A Ma῾alot Poem. Lord, remember to David’s favour all his afflictions:

A song of ascents. Remember, O L rd, unto David, all of his tribulation [in seeking a place for your sanctuary]

how he swore to the Lord, and vowed to the mighty God of Ya῾aqov:

which [(to find the place)] he swore to the L rd, vowed to the Strength of Jacob:

Surely I will not come into the tabernacle of my house, nor go up into my bed;

Forefend that I come to the tent of my habitation [my palace], that I go up on the bed spread out for me,

I will not give sleep to my eyes, slumber to my eyelids,

That I give [superfluous] sleep to my eyes or slumber to my lids,

until I find out a place for the Lord, a habitation for the mighty One of Ya῾aqov.

Before I find the [fore-ordained] place for [the Temple of] the L rd, the habitation of the Strength of Jacob.

Lo, we heard of it at Efrat: we found it in Sede-ya῾ar.

We had heard it [that place] to be in Efrat [(the most select of places)], and, lo, we have found it in the fields of the forest [(in the boundary of Benjamin, who is likened to a beast of the forest, viz. Genesis 49:27)].

We will go into his dwelling places: we will worship at his footstool.

[Now that we have found it,] we shall come [there] to His habitation; we shall bow down to His footstool.

Arise, O Lord, to Thy resting place; Thou, and the ark of Thy strength.

Arise, O L rd, to Your rest [i.e., a permanent habitation for Your Shechinah], You and the ark of [i.e., the ark which manifests] Your strength.

Let Thy priests be clothed with righteousness; and let Thy pious ones shout for joy.

Your priests will clothe themselves in righteousness [i.e., the priestly vestments, which atone for sinners], and Your saints [the Levites] will sing.

For Thy servant David’s sake do not turn away the face of Thy anointed.

For the sake of David your servant, do not turn away the face [i.e., the prayers] of Your anointed one [(Solomon, when he comes to place the ark there)].

The Lord has sworn in truth to David; he will not turn from it; One of the sons of thy body will I set upon thy throne.

The L rd has sworn truth unto David; He will not depart from it — From the fruit of your innards I shall establish a throne for you.

If thy children will keep my covenant and my Testimony that I shall teach them, their children shall also sit upon thy throne for evermore.

If your children heed My covenant and this, My testimony, that I teach them, their children, too, forever, will sit on this throne of yours.

For the Lord has chosen Żiyyon: he has desired it for his habitation.

For the L rd has chosen Zion; He has desired it as a habitation for Himself.

This is my resting place forever: here will I dwell; for I have desired it.

This is My resting place forever; here shall I dwell, for I have desired it.

I will abundantly bless her provisions: I will satisfy her poor with bread.

[From that place] I shall bless her [Zion's] sustenance; I shall sate her poor with bread.

I will also clothe her priests with salvation: and her pious ones shall shout aloud for joy.

And I shall clothe her priests [(through the priestly vestments)] with salvation, and her saints shall sing.

There will I make the horn of David to shoot up: I have set up a lamp for my anointed.

There [in Zion] I shall make flourish the horn of David; there I have readied the lamp for My anointed one.

His enemies I will clothe with shame: but upon himself his crown will flourish.

I shall clothe his foes with shame, but upon him shall shine his crown.