
TORAH
NEVI'IM
KETUVIM
Chapter 71
Translation and Transliteration of
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1I seek refuge in You, Hashem; may I never be disappointed.
b'-KHA a-do-NAI kha-SEE-tee, al a-E-v'-SHA l'-o-LAM.
אבְּךָֽ־יְהֹוָ֥ה חָסִ֑יתִי אַל־אֵב֥וֹשָׁה לְעוֹלָֽם׃
2As You are beneficent, save me and rescue me; incline Your ear to me and deliver me.
b'-tzi-d'-KA-t'-kha ta-tzi-LAY-nee u-t'-fa-l'-TAY-nee ha-TAY-a-LAI a-Z'-n'-KHA v'-ho-shi-EY-nee
בבְּצִדְקָֽתְךָ֗ תַּצִּילֵ֥נִי וּֽתְפַלְּטֵ֑נִי הַטֵּֽה־אֵלַ֥י אׇ֝זְנְךָ֗ וְהוֹשִׁיעֵֽנִי׃
3Be a sheltering rock for me to which I may always repair; decree my deliverance, for You are my rock and my fortress.
he-YEH lee l'-TZUR ma-ON la-VO ta-MEED tzi-VEE-ta l'-ho-shee-AY-nee kee-sal-EE u-m'-tzu-da-TEE a-TAH
גהֱיֵ֤ה לִ֨י ׀ לְצ֥וּר מָע֡וֹן לָב֗וֹא תָּמִ֗יד צִוִּ֥יתָ לְהוֹשִׁיעֵ֑נִי כִּֽי־סַלְעִ֖י וּמְצוּדָתִ֣י אָֽתָּה׃
4My Hashem, rescue me from the hand of the wicked, from the grasp of the unjust and the lawless.
e-lo-HAI pal-TE-ni mi-YAD ra-SHA, mi-KAF me-a-VEL v'-kho-METS
דאֱֽלֹהַ֗י פַּ֭לְּטֵנִי מִיַּ֣ד רָשָׁ֑ע מִכַּ֖ף מְעַוֵּ֣ל וְחוֹמֵֽץ׃
5For You are my hope, O Hashem, my trust from my youth.
ki-a-TAH tik-va-TEE a-do-NAI y'-ho-VAH miv-ta-KHEE mi-n'-u-RAI
הכִּֽי־אַתָּ֥ה תִקְוָתִ֑י אֲדֹנָ֥י יֱ֝הֹוִ֗ה מִבְטַחִ֥י מִנְּעוּרָֽי׃
6While yet unborn, I depended on You; in the womb of my mother, You were my support; I sing Your praises always.
a-LE-kha nis-MAKH-tee mi-BE-ten mi-m'-AY i-MEE a-TAH go-ZEE b'-KHA t'-hi-la-TEE ta-MEED
ועָלֶ֤יךָ ׀ נִסְמַ֬כְתִּי מִבֶּ֗טֶן מִמְּעֵ֣י אִ֭מִּי אַתָּ֣ה גוֹזִ֑י בְּךָ֖ תְהִלָּתִ֣י תָמִֽיד׃
71:6 In the womb of my mother, You were my support
David praises the Lord, saying he relied on God from the earliest age. The Hebrew phrase ata gozi (אתה גוזי), translated here as ‘You were my support,’ is hard to explain. Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch raises the possibility that it comes from the root word ג-ז-ז, meaning ‘to cut,’ resulting in the image of David being cut from the womb at birth. Hirsch, however, rejects this idea and suggests that the root ג-ז-ז not only connotes cutting but also ‘removing’ and ‘separating.’ David is expressing the idea that from the time of his birth he was always different from everyone else, set aside by God for something grand and significant. Indeed, we find David separate from his brothers when his father Yishai doesn’t even bring him in with the rest of his brothers to be considered as Hashem’s choice for king (I Samuel 16). However, in this moment of reflection, perhaps at the end of his life, David recalls the constant feelings of Hashem’s presence in his life and a mission of greatness.
7I have become an example for many, since You are my mighty refuge.
k'-mo-FET ha-YI-tee l'-ra-BEEM v'-a-TAH ma-kha-SEE-oZ
זכְּ֭מוֹפֵת הָיִ֣יתִי לְרַבִּ֑ים וְ֝אַתָּ֗ה מַחֲסִי־עֹֽז׃
8My mouth is full of praise to You, glorifying You all day long.
yim-MA-leh fi ti-hi-LA-te-KHA kol ha-YOM tif-ar-TE-kha
חיִמָּ֣לֵא פִ֭י תְּהִלָּתֶ֑ךָ כׇּל־הַ֝יּ֗וֹם תִּפְאַרְתֶּֽךָ׃
9Do not cast me off in old age; when my strength fails, do not forsake me!
al-tash-li-KHE-ni l'-ET zik-NAH, kikh-LOT ko-KHEE, al-ta-a-Z'-VE-ni.
טאַֽל־תַּ֭שְׁלִיכֵנִי לְעֵ֣ת זִקְנָ֑ה כִּכְל֥וֹת כֹּ֝חִ֗י אַֽל־תַּעַזְבֵֽנִי׃
10For my enemies talk against me; those who wait for me are of one mind,
ki-a-M'-RU o-y'-VAI li, v'-sho-m'-RAY naf-SHEE no-a-TZU ya-kha-DAV
יכִּֽי־אָמְר֣וּ אוֹיְבַ֣י לִ֑י וְשֹׁמְרֵ֥י נַ֝פְשִׁ֗י נוֹעֲצ֥וּ יַחְדָּֽו׃
11saying, “Hashem has forsaken him; chase him and catch him, for no one will save him!”
le-MOR e-lo-HIM a-za-VO ri-D'-fu v'-tif-SU-hu ki-EIN mat-SEEL
יאלֵ֭אמֹר אֱלֹהִ֣ים עֲזָב֑וֹ רִֽדְפ֥וּ וְ֝תִפְשׂ֗וּהוּ כִּי־אֵ֥ין מַצִּֽיל׃
12O Hashem, be not far from me; my God, hasten to my aid!
E-lo-HIM al-tir-KHAK mi-me-NI, e-lo-HAI l'-e-ZRA-ti (KHEE-sha) [KHU-sha]
יבאֱ֭לֹהִים אַל־תִּרְחַ֣ק מִמֶּ֑נִּי אֱ֝לֹהַ֗י לְעֶזְרָ֥תִי (חישה) [חֽוּשָׁה]׃
13Let my accusers perish in frustration; let those who seek my ruin be clothed in reproach and disgrace!
ye-VOSH-u yikh-LU so-t'-NEI naf-SHI ya-a-TU kher-PAH u-k'-li-MAH m'-va-kh'-SHEI ra-a-TI
יגיֵבֹ֣שׁוּ יִכְלוּ֮ שֹׂטְנֵ֢י נַ֫פְשִׁ֥י יַעֲט֣וּ חֶ֭רְפָּה וּכְלִמָּ֑ה מְ֝בַקְשֵׁ֗י רָֽעָתִֽי׃
14As for me, I will hope always, and add to the many praises of You.
va-a-NEE ta-MEED a-ya-KHEL v'-ho-SAFTI al-KOL te-hi-LA-te-KHA
ידוַ֭אֲנִי תָּמִ֣יד אֲיַחֵ֑ל וְ֝הוֹסַפְתִּ֗י עַל־כׇּל־תְּהִלָּתֶֽךָ׃
15My mouth tells of Your beneficence, of Your deliverance all day long, though I know not how to tell it.
PI y'-sa-PAYR tzid-ka-TE-kha kol ha-YOM t'-shu-A-te-kha KEE lo ya-DA-tee s'-po-ROT
טופִּ֤י ׀ יְסַפֵּ֬ר צִדְקָתֶ֗ךָ כׇּל־הַיּ֥וֹם תְּשׁוּעָתֶ֑ךָ כִּ֤י לֹ֖א יָדַ֣עְתִּי סְפֹרֽוֹת׃
16I come with praise of Your mighty acts, O Hashem; I celebrate Your beneficence, Yours alone.
a-VO b'-g'-vu-ROT a-do-NAI y'-ho-VAH az-KIR tzi-d'-KA-t'-KHA l'-va-DE-kha
טזאָב֗וֹא בִּ֭גְבֻרוֹת אֲדֹנָ֣י יֱהֹוִ֑ה אַזְכִּ֖יר צִדְקָתְךָ֣ לְבַדֶּֽךָ׃
17You have let me experience it, Hashem, from my youth; until now I have proclaimed Your wondrous deeds,
E-lo-HIM li-mad-TA-ni mi-ne-u-RAI v'-ad he-NAH a-GID nif-le-o-TE-kha
יזאֱֽלֹהִ֗ים לִמַּדְתַּ֥נִי מִנְּעוּרָ֑י וְעַד־הֵ֝֗נָּה אַגִּ֥יד נִפְלְאוֹתֶֽיךָ׃
18and even in hoary old age do not forsake me, Hashem, until I proclaim Your strength to the next generation, Your mighty acts, to all who are to come,
v'-GAM ad-ZIK-nah v'-say-VAH e-lo-HEEM al-ta-a-Z'-VE-ni ad-a-GID z'-ro-a-KHA l'-DOR l'-KOL ya-VO g'-vu-ra-TE-kha
יחוְגַ֤ם עַד־זִקְנָ֨ה ׀ וְשֵׂיבָה֮ אֱלֹהִ֢ים אַֽל־תַּ֫עַזְבֵ֥נִי עַד־אַגִּ֣יד זְרוֹעֲךָ֣ לְד֑וֹר לְכׇל־יָ֝ב֗וֹא גְּבוּרָתֶֽךָ׃
19Your beneficence, high as the heavens, O Hashem, You who have done great things; O Hashem, who is Your peer!
v'-tzi-d'-KA-t'-KHA e-lo-HEEM ad ma-ROHM a-SHER a-see-TA g'-do-LOT e-lo-HEEM mee kha-MO-kha
יטוְצִדְקָתְךָ֥ אֱלֹהִ֗ים עַד־מָ֫ר֥וֹם אֲשֶׁר־עָשִׂ֥יתָ גְדֹל֑וֹת אֱ֝לֹהִ֗ים מִ֣י כָמֽוֹךָ׃
20You who have made me undergo many troubles and misfortunes will revive me again, and raise me up from the depths of the earth.
a-SHER (hir-i-TA-nu) [hir-i-TA-ni] tza-ROT ra-VOT v'-ra-OT ta-SHU-v (te-KHI-nu) [te-kha-YE-ni] u-mi-t'-HO-mot ha-A-retz ta-SHU-v ta-a-LE-ni
כאֲשֶׁ֤ר (הראיתנו) [הִרְאִיתַ֨נִי ׀] צָר֥וֹת רַבּ֗וֹת וְרָ֫ע֥וֹת תָּשׁ֥וּב (תחינו) [תְּחַיֵּ֑נִי] וּֽמִתְּהֹמ֥וֹת הָ֝אָ֗רֶץ תָּשׁ֥וּב תַּעֲלֵֽנִי׃
21You will grant me much greatness, You will turn and comfort me.
te-REV g'-du-la-TEE v'-ti-SOV t'-na-cha-ME-nee
כאתֶּ֤רֶב ׀ גְּֽדֻלָּתִ֗י וְתִסֹּ֥ב תְּֽנַחֲמֵֽנִי׃
22Then I will acclaim You to the music of the lyre for Your faithfulness, O my God; I will sing a hymn to You with a harp, O Holy One of Yisrael.
gam-a-NEE o-DE-kha vi-k'-li-NE-vel, a-mi-TE-kha e-lo-HAI, a-za-m'-RAH le-KHA ve-khi-NOR, k'-DOSH yis-ra-AYL.
כבגַּם־אֲנִ֤י ׀ אוֹדְךָ֣ בִכְלִי־נֶבֶל֮ אֲמִתְּךָ֢ אֱלֹ֫הָ֥י אֲזַמְּרָ֣ה לְךָ֣ בְכִנּ֑וֹר קְ֝ד֗וֹשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
23My lips shall be jubilant, as I sing a hymn to You, my whole being, which You have redeemed.
t'-ra-NE-na sa-fa-TAI ki a-zam-RA-la-KHEM, v'-naf-SHI a-SHER pa-DEE-ta
כגתְּרַנֵּ֣נָּה שְׂ֭פָתַי כִּ֣י אֲזַמְּרָה־לָּ֑ךְ וְ֝נַפְשִׁ֗י אֲשֶׁ֣ר פָּדִֽיתָ׃
24All day long my tongue shall recite Your beneficent acts, how those who sought my ruin were frustrated and disgraced.
gam-l'-sho-NEE kol-ha-YOM teh-GEH tzid-ka-TE-kha, kee-VO-shu kee-kha-f'-RU m'-va-k'-SHEI ra-a-TEE. (pey)
כדגַּם־לְשׁוֹנִ֗י כׇּל־הַ֭יּוֹם תֶּהְגֶּ֣ה צִדְקָתֶ֑ךָ כִּי־בֹ֥שׁוּ כִֽי־חָ֝פְר֗וּ מְבַקְשֵׁ֥י רָעָתִֽי׃