בְּךָ ה' חָסִיתִי אַל אֵבוֹשָׁה לְעוֹלָם

In You, Lord, I have taken refuge; therefore, I shall never be ashamed.

בְּצִדְקָתְךָ תַּצִּילֵנִי וּתְפַלְּטֵנִי הַטֵּה אֵלַי אָזְנְךָ וְהוֹשִׁיעֵנִי

Save me from my enemies and rescue me from my troubles in Your righteousness; incline Your ear to me and deliver me.

הֱיֵה לִי לְצוּר מָעוֹן לָבוֹא תָּמִיד צִוִּיתָ לְהוֹשִׁיעֵנִי כִּי סַלְעִי וּמְצוּדָתִי אָתָּה

Be like a fortified dwelling for me, where I may enter at all times, since You have ordained my rescue, for You are my rock and my fortress.

אֱלֹהַי פַּלְּטֵנִי מִיַּד רָשָׁע מִכַּף מְעַוֵּל וְחוֹמֵץ

My God, rescue me from the hand of the wicked, from the grasp of the wrongdoer and the violent man [h·]. The word ḥometz is similar in meaning to ḥomes, “violent man” or “robber.” It is also found in talmudic literature with a similar meaning.

כִּי אַתָּה תִקְוָתִי אֲדֹנָי אלוהים מִבְטַחִי מִנְּעוּרָי

For You are my hope, my Lord God, my trust from the days of my youth.

עָלֶיךָ נִסְמַכְתִּי מִבֶּטֶן מִמְּעֵי אִמִּי אַתָּה גוֹזִי בְךָ תְהִלָּתִי תָמִיד

I have relied on You from birth, literally “from the belly,” since emerging from the womb; You brought me out of my mother’s womb, and I have been with You ever since. I praise You always.

כְּמוֹפֵת הָיִיתִי לְרַבִּים וְאַתָּה מַחֲסִי עֹז

I have been an example for many. David is aware that as king, his deeds and acts of courage are not private matters; people admire him as a symbol and role model. And You are my mighty refuge.

יִמָּלֵא פִי תְהִלָּתֶךָ כָּל הַיּוֹם תִּפְאַרְתֶּךָ

Let my mouth be filled with praise for You; enable me to praise You with a full mouth, with completion and perfection. May I be able to praise You for Your glory all day long.

אַל תַּשְׁלִיכֵנִי לְעֵת זִקְנָה כִּכְלוֹת כֹּחִי אַל תַּעַזְבֵנִי

The psalmist makes an additional request: Do not cast me off in old age; do not forsake me when my strength fails.

כִּי אָמְרוּ אוֹיְבַי לִי וְשֹׁמְרֵי נַפְשִׁי נוֹעֲצוּ יַחְדָּו

For my enemies have spoken against me; those who keep watch over my soul, those who await an opportunity to take my life, have conspired together,

לֵאמֹר אֱלֹהִים עֲזָבוֹ רִדְפוּ וְתִפְשׂוּהוּ כִּי אֵין מַצִּיל

saying: God has forsaken him; he no longer enjoys divine protection. Therefore, pursue and seize him, for there is no one to rescue him.

אֱלֹהִים אַל תִּרְחַק מִמֶּנִּי אֱלֹהַי לְעֶזְרָתִי חוּשָׁה

God, do not be distant from me, as my enemies would like; my God, hasten to my aid.

יֵבֹשׁוּ יִכְלוּ שׂטְנֵי נַפְשִׁי יַעֲטוּ חֶרְפָּה וּכְלִמָּה מְבַקְשֵׁי רָעָתִי

May those who hate me be humiliated; may they perish. May those who seek my harm be wrapped in shame and disgrace.

וַאֲנִי תָּמִיד אֲיַחֵל וְהוֹסַפְתִּי עַל כָּל תְּהִלָּתֶךָ

But as for me, I will hope continually for Your kindness and salvation, and when You do rescue me, I will add to Your praises that I have expressed in the past.

פִּי יְסַפֵּר צִדְקָתֶךָ כָּל הַיּוֹם תְשׁוּעָתֶךָ כִּי לֹא יָדַעְתִּי סְפֹרוֹת

My mouth will tell of Your righteousness, of Your salvation all day long, for they, all Your acts of salvation toward me, are beyond what I know to count.

אָבוֹא בִּגְבֻרוֹת אֲדֹנָי אלוהים אַזְכִּיר צִדְקָתְךָ לְבַדֶּךָ

If I come into a position of strength, my Lord God, I will invoke only Your righteousness, for anything else that may have enabled me to achieve that power was only a tool in Your hands.

אֱלֹהִים לִמַּדְתַּנִי מִנְּעוּרָי וְעַד הֵנָּה אַגִּיד נִפְלְאוֹתֶיךָ

God, You have taught me everything that I know from my youth, and until now I have told of Your wondrous deeds.

וְגַם עַד זִקְנָה וְשֵׂיבָה אֱלֹהִים אַל תַּעַזְבֵנִי עַד אַגִּיד זְרוֹעֲךָ לְדוֹר לְכָל יָבוֹא גְּבוּרָתֶךָ

Also until I am old and gray, as my strength diminishes, God, do not forsake me, until I tell of Your strength to generations, and until I tell of Your might to all who come into this world.

וְצִדְקָתְךָ אֱלֹהִים עַד מָרוֹם אֲשֶׁר עָשִׂיתָ גְדֹלוֹת אֱלֹהִים מִי כָמוֹךָ

For Your righteousness, God, reaches the heavens. For the great deeds you have done for me, God, who is comparable to You?

אֲשֶׁר הִרְאִיתַנִי צָרוֹת רַבּוֹת וְרָעוֹת תָּשׁוּב תְּחַיֵּנִי וּמִתְּהֹמוֹת הָאָרֶץ תָּשׁוּב תַּעֲלֵנִי

Though You brought upon me many severe troubles, You always come back and revive me; from the depths of the earth You come back and raise me up.

תֶּרֶב גְּדֻלָּתִי וְתִסֹּב תְנַחֲמֵנִי

You not only rescue me but even increase my greatness; You turn Your attention to me to comfort me.

גַּם אֲנִי אוֹדְךָ בִכְלִי נֶבֶל אֲמִתְּךָ אֱלֹהָי; אֲזַמְּרָה לְךָ בְכִנּוֹר קְדוֹשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל

And I, I will give thanks to You with a harp; I will sing praises of Your truth, my God, on a lyre, Holy One of Israel.

תְּרַנֵּנָּה שְׂפָתַי כִּי אֲזַמְּרָה לָּךְ וְנַפְשִׁי אֲשֶׁר פָּדִיתָ

My lips will sing out joyfully, along with my very soul that You redeemed from peril.

גַּם לְשׁוֹנִי כָּל הַיּוֹם תֶּהְגֶּה צִדְקָתֶךָ כִּי בֹשׁוּ כִי חָפְרוּ מְבַקְשֵׁי רָעָתִי

My tongue will also utter Your righteousness all day long, for those who sought to harm me have been confounded and brought to shame. I can now express my gratitude, for You have indeed come to my rescue.