Approved/121/Expanded Paraphrase
From Psalms: Layer by Layer
| Text (Hebrew) | Verse | Expanded Paraphrase |
|---|---|---|
| שִׁ֗יר לַֽמַּ֫עֲל֥וֹת אֶשָּׂ֣א עֵ֭ינַי אֶל־הֶהָרִ֑ים מֵ֝אַ֗יִן יָבֹ֥א עֶזְרִֽי׃ | 1 | Song of the Ascents, a song for pilgrims travelling up to Jerusalem to celebrate one of the annual festivals. I am setting out on my journey to Jerusalem. The journey is long, and I expect to encounter many dangers. I need divine help for the journey. Without such help, I will not make it there safely. So, I lift my eyes toward the mountains, the place where divine beings dwell and where people go to offer sacrifices to them. Where will my help come from? Who among the divine beings will help me? |
| עֶ֭זְרִי מֵעִ֣ם יְהוָ֑ה עֹ֝שֵׂ֗ה שָׁמַ֥יִם וָאָֽרֶץ׃ | 2 | My help is only from YHWH, the one true God, the one who made heaven and earth, the one who is greater than all other divine beings and who alone can protect me on my journey from earthly and heavenly dangers. |
| אַל־יִתֵּ֣ן לַמּ֣וֹט רַגְלֶ֑ךָ אַל־יָ֝נ֗וּם שֹֽׁמְרֶֽךָ׃ | 3 | Here is what I would say to someone in my position – what I would say to anyone who looks to YHWH for help: May he, i.e., YHWH, not let your foot slip on your journey – whether your pilgrim journey to Jerusalem or your metaphorical journey through life, which is a kind of pilgrimage – so that you suffer hardship! May YHWH, the one who guards you, not doze off and fall asleep, leaving you vulnerable to harm! |
| הִנֵּ֣ה לֹֽא־יָ֭נוּם וְלֹ֣א יִישָׁ֑ן שׁ֝וֹמֵ֗ר יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ | 4 | Indeed, you don't have to worry about that happening, because YHWH, the one who guards Israel, will not doze off and will not fall asleep. |
| יְהוָ֥ה שֹׁמְרֶ֑ךָ יְהוָ֥ה צִ֝לְּךָ֗ עַל־יַ֥ד יְמִינֶֽךָ׃ | 5 | On your journey to Jerusalem (and your journey through all of life), YHWH is your guardian, the one who guards you. He watches over you like a city watchman watching over the well-being of a city, or like a shepherd watching over his flock. As you travel under the open sky, you need protection. YHWH is your protective shade over your right hand, over the south side of your body, where the sun shines the hottest. |
| יוֹמָ֗ם הַשֶּׁ֥מֶשׁ לֹֽא־יַכֶּ֗כָּה וְיָרֵ֥חַ בַּלָּֽיְלָה׃ | 6 | Because YHWH is your shade, during the day, the sun will not strike you and harm you with its heat, nor will the moon strike you at night, causing you to have a skin disease or an epileptic fit. In other words, YHWH, the one who made heaven and earth, will protect you from the most threatening forces of heaven. |
| יְֽהוָ֗ה יִשְׁמָרְךָ֥ מִכָּל־רָ֑ע יִ֝שְׁמֹ֗ר אֶת־נַפְשֶֽׁךָ׃ | 7 | YHWH will guard you from all heavenly and earthly harm. He will guard your life. |
| יְֽהוָ֗ה יִשְׁמָר־צֵאתְךָ֥ וּבוֹאֶ֑ךָ מֵֽ֝עַתָּ֗ה וְעַד־עוֹלָֽם׃ | 8 | YHWH will guard you in all that you do – in your going out and your coming in – from now until forever. |