Sin Separates Us from God
(Psalm 14:1–7; Psalm 53:1–6; Romans 3:9–20)

1  הֵ֛ן (Behold), לֹֽא־ (not) קָצְרָ֥ה (is shortened), יַד־ (the hand) יְהוָ֖ה (of YHWH) מֵֽהוֹשִׁ֑יעַ (from saving);

וְלֹא־ (and not) כָבְדָ֥ה (is heavy), אָזְנ֖וֹ (his ear) מִשְּׁמֽוֹעַ׃ (from hearing).

2  כִּ֤י (For) אִם־ (but) עֲוֺנֹֽתֵיכֶם֙ (your⁺ iniquities) הָי֣וּ (that have been) מַבְדִּלִ֔ים (causing separation)

בֵּינֵכֶ֕ם (for you⁺) לְבֵ֖ין (from) אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֑ם (your⁺ God),

וְחַטֹּֽאותֵיכֶ֗ם (and your⁺ sins) הִסְתִּ֧ירוּ (have hidden) פָנִ֛ים (the Face) מִכֶּ֖ם (from you⁺)

מִשְּׁמֽוֹעַ׃ (away from hearing).

3  כִּ֤י (For) כַפֵּיכֶם֙ (your⁺ hands) נְגֹאֲל֣וּ (are defiled) בַדָּ֔ם (with blood),

וְאֶצְבְּעוֹתֵיכֶ֖ם (and your⁺ fingers) בֶּֽעָוֺ֑ן (with iniquity);

שִׂפְתֽוֹתֵיכֶם֙ (your⁺ lips) דִּבְּרוּ־ (have spoken) שֶׁ֔קֶר (falsehood),

לְשׁוֹנְכֶ֖ם (your⁺ tongue) עַוְלָ֥ה (injustice) תֶהְגֶּֽה׃ (mutters).

4  אֵין־ (No one) קֹרֵ֣א (calls) בְצֶ֔דֶק (for justice),

וְאֵ֥ין (and no one) נִשְׁפָּ֖ט (pleads his case) בֶּאֱמוּנָ֑ה (in truth).

בָּט֤וֹחַ (Trusting) עַל־ (in) תֹּ֙הוּ֙ (emptiness), וְדַבֶּר־ (and speaking) שָׁ֔וְא (vanity);

הָר֥וֹ (conceiving) עָמָ֖ל (trouble), וְהוֹלֵ֥יד (and birthing) אָֽוֶן׃ (iniquity).

5  בֵּיצֵ֤י (Eggs) צִפְעוֹנִי֙ (of a viper) בִּקֵּ֔עוּ (they have hatched),

וְקוּרֵ֥י (and the web) עַכָּבִ֖ישׁ (of a spider) יֶאֱרֹ֑גוּ (they weave);

הָאֹכֵ֤ל (the one eating) מִבֵּֽיצֵיהֶם֙ (of their eggs) יָמ֔וּת (dies),

וְהַזּוּרֶ֖ה (and from the crushed one) תִּבָּקַ֥ע (breaks out) אֶפְעֶֽה׃ (a viper).

6  קֽוּרֵיהֶם֙ (Their webs) לֹא־ (will not) יִהְי֣וּ (become) לְבֶ֔גֶד (garments),

וְלֹ֥א (and not) יִתְכַּסּ֖וּ (they do cover themselves) בְּמַֽעֲשֵׂיהֶ֑ם (with their works);

מַֽעֲשֵׂיהֶם֙ (their works) מַֽעֲשֵׂי־ (are works) אָ֔וֶן (of iniquity),

וּפֹ֥עַל (and a deed) חָמָ֖ס (of violence) בְּכַפֵּיהֶֽם׃ (is in their hands).

7  רַגְלֵיהֶם֙ (Their feet) לָרַ֣ע (to evil), יָרֻ֔צוּ (run)

וִֽימַהֲר֔וּ (and they hurry) לִשְׁפֹּ֖ךְ (to shed) דָּ֣ם (blood) נָקִ֑י (innocent);

מַחְשְׁבֽוֹתֵיהֶם֙ (their thoughts are) מַחְשְׁב֣וֹת (thoughts) אָ֔וֶן (of iniquity);

שֹׁ֥ד (ruin) וָשֶׁ֖בֶר (and destruction) בִּמְסִלּוֹתָֽם׃ (are in their paths).

8  דֶּ֤רֶךְ (The way) שָׁלוֹם֙ (of peace) לֹ֣א (not); יָדָ֔עוּ (have they known)

וְאֵ֥ין (and no) מִשְׁפָּ֖ט (justice) בְּמַעְגְּלוֹתָ֑ם (is in their tracks);

נְתִיבֽוֹתֵיהֶם֙ (their paths); עִקְּשׁ֣וּ (they have made crooked) לָהֶ֔ם (for themselves)

כֹּ֚ל (everyone) דֹּרֵ֣ךְ (treading) בָּ֔הּ (on it) לֹ֥א (not) יָדַ֖ע (has known) שָׁלֽוֹם׃ (peace).

9  עַל־ (Upon) כֵּ֗ן (thus) רָחַ֤ק (is far) מִשְׁפָּט֙ (justice) מִמֶּ֔נּוּ (from us)

וְלֹ֥א (and not) תַשִּׂיגֵ֖נוּ (does reach us) צְדָקָ֑ה (righteousness)

נְקַוֶּ֤ה (we wait) לָאוֹר֙ (for the light), וְהִנֵּה־ (and behold) חֹ֔שֶׁךְ (darkness);

לִנְגֹה֖וֹת (for brightness), בָּאֲפֵל֥וֹת (in the darkness) נְהַלֵּֽךְ׃ (we walk).

10  נְגַֽשְׁשָׁ֤ה (We grope along) כַֽעִוְרִים֙ (like the blind), קִ֔יר (the wall)

וּכְאֵ֥ין (and as without) עֵינַ֖יִם (eyes); נְגַשֵּׁ֑שָׁה (we grope)

כָּשַׁ֤לְנוּ (we stumble) בַֽצָּהֳרַ֙יִם֙ (in the noonday) כַּנֶּ֔שֶׁף (as in the twilight);

בָּאַשְׁמַנִּ֖ים (among the strong) כַּמֵּתִֽים׃ (as the dead).

11  נֶהֱמֶ֤ה (We growl) כַדֻּבִּים֙ (like bears) כֻּלָּ֔נוּ (all of us),

וְכַיּוֹנִ֖ים (like doves) הָגֹ֣ה (with moaning) נֶהְגֶּ֑ה (and we moan);

נְקַוֶּ֤ה (we wait) לַמִּשְׁפָּט֙ (for justice) וָאַ֔יִן (and there is none),

לִֽישׁוּעָ֖ה (for salvation) רָחֲקָ֥ה (it is far) מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃ (from us).

12  כִּֽי־ (For) רַבּ֤וּ (are many) פְשָׁעֵ֙ינוּ֙ (our transgressions) נֶגְדֶּ֔ךָ (before You)

וְחַטֹּאותֵ֖ינוּ (and our sins) עָ֣נְתָה (testify) בָּ֑נוּ (against us)

כִּֽי־ (for) פְשָׁעֵ֣ינוּ (our transgressions are) אִתָּ֔נוּ (with us)

וַעֲוֺנֹתֵ֖ינוּ (and our iniquities), יְדַֽעֲנֽוּם׃ (and we know).

13  פָּשֹׁ֤עַ (Breaking faith) וְכַחֵשׁ֙ (and being false) בַּֽיהוָ֔ה (with YHWH),

וְנָס֖וֹג (and removing ourselves) מֵאַחַ֣ר (from following) אֱלֹהֵ֑ינוּ (our God),

דַּבֶּר־ (speaking words of) עֹ֣שֶׁק (oppression) וְסָרָ֔ה (and revolt),

הֹר֧וֹ (conceiving) וְהֹג֛וֹ (and musing) מִלֵּ֖ב (from the heart) דִּבְרֵי־ (words) שָֽׁקֶר׃ (of deception).

14  וְהֻסַּ֤ג (And is driven) אָחוֹר֙ (back), מִשְׁפָּ֔ט (justice)

וּצְדָקָ֖ה (and righteousness) מֵרָח֣וֹק (afar off); תַּעֲמֹ֑ד (stands)

כִּֽי־ (for) כָשְׁלָ֤ה (has stumbled) בָֽרְחוֹב֙ (in the plaza), אֱמֶ֔ת (truth)

וּנְכֹחָ֖ה (and straightness) לֹא־ (not) תוּכַ֥ל (is able) לָבֽוֹא׃ (to enter).

15  וַתְּהִ֤י (And is driven); הָֽאֱמֶת֙ (the truth) נֶעְדֶּ֔רֶת (missing);

וְסָ֥ר (and the one turning away) מֵרָ֖ע (from evil) מִשְׁתּוֹלֵ֑ל (makes himself plunder);

וַיַּ֧רְא (and saw it) יְהוָ֛ה (YHWH) וַיֵּ֥רַע (and it was evil) בְּעֵינָ֖יו (in His eyes)

כִּֽי־ (that) אֵ֥ין (there was no) מִשְׁפָּֽט׃ (justice).

16  וַיַּרְא֙ (And He saw) כִּֽי־ (that) אֵ֣ין (there was no) אִ֔ישׁ (man),

וַיִּשְׁתּוֹמֵ֖ם (and He was astonished) כִּ֣י (that) אֵ֣ין (there was no one) מַפְגִּ֑יעַ (interceding);

וַתּ֤וֹשַֽׁע (and brought salvation) לוֹ֙ (for Him) זְרֹע֔וֹ (His own arm)

וְצִדְקָת֖וֹ (and His own righteousness), הִ֥יא (it) סְמָכָֽתְהוּ׃ (upheld him).

17  וַיִּלְבַּ֤שׁ (And He put on) צְדָקָה֙ (righteousness) כַּשִּׁרְיָ֔ן (as a breastplate),

וְכ֥וֹבַע (and a helmet) יְשׁוּעָ֖ה (of salvation) בְּרֹאשׁ֑וֹ (on His head);

וַיִּלְבַּ֞שׁ (and He put on) בִּגְדֵ֤י (the garments) נָקָם֙ (of vengeance) תִּלְבֹּ֔שֶׁת (as clothing),

וַיַּ֥עַט (and wrapped himself) כַּמְעִ֖יל (in a cloak) קִנְאָֽה׃ (of zeal).

The Covenant of the Redeemer

18  כְּעַ֤ל (According to) גְּמֻלוֹת֙ (the dealings), כְּעַ֣ל (accordingly) יְשַׁלֵּ֔ם (He will repay),

חֵמָ֣ה (wrath) לְצָרָ֔יו (for His adversaries),

גְּמ֖וּל (recompense) לְאֹֽיְבָ֑יו (for His enemies);

לָאִיִּ֖ים (for the islands) גְּמ֥וּל (recompense) יְשַׁלֵּֽם׃ (He will repay).

19  וְיִֽירְא֤וּ (And will they fear) מִֽמַּעֲרָב֙ (from the west), אֶת־ (-)

שֵׁ֣ם (the name) יְהוָ֔ה (of YHWH)

וּמִמִּזְרַח־ (and from the rising) שֶׁ֖מֶשׁ (of the sun). אֶת־ (-) כְּבוֹד֑וֹ (His glory)

כִּֽי־ (for) יָב֤וֹא (He will come) כַנָּהָר֙ (like a torrent), צָ֔ר (being pressed)

ר֥וּחַ (as the Spirit) יְהוָ֖ה (of YHWH) נֹ֥סְסָה (drives) בֽוֹ׃ (it along).

20  וּבָ֤א (And He will come) לְצִיּוֹן֙ (to Zion), גּוֹאֵ֔ל (as One redeeming)

וּלְשָׁבֵ֥י (and for those turning back) פֶ֖שַׁע (from transgression) בְּיַֽעֲקֹ֑ב (in Jacob),

נְאֻ֖ם (a declaration) יְהוָֽה׃ (of YHWH).

21  וַאֲנִ֗י (And Me), זֹ֣את (this is) בְּרִיתִ֤י (My covenant) אוֹתָם֙ (with them) אָמַ֣ר (says) יְהוָ֔ה (YHWH); רוּחִי֙ (My Spirit) אֲשֶׁ֣ר (who is) עָלֶ֔יךָ (upon you) וּדְבָרַ֖י (and My words) אֲשֶׁר־ (that) שַׂ֣מְתִּי (I have put) בְּפִ֑יךָ (in your mouth), לֹֽא־ (not) יָמ֡וּשׁוּ (will they depart) מִפִּיךָ֩ (from your mouth), וּמִפִּ֨י (and from the mouth) זַרְעֲךָ֜ (of your seed), וּמִפִּ֨י (and from the mouth) זֶ֤רַע (of the seed) זַרְעֲךָ֙ (of your seed), אָמַ֣ר (says) יְהוָ֔ה (YHWH), מֵעַתָּ֖ה (from now) וְעַד־ (and even to) עוֹלָֽם׃ס (forever).