TORAH
FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES
NEVI'IM
PROPHETS
KETUVIM
WRITINGS

Chapter 101

Translation and Transliteration of 

1Of David. A psalm. I will sing of faithfulness and justice; I will chant a hymn to You, Hashem.

אלְדָוִד מִזְמוֹר חֶסֶד־וּמִשְׁפָּט אָשִׁירָה לְךָ יְהֹוָה אֲזַמֵּרָה׃

2I will study the way of the blameless; when shall I attain it? I will live without blame within my house.

באַשְׂכִּילָה בְּדֶרֶךְ תָּמִים מָתַי תָּבוֹא אֵלָי אֶתְהַלֵּךְ בְּתָם־לְבָבִי בְּקֶרֶב בֵּיתִי׃

3I will not set before my eyes anything base; I hate crooked dealing; I will have none of it.

גלֹא־אָשִׁית לְנֶגֶד עֵינַי דְּבַר־בְּלִיָּעַל עֲשֹׂה־סֵטִים שָׂנֵאתִי לֹא יִדְבַּק בִּי׃

4Perverse thoughts will be far from me; I will know nothing of evil.

דלֵבָב עִקֵּשׁ יָסוּר מִמֶּנִּי רָע לֹא אֵדָע׃

5He who slanders his friend in secret I will destroy; I cannot endure the haughty and proud man.

המלושני [מְלָשְׁנִי] בַסֵּתֶר רֵעֵהוּ אוֹתוֹ אַצְמִית גְּבַהּ־עֵינַיִם וּרְחַב לֵבָב אֹתוֹ לֹא אוּכָל׃

6My eyes are on the trusty men of the land, to have them at my side. He who follows the way of the blameless shall be in my service.

ועֵינַי בְּנֶאֶמְנֵי־אֶרֶץ לָשֶׁבֶת עִמָּדִי הֹלֵךְ בְּדֶרֶךְ תָּמִים הוּא יְשָׁרְתֵנִי׃

7He who deals deceitfully shall not live in my house; he who speaks untruth shall not stand before my eyes.

זלֹא־יֵשֵׁב בְּקֶרֶב בֵּיתִי עֹשֵׂה רְמִיָּה דֹּבֵר שְׁקָרִים לֹא־יִכּוֹן לְנֶגֶד עֵינָי׃

8Each morning I will destroy all the wicked of the land, to rid the city of Hashem of all evildoers.

la-b'-ka-REEM atz-MEET kol rish-ay A-retz l'-hakh-REET may-eer a-do-NAI kol po-a-LAY A-ven

חלַבְּקָרִים אַצְמִית כָּל־רִשְׁעֵי־אָרֶץ לְהַכְרִית מֵעִיר־יְהֹוָה כָּל־פֹּעֲלֵי אָוֶן׃

101:8   To cut off all the workers of iniquity from the city of the Lord

Psalm 101 is King David’s report to God of his efforts to create a just and righteous society. These involve rooting out evil from the cities, and supporting and bolstering the innocent and simple souls. Yerushalayim is Hashem’s holy city, and David works towards maintaining its sacred character by ensuring justice throughout the city on a daily basis. Similarly, part of the space in the Beit Hamikdash was designated for the Sanhedrin, the High Court, so that within the house of God, a system of justice was always functioning.

101:8   To rid the city of Hashem of all evildoers

Psalm 101 is King David’s report to God of his efforts to create a just and righteous society. These involve rooting out evil from the cities, and supporting and bolstering the innocent and simple souls. Yerushalayim is Hashem’s holy city, and David works towards maintaining its sacred character by ensuring justice throughout the city on a daily basis. Similarly, part of the space in the Beit Hamikdash was designated for the Sanhedrin, the High Court, so that within the house of God, a system of justice was always functioning.