TORAH
FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES
NEVI'IM
PROPHETS
KETUVIM
WRITINGS

Chapter 30

Listen to this chapter in Hebrew:

1A psalm of David. A song for the dedication of the House.

miz-MOR sheer kha-nu-KAT ha-BA-yit l'-da-VID

אמִזְמוֹר שִׁיר־חֲנֻכַּת הַבַּיִת לְדָוִד׃

 30:1   A song for the dedication of the House

Remains of King David’s palace

Which house did David dedicate? Rabbi Avraham Ibn Ezra says that this psalm refers to the dedication of his own house, the “house of cedar” that he built for himself (II Samuel 7:2). While King David was instructed by God not to build the Beit Hamikdash, he nonetheless built a palace for himself right next to Har HaBayit. In 2005, archaeologist Dr. Eilat Mazar announced she had uncovered the remnants of King David’s palace. She maintains that the large structure she discovered was built during the tenth century BCE, as she found artifacts from that era, in addition to important bullae, clay seal impressions, with names of royal officials mentioned in the Bible.

2I extol You, Hashem, for You have lifted me up, and not let my enemies rejoice over me.

באֲרוֹמִמְךָ יְהֹוָה כִּי דִלִּיתָנִי וְלֹא־שִׂמַּחְתָּ אֹיְבַי לִי׃

3Hashem, my God, I cried out to You, and You healed me.

גיְהֹוָה אֱלֹהָי שִׁוַּעְתִּי אֵלֶיךָ וַתִּרְפָּאֵנִי׃

4Hashem, You brought me up from Sheol, preserved me from going down into the Pit.

דיְהֹוָה הֶעֱלִיתָ מִן־שְׁאוֹל נַפְשִׁי חִיִּיתַנִי מיורדי־[מִיָּרְדִי־] בוֹר׃

5O you faithful of Hashem, sing to Him, and praise His holy name.

הזַמְּרוּ לַיהֹוָה חֲסִידָיו וְהוֹדוּ לְזֵכֶר קָדְשׁוֹ׃

6For He is angry but a moment, and when He is pleased there is life. One may lie down weeping at nightfall; but at dawn there are shouts of joy.

וכִּי רֶגַע בְּאַפּוֹ חַיִּים בִּרְצוֹנוֹ בָּעֶרֶב יָלִין בֶּכִי וְלַבֹּקֶר רִנָּה׃

7When I was untroubled, I thought, “I shall never be shaken,”

זוַאֲנִי אָמַרְתִּי בְשַׁלְוִי בַּל־אֶמּוֹט לְעוֹלָם׃

8for You, O Hashem, when You were pleased, made [me] firm as a mighty mountain. When You hid Your face, I was terrified.

חיְהֹוָה בִּרְצוֹנְךָ הֶעֱמַדְתָּה לְהַרְרִי עֹז הִסְתַּרְתָּ פָנֶיךָ הָיִיתִי נִבְהָל׃

9I called to You, Hashem; to my Lord I made appeal,

טאֵלֶיךָ יְהֹוָה אֶקְרָא וְאֶל־אֲדֹנָי אֶתְחַנָּן׃

10“What is to be gained from my death, from my descent into the Pit? Can dust praise You? Can it declare Your faithfulness?

ימַה־בֶּצַע בְּדָמִי בְּרִדְתִּי אֶל־שָׁחַת הֲיוֹדְךָ עָפָר הֲיַגִּיד אֲמִתֶּךָ׃

11Hear, Hashem, and have mercy on me; Hashem, be my help!”

יאשְׁמַע־יְהֹוָה וְחָנֵּנִי יְהֹוָה הֱ‍יֵה־עֹזֵר לִי׃

12You turned my lament into dancing, you undid my sackcloth and girded me with joy,

יבהָפַכְתָּ מִסְפְּדִי לְמָחוֹל לִי פִּתַּחְתָּ שַׂקִּי וַתְּאַזְּרֵנִי שִׂמְחָה׃

13that [my] whole being might sing hymns to You endlessly; Hashem my God, I will praise You forever.

יגלְמַעַן יְזַמֶּרְךָ כָבוֹד וְלֹא יִדֹּם יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהַי לְעוֹלָם אוֹדֶךָּ׃