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TORAH
FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES
NEVI'IM
PROPHETS
KETUVIM
WRITINGS

Chapter 56

Translation and Transliteration of 

Listen to this chapter in Hebrew:

1For the leader; on yonath elem rechokim. Of David. A michtam; when the Philistines seized him in Gath.

lam-na-TZAY-akh al yo-NAT AY-lem r'-kho-KEEM l'-da-VID mikh-TAM be-e-KHOZ o-TO f'-lish-TEEM b'-GAT

אלַמְנַצֵּ֤חַ ׀ עַל־י֬וֹנַת אֵ֣לֶם רְ֭חֹקִים לְדָוִ֣ד מִכְתָּ֑ם בֶּאֱחֹ֨ז אוֹת֖וֹ פְלִשְׁתִּ֣ים בְּגַֽת׃

56:1   When the Philistines seized him in Gath

Constantly on the run in a very small Israelite kingdom, David does the irrational; he escapes to the Philistine city of Gath (I Samuel 21:11-16). The Philistines were the main enemy of the Israelites at the time, and David himself had slain Goliath, who was from the same city. How does David survive when the advisors of King Achish reveal that this is the same David who was responsible for the defeat of the Philistines? David feigns insanity. He dances uncontrollably, foams at the mouth and sputters unintelligible words. His behavior leads the king of Gath to make his famous statement “Do I lack madmen, that you have brought this fellow to rave for me? Should this fellow enter my house?” (I Samuel 21:16). He lets David free, and David responds to this near-death experience in the best way he knows: With a psalm of gratitude to Hashem.

2Have mercy on me, O Hashem, for men persecute me; all day long my adversary oppresses me.

kha-NE-ni e-lo-HEEM kee-sh'-a-FA-nee e-NO-sh kol ha-YOM lo-KHEM yil-cha-TZE-nee

בחׇנֵּ֣נִי אֱ֭לֹהִים כִּֽי־שְׁאָפַ֣נִי אֱנ֑וֹשׁ כׇּל־הַ֝יּ֗וֹם לֹחֵ֥ם יִלְחָצֵֽנִי׃

3My watchful foes persecute me all day long; many are my adversaries, O Exalted One.

sha-a-FU sho-r'-RAI kol ha-YOM, ki ra-BEEM lo-cha-MEEM li ma-ROAM

גשָׁאֲפ֣וּ שׁ֭וֹרְרַי כׇּל־הַיּ֑וֹם כִּֽי־רַבִּ֨ים לֹחֲמִ֖ים לִ֣י מָרֽוֹם׃

4When I am afraid, I trust in You,

YOM i-RA a-NEE e-LE-kha ev-TAKH

די֥וֹם אִירָ֑א אֲ֝נִ֗י אֵלֶ֥יךָ אֶבְטָֽח׃

5in Hashem, whose word I praise, in Hashem I trust; I am not afraid; what can mortals do to me?

b'-e-lo-HEEM a-ha-LEL d'-va-RO b'-e-lo-HEEM ba-TAKH-tee lo i-RA, mah ya-a-SEH va-SAR lee

הבֵּאלֹהִים֮ אֲהַלֵּ֢ל דְּבָ֫ר֥וֹ בֵּאלֹהִ֣ים בָּ֭טַחְתִּי לֹ֣א אִירָ֑א מַה־יַּעֲשֶׂ֖ה בָשָׂ֣ר לִֽי׃

6All day long they cause me grief in my affairs, they plan only evil against me.

KOL-ha-YOM d'-va-RAI y'-a-tz'-VU a-LAI kol-makh-sh'-vo-TAM la-RA

וכׇּל־הַ֭יּוֹם דְּבָרַ֣י יְעַצֵּ֑בוּ עָלַ֖י כׇּל־מַחְשְׁבֹתָ֣ם לָרָֽע׃

7They plot, they lie in ambush; they watch my every move, hoping for my death.

ya-GU-ru (yitz-PEE-nu) [yitz-PO-nu] he-ME-ha a-KE-vai yish-MO-ru ka-a-SHER ki-VU naf-SHI

זיָג֤וּרוּ ׀ (יצפינו) [יִצְפּ֗וֹנוּ] הֵ֭מָּה עֲקֵבַ֣י יִשְׁמֹ֑רוּ כַּ֝אֲשֶׁ֗ר קִוּ֥וּ נַפְשִֽׁי׃

8Cast them out for their evil; subdue peoples in Your anger, O Hashem.

al-AV-en pa-LET-la-MO b'-AF a-MEEM ho-RED e-lo-HEEM

חעַל־אָ֥וֶן פַּלֶּט־לָ֑מוֹ בְּ֝אַ֗ף עַמִּ֤ים ׀ הוֹרֵ֬ד אֱלֹהִֽים׃

9You keep count of my wanderings; put my tears into Your flask, into Your record.

no-DI sa-FAR-ta-TAH-si-MAH di-ma-TI ve-no-DE-khA ha-LO b'-si-f'-ra-TE-khA

טנֹדִי֮ סָפַ֢רְתָּ֫ה־אָ֥תָּה שִׂ֣ימָה דִמְעָתִ֣י בְנֹאדֶ֑ךָ הֲ֝לֹ֗א בְּסִפְרָתֶֽךָ׃

10Then my enemies will retreat when I call on You; this I know, that Hashem is for me.

az ya-SHU-vu oy-VAY a-KHOR b'-YOM ek-RA, zeh-ya-DA-ti ki e-lo-HIM li.

יאָ֨ז יָ֘שׁ֤וּבוּ אוֹיְבַ֣י אָ֭חוֹר בְּי֣וֹם אֶקְרָ֑א זֶה־יָ֝דַ֗עְתִּי כִּֽי־אֱלֹהִ֥ים לִֽי׃

11In Hashem, whose word I praise, in Hashem, whose word I praise,

be-E-lo-HIM a-ha-LEL DA-var ba-do-NAI a-ha-LEL DA-var

יאבֵּ֭אלֹהִים אֲהַלֵּ֣ל דָּבָ֑ר בַּ֝יהֹוָ֗ה אֲהַלֵּ֥ל דָּבָֽר׃

12in Hashem I trust; I am not afraid; what can man do to me?

be-E-lo-HIM ba-TA-kh'-TEE lo ee-RA, ma ya-a-SEH a-DAM LEE

יבבֵּאלֹהִ֣ים בָּ֭טַחְתִּי לֹּ֣א אִירָ֑א מַה־יַּעֲשֶׂ֖ה אָדָ֣ם לִֽי׃

13I must pay my vows to You, O Hashem; I will render thank offerings to You.

a-LAI e-lo-HIM ne-da-RE-kha a-sha-LEM to-DOT lakh

יגעָלַ֣י אֱלֹהִ֣ים נְדָרֶ֑יךָ אֲשַׁלֵּ֖ם תּוֹדֹ֣ת לָֽךְ׃

14For You have saved me from death, my foot from stumbling, that I may walk before Hashem in the light of life.

ki hitz-TAL-ta naf-SHEE mi-MA-vet, ha-LO ra-g'-LAI mi-DE-khi l'-hi-ta-HA-lekh li-f'-NEI e-lo-HIM, b'-OR ha-kha-YIM.

ידכִּ֤י הִצַּ֪לְתָּ נַפְשִׁ֡י מִמָּוֶת֮ הֲלֹ֥א רַגְלַ֗י מִ֫דֶּ֥חִי לְ֭הִֽתְהַלֵּךְ לִפְנֵ֣י אֱלֹהִ֑ים בְּ֝א֗וֹר הַחַיִּֽים׃