Approved/36/Expanded Paraphrase
From Psalms: Layer by Layer
| Text (Hebrew) | Verse | Expanded Paraphrase |
|---|---|---|
| לַמְנַצֵּ֬חַ ׀ לְעֶֽבֶד־יְהוָ֬ה לְדָוִֽד׃ | 1 | For the director. By the servant of YHWH — by David. |
| *נְאֻֽם־פֶּ֣שַׁע לָ֭רָשָׁע בְּקֶ֣רֶב *לִבּוֹ אֵֽין־פַּ֥חַד אֱ֝לֹהִ֗ים לְנֶ֣גֶד עֵינָֽיו׃ | 2 | Pretending to be a prophet invested with divine authority, personified Rebellion's pseudo-prophetic declaration [speaks] to the wicked in the midst of his heart that is, the core of his being . Choosing Rebellion's influence instead of YHWH's leads to the wicked thinking: There is no fear of God before his eyes In other words, he cannot perceive what it is to live rightly before God. |
| כִּֽי־הֶחֱלִ֣יק אֵלָ֣יו בְּעֵינָ֑יו לִמְצֹ֖א עֲוֺנ֣וֹ לִשְׂנֹֽא׃ | 3 | For Rebellion has flattered him in his eyes in other words, deceived the wicked person into thinking that he has found his iniquity and hated it with the result that the wicked person no longer notices his sin but is blind to it. |
| דִּבְרֵי־פִ֭יו אָ֣וֶן וּמִרְמָ֑ה חָדַ֖ל לְהַשְׂכִּ֣יל לְהֵיטִֽיב׃ | 4 | The consequence of the wicked person's faulty perception is that The words of his mouth are evil and deceit. He has also ceased to act wisely and to do good. |
| אָ֤וֶן ׀יַחְשֹׁ֗ב עַֽל־מִשְׁכָּ֫ב֥וֹ יִ֭תְיַצֵּב עַל־ *כֹּל* דֶּ֣רֶךְ לֹא־ט֑וֹב רָ֝֗ע לֹ֣א יִמְאָֽס׃ | 5 | He is not satisfied with others' evil: He plots evil of his own while on his bed. He acts on his schemes: He remains beside every way, that is, looking for an opportunity that is not good. He does not refuse evil but seizes every opportunity to undermine goodness and work wickedness. |
| יְ֭הוָה בְּהַשָּׁמַ֣יִם חַסְדֶּ֑ךָ אֱ֝מֽוּנָתְךָ֗ עַד־שְׁחָקִֽים׃ | 6 | Yet you are entirely unconcerned! Your character is in no way threatened. Instead of being intimidated by evil, if I understand your character, I will sing a hymn of praise: YHWH, your loyalty to your people is in the unending sky, that is, is everlasting and completely unthreatened by his evil; your faithfulness to your people[extends] up to the clouds, that is, is equally everlasting and completely unthreatened by any evil. |
| צִדְקָֽתְךָ֨ ׀ כְּֽהַרְרֵי־אֵ֗ל מִ֭שְׁפָּטֶךָ תְּה֣וֹם רַבָּ֑ה אָ֤דָֽם־וּבְהֵמָ֖ה תוֹשִׁ֣יעַ יְהוָֽה׃ | 7 | Your justice is steadfast and sure like the mighty mountains and is guaranteed to vindicate your people and deliver them from evil; your judgment is steadfast and sure[like] the great ocean and is guaranteed to vindicate your people and deliver them from evil. Indeed, You deliver all living creatures, that is, humans and animals, YHWH. |
| מַה־יָּקָ֥ר חַסְדְּךָ֗ אֱלֹ֫הִ֥ים וּבְנֵ֥י אָדָ֑ם בְּצֵ֥ל כְּ֝נָפֶ֗יךָ יֶחֱסָיֽוּן׃ | 8 | As creation testifies, so do I: How precious is your loyalty, God! Your loyalty to your covenant people is the hope and security of all your people. Mortals take refuge in your loyalty to them: like a baby chick with its mother, mortals shelter under the cherubim on the lid of the ark of the covenant, within the protection of your wings on the mercy seat. |
| יִ֭רְוְיֻן מִדֶּ֣שֶׁן בֵּיתֶ֑ךָ וְנַ֖חַל עֲדָנֶ֣יךָ תַשְׁקֵֽם׃ | 9 | The ark belongs within a temple and a well-watered garden, like the Garden of Eden. When they take refuge there, They drink to the full from the abundance of your house that is, your temple and you give them drink from your delightful literally, “Eden”-like stream, |
| כִּֽי־עִ֭מְּךָ מְק֣וֹר חַיִּ֑ים בְּ֝אוֹרְךָ֗ נִרְאֶה־אֽוֹר׃ | 10 | because the spring that is, the source of life is with you because you are life itself and the creator/giver of life. By your light, which radiates from your face and proves your favor, we can see light that is, experience salvation and prosperity and are thus able to live within your temple forever. |
| מְשֹׁ֣ךְ חַ֭סְדְּךָ לְיֹדְעֶ֑יךָ וְ֝צִדְקָֽתְךָ֗ לְיִשְׁרֵי־לֵֽב׃ | 11 | The evil of the wicked cannot stand against your loyalty, which is why I know that you will Continue your loyalty for those who know you that is, those who are loyal to you and [continue] your righteousness for those who choose straight, correct paths, that is the upright in heart and not those who choose crooked, wrongs paths, that is, the wicked! |
| אַל־תְּ֭בוֹאֵנִי רֶ֣גֶל גַּאֲוָ֑ה וְיַד־רְ֝שָׁעִ֗ים אַל־תְּנִדֵֽנִי׃ | 12 | Your loyalty is so powerful I know that you Do not let the foot of the arrogant which threatens to step on my neck and subdue me come against me as I dwell within your temple; and do not let the hand of the wicked which threatens to overpower me drive me away from your presence in the temple! |
| שָׁ֣ם נָ֭פְלוּ פֹּ֣עֲלֵי אָ֑וֶן דֹּ֝ח֗וּ וְלֹא־יָ֥כְלוּ קֽוּם׃ | 13 | Because YHWH has continued his loyalty to his people, I know that evil cannot endure. This is why Evildoers have already fallen dead, never to rise again there at YHWH's temple where they threatened to overtake us. They have been thrust down by YHWH and have not been able to stand up again in order to seek our lives. |