Psalms

Psalm 43:1–5

¹Vindicate me, O God, and plead my case

against an ungodly nation;

deliver me from deceitful and unjust men.

²For You are the God of my refuge.

Why have You rejected me?

Why must I walk in sorrow

because of the enemy’s oppression?

³Send out Your light and Your truth;

let them lead me.

Let them bring me to Your holy mountain

and to the place where You dwell.

⁴Then I will go to the altar of God,

to God, my greatest joy.

I will praise You with the harp,

O God, my God.

⁵Why are you downcast, O my soul?

Why the unease within me?

Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him,

my Savior and my God.

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Vindicate me	שָׁפְטֵ֤נִי	šā·p̄ə·ṭê·nî	Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular; first person common singular	H8199 judge, govern
O God	אֱלֹהִ֨ים׀	’ĕ·lō·hîm	Noun - masculine plural	H430 God
and plead	וְרִ֘יבָ֤ה	wə·rî·ḇāh	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular; third person feminine singular	H7378 strive, contend
my case	רִיבִ֗י	rî·ḇî	Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common singular	H7379 strife, dispute
against an ungodly	לֹא־	lō-	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
nation	מִגּ֥וֹי	mig·gō·w	Preposition-m; Noun - masculine singular	H1471 nation, people
deliver me	תְפַלְּטֵֽנִי׃	ṯə·p̄al·lə·ṭê·nî	Verb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine singular; first person common singular	H6403 escape
from deceitful	מִרְמָ֖ה	mir·māh	Noun - feminine singular	H4820 deceit, treachery
and unjust	וְעַוְלָ֣ה	wə·‘aw·lāh	Conjunctive waw; Noun - feminine singular	H5766 injustice, unrighteousness
men	מֵ֤אִישׁ־	mê·’îš-	Preposition-m; Noun - masculine singular construct	H376 man

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
For	כִּֽי־	kî-	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
You	אַתָּ֤ה׀	’at·tāh	Pronoun - second person masculine singular	H859 thou
are the God	אֱלֹהֵ֣י	’ĕ·lō·hê	Noun - masculine plural construct	H430 God
of my refuge	מָֽעוּזִּי֮	mā·‘ūz·zî	Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common singular	H4581 place or means of safety, protection
Why	לָמָ֪ה	lā·māh	Interrogative	H4100 what? how? aught
have You rejected me	זְנַ֫חְתָּ֥נִי	zə·naḥ·tā·nî	Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular; first person common singular	H2186 reject, spurn
Why	לָֽמָּה־	lām·māh-	Interrogative	H4100 what? how? aught
must I walk	אֶתְהַלֵּ֗ךְ	’eṯ·hal·lêḵ	Verb - Hitpael - Imperfect - first person common singular	H1980 go, come, walk
in sorrow	קֹדֵ֥ר	qō·ḏêr	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular	H6937 be dark
because of the enemy’s	אוֹיֵֽב׃	’ō·w·yêḇ	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular	H341 be hostile to
oppression	בְּלַ֣חַץ	bə·la·ḥaṣ	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct	H3906 oppression, distress

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Send out	שְׁלַח־	šə·laḥ-	Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular	H7971 send
Your light	אוֹרְךָ֣	’ō·wr·ḵā	Noun - common singular construct; second person masculine singular	H216 light
and Your truth	וַ֭אֲמִתְּךָ	wa·’ă·mit·tə·ḵā	Conjunctive waw; Noun - feminine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H571 firmness, faithfulness, truth
let them	הֵ֣מָּה	hêm·māh	Pronoun - third person masculine plural	H1992 they, them
lead me	יַנְח֑וּנִי	yan·ḥū·nî	Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine plural; first person common singular	H5148 lead, guide
Let them bring me	יְבִיא֥וּנִי	yə·ḇî·’ū·nî	Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine plural; first person common singular	H935 come in, come, go in, go
to	אֶל־	’el-	Preposition	H413 motion to
Your holy	קָ֝דְשְׁךָ֗	qāḏ·šə·ḵā	Noun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H6944 sacred, sanctity
mountain	הַֽר־	har-	Noun - masculine singular construct	H2022 mountain, hill, hill-country
and to	וְאֶל־	wə·’el-	Conjunctive waw; Preposition	H413 motion to
the place where You dwell	מִשְׁכְּנוֹתֶֽיךָ׃	miš·kə·nō·w·ṯe·ḵā	Noun - masculine plural construct; second person masculine singular	H4908 dwelling-place, 'tabernacle'

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Then I will go	וְאָב֤וֹאָה׀	wə·’ā·ḇō·w·’āh	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative - first person common singular	H935 come in, come, go in, go
to	אֶל־	’el-	Preposition	H413 motion to
the altar	מִזְבַּ֬ח	miz·baḥ	Noun - masculine singular construct	H4196 altar
of God	אֱלֹהִ֗ים	’ĕ·lō·hîm	Noun - masculine plural	H430 God
to	אֶל־	’el-	Preposition	H413 motion to
God	אֵל֮	’êl	Noun - masculine singular construct	H410 god
my greatest joy	שִׂמְחַ֪ת	śim·ḥaṯ	Noun - feminine singular construct	H8057 joy, gladness, mirth
I will praise	וְאוֹדְךָ֥	wə·’ō·wḏ·ḵā	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative if contextual - first person common singular; second person masculine singular	H3034 throw, cast
You with the harp	בְכִנּ֗וֹר	ḇə·ḵin·nō·wr	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct	H3658 lyre
O God	אֱלֹהִ֥ים	’ĕ·lō·hîm	Noun - masculine plural	H430 God
my God	אֱלֹהָֽי׃	’ĕ·lō·hāy	Noun - masculine plural construct; first person common singular	H430 God

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Why	מַה־	mah-	Interrogative	H4100 what? how? aught
are you downcast	תִּשְׁתּ֬וֹחֲחִ֨י׀	tiš·tō·w·ḥă·ḥî	Verb - Hitpael - Imperfect - second person feminine singular	H7817 bow, be bowed down, crouch
O my soul	נַפְשִׁי֮	nap̄·šî	Noun - feminine singular construct; first person common singular	H5315 soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, appetite, emotion, and passion
Why	וּֽמַה־	ū·mah-	Conjunctive waw; Interrogative	H4100 what? how? aught
the unease	תֶּהֱמִ֪י	te·hĕ·mî	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person feminine singular	H1993 murmur, growl, roar, be boisterous
within me	עָ֫לָ֥י	‘ā·lāy	Preposition; first person common singular	H5921 height
Put your hope	הוֹחִ֣ילִי	hō·w·ḥî·lî	Verb - Hifil - Imperative - feminine singular	H3176 wait
in God	לֵֽ֭אלֹהִים	lê·lō·hîm	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine plural	H430 God
for	כִּי־	kî-	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
I will yet	ע֣וֹד	‘ō·wḏ	Adverb	H5750 a going round, continuance
praise Him	אוֹדֶ֑נּוּ	’ō·w·ḏen·nū	Verb - Hifil - Imperfect Cohortative if contextual - first person common singular; third person masculine singular	H3034 throw, cast
my Savior	יְשׁוּעֹ֥ת	yə·šū·‘ōṯ	Noun - feminine plural construct	H3444 salvation
and my God	וֵֽאלֹהָֽי׃	wê·lō·hāy	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine plural construct; first person common singular	H430 God