(א) ה’ מָלָךְ גֵּאוּת לָבֵשׁ לָבֵשׁ ה’ עֹז הִתְאַזָּר אַף־תִּכּוֹן תֵּבֵל בַּל־תִּמּוֹט:
(1) Hashem has reigned. He has donned His majesty. Hashem has donned His majesty and has girded Himself with strength. Even the world of mankind is firm. It will not falter.
NOTE: For a PDF of this mizmor, please click here. This will enable you to print out the entire text of the article. [Rev. 0]
Key Concepts of Mizmor 093 (Anticipation of Majesty)
This is the fourth in the series of 11 mizmorim that were originally composed by Moshe Rabbeinu and subsequently incorporated into Tehilim by David. It was designed to be sung in the Bais HaMikdash as the Song of the Day for the sixth day of the week.
Through the power of nevuah (prophecy) this brief but momentous mizmor looks ahead to anticipate the thime of the final Geulah (Redemption) when the authority of Hashem as King of the universe will have been finally recognized by all of mankind.
The singer draws a word picture of our great joy in that future era. He emphasizes that despite the events of the Geulah, the power of Hashem has been unchanged since before the dawn of time. Nevertheless, many challenges had to be overcome before Hashem’s majesty was finally recognized and acknowledged. The singer visualizes the challenging forces as destructive floods that threatened to wash away civilization. In the end Hashem demonstrated His supremacy and reestablished His presence in the Bais HaMikdash among His people.
Exploring the Mizmor
PART 1. MAJESTY BEGINS. The mizmor opens shortly after the Geulah has occurred and Hashem has been acknowledged as King of the universe. The singer celebrates the glory of the King that has now been revealed, but recalls that Hashem has existed unchanged for all time, from before Creation.
(א) ה’ מָלָךְ גֵּאוּת לָבֵשׁ לָבֵשׁ ה’ עֹז הִתְאַזָּר אַף־תִּכּוֹן תֵּבֵל בַּל־תִּמּוֹט: (ב) נָכוֹן כִּסְאֲךָ מֵאָז מֵעוֹלָם אָתָּה:
(1) Hashem has reigned. He has donned His majesty. Hashem has donned His majesty and has girded Himself with strength. Even the world of mankind is firm. It will not falter. (2) Your throne has been firmly established [among men] from [the present time] but You are from [before] eternity.
PART 2. CHALLENGES OVERCOME. The singer touches upon the challenges that had to be overcome in the final stages preceding the Geulah. The forces of the enemy nations that caused Yisrael so much suffering are compared to torrential rivers and to the pounding breakers of the sea. In the end Hashem has been demonstrated as being mightier than all.
(ג) נָשְׂאוּ נְהָרוֹת ה’ נָשְׂאוּ נְהָרוֹת קוֹלָם יִשְׂאוּ נְהָרוֹת דָּכְיָם: (ד) מִקֹּלוֹת מַיִם רַבִּים אַדִּירִים מִשְׁבְּרֵי־יָם אַדִּיר בַּמָּרוֹם ה’:
(3) The rivers raised [their voices], O Hashem. The rivers raised their voices. The rivers continue to raise their roar. (4) Greater than the sounds of many waters, more majestic than the breakers of the sea, You are majestic on high, Hashem.
PART 3. PERMANENCE OF MAJESTY. The singer joyfully declares that the promises of the prophets have finally been fulfilled and the Bais HaMikdash is rebuilt once more. The mizmor ends with a tefillah that Hashem will continue to reside among the people for all time.
(ה) עֵדֹתֶיךָ נֶאֶמְנוּ מְאֹד לְבֵיתְךָ נַאֲוָה־קֹדֶשׁ ה’ לְאֹרֶךְ יָמִים:
(5) Your testimonies are most trustworthy. As for Your House, the Sacred dwelling, Hashem, may it be for all time.
Learning the Mizmor
PART 1. MAJESTY BEGINS.
(א) ה’ מָלָךְ גֵּאוּת לָבֵשׁ
At long last, Hashem has been acknowledged as the King for He has always reigned — ה’ מָלָךְ over the universe. He has now donned His true majesty — גֵּאוּת לָבֵשׁ , whereby He performs miraculous events at will.
לָבֵשׁ ה’ עֹז הִתְאַזָּר
אַף תִּכּוֹן תֵּבֵל בַּל תִּמּוֹט:
אַף תִּכּוֹן תֵּבֵל בַּל תִּמּוֹט:
Hashem has donned His majesty — לָבֵשׁ ה’ and has girded Himself with strength — עֹז הִתְאַזָּר to maintain the continuity of the laws of nature. Even the world of mankind is firm — אַף־תִּכּוֹן תֵּבֵל . It will not falter — בַּל־תִּמּוֹט because there will no longer be evildoers to cause unrest.
(ב) נָכוֹן כִּסְאֲךָ מֵאָז
מֵעוֹלָם אָתָּה:
מֵעוֹלָם אָתָּה:
Your throne, which symbolizes the universal recognition of Your supremacy, has been firmly established — נָכוֹן כִּסְאֲךָ , from then — מֵאָז , the moment of the Geulah. You Yourself are unchanging from eternity — מֵעוֹלָם אָתָּה .
PART 2. CHALLENGES OVERCOME.
(ג) נָשְׂאוּ נְהָרוֹת ה’
נָשְׂאוּ נְהָרוֹת קוֹלָם
יִשְׂאוּ נְהָרוֹת דָּכְיָם:
נָשְׂאוּ נְהָרוֹת קוֹלָם
יִשְׂאוּ נְהָרוֹת דָּכְיָם:
Hashem, there are no forces that can successfully challenge Your power. The enemy nations are like torrential rivers that raised the sound of their voices, O Hashem — נָשְׂאוּ נְהָרוֹת ה’ to terrorize those who fear You. Indeed, the rivers raised their voices — נָשְׂאוּ נְהָרוֹת קוֹלָם . The rivers continue to raise their roar — יִשְׂאוּ נְהָרוֹת דָּכְיָם .
(ד) מִקֹּלוֹת מַיִם רַבִּים
אַדִּירִים מִשְׁבְּרֵי יָם
אַדִּיר בַּמָּרוֹם ה’:
אַדִּירִים מִשְׁבְּרֵי יָם
אַדִּיר בַּמָּרוֹם ה’:
Greater than the thundering sounds of many waters — מִקֹּלוֹת מַיִם רַבִּים , more majestic than the pounding breakers of the sea — אַדִּירִים מִשְׁבְּרֵי־יָם , You are majestic on high, Hashem — אַדִּיר בַּמָּרוֹם ה’ .
PART 3. PERMANENCE OF MAJESTY.
(ה) עֵדֹתֶיךָ נֶאֶמְנוּ מְאֹד
לְבֵיתְךָ נַאֲוָה קֹדֶשׁ
ה’ לְאֹרֶךְ יָמִים:
לְבֵיתְךָ נַאֲוָה קֹדֶשׁ
ה’ לְאֹרֶךְ יָמִים:
Your Torah’s testimonies and the words of Your prophets are most trustworthy — עֵדֹתֶיךָ נֶאֶמְנוּ מְאֹד and so we confidently rely on the faithfulness of Your promise for the future. As for Your House, the Sacred Dwelling — לְבֵיתְךָ נַאֲוָה־קֹדֶשׁ , Hashem, may it be rebuilt and endure for all time — ה’ לְאֹרֶךְ יָמִים .
Sources
The primary sources used in the interpretation of the verses in this mizmor are listed below.
א – רש”י, רד”ק, מצודות, מלבי”ם, ספורנו, רשר”ה
ב – רד”ק, ספורנו
ג – רש”י, רד”ק, מצודות, המאירי, בן־רמוך
ד – רש”י, רד”ק
ה – רש”י, רד”ק, המאירי