two things have I heard:
that might belongs to God,
12
God hath spoken once, Twice have I heard this: That strength belongeth unto God;
אַחַת דִּבֶּר אֱלֹהִים. שֶׁשָּׁמַעְתִּי מִתּוֹכָהּ שְׁתַּיִם, וּמָה הֵן שְׁתַּיִם? כִּי עֹז לְךָ לְשַׁלֵּם לְאִישׁ כְּמַעֲשֵׂהוּ, וְהַשֵּׁנִי כִּי לְךָ ה׳ הַחֶסֶד. וּמֵאֵיזֶה דִּבּוּר שְׁמַעְנוּם? מִדִּבּוּר שֵׁנִי שֶׁל עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדִּבְּרוֹת שָׁמַעְנוּ מִמֶּנּוּ, שֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא פּוֹקֵד עָוֹן וְנוֹצֵר חֶסֶד, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בּוֹ (שמות כ:ה) ״פֹּקֵד עֲוֹן אָבוֹת וְגוֹ׳״. לְכָךְ בָּטוּחַ אֲנִי שֶׁיְּשַׁלֵּם שָׂכָר טוֹב לַצַּדִּיקִים וּפֻרְעָנוּת לָרְשָׁעִים. זוֹ לָמַדְתִּי מִיסוֹדוֹ שֶׁל ר׳ מֹשֶׁה הַדַּרְשָׁן. וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ דְּרָשׁוּהוּ (מכילתא יתרו בחדש ז) בְּזָכוֹר וְשָׁמוֹר בְּדִבּוּר אֶחָד נֶאֶמְרוּ:
God spoke one thing I heard two things from it, and what are the two things? First, that God has strength to repay a man according to his deed. Second, that You, O Lord, have kindness. Now, from which statement do we derive this? From the second commandment of the Decalogue. We derive from it that the Holy One, blessed be He, punishes iniquity and preserves kindness, as it is stated therein: “I visit the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, etc.” Therefore, I am confident that He will pay a good reward to the righteous and punishment to the wicked. I learned from the work of Rabbi Moshe Hadarshan, but our Sages interpreted it as referring to [the maxim that] “Remember” and “Keep” were stated in a single utterance.
י"ג
וּלְךָֽ־אֲדֹנָ֥י חָ֑סֶד כִּֽי־אַתָּ֨ה תְשַׁלֵּ֖ם לְאִ֣ישׁ כְּֽמַעֲשֵֽׂהוּ׃
13
and faithfulness is Yours, O Lord,
to reward each man according to his deeds.
13
Also unto Thee, O Lord, belongeth mercy; For Thou renderest to every man according to his work.
וּלְךָ אֲדֹנָי חָסֶד. וּמַהוּ הַחֶסֶד? כִּי אַתָּה תְשַׁלֵּם לְאִישׁ כְּמַעֲשֵׂהוּ, וְלֹא מַעֲשֵׂהוּ מַמָּשׁ אֶלָּא מִקְצָתוֹ, כְּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״כִּי אַתָּה אֱלֹהֵינוּ חָשַׂכְתָּ לְמַטָּה מֵעֲוֹנֵנוּ״ (עזרא ט:יג). כָּךְ נִדְרַשׁ בְּאַגָּדַת תְּהִלִּים (מדרש תהלים סב:ד). וְיֵשׁ לִפְתֹּר עוֹד: וּלְךָ ה׳ הַחֶסֶד, כִּי יֵשׁ בְּיָדְךָ לְשַׁלֵּם לְאִישׁ כְּמַעֲשֵׂהוּ:
And You, O Lord, have kindness And what is the kindness? That You repay a man according to his deed; not really his deed but part of it, as the matter that is stated (Ezra 9:13): “for You, our God, have punished us less than our iniquities [deserve].” In this manner it is interpreted in Aggadath Tehillim (Mid. Ps. 62:4). It may also be interpreted: And You, O Lord, have kindness because You have the power to repay a man according to his deed.