Hebrew
לְדָוִד בְּשַׁנּוֹתוֹ אֶת טַעְמוֹ
לִפְנֵי אֲבִימֶלֶךְ, וַיְגָרְשֵׁהוּ
וַיֵּלַךְ: אֲבָרֲכָה אֶת יְיָ בְּכָל עֵת,
תָּמִיד תְּהִלָּתוֹ בְּפִי: בַּיי
תִּתְהַלֵּל נַפְשִׁי, יִשְׁמְעוּ עֲנָוִים
וְיִשְׂמָחוּ: גַּדְּלוּ לַיי אִתִּי,
וּנְרוֹמְמָה שְׁמוֹ יַחְדָּו: דָּרַשְׁתִּי
אֶת יְיָ וְעָנָנִי, וּמִכָּל מְגוּרוֹתַי
הִצִּילָנִי:<sup>2</sup> הִבִּיטוּ אֵלָיו וְנָהָרוּ,
וּפְנֵיהֶם אַל יֶחְפָּרוּ:
זֶה עָנִי קָרָא וַיְיָ שָׁמֵעַ,
וּמִכָּל צָרוֹתָיו הוֹשִׁיעוֹ: חֹנֶה
מַלְאַךְ יְיָ סָבִיב לִירֵאָיו,
וַיְחַלְּצֵם: טַעֲמוּ<sup>3</sup> וּרְאוּ כִּי
טוֹב יְיָ, אַשְׁרֵי הַגֶּבֶר יֶחֱסֶה
בּוֹ:<sup>4</sup> יְראוּ אֶת יְיָ קְדֹשָׁיו, כִּי
אֵין מַחְסוֹר לִירֵאָיו: כְּפִירִים
רָשׁוּ וְרָעֵבוּ, וְדֹרְשֵׁי יְיָ לֹא
יַחְסְרוּ כָל טוֹב:
לְכוּ בָנִים שִׁמְעוּ לִי,
יִרְאַת יְיָ אֲלַמֶּדְכֶם: מִי הָאִישׁ
הֶחָפֵץ חַיִּים, אֹהֵב יָמִים
לִרְאוֹת טוֹב: נְצֹר לְשׁוֹנְךָ
מֵרָע, וּשְׂפָתֶיךָ מִדַּבֵּר
מִרְמָה: סוּר מֵרָע<sup>5</sup> וַעֲשֵׂה
טוֹב, בַּקֵּשׁ שָׁלוֹם וְרָדְפֵהוּ:
Sephardi
ledavid be-shanoto et ta'mo
lifnei Avimelech, va-yegarshehu
va-yelech: avarachah et Adonai bechol et,
tamid tehilato b'fi: ba-Adonai
tis-halel nafshi, yishme'u anavim
ve-yismechu: gadlu la-Adonai iti,
u-neromemah shemo yachdav: darashti
et Adonai ve-anani, umikol megurotai
hitzilani:<sup>2</sup> habitu elav ve-naharu,
u-feneihem al yechparu:
zeh ani kara va-Adonai shame'a,
umikol tzarotav hoshio: choneh
mal'ach Adonai saviv lire'av,
va-yechaletzem: ta'amu<sup>3</sup> u-re'u ki
tov Adonai, ashrei hagever yechesseh
bo:<sup>4</sup> yiru et Adonai kedoshav, ki
ein machsor lire'av: kefirim
rashu ve-ra'evu, ve-dorshei Adonai lo
yachseru kol tov:
lechu vanim shim'u li,
yir'at Adonai alamedchem: mi ha'ish
he-chafetz chayim, ohev yamim
lir'ot tov: netzor leshoncha
mera, u-sefatecha midaber
mirmah: sur mera<sup>5</sup> va'aseh
tov, bakesh shalom ve-rodfehu:
English
The following was composed <b>by</b> King <b>David,</b> <b>when</b> he ran away from King Saul and was forced to hide among the Philistines. <b>He pretended</b> to be <b>crazy in front of Abimelech,</b> their king, in order not to be recognized. Abimelech later <b>sent him away, and he left: I will bless the Lord at all times. His praise is always in my mouth. My soul is praised</b> because of the Lord's salvation. <b>Let the humble</b> people who supported me <b>hear</b> that I was saved, <b>and let them be happy. Declare the Lord's greatness</b> with me. <b>Let us exalt His name together. I searched for the Lord and He answered me, and saved me from all my fears.</b> The faces of <b>those who look</b> to God for help <b>become bright</b> with happiness.<sup>2</sup> <b>Their faces are never disgraced</b> because God helps them. <b>This poor man</b>—King David—<b>called,</b> and the Lord <b>heard and rescued him from all of his troubles. The Lord's angel camps around those who fear Him and rescues them</b> from their enemies. <b>Taste</b><sup>3</sup>—pay attention and think about God's deeds, <b>and</b> you will see that <b>the Lord is good. Fortunate is the person who trusts in Him.</b><sup>4</sup> <b>Fear the Lord,</b> you who are <b>His holy people, because those who fear Him do not lack</b> anything. Even wealthy and powerful people, who are strong like <b>young lions,</b> can <b>become poor and go hungry,</b> but the <b>people who search for the Lord</b> and rely on Him for their livelihood <b>will never lack any goodness. Come, children, listen to me—I will teach you how to fear the Lord. Who is the man who wants life,</b> who <b>loves</b> life, and wants to <b>see goodness</b> in the World to Come? If you want a good life in this world and the next, <b>guard your tongue from</b> speaking badly about others, <b>and stop your lips from speaking dishonestly. Turn away from</b> that which the Torah says is <b>bad,</b><sup>5</sup> and do what the Torah says is <b>good; look for</b> ways to make <b>peace</b> between people <b>and chase after</b> peace.