TORAH
FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES
NEVI'IM
PROPHETS
KETUVIM
WRITINGS

Chapter 33

Listen to this chapter in Hebrew:

1Sing forth, O you righteous, to Hashem; it is fit that the upright acclaim Him.

ארַנְּנוּ צַדִּיקִים בַּיהֹוָה לַיְשָׁרִים נָאוָה תְהִלָּה׃

2Praise Hashem with the lyre; with the ten-stringed harp sing to Him;

בהוֹדוּ לַיהֹוָה בְּכִנּוֹר בְּנֵבֶל עָשׂוֹר זַמְּרוּ־לוֹ׃

3sing Him a new song; play sweetly with shouts of joy.

SHEE-ru LO SHEER kha-DASH hay-TEE-vu na-GAYN bit-ru-AH

גשִׁירוּ־לוֹ שִׁיר חָדָשׁ הֵיטִיבוּ נַגֵּן בִּתְרוּעָה׃

33:3   A new song

Music has always played a significant role in the Bible. The earliest instruments are mentioned in Sefer Bereishit (4:21). Moshe and the Jewish people sing a great song of gratitude after the splitting of the sea, and Israel sings a similar song after being saved from peril in the desert (Numbers 21:17). Kohanim and Leviim use instruments on holidays and to signal important meetings for the camp. Elisha asks for a harpist in order to receive the divine word (II Kings 3:15). But above all, King David is the musician par excellence, who would play his instrument to soothe the soul of Shaul (I Samuel 16:23). Later, he composes music, writes psalms and even invents new instruments to be used in the Beit Hamikdash (I Chronicles 23:5).

4For the word of Hashem is right; His every deed is faithful.

דכִּי־יָשָׁר דְּבַר־יְהֹוָה וְכָל־מַעֲשֵׂהוּ בֶּאֱמוּנָה׃

5He loves what is right and just; the earth is full of Hashem's faithful care.

האֹהֵב צְדָקָה וּמִשְׁפָּט חֶסֶד יְהֹוָה מָלְאָה הָאָרֶץ׃

6By the word of Hashem the heavens were made, by the breath of His mouth, all their host.

ובִּדְבַר יְהֹוָה שָׁמַיִם נַעֲשׂוּ וּבְרוּחַ פִּיו כָּל־צְבָאָם׃

7He heaps up the ocean waters like a mound, stores the deep in vaults.

זכֹּנֵס כַּנֵּד מֵי הַיָּם נֹתֵן בְּאֹצָרוֹת תְּהוֹמוֹת׃

8Let all the earth fear Hashem; let all the inhabitants of the world dread Him.

חיִירְאוּ מֵיְהֹוָה כָּל־הָאָרֶץ מִמֶּנּוּ יָגוּרוּ כָּל־יֹשְׁבֵי תֵבֵל׃

9For He spoke, and it was; He commanded, and it endured.

טכִּי הוּא אָמַר וַיֶּהִי הוּא־צִוָּה וַיַּעֲמֹד׃

10Hashem frustrates the plans of nations, brings to naught the designs of peoples.

ייְהֹוָה הֵפִיר עֲצַת־גּוֹיִם הֵנִיא מַחְשְׁבוֹת עַמִּים׃

11What Hashem plans endures forever, what He designs, for ages on end.

יאעֲצַת יְהֹוָה לְעוֹלָם תַּעֲמֹד מַחְשְׁבוֹת לִבּוֹ לְדֹר וָדֹר׃

12Happy the nation whose Hashem is Hashem, the people He has chosen to be His own.

יבאַשְׁרֵי הַגּוֹי אֲשֶׁר־יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהָיו הָעָם בָּחַר לְנַחֲלָה לוֹ׃

13Hashem looks down from heaven; He sees all mankind.

יגמִשָּׁמַיִם הִבִּיט יְהֹוָה רָאָה אֶת־כָּל־בְּנֵי הָאָדָם׃

14From His dwelling-place He gazes on all the inhabitants of the earth—

ידמִמְּכוֹן־שִׁבְתּוֹ הִשְׁגִּיחַ אֶל כָּל־יֹשְׁבֵי הָאָרֶץ׃

15He who fashions the hearts of them all, who discerns all their doings.

טוהַיֹּצֵר יַחַד לִבָּם הַמֵּבִין אֶל־כָּל־מַעֲשֵׂיהֶם׃

16Kings are not delivered by a large force; warriors are not saved by great strength;

טזאֵין־הַמֶּלֶךְ נוֹשָׁע בְּרָב־חָיִל גִּבּוֹר לֹא־יִנָּצֵל בְּרָב־כֹּחַ׃

17horses are a false hope for deliverance; for all their great power they provide no escape.

יזשֶׁקֶר הַסּוּס לִתְשׁוּעָה וּבְרֹב חֵילוֹ לֹא יְמַלֵּט׃

18Truly the eye of Hashem is on those who fear Him, who wait for His faithful care

יחהִנֵּה עֵין יְהֹוָה אֶל־יְרֵאָיו לַמְיַחֲלִים לְחַסְדּוֹ׃

19to save them from death, to sustain them in famine.

יטלְהַצִּיל מִמָּוֶת נַפְשָׁם וּלְחַיּוֹתָם בָּרָעָב׃

20We set our hope on Hashem, He is our help and shield;

כנַפְשֵׁנוּ חִכְּתָה לַיהֹוָה עֶזְרֵנוּ וּמָגִנֵּנוּ הוּא׃

21in Him our hearts rejoice, for in His holy name we trust.

כאכִּי־בוֹ יִשְׂמַח לִבֵּנוּ כִּי בְשֵׁם קָדְשׁוֹ בָטָחְנוּ׃

22May we enjoy, Hashem, Your faithful care, as we have put our hope in You.

כביְהִי־חַסְדְּךָ יְהֹוָה עָלֵינוּ כַּאֲשֶׁר יִחַלְנוּ לָךְ׃