Paraphrase of the Psalms 105–131

Who will sing the unshakable strength of my King, and cast his praise into the ears of all kinds of mortals? … for whom righteousness has always been within reach. Remember [me] in your goodwill toward the people, … of your suppliants, and grant us your famous overseeing light … they became ignorant of your wonders thus, nor did they consider in their mind your …, still breathing bitterness in mind at the Red Sea; but nevertheless they were saved by the help of their King, so that others too might know the great strength of the Immortal. Commanding, the Lord dried [a way] through the Red Sea, and saved them from hated destroyers; the deep-flowing swell of the sea covered the opponents, nor did any inhabitant from the enemies come as messenger to others. They then trusted the life-giving word of God, and … a praiseworthy hymn to him; but they quickly forgot his words, and falsified the counsel of the immortal God. They longed with longing in the evil place of the desert; they tested the King on waterless ground; but even so he granted the longing of their heart … the heart, which they themselves wanted. The shameless earth, gaping, swallowed Dathan …; burning flame consumed the tents, and flame burned the people that cared for transgression. They prayed in vain to an idol, falling at its feet. Fools! who exchanged their former glory, and forgot the might of the King steadfast in war, who formerly in Egypt accomplished boastful works, making fears for all mortals at the Red Sea. And he would have destroyed them all, since he said he would destroy all; … his servant Moses rose near, beseeching his hand, so that he might stop it from destruction. Nor ever … the lawful … of the Blessed One, but even in their huts … to hear God speaking. Therefore the King … his right hand, wishing to cast them down in the place of the desert, and to destroy their race among foreign nations, or … among many-sown cities. And for them insolence bore wrath, the mother of death from God. That man interceded, and the plague withdrew at his prayers; and he found from God a conspicuous reward of justice, from generation to generation continually, all days. The water of strife — you know how they stirred him, how Moses was hurt by the pain of the sinners, worn in heart by bitter griefs, who even unwillingly falsified his former faith. For they spared the nations which he told them to destroy, and set their neck under soulless idols; nor did they profit from them; they were pressed by evil necessity, sacrificing their daughters and sons to demons … and the land was reddened everywhere with the blood of those perishing, and with destructive lewdness; for so they cared. Angered, he … the arrogant … of his inheritance, and gave his dear servants into the hands of enemies; worthless, falling under foreign hands, they were often saved … For at once wonder holds me at their …, how the Lord softened his heart, and how plundering men before pitied them. Us, O King most high, … easily, gathering us from everywhere, wherever we have been scattered among peoples, so that we may eagerly sing your divine name. Praised always is the famous Lord of Israel, from generation to generation continually, all days. And all the people will say: Truly, so be it.

Let those say it, to whom God granted a day of freedom, and gathered them here from many-sown cities, some from the east, some from the western land, wandering through the boundless dry place of the desert, nor did they have a path to see to their city; they wasted with thirst together with pitiless famine; but the King rescued them from every necessity. … and may his wondrous works be the care of the race of mortals. From there they were subdued by helpless toil and ruin, nor did any helper of their weakness come to them. But the King rescued them from every necessity; he led them out from darkness and from death, breaking the mighty and unwearying bond of their limbs. The compassions of the King … and may his wondrous works be the care of the race of mortals, snatching all from the way of toilsome evil. But the King rescued them from every necessity … their heart … The compassions of the King … and may his wondrous works be the care of the race of mortals. … his works, rejoicing with new … Sailors who care for the force and the ships of the sea, whose toil rises through wave and unspeakable water, saw with their eyes the works of wise God, and all his wondrous things among the seafaring depths. You would say the broad heaven was at once mixed with the abyss. Trembling seized all, as one bound by wine; … they forgot, and wise skill did not appear. But the King rescued them from every necessity; again he calmed the waves with steady silence, and gladness seized all when they saw the fair-weather water, hastening into harbour under the commands of God. The compassions of the King … and may his wondrous works be the care of the race of mortals. And the waters came upon the waterless land like rivers, and good dwelling peoples held the cities. God praised the work, and the peoples increased, and herds of four-footed beasts were fed for them in pastures; … worn down and by helpless pains; manifest transgression will open its terrible mouth … Who, being wise, knows how to keep all these things in his heart, and to understand the mercy of the Immortal in his breast?

This is David’s hundred and seventh hymn. My heart is ready, All-seeing One, my heart is ready; awake for me, lyre and psaltery of my hymns. I will cry your resounding song, O Lord, to the peoples, and sing a clear-struck praise to many peoples. You have mercy above the heavens, and your truth flies over against the clouds. And may your unspeakable glory reach over all the earth … and hear my voice. The Lord spoke a word in agreement with his holy one: Ours is Gilead, and ours Manasseh; but Judah is my glorious king; foreign races were subdued under our feet. In the mighty King let us accomplish ready force.

The clear eighth song of David upon the hundredth. Do not at all, Blessed One, pass by my praise in silence, for the terrible sinner gapes his deceitful mouth at me; and trusting in hateful words they were provoked, and armed themselves in vain for destructive battle; those whom they seemed to love — they rather stitched evil for me. But I prayed, stretching my eye to heaven. In return for our friendship they chose evil enmity. May the lender track out all that is his, and may strangers be robbers of his toils. His dear children will be the song of evil destruction; he will utterly destroy his name, unseen and unheard, in a day. May the wickedness of his fathers be remembered before God; … of his hateful mother not cease … let them always remain before the King, and … them from the good earth, because he did not remember to do things worthy of mercy, pursuing in wickedness the needy and poor man … may he quickly receive the curse, fattening his bones, as is due, like oil; instead of a necessary garment may he always hold … and of his girdle, which he always girds for work. This is the reward of those who care to slander me to the King, and who care to fashion countless cares for my soul. But you, King of all, … for your sake … and I am poor, and do not … me … I was subdued, trembling in my dear limbs under strengthless famine, and my body was changed far from glistening oil. From then I became exceedingly blamed among all. But, Blessed One, may you come, God, as helper to me as I call, and grant me your mercy, O Lord, as helper, so that they may know the good help of your hand. They will curse, but may you give me blessed things. And your honoured servant … I will sing with songs upon my mouth, and in the middle of many I will hymn his glory, because he came as helper of the right hand …, so that he might free my soul from enemy men.

The clear song of David, the ninth upon the hundredth. God said to God: Sit at the right of my thrones, so that I may subdue your enemies under the footstool of your feet, … so that you may rule, O Lord, in the midst of your enemies. With you is the might of your rule, as you had it formerly; in the splendours of the holy you will hold firm glory. Fruit of my belly, you yourself were begotten before the morning star. The faithful Lord swore, and will not falsify his oaths: You will be a priest such as … was. Undefiled One, you have near your right hand …, and may he dash the heads of many on earth. He will drink the famous water of the torrent, walking his way …

An immortal Alleluia, the tenth upon the hundredth. With unceasing heart, O King, I will sing your praise …, of the immortal King always … The works of God are always praise and conspicuous glory. The King remembered his wonders in his heart; God is compassionate among all and merciful, eager to give them the conspicuous inheritance of peoples … and he always works truth … have the glorious faith of the King; the Shepherd commanded his covenant for ever … and the name of God has become famous. The beginning of heavenly wisdom was the fear of God, and … for mortals, the interpreters of wisdom. From generation to generation the immortal praise of God remains.

The first song upon the eleventh decade, Alleluia. … his race’s blood remains strong on the earth; wealth and glory will not cease from his house; … a great light rose out of darkness for the upright. God is compassionate and holy and merciful. … the man who lends to others … The turmoil of toilsome life will never reach him; … the memorial of the holy will be praised. He always has his heart ready in the hope of the King; he will have his horn lifted up with honour and dignities. Seeing these things, wrath will trouble the wicked man; the unfulfilled longing of the wicked man will perish.

… second after the decade … Sing the immortal King, wise children; the divine name will always be the care of hymns, now and hereafter for continual generations. From the rising of the shining sun to its setting … The King dwells above all kinds of peoples, and holds immortal glory above the heavenly floors. Who has become like the mighty King? … on high, yet looking at the lowliest things, ministering to earth and heaven with his eyes, he alone has known how to raise the poor man from the earth, to be a fellow with the rulers of the divine people; who gave the barren woman to dwell in houses …

… of the eleventh decade, and third. When mighty Israel came … became the honoured … of God. The barren sea fled when it perceived him, and the peaks of shaggy mountains were like lambs. Say, why, sea, were you cut asunder, fleeing thus? And you peaks of shaggy mountains, were you like lambs? The earth was shaken before the immortal God, who always … of great-hearted Jacob … Do not do these things for us; for what strength have we? But grant most high glory to your wisdom, and to your mercy, O King, and your true counsel. Let the races never say: Where then is their God? Our God always rules in heaven; he is fixed in heaven, but shepherds the works of the earth, doing whatever … in his heart. The idols of the peoples were gold and silver, … the elaborate works of wise hands, which have no voice, even if they have a mouth; nor do they bear light about …; they have ears only, and do not hear a cry, nor does the holy smell of the air come into their nostrils; they have no strength to grope, even if … hands, nor to set a footstep with feet on the fertile earth, nor do they breathe with the impulse of breath through the mouth. And all are confident in mind in such things. … set … on the Lord …, and he is their helper and immortal shield-bearer. The famous house of Aaron set its hope on the Lord; and he is their helper and … They set their hope on the Lord, those who care for the fear of God; and he is their helper and strong shield-bearer. The Immortal, remembering us, praised all; he praised all the people who care for the King of all, the whole age together, small with greater; he greatly increased all among our children, who made the green earth and the broad heaven. Heaven belongs to the radiant heavenly Lord; but the earth he gave to the race of mortals to hold. Not you, Blessed One, … of the dead who have perished, nor … to the nether … of death … now and hereafter for continual generations.

… of the eleventh decade … of God, because he inclined to me a divine and good hearing. The pangs of death that silence the voice held me; I found a shuddering pain and unwearying toil … our King is holy and merciful … why do you delay to come to your rest? Do you not see how God snatched you from hard-to-heal ruin? For indeed he rescued my heavy-minded soul from death; may I appear to the King, singing in the place of the living.

The fifth song upon the eleventh decade. Truly I spoke, trusting God the King. But I became the lowliest of mortals beyond others … I said that the race of mortals is lying. What shall I give to the Shepherd for the many things he has given me? The death of his holy ones is honoured before God. … I pray to be your servant; I am your servant, and the son of your handmaid, … in the holy courts, in the dear house of God, in your midst, much-famed Jerusalem.

… a song upon the eleventh decade … and all you peoples, shout to him together abundantly, because the Lord increases his merciful counsel toward us.

Of the eleventh decade … Sing to me the King, since this is good; let Israel say it, since this is good; let the house of Aaron say it, since this is good; you servants of the Lord, say it, since this is good. And leading [me] out of evil he widened my paths; the undefiled Lord is always the helper of my necessity; the undefiled Lord is always the helper of my necessity. But I will see the evil fate of my enemies. … to live trusting the immortal King, … in vain to hold a mind confident in mortal man, … to set a helpless hope. But I took them all, trusting the King. But I took them all, trusting the King. … like a torch among the thorns of the courts; but I took them all, trusting the King. And I would have fallen, thrust down, but the King came to me as champion. My praise and strength are in the immortal King, and an averting light appeared ready to me … he set my glorious head … I will never die, but there will be a season of life for me; and I will clearly cry out the royal works. The Immortal subdued me with dear chastisements, but he did not let me be subdued by evil death. Come now, open to me the faithful doors of righteousness; and, going in, I will sing a much-prayed hymn to the King. This is the gate of the King; let the road be the care of the good. … you, because you agreed with my voice, and appeared to me as a ready averting light. It appeared as the holy head of two walls; God built this honoured one with his hands, and … is before the eyes of mortals. That gladness and joy may appear to mortals … my road pleasing to the heart. Praised is he who will come lifting the name of the King … having come from the hall of the Blessed One. The famous Lord and good God has appeared to mortals. You are our God, and I will sing your praise; you are our God, and I lift you on high. … you, because you agreed with my voice, and appeared to me as a ready averting light. Sing to me the King, since this is good.

… of the decade, upon the eighth … Blessed are those who care for the path that is always undefiled, whose mind longed to walk according to the ordinance of God; … his testimonies in their hearts, seeking the good Lord with every kind of heart. For men who interpret hateful lawlessness … Would that all my paths might be directed very well, so that I may always be concerned with your justices; and I would escape in my mind heavy and reproachful blame. With upright heart, O King, I will sing your praise, when … the works of God-pleasing righteousness. [2] How would a young man direct his way, already fluttering, … with all kinds of thoughts, O King, … I set your sweet words, Blessed One, in my breast … You are praised, Blessed One; teach me your ordinances. With our lips I declared the ordinances of your mouth, as one who exults in his breast in broad wealth; nor will I forget your holy words thus. [3] In return for toils, Blessed One, … your servant a reward; I live, increasing in my heart the gain of immortal words. Scatter, Blessed One, the mist from my eyes, which formerly …, the famous wonders of your ordinances … I dwell on the earth for a short life; do not hide from me … for the sake of good commands. I longed in my mind for your justices all days. You will drive away, O Lord, blame and many reproaches far from me, because … your honoured testimonies. But I sang on … you heard me declaring the paths … set … in my heart. My heart slumbered, struck by evil ruin; but may you support my heart, O Lord, with your words … Lord, … the lawless … and … us with your oracles; I always found the path of truth pleasing to the heart; do not convict at all one who has trusted your testimonies. I ran the conspicuous path of your counsel, when you greatly widened my heart in my breast. [5] Teach me, Blessed One, the path of your laws; give me, O Lord, prudence, so that I may search out your law, and always keep it in our breast. … to your servant the word laden with fear … I spur on in my heart the desire for you … may I take your righteousness as fellow-worker of life, so that I may answer the insolent as is right. Do not hold back the truth of your mouth from me at all; for I have a longing for your lawful righteousness, and I will keep your radiant law in my heart, from generation to generation continually, all days. And how greatly did kings then marvel at my tongue? … of your servant, hoping in your word … has become a good comfort of my weakness, because your word has always been good life to me. And my mind always clung to your ordinances. Looking at your good ordinances … I often sang the song of your dear ordinances, though I was a sojourner in foreign lands. I kept the immortal ordinance in my dear breast … this, worthy of good justice … [8] You yourself were my portion; I said to you that I would keep your ordinances … With unceasing heart I besought … the King: Be gracious to me, O King, and I will do things worthy of your words. For I considered what was pleasing in your paths; from then I became most ready, being someone unshaken, … to have my heart cared for. But I hastened, rising in the middle of the night, to hymn in my heart the ordinances of your righteousness. Of all … you, Blessed One … the earth … of your good mercy … your glorious righteousness … us, and wisdom … Therefore I kept your words in my dear breast. You are gentle, Blessed One; teach me your justices. The boundless … of the overweening was stretched out against me; their breast was curdled like white milk; but your ordinance was always the care of my heart. How good … lowly … so that … your glorious righteousness. How good was the ordinance of the royal mouth, better for us than thousands of gold and silver. I was made and fashioned by your hands, Blessed One; give me prudence, so that I may learn your counsels, because I bound my cares to your words. I openly understood the ordinances of your righteousness, and in your truth I became lowly and feeble. … your mercy … a comfort to us, and a word in agreement for your servant, because the royal ordinance has become my meditation. Shame to the overweening, who have acted against the ordinance toward me; but I will sing of your commands. Let my heart be blameless in your commands … my mind was stretched out toward the divine light, and toward hearing the longed-for word of your good covenant, saying: When will you come to be my comfort? I became like a wineskin …, but I never forgot your righteousness in my heart. Say, how long is the time of the life of your servant? When will the wicked pay me a worthy penalty for their insolence? But they did not hold to your ordinance, a lying path. They pursued me unjustly; but may you be my helper, O Lord. And I remained trusting in your commands, and I will keep the testimonies of your mouth in my breast. Your word remains always in the starry heaven; the earth, Blessed One, remains rooted by your hands; early-born dawn bears your light at your command. If your ordinance had not been the care of my concern, … From then, since I found the gracious end of life. I am your servant, and may you ward off from me an evil fate. But I understood for the sake of your testimonies; I perceived with all kinds of thought the end of life; I recognized your counsel, O King, as broad. [13] How greatly I loved the royal ordinance, and, taking it in my breast, I will hymn it all day. … my enemies … and indeed it is my possession continually; … I hold the cares of the Lord’s heart. I found a counsel much greater than the prudence of elders, tracking the testimonies of the King in my heart, so that I may keep your dear word in my heart … I found your sweet law about the whiteness of words. I understood all things for the sake of your commands; therefore I hated every lawless path. Your ordinance, O Lord, is a lamp for my feet always, an immortal and ageless light for our footsteps. I swore, Undefiled One, to keep the decree of your justice. I became …, and by your words … and may you command things pleasing to our tongue, and … me your glorious righteousness. I always hold my heart in your hands. Evil-devising men fashioned a net for us; I took the testimonies of the King as a life-giving inheritance; I longed in my heart to accomplish your justices, Blessed One, so that you may warm my heart with good in return. [15] I loved your ordinance, but hated the lawless; you are my defence and the protector of my strength; I always had a glorious hope in your words, so that I may track … of God the King … Nor put me to shame, who wait for your strength. Because the heart of the impious is set on …, therefore I loved … for your sake. Nail my body with your fear as with nails. I accomplished good order and lovely righteousness … your good servant. My eyes longed for your averting light … To your servant, Blessed One, … things worthy of mercy. I am your servant; may you give me wisdom; therefore I longed for the great glory of your commands … force, and unjust paths. The testimonies of the King are always very wondrous; may the grace of your words grant us strength and light, always setting wisdom in the hearts of infants. I received in my breast the highest spirit as a rule, because I always longed for the glory of your commands. May you direct my running steps with your words, and I will keep your good commands in my breast. And … me your glorious righteousness … tearful paths … and unshaken strength … because the evil-minded forgot your commands. Your word has been like fire burning, but may your servant love it in his heart. But I always sing your righteousness in my heart; your righteousness is ageless all days, and your truth … Hateful toil and helpless necessities held me; you bear testimonies pregnant with holy works; give me prudence, O Lord, and life will be sufficient for me, and I will keep your good testimonies in my breast … of the King … with words; my eyes looked forward quickly to the season, from dawn, so that I may cry out the good meditations of your words. Hear our voice with a merciful heart; direct my path under your justices. … fled your honoured and glorious ordinance. You are near, O Lord, and your paths are all true, since I keep your ordinance remembered in my heart. Let your word be the cause of our life … your averting light … for they forgot to inquire into your justices. Direct my path under your justices. Seeing the servants of folly, I melt my heart, whose mind refused to keep your word, O Lord. Consider how I am concerned with your commands. You set truth as the mother of your words, and always commanded them the ordinance for justice. I trembled in my heart only at the fears of your words … I will rejoice in my dear heart at your words, as one who carries off much plunder from enemies. Seven times a day I praised your glory, O Lord …; nor do they have any strife among themselves when they set out. I hoped for your light, and … I kept your testimonies, and loved them in my heart … I kept, and the joints … [22] Let my supplication … the King … may you send us prudence worthy of your words. May the grace of our prayers come before you, Blessed One; may your word always stand by me as a defender from evil, when you teach me your glorious righteousness. Let my tongue utter your dear life-giving word, because you mixed righteousness into your commands … I longed from the heart for your averting light; let my soul live, and it will sing your famous praise; and may I always be concerned with your justices … I wandered like one who has perished … your servant …

This eleventh decade, upon the ninth, an immortal song. From unjust lips, Immortal One, rescue my soul; what would anyone give you, or add, O Lord, with a deceitful tongue? … Woe is me! since I have dwelt so long on earth, … fixing a dwelling together … I pursued peace among all lovers of war … when I spoke in vain …

This is the twelfth decade … Let my strength be with the strong King, who made the green earth and the broad heaven. … your foot … and let not sleep hold the mind of your sleepless guardian; for sweet sleep will not seize him nodding … God will shelter your hand, guarding … the strength of the sun will not burn you all day, as he cares for your soul, so that it may never find pain … now and hereafter for continual generations.

This is the twelfth decade, returning to one song. When I heard men, greatly, greatly was my heart warmed, men who said that I would come as a fellow-traveller to the house of God; and those who are outside near it gathered about it, for twelve tribes were urged to go there, so that they might hymn the undefiled divine name. There wise thrones were fixed for justice, the thrones in the halls of mighty David. Boundless happiness awaits those who love you, Blessed One. For the sake of my brothers and companions, Immortal One, I spoke peace for the sake of your counsel; and there they longed for all the blessed things of your house.

This is the twelfth decade, and it brings also a second hymn. I lifted my eyes to the heavenly King. As when the light of servants is in the hands of masters, as when the light of a handmaid is in the hands of her mistress, … Blessed One, … eye … your … The heart in each one’s breast is laden with evils; but to the overweening all reproaches …

This twelfth decade, bringing the third hymn. … let [Israel] say … great … men in battle, and the deep water would quickly have swept us away … our soul has passed over the unstable water. Praised is he who did not give us as prey to their teeth. Our strength is with the immortal King, who made the green earth and the broad heaven.

This is the twelfth decade, and it brings also a fourth hymn. Those who trust in the Immortal are like … of Zion. May no dreadful turmoil reach the inhabitant of Jerusalem. Mountains are around it, and the King around his people, now and hereafter for continual generations. For the Lord will never … of the wicked … to be numbered with the lot of the conspicuous holy; do good to the good and to the upright in heart.

This is the twelfth decade, and the fifth song with it. When the Lord gathers back the captives of Zion, … comfort for griefs was … Ah, how much joy may we bring, filled in our mouth …, a tongue pregnant with … And someone of the foreigners will say, hearing even from afar: These have been boastful works of God the King. May we be in gladness and splendour, as the dreadful torrent is turned by the breath of the south wind. Those who sow in tears will reap rejoicing … bringing out their seed …

This is the twelfth decade, and it has a sixth song … guards the admired, conspicuous city … from dawn, empty is the watch of each one. Rise: why do you sit thus among them …, when sweet sleep comes to his dear ones? See the inheritance of the King, and sons, the dear and glorious reward of the fruitful belly. As darts are in the hands of a strong man, … Blessed is he who will fulfil his dear longing …; nor will a lie take them, speaking with enemies before the gates.

Blessed are those for whom the fear of God is a care, whose feet are always ready on the road of the King. All will be well with you, and you will hear yourself called most blessed of mortals. Sons, too, like young olive shoots … So may all who tremble at the Lord be blessed … may you have royal praise … all the days of unwearied life … you will see grandsons around your dear children … gracious peace among …

Often from my youth they have raised a shameless outcry against me; often from my youth they have raised a shameless outcry against me; nor … against me, hastening before. The impious fashioned evil cares on my back; but the holy Lord broke the neck of the sinners. May shame always cover those who hate Zion; may they become dry like grass on the housetops, from which the binder of sheaves went away carrying an empty hand; nor did he fill his bosom, gathering the year’s sheaves; nor did any of those passing by praise the men for their work.

This twelfth decade is seen about the ninth hymn. … hear, and receive my voice. For if you keep the lawlessness of mortals in your breast, what mortal will be able [to stand] against the heart of the Immortal? For the sake of your wisdom I have endured royal virtue, and to set my hope, longed for in my heart, on you, Blessed One. From the morning watch to the paths of night, … from the watch let God be the care …, because the Lord has mercy and the day of freedom, rescuing … from all evil …

This is the hymn of the thirteenth decade. Never did I have a heart that fluttered among great things, nor … among greater wonders … I lifted up my voice thus unspeakably, as an infant in need of milk wails about its mother; so will my heart go to its reward … now and hereafter for continual generations.

A sweet and clear song … Remember David, and all his gentleness. He swore to the Immortal, and prayed such things to the King: If ever I go into my honoured house, if I mount the bed of the most beautiful couches, if ever I receive gentle sleep into my eyes, … an honoured place for the King, so that I may find an immortal temple for the God of Jacob. This, as we heard, was always the report in Ephrathah; we found it, I know, a report in the thickets among the glades. And you yourself raise up with you the undefiled ark … may [your priests] clothe themselves, Blessed One, with your righteousness … For the sake of David, your mighty servant, never … of your Christ. The King swore to David to do what is all true; he swore and nodded, and will not falsify his oaths: … the shoot of your belly … If the race keeps this covenant of mine, and the good testimonies which I myself will set in their hearts, … because God chose divine Zion beforehand, how he longs for it as a desired and lovely house: This is my rest for unceasing generations; here I would dwell, fettered by good longing. I would fill the houses of widows in need with good things, and give the poor again a satisfying feast of life. Here … an immortal horn for David; I have granted my Christ a ready lamp as leader. I will kindle shame and blame upon his enemies; but upon him let our purity spring up.