Taste and See That Yahweh Is Good
(1 Samuel 21:8–15)

לְדָוִ֗ד (Of David), בְּשַׁנּוֹת֣וֹ (in his changing) אֶת־ (-) טַ֭עְמוֹ (his behavior) לִפְנֵ֣י (before) אֲבִימֶ֑לֶךְ (Abimelech), וַֽ֝יְגָרֲשֵׁ֗הוּ (and he drove him off), וַיֵּלַֽךְ׃ (and he went).

1אֲבָרֲכָ֣ה (I will bless) אֶת־ (-) יְהוָ֣ה (YHWH) בְּכָל־ (at every) עֵ֑ת (time);

תָּ֝מִ֗יד (continually) תְּֽהִלָּת֥וֹ (His praise is) בְּפִֽי׃ (in my mouth).

2  בַּ֭יהוָה (In YHWH) תִּתְהַלֵּ֣ל (boasts) נַפְשִׁ֑י (My soul);

יִשְׁמְע֖וּ (let hear) עֲנָוִ֣ים (the humble) וְיִשְׂמָֽחוּ׃ (and be glad).

3  גַּדְּל֣וּ (Magnify) לַיהוָ֣ה (YHWH) אִתִּ֑י (with me),

וּנְרוֹמְמָ֖ה (and let us exalt) שְׁמ֣וֹ (His name) יַחְדָּֽו׃ (together).

4  דָּרַ֣שְׁתִּי (I sought) אֶת־ (-) יְהוָ֣ה (YHWH) וְעָנָ֑נִי (and He answered me),

וּמִכָּל־ (and from all) מְ֝גוּרוֹתַ֗י (my fears) הִצִּילָֽנִי׃ (He snatched me up).

5  הִבִּ֣יטוּ (They looked) אֵלָ֣יו (toward Him) וְנָהָ֑רוּ (and they shone),

וּ֝פְנֵיהֶ֗ם (and their faces) אַל־ (not) יֶחְפָּֽרוּ׃ (were ashamed).

6  זֶ֤ה (This) עָנִ֣י (poor one) קָ֭רָא (called out) וַיהוָ֣ה (and YHWH) שָׁמֵ֑עַ (heard),

וּמִכָּל־ (and from all) צָ֝רוֹתָ֗יו (his troubles) הוֹשִׁיעֽוֹ׃ (He saved him).

7  חֹנֶ֤ה (Encamps) מַלְאַךְ־ (the angel) יְהוָ֓ה (of YHWH) סָ֘בִ֤יב (all around) לִֽירֵאָ֗יו (those who fear Him),

וַֽיְחַלְּצֵֽם׃ (and he rescues them).

8  טַעֲמ֣וּ (Taste) וּ֭רְאוּ (and see) כִּי־ (that) ט֣וֹב (good is) יְהוָ֑ה (YHWH);

אַֽשְׁרֵ֥י (blessed is) הַ֝גֶּ֗בֶר (the man) יֶחֱסֶה־ (who takes refuge) בּֽוֹ׃ (in Him).

9  יְר֣אוּ (Fear) אֶת־ (-) יְהוָ֣ה (YHWH), קְדֹשָׁ֑יו (His holy ones);

כִּי־ (for) אֵ֥ין (There is no) מַ֝חְס֗וֹר (lack) לִירֵאָֽיו׃ (for those fearing Him).

10  כְּ֭פִירִים (The young lions) רָשׁ֣וּ (are in want) וְרָעֵ֑בוּ (and are hungry),

וְדֹרְשֵׁ֥י (and those seeking) יְ֝הוָ֗ה (YHWH) לֹא־ (not) יַחְסְר֥וּ (shall they lack) כָל־ (any) טֽוֹב׃ (good thing).

11  לְֽכוּ־ (Come), בָ֭נִים (my sons), שִׁמְעוּ־ (listen) לִ֑י (to me);

יִֽרְאַ֥ת (the fear) יְ֝הוָ֗ה (of YHWH) אֲלַמֶּדְכֶֽם׃ (I will teach you⁺).

12  מִֽי־ (Who is) הָ֭אִישׁ (the man) הֶחָפֵ֣ץ (desiring) חַיִּ֑ים (life),

אֹהֵ֥ב (and loving) יָ֝מִ֗ים (days), לִרְא֥וֹת (that he may see) טֽוֹב׃ (good)?

13  נְצֹ֣ר (Keep) לְשׁוֹנְךָ֣ (your tongue) מֵרָ֑ע (from evil)

וּ֝שְׂפָתֶ֗יךָ (and your lips) מִדַּבֵּ֥ר (from speaking) מִרְמָֽה׃ (deceit).

14  ס֣וּר (Turn away) מֵ֭רָע (from evil) וַעֲשֵׂה־ (and do) ט֑וֹב (good);

בַּקֵּ֖שׁ (Seek) שָׁל֣וֹם (peace) וְרָדְפֵֽהוּ׃ (and pursue it).

15  עֵינֵ֣י (The eyes) יְ֭הוָה (of YHWH) אֶל־ (are toward) צַדִּיקִ֑ים (the righteous),

וְ֝אָזְנָ֗יו (and His ears) אֶל־ (are inclined) שַׁוְעָתָֽם׃ (to their cry).

16  פְּנֵ֣י (The face) יְ֭הוָה (of YHWH) בְּעֹ֣שֵׂי (is against those doing) רָ֑ע (evil),

לְהַכְרִ֖ית (to cut off) מֵאֶ֣רֶץ (from the earth) זִכְרָֽם׃ (their memory).

17  צָעֲק֣וּ (They cry out) וַיהוָ֣ה (and YHWH) שָׁמֵ֑עַ (hears),

וּמִכָּל־ (and from all) צָ֝רוֹתָ֗ם (their troubles) הִצִּילָֽם׃ (He delivers them).

18  קָר֣וֹב (Near) יְ֭הוָה (is YHWH) לְנִשְׁבְּרֵי־ (to the broken) לֵ֑ב (of heart),

וְֽאֶת־ (and) דַּכְּאֵי־ (those crushed) ר֥וּחַ (in spirit) יוֹשִֽׁיעַ׃ (He saves).

19  רַ֭בּוֹת (Many are) רָע֣וֹת (are the afflictions) צַדִּ֑יק (of a righteous one),

וּ֝מִכֻּלָּ֗ם (and from them all) יַצִּילֶ֥נּוּ (delivers him) יְהוָֽה׃ (YHWH).

20  שֹׁמֵ֥ר (He guards) כָּל־ (all) עַצְמוֹתָ֑יו (his bones);

אַחַ֥ת (one) מֵ֝הֵ֗נָּה (of them) לֹ֣א (not) נִשְׁבָּֽרָה׃ (is broken).

21  תְּמוֹתֵ֣ת (Will kill) רָשָׁ֣ע (the wicked) רָעָ֑ה (evil),

וְשֹׂנְאֵ֖י (and those hating) צַדִּ֣יק (a righteous one) יֶאְשָֽׁמוּ׃ (will be held guilty).

22  פּוֹדֶ֣ה (Redeems) יְ֭הוָה (YHWH) נֶ֣פֶשׁ (the soul) עֲבָדָ֑יו (of His servants),

וְלֹ֥א (and not) יֶ֝אְשְׁמ֗וּ (will be condemned) כָּֽל־ (any) הַחֹסִ֥ים (of those taking refuge) בּֽוֹ׃ (in Him).