Click here to read “Psalm One: Translation of the Song” “Happy” — the first word of the first line of the first of King David’s praisesongs. The Hebrew, “ashrai”, voices the same opening note of joy as does the English, but, simply because the word “ashrai” starts with an “aleph”, the first letter of the Hebrew …
“לֹא יִתְיַצְּבוּ הוֹלְלִים לְנֶגֶד עֵינֶיךָ שָֹנֵאתָ כָּל פֹּעֲלֵי אָוֶן” “Confused people shall not stand before Your eyes; You hate all workers of iniquity” I find two interesting things in this verse: 1) Once again, David describes good and bad, happiness and sorrow through ‘stability’. Here, the wicked ‘shall not stand’ before your eyes (in Hebrew …
Continue reading ‘Psalm 5:6 The wicked don’t have the ability to stand in-front of the Lord’ »
“רַבִּים אֹמְרִים מִי יַרְאֵנוּ טוֹב נְסָה עָלֵינוּ אוֹר פָּנֶיךָ יְהֹוָה” “Many say, “Who will show us goodness?” Raise up over us the light of Your countenance, O Lord.” Many (most?) of the people ask G-d to show His goodness to them, so they will achieve as many desires they can have as possible. “I”, say David, …
“בְּקָרְאִי עֲנֵנִי אֱלֹהֵי צִדְקִי בַּצָּר הִרְחַבְתָּ לִּי חָנֵּנִי וּשְׁמַע תְּפִלָּתִי” “When I call, answer me, O God of my righteousness; in my distress You have relieved me, be gracious to me and hearken to my prayer.” ..”A song of David..in my distress..” Again the question arises, what room is there for songs, when the time …
Continue reading ‘Psalm 4:2 King David’s life, is harmonious life, he can always sing’ »
King David’s life was full of oppression. As a young boy by his brothers, afterwards by King Saul… but the worst of all, was the one by his own son Absalom , who wanted to rule over Israel in place of his father David. This oppression is the story behind Psalm 3, as indicated in the first …
Continue reading ‘Psalm 3:1 King David sings even when oppressed’ »
“נַשְּׁקוּ בַר פֶּן יֶאֱנַף | וְתֹאבְדוּ דֶרֶךְ כִּי יִבְעַר כִּמְעַט אַפּוֹ אַשְׁרֵי כָּל חוֹסֵי בוֹ” “Arm yourselves with purity lest He become angry and you perish in the way, for in a moment His wrath will be kindled; the praises (bliss) of all who take refuge in Him.” A Psalm that starts with the word …
Continue reading ‘Psalm 2:12 Bliss, stability to who take refuge in Him’ »
“אֲסַפְּרָה אֶל חֹק יְהֹוָה אָמַר אֵלַי בְּנִי אַתָּה אֲנִי הַיּוֹם יְלִדְתִּיךָ” “I will tell of the decree; The Lord said to me, “You are My son; this day have I begotten you.” Did anyone asked a prince: ‘Do you want to be one?’, is it up to him to accept the responsibilities this role brings …
Continue reading ‘Psalm 2:7 An educational answer: ‘My firstborn Israel’.’ »
“וְהָיָה כְּעֵץ שָׁתוּל עַל פַּלְגֵי מָיִם אֲשֶׁר פִּרְיוֹ יִתֵּן בְּעִתּוֹ וְעָלֵהוּ לֹא יִבּוֹל וְכֹל אֲשֶׁר יַעֲשֶׂה יַצְלִיחַ” “He shall be as a tree planted beside rivulets of water, which brings forth its fruit in its season, and its leaves do not wilt; and whatever he does prosper.” Happiness and success are promised to the person whom …
Continue reading ‘Psalm 1:3 Being connected to the essence of life, Torah’ »
“לֹא הָלַךְ בַּעֲצַת רְשָׁעִים וּבְדֶרֶךְ חַטָּאִים לֹא עָמָד וּבְמוֹשַׁב לֵצִים לֹא יָשָׁב…” “.. that he did not follow the counsel of the wicked, neither did he stand in the way of sinners nor sit in the company of scorners.” Even the slightest touch with the evil can easily be contagious: It starts with a small talk, just …
אַשְׁרֵי הָאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר לֹא הָלַךְ בַּעֲצַת רְשָׁעִים וּבְדֶרֶךְ חַטָּאִים לֹא עָמָד וּבְמוֹשַׁב לֵצִים לֹא יָשָׁב: The praises of a man are that he did not follow the counsel of the wicked, neither did he stand in the way of sinners nor sit in the company of scorners. “Ashrei Ha Ish “, ‘Osher’ in Hebrew …