Psalm 27 Text

From Psalms: Layer by Layer
Psalm 27/Text
Jump to: navigation, search
  Choose a Psalm  Navigate Psalm 27

Listen & Read: Psalm 27

Read along and listen to our audio recordings for Psalm 27. Choose between simple, unaffected audio recordings (in Hebrew or English), or a dramatized reading that takes into account our emotional and discourse analyses. You can also choose between a text-only view, or a view overlaid with our summary At-a-Glance, Expanded Paraphrase, or Participant Analysis tracking.

Simple Reading (Hebrew)
Forthcoming. 		Simple Reading (English)
Forthcoming.
Dramatic Reading (Hebrew)
Forthcoming. 		Dramatic Reading (English)
Forthcoming.

Text Only (Hebrew and English) The text below is divided according to the psalm's poetic lines. For additional information, see our Poetic Structure layer.

Text (Hebrew) Verse Text (CBC) The Close-but-clear translation (CBC) exists to provide a window into the Hebrew text according to how we understand its syntax and word-to-phrase-level semantics. It is not intended to be used as a stand-alone translation or base text, but as a supplement to Layer-by-Layer materials to help users make full use of these resources.
לְדָוִ֨ד
 1a
By David.
יְהוָ֤ה ׀ אוֹרִ֣י וְ֭יִשְׁעִי מִמִּ֣י אִירָ֑א
 1b
YHWH is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?
יְהוָ֥ה מָֽעוֹז־חַ֝יַּ֗י מִמִּ֥י אֶפְחָֽד׃
 1c
YHWH is the refuge of my life; on what basis shall I tremble?
בִּקְרֹ֤ב עָלַ֨י ׀ מְרֵעִים֮ לֶאֱכֹ֪ל אֶת־בְּשָׂ֫רִ֥י
 2a
When evildoers came near against me to devour my flesh,
צָרַ֣י וְאֹיְבַ֣י לִ֑י הֵ֖מָּה כָשְׁל֣וּ וְנָפָֽלוּ׃
 2b
[when] my adversaries and my enemies [came near] to me, they stumbled and fell.
אִם־תַּחֲנֶ֬ה עָלַ֨י ׀ מַחֲנֶה֮ לֹֽא־יִירָ֪א לִ֫בִּ֥י
 3a
If an army should encamp against me, my heart will not fear.
אִם־תָּק֣וּם עָ֭לַי מִלְחָמָ֑ה בְּ֝זֹ֗את אֲנִ֣י בוֹטֵֽחַ׃
 3b
If war should rise against me, in this I will keep trusting.
אַחַ֤ת ׀ שָׁאַ֣לְתִּי מֵֽאֵת־יְהוָה֮ אוֹתָ֪הּ אֲבַ֫קֵּ֥שׁ
 4a
One thing I hereby ask of YHWH; I will seek it:
שִׁבְתִּ֣י בְּבֵית־יְ֭הוָה כָּל־יְמֵ֣י חַיַּ֑י
 4b
that I may take a seat in the house of YHWH every day of my life,
לַחֲז֥וֹת בְּנֹֽעַם־יְ֝הוָ֗ה וּלְבַקֵּ֥ר בְּהֵיכָלֽוֹ׃
 4c
in order to gaze on the beauty of YHWH, and in order to contemplate in his temple.
כִּ֤י יִצְפְּנֵ֨נִי ׀ בְּסֻכֹּה֮ בְּי֪וֹם רָ֫עָ֥ה
 5a
[I trust] that he will shelter me in his booth in a day of trouble.
יַ֭סְתִּרֵנִי בְּסֵ֣תֶר אָהֳל֑וֹ בְּ֝צ֗וּר יְרוֹמְמֵֽנִי׃
 5b
He will hide me in the hiding place of his tent. He will lift me up on a rock.
וְעַתָּ֨ה יָר֪וּם רֹאשִׁ֡י עַ֤ל אֹֽיְבַ֬י סְֽבִיבוֹתַ֗י
 6a
And now: my head will be exalted over my enemies around me;
וְאֶזְבְּחָ֣ה בְ֭אָהֳלוֹ זִבְחֵ֣י תְרוּעָ֑ה
 6b
and I will sacrifice in his tent sacrifices accompanied by a shout;
אָשִׁ֥ירָה וַ֝אֲזַמְּרָ֗ה לַיהוָֽה׃
 6c
and I will sing and sing praises to YHWH.
שְׁמַע־יְהוָ֖ה קוֹלִ֥י אֶקְרָ֗א
 7a
Hear my voice, YHWH, with which I cry out,
וְחָנֵּ֥נִי וַעֲנֵֽנִי׃
 7b
and be merciful to me and answer me!
לְךָ֤ ׀ אָמַ֣ר לִ֭בִּי בַּקְּשׁ֣וּ פָנָ֑י
 8a
My heart has said for you: “Seek my face”!
אֶת־פָּנֶ֖יךָ יְהוָ֣ה אֲבַקֵּֽשׁ׃
 8b
Your face, YHWH, I will seek.
אַל־תַּסְתֵּ֬ר פָּנֶ֨יךָ ׀ מִמֶּנִּי֮
 9a
Do not hide your face from me;
אַֽל־תַּט־בְּאַ֗ף עַ֫בְדֶּ֥ךָ
 9b
do not turn away your servant in anger!
עֶזְרָתִ֥י הָיִ֑יתָ אַֽל־תִּטְּשֵׁ֥נִי
 9c
You have been my help. Do not abandon me,
וְאַל־תַּֽ֝עַזְבֵ֗נִי אֱלֹהֵ֥י יִשְׁעִֽי׃
 9d
and do not forsake me, God of my salvation!
כִּי־אָבִ֣י וְאִמִּ֣י עֲזָב֑וּנִי
 10a
Because even if my father and my mother forsook me,
וַֽיהוָ֣ה יַֽאַסְפֵֽנִי׃
 10b
nevertheless, YHWH would take me in.
ה֤וֹרֵ֥נִי יְהוָ֗ה דַּ֫רְכֶּ֥ךָ
 11a
Teach me, YHWH, your way,
וּ֭נְחֵנִי בְּאֹ֣רַח מִישׁ֑וֹר לְ֝מַ֗עַן שׁוֹרְרָֽי׃
 11b
and lead me on a level path, because of my foes.
אַֽל־תִּ֭תְּנֵנִי בְּנֶ֣פֶשׁ צָרָ֑י
 12a
Do not give me to the craving of my adversaries,
כִּ֥י קָֽמוּ־בִ֥י עֵֽדֵי־שֶׁ֝֗קֶר וִיפֵ֥חַ חָמָֽס׃
 12b
for false witnesses and those who breathe out violence have risen against me.
לׅׄוּלֵׅׄ֗אׅׄ הֶ֭אֱמַנְתִּי לִרְא֥וֹת בְּֽטוּב־יְהוָ֗ה בְּאֶ֣רֶץ חַיִּֽים׃
 13a
Had I not believed I would look upon the goodness of YHWH in the land of the living –
קַוֵּ֗ה אֶל־יְה֫וָ֥ה חֲ֭זַק וְיַאֲמֵ֣ץ לִבֶּ֑ךָ
 14a
Wait for YHWH! Be courageous, and let your heart become strong!
וְ֝קַוֵּ֗ה אֶל־יְהוָֽה׃
 14b
Yes, wait for YHWH!
Text (Hebrew)
 Verse
Text (CBC)

Structure Overlay Below, the text has been overlaid with our summary structural analysis. For details on the structure, see the Structure At-a-Glance here.

Text (Hebrew) Verse Text (CBC)
לְדָוִ֨ד 1a By David.
יְהוָ֤ה ׀ אוֹרִ֣י וְ֭יִשְׁעִי מִמִּ֣י אִירָ֑א 1b YHWH is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?
יְהוָ֥ה מָֽעוֹז־חַ֝יַּ֗י מִמִּ֥י אֶפְחָֽד׃ 1c YHWH is the refuge of my life; on what basis shall I tremble?
בִּקְרֹ֤ב עָלַ֨י ׀ מְרֵעִים֮ לֶאֱכֹ֪ל אֶת־בְּשָׂ֫רִ֥י 2a When evildoers came near against me to devour my flesh,
צָרַ֣י וְאֹיְבַ֣י לִ֑י הֵ֖מָּה כָשְׁל֣וּ וְנָפָֽלוּ׃ 2b [when] my adversaries and my enemies [came near] to me, they stumbled and fell.
אִם־תַּחֲנֶ֬ה עָלַ֨י ׀ מַחֲנֶה֮ לֹֽא־יִירָ֪א לִ֫בִּ֥י 3a If an army should encamp against me, my heart will not fear.
אִם־תָּק֣וּם עָ֭לַי מִלְחָמָ֑ה בְּ֝זֹ֗את אֲנִ֣י בוֹטֵֽחַ׃ 3b If war should rise against me, in this I will keep trusting.
אַחַ֤ת ׀ שָׁאַ֣לְתִּי מֵֽאֵת־יְהוָה֮ אוֹתָ֪הּ אֲבַ֫קֵּ֥שׁ 4a One thing I hereby ask of YHWH; I will seek it:
שִׁבְתִּ֣י בְּבֵית־יְ֭הוָה כָּל־יְמֵ֣י חַיַּ֑י 4b that I may take a seat in the house of YHWH every day of my life,
לַחֲז֥וֹת בְּנֹֽעַם־יְ֝הוָ֗ה וּלְבַקֵּ֥ר בְּהֵיכָלֽוֹ׃ 4c in order to gaze on the beauty of YHWH, and in order to contemplate in his temple.
כִּ֤י יִצְפְּנֵ֨נִי ׀ בְּסֻכֹּה֮ בְּי֪וֹם רָ֫עָ֥ה 5a [I trust] that he will shelter me in his booth in a day of trouble.
יַ֭סְתִּרֵנִי בְּסֵ֣תֶר אָהֳל֑וֹ בְּ֝צ֗וּר יְרוֹמְמֵֽנִי׃ 5b He will hide me in the hiding place of his tent. He will lift me up on a rock.
וְעַתָּ֨ה יָר֪וּם רֹאשִׁ֡י עַ֤ל אֹֽיְבַ֬י סְֽבִיבוֹתַ֗י 6a And now: my head will be exalted over my enemies around me;
וְאֶזְבְּחָ֣ה בְ֭אָהֳלוֹ זִבְחֵ֣י תְרוּעָ֑ה 6b and I will sacrifice in his tent sacrifices accompanied by a shout;
אָשִׁ֥ירָה וַ֝אֲזַמְּרָ֗ה לַיהוָֽה׃ 6c and I will sing and sing praises to YHWH.
שְׁמַע־יְהוָ֖ה קוֹלִ֥י אֶקְרָ֗א 7a Hear my voice, YHWH, with which I cry out,
וְחָנֵּ֥נִי וַעֲנֵֽנִי׃ 7b and be merciful to me and answer me!
לְךָ֤ ׀ אָמַ֣ר לִ֭בִּי בַּקְּשׁ֣וּ פָנָ֑י 8a My heart has said for you: “Seek my face”!
אֶת־פָּנֶ֖יךָ יְהוָ֣ה אֲבַקֵּֽשׁ׃ 8b Your face, YHWH, I will seek.
אַל־תַּסְתֵּ֬ר פָּנֶ֨יךָ ׀ מִמֶּנִּי֮ 9a Do not hide your face from me;
אַֽל־תַּט־בְּאַ֗ף עַ֫בְדֶּ֥ךָ 9b do not turn away your servant in anger!
עֶזְרָתִ֥י הָיִ֑יתָ אַֽל־תִּטְּשֵׁ֥נִי 9c You have been my help. Do not abandon me,
וְאַל־תַּֽ֝עַזְבֵ֗נִי אֱלֹהֵ֥י יִשְׁעִֽי׃ 9d and do not forsake me, God of my salvation!
כִּי־אָבִ֣י וְאִמִּ֣י עֲזָב֑וּנִי 10a Because even if my father and my mother forsook me,
וַֽיהוָ֣ה יַֽאַסְפֵֽנִי׃ 10b nevertheless, YHWH would take me in.
ה֤וֹרֵ֥נִי יְהוָ֗ה דַּ֫רְכֶּ֥ךָ 11a Teach me, YHWH, your way,
וּ֭נְחֵנִי בְּאֹ֣רַח מִישׁ֑וֹר לְ֝מַ֗עַן שׁוֹרְרָֽי׃ 11b and lead me on a level path, because of my foes.
אַֽל־תִּ֭תְּנֵנִי בְּנֶ֣פֶשׁ צָרָ֑י 12a Do not give me to the craving of my adversaries,
כִּ֥י קָֽמוּ־בִ֥י עֵֽדֵי־שֶׁ֝֗קֶר וִיפֵ֥חַ חָמָֽס׃ 12b for false witnesses and those who breathe out violence have risen against me.
לׅׄוּלֵׅׄ֗אׅׄ הֶ֭אֱמַנְתִּי לִרְא֥וֹת בְּֽטוּב־יְהוָ֗ה בְּאֶ֣רֶץ חַיִּֽים׃ 13a Had I not believed I would look upon the goodness of YHWH in the land of the living –
קַוֵּ֗ה אֶל־יְה֫וָ֥ה חֲ֭זַק וְיַאֲמֵ֣ץ לִבֶּ֑ךָ 14a Wait for YHWH! Be courageous, and let your heart become strong!
וְ֝קַוֵּ֗ה אֶל־יְהוָֽה׃ 14b Yes, wait for YHWH!

Expanded paraphrase The expanded paraphrase seeks to capture the implicit information within the text and make it explicit for readers today. It is based on the CBC translation and uses italic text to provide the most salient background information, presuppositions, entailments, and inferences.

This resource is forthcoming.

Participant Tracking Text Participant Analysis focuses on the characters in the psalm and asks, “Who are the main participants (or characters) in this psalm, and what are they saying or doing? Our full analysis can be found in the Participant Analysis layer.

This resource is forthcoming.