Psalm 111 Text

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YHWH's deeds

Psalm 111

Please note: Resources for Psalm 111 are in the process of being reformatted for visual consistency and improved functionality.

Listen & Read to Psalm 111

Read along and listen to our audio recordings for Psalm 111. Choose between simple, unaffected audio recordings (in Hebrew or English), or a dramatized reading that takes into account our emotional and discourse analyses. You can also choose between a text-only view, a view overlaid with our summary At-a-Glance, or our Expanded Paraphrase.

Simple Reading (Hebrew) Forthcoming.	Simple Reading (English) Forthcoming.
Dramatic Reading (Hebrew) Forthcoming.	Dramatic Reading (English) Forthcoming.

• Text Only
• Structure Overlay
• Expanded Paraphrase
• Participant Tracking

Text Only (Hebrew and English) The text below is divided according to the psalm's poetic lines. For additional information, see our Poetic Structure layer.

Text (Hebrew)	Verse	Text (CBC) The Close-but-clear translation (CBC) exists to provide a window into the Hebrew text according to how we understand its syntax and word-to-phrase-level semantics. It is not intended to be used as a stand-alone translation or base text, but as a supplement to Layer-by-Layer materials to help users make full use of these resources.
הַ֥לְלוּ יָ֨הּ ׀	1a	Praise Yah!
אוֹדֶ֣ה יְ֭הוָה בְּכָל־לֵבָ֑ב	1b	I will praise YHWH whole-heartedly
בְּס֖וֹד יְשָׁרִ֣ים וְעֵדָֽה׃	1c	in the council of upright people, in the congregation.
גְּ֭דֹלִים מַעֲשֵׂ֣י יְהוָ֑ה	2a	YHWH’s deeds are great,
דְּ֝רוּשִׁ֗ים לְכָל־חֶפְצֵיהֶֽם׃	2b	studied by all who delight in them.
הוֹד־וְהָדָ֥ר פָּֽעֳל֑וֹ	3a	His work is glorious and majestic,
וְ֝צִדְקָת֗וֹ עֹמֶ֥דֶת לָעַֽד׃	3b	and his righteousness stands forever.
זֵ֣כֶר עָ֭שָׂה לְנִפְלְאֹתָ֑יו	4a	He has caused his wonderful acts to be remembered.
חַנּ֖וּן וְרַח֣וּם יְהוָֽה׃	4b	YHWH is merciful and compassionate.
טֶ֭רֶף נָתַ֣ן לִֽירֵאָ֑יו	5a	He gave food to those who feared him.
יִזְכֹּ֖ר לְעוֹלָ֣ם בְּרִיתֽוֹ׃	5b	He will remember his covenant forever.
כֹּ֣חַ מַ֭עֲשָׂיו הִגִּ֣יד לְעַמּ֑וֹ	6a	He showed his people the power of his deeds
לָתֵ֥ת לָ֝הֶ֗ם נַחֲלַ֥ת גּוֹיִֽם׃	6b	by giving them nations as an inheritance.
מַעֲשֵׂ֣י יָ֭דָיו אֱמֶ֣ת וּמִשְׁפָּ֑ט	7a	The deeds of his hands are faithful and just.
נֶ֝אֱמָנִ֗ים כָּל־פִּקּוּדָֽיו׃	7b	All his commandments are enduring,
סְמוּכִ֣ים לָעַ֣ד לְעוֹלָ֑ם	8a	established forever and ever,
עֲ֝שׂוּיִ֗ם בֶּאֱמֶ֥ת וְיָשָֽׁר׃	8b	practiced in faithfulness and uprightness.
פְּד֤וּת ׀ שָׁ֘לַ֤ח לְעַמּ֗וֹ	9a	He sent redemption to his people.
צִוָּֽה־לְעוֹלָ֥ם בְּרִית֑וֹ	9b	He commanded his covenant forever.
קָד֖וֹשׁ וְנוֹרָ֣א שְׁמֽוֹ׃	9c	His name is holy and awesome.
רֵ֘אשִׁ֤ית חָכְמָ֨ה ׀ יִרְאַ֬ת יְהוָ֗ה	10a	Fearing YHWH is the beginning of wisdom;
שֵׂ֣כֶל ט֭וֹב לְכָל־עֹשֵׂיהֶ֑ם	10b	all who practice them have good insight.
תְּ֝הִלָּת֗וֹ עֹמֶ֥דֶת לָעַֽד׃	10c	His praiseworthiness stands forever.

Structure Overlay Below, the text has been overlaid with our summary structural analysis. For details on the structure, see the Structure At-a-Glance here.

Speaker		Structure At-a-Glance		Text (Hebrew)	Verse	Text (CBC) The Close-but-clear translation (CBC) exists to provide a window into the Hebrew text according to how we understand its syntax and word-to-phrase-level semantics. It is not intended to be used as a stand-alone translation or base text, but as a supplement to Layer-by-Layer materials to help users make full use of these resources.			Addressee
Psalmist				הַ֥לְלוּ יָ֨הּ ׀	1a	Praise Yah!			Council of upright people, congregation
		YHWH's Deeds		אוֹדֶ֣ה יְ֭הוָה בְּכָל־לֵבָ֑ב	1b	I will praise YHWH whole-heartedly	awe
בְּס֖וֹד יְשָׁרִ֣ים וְעֵדָֽה׃		1c		in the council of upright people, in the congregation.
גְּ֭דֹלִים מַעֲשֵׂ֣י יְהוָ֑ה		2a		YHWH’s deeds are great,
דְּ֝רוּשִׁ֗ים לְכָל־חֶפְצֵיהֶֽם׃		2b		studied by all who delight in them.
Enduring Forever	הוֹד־וְהָדָ֥ר פָּֽעֳל֑וֹ	3a	His work is glorious and majestic,	awe, delight, hope
וְ֝צִדְקָת֗וֹ עֹמֶ֥דֶת לָעַֽד׃	3b	and his righteousness stands forever.
זֵ֣כֶר עָ֭שָׂה לְנִפְלְאֹתָ֑יו	4a	He has caused his wonderful acts to be remembered.
חַנּ֖וּן וְרַח֣וּם יְהוָֽה׃	4b	YHWH is merciful and compassionate.
טֶ֭רֶף נָתַ֣ן לִֽירֵאָ֑יו	5a	He gave food to those who feared him.
יִזְכֹּ֖ר לְעוֹלָ֣ם בְּרִיתֽוֹ׃	5b	He will remember his covenant forever.
כֹּ֣חַ מַ֭עֲשָׂיו הִגִּ֣יד לְעַמּ֑וֹ	6a	He showed his people the power of his deeds
לָתֵ֥ת לָ֝הֶ֗ם נַחֲלַ֥ת גּוֹיִֽם׃	6b	by giving them nations as an inheritance.
מַעֲשֵׂ֣י יָ֭דָיו אֱמֶ֣ת וּמִשְׁפָּ֑ט	7a	The deeds of his hands are faithful and just.
נֶ֝אֱמָנִ֗ים כָּל־פִּקּוּדָֽיו׃	7b	All his commandments are enduring,
סְמוּכִ֣ים לָעַ֣ד לְעוֹלָ֑ם	8a	established forever and ever,
עֲ֝שׂוּיִ֗ם בֶּאֱמֶ֥ת וְיָשָֽׁר׃	8b	practiced in faithfulness and uprightness.
פְּד֤וּת ׀ שָׁ֘לַ֤ח לְעַמּ֗וֹ	9a	He sent redemption to his people.
צִוָּֽה־לְעוֹלָ֥ם בְּרִית֑וֹ	9b	He commanded his covenant forever.
קָד֖וֹשׁ וְנוֹרָ֣א שְׁמֽוֹ׃	9c	His name is holy and awesome.
רֵ֘אשִׁ֤ית חָכְמָ֨ה ׀ יִרְאַ֬ת יְהוָ֗ה	10a	Fearing YHWH is the beginning of wisdom;
שֵׂ֣כֶל ט֭וֹב לְכָל־עֹשֵׂיהֶ֑ם	10b	all who practice them have good insight.
תְּ֝הִלָּת֗וֹ עֹמֶ֥דֶת לָעַֽד׃	10c	His praiseworthiness stands forever.

Expanded paraphrase The expanded paraphrase seeks to capture the implicit information within the text and make it explicit for readers today. It is based on the CBC translation and uses italic text to provide the most salient background information, presuppositions, entailments, and inferences.

Text (Hebrew)	Verse	Expanded Paraphrase The expanded paraphrase seeks to capture the implicit information within the text and make it explicit for readers today. It is based on the CBC translation and uses italic text to provide the most salient background information, presuppositions, entailments, and inferences.
הַ֥לְלוּ יָ֨הּ ׀ אוֹדֶ֣ה יְ֭הוָה בְּכָל־לֵבָ֑ב בְּס֖וֹד יְשָׁרִ֣ים וְעֵדָֽה׃	1	Praise Yah, who has promised to rescue us from our enemies, to give us a king, and to give us the nations as our inheritance! While we wait for YHWH to perform these great deeds, I will praise YHWH whole-heartedly in the council of upright people which is here gathered together, that is, in the congregation.
גְּ֭דֹלִים מַעֲשֵׂ֣י יְהוָ֑ דְּ֝רוּשִׁ֗ים לְכָל־חֶפְצֵיהֶֽם׃	2	YHWH’s deeds, especially his deeds of redemption and acts of covenant faithfulness, are great, studied in Scripture by all who delight in them.
הוֹד־וְהָדָ֥ר פָּֽעֳל֑וֹ וְ֝צִדְקָת֗וֹ עֹמֶ֥דֶת לָעַֽד׃	3	YHWH is our king, and His work is glorious and majestic, and his righteousness endures forever, even to the present day.
זֵ֣כֶר עָ֭שָׂה לְנִפְלְאֹתָ֑יו חַנּ֖וּן וְרַח֣וּם יְהוָֽה׃	4	He has caused his wonderful acts to be recorded in Scripture and thereby remembered. YHWH is, as he said to Moses in the book of Exodus, merciful and compassionate, forgiving our sins and thus sustaining the covenant he made with us.
טֶ֭רֶף נָתַ֣ן לִֽירֵאָ֑יו יִזְכֹּ֖ר לְעוֹלָ֣ם בְּרִיתֽוֹ׃	5	When he brought our ancestors out of Egypt, He gave food—manna and quail—to those who feared him. The reason why he brought them out of Egypt and provided food for them is because of the covenant he had made with our father Abraham, to whose offspring he had promised to give the land of Canaan. And just as he remembered his covenant then, so He will remember his covenant forever and he will keep his promises to us.
כֹּ֣חַ מַ֭עֲשָׂיו הִגִּ֣יד לְעַמּ֑וֹ לָתֵ֥ת לָ֝הֶ֗ם נַחֲלַ֥ת גּוֹיִֽם׃	6	After rescuing his people from Egypt and sustaining them in the wilderness, he continued to do wonderful deeds for his people which demonstrated his power in an even greater way: He showed his people the power of his deeds by keeping his promise to Abraham and giving them nations as an inheritance.
מַעֲשֵׂ֣י יָ֭דָיו אֱמֶ֣ת וּמִשְׁפָּ֑ט נֶ֝אֱמָנִ֗ים כָּל־פִּקּוּדָֽיו׃	7	The deeds of his hands are faithful and just, including his act of giving us the law. All his commandments are enduring,
סְמוּכִ֣ים לָעַ֣ד לְעוֹלָ֑ם עֲ֝שׂוּיִ֗ם בֶּאֱמֶ֥ת וְיָשָֽׁר׃	8	All his commandments are enduring, because they have been established by YHWH to last forever and ever, and so they are practiced even to this day by his people in faithfulness and uprightness. And so, while we wait for YHWH to remember his covenant and perform great deeds once again, we too must remember to keep the covenant requirements YHWH has given us.
פְּד֤וּת ׀ שָׁ֘לַ֤ח לְעַמּ֗וֹ צִוָּֽה־לְעוֹלָ֥ם בְּרִית֑וֹ קָד֖וֹשׁ וְנוֹרָ֣א שְׁמֽוֹ׃	9	When our ancestors were slaves in Egypt, He sent redemption to his people. He brought us out of Egypt to Mt. Sinai, where He gave us the law and commanded that his covenant requirements be observed forever. His name is holy and awesome, which means that his people must be holy and must fear him.
רֵ֘אשִׁ֤ית חָכְמָ֨ה ׀ יִרְאַ֬ת יְהוָ֗ שֵׂ֣כֶל ט֭וֹב לְכָל־עֹשֵׂיהֶ֑ם תְּ֝הִלָּת֗וֹ עֹמֶ֥דֶת לָעַֽד׃	10	And we should fear YHWH, not only because he is to be feared, but because Fearing YHWH and keeping his commandments is the beginning of wisdom; all who practice them, that is, his commandments, have good insight. Just as his righteousness and covenant faithfulness endure forever, so too His praiseworthiness endures forever which is why I praise him in the congregation today, even as I wait for him to perform great deeds once again.

Participant Tracking Text Participant Analysis focuses on the characters in the psalm and asks, “Who are the main participants (or characters) in this psalm, and what are they saying or doing? Our full analysis can be found in the Participant Analysis layer.

  Participant Color-Coding

Participant Set List

There are three participants/characters in Psalm 111:

Psalmist

Upright people

"The congregation" (v. 2)

"Those who delight in YHWH's deeds" (v. 2)

"Those who feared him" (v. 5)

"YHWH's people" (v. 6)

"Those who practice YHWH's commands" (v. 10)

YHWH

Nations

• Psalmist/Upright People: While the first-person singular reference in v. 1 constitutes a distinct participant, the psalmist presents himself as being present with the upright people, in the congregation (v. 1c). Thus, the psalmist describes himself as a subset of the upright people.

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Speaker	Text (Hebrew)	Verse	Text (CBC) The Close-but-clear translation (CBC) exists to provide a window into the Hebrew text according to how we understand its syntax and word-to-phrase-level semantics. It is not intended to be used as a stand-alone translation or base text, but as a supplement to Layer-by-Layer materials to help users make full use of these resources.		Addressee
Psalmist	הַ֥לְלוּ יָ֨הּ ׀	1a	Praise Yah!		Council of upright people, congregation
אוֹדֶ֣ה יְ֭הוָה בְּכָל־לֵבָ֑ב	1b	I will praise YHWH whole-heartedly
בְּס֖וֹד יְשָׁרִ֣ים וְעֵדָֽה׃	1c	in the council of upright people, in the congregation.
גְּ֭דֹלִים מַעֲשֵׂ֣י יְהוָ֑ה	2a	YHWH’s deeds are great,
דְּ֝רוּשִׁ֗ים לְכָל־חֶפְצֵיהֶֽם׃	2b	studied by all who delight in them.
הוֹד־וְהָדָ֥ר פָּֽעֳל֑וֹ	3a	His work is glorious and majestic,
וְ֝צִדְקָת֗וֹ עֹמֶ֥דֶת לָעַֽד׃	3b	and his righteousness stands forever.
זֵ֣כֶר עָ֭שָׂה לְנִפְלְאֹתָ֑יו	4a	He has caused his wonderful acts to be remembered.
חַנּ֖וּן וְרַח֣וּם יְהוָֽה׃	4b	YHWH is merciful and compassionate.
טֶ֭רֶף נָתַ֣ן לִֽירֵאָ֑יו	5a	He gave food to those who feared him.
יִזְכֹּ֖ר לְעוֹלָ֣ם בְּרִיתֽוֹ׃	5b	He will remember his covenant forever.
כֹּ֣חַ מַ֭עֲשָׂיו הִגִּ֣יד לְעַמּ֑וֹ	6a	He showed his people the power of his deeds
לָתֵ֥ת לָ֝הֶ֗ם נַחֲלַ֥ת גּוֹיִֽם׃	6b	by giving them nations as an inheritance.
מַעֲשֵׂ֣י יָ֭דָיו אֱמֶ֣ת וּמִשְׁפָּ֑ט	7a	The deeds of his hands are faithful and just.
נֶ֝אֱמָנִ֗ים כָּל־פִּקּוּדָֽיו׃	7b	All his commandments are enduring,
סְמוּכִ֣ים לָעַ֣ד לְעוֹלָ֑ם	8a	established forever and ever,
עֲ֝שׂוּיִ֗ם בֶּאֱמֶ֥ת וְיָשָֽׁר׃	8b	practiced in faithfulness and uprightness.
פְּד֤וּת ׀ שָׁ֘לַ֤ח לְעַמּ֗וֹ	9a	He sent redemption to his people.
צִוָּֽה־לְעוֹלָ֥ם בְּרִית֑וֹ	9b	He commanded his covenant forever.
קָד֖וֹשׁ וְנוֹרָ֣א שְׁמֽוֹ׃	9c	His name is holy and awesome.
רֵ֘אשִׁ֤ית חָכְמָ֨ה ׀ יִרְאַ֬ת יְהוָ֗ה	10a	Fearing YHWH is the beginning of wisdom;
שֵׂ֣כֶל ט֭וֹב לְכָל־עֹשֵׂיהֶ֑ם	10b	all who practice them have good insight.
תְּ֝הִלָּת֗וֹ עֹמֶ֥דֶת לָעַֽד׃	10c	His praiseworthiness stands forever.

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