Psalm 45 Text
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Royal wedding song
Psalm 45
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Listen & Read: Psalm 45
Read along and listen to our audio recordings for Psalm 45. 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, or a view overlaid with our summary At-a-Glance, Expanded Paraphrase, or Participant Analysis tracking.
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Simple Reading (English) Forthcoming. |
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Dramatic Reading (English) Forthcoming. |
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) |
|---|---|---|
| לַמְנַצֵּ֣חַ עַל־שֹׁ֭שַׁנִּים לִבְנֵי־קֹ֑רַח מַ֝שְׂכִּ֗יל שִׁ֣יר יְדִידֹֽת׃ | 1a | For the director. According to "Lilies." By the Korahites. A maskil. An ode. |
| רָ֘חַ֤שׁ לִבִּ֨י ׀ דָּ֘בָ֤ר ט֗וֹב | 2a | My heart has been stirred by a good theme; |
| אֹמֵ֣ר אָ֭נִי מַעֲשַׂ֣י לְמֶ֑לֶךְ | 2b | I am about to recite my verses to the king. |
| לְ֝שׁוֹנִ֗י עֵ֤ט ׀ סוֹפֵ֬ר מָהִֽיר׃ | 2c | My tongue is a pen of a skilful scribe. |
| יָפְיָפִ֡יתָ מִבְּנֵ֬י אָדָ֗ם | 3a | You are the most attractive of all people; |
| ה֣וּצַק חֵ֭ן בְּשְׂפְתוֹתֶ֑יךָ | 3b | kindness has been poured out by your speech. |
| עַל־כֵּ֤ן בֵּֽרַכְךָ֖ אֱלֹהִ֣ים לְעוֹלָֽם׃ | 3c | Therefore, God has commended you forever. |
| חֲגֽוֹר־חַרְבְּךָ֣ עַל־יָרֵ֣ךְ גִּבּ֑וֹר | 4a | Strap your sword upon (your) thigh, great one, |
| ה֝וֹדְךָ֗ וַהֲדָרֶֽךָ׃ | 4b | in your splendour and your majesty. |
| וַהֲדָ֬רְךָ֨ ׀ צְלַ֬ח רְכַ֗ב | 5a | And in your majesty, victoriously ride |
| עַֽל־דְּבַר־אֱ֭מֶת וְעַנְוָה־צֶ֑דֶק | 5b | for the cause of truth and humility, righteousness, |
| וְתוֹרְךָ֖ נוֹרָא֣וֹת יְמִינֶֽךָ׃ | 5c | and let your right hand show you awesome things. |
| חִצֶּ֗יךָ שְׁנ֫וּנִ֥ים | 6a | Your arrows are sharp. |
| עַ֭מִּים תַּחְתֶּ֣יךָ יִפְּל֑וּ | 6b | Peoples will fall under you; |
| בְּ֝לֵ֗ב אוֹיְבֵ֥י הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃ | 6c | in the heart of the enemies of the king. |
| כִּסְאֲךָ֣ אֱ֭לֹהִים עוֹלָ֣ם וָעֶ֑ד | 7a | Your throne, God, is forever and ever; |
| שֵׁ֥בֶט מִ֝ישֹׁ֗ר שֵׁ֣בֶט מַלְכוּתֶֽךָ׃ | 7b | the sceptre of your kingdom is the sceptre of righteousness. |
| אָהַ֣בְתָּ צֶּדֶק֮ וַתִּשְׂנָ֫א רֶ֥שַׁע | 8a | You love righteousness, and you hate wickedness. |
| עַל־כֵּ֤ן ׀ מְשָׁחֲךָ֡ אֱלֹהִ֣ים אֱ֭לֹהֶיךָ | 8b | Therefore, God, your God, has anointed you |
| שֶׁ֥מֶן שָׂשׂ֗וֹן מֵֽחֲבֵרֶֽיךָ׃ | 8c | with the oil, which is rejoicing, more than your companions. |
| מֹר־וַאֲהָל֣וֹת קְ֭צִיעוֹת כָּל־בִּגְדֹתֶ֑יךָ | 9a | All your clothes are myrrh and aloes [and] cassia. |
| מִֽן־הֵ֥יכְלֵי שֵׁ֝֗ן מִנִּ֥י שִׂמְּחֽוּךָ׃ | 9b | From ivory palaces, stringed instruments caused you to rejoice. |
| בְּנ֣וֹת מְ֭לָכִים בְּיִקְּרוֹתֶ֑יךָ | 10a | Princesses are among your treasures; |
| נִצְּבָ֥ה שֵׁגַ֥ל לִֽ֝ימִינְךָ֗ בְּכֶ֣תֶם אוֹפִֽיר׃ | 10b | a queen has taken a stand at your right hand in the gold of Ophir. |
| שִׁמְעִי־בַ֣ת וּ֭רְאִי וְהַטִּ֣י אָזְנֵ֑ךְ | 11a | Hear, daughter, and see and incline your ear, |
| וְשִׁכְחִ֥י עַ֝מֵּ֗ךְ וּבֵ֥ית אָבִֽיךְ׃ | 11b | and forget your people and the house of your father, |
| וְיִתְאָ֣ו הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ יָפְיֵ֑ךְ | 12a | so that the king will desire your beauty, |
| כִּי־ה֥וּא אֲ֝דֹנַ֗יִךְ וְהִשְׁתַּֽחֲוִי־לֽוֹ׃ | 12b | since he is your husband, and bow down to him, |
| וּבַֽת־צֹ֨ר ׀ בְּ֭מִנְחָה פָּנַ֥יִךְ יְחַלּ֗וּ | 13a | and Daughter Tyre, the richest of people, will seek your favour with a gift. |
| עֲשִׁ֣ירֵי עָֽם׃ | 13b | (the richest of people) |
| כָּל־כְּבוּדָּ֣ה בַת־מֶ֣לֶךְ פְּנִ֑ימָה | 14a | The princess is in her chamber with all kinds of valuable goods; |
| מִֽמִּשְׁבְּצ֖וֹת זָהָ֣ב לְבוּשָֽׁהּ׃ | 14b | her clothing [is made] from gold settings. |
| לִרְקָמוֹת֮ תּוּבַ֪ל לַ֫מֶּ֥לֶךְ | 15a | In embroidered cloth she will be led to the king; |
| בְּתוּל֣וֹת אַ֭חֲרֶיהָ רֵעוֹתֶ֑יהָ | 15b | young women after her, her (female) companions, |
| מ֖וּבָא֣וֹת לָֽךְ׃ | 15c | being brought to you. |
| תּ֭וּבַלְנָה בִּשְׂמָחֹ֣ת וָגִ֑יל | 16a | They will be led with joy and gladness; |
| תְּ֝בֹאֶ֗ינָה בְּהֵ֣יכַל מֶֽלֶךְ׃ | 16b | they will go into the king's palace. |
| תַּ֣חַת אֲ֭בֹתֶיךָ יִהְי֣וּ בָנֶ֑יךָ | 17a | In the place of your ancestors, your sons will be (princes); |
| תְּשִׁיתֵ֥מוֹ לְ֝שָׂרִ֗ים בְּכָל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃ | 17b | you will appoint them as princes over all the earth. |
| אַזְכִּ֣ירָה שִׁ֭מְךָ בְּכָל־דֹּ֣ר וָדֹ֑ר | 18a | I shall profess your name in all generations. |
| עַל־כֵּ֥ן עַמִּ֥ים יְ֝הוֹדֻ֗ךָ לְעֹלָ֥ם וָעֶֽד׃ | 18b | Therefore peoples will praise you forever and ever. |
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.
| Text (Hebrew) | Verse | Text (CBC) |
|---|---|---|
| לַמְנַצֵּ֣חַ עַל־שֹׁ֭שַׁנִּים לִבְנֵי־קֹ֑רַח מַ֝שְׂכִּ֗יל שִׁ֣יר יְדִידֹֽת׃ | 1a | For the director. According to "Lilies." By the Korahites. A maskil. An ode. |
| רָ֘חַ֤שׁ לִבִּ֨י ׀ דָּ֘בָ֤ר ט֗וֹב | 2a | My heart has been stirred by a good theme; |
| אֹמֵ֣ר אָ֭נִי מַעֲשַׂ֣י לְמֶ֑לֶךְ | 2b | I am about to recite my verses to the king. |
| לְ֝שׁוֹנִ֗י עֵ֤ט ׀ סוֹפֵ֬ר מָהִֽיר׃ | 2c | My tongue is a pen of a skilful scribe. |
| יָפְיָפִ֡יתָ מִבְּנֵ֬י אָדָ֗ם | 3a | You are the most attractive of all people; |
| ה֣וּצַק חֵ֭ן בְּשְׂפְתוֹתֶ֑יךָ | 3b | kindness has been poured out by your speech. |
| עַל־כֵּ֤ן בֵּֽרַכְךָ֖ אֱלֹהִ֣ים לְעוֹלָֽם׃ | 3c | Therefore, God has commended you forever. |
| חֲגֽוֹר־חַרְבְּךָ֣ עַל־יָרֵ֣ךְ גִּבּ֑וֹר | 4a | Strap your sword upon (your) thigh, great one, |
| ה֝וֹדְךָ֗ וַהֲדָרֶֽךָ׃ | 4b | in your splendour and your majesty. |
| וַהֲדָ֬רְךָ֨ ׀ צְלַ֬ח רְכַ֗ב | 5a | And in your majesty, victoriously ride |
| עַֽל־דְּבַר־אֱ֭מֶת וְעַנְוָה־צֶ֑דֶק | 5b | for the cause of truth and humility, righteousness, |
| וְתוֹרְךָ֖ נוֹרָא֣וֹת יְמִינֶֽךָ׃ | 5c | and let your right hand show you awesome things. |
| חִצֶּ֗יךָ שְׁנ֫וּנִ֥ים | 6a | Your arrows are sharp. |
| עַ֭מִּים תַּחְתֶּ֣יךָ יִפְּל֑וּ | 6b | Peoples will fall under you; |
| בְּ֝לֵ֗ב אוֹיְבֵ֥י הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃ | 6c | in the heart of the enemies of the king. |
| כִּסְאֲךָ֣ אֱ֭לֹהִים עוֹלָ֣ם וָעֶ֑ד | 7a | Your throne, God, is forever and ever; |
| שֵׁ֥בֶט מִ֝ישֹׁ֗ר שֵׁ֣בֶט מַלְכוּתֶֽךָ׃ | 7b | the sceptre of your kingdom is the sceptre of righteousness. |
| אָהַ֣בְתָּ צֶּדֶק֮ וַתִּשְׂנָ֫א רֶ֥שַׁע | 8a | You love righteousness, and you hate wickedness. |
| עַל־כֵּ֤ן ׀ מְשָׁחֲךָ֡ אֱלֹהִ֣ים אֱ֭לֹהֶיךָ | 8b | Therefore, God, your God, has anointed you |
| שֶׁ֥מֶן שָׂשׂ֗וֹן מֵֽחֲבֵרֶֽיךָ׃ | 8c | with the oil, which is rejoicing, more than your companions. |
| מֹר־וַאֲהָל֣וֹת קְ֭צִיעוֹת כָּל־בִּגְדֹתֶ֑יךָ | 9a | All your clothes are myrrh and aloes [and] cassia. |
| מִֽן־הֵ֥יכְלֵי שֵׁ֝֗ן מִנִּ֥י שִׂמְּחֽוּךָ׃ | 9b | From ivory palaces, stringed instruments caused you to rejoice. |
| בְּנ֣וֹת מְ֭לָכִים בְּיִקְּרוֹתֶ֑יךָ | 10a | Princesses are among your treasures; |
| נִצְּבָ֥ה שֵׁגַ֥ל לִֽ֝ימִינְךָ֗ בְּכֶ֣תֶם אוֹפִֽיר׃ | 10b | a queen has taken a stand at your right hand in the gold of Ophir. |
| שִׁמְעִי־בַ֣ת וּ֭רְאִי וְהַטִּ֣י אָזְנֵ֑ךְ | 11a | Hear, daughter, and see and incline your ear, |
| וְשִׁכְחִ֥י עַ֝מֵּ֗ךְ וּבֵ֥ית אָבִֽיךְ׃ | 11b | and forget your people and the house of your father, |
| וְיִתְאָ֣ו הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ יָפְיֵ֑ךְ | 12a | so that the king will desire your beauty, |
| כִּי־ה֥וּא אֲ֝דֹנַ֗יִךְ וְהִשְׁתַּֽחֲוִי־לֽוֹ׃ | 12b | since he is your husband, and bow down to him, |
| וּבַֽת־צֹ֨ר ׀ בְּ֭מִנְחָה פָּנַ֥יִךְ יְחַלּ֗וּ | 13a | and Daughter Tyre, the richest of people, will seek your favour with a gift. |
| עֲשִׁ֣ירֵי עָֽם׃ | 13b | (the richest of people) |
| כָּל־כְּבוּדָּ֣ה בַת־מֶ֣לֶךְ פְּנִ֑ימָה | 14a | The princess is in her chamber with all kinds of valuable goods; |
| מִֽמִּשְׁבְּצ֖וֹת זָהָ֣ב לְבוּשָֽׁהּ׃ | 14b | her clothing [is made] from gold settings. |
| לִרְקָמוֹת֮ תּוּבַ֪ל לַ֫מֶּ֥לֶךְ | 15a | In embroidered cloth she will be led to the king; |
| בְּתוּל֣וֹת אַ֭חֲרֶיהָ רֵעוֹתֶ֑יהָ | 15b | young women after her, her (female) companions, |
| מ֖וּבָא֣וֹת לָֽךְ׃ | 15c | being brought to you. |
| תּ֭וּבַלְנָה בִּשְׂמָחֹ֣ת וָגִ֑יל | 16a | They will be led with joy and gladness; |
| תְּ֝בֹאֶ֗ינָה בְּהֵ֣יכַל מֶֽלֶךְ׃ | 16b | they will go into the king's palace. |
| תַּ֣חַת אֲ֭בֹתֶיךָ יִהְי֣וּ בָנֶ֑יךָ | 17a | In the place of your ancestors, your sons will be (princes); |
| תְּשִׁיתֵ֥מוֹ לְ֝שָׂרִ֗ים בְּכָל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃ | 17b | you will appoint them as princes over all the earth. |
| אַזְכִּ֣ירָה שִׁ֭מְךָ בְּכָל־דֹּ֣ר וָדֹ֑ר | 18a | I shall profess your name in all generations. |
| עַל־כֵּ֥ן עַמִּ֥ים יְ֝הוֹדֻ֗ךָ לְעֹלָ֥ם וָעֶֽד׃ | 18b | Therefore peoples will praise you forever and ever. |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| לַמְנַצֵּ֣חַ עַל־שֹׁ֭שַׁנִּים לִבְנֵי־קֹ֑רַח מַ֝שְׂכִּ֗יל שִׁ֣יר יְדִידֹֽת׃ | 1 | For the director. According to the tune “Lilies.” By the Korahites, who serve in the temple as singers and gatekeepers. A maskil for giving wisdom. Also An ode in praise to the king on the occasion of his wedding. |
| רָ֘חַ֤שׁ לִבִּ֨י ׀ דָּ֘בָ֤ר ט֗וֹב אֹמֵ֣ר אָ֭נִי מַעֲשַׂ֣י לְמֶ֑לֶךְ לְ֝שׁוֹנִ֗י עֵ֤ט ׀ סוֹפֵ֬ר מָהִֽיר׃ | 2 | My heart has been stirred with strong, positive emotion by a good theme about the king, and this good theme has prompted me to action, to speak about him; I, a court poet am about to recite my verses which I have composed to the king for his wedding. My tongue, my tool for producing excellent work, is like a pen of a skillful scribe, so just as a scribe's pen produces beautiful written words for the elite, I will produce beautiful spoken words for the king, who deserves only the best poetry that can be written. |
| יָפְיָפִ֡יתָ מִבְּנֵ֬י אָדָ֗ם ה֣וּצַק חֵ֭ן בְּשְׂפְתוֹתֶ֑יךָ עַל־כֵּ֤ן בֵּֽרַכְךָ֖ אֱלֹהִ֣ים לְעוֹלָֽם׃ | 3 | You, king, are the most attractive of all people; in accordance with the royal ideal of wisdom, kindness has been poured out by your speech, which allows all people under your leadership to thrive. Therefore, based on these ideals of royal perfection that you embody, I conclude that, God has commended you forever. |
| חֲגֽוֹר־חַרְבְּךָ֣ עַל־יָרֵ֣ךְ גִּבּ֑וֹר ה֝וֹדְךָ֗ וַהֲדָרֶֽךָ׃ | 4 | In accordance with the royal ideal of military power, Strap your sword upon (your) thigh to prepare for action, great one, in your splendour and your majesty. |
| וַהֲדָ֬רְךָ֨ ׀ צְלַ֬ח רְכַ֗ב עַֽל־דְּבַר־אֱ֭מֶת וְעַנְוָה־צֶ֑דֶק וְתוֹרְךָ֖ נוֹרָא֣וֹת יְמִינֶֽךָ׃ | 5 | And in your majesty, victoriously ride for the cause of the things you love: truth and humility, righteousness, and let your strong right hand, which represents your unsurpassed military strength, show you awesome things. |
| חִצֶּ֗יךָ שְׁנ֫וּנִ֥ים עַ֭מִּים תַּחְתֶּ֣יךָ יִפְּל֑וּ בְּ֝לֵ֗ב אוֹיְבֵ֥י הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃ | 6 | Your arrows are sharp, prepared to fire at the enemy. Peoples will fall under you; in the heart of the enemies of the king, and you emerge as the victor. |
| כִּסְאֲךָ֣ אֱ֭לֹהִים עוֹלָ֣ם וָעֶ֑ד | 7 | Your throne (which represents your reign), O king who shares divine attributes, so I will address as God, is forever and ever; the sceptre of your kingdom is the sceptre of righteousness, which means that your rule is righteous. |
| אָהַ֣בְתָּ צֶּדֶק֮ וַתִּשְׂנָ֫א רֶ֥שַׁע עַל־כֵּ֤ן ׀ מְשָׁחֲךָ֡ אֱלֹהִ֣ים אֱ֭לֹהֶיךָ שֶׁ֥מֶן שָׂשׂ֗וֹן מֵֽחֲבֵרֶֽיךָ׃ | 8 | In accordance with the royal ideal of maintaining justice, You love righteousness, and you hate wickedness (which means that you are just and righteous). Therefore, God, your God, has anointed you with oil, which is rejoicing, more than your companions, because you are remarkable and uniquely anointed as the king. |
| מֹר־וַאֲהָל֣וֹת קְ֭צִיעוֹת כָּל־בִּגְדֹתֶ֑יךָ מִֽן־הֵ֥יכְלֵי שֵׁ֝֗ן מִנִּ֥י שִׂמְּחֽוּךָ׃ | 9 | As part of your joy given by God, All your clothes are myrrh and aloes [and] cassia, richly perfumed like King Solomon in preparation for his royal wedding. From luxurious ivory palaces, stringed instruments have caused you to rejoice. |
| נִצְּבָ֥ה שֵׁגַ֥ל לִֽ֝ימִינְךָ֗ בְּכֶ֣תֶם אוֹפִֽיר׃ | 10 | Princesses are among your treasures which you have in your wealth; a queen, the queen mother has taken a stand in the place of honour at your right hand in the particularly pure and fine gold of Ophir, as is appropriate for such a formal, royal occasion; things are as they should be. |
| וְשִׁכְחִ֥י עַ֝מֵּ֗ךְ וּבֵ֥ית אָבִֽיךְ׃ | 11 | Hear, daughter, and see and incline your ear to this advice, and forget your past loyalty to your people who are not part of your husband's family and your father's household in loyalty to your new people, husband, and his family, |
| וּבַֽת־צֹ֨ר ׀ בְּ֭מִנְחָה פָּנַ֥יִךְ יְחַלּ֗וּ עֲשִׁ֣ירֵי עָֽם׃ | 13 | and as a result Daughter Tyre, the richest of people and your place of origin, will seek your favour with a gift given as a wedding gift as part of a successful political marriage alliance because they also want the favour of your husband the king. |
| כָּל־כְּבוּדָּ֣ה בַת־מֶ֣לֶךְ פְּנִ֑ימָה | 14 | The princess is in her chamber with all kinds of valuable goods including the fine jewellery that was part of the dowry that came with a princess upon her marriage; her clothing [is made] from gold settings. |
| לִרְקָמוֹת֮ תּוּבַ֪ל לַ֫מֶּ֥לֶךְ בְּתוּל֣וֹת אַ֭חֲרֶיהָ רֵעוֹתֶ֑יהָ מ֖וּבָא֣וֹת לָֽךְ׃ | 15 | In embroidered cloth she will be led to the king, given as an official Tyrian "tribute" to him;
young women after her, her (female) companions, being brought to you as part of the royal wedding procession. |
| תּ֭וּבַלְנָה בִּשְׂמָחֹ֣ת וָגִ֑יל | 16 | They will be led with joy and gladness; they will go into the king's palace. |
| תַּ֣חַת אֲ֭בֹתֶיךָ יִהְי֣וּ בָנֶ֑יךָ | 17 | In the place of your ancestors, your sons who are born as a result of this marriage will be [princes], reigning after you; you will appoint them as princes over all the earth, continuing your royal line, as every king hopes will happen. |
| אַזְכִּ֣ירָה שִׁ֭מְךָ בְּכָל־דֹּ֣ר וָדֹ֑ר | 18 | I shall profess your name in all generations, making your honour and reputation endure into perpetuity. Therefore peoples in addition to Israel/Judah will praise you forever and ever. |
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.
This resource is forthcoming.