Psalms

Psalm 78:68–71

⁶⁸But He chose the tribe of Judah,

Mount Zion, which He loved.

⁶⁹He built His sanctuary like the heights,

like the earth He has established forever.

⁷⁰He chose David His servant

and took him from the sheepfolds;

⁷¹from tending the ewes He brought him

to be shepherd of His people Jacob,

of Israel His inheritance.

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
But He chose	וַ֭יִּבְחַר	way·yiḇ·ḥar	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H977 choose
the tribe	שֵׁ֣בֶט	šê·ḇeṭ	Noun - masculine singular construct	H7626 rod, staff, club, sceptre
of Judah	יְהוּדָ֑ה	yə·hū·ḏāh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3063 Judah
Mount	הַ֥ר	har	Noun - masculine singular construct	H2022 mountain, hill, hill-country
Zion	צִ֝יּ֗וֹן	ṣî·yō·wn	Noun - proper - feminine singular	H6726 Zion
which	אֲשֶׁ֣ר	’ă·šer	Pronoun - relative	H834 particle of relation
He loved	אָהֵֽב׃	’ā·hêḇ	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H157 love

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
He built	וַיִּ֣בֶן	way·yi·ḇen	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H1129 build
His sanctuary	מִקְדָּשׁ֑וֹ	miq·dā·šōw	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H4720 sacred place, sanctuary
like	כְּמוֹ־	kə·mōw-	Preposition	H3644 like, as, when
the heights	רָ֭מִים	rā·mîm	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural	H7311 be high, exalted, rise
like the earth	כְּ֝אֶ֗רֶץ	kə·’e·reṣ	Preposition-k; Noun - feminine singular	H776 earth, land
He has established	יְסָדָ֥הּ	yə·sā·ḏāh	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular; third person feminine singular	H3245 establish, found, fix
forever	לְעוֹלָֽם׃	lə·‘ō·w·lām	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine singular	H5769 long duration, antiquity, futurity

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
He chose	וַ֭יִּבְחַר	way·yiḇ·ḥar	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H977 choose
David	בְּדָוִ֣ד	bə·ḏā·wiḏ	Preposition-b; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H1732 David
His servant	עַבְדּ֑וֹ	‘aḇ·dōw	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H5650 slave, servant
and took him	וַ֝יִּקָּחֵ֗הוּ	way·yiq·qā·ḥê·hū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular; third person masculine singular	H3947 take
from the sheepfolds	מִֽמִּכְלְאֹ֥ת	mim·miḵ·lə·’ōṯ	Preposition-m; Noun - masculine plural construct	H4356 pen

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
from tending	מֵאַחַ֥ר	mê·’a·ḥar	Preposition-m	H310 behind
the ewes	עָל֗וֹת	‘ā·lō·wṯ	Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine plural	H5763 give suck
He brought him	הֱ֫בִיא֥וֹ	hĕ·ḇî·’ōw	Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular; third person masculine singular	H935 come in, come, go in, go
to be shepherd	לִ֭רְעוֹת	lir·‘ō·wṯ	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H7462 pasture, tend, graze
of His people	עַמּ֑וֹ	‘am·mōw	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H5971 people
Jacob	בְּיַעֲקֹ֣ב	bə·ya·‘ă·qōḇ	Preposition-b; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3290 Jacob
of Israel	וּ֝בְיִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל	ū·ḇə·yiś·rā·’êl	Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3478 Israel
His inheritance	נַחֲלָתֽוֹ׃	na·ḥă·lā·ṯōw	Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H5159 possession, property, inheritance