1 For the leader. A song. A psalm. Raise a shout for Hashem, all the earth;
א לַמְנַצֵּחַ שִׁיר מִזְמוֹר הָרִיעוּ לֵאלֹהִים כָּל־הָאָרֶץ׃
2 sing the glory of His name, make glorious His praise.
ב זַמְּרוּ כְבוֹד־שְׁמוֹ שִׂימוּ כָבוֹד תְּהִלָּתוֹ׃
3 Say to Hashem, “How awesome are Your deeds, Your enemies cower before Your great strength;
ג אִמְרוּ לֵאלֹהִים מַה־נּוֹרָא מַעֲשֶׂיךָ בְּרֹב עֻזְּךָ יְכַחֲשׁוּ לְךָ אֹיְבֶיךָ׃
4 all the earth bows to You, and sings hymns to You; all sing hymns to Your name.” Selah.
ד כָּל־הָאָרֶץ יִשְׁתַּחֲווּ לְךָ וִיזַמְּרוּ־לָךְ יְזַמְּרוּ שִׁמְךָ סֶלָה׃
5 Come and see the works of Hashem, who is held in awe by men for His acts.
ה לְכוּ וּרְאוּ מִפְעֲלוֹת אֱלֹהִים נוֹרָא עֲלִילָה עַל־בְּנֵי אָדָם׃
6 He turned the sea into dry land; they crossed the river on foot; we therefore rejoice in Him.
ha-FAKH YAM l’-ya-ba-SHAH ba-na-HAR ya-av-RU v’-RA-gel SHAM nis-m’-khah BO
ו הָפַךְ יָם לְיַבָּשָׁה בַּנָּהָר יַעַבְרוּ בְרָגֶל שָׁם נִשְׂמְחָה־בּוֹ׃
66:6 Turned the sea into dry land
The amount of produce that the Land of Israel gives is a direct response to the behavior of its inhabitants. Hashem makes this point very clear throughout the Bible, specifically in Sefer Devarim (11:13-15), in which He links the concept of reward and punishment with the successful produce of the land. If the children of God veer from His path and reject Him for idolatry, divine anger will arise and the land will not give its produce. This reaction is actually a blessing, since the inhabitants of Eretz Yisrael are thereby granted a barometer for their spiritual behavior. If there is famine and drought, they know that Hashem is angry, and they must inspect their actions. If there is plenty, God is happy with His nation and it is appropriate to sing praises to the Lord for His wonderful bounty.2 comments
7 He rules forever in His might; His eyes scan the nations; let the rebellious not assert themselves. Selah.
ז מֹשֵׁל בִּגְבוּרָתוֹ עוֹלָם עֵינָיו בַּגּוֹיִם תִּצְפֶּינָה הַסּוֹרְרִים אַל־ירימו [יָרוּמוּ] לָמוֹ סֶלָה׃
8 O peoples, bless our God, celebrate His praises;
ח בָּרְכוּ עַמִּים אֱלֹהֵינוּ וְהַשְׁמִיעוּ קוֹל תְּהִלָּתוֹ׃
9 who has granted us life, and has not let our feet slip.
ט הַשָּׂם נַפְשֵׁנוּ בַּחַיִּים וְלֹא־נָתַן לַמּוֹט רַגְלֵנוּ׃
10 You have tried us, O Hashem, refining us, as one refines silver.
י כִּי־בְחַנְתָּנוּ אֱלֹהִים צְרַפְתָּנוּ כִּצְרָף־כָּסֶף׃
11 You have caught us in a net, caught us in trammels.
יא הֲבֵאתָנוּ בַמְּצוּדָה שַׂמְתָּ מוּעָקָה בְמָתְנֵינוּ׃
12 You have let men ride over us; we have endured fire and water, and You have brought us through to prosperity.
יב הִרְכַּבְתָּ אֱנוֹשׁ לְרֹאשֵׁנוּ בָּאנוּ־בָאֵשׁ וּבַמַּיִם וַתּוֹצִיאֵנוּ לָרְוָיָה׃
13 I enter Your house with burnt offerings, I pay my vows to You,
יג אָבוֹא בֵיתְךָ בְעוֹלוֹת אֲשַׁלֵּם לְךָ נְדָרָי׃
14 [vows] that my lips pronounced, that my mouth uttered in my distress.
יד אֲשֶׁר־פָּצוּ שְׂפָתָי וְדִבֶּר־פִּי בַּצַּר־לִי׃
15 I offer up fatlings to You, with the odor of burning rams; I sacrifice bulls and he-goats. Selah.
טו עֹלוֹת מֵחִים אַעֲלֶה־לָּךְ עִם־קְטֹרֶת אֵילִים אֶעֱשֶׂה בָקָר עִם־עַתּוּדִים סֶלָה׃
16 Come and hear, all Hashem-fearing men, as I tell what He did for me.
טז לְכוּ־שִׁמְעוּ וַאֲסַפְּרָה כָּל־יִרְאֵי אֱלֹהִים אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה לְנַפְשִׁי׃
17 I called aloud to Him, glorification on my tongue.
יז אֵלָיו פִּי־קָרָאתִי וְרוֹמַם תַּחַת לְשׁוֹנִי׃
18 Had I an evil thought in my mind, Hashem would not have listened.
יח אָוֶן אִם־רָאִיתִי בְלִבִּי לֹא יִשְׁמַע אֲדֹנָי׃
19 But Hashem did listen; He paid heed to my prayer.
יט אָכֵן שָׁמַע אֱלֹהִים הִקְשִׁיב בְּקוֹל תְּפִלָּתִי׃
20 Blessed is Hashem who has not turned away my prayer, or His faithful care from me.
כ בָּרוּךְ אֱלֹהִים אֲשֶׁר לֹא־הֵסִיר תְּפִלָּתִי וְחַסְדּוֹ מֵאִתִּי׃
…we have endured fire and water, and You have brought us through to prosperity.
Isaiah 43:2 says, “When you pass through water, I will be with you; through streams, they shall not overwhelm you. When you walk through fire, you shall not be scorched; through flame, it shall not burn you.” HaShem is faithful! His Word forever true!