Approved/5/Expanded Paraphrase
From Psalms: Layer by Layer
| Text (Hebrew) | Verse | Expanded Paraphrase |
|---|---|---|
| לַמְנַצֵּ֥חַ אֶֽל־הַנְּחִיל֗וֹת מִזְמ֥וֹר לְדָוִֽד׃ | 1 | For the director, on the flutes, a psalm by David. |
| אֲמָרַ֖י הַאֲזִ֥ינָה׀ יְהוָ֗ה בִּ֣ינָה הֲגִֽיגִי׃ | 2 | Listen to my words which I am about to present to you in this psalm , YHWH. Listen closely, so that you Understand my murmuring. |
| הַקְשִׁ֤יבָה׀ לְק֬וֹל שַׁוְעִ֗י מַלְכִּ֥י וֵאלֹהָ֑י כִּֽי־אֵ֜לֶ֗יךָ אֶתְפַּלָּֽל׃ | 3 | I am in distress. Pay attention to the sound of my cry for help and deliver me from my distress. You are my king and my God with whom I, as your vassal king, am in a privileged relationship. Listen, for I have not sought help from anyone else. Instead, I am praying to you. |
| יְֽהוָ֗ה בֹּ֭קֶר תִּשְׁמַ֣ע קוֹלִ֑י בֹּ֥קֶר אֶֽעֱרָךְ־לְ֜ךָ֗ וַאֲצַפֶּֽה׃ | 4 | YHWH, anytime I have a legal case to make against my enemies, who cause me distress, I bring it before you, because you are my king and the king is responsible for deciding legal cases. In the morning, the time when the sun, a symbol of justice, rises to expose the darkness and judicial proceedings usually commence, you hear my voice. In the morning, I arrange my words into a legal case for you and wait expectantly for your response and decision, like a watchman standing watch atop a citadel in eager expectation of what is to come. |
| כִּ֤י׀ לֹ֤א אֵֽל־חָפֵ֨ץ רֶ֥שַׁע׀ אָ֑תָּה לֹ֖א יְגֻרְךָ֣ רָֽע׃ | 5 | I am now bringing case before you, and here is the first part of my argument. You should decide in my favour For you are not a god pleased with wickedness. Therefore, Evil like a nomad seeking to reside for a while under your provision and protection will not sojourn with you. And so, my enemies, who are wicked, should not experience your pleasure, provision or protection. |
| לֹֽא־יִתְיַצְּב֣וּ הֽ֭וֹלְלִים לְנֶ֣גֶד עֵינֶ֑יךָ שָׂ֜נֵ֗אתָ כָּל־פֹּ֥עֲלֵי אָֽוֶן׃ | 6 | Boasters will not stand before your eyes, because You hate all workers of evil, and my enemies are boastful workers of evil. |
| תְּאַבֵּד֘ דֹּבְרֵ֪י כָ֫זָ֥ב אִישׁ־דָּמִ֥ים וּמִרְמָ֗ה יְתָ֨עֵ֥ב׀ יְהוָֽה׃ | 7 | You will destroy speakers of falsehood. YHWH acts in this way, because YHWH abhors a person of bloodshed and treachery. My enemies are characterised by these very things: falsehood, bloodshed, and treachery. Therefore, if you are true to your character, YHWH, you will destroy them. |
| וַאֲנִ֗י בְּרֹ֣ב חַ֭סְדְּךָ אָב֣וֹא בֵיתֶ֑ךָ אֶשְׁתַּחֲוֶ֥ה אֶל־הֵֽיכַל־קָ֜דְשְׁךָ֗ בְּיִרְאָתֶֽךָ׃ | 8 | But You have made a covenant with me, YHWH, and you are always true to your covenant promises. Therefore, whereas my enemies cannot be in your presence, I, in the greatness of your loyalty, will go to your house, the place, in Jerusalem, where you are worshipped. I am currently away from your house , and so I am away from your special presence. My enemies within my own kingdom have rebelled and driven me into exile. I long to be in your presence again and to look again upon the ark of your covenant. Surely, you will bring me back, and I will bow down toward your holy temple your royal residence in fear of you. |
| יְהוָ֤ה׀ נְחֵ֬נִי בְצִדְקָתֶ֗ךָ לְמַ֥עַן שׁוֹרְרָ֑י הַושַׁ֖ר לְפָנַ֣י דַּרְכֶּֽךָ׃ | 9 | YHWH, you are righteous, and you always act right by your covenant. As I seek to return to your house in Jerusalem, lead me in your righteousness. My enemies prevent me from returning safely. So, I need you to lead me back because of my enemies. Make your way straight before me. |
| כִּ֤י אֵ֪ין בְּפִ֡יהוּ נְכוֹנָה֮ קִרְבָּ֪ם הַ֫וּ֥וֹת קֶֽבֶר־פָּת֥וּחַ גְּרוֹנָ֑ם לְ֝שׁוֹנָ֗ם יַחֲלִֽיקוּן׃ | 10 | Here is the second part of my argument for why you should declare my enemies guilty: Not only do you hate evildoers in general, but my enemies are evildoers. For there is nothing true in his mouth. Their speech can't be trusted because , Their inner parts are disaster. Their throat an organ of speech is an open tomb which they fill with their dead victims . They make their tongues deceitful. |
| הַֽאֲשִׁימֵ֨ם׀ אֱֽלֹהִ֗ים יִפְּלוּ֮ מִֽמֹּעֲצ֪וֹתֵ֫יהֶ֥ם בְּרֹ֣ב פִּ֭שְׁעֵיהֶם הַדִּיחֵ֑מוֹ כִּי־מָ֥רוּ בָֽךְ׃ | 11 | Having heard my case for why my enemies are guilty, Make them bear their guilt, God. They have, in violence, deceit, and treachery, designed plots against me. Let them fall from their designs. They have driven me out of the land, away from your presence, but it is they who deserve to be driven from the land. Drive them out because of the greatness of their crimes, for by rebelling against me, your anointed king, they have rebelled against you. |
| וְיִשְׂמְח֨וּ כָל־ח֪וֹסֵי בָ֡ךְ לְעוֹלָ֣ם יְ֭רַנֵּנוּ וְתָסֵ֣ךְ עָלֵ֑ימוֹ וְֽיַעְלְצ֥וּ בְ֝ךָ֗ אֹהֲבֵ֥י שְׁמֶֽךָ׃ | 12 | And as a result of your justice being executed, your realm purged of evildoers and your anointed king restored, let all those who take refuge in you as their king who have remained loyal to me and to you, and who will live in your protective presence rejoice. Let them shout forever, and may you shelter them, and let those who love you exult in you. |
| כִּֽי־אַתָּה֮ תְּבָרֵ֪ךְ צַ֫דִּ֥יק יְהוָ֑ה כַּ֝צִּנָּ֗ה רָצ֥וֹן תַּעְטְרֶֽנּוּ׃ | 13 | For you as the righteous king and judge of all bless the righteous one, the one whose behavior conforms to your requirements, and not the wicked one. YHWH, like a large shield which gives protection in battle, you surround him with favour. |