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TORAH
FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES
NEVI'IM
PROPHETS
KETUVIM
WRITINGS

Chapter 23

Translation and Transliteration of 

Listen to this chapter in Hebrew:

1A psalm of David. Hashem is my shepherd; I lack nothing.

אמִזְמוֹר לְדָוִד יְהֹוָה רֹעִי לֹא אֶחְסָר׃

2He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me to water in places of repose;

בבִּנְאוֹת דֶּשֶׁא יַרְבִּיצֵנִי עַל־מֵי מְנֻחוֹת יְנַהֲלֵנִי׃

3He renews my life; He guides me in right paths as befits His name.

גנַפְשִׁי יְשׁוֹבֵב יַנְחֵנִי בְמַעְגְּלֵי־צֶדֶק לְמַעַן שְׁמוֹ׃

4Though I walk through a valley of deepest darkness, I fear no harm, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff—they comfort me.

דגַּם כִּי־אֵלֵךְ בְּגֵיא צַלְמָוֶת לֹא־אִירָא רָע כִּי־אַתָּה עִמָּדִי שִׁבְטְךָ וּמִשְׁעַנְתֶּךָ הֵמָּה יְנַחֲמֻנִי׃

5You spread a table for me in full view of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my drink is abundant.

התַּעֲרֹךְ לְפָנַי שֻׁלְחָן נֶגֶד צֹרְרָי דִּשַּׁנְתָּ בַשֶּׁמֶן רֹאשִׁי כּוֹסִי רְוָיָה׃

6Only goodness and steadfast love shall pursue me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of Hashem for many long years.

AKH TOV va-KHE-sed yir-d'-FU-nee kol y'-MAY kha-YAI v'-shav-TEE b'-vayt a-do-NAI l-O-rekh ya-MEEM

ואַךְ טוֹב וָחֶסֶד יִרְדְּפוּנִי כָּל־יְמֵי חַיָּי וְשַׁבְתִּי בְּבֵית־יְהֹוָה לְאֹרֶךְ יָמִים׃

 23:6   And I shall dwell in the house of Hashem for many long years

Psalm 23 has stood by the Jewish people as their support through the darkest days of persecution and exile. Over the centuries, no evil murderer or terrible tragedy has been able to crush the resilient spirit of the Jews, when they remember that “You are with me” (verse 4). King David certainly has a difficult life. While he never gives up hope, as he knows that Hashem is with him, he longs for times when he can live comfortably in the Holy Land while “goodness and steadfast love shall pursue me all the days of my life.” The concluding phrase “I shall dwell in the house of Hashem for many long years” uses the Hebrew word v’shavtee (ושבתי), ‘to dwell.’ However, the word also means ‘I will return.’ Here, King David prays not only to dwell in God’s palace, but that he will be found worthy of returning there frequently.