לַמְנַצֵּחַ בִּנְגִינֹת מַשְׂכִּיל לְדָוִד

For the chief musician on stringed instruments, a contemplation by David.

הַאֲזִינָה אֱלֹהִים תְפִלָּתִי ואַל תִּתְעַלַּם מִתְּחִנָּתִי

Listen to my prayer, God; do not ignore my plea. The psalmist’s request that God heed his prayer is followed by a more modest request, that God not ignore him.

הַקְשִׁיבָה לִּי וַעֲנֵנִי אָרִיד בְּשִׂיחִי וְאָהִימָה

Heed me and answer me as I lament with my speech, as I speak of my pain and suffering, and cry out

מִקּוֹל אוֹיֵב מִפְּנֵי עָקַת רָשָׁע כִּי יָמִיטוּ עָלַי אָוֶן וּבְאַף יִשְׂטְמוּנִי

at the enemy’s voice, at the oppression of the wicked, casting their evil upon me and hating me with wrath.

לִבִּי יָחִיל בְּקִרְבִּי וְאֵימוֹת מָוֶת נָפְלוּ עָלָי

My heart is fearful within me; terrors of death descend upon me because of all their threats.

יִרְאָה וָרַעַד יָבֹא בִי וַתְּכַסֵּנִי פַּלָּצוּת

Fear and trembling enter me; I am enveloped in horror.

וָאֹמַר מִי יִתֶּן לִי אֵבֶר כַּיּוֹנָה אָעוּפָה וְאֶשְׁכֹּנָה

I said: Would that I had wings like a dove; I would fly away to another place, anywhere else but here, and come to rest.

הִנֵּה אַרְחִיק נְדֹד אָלִין בַּמִּדְבָּר סֶלָה

I would wander far away to reside in the wilderness. Although I might be isolated there, at least I would be safe. Selah.

אָחִישָׁה מִפְלָט לִי מֵרוּחַ סֹעָה מִסָּעַר

I would hasten to seek out a place of refuge, away from the stormy wind and tempest.

בַּלַּע אֲדֹנָי פַּלַּג לְשׁוֹנָם כִּי רָאִיתִי חָמָס וְרִיב בָּעִיר

The psalmist now shifts his attention to his foes, asking God for aid: Confound them, Lord, confuse their tongue and bring an end to their calumnies, for I see injustice and strife in the city when they are in control.

יוֹמָם וָלַיְלָה יְסוֹבְבֻהָ עַל חוֹמֹתֶיהָ וְאָוֶן וְעָמָל בְּקִרְבָּהּ

Day and night they encircle its walls with injustice, and there is iniquity and mischief within,

הַוּוֹת בְּקִרְבָּהּ וְלֹא יָמִישׁ מֵרְחֹבָהּ תֹּךְ וּמִרְמָה

disasters within, intrigue and deceit not quitting its streets.

כִּי לֹא אוֹיֵב יְחָרְפֵנִי וְאֶשָּׂא לֹא מְשַׂנְאִי עָלַי הִגְדִּיל וְאֶסָּתֵר מִמֶּנּוּ

The psalmist now turns to a particularly painful matter: For it is not an enemy who taunts me, which I could bear. It would not be so bad if a known enemy would be scorning me. Nor is it one of my foes who has grown threatening, from whom I could hide.

וְאַתָּה אֱנוֹשׁ כְּעֶרְכִּי אַלּוּפִי וּמְיֻדָּעִי

David addresses his antagonist: But rather it is you, the one who is assailing me, a man who was always considered by me to be my equal, and moreover my guide and companion.

אֲשֶׁר יַחְדָּו נַמְתִּיק סוֹד בְבֵית אֱלֹהִים נְהַלֵּךְ בְּרָגֶשׁ

In our friendship we shared confidences with each other; we walked together with great feeling in the House of God. The pain is much greater, since my betrayal comes from one who had been a close friend.

יַשִּׁי מָוֶת עָלֵימוֹ יֵרְדוּ שְׁאוֹל חַיִּים כִּי רָעוֹת בִּמְגוּרָם בְּקִרְבָּם

David prays: May He bring up death upon them; let them go down, still living, to the netherworld. This may allude to the rebellion of Korah, in which this was the fate of those who instigated an internal insurrection against Moses’ leadership. For evil is in their dwelling place, that is, it is inside them.

אֲנִי אֶל אֱלֹהִים אֶקְרָא וַה' יוֹשִׁיעֵנִי

I call upon God; the Lord will save me.

עֶרֶב וָבֹקֶר וְצָהֳרַיִם אָשִׂיחָה וְאֶהֱמֶה וַיִּשְׁמַע קוֹלִי

Evening and morning and noon, I speak in prayer and cry aloud, and He hears my voice.

פָּדָה בְשָׁלוֹם נַפְשִׁי מִקְּרָב לִי כִּי בְרַבִּים הָיוּ עִמָּדִי

At this point, there is a shift in the psalm’s tone, evidently describing events that occurred at a later time: He redeemed me unharmed from the battle waged against me, for there were many with me supporting me, and for their sake God saved me from harm. It is also possible that this verse is describing occasions in the past in which David was rescued by God.

יִשְׁמַע אֵל וְיַעֲנֵם וְיֹשֵׁב קֶדֶם סֶלָה

The Almighty, He who abides from days of yore, will hear, and He will answer them, those who have remained loyal to me, Selah. Referring now to the enemies: They do not change; as always, they do not fear God.

אֲשֶׁר אֵין חֲלִיפוֹת לָמוֹ וְלֹא יָרְאוּ אֱלֹהִים שָׁלַח יָדָיו בִּשְׁלֹמָיו חִלֵּל בְּרִיתוֹ

He, my antagonist, raised his arms against his erstwhile comrades, violating his covenant with them.

חָלְקוּ מַחְמָאֹת פִּיו וקְרָב לִבּוֹ רַכּוּ דְבָרָיו מִשֶּׁמֶן וְהֵמָּה פְתִחוֹת

His speech was smoother than cream, but actually war was in his heart. His words were softer than oil, yet they, those words, were like drawn swords or, alternatively, like snares.

הַשְׁלֵךְ עַל ה' יְהָבְךָ וְהוּא יְכַלְכְּלֶךָ לֹא יִתֵּן לְעוֹלָם מוֹט לַצַּדִּיק

The psalmist offers general words of encouragement: Cast your burden upon the Lord, and He will sustain you. He will never let the righteous slip.

וְאַתָּה אֱלֹהִים תּוֹרִדֵם לִבְאֵר שַׁחַת אַנְשֵׁי דָמִים וּמִרְמָה לֹא יֶחֱצוּ יְמֵיהֶם וַאֲנִי אֶבְטַח בָּךְ

But as for his enemies: You, God, will bring them down to the pit of destruction. Men of bloodshed and deceit will not live out even half their days, but I shall trust in You.