Chapter 44
The psalmist cries and laments painfully over this bitter exile, where we and our Torah are shamed daily, when the nations say that God has exchanged us for another nation, and where we are considered as sheep for the slaughter, as a byword and taunt. It is therefore fitting that God redeem us, for the sake of His great Name that abides with us in exile.
1For the Conductor, by the sons of Korach, a maskil.
2God, with our ears we have heard, our fathers have told us, of the deeds You wrought in their days, in the days of old.
3You drove out nations with Your hand, and planted [Israel in their place]; You afflicted peoples and banished them.
4For not by their sword did they inherit the land, and their own arm did not save them, but by Your right hand, Your arm and the light of Your countenance-for You favored them.
5You are my king, O God; decree the salvation of Jacob.
6Through You will we gore our adversaries; with Your Name we will trample our opponents.
7For I do not trust in my bow, and my sword cannot save me.
8For You have delivered us from our foes, and You shamed those who hate us.
9In God we glory all day, and forever thank Your Name, Selah.
10Though You abandon and disgrace us, and do not go forth with our armies;
11You cause us to retreat from the oppressor, and those who hate us plunder for themselves;
12You deliver us like sheep to be devoured, and scatter us among the nations;
13You sell Your nation without gain, and do not set a high price upon them;
14You make us a disgrace to our neighbors, the scorn and derision of those around us;
15You make us a byword among the nations, [a cause for] nodding the head among the peoples;
16all day long my humiliation is before me, and the shame of my face covers me
17at the voice of the reviler and blasphemer, because of the foe and avenger-
18all this has come upon us, yet we have not forgotten You, nor have we been false to Your covenant.
19Our hearts have not retracted, nor have our steps strayed from Your path.
20Even when You crushed us in the place of serpents, and shrouded us in the shadow of death-
21did we forget the Name of our God, and extend our hands to a foreign god?
22Is it not so that God can examine this, for He knows the secrets of the heart.
23For it is for Your sake that we are killed all the time; we are regarded as sheep for the slaughter.
24Arise! Why do You sleep, my Lord? Wake up! Do not abandon [us] forever!
25Why do You conceal Your countenance and forget our affliction and distress?
26For our souls are bowed to the dust, our bellies cleave to the earth.
27Arise! Be our help, and redeem us for the sake of Your kindness.
Chapter 45
The psalmist composed this psalm referring to Moshiach. He describes his greatness, his attributes, his glory, his wealth, and his reign; and states that Israel anticipates him, remembering and saying in every generation, "When will King Moshiach come?"
1 For the Conductor, upon the shoshanim, By the sons of Korach; a maskil, a song of love.
2My heart is astir with a noble theme; I say, "My composition is for the king; my tongue is the pen of a skillful scribe.”
3You are the most handsome of men, charm is poured upon your lips; therefore has God blessed you forever.
4Gird your sword upon your thigh, O mighty one-it is your majesty and splendor.
5And with your splendor, succeed and ride on for the sake of truth and righteous humility; and your right hand will guide you to awesome deeds.
6Your arrows are sharpened-nations fall beneath you-[the arrows fall] into the hearts of the king's enemies.
7Your throne, O ruler, is forever and ever, [for] the scepter of justice is the scepter of your kingdom.
8You love righteousness and hate wickedness; therefore has God, your God, anointed you with oil of joy above your peers.
9Myrrh, aloes and cassia are [the fragrance] of all your garments, which are from ivory palaces that bring you joy.
10Daughters of kings visit you, and the queen stands erect at your right hand, adorned in the fine gold of Ophir.
11Hear, O daughter, and observe, incline your ear; forget your people and your father's house.
12Then the king will desire your beauty. He is your master-bow to him.
13The daughter of Tyre, the wealthiest of nations, will seek your favor with a gift.
14All the glory of the princess is within; her clothing surpasses settings of gold.
15In embroidered garments she will be brought to the king; the maidens in her train, her companions, will be led to you.
16They will be brought with gladness and joy, they will enter the palace of the king.
17Your sons will succeed your fathers; you will appoint them ministers throughout the land.
18I will cause Your Name to be remembered throughout the generations; therefore will the nations praise You forever and ever.
Chapter 46
This psalm tells of the Gog and Magog era (the Messianic age), when man will cast aside his weapons, and warfare will be no more.
1For the Conductor, by the sons of Korach, on the alamot, a song.
2God is our refuge and strength, a help in distress, He is most accessible.
3Therefore, we will not be afraid when the earth is transformed, when mountains collapse in the heart of the seas;
4when its waters roar and are muddied, and mountains quake before His grandeur, Selah.
5The river-its streams will bring joy to the city of God, the sacred dwelling of the Most High.
6God is in her midst, she will not falter; God will help her at the approach of morning.
7Nations clamor, kingdoms stumble; He raises His voice and the earth dissolves.
8The Lord of Hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold forever.
9Go and see the works of the Lord, Who has wrought devastation in the land.
10To the end of the earth He causes wars to cease; He breaks the bow, snaps the spear, and burns the wagons in fire.
11Stop [waging war]! And know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, exalted upon the earth.
12The Lord of Hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold forever.
Chapter 47
Following the battle of Gog and Magog (in the Messianic era), war will be no more. God will grant us salvation, and we will merit to go up to the Holy Temple for the festivals, Amen.
1For the Conductor, a psalm by the sons of Korach.
2All you nations, clap hands; sound [the shofar] to God with a sound of jubilation.
3For the Lord is most high, awesome; a great King over all the earth.
4He subdues peoples under us, nations beneath our feet.
5He chooses our heritage for us, the glory of Jacob whom He loves eternally.
6God ascends through teruah, the Lord-through the sound of the shofar.
7Sing, O sing to God; sing, O sing to our King.
8For God is King over all the earth; sing, O man of understanding.
9God reigns over the nations; God is seated on His holy throne.
10The most noble of the nations are gathered, the nation of the God of Abraham; for the protectors of the earth belong to God; He is greatly exalted.
Chapter 48
The psalmist prophesies about the Messianic era, singing the praises of a rebuilt Jerusalem and the sacrifices brought there. At that time Israel will say, "As we heard from the mouths of the prophets, so have we merited to see!"
1A song, a psalm by the sons of Korach.
2The Lord is great and exceedingly acclaimed in the city of God, His holy mountain.
3Beautiful in landscape, the joy of the whole earth is Mount Zion, on the northern slopes, the city of the great King.
4In her citadels, God became known as a tower of strength.
5For behold, the kings assembled, they advanced in concert [to invade her].
6They saw [the wonders of the Almighty] and were astounded; they were terror-stricken, they hastened to flee.
7Trembling seized them there, pangs as of a woman in the throes of labor;
8[they were crushed as] by an east wind that shatters the ships of Tarshish.
9As we have heard, so have we seen, in the city of the Lord of Hosts, in the city of our God; may God establish it for all eternity.
10God, we have been hoping for Your kindness [to be revealed] within Your Sanctuary.
11As Your Name, O God, [is great,] so is Your praise to the ends of the earth; Your right hand is filled with righteousness.
12Let Mount Zion rejoice, let the towns of Judah exult, because of Your judgments.
13Walk around Zion, encircle her, count her towers.
14Consider well her ramparts, behold her lofty citadels, that you may recount it to a later generation.
15For this God is our God forever and ever; He will lead us eternally.
Tehillim Ohel Yoseph Yitzchok,
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