Chapter 20

Translation and Transliteration of

Listen to this chapter in Hebrew:

1For the leader. A psalm of David.

אלַמְנַצֵּחַ מִזְמוֹר לְדָוִד׃

2May Hashem answer you in time of trouble, the name of Yaakov's Hashem keep you safe.

ביַעַנְךָ יְהֹוָה בְּיוֹם צָרָה יְשַׂגֶּבְךָ שֵׁם אֱלֹהֵי יַעֲקֹב׃

3May He send you help from the sanctuary, and sustain you from Tzion.

גיִשְׁלַח־עֶזְרְךָ מִקֹּדֶשׁ וּמִצִּיּוֹן יִסְעָדֶךָּ׃

4May He receive the tokens of all your meal offerings, and approve your burn offerings. Selah.

דיִזְכֹּר כָּל־מִנְחֹתֶךָ וְעוֹלָתְךָ יְדַשְּׁנֶה סֶלָה׃

5May He grant you your desire, and fulfill your every plan.

היִתֶּן־לְךָ כִלְבָבֶךָ וְכָל־עֲצָתְךָ יְמַלֵּא׃

6May we shout for joy in your victory, arrayed by standards in the name of our God. May Hashem fulfill your every wish.

ונְרַנְּנָה בִּישׁוּעָתֶךָ וּבְשֵׁם־אֱלֹהֵינוּ נִדְגֹּל יְמַלֵּא יְהֹוָה כָּל־מִשְׁאֲלוֹתֶיךָ׃

7Now I know that Hashem will give victory to His anointed, will answer him from His heavenly sanctuary with the mighty victories of His right arm.

a-TAH ya-DA-tee KEE ho-SHEE-a a-do-NAI m'-shee-KHO ya-a-NAY-hu mi-sh'-MAY kod-SHO big-vu-ROT YAY-sha y'-mee-NO

זעַתָּה יָדַעְתִּי כִּי הוֹשִׁיעַ יְהֹוָה מְשִׁיחוֹ יַעֲנֵהוּ מִשְּׁמֵי קָדְשׁוֹ בִּגְבֻרוֹת יֵשַׁע יְמִינוֹ׃

20:7 Hashem will give victory to His anointed

Tomb of King David in Jerusalem

The Torah predicts a time when the Children of Israel, settled in the Land of Israel, will seek a king (Deuteronomy 17:14). God acquiesces to the request on condition that His anointed will be different from the kings of the other nations, in that he will be chosen by God (verse 15). This prediction came true in the times of the prophet Shmuel (I Samuel 8), as Shaul, followed by David and Shlomo, were chosen by Hashem as the first Jewish kings. The selection and anointing of the monarch reflects the vital relationship that the Jewish king must have with the priest, who is also anointed, and the prophet, God’s messenger who selects and anoints the king. Together, these three represent the political, ritual and spiritual leadership of Israel. In order to lead the nation on the right path, the three leaders must work together and recognize the importance of each one’s role. When, as in the case of David, the nation reveres the king and he, in turn, recognizes that his power comes from the Holy One, then “Hashem will give victory to His anointed.”

8They [call] on chariots, they [call] on horses, but we call on the name of Hashem our God.

חאֵלֶּה בָרֶכֶב וְאֵלֶּה בַסּוּסִים וַאֲנַחְנוּ בְּשֵׁם־יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ נַזְכִּיר׃

9They collapse and lie fallen, but we rally and gather strength.

טהֵמָּה כָּרְעוּ וְנָפָלוּ וַאֲנַחְנוּ קַּמְנוּ וַנִּתְעוֹדָד׃

10Hashem, grant victory! May the King answer us when we call.

ייְהֹוָה הוֹשִׁיעָה הַמֶּלֶךְ יַעֲנֵנוּ בְיוֹם־קָרְאֵנוּ׃