Psalm 92 Text

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Simple Reading (Hebrew)
Forthcoming. 		Simple Reading (English)
Forthcoming.
Dramatic Reading (Hebrew)
Forthcoming. 		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) 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.
מִזְמ֥וֹר שִׁ֗יר לְי֣וֹם הַשַּׁבָּֽת׃ 1 A psalm. A song for the Sabbath day.
ט֗וֹב לְהֹד֥וֹת לַיהוָ֑ה 2 It is right to praise YHWH
וּלְזַמֵּ֖ר לְשִׁמְךָ֣ עֶלְיֽוֹן׃ and [it is right] to sing praise to your name, Most High.
לְהַגִּ֣יד בַּבֹּ֣קֶר חַסְֽדֶּ֑ךָ 3 [It is right] to declare your loyalty in the morning
וֶ֝אֱמֽוּנָתְךָ֗ בַּלֵּילֽוֹת׃ and [it is right to declare] your faithfulness at night.
עֲֽלֵי־עָ֭שׂוֹר וַעֲלֵי־נָ֑בֶל 4 [It is right to praise YHWH] with a ten-stringed instrument and with a harp,
עֲלֵ֖י הִגָּי֣וֹן בְּכִנּֽוֹר׃ with a soft melody on a lyre.
כִּ֤י שִׂמַּחְתַּ֣נִי יְהוָ֣ה בְּפָעֳלֶ֑ךָ 5 For you have made me rejoice, YHWH, by your action;
בְּֽמַעֲשֵׂה* יָדֶ֣יךָ אֲרַנֵּֽן׃* In the work of your hands I rejoice.
מַה־גָּדְל֣וּ מַעֲשֶׂ֣יךָ יְהוָ֑ה 6 How great are your works, YHWH!
מְ֝אֹ֗ד עָמְק֥וּ מַחְשְׁבֹתֶֽיךָ׃ Your plans are so deep.
אִֽישׁ־בַּ֭עַר לֹ֣א יֵדָ֑ע 7 Stupid people do not know [this]
וּ֝כְסִ֗יל לֹא־יָבִ֥ין אֶת־זֹֽאת׃ and fools do not understand this:
בִּפְרֹ֤חַ רְשָׁעִ֨ים ׀ כְּמ֥וֹ עֵ֗שֶׂב 8 when wicked people flourish like a green plant
וַ֭יָּצִיצוּ כָּל־פֹּ֣עֲלֵי אָ֑וֶן and any evildoers prosper,
לְהִשָּֽׁמְדָ֥ם עֲדֵי־עַֽד׃ [this is] for them to be destroyed forever,
וְאַתָּ֥ה מָר֗וֹם לְעֹלָ֥ם יְהוָֽה׃ 9 but you are on high forever, YHWH.
כִּ֤י הִנֵּ֪ה אֹיְבֶ֡יךָ ׀ יְֽהוָ֗ה 10 For look, your enemies, YHWH—
כִּֽי־הִנֵּ֣ה אֹיְבֶ֣יךָ יֹאבֵ֑דוּ for look, your enemies will perish;
יִ֝תְפָּרְד֗וּ כָּל־פֹּ֥עֲלֵי אָֽוֶן׃ all evildoers will be scattered,
וַתָּ֣רֶם כִּרְאֵ֣ים קַרְנִ֑י 11 and you will lift up my horn like a wild ox,
בְּלּתִי* *כְּשֶׁ֣מֶן* רַעֲנָֽן׃* my old age [will be] fresh like oil,
וַתַּבֵּ֥ט עֵינִ֗י בְּשׁ֫וּרָ֥י 12 and my eyes will look upon my enemies;
בַּקָּמִ֖ים עָלַ֥י מְרֵעִ֗ים תִּשְׁמַ֥עְנָה אָזְנָֽי׃ my ears will hear those who rise up against me, wicked people.
צַ֭דִּיק כַּתָּמָ֣ר יִפְרָ֑ח 13 The righteous will flourish like a palm tree;
כְּאֶ֖רֶז בַּלְּבָנ֣וֹן יִשְׂגֶּֽה׃ like a cedar tree in Lebanon he will grow.
שְׁ֭תוּלִים בְּבֵ֣ית יְהוָ֑ה 14 [They will be] transplanted in the house of YHWH;
בְּחַצְר֖וֹת אֱלֹהֵ֣ינוּ יַפְרִֽיחוּ׃ in the courtyards of our God they will flourish.
ע֭וֹד יְנוּב֣וּן בְּשֵׂיבָ֑ה 15 They will still thrive in old age;
דְּשֵׁנִ֖ים וְרַֽעֲנַנִּ֣ים יִהְיֽוּ׃ they will be vigorous and fresh
לְ֭הַגִּיד כִּֽי־יָשָׁ֣ר יְהוָ֑ה צ֝וּרִ֗י 16 in order that people declare that YHWH, my rock, is fair
וְֽלֹא־עַוְלָ֥תָה בּֽוֹ׃ and there is no injustice in him.


  • v. 5 – For the emendation of בְּֽמַעֲשֵׂה* יָדֶ֣יךָ* (MT: בְּֽמַעֲשֵׂ֖י יָדֶ֣יךָ), see the grammar notes.
  • v. 11 – For the revocalization of *בְּלֹתִי* (MT: בַּ֝לֹּתִ֗י) and the emendation of *כְּשֶׁמֶן* (MT: בְּשֶׁ֣מֶן), see the The Grammar and Meaning of Ps 92:11b.

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)
מִזְמ֥וֹר שִׁ֗יר לְי֣וֹם הַשַּׁבָּֽת׃ 1a A psalm. A song for the Sabbath day.
ט֗וֹב לְהֹד֥וֹת לַיהוָ֑ה 2a It is right to praise YHWH
וּלְזַמֵּ֖ר לְשִׁמְךָ֣ עֶלְיֽוֹן׃ 2b and [it is right] to sing praise to your name, Most High.
לְהַגִּ֣יד בַּבֹּ֣קֶר חַסְֽדֶּ֑ךָ 3a [It is right] to declare your loyalty in the morning
וֶ֝אֱמֽוּנָתְךָ֗ בַּלֵּילֽוֹת׃ 3b and [it is right to declare] your faithfulness at night.
עֲֽלֵי־עָ֭שׂוֹר וַעֲלֵי־נָ֑בֶל 4a [It is right to praise YHWH] with a ten-stringed instrument and with a harp,
עֲלֵ֖י הִגָּי֣וֹן בְּכִנּוֹר׃ 4b with a soft melody on a lyre.
כִּ֤י שִׂמַּחְתַּ֣נִי יְהוָ֣ה בְּפָעֳלֶ֑ךָ 5a For you have made me rejoice, YHWH, by your action;
בְּֽמַעֲשֵׂה* יָדֶ֣יךָ אֲרַנֵּֽן׃* 5b In the work of your hands I rejoice.
מַה־גָּדְל֣וּ מַעֲשֶׂ֣יךָ יְהוָ֑ה 6a How great are your works, YHWH!
מְ֝אֹ֗ד עָמְק֥וּ מַחְשְׁבֹתֶֽיךָ׃ 6b Your plans are so deep.
אִֽישׁ־בַּ֭עַר לֹ֣א יֵדָ֑ע 7a Stupid people do not know [this]
וּ֝כְסִ֗יל לֹא־יָבִ֥ין אֶת־זֹֽאת׃ 7b and fools do not understand this:
בִּפְרֹ֤חַ רְשָׁעִ֨ים ׀ כְּמ֥וֹ עֵ֗שֶׂב 8a when wicked people flourish like a green plant
וַ֭יָּצִיצוּ כָּל־פֹּ֣עֲלֵי אָ֑וֶן 8b and any evildoers prosper,
לְהִשָּֽׁמְדָ֥ם עֲדֵי־עַֽד׃ 8c [this is] for them to be destroyed forever,
וְאַתָּ֥ה מָר֗וֹם לְעֹלָ֥ם יְהוָֽה׃ 9a but you are on high forever, YHWH.
כִּ֤י הִנֵּ֪ה אֹיְבֶ֡יךָ ׀ יְֽהוָ֗ה 10a For look, your enemies, YHWH—
כִּֽי־הִנֵּ֣ה אֹיְבֶ֣יךָ יֹאבֵ֑דוּ 10b for look, your enemies will perish;
יִ֝תְפָּרְד֗וּ כָּל־פֹּ֥עֲלֵי אָֽוֶן׃ 10c all evildoers will be scattered,
וַתָּ֣רֶם כִּרְאֵ֣ים קַרְנִ֑י 11a and you will lift up my horn like a wild ox,
בְּלּתִי* *כְּ*שֶׁ֣מֶן רַעֲנָֽן׃* 11b my old age [will be] fresh like oil,
וַתַּבֵּ֥ט עֵינִ֗י בְּשׁ֫וּרָ֥י 12a and my eyes will look upon my enemies;
בַּקָּמִ֖ים עָלַ֥י מְרֵעִ֗ים תִּשְׁמַ֥עְנָה אָזְנָֽי׃ 12b my ears will hear those who rise up against me, wicked people.
צַ֭דִּיק כַּתָּמָ֣ר יִפְרָ֑ח 13a The righteous will flourish like a palm tree;
כְּאֶ֖רֶז בַּלְּבָנ֣וֹן יִשְׂגֶּֽה׃ 13b like a cedar tree in Lebanon he will grow.
שְׁ֭תוּלִים בְּבֵ֣ית יְהוָ֑ה 14a [They will be] transplanted in the house of YHWH;
בְּחַצְר֖וֹת אֱלֹהֵ֣ינוּ יַפְרִֽיחוּ׃ 14b in the courtyards of our God they will flourish.
ע֭וֹד יְנוּב֣וּן בְּשֵׂיבָ֑ה 15a They will still thrive in old age;
דְּשֵׁנִ֖ים וְרַֽעֲנַנִּ֣ים יִהְיֽוּ׃ 15b they will be vigorous and fresh
לְ֭הַגִּיד כִּֽי־יָשָׁ֣ר יְהוָ֑ה צ֝וּרִ֗י 16a in order that people declare that YHWH, my rock, is fair
וְֽלֹא־עַוְלָ֥תָה בּֽוֹ׃ 16b and there is no injustice in him.

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
מִזְמ֥וֹר שִׁ֗יר לְי֣וֹם הַשַּׁבָּֽת׃ 1 A psalm. A song for the Sabbath day. Recited by the Levites as a reminder of the perfection of the eternal Sabbath, in which all wrongs will be made right. As we gather on the Sabbath, let us remember how God created the entire world and it was good. It is still good, so
ט֗וֹב לְהֹד֥וֹת לַיהוָ֑ה וּלְזַמֵּ֖ר לְשִׁמְךָ֣ עֶלְיֽוֹן׃ 2 it is right to praise YHWH and [it is right] to sing praise to your name, Most High, Creator of heaven and earth.
לְהַגִּ֣יד בַּבֹּ֣קֶר חַסְֽדֶּ֑ךָ וֶ֝אֱמֽוּנָתְךָ֗ בַּלֵּילֽוֹת׃ 3 [It is right] to declare your loyalty in the morning, when deliverance often comes, and [it is right to declare] your faithfulness at night, even when we are often tempted to despair.
עֲֽלֵי־עָ֭שׂוֹר וַעֲלֵי־נָ֑בֶל עֲלֵ֖י הִגָּי֣וֹן בְּכִנּוֹר׃ 4 [It is right to praise YHWH] always, both individually, and communally as we meet together in the house of YHWH, with a ten-stringed instrument and with a harp, with a soft melody on a lyre.
כִּ֤י שִׂמַּחְתַּ֣נִי יְהוָ֣ה בְּפָעֳלֶ֑ךָ בְּֽמַעֲשֵׂה* יָדֶ֣יךָ אֲרַנֵּֽן׃* 5 I will indeed praise, for you have made me rejoice, YHWH, by your action, by how you created the universe and established order and justice among your creation, which we will one day be able to experience fully. I think about your completed work and I rejoice in the work of your hands – how you separated light from darkness, established the limits of the water and sat down enthroned on high. You made everything good. And as I reflect on that, I look forward to the future Sabbath, when your kingdom, defined by justice and order, will be completely established. Though we cannot fully appreciate them,
מַה־גָּדְל֣וּ מַעֲשֶׂ֣יךָ יְהוָ֑ה מְ֝אֹ֗ד עָמְק֥וּ מַחְשְׁבֹתֶֽיךָ׃ 6 how great are your works, YHWH! Though we cannot fully understand them, your plans are so deep. We understand what we need to know: that you made the world good and continue to establish justice. On the other hand,
אִֽישׁ־בַּ֭עַר לֹ֣א יֵדָ֑ע וּ֝כְסִ֗יל לֹא־יָבִ֥ין אֶת־זֹֽאת׃ 7 stupid people do not know [this] and fools do not even understand this:
בִּפְרֹ֤חַ רְשָׁעִ֨ים ׀ כְּמ֥וֹ עֵ֗שֶׂב לְהִשָּֽׁמְדָ֥ם עֲדֵי־עַֽד׃ 8 when wicked people flourish like a green plant, which shoots up today and withers tomorrow, and any evildoers prosper for a while, the stupid are confused, thinking the flourishing will last forever and is an argument against your justice. They do not even know that[this short-term flourishing of the wicked is] only for the purpose of them to be destroyed forever,
וְאַתָּ֥ה מָר֗וֹם לְעֹלָ֥ם יְהוָֽה׃ 9 but you are on high forever, YHWH, seated on your heavenly throne as the judge and provider of perfect justice for all humankind, established, since creation, by your sovereign and orderly rule over the cosmos. Even if fools do not understand it, I know it to be true,
כִּ֤י הִנֵּ֪ה אֹיְבֶ֡יךָ ׀ יְֽהוָ֗ה 10 for look, your enemies, YHWH, those wicked and evildoers— for look, your enemies will perish; all evildoers will be scattered after all, demonstrating that you will never leave the guilty unpunished,
וַתָּ֣רֶם כִּרְאֵ֣ים קַרְנִ֑י 11 and you will lift up my horn like a wild ox, bestowing on me the status and health that belongs to those faithful to you, and my old age [will be] fresh like oil, such that I will thrive and remain fresh for years to come
צַ֭דִּיק כַּתָּמָ֣ר יִפְרָ֑ח 13 the righteous, who, on the other hand, will flourish like a palm tree, standing tall and bearing fruit even in the most difficult circumstances; like a cedar tree in Lebanon, the kind of wood used to build palaces and temples, he will grow and multiply, rooted on the heights as on YHWH's celestial mountain since, rather than being scattered,
שְׁ֭תוּלִים בְּבֵ֣ית יְהוָ֑ה 14 [they will be] transplanted in the house of YHWH to gain proper perspective; in the courtyards of our God they will flourish by observing covenant faithfulness to him and observing his covenant faithfulness.
לְ֭הַגִּיד כִּֽי־יָשָׁ֣ר יְהוָ֑ה צ֝וּרִ֗י וְֽלֹא־עַוְלָ֥תָה בּֽוֹ׃ 16 in order that the people gathered for worship declare —since it is, indeed, right to do so— that YHWH, my rock, is, in fact, fair and, when everything is known and understood, despite what some may say or what we may be tempted to believe, there is absolutely no injustice in him. When the final Sabbath comes, and his work is once again complete, we will continue to say: it is right to praise him!

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.

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Participant Tracking Text

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
מִזְמ֥וֹר שִׁ֗יר לְי֣וֹם הַשַּׁבָּֽת׃ 1 A psalm. A song for the Sabbath day.
Psalmist ט֗וֹב לְהֹד֥וֹת לַיהוָ֑ה 2 It is right to praise YHWH YHWH
וּלְזַמֵּ֖ר לְשִׁמְךָ֣ עֶלְיֽוֹן׃ and [it is right] to sing praise to your name, Most High.
לְהַגִּ֣יד בַּבֹּ֣קֶר חַסְֽדֶּ֑ךָ 3 [It is right] to declare your loyalty in the morning
וֶ֝אֱמֽוּנָתְךָ֗ בַּלֵּילֽוֹת׃ and [it is right to declare] your faithfulness at night.
עֲֽלֵי־עָ֭שׂוֹר וַעֲלֵי־נָ֑בֶל 4 [It is right to praise YHWH] with a ten-stringed instrument and with a harp,
עֲלֵ֖י הִגָּי֣וֹן בְּכִנּֽוֹר׃ with a soft melody on a lyre.
כִּ֤י שִׂמַּחְתַּ֣נִי יְהוָ֣ה בְּפָעֳלֶ֑ךָ 5 For you have made me rejoice, YHWH, by your action;
בְּֽמַעֲשֵׂה* יָדֶ֣יךָ אֲרַנֵּֽן׃* In the work of your hands I rejoice.
מַה־גָּדְל֣וּ מַעֲשֶׂ֣יךָ יְהוָ֑ה 6 How great are your works, YHWH!
מְ֝אֹ֗ד עָמְק֥וּ מַחְשְׁבֹתֶֽיךָ׃ your plans are so deep.
אִֽישׁ־בַּ֭עַר לֹ֣א יֵדָ֑ע 7 Stupid people do not know [this]
וּ֝כְסִ֗יל לֹא־יָבִ֥ין אֶת־זֹֽאת׃ and fools do not understand this:
בִּפְרֹ֤חַ רְשָׁעִ֨ים ׀ כְּמ֥וֹ עֵ֗שֶׂב 8 when wicked people flourish like a green plant
וַ֭יָּצִיצוּ כָּל־פֹּ֣עֲלֵי אָ֑וֶן and any evildoers prosper,
לְהִשָּֽׁמְדָ֥ם עֲדֵי־עַֽד׃ [this is] for them to be destroyed forever,
וְאַתָּ֥ה מָר֗וֹם לְעֹלָ֥ם יְהוָֽה׃ 9 but you are on high forever, YHWH.
כִּ֤י הִנֵּ֪ה אֹיְבֶ֡יךָ ׀ יְֽהוָ֗ה 10 For look, your enemies, YHWH—
כִּֽי־הִנֵּ֣ה אֹיְבֶ֣יךָ יֹאבֵ֑דוּ for look, your enemies will perish;
יִ֝תְפָּרְד֗וּ כָּל־פֹּ֥עֲלֵי אָֽוֶן׃ all evildoers will be scattered,
וַתָּ֣רֶם כִּרְאֵ֣ים קַרְנִ֑י 11 and you will lift up my horn like a wild ox,
בְּלּתִי* *כְּשֶׁ֣מֶן* רַעֲנָֽן׃* my old age [will be] fresh like oil,
וַתַּבֵּ֥ט עֵינִ֗י בְּשׁ֫וּרָ֥י 12 and my eyes will look upon my enemies;
בַּקָּמִ֖ים עָלַ֥י מְרֵעִ֗ים תִּשְׁמַ֥עְנָה אָזְנָֽי׃ my ears will hear those who rise up against me, wicked people.
צַ֭דִּיק כַּתָּמָ֣ר יִפְרָ֑ח 13 The righteous will flourish like a palm tree; The Righteous
כְּאֶ֖רֶז בַּלְּבָנ֣וֹן יִשְׂגֶּֽה׃ like a cedar tree in Lebanon he will grow.
שְׁ֭תוּלִים בְּבֵ֣ית יְהוָ֑ה 14 [They will be] transplanted in the house of YHWH;
בְּחַצְר֖וֹת אֱלֹהֵ֣ינוּ יַפְרִֽיחוּ׃ in the courtyards of our God they will flourish.
ע֭וֹד יְנוּב֣וּן בְּשֵׂיבָ֑ה 15 They will still thrive in old age;
דְּשֵׁנִ֖ים וְרַֽעֲנַנִּ֣ים יִהְיֽוּ׃ they will be vigorous and fresh
לְ֭הַגִּיד כִּֽי־יָשָׁ֣ר יְהוָ֑ה צ֝וּרִ֗י 16 in order that people declare that YHWH, my rock, is fair
וְֽלֹא־עַוְלָ֥תָה בּֽוֹ׃ and there is no injustice in him.


  • v. 5 – For the emendation of בְּֽמַעֲשֵׂה* יָדֶ֣יךָ* (MT: בְּֽמַעֲשֵׂ֖י יָדֶ֣יךָ), see the grammar notes.
  • v. 11 – For the revocalization of *בְּלֹתִי* (MT: בַּ֝לֹּתִ֗י) and the emendation of *כְּשֶׁמֶן* (MT: בְּשֶׁ֣מֶן), see the The Grammar and Meaning of Ps 92:11b.