TORAH

FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES

NEVI'IM

PROPHETS

KETUVIM

WRITINGS

Chapter 91

Translation and Transliteration of

Listen to this chapter in Hebrew:

1O you who dwell in the shelter of the Most High and abide in the protection of Shaddai—

yo-SHEV b'-SE-ter el-YON b'-TZEL sha-DAI yit-lo-NAN

איֹ֭שֵׁב בְּסֵ֣תֶר עֶלְי֑וֹן בְּצֵ֥ל שַׁ֝דַּ֗י יִתְלוֹנָֽן׃

2I say of Hashem, my refuge and stronghold, my God in whom I trust,

o-MAR la-a-do-NAI makh-SEE u-m'-tzu-da-TEE e-lo-HAI ev-TAKH-BO

באֹמַ֗ר לַ֭יהֹוָה מַחְסִ֣י וּמְצוּדָתִ֑י אֱ֝לֹהַ֗י אֶבְטַח־בּֽוֹ׃

3that He will save you from the fowler's trap, from the destructive plague.

ki HU ya-TZIL-kha mi-PACH ya-KUSH mi-DE-ver ha-VO-vot

גכִּ֤י ה֣וּא יַ֭צִּילְךָ מִפַּ֥ח יָק֗וּשׁ מִדֶּ֥בֶר הַוּֽוֹת׃

4He will cover you with His pinions; you will find refuge under His wings; His fidelity is an encircling shield.

b'-ev-RA-to ya-SEKH l'-KHEKH v'-ta-KHAT k'-na-FAV te-KH'-SEH tzi-NAH v'-so-KHE-ra a-mi-TO

דבְּאֶבְרָת֨וֹ ׀ יָ֣סֶךְ לָ֭ךְ וְתַחַת־כְּנָפָ֣יו תֶּחְסֶ֑ה צִנָּ֖ה וְסֹחֵרָ֣ה אֲמִתּֽוֹ׃

5You need not fear the terror by night, or the arrow that flies by day,

lo-ti-RA mi-PA-khad la-y'-LAH may-KHAYTS ya-UF yo-MAM

הלֹֽא־תִ֭ירָא מִפַּ֣חַד לָ֑יְלָה מֵ֝חֵ֗ץ יָע֥וּף יוֹמָֽם׃

6the plague that stalks in the darkness, or the scourge that ravages at noon.

mi-DE-ver ba-O-fel ya-ha-LOKH, mi-KE-tev ya-SHUD tzo-ho-RA-yim.

ומִ֭דֶּבֶר בָּאֹ֣פֶל יַהֲלֹ֑ךְ מִ֝קֶּ֗טֶב יָשׁ֥וּד צׇהֳרָֽיִם׃

7A thousand may fall at your left side, ten thousand at your right, but it shall not reach you.

YI-pol mi-tzi-D'-KHA e-LEF u-re-va-VAH mi-yi-MI-ne-KHA e-LE-kha lo yi-GASH

זיִפֹּ֤ל מִצִּדְּךָ֨ ׀ אֶ֗לֶף וּרְבָבָ֥ה מִימִינֶ֑ךָ אֵ֝לֶ֗יךָ לֹ֣א יִגָּֽשׁ׃

8You will see it with your eyes, you will witness the punishment of the wicked.

RAK b'-ay-NE-kha ta-BEET, v'-shi-lu-MAT r'-sha-EEM ti-REH

חרַ֭ק בְּעֵינֶ֣יךָ תַבִּ֑יט וְשִׁלֻּמַ֖ת רְשָׁעִ֣ים תִּרְאֶֽה׃

9Because you took Hashem—my refuge, the Most High—as your haven,

ki-a-TAH a-do-NAI makh-SEE, el-YON sam-TA me-o-NE-kha

טכִּֽי־אַתָּ֣ה יְהֹוָ֣ה מַחְסִ֑י עֶ֝לְי֗וֹן שַׂ֣מְתָּ מְעוֹנֶֽךָ׃

10no harm will befall you, no disease touch your tent.

lo-t'-u-NEH e-LE-kha ra-AH v'-NE-ga lo-yik-RAV b'-o-ho-LE-kha

ילֹא־תְאֻנֶּ֣ה אֵלֶ֣יךָ רָעָ֑ה וְ֝נֶ֗גַע לֹא־יִקְרַ֥ב בְּאׇהֳלֶֽךָ׃

11For He will order His angels to guard you wherever you go.

ki mal-a-KHAV y'-tza-VEH-lakh lish-mor-KHA b'-kol d'-ra-KHE-kha

יאכִּ֣י מַ֭לְאָכָיו יְצַוֶּה־לָּ֑ךְ לִ֝שְׁמׇרְךָ֗ בְּכׇל־דְּרָכֶֽיךָ׃

12They will carry you in their hands lest you hurt your foot on a stone.

al-ka-PA-yim yis-SA-u-ne-KHA pen ti-GOF ba-E-ven rag-LE-kha

יבעַל־כַּפַּ֥יִם יִשָּׂא֑וּנְךָ פֶּן־תִּגֹּ֖ף בָּאֶ֣בֶן רַגְלֶֽךָ׃

13You will tread on cubs and vipers; you will trample lions and asps.

al-SHA-khal va-PE-ten tid-ROKH tir-MOS ke-FEER v'-ta-NEEN

יגעַל־שַׁ֣חַל וָפֶ֣תֶן תִּדְרֹ֑ךְ תִּרְמֹ֖ס כְּפִ֣יר וְתַנִּֽין׃

14“Because he is devoted to Me I will deliver him; I will keep him safe, for he knows My name.

ki vi-KHA kha-SHAK va-a-fa-l'-TE-hu a-sa-G'-VE-hu ki-ya-DA sh'-MI

ידכִּ֤י בִ֣י חָ֭שַׁק וַאֲפַלְּטֵ֑הוּ אֲ֝שַׂגְּבֵ֗הוּ כִּֽי־יָדַ֥ע שְׁמִֽי׃

15When he calls on Me, I will answer him; I will be with him in distress; I will rescue him and make him honored;

yik-ra-AY-nee v'-e-e-NAY-hu i-MO a-no-KHEE v'-tza-RAH a-kha-l'-TZAY-hu va-a-kha-b'-DAY-hu

טויִקְרָאֵ֨נִי ׀ וְֽאֶעֱנֵ֗הוּ עִמּֽוֹ־אָנֹכִ֥י בְצָרָ֑ה אֲ֝חַלְּצֵ֗הוּ וַאֲכַבְּדֵֽהוּ׃

91:15 I will rescue him

Psalm 91 is special, as it includes Hashem’s response at the end. By contrast, most of the other Tehillim are presented in only one direction, with man speaking to, or about, the Lord. Rarely do we find a psalm that includes an expression of God recognizing the faith that man has shown and responding in kind, offering comfort. The psalmist conveys the message that one who puts his hope and trust in Hashem will ultimately see the rewards of His guidance and providence. Verse 15 is therefore seen as one of the most comforting ideas in all of the psalms. The committed servant of God knows that even when he may falter and, as a result, be sent out of the land, Hashem will still hear his call and eventually save him. God is “with him in distress;” He follows his servants into exile, and is ready to bring them home as soon they are ready to call out to Him.

16I will let him live to a ripe old age, and show him My salvation.”

o-REKH ya-MEEM ash-bi-EY-hu v'-ar-EY-hu bi-shu-a-TEE.

טזאֹ֣רֶךְ יָ֭מִים אַשְׂבִּיעֵ֑הוּ וְ֝אַרְאֵ֗הוּ בִּישׁוּעָתִֽי׃