Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    Book of Psalms in Plain English: A Contemporary Reading of Tehillim
    Book of Psalms in Plain English: A Contemporary Reading of Tehillim
    Book of Psalms in Plain English: A Contemporary Reading of Tehillim
    Ebook211 pages2 hours

    Book of Psalms in Plain English: A Contemporary Reading of Tehillim

    By Aaron Lichtenstein

    5/5

    ()

    Read preview

    About this ebook

    The ideas and emotions that make the book of Psalms such a powerful text for Judaism and Christianity alike are brilliantly captured in this deft translation by a scholar of Judaism. Aaron Lichtenstein offers the English translation in verse, just as the original Hebrew text is in poetry, in the various poetic modes required by the myriad moods and messages. Readers will be moved by the inspiring words of the Psalms in this essential resource.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherUrim Publications
    Release dateJul 1, 2014
    ISBN9789655240702
    Book of Psalms in Plain English: A Contemporary Reading of Tehillim

    Read more from Aaron Lichtenstein

    Related to Book of Psalms in Plain English

    Related ebooks

    Judaism For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      Ilse Kleyn Prophetic Artist

      Jun 24, 2019

      Ilse Kleyn Prophetic Artist
      7 min read

    • Article

      A Prayer for October

      Sep 19, 2020

      A Prayer for October
      10 min read

    • Article

      A Prayer for July

      May 15, 2021

      A Prayer for July
      10 min read

    • Article

      A Burden On The Heart Of The Believer “I Charge You Therefore, Preach The Word!”

      Oct 21, 2019

      Most of us would recognise that the last words of a great and godly man or woman before their death would likely be words of great value. Words to consider and ponder. Jesus’ seven statements from the Cross are of that category and are thus recorded

      5 min read

    • Article

      A Prayer for June

      May 15, 2021

      A Prayer for June
      9 min read

    • Article

      Letters To The EDITOR

      Apr 5, 2024

      D ear readers, we love to hear your thoughts on the stories that we publish, what is going on around the world, and what the Lord has placed on your heart! Email your letter through to editor@joymag.co.za for a chance to be featured – please try to k

      10 min read

    • Article

      Irresistible Grace

      Feb 10, 2023

      In his book Surprised by Joy, C.S. Lewis describes an insight about divine mercy that particularly resonates with my own experience. I suspect it may also resonate with yours. Stories of how people come to Christ are as unique as the individuals that

      3 min read

    • Article

      The Parables Of Jesus

      Mar 8, 2024

      The Parables Of Jesus
      4 min read

    • Article

      A Guest At The Table

      Aug 7, 2018

      The 3-year-old son of a rabbi who's visiting this obscure corner of the diaspora already stands tall and straight -- like the proper mensch he is becoming, complete with skullcap, earlocks and a blue-and-white fringed garment in accordance with the b

      2 min read

    • Article

      FAMILY TIME with God

      Aug 25, 2023

      FAMILY TIME with God
      3 min read

    • Article

      Foreshocks Of Revelation: One Day Everything Will Be Shaken

      Apr 13, 2020

      It’s true that the coronavirus has caused massive upheaval around the world. Whole countries are being quarantined (as South Africa recently was). Massive sports events were cancelled. Schools were closed. The stock markets collapsed. But this is a m

      4 min read

    • Article

      A Prayer for November

      Sep 19, 2020

      A Prayer for November
      10 min read

    • Article

      3 Points To Ponder On Being Lukewarm

      Sep 23, 2022

      My wife, Jackie, and I have just returned from leading an extremely blessed 7 Churches of Revelation tour with our JOY! travellers. Every time we lead a Turkey trip, I am acutely aware of the presence of the Holy Spirit and the impact this trip has o

      2 min read

    • Article

      The Lost Language of Lament

      Jul 30, 2021

      The Lost Language of Lament
      3 min read

    • Article

      The Epic Of Gilgamesh

      Jan 1, 2020

      My friends, who can reach heaven? The monster bellows like a river swollen with flood.Many are consumed in his fiery breath. My friends, who can reach heaven? Let us ask the mountain for a sign.Let us cut the spirits from the cedars. My friends, who

      3 min read

    • Article

      Proverbs

      Apr 22, 2019

      Proverbs
      2 min read

    • Article

      Patricia Smith

      Mar 15, 2019

      but which verbs do you employ when it’s clear that you are tryingto side-eye murder your mother, when you are the chilling moral of every blazing honor thy Sunday sermon, when you are nothingless than blasphemy blown wide? How you do lift the bleatin

      1 min read

    • Article

      Brightest Blessings!

      Dec 12, 2021

      Brightest Blessings!
      5 min read

    • Article

      Love Born

      Sep 4, 2020

      Love Born
      3 min read

    • Article

      A Change Takes Place

      Oct 28, 2019

      A Change Takes Place
      5 min read

    Related categories

    Reviews for Book of Psalms in Plain English

    5/5

    1 rating0 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

      Book preview

      Book of Psalms in Plain English - Aaron Lichtenstein

      THE BOOK OF

      PSALMS

      IN PLAIN ENGLISH

      Aaron Lichtenstein

      URIM PUBLICATIONS

      Jerusalem • New York

      The Book of Psalms in Plain English

      by Aaron Lichtenstein

      Copyright © 2011, 2006 by Aaron Lichtenstein

      All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any manner whatsoever without permission from the copyright owner, except in the case of brief quotations with credit to the book title and translator and publisher, as follows: Excerpted from The Book of Psalms in Plain English by Aaron Lichtenstein (Urim).

      First hardcover edition printed in Jerusalem.

      Epub format ISBN: 978-965-524-070-2

      Kindle format ISBN: 978-965-524-071-9

      Hardcover format ISBN: 965-7108-86-1

      Urim Publications, P.O. Box 52287, Jerusalem 91521 Israel

      Lambda Publishers, Inc.

      527 Empire Blvd., Brooklyn, NY 11225 U.S.A.

      Tel: 718-972-5449 Fax: 718-972-6307 publisher@urimpublications.com

      www.UrimPublications.com

      CONTENTS

      Note for the Reader

      Psalm One

      Psalm Two

      Psalm Three

      Psalm Four

      Psalm Five

      Psalm Six

      Psalm Seven

      Psalm Eight

      Psalm Nine

      Psalm Ten

      Psalm Eleven

      Psalm Twelve

      Psalm Thirteen

      Psalm Fourteen

      Psalm Fifteen

      Psalm Sixteen

      Psalm Seventeen

      Psalm Eighteen

      Psalm Nineteen

      Psalm Twenty

      Psalm Twenty-One

      Psalm Twenty-Two

      Psalm Twenty-Three

      Psalm Twenty Four

      Psalm Twenty-Five

      Psalm Twenty-Six

      Psalm Twenty-Seven

      Psalm Twenty-Eight

      Psalm Twenty-Nine

      Psalm Thirty

      Psalm Thirty-One

      Psalm Thirty-Two

      Psalm Thirty-Three

      Psalm Thirty-Four

      Psalm Thirty-Five

      Psalm Thirty-Six

      Psalm Thirty-Seven

      Psalm Thirty-Eight

      Psalm Thirty-Nine

      Psalm Forty

      Psalm Forty-One

      Psalm Forty-Two

      Psalm Forty-Three

      Psalm Forty-Four

      Psalm Forty-Five

      Psalm Forty-Six

      Psalm Forty-Seven

      Psalm Forty-Eight

      Psalm Forty-Nine

      Psalm Fifty

      Psalm Fifty-One

      Psalm Fifty-Two

      Psalm Fifty-Three

      Psalm Fifty-Four

      Psalm Fifty-Five

      Psalm Fifty-Six

      Psalm Fifty-Seven

      Psalm Fifty-Eight

      Psalm Fifty-Nine

      Psalm Sixty

      Psalm Sixty-One

      Psalm Sixty-Two

      Psalm Sixty-Three

      Psalm Sixty-Four

      Psalm Sixty-Five

      Psalm Sixty-Six

      Psalm Sixty-Seven

      Psalm Sixty-Eight

      Psalm Sixty-Nine

      Psalm Seventy

      Psalm Seventy-One

      Psalm Seventy-Two

      Psalm Seventy-Three

      Psalm Seventy-Four

      Psalm Seventy-Five

      Psalm Seventy-Six

      Psalm Seventy-Seven

      Psalm Seventy-Eight

      Psalm Seventy-Nine

      Psalm Eighty

      Psalm Eighty-One

      Psalm Eighty-Two

      Psalm Eighty-Three

      Psalm Eighty-Four

      Psalm Eighty-Five

      Psalm Eighty-Six

      Psalm Eighty-Seven

      Psalm Eighty-Eight

      Psalm Eighty-Nine

      Psalm Ninety

      Psalm Ninety-One

      Psalm Ninety-Two

      Psalm Ninety-Three

      Psalm Ninety-Four

      Psalm Ninety-Five

      Psalm Ninety-Six

      Psalm Ninety-Seven

      Psalm Ninety-Eight

      Psalm Ninety-Nine

      Psalm One Hundred

      Psalm One Hundred One

      Psalm One Hundred Two

      Psalm One Hundred Three

      Psalm One Hundred Four

      Psalm One Hundred Five

      Psalm One Hundred Six

      Psalm One Hundred Seven

      Psalm One Hundred Eight

      Psalm One Hundred Nine

      Psalm One Hundred Ten

      Psalm One Hundred Eleven

      Psalm One Hundred Twelve

      Psalm One Hundred Thirteen

      Psalm One Hundred Fourteen

      Psalm One Hundred Fifteen

      Psalm One Hundred Sixteen

      Psalm One Hundred Seventeen

      Psalm One Hundred Eighteen

      Psalm One Hundred Nineteen

      Psalm One Hundred Twenty

      Psalm One Hundred Twenty-One

      Psalm One Hundred Twenty-Two

      Psalm One Hundred Twenty-Three

      Psalm One Hundred Twenty-Four

      Psalm One Hundred Twenty-Five

      Psalm One Hundred Twenty-Six

      Psalm One Hundred Twenty-Seven

      Psalm One Hundred Twenty-Eight

      Psalm One Hundred Twenty-Nine

      Psalm One Hundred Thirty

      Psalm One Hundred Thirty-One

      Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Two

      Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Three

      Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Four

      Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Five

      Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Six

      Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Seven

      Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Eight

      Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Nine

      Psalm One Hundred Forty

      Psalm One Hundred Forty-One

      Psalm One Hundred Forty-Two

      Psalm One Hundred Forty-Three

      Psalm One Hundred Forty-Four

      Psalm One Hundred Forty-Five

      Psalm One Hundred Forty-Six

      Psalm One Hundred Forty-Seven

      Psalm One Hundred Forty-Eight

      Psalm One Hundred Forty-Nine

      Psalm One Hundred Fifty

      In Memoriam

      About Aaron Lichtenstein

      NOTE FOR THE READER

      In the following pages, you will find the Book of Psalms itself, its ideas and emotions. The English rendition is in verse, just as the Hebrew original is in poetry – in the various poetic modes required by the varied moods and messages. Our intention is to convey clear insights, accomplished by highlighting the interpretations instead of the words. Maimonides instructed his translator Shmuel ibn Tibbon to render the idea, not the word, and our contemporary readings of the Tehillim follow this advice.

      Aaron Lichtenstein

      Jerusalem, 2006/5766

      PSALM ONE

      Fortunate is the man who never went the way of the wicked,

      Nor consorted with the sinners,

      Nor sat around with the cynics,

      Who instead yearns for God’s teachings,

      And who studies God’s Torah day and night.

      Thereby he will be like a tree near a stream,

      That gives fruit in season and whose leaves never wilt.

      Just so, everything the man undertakes will succeed.

      Not so the evildoers, who are like wind-blown chaff,

      For evildoers shall not stand with the righteous on judgment day,

      For God embraces the ways of the righteous,

      While the ways of evildoers are doomed.

      PSALM TWO

      For nothing do the nations gather at a summit,

      To conspire against God and His elect, resolving:

      "We shall cut all our ties with them,

      And free ourselves from their heavy bonds."

      But the Lord in heaven is laughing at them,

      And to their confusion, responds with anger:

      It is I who has installed a king on holy Mt. Zion.

      Now I’ll tell you what the Lord said to me:

      "You are like a new-born child to me,

      Just ask and I shall give you those nations

      As your birthright possession to the end of the earth,

      You can beat them with an iron club,

      Smash them as if they were earthenware."

      So now, you monarchs and magistrates, get smart:

      Obey and serve the Lord energetically,

      Distribute food, lest He ignite His wrath

      With a burst of fire that wrecks your rule.

      Fortunate are those who put their trust in Him.

      PSALM THREE

      David’s psalm, when he ran away from his son Absalom:

      O Lord, I have so many foes attacking me,

      They say that now even God cannot save me.

      But you, O Lord, are my shield and protection,

      So I can uphold my honor and raise my head.

      I could always call to God and He would respond,

      Indeed, answering me from His holy mountain,

      I could lie down to sleep and wake in His care,

      And I would not fear the political fights around me.

      O Lord, my God, come now and rescue me,

      Slap my attackers and break their teeth.

      But Lord of salvation, always have blessings for Your nation.

      PSALM FOUR

      A composition for voices, a psalm of David:

      My just Lord, have mercy and accept my prayers.

      Among men, who pursue meaningless illusions,

      I am a disgraceful foul blot,

      But know that God takes cognizance of His devotees,

      So He answers me when I cry out to Him.

      Agitate against sin and you will sleep soundly,

      Make the righteous sacrifice, putting your trust in God.

      Many are asking to be shown the way to virtue,

      So Lord, do shine Your bright countenance on us,

      Already my heart is filled with happiness,

      Greater than the joy over a bumper-crop harvest,

      And I can lie down to sleep in perfect peace,

      Because, O Lord, You provide me with Your security.

      PSALM FIVE

      A composition for band, psalm of David:

      O Lord, hear me and listen to my statements,

      O King, accept my plea, as I pray to You.

      By early morning I put my case to You and wait:

      Surely clowns will not gain access to You,

      As indeed You disdain the workers of iniquity,

      And repulse liars, sneaks, and assassins.

      But mercifully, I frequent Your temple for worship,

      So I ask that You grant me a clear success,

      Because the Other has never spoken an honest word,

      His throat opens to tragedy and the grave,

      Condemn him to falling into his own plot,

      Crush him for repeated sins and for defying You.

      Then those who love Your majesty can rejoice assured,

      By bursting into song to celebrate with You,

      For You extend constant blessings to the righteous,

      And protect them with a crown of good wishes.

      PSALM SIX

      A composition for chorus and strings, a psalm of David:

      O Lord, do not punish me in Your anger,

      Have mercy, for I hurt and am weary to the bone,

      My soul has been in confusion for too long,

      Help, O Lord, save my soul out of pity,

      For the dead and buried cannot acknowledge Your Being.

      Weary with sobs, I drench my bedding in tears,

      My eyes grow dim from confronting the enemies.

      Away! all you devils, because God now hears my cry,

      God accepts my pleas and answers my prayer.

      My attackers turn away in abashed disarray,

      Retreating from the shock of disgrace.

      PSALM SEVEN

      A caprice by David which he sang to God

      about Cush ben Yemini:

      My Lord God, save me from those who pursue me,

      Who are ready to tear me apart like a lion.

      My Lord God, if I am guilty as they accuse,

      If I committed the crime of repaying evil for good,

      If I am the upstart aggressor for no real reason,

      Then let my opponents loose for the kill,

      To beat my life and honor into the ground.

      Instead, O Lord, apply the judgment You have set for me,

      And let Your anger flare against my opponents’ wrongs,

      Then the whole world will cheer and acquiesce to Your lordship,

      So Lord who

      Enjoying the preview?
      Page 1 of 1