Psalms 92

 

Some introductory remarks about this psalm seem to be in order.  It is a psalm of joy and praise for the Lord.  The sages had much to say about it; for one thing, what it might have to do with the Sabbath.  Jewish tradition relates that the psalm was composed by Adam on the first Sabbath.  Some early sages thought it was sung every Sabbath.  Others questioned what was its connection to the Sabbath.  It was thought by some to be referring to the eternal Sabbath of the afterlife.  But why then did it speak of workers of iniquity?  Some assumed it related to a realistic view of the world, in which evil flourished.  As such it explained why there were workers of iniquity:  So they would be ultimately destroyed.  Because the term ultimately was viewed as at the end of time by the faithful, this psalm assumed a mystical significance.  Still others thought that on the Sabbath, one’s thoughts would be on thanksgiving and joy in the Lord, despite the world’s evils.

If you are curious about my humble view on why the world is the way it is, you might visit my companion web site sometime.  It is www.rubinhood.org.

מִזְמוֹר שִׁיר לְיוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת׃   92:1

Psal. 92:1   A psalm, a song, for the Sabbath day.

טוֹב לְהֹדוֹת לַיהוָה וּלְזַמֵּר לְשִׁמְךָ עֶלְיוֹן׃   92:2

Psal. 92:2   It is good to give thanks to the Lord,

                              and to sing praises to Your name, O Most High,

לְהַגִּיד בַּבֹּקֶר חַסְדֶּךָ וֶאֱמוּנָתְךָ בַּלֵּילוֹת׃   92:3

Psal. 92:3   to declare Your loving kindness in the morning

                              and Your faithfulness every night,

עֲלֵי־עָשׂוֹר וַעֲלֵי־נָבֶל עֲלֵי הִגָּיוֹן בְּכִנּוֹר׃   92:4

Psal. 92:4   on ten strings and on a lute,

                              with resounding music on the harp.

כִּי שִׂמַּחְתַּנִי יְהוָה בְּפָעֳלֶךָ בְּמַעֲשֵׂי יָדֶיךָ אֲרַנֵּן׃   92:5

Psal. 92:5   For You gladden me, O Lord, with Your work.

                               In the works of Your “hands” I will exult.

מַה־גָּדְלוּ מַעֲשֶׂיךָ יְהוָה מְאֹד עָמְקוּ מַחְשְׁבֹתֶיךָ׃   92:6

Psal. 92:6   How great are Your works, O Lord,

                               exceedingly deep Your thoughts!

אִישׁ־בַּעַר לֹא יֵדָע וּכְסִיל לֹא־יָבִין אֶת־זֹאת׃   92:7

Psal. 92:7   A stupid man does not discern,

                              while a fool cannot understand this.

בִּפְרֹחַ רְשָׁעִים כְּמוֹ עֵשֶׂב וַיָּצִיצוּ כָּל־פֹּעֲלֵי אָוֶן לְהִשָּׁמְדָם עֲדֵי־עַד׃   92:8

Psal. 92:8   At the springing up of the wicked like grass

                              as all the workers of iniquity flourish,

                       it is to destroy them forever.

וְאַתָּה מָרוֹם לְעֹלָם יְהוָה׃   92:9

Psal. 92:9   As You, Lord, are on high forever.

כִּי הִנֵּה אֹיְבֶיךָ יְהוָה כִּי־הִנֵּה אֹיְבֶיךָ יֹאבֵדוּ יִתְפָּרְדוּ כָּל־פֹּעֲלֵי אָוֶן׃   92:10

Psal. 92:10   For behold Your enemies, O Lord,

                               for behold, Your enemies shall perish,

                        all workers of iniquity be separated out.

וַתָּרֶם כִּרְאֵים קַרְנִי בַּלֹּתִי בְּשֶׁמֶן רַעֲנָן׃   92:11

Psal. 92:11   But You have raised my horn like that of the wild bulls,

                                I am refreshed with rich oil.

וַתַּבֵּט עֵינִי בְּשׁוּרָי בַּקָּמִים עָלַי מְרֵעִים תִּשְׁמַעְנָה אָזְנָי׃   92:12

Psal. 92:12   In my stronghold my eye pays attention to those rising up against me;

                                my ears can hear the evil doers.

צַדִּיק כַּתָּמָר יִפְרָח כְּאֶרֶז בַּלְּבָנוֹן יִשְׂגֶּה׃   92:13

Psal. 92:13   The righteous one shall blossom like a date palm;

                                 like a cedar in Lebanon he shall grow.

שְׁתוּלִים בְּבֵית יְהוָה בְּחַצְרוֹת אֱלֹהֵינוּ יַפְרִיחוּ׃   92:14

Psal. 92:14   Cultivated in the house of the Lord,

                                 they shall bloom in the courts of our God.

עוֹד יְנוּבוּן בְּשֵׂיבָה דְּשֵׁנִים וְרַעֲנַנִּים יִהְיוּ׃   92:15

Psal. 92:15   They shall bear fruit yet in old age;

                                 vigorous and luxuriant they shall be,

לְהַגִּיד כִּי־יָשָׁר יְהוָה צוּרִי וְלֹא־(עֹלָתָה) [עַוְלָתָה] בֹּו׃   92:16

Psal. 92:16   to declare that the Lord, my Rock, is upright,

                                  that there is no injustice in Him.

The word in the parentheses is missing a vav.  In this instance the omission is important, as it is a consonant (the vav is more often a vowel).  The correction is in the brackets.

 

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