Book of Common Prayer
95 O come, let us sing unto Hashem; let us make a joyful noise to the Tzur of our salvation.
2 Let us come before His presence with todah, and extol Him with zemirot (joyful songs).
3 For Hashem is El Gadol, and Melech Gadol above kol elohim (g-ds).
4 In His yad are the deep places of ha’aretz; the peaks of the harim are His also.
5 The yam is His, and He made it; and His hands formed the yabashah (dry land).
6 O come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before Hashem Oseinu (our Maker).
7 For He is Eloheinu; and we are the people of His pasture, and the tzon of His yad. Today if ye will hear His voice,
8 Harden not your lev, as in Merivah, and as in the Yom Massah in the midbar;
9 When your avot tested Me, tried Me, and saw My work.
10 Arba’im shanah was I grieved with this generation, and said, It is a people that do stray in their lev, and they have no da’as of My ways;
11 Unto whom I swore an oath in My wrath that they should not enter into My menuchah.
69 (For the one directing. Al Shoshanim. Of Dovid.) Hoshi’eini, O Elohim; for the mayim are come unto my nefesh (i.e., neck).
2 (3) I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing; I am come into the depths of the mayim, where the floods overflow me.
3 (4) I am weary of my crying out; my garon (throat) is dry; mine eyes fail while I wait for Elohai.
4 (5) They that have sinas chinom (baseless hatred) toward me are more than the hairs of mine rosh; they that would destroy me, being mine oyevim (enemies) sheker (baselessly) are mighty; then I restored that which I did not steal.
5 (6) O Elohim, Thou knowest my folly; and my ashmot (guiltinesses) are not hid from Thee.
6 (7) Let not them that wait on Thee, Adonoi Hashem Tzva’os, be ashamed because of me; let not those that seek Thee be disgraced because of me, O Elohei Yisroel.
7 (8) Because for Thy sake I have borne cherpah; shame hath covered my face.
8 (9) I am become a stranger unto my achim, and a nochri (foreigner) unto the bnei immi (sons of my mother).
9 (10) For kinas Beitcha (zeal for Thy House) hath consumed me; and the cherpot of them that scorned Thee are fallen upon me [Yn 2:17].
10 (11) When I wept, and chastened my nefesh in the tzom (fast), that became my cherpot (reproaches).
11 (12) I made sackcloth also my garment; and I became a mashal (byword) to them.
12 (13) They that sit [as judges] in the sha’ar (gate) speak against me; and I was the neginot (drinking songs) of the drunkards.
13 (14) But as for me, may my tefillah be unto Thee, Hashem, in an et ratzon (acceptable time, time of favor); O Elohim, in the multitude of Thy chesed hear me, in the emes of Thy salvation.
14 (15) Save me out of the teet (mire, clay, soil) and let me not sink; let me be saved from them that hate me, and out of the depths of the mayim.
15 (16) Let not the floodwaters overflow me, neither let the deep swallow me up, and let not the be’er (pit) shut her mouth upon me.
16 (17) Hear me, Hashem, for Thy chesed is tov; turn unto me according to the multitude of Thy rachamim;
17 (18) And hide not Thy face from Thy eved; for I am in tzoros. Hear me speedily.
18 (19) Draw near unto my nefesh, and make the go’el redemption of it; deliver me because of mine oyevim (enemies).
19 (20) Thou hast known the cherpah (scorn) I bear, and my shame, and my dishonor; mine adversaries are all before Thee.
20 (21) Reproach hath broken my lev; and I have sickness as unto death; and I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; and for menachamim (comforters), but I found none.
21 (22) They gave me also gall in my food; and in my tzamah (thirst) they gave me chometz (vinegar) to drink [See Mt.27:34,48; Mk.15:23,36; Lk.23:36 Yn.19:28-30 OJBC].
22 (23) Let their shulchan become a pach (snare, trap) before them; and that which should have been for their shlomim (peacefulnesses), let it become a mokesh (trap).
23 (24) Let their eyes be darkened, that they see not; and make their loins shake tamid.
24 (25) Pour out Thine indignation upon them, and let Thy charon af (burning wrath) overtake them.
25 (26) Let their habitation be desolate; and let none dwell in their ohalim [See Ac 1:20 OJBC].
26 (27) For they persecute him whom Thou hast struck; and they tell of the makh’ov (pain, grief) of those whom Thou hast wounded.
27 (28) Add avon (iniquity) unto their avon; and let them not come into Thy tzedakah.
28 (29) Let them be blotted out of the Sefer Chayyim, and not be recorded with the tzaddikim.
29 (30) But I am ani (poor) and in pain; let Thy Yeshuah (salvation), O Elohim, set me up on high.
30 (31) I will praise Shem Elohim b’shir (in song), and will magnify Him with todah (thanksgiving).
31 (32) This also shall please Hashem better than shor (ox) or bull that hath keren (horn) and parsah (hoof).
32 (33) Those that have anavah (meekness, humility) shall see this, and have simchah; and your [pl.] lev shall live that seek Elohim.
33 (34) For Hashem heareth the evyonim (needy ones, poor), and despiseth not His prisoners.
34 (35) Let the Shomayim v’Aretz praise Him, the seas, and every thing that moveth therein.
35 (36) For Elohim yoshi’a (will save) Tziyon, and will build the cities of Yehudah; that they may dwell there, and have it in possession.
36 (37) The zera also of His avadim shall inherit it; and they that love Shmo shall dwell therein.
73 (Mizmor of Asaph). Truly Elohim is tov to Yisroel, even to the barei levav (pure of heart).
2 But as for me, my raglayim had almost stumbled; my steps had well near slipped.
3 For I had kina (envy) of the holelim (arrogant ones), when I saw the shalom of the resha’im.
4 For there are no chartzubot (fetters, bonds, pains) in their mot; healthy is their belly.
5 They are not in amal (trouble) as enosh; neither are they plagued like adam.
6 Therefore ga’avah encircleth them like a chain necklace; chamas enwraps them like a garment.
7 Their eyes bulge with chelev; they have more than levav could imagine.
8 They mock, and speak wickedly concerning oshek (oppression); they speak from marom (on high).
9 They set their mouth against Shomayim, and their leshon stalketh in ha’aretz.
10 Therefore their people return here; and mayim to the full are swallowed down by them.
11 And they say, How doth El (G-d) know? And is there knowledge in Elyon?
12 Hinei, these are the resha’im; at ease olam, they increase in riches.
13 Surely in vain have I cleansed my lev, and washed my hands in innocency.
14 For kol hayom have I been plagued, and chastened in the bekarim (mornings).
15 If I say, I will speak thus; hinei, I would have dealt faithlessly with the dor banecha (the generation of Thy children).
16 When I thought to comprehend this, it was amal (difficulty) in my eyes;
17 Until I went into the Mikdeshei El; then I had binah (understanding) of their (the wicked’s) destiny.
18 Surely Thou didst set them in slippery places; Thou castedst them down into mashu’ot (ruins, destruction).
19 How are they brought into desolation, as in a rega (moment)! They are utterly consumed with balahot (terrors).
20 As a chalom when one awaketh; so, Adonoi, when Thou art aroused [in judgment], Thou shalt despise their tzelem (shadowy form).
21 Thus my levav was grieved, and I was pricked in my mind.
22 So senseless was I, and ignorant; I was like behemot before Thee.
23 Nevertheless I am with Thee tamid (always); Thou hast taken hold of me by my yamin.
24 Thou shalt guide me with Thy etzah (counsel), and afterward take me to kavod (glory).
25 Whom have I in Shomayim but Thee? And there is none upon HaAretz that I desire beside Thee.
26 My flesh and my levav may fail; but Elohim is the Tzur of my levav, and my chelek l’olam.
27 For, hinei, they that are far from Thee shall perish; Thou hast destroyed all them that go zoneh (a-whoring) from Thee.
28 But kiravat Elohim (drawing near to Elohim) is tov for me; I make in Adonoi Hashem my refuge, that I may declare all Thy deeds.
5 Run ye to and fro through the chutzot Yerushalayim (streets of Jerusalem), and see now, and know, and seek in the rechovot thereof, if ye can find an ish, if there be any that dispenseth mishpat (justice), that seeketh the emunah (faith); and I will forgive her [Jerusalem].
2 And though they say, Chai Hashem; surely they swear lasheker (falsely).
3 Hashem, are not Thine eyes upon emunah? Thou hast struck them, but they felt no anguish; Thou hast consumed them, but they have refused to accept musar [cf Isa 53:5]; they have made their faces harder than stone; they have refused to make teshuvah.
4 Therefore I said, Surely these are poor; they are foolish; for they know not the Derech Hashem, nor the Mishpat Eloheihem.
5 I will get me unto the Gedolim, and will speak unto them; for they have known the Derech Hashem, and the Mishpat Eloheihem; but these have altogether broken off the ol (yoke), and burst the bonds.
6 Therefore an aryeh (lion) out of the forest shall slay them, and a ze’ev (wolf) of the deserts shall destroy them, a namer (leopard) shall prowl near their towns; every one that ventureth out from there shall be torn to pieces; because their peysha’im (rebellions) are many, and their meshuvot (backslidings) are increased.
7 How shall I forgive thee for this? Thy banim have forsaken Me, and sworn by them that are no elohim; when I had fed them to the full, they then committed adultery, and trooped to the bais zonah.
8 They were like well-fed, lusty susim: every one neighed after the isha of his neighbor.
9 Shall I not visit [to punish] for these things? saith Hashem; and shall not My Nefesh be avenged on such a Goy as this?
25 For the bris milah (circumcision) is of benefit if you stand in mishma’at (obedience) to the Torah. But if you are guilty, if you are sur min haTorah (deviating from the Torah) (2:23), your bris milah has become uncircumcision.
26 If then the ben Adam without bris milah is shomer fulfilling the just requirements of the Torah (1:32), will not his uncircumcision be counted as "bris milah "?
27 And the naturally uncircumcised ben Adam who has mishma’at (obedience) to the Torah will arise as a judgment on you. You! The very one who through chumra (strict adherence to the letter of the law, legalism) and circumcision (i.e., "uncircumcision "—2:25) are the transgressor of Torah!
28 For the true Yehudi (Jew) is not the one [humanly] perceived as such, nor true bris milah that which is performed visibly in the flesh;
29 The true Yehudi is so in [Hashem’s] hidden way, and true bris milah is of the lev, in the [hitkhadshut (renewal) of the (Yn 3:3)] Ruach Hakodesh, not in chumra (legalism, strict adherence to the letter of the law). The one so marked has hoda’ah (praise "Yehudah, Hodah, Praise"...see BERESHIS 29:35) that comes not from Bnei Adam but from Hashem [T.N.Jer 31:31-34].
3 What then is the advantage of the Yehudi? Or what is the value of the bris milah?
2 Much in every way! For, koidem kol (in the first place), they are entrusted with the Divrei Hashem (the oracles, the words of G-d).
3 So, where does that leave us? If some have disbelieved, has their lack of emunah annulled the ne’emanut (faithfulness, trustworthiness, reliability) of Hashem?
4 Chas v’shalom (G-d forbid!) Let G-d be true and KOL HAADAM KOZEV ("every man a liar" TEHILLIM 116:11). Even as it is written, L’MA’AN TITZDAK B’DAVRECHA ("in order that you might be vindicated when you speak" and shall overcome when you judge TEHILLIM 51:6[4]).
5 But if our unrighteousness brings out and highlights the Tzedek Olamim, the Tzidkat Hashem (the righteousness of G-d), what shall we say? Rhetorically speaking, is G-d unjust in inflicting Charon Af Hashem (1:18)? (I speak from a human standpoint.)
6 Chas v’shalom! (G-d forbid!) For then how could Hashem be HaShofet kol ha’Aretz (BERESHIS 18:25)?
7 "But if the Emes Hashem (truth of G-d) has by my sheker overflowed to His kavod (glory), why am I still judged as a rashah (an evildoer)?"
8 Why do we not say, as some speakers of lashon hora slanderously report us to say, "Let us do rah that tov might come of it"? The gezar din (verdict) of ashem (guilty) on them is well deserved.
9 What then? Are we (Yehudim) better off? Not altogether. For we have now charged both Yehudim and non-Jews as all alike under HaChet (sin, i.e., the power of Chet Kadmon Ro 7:23),
10 As it is written, EIN TZADDIK BA’ARETZ (KOHELET 7:20), There is none [on earth] righteous, not even one.
11 There is none who has binah, there is none who seeks out G-d.
12 All have turned aside, they have become altogether paskudneh, worthless; there is none who does good, there is none, not so much as one.
13 Their throat is an open grave. They use their tongues to deceive. The venom of asps is under their lips,
14 Whose mouth is full of curses and bitterness.
15 Their feet are swift when it comes to shefach dahm.
16 Ruin and wretchedness are in their ways,
17 And the derech Shalom (the way of peace) they have not known.
18 There is no yirat Shomayim (fear of G-d) before their eyes. (See TEHILLIM 13:1-3; 14:1-3; 5:9,10; 139:4; 140:3; 9:28; 10:7; YESHAYAH 59:7 8; TEHILLIM 36:1; MISHLE 1:16; TEHILLIM 35:2.)
30 I am not able to do from myself anything. As I hear I judge, and mine is mishpat tzedek [YESHAYAH 28:6], because I do not seek my own ratzon (will) but the ratzon (will) of the One having sent me. [BAMIDBAR 16:28]
31 If I give solemn edut (testimony) about myself, the edut of mine is not ne’emanah (reliable).
32 There is Another giving solemn edut about me, however, and I have da’as that the edut He testifies about me is ne’emanah (reliable).
33 You (pl.) have sent to Yochanan and he has given solemn edut (testimony) to HaEmes (the Truth).
34 Not that I accept edut from Bnei Adam, but I say these things that you may come to Yeshu’at Eloheinu.
35 He [Yochanan] was a menorah burning and shining and you chose to exult for a time in his Ohr (Light); [TEHILLIM 132:16; DANIEL 12:3]
36 but l have edut (testimony) greater than Yochanan’s. For the ma’asim (works) which HaAv has given to me that I should accomplish, these ma’asim which I do give solemn edut (testimony) about me, that HaAv has sent me.
37 And HaAv who sent me has Himself given solemn edut (testimony) about me. You have neither heard His kol (voice) nor the mareh of Hashem have you seen [DEVARIM 4:12],
38 and the dvar Hashem you do not have abiding and dwelling in you, because you have no bitachon (trust), no emunah (faith) in the one whom Hashem has sent. [YESHAYAH 26:10; 53:1; YIRMEYAH 8:8]
39 You search the Kitvei Hakodesh because you think in them you have Chayyei Olam. And those are the ones giving solemn edut about me.
40 And you do not want to come to me that you may have Chayyim.
41 I do not accept kavod (glory) from Bnei Adam.
42 But I have had da’as of you, that the ahavas Hashem (the love of G-d) you do not have in yourselves.
43 I have come b’Shem Avi and you do not accept me. If another comes in his own name, him you will accept.
44 How are you able to have emunah, when you receive kavod from one another, and the kavod from the only Elohim HaEchad you do not seek? [MELACHIM BAIS 19:15,19; YESHAYAH 37:20; DANIEL 3:45 TARGUM HASHIVIM]
45 Do not think that I will accuse you before HaAv; however, there is one accusing you: Moshe, in whom you have set your tikvah. [Dt 31:26-27]
46 For if you were having emunah in Moshe, you would have had emunah in me, for he himself wrote concerning me. [BERESHIS 3:15; 45:4-9; DEVARIM 18:15]
47 But if in the Kitvei Hakodesh of that one you lack emunah, how will you have emunah in my dvar?
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