| 1 |
לַמְנַצֵּחַ עַל־הַגִּתִּית מִזְמוֹר לְדָוִד׃ |
Lamnatséakh al-haguittit mizmor ledavid. |
For the leader, upon the Gittith. A psalm of David. |
| 2 |
יְהוָה אֲדֹנֵינוּ מָה־אַדִּיר שִׁמְךָ בְּכָל־הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר תְּנָה הוֹדְךָ עַל־הַשָּׁמָיִם׃ |
Adonai Adonénu, mah-addír shimkhá bekhol-ha'árets, asher tenáh hodkhá al-hashamáyim. |
O LORD our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth, You who have set Your glory above the heavens. |
| 3 |
מִפִּי עוֹלְלִים וְיֹנְקִים יִסַּדְתָּ עֹז לְמַעַן צוֹרְרֶיךָ לְהַשְׁבִּית אוֹיֵב וּמִתְנַקֵּם׃ |
Mippí 'olelím veyonquím yissádta 'oz, lemá'an tsorerékha, lehashbít oyév umitnaqqém. |
From the mouths of babes and infants You have founded strength, because of Your foes, to silence the enemy and the avenger. |
| 4 |
כִּי־אֶרְאֶה שָׁמֶיךָ מַעֲשֵׂה אֶצְבְּעֹתֶיךָ יָרֵחַ וְכוֹכָבִים אֲשֶׁר כּוֹנָנְתָּ׃ |
Ki-er'éh shamékha ma'aséh etsbe'otékha, yaréakh vekhokhavím asher konántah. |
When I behold Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars that You have set in place, |
| 5 |
מָה־אֱנוֹשׁ כִּי־תִזְכְּרֶנּוּ וּבֶן־אָדָם כִּי תִפְקְדֶנּוּ׃ |
Mah-enósh ki-tizkerénu, uvén-adám ki tifqedénu. |
what is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You care for him? |
| 6 |
וַתְּחַסְּרֵהוּ מְּעַט מֵאֱלֹהִים וְכָבוֹד וְהָדָר תְּעַטְּרֵהוּ׃ |
Vatkhas-seréhu me'át me'Elohím, vekhávod vehadár te'atteréhu. |
Yet You have made him a little lower than the angels, and crowned him with glory and honor. |
| 7 |
תַּמְשִׁילֵהוּ בְּמַעֲשֵׂי יָדֶיךָ כֹּל שַׁתָּה תַחַת־רַגְלָיו׃ |
Tamshiléhu bema'asé yadekha, kol sháttah tákhat-ragláv. |
You gave him dominion over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet: |
| 8 |
צֹנֶה וַאֲלָפִים כֻּלָּם וְגַם בַּהֲמוֹת שָׂדָי׃ |
Tsonéh va'alafím kullám, vegám bahamót sadáy. |
all flocks and herds, and also the beasts of the field, |
| 9 |
צִפּוֹר שָׁמַיִם וּדְגֵי הַיָּם עֹבֵר אָרְחוֹת יַמִּים׃ |
Tsippór shamáyim udguí hayyám, 'ovér arkhót yammím. |
the birds of the heavens and the fish of the sea, whatever passes through the paths of the seas. |
| 10 |
יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ מָה־אַדִּיר שִׁמְךָ בְּכָל־הָאָרֶץ׃ |
Adonai Elohénu, mah-addír shimkhá bekhol-ha'árets. |
O LORD our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth. |
Brief Commentary
A meditation beneath the night sky, where the moon and stars proclaim the work of God's fingers. Against that vastness the psalmist asks: what is man that You are mindful of him?
The answer is wonder: man is crowned with glory and honor and given dominion over creation, framed by the refrain that opens and closes the psalm, how majestic is His name in all the earth.