(א) בָּרְכִ֥י נַפְשִׁ֗י אֶת־יְ֫הֹוָ֥ה יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱ֭לֹהַי גָּדַ֣לְתָּ מְּאֹ֑ד ה֖וֹד וְהָדָ֣ר לָבָֽשְׁתָּ׃ (ב) עֹֽטֶה־א֭וֹר כַּשַּׂלְמָ֑ה נוֹטֶ֥ה שָׁ֝מַ֗יִם כַּיְרִיעָֽה׃ (ג) הַ֥מְקָרֶ֥ה בַמַּ֗יִם עֲֽלִיּ֫וֹתָ֥יו הַשָּׂם־עָבִ֥ים רְכוּב֑וֹ הַֽ֝מְהַלֵּ֗ךְ עַל־כַּנְפֵי־רֽוּחַ׃ (ד) עֹשֶׂ֣ה מַלְאָכָ֣יו רוּח֑וֹת מְ֝שָׁרְתָ֗יו אֵ֣שׁ לֹהֵֽט׃ (ה) יָֽסַד־אֶ֭רֶץ עַל־מְכוֹנֶ֑יהָ בַּל־תִּ֝מּ֗וֹט עוֹלָ֥ם וָעֶֽד׃ (ו) תְּ֭הוֹם כַּלְּב֣וּשׁ כִּסִּית֑וֹ עַל־הָ֝רִ֗ים יַ֖עַמְדוּ מָֽיִם׃ (ז) מִן־גַּעֲרָ֣תְךָ֣ יְנוּס֑וּן מִן־ק֥וֹל רַֽ֝עַמְךָ֗ יֵחָפֵזֽוּן׃ (ח) יַעֲל֣וּ הָ֭רִים יֵרְד֣וּ בְקָע֑וֹת אֶל־מְ֝ק֗וֹם זֶ֤ה ׀ יָסַ֬דְתָּ לָהֶֽם׃ (ט) גְּֽבוּל־שַׂ֭מְתָּ בַּל־יַעֲבֹר֑וּן בַּל־יְ֝שֻׁב֗וּן לְכַסּ֥וֹת הָאָֽרֶץ׃ (י) הַֽמְשַׁלֵּ֣חַ מַ֭עְיָנִים בַּנְּחָלִ֑ים בֵּ֥ין הָ֝רִ֗ים יְהַלֵּכֽוּן׃ (יא) יַ֭שְׁקוּ כׇּל־חַיְת֣וֹ שָׂדָ֑י יִשְׁבְּר֖וּ פְרָאִ֣ים צְמָאָֽם׃ (יב) עֲ֭לֵיהֶם עוֹף־הַשָּׁמַ֣יִם יִשְׁכּ֑וֹן מִבֵּ֥ין עֳ֝פָאיִ֗ם יִתְּנוּ־קֽוֹל׃ (יג) מַשְׁקֶ֣ה הָ֭רִים מֵעֲלִיּוֹתָ֑יו מִפְּרִ֥י מַ֝עֲשֶׂ֗יךָ תִּשְׂבַּ֥ע הָאָֽרֶץ׃ (יד) מַצְמִ֤יחַ חָצִ֨יר ׀ לַבְּהֵמָ֗ה וְ֭עֵשֶׂב לַעֲבֹדַ֣ת הָאָדָ֑ם לְה֥וֹצִיא לֶ֝֗חֶם מִן־הָאָֽרֶץ׃ (טו) וְיַ֤יִן ׀ יְשַׂמַּ֬ח לְֽבַב־אֱנ֗וֹשׁ לְהַצְהִ֣יל פָּנִ֣ים מִשָּׁ֑מֶן וְ֝לֶ֗חֶם לְֽבַב־אֱנ֥וֹשׁ יִסְעָֽד׃ (טז) יִ֭שְׂבְּעוּ עֲצֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֑ה אַֽרְזֵ֥י לְ֝בָנ֗וֹן אֲשֶׁ֣ר נָטָֽע׃ (יז) אֲשֶׁר־שָׁ֭ם צִפֳּרִ֣ים יְקַנֵּ֑נוּ חֲ֝סִידָ֗ה בְּרוֹשִׁ֥ים בֵּיתָֽהּ׃ (יח) הָרִ֣ים הַ֭גְּבֹהִים לַיְּעֵלִ֑ים סְ֝לָעִ֗ים מַחְסֶ֥ה לַֽשְׁפַנִּֽים׃ (יט) עָשָׂ֣ה יָ֭רֵחַ לְמוֹעֲדִ֑ים שֶׁ֝֗מֶשׁ יָדַ֥ע מְבוֹאֽוֹ׃ (כ) תָּֽשֶׁת־חֹ֭שֶׁךְ וִ֣יהִי לָ֑יְלָה בּוֹ־תִ֝רְמֹ֗שׂ כׇּל־חַיְתוֹ־יָֽעַר׃ (כא) הַ֭כְּפִירִים שֹׁאֲגִ֣ים לַטָּ֑רֶף וּלְבַקֵּ֖שׁ מֵאֵ֣ל אׇכְלָֽם׃ (כב) תִּזְרַ֣ח הַ֭שֶּׁמֶשׁ יֵאָסֵפ֑וּן וְאֶל־מְ֝עוֹנֹתָ֗ם יִרְבָּצֽוּן׃ (כג) יֵצֵ֣א אָדָ֣ם לְפׇעֳל֑וֹ וְֽלַעֲבֹ֖דָת֣וֹ עֲדֵי־עָֽרֶב׃ (כד) מָה־רַבּ֬וּ מַעֲשֶׂ֨יךָ ׀ יְֽהֹוָ֗ה כֻּ֭לָּם בְּחׇכְמָ֣ה עָשִׂ֑יתָ מָלְאָ֥ה הָ֝אָ֗רֶץ קִנְיָנֶֽךָ׃ (כה) זֶ֤ה ׀ הַיָּ֥ם גָּדוֹל֮ וּרְחַ֢ב יָ֫דָ֥יִם שָֽׁם־רֶ֭מֶשׂ וְאֵ֣ין מִסְפָּ֑ר חַיּ֥וֹת קְ֝טַנּ֗וֹת עִם־גְּדֹלֽוֹת׃ (כו) שָׁ֭ם אֳנִיּ֣וֹת יְהַלֵּכ֑וּן לִ֝וְיָתָ֗ן זֶֽה־יָצַ֥רְתָּ לְשַֽׂחֶק־בּֽוֹ׃ (כז) כֻּ֭לָּם אֵלֶ֣יךָ יְשַׂבֵּר֑וּן לָתֵ֖ת אׇכְלָ֣ם בְּעִתּֽוֹ׃ (כח) תִּתֵּ֣ן לָ֭הֶם יִלְקֹט֑וּן תִּפְתַּ֥ח יָ֝דְךָ֗ יִשְׂבְּע֥וּן טֽוֹב׃ (כט) תַּסְתִּ֥יר פָּנֶיךָ֮ יִֽבָּהֵ֫ל֥וּן תֹּסֵ֣ף ר֭וּחָם יִגְוָע֑וּן וְֽאֶל־עֲפָרָ֥ם יְשׁוּבֽוּן׃ (ל) תְּשַׁלַּ֣ח ר֭וּחֲךָ יִבָּרֵא֑וּן וּ֝תְחַדֵּ֗שׁ פְּנֵ֣י אֲדָמָֽה׃ (לא) יְהִ֤י כְב֣וֹד יְהֹוָ֣ה לְעוֹלָ֑ם יִשְׂמַ֖ח יְהֹוָ֣ה בְּמַעֲשָֽׂיו׃ (לב) הַמַּבִּ֣יט לָ֭אָרֶץ וַתִּרְעָ֑ד יִגַּ֖ע בֶּהָרִ֣ים וְֽיֶעֱשָֽׁנוּ׃ (לג) אָשִׁ֣ירָה לַיהֹוָ֣ה בְּחַיָּ֑י אֲזַמְּרָ֖ה לֵאלֹהַ֣י בְּעוֹדִֽי׃ (לד) יֶעֱרַ֣ב עָלָ֣יו שִׂיחִ֑י אָ֝נֹכִ֗י אֶשְׂמַ֥ח בַּיהֹוָֽה׃ (לה) יִתַּ֤מּוּ חַטָּאִ֨ים ׀ מִן־הָאָ֡רֶץ וּרְשָׁעִ֤ים ׀ ע֤וֹד אֵינָ֗ם בָּרְכִ֣י נַ֭פְשִׁי אֶת־יְהֹוָ֗ה הַֽלְלוּ־יָֽהּ׃ {פ}
Translation: Elizabeth Otto
1) My soul, bless Shaddai! Shaddai, my God, You are very great;
Clothed (in) splendor and glory and majesty, (2) Light wrapping (You) as a cloak, Stretching out (over) the heavens like a tent. (3) The roof-beams of Her lofty abode are of water. She who sets clouds as Her chariot, Walks on wings of the wind. (4) She makes the winds Her heralds, Devouring flames Her escorts. (5) She founded the earth upon bedrock That it not perish for eternity. (6) The deep She covered as a garment, Upon mountains stood waters. (7) From your censure, they will flee. From the sound of Your thunder, they will rush away.
(8) They will ascend mountains, They will descend valleys To this place You set for them. (9) You set a boundary that they may not cross. They will not return to cover the earth.
(10) She set free springs into the streams, They will flow through the mounrains. They will water all life in the fields, (11) and slake the wild horses' thirst.
(12) Over them, birds of the heavens dwell, From the thickets they give voice. (13) The mountains are deeply watered From Her lofty abode,
From the the fruit of Your deeds the earth will be sated. (14) Pasturage grows for the cattle And grass for the service of Man To bring forth bread from the earth—
(15) And wine to gladden the heart of Man Making the face glow as from oil And bread to strengthen the heart of Man.
(16) The trees of Shaddai will be sated,
Cedars of Lebanon that She planted. (17) It is there that birds make their nests;
the heron in the juniper, her home. (18) The great mountains are for mountain goats;
the crags as a refuge for the pikas.
(19) She made months for feasting, And the sun knew its setting. (20) You set darkness and there was night In which all life in the forest stirs. (21) The young lions roaring for prey, Seeking food from God. (22) (When) the sun shines forth, They will gather in their dens to rest (23) (As) Adam goes forth to his work, And to his service until evening.
(24) How great are your works, Shaddai? All of them You have made with wisdom; The earth is filled with Your legacy. (25) The sea is great and stretches on all sides. There it teems, and without number, Living things, small and large. (26) There ships sail; the sea monster, this You formed to play with.
(27) All of them await You to give them food in its time. (28) You will give to them, they gather in. You will open Your hand, they will be well sated;
(29) You will hide Your face, they will be terrified; You will take away their breath, they will die And to dust they will return.
(30) You will send forth Your breath. They will be created And You will renew the face of the earth.
(31) The glory of Shaddai is forever. Shaddai will rejoice in Her works. (32) She looks to the earth, it trembles; She disturbs the mountains, they will smoke.
(33) I will sing to Shaddai throughout my life. I will sing praised to my God as long as I exist. (34) May my speech be pleasing to Her. I will rejoice in Shaddai.
(35) Guilty ones will be gone from the earth, And evil ones no more.
My soul, bless Shaddai!
Hallelu Ya!
King David and the Stages of Life
According to Talmud (B. Berachot 10a) David had five different stages in his life, and his soul received a song corresponding to each. Each of these is defined through its use of the term ברכי נפשי, Barchi Nafshi.
The first stage is his life in his mother's womb:
לְדָוִד ׀ בָּרֲכִי נַפְשִׁי אֶת־יְהוָה וְכָל־קְרָבַי אֶת־שֵׁם קָדְשֽׁוֹ׃
[A Psalm] of David. Bless, O my soul, the Lord and all that is within me, His holy name.
David then emerged into the atmosphere of the world and sang a song praising the entirety of Creation:
(כ) בָּרֲכוּ יְהוָה מַלְאָכָיו גִּבֹּרֵי כֹחַ עֹשֵׂי דְבָרוֹ לִשְׁמֹעַ בְּקוֹל דְּבָרֽוֹ׃
(20) Bless the Lord, O His angels, valiant in power, doing His word so as to heed the voice of His word.
(כא) בָּרֲכוּ יְהוָה כָּל־צְבָאָיו מְשָׁרְתָיו עֹשֵׂי רְצוֹנֽוֹ׃
(21) Bless the Lord, all His hosts; His ministers, that do His pleasure.
(כב) בָּרֲכוּ יְהוָה ׀ כָּֽל־מַעֲשָׂיו בְּכָל־מְקֹמוֹת מֶמְשַׁלְתּוֹ בָּרֲכִי נַפְשִׁי אֶת־יְהוָֽה׃
(22) Bless the Lord, all His works; In all places of His dominion; Bless, O my soul, the Lord.
David nursed from his mother's breast, his third world, and he looked upon her bosom and said a song of praise:
בָּרֲכִי נַפְשִׁי אֶת־יְהוָה וְאַל־תִּשְׁכְּחִי כָּל־גְּמוּלָֽיו׃
Bless, O my soul, the Lord, and do not forget not all His bounties.
He sang the fourth song when he witnessed, both in vision and in reality, the downfall of the wicked:
יִתַּמּוּ חַטָּאִים ׀ מִן־הָאָרֶץ וּרְשָׁעִים ׀ עוֹד אֵינָם בָּרֲכִי נַפְשִׁי אֶת־יְהוָה הַֽלְלוּ־יָֽהּ׃
(35) Let sinners cease out of the earth, and let the wicked be no more. Bless the LORD, O my soul. Hallelujah.
The fifth stage was when David looked upon the day of death:
בָּרֲכִי נַפְשִׁי אֶת־יְהוָה יְהוָה אֱלֹהַי גָּדַלְתָּ מְּאֹד הוֹד וְהָדָר לָבָֽשְׁתָּ׃
Bless O my soul, the Lord. O Lord my God, You are very great; You are clothed with glory and majesty.
- Chapter as a whole - recited in some traditions on Rosh Chodesh (because of v. 19 concerning the moon and the sun) (יט) עָשָׂ֣ה יָ֭רֵחַ לְמוֹעֲדִ֑ים שֶׁ֝֗מֶשׁ יָדַ֥ע מְבוֹאֽוֹ׃
- Verses 1-2 - recited by some before putting on the tallit
(א) בָּרְכִ֥י נַפְשִׁ֗י אֶת־יְ֫הֹוָ֥ה יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱ֭לֹהַי גָּדַ֣לְתָּ מְּאֹ֑ד ה֖וֹד וְהָדָ֣ר לָבָֽשְׁתָּ׃ (ב) עֹֽטֶה־א֭וֹר כַּשַּׂלְמָ֑ה נוֹטֶ֥ה שָׁ֝מַ֗יִם כַּיְרִיעָֽה׃
- Verse 14, end - source for the blessing before eating bread לְה֥וֹצִיא לֶ֝֗חֶם מִן־הָאָֽרֶץ׃
- Verse 24 - quoted in the first blessing before the Shema in the morning
(כד) מָה־רַבּ֬וּ מַעֲשֶׂ֨יךָ ׀ יְֽהֹוָ֗ה כֻּ֭לָּם בְּחׇכְמָ֣ה עָשִׂ֑יתָ מָלְאָ֥ה הָ֝אָ֗רֶץ קִנְיָנֶֽךָ׃
(24) How great are your works, Shaddai? All of them You have made with wisdom; The earth is filled with Your legacy.