Repertoire

Psalm 8

Salamon Rossi (c. 1570-1630)

Original Text

English Translation

Original Text

Lamnatseach 'al hagitit
mizmor l'David.
Adonai adoneinu ma adir shimcha
bechol ha'arets
asher tena hod'cha
al hashamayim.

Mipi ol'lim v'yonekim yisadta oz
lema'an tsor'recha
l'hashbit
oyev umitnakem.

Ki ere shamecha
ma'aseh etsbeotecha
yareach vechochavim asher konanta.

Ma enosh ki tizk'renu
uven adam ki tifkedenu.

Vatechas'rehu m'at me'elohim
v'chavod v'hadar t'atrehu.

Tamshilehu
bema'asei yadecha
kol shatah
tachat raglav.

Tsoneh va'alafim kulam v'gam bahamot sadai.
Tsipor shamayim udgei hayam over orchot yamin.

Adonai adoneinu ma'adir shimcha bechol ha'arets.

English Translation

For the leader, upon the Gittech.
A Psalm of David.
Lord, our Lord, how majestic
is Your name throughout the earth,
You who have covered the heavens
with Your splendor!

From the mouths of infants and sucklings
You have founded strength
on account of Your foes,
to put an end to enemy and avenger.

When I behold Your heavens,
the work of Your fingers,
the moon and stars that You set in place,

what is man
that You have been mindful of him,

mortal man that You have taken note of him,
that You have made him little less than divine,

and adorned him with glory and majesty;
You have made him master
over Your handiwork;
laying the world at his feet,

all sheep and oxen, all the wild beasts, the birds of the air, the fish of the sea,
whatever travels the paths of the seas.

O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is Your name throughout the earth!

Hebrew text of Psalm 8

This piece was performed by the SFBC in Songs of Salamon Rossi: Works in Hebrew for Multiple Choirs on October 17, 1998.