לַמְנַצֵּחַ מִזְמוֹר לדָוִד

To the chief musician, a psalm by David [leDavid]. This psalm appears to be a request on behalf of the king rather than a prayer by the king as a private individual. Therefore, some commentators interpret the word leDavid in this verse to mean “on behalf of David” and his reign.

יַעַנְךָ ה' בְּיוֹם צָרָה יְשַׂגֶּבְךָ שֵׁם אֱלֹהֵי יַעֲקֹב

May the Lord answer you at a time of trouble; may the name of the God of Jacob fortify you.

יִשְׁלַח עֶזְרְךָ מִקֹּדֶשׁ וּמִצִּיּוֹן יִסְעָדֶךָּ

May He send you help from the Sanctuary, from His dwelling place on earth, and support you from Zion, the Temple Mount.

יִזְכֹּר כָּל מִנְחֹתֶךָ וְעוֹלָתְךָ יְדַשְּׁנֶה סֶלָה

May He remember favorably all your offerings that you have brought to Him in the past, and accept your burnt offering, Selah. The word yedashne, translated here as “accept,” is related to deshen, referring to fatness and choice quality. The psalmist prays: May your burnt offerings be accepted as the choicest of gifts.

יִתֶּן לְךָ כִלְבָבֶךָ וְכָל עֲצָתְךָ יְמַלֵּא

May He grant you your heart’s desire and fulfill all your plans.

נְרַנְּנָה בִּישׁוּעָתֶךָ וּבְשֵׁם אֱלֹהֵינוּ נִדְגֹּל יְמַלֵּא ה' כָּל מִשְׁאֲלוֹתֶיךָ

We will sing with joy at your salvation and raise banners in the name of our God, in glorification of God’s name; we will glorify His name as if waving it above us like a flag. May the Lord fulfill all your wishes.

עַתָּה יָדַעְתִּי כִּי הוֹשִׁיעַ ה' מְשִׁיחוֹ יַעֲנֵהוּ מִשְּׁמֵי קָדְשׁוֹ בִּגְבֻרוֹת יֵשַׁע יְמִינוֹ

Now, when victory comes, I know that the Lord has rescued His anointed one, the king of Israel; He will answer him and his prayers from His holy heavens, with the mighty strength of His right hand, which represents God’s attributes of strength and beneficence. God provides the power to subdue the enemy, and He bestows the gift of redemption on the righteous.

אֵלֶּה בָרֶכֶב וְאֵלֶּה בַסּוּסִים וַאֲנַחְנוּ בְּשֵׁם ה' אֱלֹהֵינוּ נַזְכִּיר

Some of our adversaries come to wage war riding on chariots, the most formidable tool of war in ancient times, and some on horses, adding the elements of strength and swiftness to the attacking army, but we invoke the name of the Lord our God. We may not be armed with the most sophisticated weaponry, but we know that weapons do not determine the outcome of the battle; we derive our strength from God.

הֵמָּה כָּרְעוּ וְנָפָלוּ וַאֲנַחְנוּ קַּמְנוּ וַנִּתְעוֹדָד

They collapse and fall; we rise and take heart.

ה' הוֹשִׁיעָה הַמֶּלֶךְ יַעֲנֵנוּ בְיוֹם קָרְאֵנוּ

Deliver us, Lord. The King of the universe will answer us on the day we call.