Adonai, Please Hear Me
Psalm 4 spoke to me in a number of ways through the years. And one of those messages is the overwhelming sense of God's presence that one can experience even in the moments of distress and utter weakness. One's faith in the Eternal, in his faithfulness, is what empowers us when we barely have what it takes to stand up. And ADONAI not only watches over us, but sometimes even shines his light on us, which enables us to rise above any despair. So, this song is very much my prayer, but it was inspired and influenced directly by the ancient Hebrew words of Psalm 4. Enjoy...
In utter weakness, I confess, my prayers spoken in distress,
In times of trouble, when I feel, I have no strength to even kneel,
יהוה חָנֵּנִי וּשְׁמַע תְּפִלָּתִי
Your favor, LORD, is all I seek.
יהוה חָנֵּנִי וּשְׁמַע תְּפִלָּתִי
O ADONAI, please hear me.
בְּשָׁלוֹם יַחְדָּו אֶשְׁכְּבָה וְאִישָׁן תִּשְׁמֹרֵנִי
כִּי־אַתָּה יהוה לְבָדָד לָבֶטַח תּוֹשִׁיבֵנִי
(In peace, I will lie down and sleep as You will guard me.)
(For You are alone, ADONAI, in safety You will restore me.)
נְסָה־עָלָי אוֹר פָּנֶיךָ יהוה
O let it shine, Your presence, ADONAI.
שְׁמַע תְּפִלָּתִי נָתַתָּה שִׂמְחָה בְלִבִּי
I pray You hear my plea, restore my joy to me.
נְסָה־עָלָי אוֹר פָּנֶיךָ יהוה
O let it shine, Your face upon me, ADONAI.
שְׁמַע תְּפִלָּתִי נָתַתָּה שִׂמְחָה בְלִבִּי
O ADONAI, please hear me, and restore my joy to me.
Upon my bed, I'm staying still. I seek my safety in your will.
My heart cries out to You within. I tremble, yet I do not sin,
יהוה חָנֵּנִי וּשְׁמַע תְּפִלָּתִי
Your favor, LORD, is all I seek.
יהוה חָנֵּנִי וּשְׁמַע תְּפִלָּתִי
Please, ADONAI, O hear me.
In peace, I will lie down and sleep as You will guard me.
For You are alone, ADONAI, in safety You will restore me.
נְסָה־עָלָי אוֹר פָּנֶיךָ יהוה
O let it shine, Your presence, ADONAI.
שְׁמַע תְּפִלָּתִי נָתַתָּה שִׂמְחָה בְלִבִּי
I pray You hear my plea, restore my joy to me.
נְסָה־עָלָי אוֹר פָּנֶיךָ יהוה
O let it shine, Your face upon me, ADONAI.
שְׁמַע תְּפִלָּתִי נָתַתָּה שִׂמְחָה בְלִבִּי
O ADONAI, please hear me, and restore my joy to me.
Why would I wish to chase deceit? Why run, pursue what's obsolete?
In You alone, I will confide. And offer righteous sacrifice,
יהוה חָנֵּנִי וּשְׁמַע תְּפִלָּתִי
Your favor, LORD, is all I seek.
יהוה חָנֵּנִי וּשְׁמַע תְּפִלָּתִי
O ADONAI, please hear me.
In peace, I will lie down and sleep as You will guard me.
For You are alone, ADONAI, in safety You will restore me.
בְּשָׁלוֹם יַחְדָּו אֶשְׁכְּבָה וְאִישָׁן תִּשְׁמֹרֵנִי
כִּי־אַתָּה יהוה לְבָדָד לָבֶטַח תּוֹשִׁיבֵנִי
Hebrew-English Interlinear Psalms
For those who love Psalms and especially love the way they sound in Hebrew, this handy volume presents them in an interlinear format. As it is with most poetry, sometimes translations are not so straightforward, and it's so easy to see what original words lay behind the English text. This volume allows students of Hebrew to quickly build their biblical Hebrew vocabulary and, at the same time, immerse themselves into their favorite psalms. I have used it for both study and for devotional reading as well. And I can recommend it for those who would like to try the Psalms in original and grow in their comprehension of the biblical language as they read.