א׳
מִזְמ֗וֹר לְאָ֫סָ֥ף אַ֤ךְ ט֭וֹב לְיִשְׂרָאֵ֥ל אֱלֹהִ֗ים לְבָרֵ֥י לֵבָֽב׃
1
A psalm of Asaph.
God is truly good to Israel,
to those whose heart is pure.
1
A Psalm of Asaph. Surely God is good to Israel, even to such as are pure in heart.
אַךְ טוֹב לְיִשְׂרָאֵל אֱלֹהִים. לְפִי שֶׁעִנְיַן הַמִּזְמוֹר מְדַבֵּר בַּצָּרוֹת הַבָּאוֹת עַל עוֹבְדֵי הַמָּקוֹם, לְכָךְ פָּתַח בּוֹ כָּךְ. וְזֶהוּ פֵּרוּשׁוֹ: אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֲנִי צוֹעֵק וּמִתְמֵהַּ עַל צָרוֹתֵיהֶם שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל, יָדַעְתִּי כִּי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא טוֹב לָהֶם, וּלְטוֹבָתָם הוּא מֵבִיא עֲלֵיהֶם אֶת הָרָעָה כְּדֵי לְזַכּוֹתָם לְחַיֵּי הָעוֹלָם הַבָּא:
A song of Asaph. Truly God is good to Israel, etc. Since the topic of this psalm deals with the troubles that befall Israel, he commences it in this manner. And this is the meaning: Although I cry out and am dismayed at Israel’s troubles, I knew that the Holy One, blessed be He, is good to them, and that He brings evil upon them for their own good, in order to give them merit in the life of the world to come.
ב׳
וַאֲנִ֗י כִּ֭מְעַט נטוי [נָטָ֣יוּ] רַגְלָ֑י כְּ֝אַ֗יִן שפכה [שֻׁפְּכ֥וּ] אֲשֻׁרָֽי׃
2
As for me, my feet had almost strayed,
my steps were nearly led off course,
2
But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped.
וַאֲנִי. מִטֶּרֶם שׂוּמִי זֹאת אֶל לִבִּי:
But as for me before I laid this to my heart.
כִּמְעַט נָטָיוּ רַגְלָי וְשֻׁפְּכוּ אֲשֻׁרַי. לִנְטוֹת מֵאַחֲרֵי הַמָּקוֹם:
my feet had almost turned away and my steps swept away to turn away from following the Omnipresent.
ג׳
כִּֽי־קִ֭נֵּאתִי בַּֽהוֹלְלִ֑ים שְׁל֖וֹם רְשָׁעִ֣ים אֶרְאֶֽה׃
3
for I envied the wanton;
I saw the wicked at ease.
3
For I was envious at the arrogant, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
כִּי קִנֵּאתִי בַּהוֹלְלִים. בִּמְעַרְבְּבֵי דַרְכֵיהֶם אֲשֶׁר הָיִיתִי רוֹאֶה אֶת שְׁלוֹמָם:
For I envied the perverse Those who pervert their ways, whose tranquility I would see.
בַּהוֹלְלִים. מְעַרְבְּבִים, כְּמוֹ (ישעיהו א:כב) ״סָבְאֵךְ מָהוּל בַּמָּיִם״ (ס״א אינו):
the perverse Heb. בהוללים, mixed, as (Isa. 1:22): “your wine is diluted (מהול) with water.”
ד׳
כִּ֤י אֵ֖ין חַרְצֻבּ֥וֹת לְמוֹתָ֗ם וּבָרִ֥יא אוּלָֽם׃
4
Death has no pangs for them;
their body is healthy.
4
For there are no pangs at their death, and their body is sound.
כִּי אֵין חַרְצֻבּוֹת לְמוֹתָם. לְשׁוֹן אֲסִירָה, כְּמוֹ ״פַּתֵּחַ חַרְצֻבּוֹת רֶשַׁע״ (ישעיה נח:ו), מַסְגְּרֵי כַּבְלֵי רֶשַׁע שֶׁאוֹסְרִין בָּהֶן הָעֲנִיִּים. אַף כָּאן: אֵין יִסּוּרִין לְמִיתָתָם, הַמֵּתִים בָּהֶם מֵהֶם בְּרִיאִים כְּאוּלָם, בְּלֹא יִסּוּרִין. וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ פֵּרְשׁוּ חַרְצֻבּוֹת נוֹטְרִיקוֹן: שֶׁאֵין חֲרֵדִין וְעַצְבִין מִיּוֹם הַמִּיתָה (שבת לא:). דָּבָר אַחֵר: שֶׁאֵין הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מְאַחֵר צִבְיוֹנָם (פֵּרוּשׁ רְצוֹנָם):
For there are no fetters to their death Heb. חרצבות, an expression of tying, as (Isa. 58:6): “to undo the fetters (חרצבות) of wickedness,” meaning the locks of the fetters with which they bind the poor. Here, too, there are no pains to their death. Those who die among them die healthy, [strong as] a palace, without pains. But our Rabbis explained חַרְצֻבּוֹת as an abbreviation, meaning that they are not (שאין) frightened (חרדין) or saddened (עצבין) by the day of death (Shab. 31b). Another explanation: that the Holy One, blessed be He, does not delay (מאחר) their desire (צביונם).
ה׳
בַּעֲמַ֣ל אֱנ֣וֹשׁ אֵינֵ֑מוֹ וְעִם־אָ֝דָ֗ם לֹ֣א יְנֻגָּֽעוּ׃
5
They have no part in the travail of men;
they are not afflicted like the rest of mankind.
5
In the trouble of man they are not; neither are they plagued like men.
ו׳
לָ֭כֵן עֲנָקַ֣תְמוֹ גַאֲוָ֑ה יַעֲטָף־שִׁ֝֗ית חָמָ֥ס לָֽמוֹ׃
6
So pride adorns their necks,
lawlessness enwraps them as a mantle.
6
Therefore pride is as a chain about their neck; violence covereth them as a garment.
לָכֵן עֲנָקַתְמוֹ גַאֲוָה. בַּעֲבוּר זֶה שֶׁאֵין יִסּוּרִין בָּאִין עֲלֵיהֶם, הֶעֱנִיקָתַם הַגַּאֲוָה לַעֲלוֹת עַל צַוָּארָם גַּסּוּת הָרוּחַ:
Therefore, they wear pride as a necklace Because of this, pride adorns them as a necklace, insofar as it ascends upon his neck.
יַעֲטָף שִׁית חָמָס לָמוֹ. הֶחָמָס שֶׁעוֹשִׂין, עוֹשֶׂה אוֹתָם שְׁמֵנִים וְעוֹטֵף אֶת שְׁתוֹתֵיהֶם וַעֲגָבוֹתֵיהֶם בְּעֹבִי שׁוּמָן וּבָשָׂר:
the robbery that they commit envelopes their hips The robbery they commit makes them fat, enveloping their buttocks and hips with thickness of fat and flesh.
ז׳
יָ֭צָא מֵחֵ֣לֶב עֵינֵ֑מוֹ עָ֝בְר֗וּ מַשְׂכִּיּ֥וֹת לֵבָֽב׃
7
Fat shuts out their eyes;
their fancies are extravagant.
7
Their eyes stand forth from fatness; they are gone beyond the imaginations of their heart.
יָצָא מֵחֵלֶב עֵינֵימוֹ. עֵינֵיהֶם בּוֹלְטוֹת מֵרֹב שׁוּמָן, כָּל אָדָם כָּחוּשׁ עֵינָיו מְשׁוּקָּעוֹת:
Because of their fat, their eyes bulge Their eyes bulge because of the abundant fat, for in an emaciated person, the eyes are sunken.
עָבְרוּ מַשְׂכִּיּוֹת לֵבָב. יוֹתֵר מִמַּה שֶּׁלִּבָּם מְיַחֵל וּמְצַפֶּה, בָּאָה לָהֶם תַּאֲוָתָם. עָבְרוּ בָּהֶם בְּהַשָּׂגַת יָדָם אֶת תַּאֲוַת לִבָּם:
they surpassed the imaginings of their heart More than what their heart hopes for and awaits, came to them. In the attainment of their hand, they surpassed the desire of their heart.
ח׳
יָמִ֤יקוּ ׀ וִידַבְּר֣וּ בְרָ֣ע עֹ֑שֶׁק מִמָּר֥וֹם יְדַבֵּֽרוּ׃
8
They scoff and plan evil;
from their eminence they plan wrongdoing.
8
They scoff, and in wickedness utter oppression; they speak as if there were none on high.
יָמִיקוּ. אֶת רֵעֵיהֶם:
They consume their neighbors.
וִידַבְּרוּ בְרָע עֹשֶׁק. לַעֲשׁוֹק אֶבְיוֹנִים:
and speak wickedly about oppression To oppress the needy.
מִמָּרוֹם יְדַבֵּרוּ. כְּגוֹן פַּרְעֹה וְסַנְחֵרִיב וּנְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר: ״מִי ה׳ אֲשֶׁר אֶשְׁמַע בְּקוֹלוֹ״ (שמות ה:ב), ״מִי בְּכָל אֱלֹהֵי הָאֲרָצוֹת״ (מלכים ב יח:לה), ״אֶעֱלֶה עַל בָּמֳתֵי עָב״ (ישעיהו יד:יד). וְזֶהוּ שָׁתוּ בַשָּׁמַיִם פִּיהֶם:
they speak about the Most High e.g. Pharaoh, Sennacherib, and Nebuchadnezzar. [Pharaoh said] (Exod. 5:2): “Who is the Lord that I should obey Him?” [Sennacherib said] (Isa. 36:20), “Who are they among all the gods of the lands...?” [Nebuchadnezzar said] (Isa. 14:14), “I will ascend above the heights of the clouds.” That is the meaning of: “They have set their mouth against Heaven.”
ט׳
שַׁתּ֣וּ בַשָּׁמַ֣יִם פִּיהֶ֑ם וּ֝לְשׁוֹנָ֗ם תִּֽהֲלַ֥ךְ בָּאָֽרֶץ׃
9
They set their mouths against heaven,
and their tongues range over the earth.
9
They have set their mouth against the heavens, And their tongue walketh through the earth.
י׳
לָכֵ֤ן ׀ ישיב [יָשׁ֣וּב] עַמּ֣וֹ הֲלֹ֑ם וּמֵ֥י מָ֝לֵ֗א יִמָּ֥צוּ לָֽמוֹ׃
10
So they pound His people again and again,
until they are drained of their very last tear.
10
Therefore His people return hither; And waters of fullness are drained out by them.
לָכֵן יָשׁוּב עַמּוֹ הֲלֹם. לְפִי שֶׁעַמּוֹ רוֹאִים ״דֶּרֶךְ רְשָׁעִים צָלֵחָה״ (ירמיה יב:א), יָשׁוּבוּ עַל דֶּרֶךְ הָרְשָׁעִים לָלֶכֶת בְּדַרְכֵיהֶם:
Therefore, His people will return here Since His people sees that the way of the wicked prospers, they will return on the way of the wicked, to adopt their ways.
הֲלֹם. כְּמוֹ ״מִי הֲבִיאֲךָ הֲלֹם״ (שופטים יח:ג) – פֹּה:
here Heb. הלם, as (Jud. 18: 3): “Who brought you here (הלום)?” [Equivalent to] פֹּה.
וּמֵי מָלֵא יִמָּצוּ לָמוֹ. וּמַיִם שֶׁל פֶּלֶג הַמָּלֵא, הֵם דִּבְרֵי תוֹרָה, נֶחְשָׁבִים לָמוֹ תַּמְצִית וּמְזֻלְזָלִים בְּעֵינֵיהֶם:
and the waters of the full are drain water to them And the waters of the full stream—they are words of Torah—are considered by them as water that drains out, and they despise them.
י"א
וְֽאָמְר֗וּ אֵיכָ֥ה יָדַֽע־אֵ֑ל וְיֵ֖שׁ דֵּעָ֣ה בְעֶלְיֽוֹן׃
11
Then they say, “How could God know?
Is there knowledge with the Most High?”
11
And they say: 'How doth God know? And is there knowledge in the Most High?'
וְאָמְרוּ אֵיכָה יָדַע אֵל. אֵיכָה נוּכַל לוֹמַר שֶׁיֵּשׁ דֵּעָה בְּהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, וְתוֹרָתוֹ אֱמֶת?
And they say, “How does God know” How can we say that there is knowledge in the Holy One, blessed be He, and that His Torah is true?
י"ב
הִנֵּה־אֵ֥לֶּה רְשָׁעִ֑ים וְשַׁלְוֵ֥י ע֝וֹלָ֗ם הִשְׂגּוּ־חָֽיִל׃
12
Such are the wicked;
ever tranquil, they amass wealth.
12
Behold, such are the wicked; And they that are always at ease increase riches.
הִנֵּה אֵלֶּה רְשָׁעִים. הֵם וְעוֹבְרִים עַל תּוֹרָתוֹ, וַהֲרֵי הֵם שְׁלֵוִים בָּעוֹלָם וּמַגְדִּילִים כֹּחַ וְעֹשֶׁר:
Behold these are wicked They [are wicked] and transgress His Torah; yet they are tranquil in the world and increase power and wealth.
וְשַׁלְוֵי עוֹלָם. לְשׁוֹן שַׁלְוָה:
they are tranquil in the world An expression of tranquility.
הִשְׂגּוּ. הִגְדִּילוּ, וּמְנַחֵם פֵּירֵשׁ ״יָשׁוּב עַמּוֹ הֲלוֹם״ (תהלים י:י), יָשׁוּב הָרָשָׁע לַהֲלוֹם אֶת עַמּוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא. וְהָרִאשׁוֹן לָמַדְתִּי מִדְּבָרָיו שֶׁל רַבִּי מֵאִיר בַּר יִצְחָק שְׁלִיחַ צִבּוּר זַצַ״ל:
have increased Heb. השגו, have increased. Menachem (p. 72) explains: יָשוּב עַמוֹ הֲלוֹם, the wicked will return to crush (להלם) the people of the Holy One, blessed be He. The first interpretation I learned from the words of Rabbi Meir the son of Isaac, the cantor, may the memory of the righteous be for a blessing.
י"ג
אַךְ־רִ֭יק זִכִּ֣יתִי לְבָבִ֑י וָאֶרְחַ֖ץ בְּנִקָּי֣וֹן כַּפָּֽי׃
13
It was for nothing that I kept my heart pure
and washed my hands in innocence,
13
Surely in vain have I cleansed my heart, And washed my hands in innocency;
אַךְ רִיק זִכִּיתִי לְבָבִי. כָּל זֶה מוּסָב עַל וְאָמְרוּ אֵיכָה יָדַע אֵל, וְגַם אוֹמֵר: אַךְ לָרִיק וְעַל חִנָּם אָנוּ שׁוֹמְרִים מִצְווֹתָיו שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, וַהֲרֵי אָנוּ נְגוּעִים כָּל הַיּוֹם:
But for nought I cleansed my heart All this refers back to: “And they say, ‘How does God know?’” They also say, “But for nothing and in vain we keep the commandments of the Holy One, blessed be He, for behold, we are plagued all the days.”
י"ד
וָאֱהִ֣י נָ֭גוּעַ כָּל־הַיּ֑וֹם וְ֝תוֹכַחְתִּ֗י לַבְּקָרִֽים׃
14
seeing that I have been constantly afflicted,
that each morning brings new punishments.
14
For all the day have I been plagued, And my chastisement came every morning.
וְתוֹכַחְתִּי. נִרְאֵית כָּל הַיּוֹם תָּמִיד, מִבֹּקֶר לְבֹקֶר מִתְחַדְּשׁוֹת צָרוֹת חֲדָשׁוֹת:
and my chastisement appears all day; constantly, from morning to morning, new troubles are renewed.
ט"ו
אִם־אָ֭מַרְתִּי אֲסַפְּרָ֥ה כְמ֑וֹ הִנֵּ֤ה ד֭וֹר בָּנֶ֣יךָ בָגָֽדְתִּי׃
15
Had I decided to say these things,
I should have been false to the circle of Your disciples.
15
If I had said: 'I will speak thus', Behold, I had been faithless to the generation of Thy children.
אִם אָמַרְתִּי אֲסַפְּרָה כְמוֹ. אָמַר אָסָף: אִם אָמַרְתִּי בְּלִבִּי לְסַפֵּר אֶת הַכֹּל כְּמוֹ שֶׁהוּא, כָּל מַה שֶּׁעַמּוֹ אוֹמֵר עַל זֹאת:
If I said, “I shall tell it as it is” Said Asaph, “If I said in my heart to tell everything as it is, all that His people say about this.”
הִנֵּה דוֹר בָּנֶיךָ בָגָדְתִּי. כְּלוֹמַר אָשִׂים אוֹתָם בּוֹגְדִים וּרְשָׁעִים:
behold I have made the generation of Your children into traitors That is to say that I would make them into traitors and wicked men.
ט"ז
וָֽ֭אֲחַשְּׁבָה לָדַ֣עַת זֹ֑את עָמָ֖ל היא [ה֣וּא] בְעֵינָֽי׃
16
So I applied myself to understand this,
but it seemed a hopeless task
16
And when I pondered how I might know this, It was wearisome in mine eyes;
וָאֲחַשְּׁבָה. בְּלִבִּי:
And when I ponder in my heart.
לָדַעַת זֹאת. מַה הִיא מִדָּתוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא. כֵּן הוּא עָמָל בְעֵינָי. נִרְאֵית הָיְתָה מִדָּה זֹאת לִי עָמָל וְלֹא מִשְׁפָּט:
to know this what the manner of the Holy One, blessed be He, is. So it is iniquity in my eyes. This manner appeared to me as iniquity and not justice.
י"ז
עַד־אָ֭בוֹא אֶל־מִקְדְּשֵׁי־אֵ֑ל אָ֝בִ֗ינָה לְאַחֲרִיתָֽם׃
17
till I entered God’s sanctuary
and reflected on their fate.
17
Until I entered into the sanctuary of God, And considered their end.
עַד. אֲשֶׁר בָּאתִי אֶל מִקְדְּשֵׁי אֵל. אֲשֶׁר בִּירוּשָׁלַיִם, וְרָאִיתִי מַה שֶּׁאֵרַע בְּסַנְחֵרִיב (מלכים ב יט:לה-לו), וְאָז הֵבִינוֹתִי לְאַחֲרִית הָרְשָׁעִים שֶׁהוּא לַאֲבַדּוֹן וְאָמַרְתִּי: אַךְ כָּל הַטּוֹבָה הַבָּאָה לָהֶם חֲלָקוֹת הֵם, שֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מַחֲלִיק לָהֶם הַדֶּרֶךְ שֶׁלָּהֶם, שֶׁתְּהֵא נוֹחָה וַחֲלָקָה, לְמַעַן לֹא יִתְּנוּ לֵב לָשׁוּב אֵלָיו וְיֹאבְדוּ:
Until I came to the sanctuaries of God, which are in Jerusalem, and saw what happened to Sennacherib. Then I understood the end of the wicked, that it is to destruction. Then I said, “All the good that comes to them is only slippery places; for the Holy One, blessed be He, makes their way slippery, that it should be easy and smooth, so that they should not put their heart to return to Him, and they should perish.”
י"ח
אַ֣ךְ בַּ֭חֲלָקוֹת תָּשִׁ֣ית לָ֑מוֹ הִ֝פַּלְתָּ֗ם לְמַשּׁוּאֽוֹת׃
18
You surround them with flattery;
You make them fall through blandishments.
18
Surely Thou settest them in slippery places; Thou hurlest them down to utter ruin.
אַךְ בַּחֲלָקוֹת תָּשִׁית לָמוֹ. כָּל הַטּוֹבָה הַבָּאָה לָהֶם, שֶׁהֲרֵי סוֹפָם הִפַּלְתָּם לְמַשּׁוּאוֹת:
Only in slippery places do You set them All the goodness that comes to them, for ultimately, You cast them down to ruin.
י"ט
אֵ֤יךְ הָי֣וּ לְשַׁמָּ֣ה כְרָ֑גַע סָ֥פוּ תַ֝֗מּוּ מִן־בַּלָּהֽוֹת׃
19
How suddenly are they ruined,
wholly swept away by terrors.
19
How are they become a desolation in a moment! They are wholly consumed by terrors.
מִן בַּלָּהוֹת. מִן שֵׁדִים:
by terrors By demons.
כ׳
כַּחֲל֥וֹם מֵהָקִ֑יץ אֲ֝דֹנָי בָּעִ֤יר ׀ צַלְמָ֬ם תִּבְזֶֽה׃
20
When You are aroused You despise their image,
as one does a dream after waking, O Lord.
20
As a dream when one awaketh, So, O Lord, when Thou arousest Thyself, Thou wilt despise their semblance.
כַּחֲלוֹם מֵהָקִיץ. כְּשֵׁינָה שֶׁאֵין לָהּ קֵץ, שֶׁהוּא שֵׁינַת עוֹלָם, כֵּן הָיְתָה לָהֶם: ״וַיֵּצֵא מַלְאַךְ ה׳ וַיַּךְ בְּמַחֲנֵה אַשּׁוּר״ (ישעיהו לז:לו; מלכים ב יט:לה):
As a dream without awakening As a sleep without end (without awakening), which is an eternal sleep, so did they have (Isa. 37:36): “And an angel of the Lord went forth and slew...of the camp of Assyria.”
אֲדֹנָי בָּעִיר צַלְמָם תִּבְזֶה. בִּירוּשָׁלַיִם, שֶׁהֵרֵעוּ עָלֶיהָ, שָׁם נִתְבַּזָּה צֶלֶם דְּמוּתָם וְנִשְׂרְפוּ כֻּלָּם:
O Lord, in the city You will despise their form In Jerusalem, with which they dealt evilly, there the form of their image was despised, and they were all burnt.
כ"א
כִּ֭י יִתְחַמֵּ֣ץ לְבָבִ֑י וְ֝כִלְיוֹתַ֗י אֶשְׁתּוֹנָֽן׃
21
My mind was stripped of its reason,
my feelings were numbed.
21
For my heart was in a ferment, And I was pricked in my reins. .
כִּי יִתְחַמֵּץ לְבָבִי. מִטֶּרֶם שֶׁרָאִיתִי מַפָּלָה זוֹ בְּרוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ הָיָה לְבָבִי מִתְחַמֵּץ עַל דֶּרֶךְ הָרְשָׁעִים שֶׁצָּלְחָה (ירמיה יב:א), וּבְכִלְיוֹתַי הָיִיתִי מִשְׁתּוֹנָן, לְשׁוֹן חֶרֶב שָׁנוּן (משלי כה:יח), וּכְשֶׁהוּא מִתְפַּעֵל הַתָּי״ו נִתֶּנֶת בְּאֶמְצַע שֹׁרֶשׁ הַתֵּיבָה כְּדֶרֶךְ כָּל תֵּיבָה שֶׁיְּסוֹד תְּחִלָּתָהּ שִׁי״ן:
For my heart was in ferment Before I saw this downfall with the holy spirit, my heart was in ferment because the way of the wicked prospered, and my mind was on edge (אשתונן), an expression of a sharpened sword (שנון). When it is reflexive, the “tav” is placed in the middle of the radical, as is the case of every word whose radical commences with “shin.”
כ"ב
וַאֲנִי־בַ֭עַר וְלֹ֣א אֵדָ֑ע בְּ֝הֵמ֗וֹת הָיִ֥יתִי עִמָּֽךְ׃
22
I was a dolt, without knowledge;
I was brutish toward You.
22
But I was brutish, and ignorant; I was as a beast before Thee.
וַאֲנִי. הָיִיתִי בַעַר וְלֹא הָיִיתִי יוֹדֵעַ מַה הִיא הַמִּדָּה, וְכִבְהֵמָה הָיִיתִי עִמָּךְ:
But I was brutish, and I did not know what this manner was, and I was as a beast with You.
כ"ג
וַאֲנִ֣י תָמִ֣יד עִמָּ֑ךְ אָ֝חַ֗זְתָּ בְּיַד־יְמִינִֽי׃
23
Yet I was always with You,
You held my right hand;
23
Nevertheless I am continually with Thee; Thou holdest my right hand.
וַאֲנִי. אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהָיִיתִי רוֹאֶה כָּל זֶה, תָּמִיד הָיִיתִי עִמָּךְ. וְלֹא זַזְתִּי מִיִּרְאָתְךָ:
Yet I Although I saw all this constantly, I was with You, and I did not move from fear of You.
אָחַזְתָּ בְּיַד יְמִינִי. לְהַחֲזִיקֵנִי בְּיִרְאָתְךָ, כְּשֶׁקָּרְבוּ רַגְלַי לִנְטוֹת מִדַּרְכֶּךָ; כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר לְמַעְלָה כִּמְעַט נָטָיוּ רַגְלָי:
You grasped my right hand to strengthen me in Your fear when my feet are about to turn from Your way, as it is stated above (verse 2): “my feet had almost turned away.”
כ"ד
בַּעֲצָתְךָ֥ תַנְחֵ֑נִי וְ֝אַחַ֗ר כָּב֥וֹד תִּקָּחֵֽנִי׃
24
You guided me by Your counsel
and led me toward honor.
24
Thou wilt guide me with Thy counsel, And afterward receive me with glory.
תַּנְחֵנִי. נְחִיתַנִי:
You led me Heb. תנחני, [like] נחיתני, You led me.
וְאַחַר כָּבוֹד תִּקָּחֵנִי. אִלּוּ הָיָה טַעַם עַל כָּבוֹד, הָיָה פִּתְרוֹנוֹ: לְאַחַר שֶׁהִשְׁלַמְתָּ לְסַנְחֵרִיב כָּל הַכָּבוֹד שֶׁפָּסַקְתָּ לוֹ, תִּקָּחֵנוּ אֵלֶיךָ. הִפְלֵאתָ נִסֶּיךָ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל וְהֶחֱרַבְתָּ אֶת סַנְחֵרִיב. עַכְשָׁיו שֶׁהַטַּעַם עַל וְאַחַרֵי כֵּן, זֶה פִּתְרוֹנוֹ: וְאַחַר, לְכָבוֹד תִּקָּחֵנִי – מְשַׁכְתַּנִי אֵלֶיךָ לְכָבוֹד וּלְתִפְאֶרֶת:
and after[wards], You took me [for] glory If the cantillation sign were on כָּבוֹד, its interpretation would be: After You bestowed upon Sennacherib all the glory You had allotted to him, You will take me to You. You have performed wondrous miracles for Israel and have destroyed Sennacherib. Now that the cantillation sign is on ואחר, this is its interpretation: (and afterwards,) You took me to glory; You drew me to You for glory and beauty.
כ"ה
מִי־לִ֥י בַשָּׁמָ֑יִם וְ֝עִמְּךָ֗ לֹא־חָפַ֥צְתִּי בָאָֽרֶץ׃
25
Whom else have I in heaven?
And having You, I want no one on earth.
25
Whom have I in heaven but Thee? And beside Thee I desire none upon earth.
מִי לִי בַשָּׁמָיִם. שׁוּם מַלְאָךְ שֶׁבָּחַרְתִּי לִי לֶאֱלוֹהַּ? לֹא בָחַרְתִּי אֶלָּא אוֹתְךָ:
For whom do I have in heaven [Was there] any angel that I chose for me as a god? I chose only You.
כ"ו
כָּלָ֥ה שְׁאֵרִ֗י וּלְבָ֫בִ֥י צוּר־לְבָבִ֥י וְחֶלְקִ֗י אֱלֹהִ֥ים לְעוֹלָֽם׃
26
My body and mind fail;
but God is the stay of my mind, my portion forever.
26
My flesh and my heart faileth; But God is the rock of my heart and my portion for ever.
כָּלָה שְׁאֵרִי. נִתְאַוָּה בְּשָׂרִי וּלְבָבִי לְךָ:
My flesh...yearn My flesh and my heart yearn for You.
כָּלָה שְׁאֵרִי. לְשׁוֹן תַּאֲוָה, כְּמוֹ ״כָּלְתָה לִתְשׁוּעָתְךָ נַפְשִׁי״ (תהלים קיט:פא):
yearn Heb. כלה, an expression of desire, as (119:81): “My soul yearned (כלתה) for Your salvation.”
כ"ז
כִּֽי־הִנֵּ֣ה רְחֵקֶ֣יךָ יֹאבֵ֑דוּ הִ֝צְמַ֗תָּה כָּל־זוֹנֶ֥ה מִמֶּֽךָּ׃
27
Those who keep far from You perish;
You annihilate all who are untrue to You.
27
For, lo, they that go far from Thee shall perish; Thou dost destroy all them that go astray from Thee.
זוֹנֶה מִמֶּךָּ. נִפְרָד מִמְּךָ:
who strays from You Who separates himself from You.
כ"ח
וַאֲנִ֤י ׀ קִֽרֲבַ֥ת אֱלֹהִ֗ים לִ֫י־ט֥וֹב שַׁתִּ֤י ׀ בַּאדֹנָ֣י יְהֹוִ֣ה מַחְסִ֑י לְ֝סַפֵּ֗ר כָּל־מַלְאֲכוֹתֶֽיךָ׃
28
As for me, nearness to God is good;
I have made the Lord GOD my refuge,
that I may recount all Your works.
28
But as for me, the nearness of God is my good; I have made the Lord GOD my refuge, That I may tell of all Thy works.
מַלְאֲכוֹתֶיךָ. שְׁלִיחוּתֶיךָ, רוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ הַבָּא בְּלִבִּי לֵאמֹר:
Your mission Your message; the holy spirit that comes into my heart to say it.