TORAH
FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES
NEVI'IM
PROPHETS
KETUVIM
WRITINGS

Chapter 92

Listen to this chapter in Hebrew:

1A psalm. A song; for the Shabbat day.

אמִזְמוֹר שִׁיר לְיוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת׃

2It is good to praise Hashem, to sing hymns to Your name, O Most High,

בטוֹב לְהֹדוֹת לַיהֹוָה וּלְזַמֵּר לְשִׁמְךָ עֶלְיוֹן׃

3To proclaim Your steadfast love at daybreak, Your faithfulness each night

גלְהַגִּיד בַּבֹּקֶר חַסְדֶּךָ וֶאֱמוּנָתְךָ בַּלֵּילוֹת׃

4With a ten-stringed harp, with voice and lyre together.

דעֲ‍לֵי־עָשׂוֹר וַעֲלֵי־נָבֶל עֲלֵי הִגָּיוֹן בְּכִנּוֹר׃

5You have gladdened me by Your deeds, Hashem; I shout for joy at Your handiwork.

הכִּי שִׂמַּחְתַּנִי יְהֹוָה בְּפָעֳלֶךָ בְּמַעֲשֵׂי יָדֶיךָ אֲרַנֵּן׃

6How great are Your works, Hashem, how very subtle Your designs!

ומַה־גָּדְלוּ מַעֲשֶׂיךָ יְהֹוָה מְאֹד עָמְקוּ מַחְשְׁבֹתֶיךָ׃

7A brutish man cannot know, a fool cannot understand this:

זאִישׁ־בַּעַר לֹא יֵדָע וּכְסִיל לֹא־יָבִין אֶת־זֹאת׃

8though the wicked sprout like grass, though all evildoers blossom, it is only that they may be destroyed forever.

חבִּפְרֹחַ רְשָׁעִים כְּמוֹ עֵשֶׂב וַיָּצִיצוּ כָּל־פֹּעֲלֵי אָוֶן לְהִשָּׁמְדָם עֲדֵי־עַד׃

9But You are exalted, Hashem, for all time.

טוְאַתָּה מָרוֹם לְעֹלָם יְהֹוָה׃

10Surely, Your enemies, Hashem, surely, Your enemies perish; all evildoers are scattered.

יכִּי הִנֵּה אֹיְבֶיךָ יְהֹוָה כִּי־הִנֵּה אֹיְבֶיךָ יֹאבֵדוּ יִתְפָּרְדוּ כָּל־פֹּעֲלֵי אָוֶן׃

11You raise my horn high like that of a wild ox; I am soaked in freshening oil.

יאוַתָּרֶם כִּרְאֵים קַרְנִי בַּלֹּתִי בְּשֶׁמֶן רַעֲנָן׃

12I shall see the defeat of my watchful foes, hear of the downfall of the wicked who beset me.

יבוַתַּבֵּט עֵינִי בְּשׁוּרָי בַּקָּמִים עָלַי מְרֵעִים תִּשְׁמַעְנָה אָזְנָי׃

13The righteous bloom like a date-palm; they thrive like a cedar in Lebanon;

tza-DEEK ka-ta-MAR yif-RAKH k'-E-rez ba-l'-va-NON yis-GEH

יגצַדִּיק כַּתָּמָר יִפְרָח כְּאֶרֶז בַּלְּבָנוֹן יִשְׂגֶּה׃

 92:13   The righteous bloom like a date-palm

In this verse, King David compares a righteous person to a ‘date palm’ tree, known in Hebrew as tamar (תמר). Just as the date palm produces numerous fruits, the deeds of a righteous person bear fruit. In addition, he enjoys a fruitful reward for his actions in both this world and the next. Honey from the fruit of the date palm is one of the seven species that the Torah lists as the special agricultural products of the Land of Israel (Deuteronomy 8:8). The date palm also has the added distinction of being one of the four species taken on the holiday of Sukkot. Furthermore, since date palms stand tall and straight with fronds of leaves that wave in the wind, the majestic tree was depicted on coins minted by the Maccabees, and has always been considered a symbol of victory and strength.

Date palm plantation in the Negev

Fruit of the date-palm tree.

 

14planted in the house of Hashem, they flourish in the courts of our God.

ידשְׁתוּלִים בְּבֵית יְהֹוָה בְּחַצְרוֹת אֱלֹהֵינוּ יַפְרִיחוּ׃

15In old age they still produce fruit; they are full of sap and freshness,

טועוֹד יְנוּבוּן בְּשֵׂיבָה דְּשֵׁנִים וְרַעֲנַנִּים יִהְיוּ׃

16attesting that Hashem is upright, my rock, in whom there is no wrong.

טזלְהַגִּיד כִּי־יָשָׁר יְהֹוָה צוּרִי וְלֹא־עלתה [עַוְלָתָה] בּוֹ׃