לַמְנַצֵּחַ מַשְׂכִּיל לְדָוִד

For the chief musician, a contemplation by David,

בְּבוֹא דּוֹאֵג הָאֲדֹמִי וַיַּגֵּד לְשָׁאוּל וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ בָּא דָוִד אֶל בֵּית אֲחִימֶלֶךְ

composed when Doeg the Edomite came and informed Saul, saying to him: David has come to the house of Ahimelekh. As a result of what Doeg told Saul, almost all the people of the house of Ahimelekh were killed for having harbored the fugitive David, despite their being innocent of any wrongdoing.

מַה תִּתְהַלֵּל בְּרָעָה הַגִּבּוֹר חֶסֶד אֵל כָּל הַיּוֹם

Why do you boast of evil, you warrior? Doeg was one of Saul’s senior ministers and warriors. The kindness of the Almighty, which counteracts your evil deeds, is all day long.

הַוּוֹת תַּחְשֹׁב לְשׁוֹנֶךָ כְּתַעַר מְלֻטָּשׁ עֹשֵׂה רְמִיָּה

Your tongue contemplates wickedness. Like a honed razor, it works deceit. A very sharp blade often “works deceit” by causing unintended scrapes.

אָהַבְתָּ רָע מִטּוֹב; שֶׁקֶר מדַּבֵּר צֶדֶק סֶלָה

You love evil more than good, falsehood more than honest speech, Selah.

אָהַבְתָּ כָל דִּבְרֵי בָלַע לְשׁוֹן מִרְמָה

You love all slanderous words, a deceiving tongue.

גַּם אֵל יִתָּצְךָ לָנֶצַח יַחְתְּךָ וְיִסָּחֲךָ מֵאֹהֶל וְשֵׁרֶשְׁךָ מֵאֶרֶץ חַיִּים סֶלָה

As punishment for this, the Almighty will also shatter you forever; He will snatch you up, drag you from your tent, and uproot you from the land of the living, Selah.

וְיִרְאוּ צַדִּיקִים ויִירָאוּ ועָלָיו יִשְׂחָקוּ

And when the righteous will see Doeg’s downfall, they will have a twofold reaction: They will take note of the harshness of his punishment and be awed, and they will laugh and scoff at him, saying:

הִנֵּה הַגֶּבֶר לֹא יָשִׂים אֱלֹהִים מָעוּזּוֹ ויִּבְטַח בְּרֹב עָשְׁרוֹ יָעֹז בְּהַוָּתוֹ

Here is the man who did not make God his stronghold, relying instead on his great riches, fortifying himself in his wickedness.

ואֲנִי כְּזַיִת רַעֲנָן בְּבֵית אֱלֹהִים בָּטַחְתִּי בְחֶסֶד אֱלֹהִים עוֹלָם וָעֶד

But as for me, one of the intended victims of Doeg’s malevolent speech, I am thriving like a verdant olive tree in the House of God; I trusted in the kindness of God forevermore and emerged from the ordeal unscathed.

אוֹדְךָ לְעוֹלָם כִּי עָשִׂיתָ וַאֲקַוֶּה שִׁמְךָ כִי טוֹב נֶגֶד חֲסִידֶיךָ

I will give thanks to You forever for what You have done, and I will place my hope in Your name, for it is good, in the presence of Your devoted ones.