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TORAH
FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES
NEVI'IM
PROPHETS
KETUVIM
WRITINGS

Chapter 3

Translation and Transliteration of 

1A psalm of David when he fled from his son Avshalom.

miz-MOR l'-da-VID b'-vor-KHO mi-p'-NAY av-sha-LOM b'-NO

אמִזְמ֥וֹר לְדָוִ֑ד בְּ֝בׇרְח֗וֹ מִפְּנֵ֤י ׀ אַבְשָׁל֬וֹם בְּנֽוֹ׃

3:1   When he fled from his son Avshalom

Mount of Olives

David writes his psalms, expressing both his darkest fears and his greatest expressions of gratitude to God, during the tumultuous times in his life. As punishment for sinning with Batsheva, David is warned that Hashem will “make a calamity rise against you from within your own house” (II Samuel 12:11). A few years later, David finds himself driven out of his capital city by his son Avshalom. As he ascends the Mount of Olives crying and downtrodden (II Samuel 15:30), he turns to Hashem in pain and suffering and calls out with this psalm. The Mount of Olives is a mountain ridge adjacent to the Old City of Yerushalayim. After the destruction of the second Beit Hamikdash, a custom emerged to make a pilgrimage to the Mount of Olives on the ninth day of the Hebrew month of Av, the day which commemorates the destruction of the Temple, in order to gaze upon Har HaBayit and cry. In the modern State of Israel, while we still mourn the loss of the Beit Hamikdash, we are privileged to be able to rejoice over the return to Jerusalem and its surrounding mountains.

2Hashem, my foes are so many! Many are those who attack me;

a-do-NAI ma-RA-vu tza-RAI, ra-BEEM ka-MEEM a-LAI

ביְ֭הֹוָה מָה־רַבּ֣וּ צָרָ֑י רַ֝בִּ֗ים קָמִ֥ים עָלָֽי׃

3many say of me, “There is no deliverance for him through Hashem.” Selah.

ra-BEEM o-M'-reem le-NAF-shee AYN ye-shu-A-ta LO ve-E-lo-HEEM SE-la

גרַבִּים֮ אֹמְרִ֢ים לְנַ֫פְשִׁ֥י אֵ֤ין יְֽשׁוּעָ֓תָה לּ֬וֹ בֵאלֹהִ֬ים סֶֽלָה׃

4But You, Hashem, are a shield about me, my glory, He who holds my head high.

v'-a-TAH a-do-NAI ma-GEN ba-a-DEE, k'-vo-DEE u-m'-REEM ro-SHEE

דוְאַתָּ֣ה יְ֭הֹוָה מָגֵ֣ן בַּעֲדִ֑י כְּ֝בוֹדִ֗י וּמֵרִ֥ים רֹאשִֽׁי׃

5I cry aloud to Hashem, and He answers me from His holy mountain. Selah.

KO-lee el a-do-NAI ek-RA, va-ya-a-NE-ni me-har kod-SHO se-LAH

הק֭וֹלִי אֶל־יְהֹוָ֣ה אֶקְרָ֑א וַיַּעֲנֵ֨נִי מֵהַ֖ר קׇדְשׁ֣וֹ סֶֽלָה׃

6I lie down and sleep and wake again, for Hashem sustains me.

a-NEE sha-KHAV-tee va-i-SHA-nah he-ki-TZO-tee, kee a-do-NAI yis-m'-KHE-nee.

ואֲנִ֥י שָׁכַ֗בְתִּי וָאִ֫ישָׁ֥נָה הֱקִיצ֑וֹתִי כִּ֖י יְהֹוָ֣ה יִסְמְכֵֽנִי׃

7I have no fear of the myriad forces arrayed against me on every side.

lo-i-RA me-riv-VOT am a-SHER sa-VEEV sha-TOO a-LAI

זלֹֽא־אִ֭ירָא מֵרִבְב֥וֹת עָ֑ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר סָ֝בִ֗יב שָׁ֣תוּ עָלָֽי׃

8Rise, Hashem! Deliver me, O my God! For You slap all my enemies in the face; You break the teeth of the wicked.

KU-ma a-do-NAI ho-SHEE-e-NEE e-lo-HAI kee hi-KEE-ta et kol oy-VAY le-KHEE shi-NEI re-sha-EEM shi-BAR-ta

חק֘וּמָ֤ה יְהֹוָ֨ה ׀ הוֹשִׁ֘יעֵ֤נִי אֱלֹהַ֗י כִּֽי־הִכִּ֣יתָ אֶת־כׇּל־אֹיְבַ֣י לֶ֑חִי שִׁנֵּ֖י רְשָׁעִ֣ים שִׁבַּֽרְתָּ׃

9Deliverance is Hashem's; Your blessing be upon Your people! Selah.

la-a-do-NAI ha-y'-shu-AH al a-m'-KHA vir-kha-TE-kha se-LAH.

טלַֽיהֹוָ֥ה הַיְשׁוּעָ֑ה עַֽל־עַמְּךָ֖ בִרְכָתֶ֣ךָ סֶּֽלָה׃