Verses Of Praise

p'sukei d'zimrah

פְּסוּקֵי דְּזִמְרָה

Chabad: ' is a reduced vowel — every vocal shva, always pronounced. - separates syllables that would otherwise run together.

How to read the transliterations

Praise God with musical instruments

Hebrew

הַלְלוּיָהּ,¹ הַלְלוּ אֵל בְּקָדְשׁוֹ,
הַלְלוּהוּ בִּרְקִיעַ
עֻזּוֹ: הַלְלוּהוּ בִגְבוּרֹתָיו, הַלְלוּהוּ
כְּרֹב גֻּדְלוֹ: הַלְלוּהוּ בְּתֵקַע
שׁוֹפָר,² הַלְלוּהוּ בְּנֵבֶל וְכִנּוֹר:
הַלְלוּהוּ בְתֹף וּמָחוֹל,³ הַלְלוּהוּ
בְּמִנִּים וְעֻגָב: הַלְלוּהוּ בְצִלְצְלֵי
שָׁמַע, הַלְלוּהוּ בְּצִלְצְלֵי תְרוּעָה:
כֹּל הַנְּשָׁמָה תְּהַלֵּל יָהּ הַלְלוּיָהּ:
כֹּל הַנְּשָׁמָה תְּהַלֵּל יָהּ הַלְלוּיָהּ:

Chabad

hal'luyoh, hal'lu Eil b'kodshoy,
hal'luhu birkia
uzoy: hal'luhu vigvuroysov, hal'luhu
k'royv gudloy: hal'luhu b'seika
shoyfor, hal'luhu b'neivel v'chinoyr:
hal'luhu v'soyf umochoyl, hal'luhu
b'minim v'ugov: hal'luhu v'tziltz'lei
shoma, hal'luhu b'tziltz'lei s'ru-oh:
koyl han'shomoh t'haleil Yoh hal'luyoh:
koyl han'shomoh t'haleil Yoh hal'luyoh:

Stand and remain standing until after בָּרְכוּ, on page 362.

God and His name are blessed forever

Hebrew

בָּרוּךְ יְהֹוָה לְעוֹלָם, אָמֵן וְאָמֵן:
בָּרוּךְ יְהֹוָה מִצִּיּוֹן שֹׁכֵן
יְרוּשָׁלָיִם, הַלְלוּיָהּ: בָּרוּךְ יְהֹוָה
אֱלֹהִים אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, עֹשֵׂה
נִפְלָאוֹת לְבַדּוֹ:⁴ וּבָרוּךְ שֵׁם
כְּבוֹדוֹ לְעוֹלָם, וְיִמָּלֵא כְבוֹדוֹ
אֶת כָּל הָאָרֶץ,⁵ אָמֵן וְאָמֵן:

Chabad

boruch Adonoy l'oylom, Omein v'Omein:
boruch Adonoy mitziyoyn shoychein
y'rusholoyim, hal'luyoh: boruch Adonoy
Eloyhim Eloyhei Yisro-eil, oyseih
niflo-oys l'vadoy: uvoruch sheim
k'voydoy l'oylom, v'yimolei ch'voydoy
es kol ho-oretz, Omein v'Omein:

Everything in this world comes from God

Hebrew

וַיְבָרֶךְ דָּוִיד אֶת יְהֹוָה לְעֵינֵי כָל
הַקָּהָל, וַיֹּאמֶר דָּוִיד,
בָּרוּךְ⁶ אַתָּה יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל
אָבִינוּ, מֵעוֹלָם וְעַד עוֹלָם: לְךָ יְהֹוָה
הַגְּדֻלָּה, וְהַגְּבוּרָה, וְהַתִּפְאֶרֶת,
וְהַנֵּצַח, וְהַהוֹד, כִּי כֹל בַּשָּׁמַיִם
וּבָאָרֶץ, לְךָ יְהֹוָה הַמַּמְלָכָה
וְהַמִּתְנַשֵּׂא לְכֹל לְרֹאשׁ: וְהָעֹשֶׁר
וְהַכָּבוֹד מִלְּפָנֶיךָ, וְאַתָּה מוֹשֵׁל
בַּכֹּל, וּבְיָדְךָ כֹּחַ וּגְבוּרָה, וּבְיָדְךָ,
לְגַדֵּל וּלְחַזֵּק לַכֹּל: וְעַתָּה אֱלֹהֵינוּ,
מוֹדִים אֲנַחְנוּ לָךְ, וּמְהַלְלִים
לְשֵׁם תִּפְאַרְתֶּךָ: וִיבָרְכוּ שֵׁם
כְּבוֹדֶךָ, וּמְרוֹמָם עַל כָּל בְּרָכָה
וּתְהִלָּה: אַתָּה הוּא יְהֹוָה לְבַדֶּךָ,
אַתָּה עָשִׂיתָ אֶת הַשָּׁמַיִם,⁷ שְׁמֵי
הַשָּׁמַיִם, וְכָל צְבָאָם, הָאָרֶץ וְכָל
אֲשֶׁר עָלֶיהָ, הַיַּמִּים וְכָל אֲשֶׁר
בָּהֶם, וְאַתָּה מְחַיֶּה אֶת כֻּלָּם,
וּצְבָא הַשָּׁמַיִם לְךָ מִשְׁתַּחֲוִים:⁸

Chabad

vay'vorech Dovid es Adonoy l'einei chol
hakohol, vayoymer Dovid,
boruch atoh Adonoy Eloyhei Yisro-eil
ovinu, mei-oylom v'ad oylom: l'cho Adonoy
hag'duloh, v'hag'vuroh, v'hatiferes,
v'haneitzach, v'hahoyd, ki choyl bashomayim
uvo-oretz, l'cho Adonoy hamamlochoh
v'hamisnasei l'choyl l'roysh: v'ho-oysher
v'hakovoyd mil'fonecho, v'atoh moysheil
bakoyl, uv'yod'cho koyach ug'vuroh, uv'yod'cho,
l'gadeil ul'chazeik lakoyl: v'atoh Eloyheinu,
moydim anachnu loch, um'hal'lim
l'sheim tifartecho: vivor'chu sheim
k'voydecho, um'roymom al kol b'rochoh
us'hiloh: atoh hu Adonoy l'vadecho,
atoh osiso es hashomayim, sh'mei
hashomayim, v'chol tz'vo-om, ho-oretz v'chol
asher oleho, hayamim v'chol asher
bohem, v'atoh m'chayeh es kulom,
utz'vo hashomayim l'cho mishtachavim:

Commentary

1 This Psalm describes the way in which God "lowers Himself" into this world. Initially, God is in "His holy surroundings," separate from the world, in His infinite holy state. He then prepares the world for His Godliness by creating "space" to filter and conceal His infinite energy. Finally, God limits His energy "with His strength," so that it may descend into the world and provide life for every creation according to its needs.

2 The sound of the shofar is not a sweet and gentle sound, but rather one that brings awe upon the listener. There are angels whose job it is to "praise God" with awe, and their praise is referred to as the blast of a shofar.

3 The sound of the drum is abrupt and loud. It symbolizes a sudden life event that "shocks" us and strengthens our resolve to fight the negative forces that surround us.

4 God performs many miracles that we don't even know about; to us they seem part of the natural order of the world. God "alone" knows of their miraculous nature.

5 Although the world is already filled with God's glory, this glory is hidden. We therefore ask that the time should come for His full glory to finally be revealed.

6 The Hebrew word for "blessing," בְּרָכָה, can also be translated as "drawing down." We acknowledge to God that His essence is "higher than any drawing down"—it is too holy for us to reveal in this world. We can only recognize its existence and be humble before it.

7 God is the only true existence. Although He created the heavens and the earth, He remains "alone," because nothing can compare to Him and His infinite powers.

8 This verse speaks not only of the spiritual creations in heavens—the angels—but also the physical celestial bodies. The sun, for example, expresses its humility to God each day by setting in the west, which is the direction of God's Divine Presence.