This post was created in April 2017.
19 July 2022 -- I've since abandoned this specific project, and am working on something a bit different. This page remains for anyone who might find it interesting.
Here’s what this post contains. First, the unvowelled Hebrew text, then the text pronounced. Then there’s a rapid phrase-by-phrase read-through, followed by detailed notes.
Hebrew Text, No Vowels
These lines are laid out as they are in Kittel’s Biblia Hebraica.
lmh rgšw gwym wlʾmym yhgw ryq
ytyṣbw mlky ʾrṣ wrwznym nwsdw yḥd
ʿl yhwh wʿl mšyḥw
nntqh ʾt mwsrwtymw wnšlykh mmnw ʿbtymw
ywšb bšmym yšḥq ʾdny ylʿg lmw
ʾz ydbr ʾlymw bʾpw wbḥrwnw ybhlmw
wʾny nskty mlky ʿl ṣywn hr qdšy
ʾsprh ʾl ḥq yhwh
ʾmr ʾly bny ʾth ʾny hywm yldtyk
šʾl mmny wʾtnh gwym nḥltk wʾḥztk ʾpsy ʾrṣ
trʿm bšbṭ brzl kkly ywṣr tnpṣm
wʿth mlkym hškylw hwsrw špṭy ʾrṣ
ʿbdw ʾt yhwh byrʾh wgylw brʿdh nšqw br
pn yʾnp wtʾbdw drk ky ybʿr kmʿṭ ʾpw
ʾšry kl ḥwsy bw
Pronunciation Guide
This is according to a Sephardi/Israeli pronunciation.
LA-ma rag-SHU go-YIM U-l’-um-mim ye-gu-RIK
yit-yats-VU mal-khe-E-rets v’-roz-NIM nos-du-YA-khad
al-a-do-NAI v’-al-m’-shi-KHO
N’NAT-t’ka et-mos-ro-TEI-mo v’-gash-LI-kha m-ME-nu a-vo-TE-mo
yo-SHEV bash-sha-MA-yim yis-KHAK a-do-NAI yil-ag-LA-mo
az y’dad-BER e-LEI-mo v’ap-PO u-va-kha-ro-NO y’va-a-LE-mo
VA-a-ni na-SA-khit-ti mal-KI al-TSIY-yon har-kod-SHI
a-sap-RA el KHOK a-do-NAI
a-MAR e-LAY b’NI A-ta a-NI hay-YOM y’-lid-TI-kha
sh’-AL mim-ME-ni v’et-NA go-YIM na-kha-la-TE-kha va-a-khuz-zat-KHA af-se-A-rets
T’RO-em b’SHE-vet bar-ZEL kikh-LI yo-TSER t’nap-TSEM
V’AT-ta m’la-KHIM has-KI-lu hiv-vas-RO SHOF-tei A-rets
iv-DU et-a-do-NAI b’yir-A v’-GI-lu bir-a-DA nash-qu-VAR
pen-ye-e-NAF v’TOV-du DE-rekh ki-yiv-AR kim-AT ap-PO
ash-REI kol-KHO-se vo
A Hasty Read-Through
There’ll be more notes following. This is just a quick and dirty phrase by phrase translation.
lama, Why?, ragshu, they are in a tumult, or rage, or something, goyim, the nations. Why are the nations in tumult? u-leummim, and (why do) the people, yehge, plot or think about, riq, something worthless, or pointless?
yityatsbu malkei-erets, the kings of the earth take their stand, v’roznim, and the high officials nosdu yahad make plans together. al adonai, against God, v’al m’shicho, against his annointed (king).
nenatqah, we will tear off, et-mosrotemo, his restraints, his cords (that keep us tied up), w’nashlika mimennu, and we will take off from us, abotemo, his ropes.
yosheb, he who sits, bashamayim, in the sky, yishaq, will laugh, adonai, the Lord, yilag lamo, will show contempt for them. az y’dabber elemo, then he will speak to them, b’apo, in his wrath, u-ba-harono, and in his anger, yebahalemo, he will terrify them.
wa-ani, and I, nasakiti, I have set, malki, my king, al-tsiyon, upon Zion, har-qodshi, my holy mountain.
asaprah el, I will declare, hoq, the decree of Yahweh, (I’m following Kittel here, more on this bit below).
amar elai, He said to me. bni atah, you are my son. any hayyom yelidtika, today I have become your father.
sh’al mimeni, ask of me, v’etnah goyim nahalateka, I will give nations for your inheritance. achuzatka, your property (will be) aspei-arets, the farthest reaches of the earth.
teroem, you will break them, b’shebet barzel, with a rod of iron, kiklei yotser, like a potter’s vessels (like glay jars), tnaptsem, you will crush them.
we’atah, and now, melakim, kings, haskilu, be wise, hiwasru, learn, shoftei arets, judges of the earth.
ibdu et-yhwh, serve Yahweh, b’yir’at, with fear, we-gilu bir’adah and rejoice with trembling.
nashqu-bar, looks like it might mean “kiss the son” (?), pen-yeenof, or else he will become angry, v’tobdu derek, or else you will be destroyed on the way (?), ki-yib’ar, because is kindled, kim’at appo, quickly his wrath — his wrath is quickly kindled.
ashrei kol-hosei bo, happy are all those who trust in him.
An Awkward Translation
Awkward translation is awkward.
1 Why are the nations in tumult, and the leaders plotting in vain?
2 Kings of the earth take their stand, high officials plan together
against Yahweh, and against his anointed.
3 “We will tear off their bonds, and take off their ropes.”
4 He who sits in the sky will laugh; the Lord will have contempt for them.
5 Then he will speak to them in his anger; in his wrath he will terrify them.
6 “I have set my king on Zion, my holy mount.”
7 “I will declare the decree of Yahweh.
8 He said to me, ‘You are my son. Today I have become your father.
Ask me, and I will give nations as your inheritance; the farthest reaches of the earth will be your property.
9 You will break them with a rod of iron; like clay pots you will dash them to pieces.'”
10 Now be wise, kings of the earth. Pay attention, judges of the earth.
11 Serve Yahweh in fear. Rejoice in trembling. 12 Do sincere homage,
or else he will become angry, and you will perish on the way (?), because his anger kindles quickly.
Happy are those who seek refuge with him.
Notes
Before we get started, it’s worth noting that there are at least three major ways to read this Psalm. First, one can read it as a coronation hymn celebrating the crowning of a new king of Judah, and announcing that he will defeat all opposition because he is viewed as a “son” by God by virtue of his being annointed king (“today I have become your father”). Second, some read this as a Messianic psalm of the Jewish people after losing the independent state of Judah in 586 BCE, and looking forward to God installing an idealized king (Messiah) who would set things right for Israel. And finally, there is the Christological interpretation, where Christian interpreters anachronistically apply the Psalm to Jesus. I don’t think the third option has merit.
Verse 1. the nations. The Hebrew, goyim, refers to ethnic groups. Because it is used sometimes to refer to “the nations” as opposed to Israel, it later comes to be used to mean “Gentiles.” But in the Bible, it is simply “the nations.” It is going to far to translate it as the KJV does: “heathens,” as in “Why do the heathens rage?” The word itself doesn’t denote paganism — Israel itself is referred as a goy, in passages which do not suggest it has a negative meaning.
are in tumult. The verb ragshu (“ragash,” to be in a tumult) occurs only here, so it’s hard to get a fix on its exact meaning. Are in a tumult follows the Vulgate and Peshitta (Briggs). The Septuagint has “behave arrogantly” (Briggs). KJV reads “rage.” Briggs reads the first line as “Why do nations consent together”. NIV reads “conspire,” Holman “rebel.” Any of these would seem to work, except maybe “rage.” The idea is that the nations are plotting to rebel against the king in Jerusalem, who controls them. This is appropriate either to a situation in which Jerusalem controls neighbors like Moab or Ammon, or to an idealized portrait of a future supremacy for the Davidic dynasty.
Verse 2. make plans. The verb nosdu (piel) is a verb which appears twice in the Bible (here and Psalm 31:14 (13)).
anointed. This word, mashiah, is translated as “Messiah” by some readers who hold to a Christological reading of the psalm. This is reading too much into the word: it is used for priests and kings, who are ceremonially anointed, as the monarch of England is to this day. Other translators simply nudge the reader toward this line of thinking by capitalizing anointed, but this too goes to far: there is no such usage in Hebrew as capitalizing a word to give it a “divine” interpretation. To capitalize here is to add commentary to the task of translation.
Verse 6. I have set (nasakti) is a verb whose meaning is not obvious (Briggs).
Verse 7. the decree of Yahweh. He said to me. This follows Kittel’s line breaks. Another reading, found in the KJV: the decree. Yahweh said to me.
said to me. This is the voice of the king speaking, announcing Yahweh’s support for him.
Verse 8. my son. Christian interpreters have seen here a reference to Jesus, as being God’s “son.” However, the idea of a father-son relationship between God and the Davidic king is attested in 2 Samuel 7:14, which speaks of God being a “father” to Solomon.
Verse 9. break them with a rod of iron. Briggs reads “rule them with an iron sceptre.” I can understand translating shebet as “scepter,” but I don’t know about translating teroem as “rule.” He this the word is related to the word shepherd, and therefore denotes rulership (on the basis of the shepherd/king metaphor found throughout the Bible).
Verse 12. Do sincere homage__. Or, kiss the son. The word br (Masoretes pronounced it bar), which I’ve translated by the traditional “son” is strange here, because ben is the Hebrew word for son and bar is Aramaic, which would be strange and hard to explain. Briggs reads bor, “sincerely,” and says it has to do with a respectful kiss on the hand given in worship. The Septuagint reads “lay hold of instruction” (Briggs).
perish on the way. The inclusion of derek (way, path) is puzzling to me here. Briggs reads perish from the right way, following the reading of the Septuagint. The translations I’ve consulted take this various ways: your path will lead to destruction, you will be destroyed on your way (to rebel), you will be destroyed right where you’re standing, etc.
quickly. KJV reads a little, most modern translations “quickly.”
happy are those, etc. Briggs sees this line as a later addition to the psalm, adapting it for use in worship.