לַמְנַצֵּחַ לְדָוִד מִזְמוֹר שִׁיר

For the chief musician, a psalm by David, a song. This is a psalm for times of war and other momentous historic events.

יָקוּם אֱלֹהִים יָפוּצוּ אוֹיְבָיו וְיָנוּסוּ מְשַׂנְאָיו מִפָּנָיו

May God arise and may His enemies scatter; may those who hate Him flee before Him. This verse is an allusion to Numbers 10:35.

כְּהִנְדֹּף עָשָׁן תִּנְדֹּף ; כְּהִמֵּס דּוֹנַג מִפְּנֵי אֵשׁ יֹאבְדוּ רְשָׁעִים מִפְּנֵי אֱלֹהִים

Blow them away as smoke is wafted away by a hand or fan, as wax melts before fire; let the wicked perish before God, so they disappear completely.

וְצַדִּיקִים יִשְׂמְחוּ יַעַלְצוּ לִפְנֵי אֱלֹהִים וְיָשִׂישׂוּ בְשִׂמְחָה

But let the righteous be happy. May they exult before God, and may they revel in happiness. The apparently redundant phrase indicates that sason, which means “reveling,” is the outward manifestation of simḥa, an internal feeling of “happiness.”

שִׁירוּ לֵאלֹהִים זַמְּרוּ שְׁמוֹ סֹלּוּ לָרֹכֵב בָּעֲרָבוֹת בְּיָהּ שְׁמוֹ וְעִלְזוּ לְפָנָיו

Sing to God; sing hymns to His name. Praise Him who rides in the highest heavens; praise Him with His name the Lord. The Hebrew uses the name Yah, which is an abbreviated form of God’s four-letter ineffable name, used occasionally in biblical songs of war and victory. Be joyous before Him.

אֲבִי יְתוֹמִים וְדַיַּן אַלְמָנוֹת אֱלֹהִים בִּמְעוֹן קָדְשׁוֹ

God’s greatness and revelation are manifested in various ways: The Father of orphans, the Judge of widows, God is in His holy dwelling. God, in His majestic dwelling, watches over the meek.

אֱלֹהִים מוֹשִׁיב יְחִידִים בַּיְתָה מוֹצִיא אֲסִירִים בַּכּוֹשָׁרוֹת אַךְ סוֹרְרִים שָׁכְנוּ צְחִיחָה

This verse illustrates God’s attention to every individual. God settles the lonely in a home, bringing isolated people together to marry and build a home. He joyously leads forth prisoners. The word bakosharot, translated here as “joyously,” appears only here, and from the context it seems to indicate a deeply felt joy. But the rebellious are thrust aside to dwell in a parched land.

אֱלֹהִים בְּצֵאתְךָ לִפְנֵי עַמֶּךָ בְּצַעְדְּךָ בִישִׁימוֹן סֶלָה

The exodus from Egypt and the giving of the Torah at Sinai are powerful examples of God’s revelation: God, when You went forth before Your people, leading them out of Egypt, and when You marched through the desolate land, Selah,

אֶרֶץ רָעָשָׁה אַף שָׁמַיִם נָטְפוּ מִפְּנֵי אֱלֹהִים זֶה סִינַי מִפְּנֵי אֱלֹהִים אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל

the earth quaked. Physical manifestations of fear and awe in the presence of God included the trembling of Mount Sinai: The heavens rained before God, out of fear of Him. This quaking was what took place at Mount Sinai, which trembled before God, the God of Israel.

גֶּשֶׁם נְדָבוֹת תָּנִיף אֱלֹהִים נַחֲלָתְךָ וְנִלְאָה אַתָּה כוֹנַנְתָּהּ

Manifestations of divine revelation can also be calm and reassuring: You scatter abundant rain upon the earth, God; You secure Your portion, referring to the people and Land of Israel, and You also secure the weary people.

חַיָּתְךָ יָשְׁבוּ בָהּ תָּכִין בְּטוֹבָתְךָ לֶעָנִי אֱלֹהִים

Those You sustain have settled in it, in the portion mentioned above, the Land of Israel. In Your goodness, God, secure it for the needy, for the needs of the people of Israel.

אֲדֹנָי יִתֶּן אֹמֶר הַמְבַשְֹּרוֹת צָבָא רָב

My Lord gives the word, and the women herald the great armies. When God gives the order, female choruses sing out in acclaim of the returning victorious armies.

מַלְכֵי צְבָאוֹת יִדֹּדוּן יִדֹּדוּן ונְוַת בַּיִת תְחַלֵּק שָׁלָל

And this is what they proclaim: The kings of armies flee again and again, abandoning their possessions as spoils of war, while the women at home divide the spoils. Even housewives, who may symbolically represent the people of Israel, who now live peacefully in their homes, go out to reap the spoils of war.

אִם תִּשְׁכְּבוּן בֵּין שְׁפַתָּיִם כַּנְפֵי יוֹנָה נֶחְפָּה בַכֶּסֶף וְאֶבְרוֹתֶיהָ בִּירַקְרַק חָרוּץ

Now you may lie within the sheepfolds. This verse describes Israel in a time of tranquility, a time peaceful enough for a person to rest securely in a pasture where sheep graze. The following is a metaphorical depiction of the people of Israel: Wings of the dove covered with silver, its pinions with green and gold. Caught in the light of the sun, the dove’s white feathers gleam like polished silver, and its wing tips sparkle with colors of green and gold.

בְּפָרֵשׂ שַׁדַּי מְלָכִים בָּהּ תַּשְׁלֵג בְּצַלְמוֹן

When the Almighty crushed the kings, when powerful kings are brought down, God’s glory is manifest. Then it snowed in Tzalmon, in the desert. The reversal of the existing political order is as stunning as snowfall in the desert.

הַר אֱלֹהִים הַר בָּשָׁן הַר גַּבְנֻנִּים הַר בָּשָׁן

A mountain of God, a mountain of vast proportions, is Mount Bashan; a mountain of ridges is Mount Bashan.

לָמָּה תְּרַצְּדוּן הָרִים גַּבְנֻנִּים הָהָר חָמַד אֱלֹהִים לְשִׁבְתּוֹ אַף ה' יִשְׁכֹּן לָנֶצַח

Why do you shudder, ridged mountains, Bashan and others like it? Your shuddering is due to chagrin over the fact that the mount that God desired for His abode is Mount Sinai, mentioned in verse 9, or, according to others, Mount Moriah, the site of the Temple. Mount Moriah seems to be the more likely interpretation, given the conclusion of the verse: There the Lord will surely dwell forever.

רֶכֶב אֱלֹהִים רִבֹּתַיִם אַלְפֵי שִׁנְאָן אֲדֹנָי בָם סִינַי בַּקֹּדֶשׁ

The following verse returns to the revelation at Sinai: The chariots of God, though of course incorporeal, are compared in their might to a human camp of a myriad, comprising thousands upon thousands of companies. The word shinan, translated here as “companies,” may also mean “angels” or “tents.” My Lord is among them, at Sinai, in holiness.

עָלִיתָ לַמָּרוֹם שָׁבִיתָ שֶּׁבִי לָקַחְתָּ מַתָּנוֹת בָּאָדָם וְאַף סוֹרְרִים לִשְׁכֹּן יָהּ אֱלֹהִים

The psalmist describes God as a victorious warrior: You ascended on high; You took captives. You received tributes among men. This may mean “tributes taken from men,” or it may mean “tributes made up of men,” that is, human captives. Even the rebellious ones, whom You captured to dwell over them, Lord God.

בָּרוּךְ אֲדֹנָי יוֹם יוֹם יַעֲמָס לָנוּ הָאֵל יְשׁוּעָתֵנוּ סֶלָה

Blessed be the Lord, who provides for us day by day, the Almighty of our deliverance, Selah.

הָאֵל לָנוּ אֵל לְמוֹשָׁעוֹת ולאלוהים אֲדֹנָי לַמָּוֶת תֹּצָאוֹת

The Almighty for us is the Almighty of deliverance, who comes to our aid; as for those who refuse to submit to Him, the Lord, my Lord, holds power over death and will subject them to it.

אַךְ אֱלֹהִים יִמְחַץ רֹאשׁ אֹיְבָיו קָדְקֹד שֵׂעָר מִתְהַלֵּךְ בַּאֲשָׁמָיו

Indeed, God will shatter the heads of His enemies, hairy skulls of those walking in their guilt.

אָמַר אֲדֹנָי מִבָּשָׁן אָשִׁיב אָשִׁיב מִמְּצֻלוֹת יָם

At the same time, God seeks those of Israel who have lost their way, in order to bring them back: The Lord said: I will bring them back from Bashan, I will bring them back from the depths of the sea. This last phrase may be an allusion to the splitting of the Red Sea.

לְמַעַן תִּמְחַץ רַגְלְךָ בְּדָם לְשׁוֹן כְּלָבֶיךָ מֵאֹיְבִים מִנֵּהוּ

The psalmist addresses the Israelites: God will bring you back so that your foot might wade in the blood of your enemies and so your dogs’ tongues might lick their portion of the blood of the enemy.

רָאוּ הֲלִיכוֹתֶיךָ אֱלֹהִים הֲלִיכוֹת אֵלִי מַלְכִּי בַקֹּדֶשׁ

What follows is a description of God’s grandeur from the perspective of His people who honor Him in public ceremony: They saw Your ways, God, the ways of my Almighty, my King in holiness.

קִדְּמוּ שָׁרִים אַחַר נֹגְנִים בְּתוֹךְ עֲלָמוֹת תּוֹפֵפוֹת

First the singers, followed by musicians, amid the young women playing timbrels. All of these people come out to greet the victorious King.

בְּמַקְהֵלוֹת בָּרְכוּ אֱלֹהִים אֲדֹנָי מִמְּקוֹר יִשְׂרָאֵל

Bless God among the great assemblies; the Lord, from the fount of Israel.

שָׁם בִּנְיָמִן צָעִיר רֹדֵם שָׂרֵי יְהוּדָה רִגְמָתָם שָׂרֵי זְבֻלוּן שָׂרֵי נַפְתָּלִי

There, at this musical tribute, is the tribe of Benjamin, who was the youngest of Jacob’s sons, as well as the least populous tribe, leading them; the chieftains of Judah in their throng, the chieftains of Zebulun, the chieftains of Naphtali. In short, all the tribes of Israel, from one end to the other, were present.

צִוָּה אֱלֹהֶיךָ עֻזֶּךָ עוּזָּה אֱלֹהִים זוּ פָּעַלְתָּ לָּנוּ

The psalmist addresses Israel and its king: Your God has decreed strength for you. Then turning to God, he says: Reveal Your strength, God, that You have employed on our behalf in the past.

מֵהֵיכָלֶךָ עַל יְרוּשָׁלִָם לְךָ יוֹבִילוּ מְלָכִים שָׁי

This strength that I speak of emanates from Your Temple, which is situated on Mount Moriah, above Jerusalem. Kings of all nations bring gifts and offerings to You there.

גְּעַר חַיַּת קָנֶה עֲדַת אַבִּירִים בְּעֶגְלֵי עַמִּים מִתְרַפֵּס בְּרַצֵּי כָסֶף בִּזַּר עַמִּים קְרָבוֹת יֶחְפָּצוּ

Strike fear in the beasts among the reeds, the wild animals lurking among the reeds near the water, and in the herd of cavalry horses going among the calves of the people. The image is one of powerful war horses that cause the enemy to flee like calves caught in a stampede. The calves represent those vanquished people who grovel and seek to buy their safety from their invaders for pieces of silver. He scatters the nations who desire battle. The belligerent nations are dispersed by God; only those who have surrendered remain.

יֶאֱתָיוּ חַשְׁמַנִּים מִנִּי מִצְרָיִם כּוּשׁ תָּרִיץ יָדָיו לֵאלֹהִים

Noblemen will arrive from Egypt; Kush, in Africa, will hasten to stretch out her hands with gifts to God.

מַמְלְכוֹת הָאָרֶץ שִׁירוּ לֵאלֹהִים זַמְּרוּ אֲדֹנָי סֶלָה

Kingdoms of the earth, sing to God; sing praises to my Lord, Selah.

לָרֹכֵב בִּשְׁמֵי שְׁמֵי קֶדֶם הֵן יִתֵּן בְּקוֹלוֹ קוֹל עֹז

Sing those praises to Him who rides on the expanses of the highest, farthest heavens, who speaks with His voice, a mighty voice, referring to the sound of thunder.

תְּנוּ עֹז לֵאלֹהִים עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל גַּאֲוָתוֹ וְעֻזּוֹ בַּשְּׁחָקִים

Ascribe strength to God, that is, praise Him for His strength, whose majesty is over Israel. God’s power and greatness are made manifest through the people of Israel, whose strength is in the heavens.

נוֹרָא אֱלֹהִים מִמִּקְדָּשֶׁיךָ אֵל יִשְׂרָאֵל הוּא נֹתֵן עֹז וְתַעֲצֻמוֹת לָעָם בָּרוּךְ אֱלֹהִים

You are awesome, feared, God, from Your Sanctuary, the source of God’s revelation in the world. The Almighty of Israel gives strength and power to the nation of Israel. Blessed be God.