TORAH
FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES
NEVI'IM
PROPHETS
KETUVIM
WRITINGS

Chapter 36

Listen to this chapter in Hebrew:

1For the leader. Of the servant of Hashem, of David.

אלַמְנַצֵּחַ לְעֶבֶד־יְהֹוָה לְדָוִד׃

2I know what Transgression says to the wicked; he has no sense of the dread of Hashem,

בנְאֻם־פֶּשַׁע לָרָשָׁע בְּקֶרֶב לִבִּי אֵין־פַּחַד אֱלֹהִים לְנֶגֶד עֵינָיו׃

3because its speech is seductive to him till his iniquity be found out and he be hated.

גכִּי־הֶחֱלִיק אֵלָיו בְּעֵינָיו לִמְצֹא עֲוׂנוֹ לִשְׂנֹא׃

4His words are evil and deceitful; he will not consider doing good.

דדִּבְרֵי־פִיו אָוֶן וּמִרְמָה חָדַל לְהַשְׂכִּיל לְהֵיטִיב׃

5In bed he plots mischief; he is set on a path of no good, he does not reject evil.

האָוֶן יַחְשֹׁב עַל־מִשְׁכָּבוֹ יִתְיַצֵּב עַל־דֶּרֶךְ לֹא־טוֹב רָע לֹא יִמְאָס׃

6Hashem, Your faithfulness reaches to heaven; Your steadfastness to the sky;

ויְהֹוָה בְּהַשָּׁמַיִם חַסְדֶּךָ אֱמוּנָתְךָ עַד־שְׁחָקִים׃

7Your beneficence is like the high mountains; Your justice like the great deep; man and beast You deliver, Hashem.

tzid-ka-t'-KHA k'-ha-r'-ray AYL mish-pa-TE-kha t'-HOM ra-BAH a-DAM uv-hay-MAH to-SHEE-a a-do-NAI

זצִדְקָתְךָ כְּהַרְרֵי־אֵל מִשְׁפָּטֶךָ תְּהוֹם רַבָּה אָדָם־וּבְהֵמָה תוֹשִׁיעַ יְהֹוָה׃

 36:7   Man and beast You deliver, Hashem

Rabbi Samson R. Hirsch (1808-1888)

Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch writes that God created a world in which man and animal alike can live and prosper. Had Hashem desired that only the animals would roam the world, there would have been no notion of mishpatecha (משפטיך), ‘your justice,’ nor tzidkatcha (צדקתך) ‘your beneficence.’ However, as the verse says, “Man and beast You deliver, Hashem.” Man, with the capacity to veer from evil and to become educated, was set on the land to fulfill God’s will. With man as part of the balance, it is necessary for Hashem to judge the world based on man’s actions. Similarly, since since man has the ability to choose good, God’s world can also be encompassed by tzedaka, ‘beneficence’ and ‘righteousness.’

8How precious is Your faithful care, O Hashem! Mankind shelters in the shadow of Your wings.

חמַה־יָּקָר חַסְדְּךָ אֱלֹהִים וּבְנֵי אָדָם בְּצֵל כְּנָפֶיךָ יֶחֱסָיוּן׃

9They feast on the rich fare of Your house; You let them drink at Your refreshing stream.

טיִרְוְיֻן מִדֶּשֶׁן בֵּיתֶךָ וְנַחַל עֲדָנֶיךָ תַשְׁקֵם׃

10With You is the fountain of life; by Your light do we see light.

יכִּי־עִמְּךָ מְקוֹר חַיִּים בְּאוֹרְךָ נִרְאֶה־אוֹר׃

11Bestow Your faithful care on those devoted to You, and Your beneficence on upright men.

יאמְשֹׁךְ חַסְדְּךָ לְיֹדְעֶיךָ וְצִדְקָתְךָ לְיִשְׁרֵי־לֵב׃

12Let not the foot of the arrogant tread on me, or the hand of the wicked drive me away.

יבאַל־תְּבוֹאֵנִי רֶגֶל גַּאֲוָה וְיַד־רְשָׁעִים אַל־תְּנִדֵנִי׃

13There lie the evildoers, fallen, thrust down, unable to rise.

יגשָׁם נָפְלוּ פֹּעֲלֵי אָוֶן דֹּחוּ וְלֹא־יָכְלוּ קוּם׃