יְהוָ֞ה עֻזִּ֧י וּמָעֻזִּ֛י וּמְנוּסִ֖י בְּיֹ֣ום צָרָ֑ה אֵלֶ֗יךָ גֹּויִ֤ם יָבֹ֨אוּ֙ מֵֽאַפְסֵי־אָ֔רֶץ וְיֹאמְר֗וּ אַךְ־שֶׁ֨קֶר֙ נָחֲל֣וּ אֲבֹותֵ֔ינוּ הֶ֖בֶל וְאֵֽין־בָּ֥ם מֹועִֽיל׃
YHWH, my strength and my stronghold and my refuge in the day of distress, to You nations will come from the ends of the earth and say, “Surely our fathers have inherited falsehood, vanity, and there is no profit in them.”
Morphology
- יְהוָ֞ה (YHWH) – Root: הוה (hwh); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The personal name of the God of Yisraʾel.
- עֻזִּ֧י (uzzi) – Root: עזז (ʿazaz); Form: Noun masculine singular + 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “my strength”; Notes: Expresses divine empowerment.
- וּמָעֻזִּ֛י (u-maʿuzzi) – Root: מעוז (maʿoz); Form: Conjunction + noun masculine singular + 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “and my stronghold”; Notes: Denotes protection and security.
- וּמְנוּסִ֖י (u-menusi) – Root: נוס (nus); Form: Conjunction + noun masculine singular + 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “and my refuge”; Notes: Refuge in times of danger.
- בְּיֹ֣ום (be-yom) – Root: יום (yom); Form: Preposition בְּ + noun masculine singular; Translation: “in the day”; Notes: Temporal setting for seeking refuge.
- צָרָ֑ה (tsarah) – Root: צרר (tsarar); Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “distress”; Notes: Refers to a time of trouble or calamity.
- אֵלֶ֗יךָ (eilekha) – Root: אל (ʾel); Form: Preposition + 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “to You”; Notes: Direction of petition or pilgrimage.
- גֹּויִ֤ם (goyim) – Root: גוי (goy); Form: Noun masculine plural; Translation: “nations”; Notes: Refers to non-Yisraʾelite peoples.
- יָבֹ֨אוּ (yavoʾu) – Root: בוא (bo); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “will come”; Notes: Describes a future turning of the nations to YHWH.
- מֵֽאַפְסֵי־אָ֔רֶץ (me-afsei-aretz) – Root: אפס (ʾafes) + ארץ (ʾerets); Form: Preposition + construct plural + definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “from the ends of the earth”; Notes: Indicates global scope of repentance.
- וְיֹאמְר֗וּ (ve-yomru) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural with vav-consecutive; Translation: “and they shall say”; Notes: Introduces the confession of the nations.
- אַךְ־ (ʾakh) – Root: אך (ʾakh); Form: Adverb; Translation: “surely” or “only”; Notes: Emphatic affirmation of the following clause.
- שֶׁ֨קֶר (sheqer) – Root: שׁקר (sheqer); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “falsehood”; Notes: Refers to deceit or idolatrous religion.
- נָחֲל֣וּ (naḥalu) – Root: נחל (naḥal); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they have inherited”; Notes: Refers to spiritual inheritance from ancestors.
- אֲבֹותֵ֔ינוּ (avoteinu) – Root: אב (ʾav); Form: Plural noun with 1st person plural suffix; Translation: “our fathers”; Notes: Acknowledges generational error.
- הֶ֖בֶל (hevel) – Root: הבל (hevel); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “vanity” or “emptiness”; Notes: Common term for idols or meaningless pursuits.
- וְאֵֽין־ (ve-ein) – Root: אין (ʾein); Form: Conjunction + particle of nonexistence; Translation: “and there is not”; Notes: Denies presence of benefit or value.
- בָּ֥ם (bam) – Root: ב (be); Form: Preposition + 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “in them”; Notes: Refers to the false gods or inherited lies.
- מֹועִֽיל (moʿil) – Root: יעל (yaʿal); Form: Participle masculine singular; Translation: “profit” or “benefit”; Notes: Denotes usefulness—none is found in idolatry.