Source Link: https://opensiddur.org/?p=43349
open_content_license: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike (CC BY-SA) 4.0 International copyleft licenseDate: 2022-03-19
Last Updated: 2025-02-18
Categories: Tehilim Book 4 (Psalms 90–106)
Tags: 21st century C.E., 58th century A.M., apotropaic prayers of protection, devotional interpretation, interpretive translation, protection, Psalms 91
Excerpt: A paraliturgical translation of Psalms 91 in English, set side-by-side with the Masoretic Hebrew. . . .
Source (Hebrew) | Translation (English) |
---|---|
יֹ֭שֵׁב בְּסֵ֣תֶר
עֶלְי֑וֹן בְּצֵ֥ל שַׁ֝דַּ֗י יִתְלוֹנָֽן׃ |
In concealment You dwell,
Most High, Almighty, You linger in the shadow. |
אֹמַ֗ר לַ֭יהֹוָה
מַחְסִ֣י וּמְצוּדָתִ֑י אֱ֝לֹהַ֗י אֶבְטַח־בּֽוֹ׃ כִּ֤י ה֣וּא יַ֭צִּילְךָ מִפַּ֥ח יָק֗וּשׁ מִדֶּ֥בֶר הַוּֽוֹת׃ בְּאֶבְרָת֨וֹ ׀ יָ֣סֶךְ לָ֭ךְ וְתַחַת־כְּנָפָ֣יו תֶּחְסֶ֑ה צִנָּ֖ה וְסֹחֵרָ֣ה אֲמִתּֽוֹ׃ |
I say to You YHVH
You are both my safe haven, My bastion holding me. I must trust You my God. You save me from entrapment, from putrid scourge. You cover me under Your shelter. You keep me safe under Your wings. I am protected by Your truth. |
|
(I am assured by You.)
|
לֹֽא־תִ֭ירָא
מִפַּ֣חַד לָ֑יְלָה מֵ֝חֵ֗ץ יָע֥וּף יוֹמָֽם׃ מִ֭דֶּבֶר בָּאֹ֣פֶל יַהֲלֹ֑ךְ מִ֝קֶּ֗טֶב יָשׁ֥וּד צׇהֳרָֽיִם׃ |
Do not panic
facing night’s terror, a bullet shot in broad daylight, a blight creeping in the murky dark, a wasting plague at high noon. |
יִפֹּ֤ל מִצִּדְּךָ֨ ׀ אֶ֗לֶף
וּרְבָבָ֥ה מִימִינֶ֑ךָ אֵ֝לֶ֗יךָ לֹ֣א יִגָּֽשׁ׃ |
You will not be harmed
though a thousand fall near you, a myriad at your right hand. |
רַ֭ק בְּעֵינֶ֣יךָ תַבִּ֑יט
וְשִׁלֻּמַ֖ת רְשָׁעִ֣ים תִּרְאֶֽה׃ |
You just look steadfastly ahead
and you will see how malice will get its rebuke. |
כִּֽי־אַתָּ֣ה יְהֹוָ֣ה מַחְסִ֑י
עֶ֝לְי֗וֹן שַׂ֣מְתָּ מְעוֹנֶֽךָ׃ |
Yes, You, YHVH are my defense.
I am at home with You, high beyond reach. |
|
(You assure me.)
|
לֹא־תְאֻנֶּ֣ה אֵלֶ֣יךָ רָעָ֑ה
וְ֝נֶ֗גַע לֹא־יִקְרַ֥ב בְּאׇהֳלֶֽךָ׃ |
No mishap will befall you.
Your tent will be safe from harm. |
כִּ֣י מַ֭לְאָכָיו יְצַוֶּה־לָּ֑ךְ
לִ֝שְׁמׇרְךָ֗ בְּכׇל־דְּרָכֶֽיךָ׃ |
Angels are appointed to care
and watch over you wherever you are. |
עַל־כַּפַּ֥יִם
יִשָּׂא֑וּנְךָ פֶּן־תִּגֹּ֖ף בָּאֶ֣בֶן רַגְלֶֽךָ׃ |
They will bear you high
on their hands. You will not strike your foot against a stone. |
עַל־שַׁ֣חַל וָפֶ֣תֶן
תִּדְרֹ֑ךְ תִּרְמֹ֖ס כְּפִ֣יר וְתַנִּֽין׃ |
Snakes and wildcats
will avoid you. Lions and serpents will get out of your way. |
|
(You assure me.)
|
כִּ֤י בִ֣י חָ֭שַׁק
וַאֲפַלְּטֵ֑הוּ אֲ֝שַׂגְּבֵ֗הוּ כִּֽי־יָדַ֥ע שְׁמִֽי׃ |
Because you long for Me
I will rescue you. I will raise you up because you know My Name. |
יִקְרָאֵ֨נִי ׀
וְֽאֶעֱנֵ֗הוּ עִמּֽוֹ־אָנֹכִ֥י בְצָרָ֑ה אֲ֝חַלְּצֵ֗הוּ וַאֲכַבְּדֵֽהוּ׃ |
When you call Me
I will answer you. I will free you and esteem you. |
אֹ֣רֶךְ יָ֭מִים
אַשְׂבִּיעֵ֑הוּ וְ֝אַרְאֵ֗הוּ בִּישׁוּעָתִֽי׃ |
I will make you content
with your life span and I will have you witness how I bring deliverance. |
This paraliturgical translation of Psalms 91 (“A Song Against Evil Spirits”) by Reb Zalman can be found in print as published in his All Breathing Life: At the Interface Between Poetry and Prayer: translations and compositions of Jewish sacred literature (ed. Michael Kagan, 2011: Gaon Books), pp.197-198. The version there appears to be missing a full translation of the verse, Psalms 91:15. Perhaps Reb Zalman left this verse untranslated so that it may be completed by one through one’s own devotional translation. (If you have seen a translation of this final verse by Reb Zalman, please leave a comment or contact us.)
Contributor: Zalman Schachter-Shalomi (translation)
Co-authors:
Featured Image:
Title: astrophotography_background_dark_dawn_dusk_evening_field_galaxy_wallpaper-1540691
Caption: [valley by night] (credit: n/a, license: CC0)