Psalms 116
19 verses · Hebrew with nikud, English alongside · tap 🔊 to hear a verse
אָ֭הַבְתִּי כִּי־יִשְׁמַ֥ע ׀ יְהֹוָ֑ה אֶת־ק֝וֹלִ֗י תַּחֲנוּנָֽי׃
ahavti ki-yishma Adonai et-qoli takhanunay
I love the ETERNAL One for hearing my voice, my pleas;
כִּֽי־הִטָּ֣ה אׇזְנ֣וֹ לִ֑י וּבְיָמַ֥י אֶקְרָֽא׃
ki-hittah ozno li uveyamay eqra
for turning an ear to me whenever I call.
אֲפָפ֤וּנִי ׀ חֶבְלֵי־מָ֗וֶת וּמְצָרֵ֣י שְׁא֣וֹל מְצָא֑וּנִי צָרָ֖ה וְיָג֣וֹן אֶמְצָֽא׃
afafuni khevle-mavet umetsare she'ol metsa'uni tsarah veyagon emtsa
The bonds of death encompassed me; the torments of Sheol overtook me. I came upon trouble and sorrow
וּבְשֵֽׁם־יְהֹוָ֥ה אֶקְרָ֑א אָנָּ֥ה יְ֝הֹוָ֗ה מַלְּטָ֥ה נַפְשִֽׁי׃
uveshem-Adonai eqra annah Adonai malletah nafshi
and I invoked GOD’s name, “O ETERNAL One, save my life!”
חַנּ֣וּן יְהֹוָ֣ה וְצַדִּ֑יק וֵ֖אלֹהֵ֣ינוּ מְרַחֵֽם׃
khannun Adonai vetsaddiq velohenu merakhem
GOD is gracious and beneficent; our God is compassionate.
שֹׁמֵ֣ר פְּתָאיִ֣ם יְהֹוָ֑ה דַּ֝לֹּתִ֗י וְלִ֣י יְהוֹשִֽׁיעַ׃
shomer petayim Adonai dalloti veli yehoshia
GOD protects the simple; I was saved, after having been brought low.
שׁוּבִ֣י נַ֭פְשִׁי לִמְנוּחָ֑יְכִי כִּֽי־יְ֝הֹוָ֗ה גָּמַ֥ל עָלָֽיְכִי׃
shuvi nafshi limnukhayekhi ki-Adonai gamal alayekhi
Be at rest, once again, O my soul, for GOD has been good to you.
כִּ֤י חִלַּ֥צְתָּ נַפְשִׁ֗י מִ֫מָּ֥וֶת אֶת־עֵינִ֥י מִן־דִּמְעָ֑ה אֶת־רַגְלִ֥י מִדֶּֽחִי׃
ki khillatsta nafshi mimmavet et-eni min-dimah et-ragli middekhi
You have delivered me from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling.
אֶ֭תְהַלֵּךְ לִפְנֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֑ה בְּ֝אַרְצ֗וֹת הַחַיִּֽים׃
ethallekh lifne Adonai be'artsot hakhayyim
I shall walk before GOD in the lands of the living.
הֶ֭אֱמַנְתִּי כִּ֣י אֲדַבֵּ֑ר אֲ֝נִ֗י עָנִ֥יתִי מְאֹֽד׃
he'emanti ki adabber ani aniti me'od
I trust [in GOD]; out of great suffering I spoke
אֲ֭נִי אָמַ֣רְתִּי בְחׇפְזִ֑י כׇּֽל־הָאָדָ֥ם כֹּזֵֽב׃
ani amarti vekhofzi kol-ha'adam kozev
and said rashly, “All people are false.”
מָה־אָשִׁ֥יב לַיהֹוָ֑ה כׇּֽל־תַּגְמוּל֥וֹהִי עָלָֽי׃
mah-ashiv la-Adonai kol-tagmulohi alay
How can I repay GOD for all the bounties given to me?
כּוֹס־יְשׁוּע֥וֹת אֶשָּׂ֑א וּבְשֵׁ֖ם יְהֹוָ֣ה אֶקְרָֽא׃
kos-yeshu'ot essa uveshem Adonai eqra
I raise the cup of deliverance and invoke GOD’s name.
נְ֭דָרַי לַיהֹוָ֣ה אֲשַׁלֵּ֑ם נֶגְדָה־נָּ֝֗א לְכׇל־עַמּֽוֹ׃
nedaray la-Adonai ashallem negdah-nna lekhol-ammo
I will pay my vows to GOD in the presence of all those assembled.
יָ֭קָר בְּעֵינֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֑ה הַ֝מָּ֗וְתָה לַחֲסִידָֽיו׃
yaqar be'ene Adonai hammavetah lakhasidayw
The death of God’s faithful ones is grievous in GOD’s sight.
אָנָּ֣ה יְהֹוָה֮ כִּי־אֲנִ֢י עַ֫בְדֶּ֥ךָ אֲֽנִי־עַ֭בְדְּךָ בֶּן־אֲמָתֶ֑ךָ פִּ֝תַּ֗חְתָּ לְמֽוֹסֵרָֽי׃
annah Adonai ki-ani avdekha ani-avdekha ben-amatekha pittakhta lemoseray
O ETERNAL One, I am Your servant, Your servant, the child of Your maidservant; You have undone the cords that bound me.
לְֽךָ־אֶ֭זְבַּח זֶ֣בַח תּוֹדָ֑ה וּבְשֵׁ֖ם יְהֹוָ֣ה אֶקְרָֽא׃
lekha-ezbakh zevakh todah uveshem Adonai eqra
I will sacrifice a thank offering to You and invoke GOD’s name.
נְ֭דָרַי לַיהֹוָ֣ה אֲשַׁלֵּ֑ם נֶגְדָה־נָּ֝֗א לְכׇל־עַמּֽוֹ׃
nedaray la-Adonai ashallem negdah-nna lekhol-ammo
I will pay my vows to GOD in the presence of all those assembled,
בְּחַצְר֤וֹת ׀ בֵּ֤ית יְהֹוָ֗ה בְּֽת֘וֹכֵ֤כִי יְֽרוּשָׁלָ֗͏ִם הַֽלְלוּ־יָֽהּ׃ {פ}
bekhatsrot bet Adonai betokhekhi yerushalai͏m halelu-yah
in the courts of GOD’s house, in the midst of Jerusalem. Hallelujah.
Hebrew text and English translation from Sefaria, under their Creative Commons licence.
Yaacov, native Jerusalemite
Want to go further with a teacher?
A real 30-minute lesson, one to one — Modern Hebrew, Biblical Hebrew, Yiddish or Aramaic. No card required.
Study 1-on-1 with YaacovPrefer a small group? Eight-week groups