מִזְמוֹר לְדָוִד A Psalm of David.
הָבוּ לַיהֹוָה Ascribe to Adonoy—
בְּנֵי אֵלִים you sons of the mighty33 According to Targum, ‘sons of the mighty’ refers to the angels who are called upon to give praise to God. The Sages say that ‘the mighty’ refers to the Patriarchs who were mighty in their faith of God and steadfast in carrying out His will. Thus ‘sons of the mighty’ refers to all Jewry. —
הָבוּ לַיהֹוָה כָּבוֹד וָעֹז: ascribe to Adonoy glory and might.
הָבוּ לַיהֹוָה כְּבוֹד שְׁמוֹ Ascribe to Adonoy the glory due His Name,
הִשְׁתַּחֲווּ לַיהֹוָה prostrate yourselves before Adonoy
בְּהַדְרַת־קֹֽדֶשׁ: in the splendor of holiness.34Etz Yosef says that this refers to the Bais haMikdash.
קוֹל יְהֹוָה עַל־הַמָּֽיִם Adonoy's voice is upon the waters.35God’s voice was heard when He split the Sea of Reeds after the exodus from Egypt.—Etz Yosef
אֵל־הַכָּבוֹד הִרְעִים Almighty of glory thunders,
יְהֹוָה עַל־מַֽיִם רַבִּים: Adonoy is upon [the] many waters.
קוֹל־יְהֹוָה בַּכֹּֽחַ The voice of Adonoy is in power,
קוֹל יְהֹוָה בֶּהָדָר: the voice of Adonoy is in beauty.36This translation follows S.R. Hirsch. Others translate ‘Adonoy’s voice is with power, Adonoy’s voice is with beauty.’
קוֹל יְהֹוָה שֹׁבֵר אֲרָזִים The voice of Adonoy breaks cedars,
וַיְשַׁבֵּר יְהֹוָה Adonoy shatters
אֶת־אַרְזֵי הַלְּבָנוֹן: the cedars of Lebanon.37The Psalmist refers to a forest in the Holy Land where there is an abundance of tall cedar trees.—Radak
וַיַּרְקִידֵם כְּמוֹ־עֵֽגֶל He makes them leap like a calf,
לְבָנוֹן וְשִׂרְיוֹן כְּמוֹ בֶן־רְאֵמִים: Lebanon and Sirion like unicorns.
קוֹל־יְהֹוָה The voice of Adonoy
חֹצֵב לַהֲבוֹת אֵשׁ: hews out flames of fire.38When God spoke at Sinai, His commandments came forth like a flame in the form of visible letters and words. These letters penetrated the tablets of stone and engraved themselves on them.—Rashi According to Radak the verse describes how God’s wrath will pour down upon His enemies like a bolt of fiery lightning.
קוֹל יְהֹוָה The voice of Adonoy
יָחִיל מִדְבָּר makes the desert tremble,
יָחִיל יְהֹוָה מִדְבַּר קָדֵשׁ: Adonoy makes tremble the desert of Kadesh.
קוֹל יְהֹוָה יְחוֹלֵל אַיָּלוֹת The voice of Adonoy causes hinds to calve,39The birth canal of the hind is very narrow and it is often impossible for the offspring to pass through. God’s voice in the thunder frightens the hind and causes it to have such strong contractions that the canal expands and the offspring is born.—Rashi
וַיֶּחֱשׂף יְעָרוֹת and strips the forests bare;
וּבְהֵיכָלוֹ and in His Sanctuary
כֻּלּוֹ טֹמֵר כָּבוֹד: all proclaim [His] glory.
יְהֹוָה לַמַּבּוּל יָשָׁב Adonoy sat enthroned (even) at the flood40Even in the face of the total corruption of mankind at the time of the flood, God sat unchanged and unshaken upon the throne of His Sovereignty.—S.R. Hirsch
וַיֵּֽשֶׁב יְהֹוָה מֶֽלֶךְ לְעוֹלָם: Adonoy is enthroned as King forever.
יְהֹוָה עֹז לְעַמּוֹ יִתֵּן Adonoy will give strength to His people;
יְהֹוָה יְבָרֵךְ אֶת־עַמּוֹ בַשָּׁלוֹם: Adonoy will bless His people with peace.41After the coming of the Messiah there will be an end to all wars and conflicts.—Radak
אָֽנָּא, בְּכֹֽחַ Please,42This prayer was composed by Rabbi Nechunya ben Hakanah, a Tanna of the second century. by the force of
גְּדֻלַּת יְמִינְ֒ךָ Your great right hand,
תַּתִּיר צְרוּרָה: release the bound one.
קַבֵּל רִנַּת עַמְּ֒ךָ Accept the prayer of Your people;
שַׂגְּ֒בֵֽנוּ טַהֲרֵֽנוּ נוֹרָא: strengthen us, purify us, Awesome One!
נָא גִבּוֹר Please! Mighty One,
דּוֹרְ֒שֵׁי יִחוּדְ֒ךָ those who seek Your Unity,43Those who study holy Torah which promulgates Your Unity.—Etz Yosef
כְּבָבַת שָׁמְ֒רֵם: preserve them like the pupil [of Your eye].
בָּרְ֒כֵם טַהֲרֵם Bless them, purify them;
רַחֲמֵי the compassion of
צִדְ֒קָתְ֒ךָ Your benevolent righteousness
תָּמִיד גָּמְ֒לֵם: [may You] always bestow upon them.
חֲסִין קָדוֹשׁ Mighty, Holy One,
בְּרֹב טוּבְ֒ךָ in Your abundant goodness,
נַהֵל עֲדָתֶֽךָ: lead Your community.
יָחִיד גֵּאֶה לְעַמְּ֒ךָ פְּנֵה, Unique One, Exalted, turn to Your people
זוֹכְ֒רֵי קְדֻשָּׁתֶֽךָ: who are mindful of Your holiness.
שַׁוְעָתֵֽנוּ קַבֵּל וּשְׁ֒מַע צַעֲקָתֵֽנוּ Accept our prayer and hear our cry,
יוֹדֵֽעַ תַּעֲלוּמוֹת: [You] Who knows hidden thoughts.
בָּרוּךְ שֵׁם Blessed [is His] Name,
כְּבוֹד מַלְ֒כוּתוֹ Whose glorious kingdom
לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד: is forever and ever.