A Michtam of David

(Psalm 16)

 

Shamar

 

Guard me,

O, my EL.

 

Strong Leader,

You Who are the Power and Authority

Over Yashar’EL,

Hedge me in with thorns.

Keep watch over my life.

I will declare of YeHOWAH,

My ADONAI:

You exist

Upright,

Rich,

Bountiful,

Beautiful,

All that is fair,

All that is valuable,

True wealth,

True prosperity.

My goodness

Is nothing

Compared to You.

 

The qodeshiym—

Those set-apart ones—

Who exist in the earth,

These noble,

These excellent,

In whom is all

My longing,

My pleasure,

And my delight.

 

Sorrows,

Wounds,

And pain

Shall increase,

Shall become

Numerous in quantity

For those who

Impetuously rush headlong,

Who become skilful

In following,

And who attribute praise

To other elohim.

 

I will not pour out

Libations in offering,

Nor lift a glass of wine,

The blood of grapes,

In honor of other elohim.

I will not

Exalt their name

Nor with speech

Lift up

Their character

Or manner of life.

 

YeHOWAH—

My portion weighed out,

My allotted inheritance,

You bring

The vessel,

You hold up

The cup

For me!

Stones are cast,

Pebbles have fallen,

And I receive

A choice possession.

 

In praise,

I will kneel

And place a gift before Him,

Eth-YeHOWAH,

The Self-Existent, Eternal One,

Who has given me guidance,

Who counsels me

In seasons of night,

When adversity twists

Away from light.

He admonishes me

In my innermost being.

 

Make level my feet.

Fit me for the work.

Because YeHOWAH exists

Perpetually

At my right side,

At morning,

At evening,

You will not find me wavering

From the correct path.

I shall not totter about on feeble knees.

I shall not shake and fall into ruin.

 

Therefore,

Destruction and chaos

Are outside;

My heart shall shine

With brightness of joy,

My abundance and riches,

My splendor,

Also, my nephesh,

He shall settle down

To reside

Without danger or fear.

 

For You will not forsake me

Nor loosen my bonds;

My nephesh–

My living, breath self–

You will not cast away

Into Sheol,

Neither will You give up

The kind and excellent–

Your worshipers–

To experience

The underground prison.

 

You will instruct me in knowledge.

I will observe

And experience

The course of life,

The mode of action

Of Your path.

At Your right

Abundance,

A banquet

Of joyful voices;

And before Your faces

You will lead

Singing,

Sweet sounding music

Forevermore.