מִזְמוֹר שִׁיר לְיוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת: A Psalm, a song for the Shabbos day.
טוֹב לְהֹדוֹת לַיהֹוָה It is good to thank52The Sabbath, more than other days, lends itself to offering praise and thanksgiving to God. When man rests from his physical labor and is relieved of material concerns, his soul is free to pursue the intellectual and spiritual aspects of life. These pursuits lead him to serve God and to praise Him.—Radak Adonoy,
וּלְזַמֵּר לְשִׁמְךָ עֶלְיוֹן: and sing praise to Your Name, Most High.
לְהַגִּיד בַּבֹּֽקֶר חַסְדֶּֽךָ To relate Your kindliness in the morning,
וֶאֱמוּנָתְךָ בַּלֵּילוֹת: and Your faithfulness in the nights.53We will proclaim His kindliness in the morning of redemption. And while yet in the darkness of exile we proclaim our belief in His faithfulness.—Rashi
עֲלֵי־עָשׂוֹר וַעֲלֵי־נָֽבֶל Upon a ten-stringed instrument and lute,
עֲלֵי הִגָּיוֹן בְּכִנּוֹר: in meditation upon the harp.
כִּי שִׂמַּחְתַּֽנִי יְהֹוָה For You have given me joy, Adonoy,
בְּפָעֳלֶֽךָ with Your deeds,
בְּמַעֲשֵׂי יָדֶֽיךָ אֲרַנֵּן: at the work of Your hands54The Sabbath day of rest affords me the opportunity to observe and appreciate the greatness of Your work.—Radak I sing joyously.
מַה־גָּדְלוּ מַעֲשֶֽׂיךָ יְהֹוָה How great are Your works, Adonoy;
מְאֹד עָמְקוּ מַחְשְׁבֹתֶֽיךָ: how infinitely profound are Your thoughts.55God’s ‘works’ are the visible creation, while His ‘thoughts’ are the Divine purpose behind each created thing.—Seporno
אִישׁ־בַּֽעַר לֹא יֵדָע An empty-headed man cannot know,
וּכְסִיל לֹא־יָבִין אֶת־זֹאת: nor does a fool understand this:
בִּפְרֹֽחַ רְשָׁעִים כְּמוֹ עֵֽשֶׂב When the wicked bloom like grass,
וַיָּצִֽיצוּ כָּל־פֹּֽעֲלֵי אָֽוֶן and all the evildoers blossom—
לְהִשָּׁמְדָם עֲדֵי־עַד: it is so that they may be destroyed forever.
וְאַתָּה מָרוֹם לְעֹלָם But You will remain on high forever
יְהֹוָה: Adonoy.
כִּי הִנֵּה אֹיְבֶֽיךָ יְהֹוָה For behold, Your enemies, Adonoy;
כִּי־הִנֵּה אֹיְבֶֽיךָ יֹאבֵֽדוּ For behold, Your enemies shall perish;
יִתְפָּרְדוּ כָּל־פֹּֽעֲלֵי אָֽוֶן: dispersed shall be all evildoers.
וַתָּֽרֶם כִּרְאֵים קַרְנִי You uplifted my horn56Others translate, ‘You have increased my might like that of the wild ram.’ like that of a unicorn;
בַּלֹּתִי בְּשֶֽׁמֶן רַעֲנָן: I am saturated with fresh oil.
וַתַּבֵּט עֵינִי My eye has seen [the defeat of]
בְּשׁוּרָי those who spy on me;
בַּקָּמִים עָלַי מְרֵעִים of the wicked who rise against me,
תִּשְׁמַֽעְנָה אָזְנָי: my ears have heard [that they are doomed].
צַדִּיק כַּתָּמָר יִפְרָח The righteous will blossom like a date palm,
כְּאֶֽרֶז בַּלְּבָנוֹן יִשְׂגֶּה: like a cedar57The palm and the cedar both enjoy a long life span and flourish during all seasons. Thus they symbolize the lasting happiness of the righteous in contrast to the short prosperity of the wicked. in Lebanon, he will grow tall.
שְׁתוּלִים בְּבֵית יְהֹוָה Planted in the House of Adonoy,
בְּחַצְרוֹת אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ in the courtyards of our God
יַפְרִֽיחוּ: they will blossom.
עוֹד יְנוּבוּן בְּשֵׂיבָה They will still be fruitful in old age;
דְּשֵׁנִים וְרַעֲנַנִּים יִהְיוּ: they will be full of sap and freshness.
לְהַגִּיד כִּי־יָשָׁר יְהֹוָה To declare that Adonoy is upright;
צוּרִי He is my Stronghold;
וְלֹא־עַוְלָֽתָה בּוֹ: in Whom there is no injustice.