Chapter 8

Translation and Transliteration of

Listen to this chapter in Hebrew:

1For the leader; on the gittith. A psalm of David.

la-menatze-akh al ha-gi-TEET, miz-MOR le-da-VID

אלַמְנַצֵּ֥חַ עַֽל־הַגִּתִּ֗ית מִזְמ֥וֹר לְדָוִֽד׃

2Hashem, our Lord, How majestic is Your name throughout the earth, You who have covered the heavens with Your splendor!

a-do-NAI a-do-NAY-nu, ma-a-DIR shim-KHA b'-kol ha-A-retz, a-SHER t'-NAH ho-D'-KHA al ha-sha-MA-yim

ביְהֹוָ֤ה אֲדֹנֵ֗ינוּ מָֽה־אַדִּ֣יר שִׁ֭מְךָ בְּכׇל־הָאָ֑רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֥ר תְּנָ֥ה ה֝וֹדְךָ֗ עַל־הַשָּׁמָֽיִם׃

3From the mouths of infants and sucklings You have founded strength on account of Your foes, to put an end to enemy and avenger.

mi-PI o-le-LEEM v'-yo-n'-KEEM yi-SAD-ta-OZ l'-ma-AN tzo-r'-RE-kha l'-hash-BEET o-YEV u-mit-na-KEM

גמִפִּ֤י עוֹלְלִ֨ים ׀ וְֽיֹנְקִים֮ יִסַּ֢דְתָּ֫־עֹ֥ז לְמַ֥עַן צוֹרְרֶ֑יךָ לְהַשְׁבִּ֥ית א֝וֹיֵ֗ב וּמִתְנַקֵּֽם׃

4When I behold Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and stars that You set in place,

kee er-EH sha-ME-kha ma-a-SAY etz-b'-o-TE-kha ya-RAY-akh v'-ko-kha-VEEM a-SHER ko-na-n'-TAH

דכִּֽי־אֶרְאֶ֣ה שָׁ֭מֶיךָ מַעֲשֵׂ֣ה אֶצְבְּעֹתֶ֑יךָ יָרֵ֥חַ וְ֝כוֹכָבִ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֣ר כּוֹנָֽנְתָּה׃

5what is man that You have been mindful of him, mortal man that You have taken note of him,

ma-e-NOSh kee-tiz-ke-RE-nu u-ven a-DAM kee tif-ke-DE-nu

המָה־אֱנ֥וֹשׁ כִּֽי־תִזְכְּרֶ֑נּוּ וּבֶן־אָ֝דָ֗ם כִּ֣י תִפְקְדֶֽנּוּ׃

6that You have made him little less than divine, and adorned him with glory and majesty;

va-t'-kha-s'-RE-hu m'-AT me-e-lo-HIM v'-ka-VOD v'-ha-DAR t'-a-t'-RE-hu

ווַתְּחַסְּרֵ֣הוּ מְּ֭עַט מֵאֱלֹהִ֑ים וְכָב֖וֹד וְהָדָ֣ר תְּעַטְּרֵֽהוּ׃

7You have made him master over Your handiwork, laying the world at his feet,

tam-shi-LE-hu b'-ma-a-SEI ya-DE-kha, kol sha-TAH takh-at rag-LA-vai

זתַּ֭מְשִׁילֵהוּ בְּמַעֲשֵׂ֣י יָדֶ֑יךָ כֹּ֝֗ל שַׁ֣תָּה תַֽחַת־רַגְלָֽיו׃

8sheep and oxen, all of them, and wild beasts, too;

TZO-neh va-a-la-FEEM ku-LAM v'-GAM ba-ha-MOT sa-DAI

חצֹנֶ֣ה וַאֲלָפִ֣ים כֻּלָּ֑ם וְ֝גַ֗ם בַּהֲמ֥וֹת שָׂדָֽי׃

9the birds of the heavens, the fish of the sea, whatever travels the paths of the seas.

tzi-POR sha-MA-yim ud-GAY ha-YAM o-VAYR or-KHOT ya-MEEM

טצִפּ֣וֹר שָׁ֭מַיִם וּדְגֵ֣י הַיָּ֑ם עֹ֝בֵ֗ר אׇרְח֥וֹת יַמִּֽים׃

8:9 The birds of the heavens

Migrating birds in Israel’s Hula Valley.

What birds did David see passing through the Land of Israel? Israeli ornithologists tell us that there were many. Israel lies along a main route of the bird migration connecting three adjacent continents: Africa, Asia and Europe. Indeed, the prophet Yirmiyahu speaks of the stork knowing her appointed times of migration (8:7), and Iyov (39:26) speaks of the hawk’s migration when he says, “Is it by your wisdom that the hawk grows pinions, spreads his wings to the south?” Today, over 500 million birds from 390 different species pass through Israel’s air space twice a year. The Hula Lake Park in the Upper Galilee is a popular destination for bird watching in modern Israel.

10Hashem, our Lord, how majestic is Your name throughout the earth!

a-do-NAI a-do-NAY-nu, ma-a-AD-ir shim-KHA b'-kol ha-A-retz.

ייְהֹוָ֥ה אֲדֹנֵ֑ינוּ מָה־אַדִּ֥יר שִׁ֝מְךָ֗ בְּכׇל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃