Psalm 154
Translation based on Syriac for verses 1-2 and 18b-20, otherwise 11QPsa column XVIII lines 1-16.
1
[With a loud voice glorify God;
in the congregation of the many proclaim his majesty.
2
In the multitude of the upright glorify his name,
and with the faithful recount his greatness.]
3
[Bind] with the good, your souls,
and with the pure to glorify the Most High.
4
Join together to make known his deliverance,
and do not hesitate to make his strength known
and to glorify him before all the simple.
5
For to make known the glory of the Lord, wisdom is given,
6
and to recount the multitude of his deeds, she is made known to humanity,
7
to make known to the simple his strength,
to convey to those who lack thought his greatness,
8
those who are far from her gates
those who are cast out from her entrances.
9
For the Most High, he is the Lord of Jacob;
and his splendor is above all his deeds.
10
The one who glorifies the Most High will be accepted like the one who brings an offering,
11
like the one who brings rams and the sons of cattle,
like the one who cleans the ashes of the altar of the abundance of burnt offerings,
like incense smoke of appeasement from the hand of the righteous.
12
From the mouths of the righteous, her voice is heard,
and from the assembly of the faithful her praise.
13
When they eat in abundance, let us speak,
and when they drink in unison together,
14
they meditate on the Torah of the Most High,
their words to make his power known.
15
How far are the wicked from her word,
from all the insolent, to know her!
16
Behold the eyes of the Lord upon the good ones are compassionate,
17
and upon those who glorify him he increases his steadfast love.
From a time of evil, he will deliver [their] soul
18
[Bless] the Lord who redeems the humble from the hand of the stranger …
[and delivers the pure from the hand of the wicked,
19
who establishes a horn out of Jacob
and a judge of peoples out of Israel.
20
He will spread his tent in Zion
and abide forever in Jerusalem.]
4Q422 column III lines 6-12
And he sent them to Pharaoh […] … plagues […] wo[nd]ers to Egypt […] and they reported his word to Pharaoh, to let [their people] go. [And] he hardened [his] heart [towards] sinning so that the [Isra]elites would know for eternal gene[rations]
and he turned their [water] into blood.
Frogs (were) in all [their] lan[d],
and gnats within all [their] borders,
flies [in] their [hou]ses,
and [they afflic]ted all their […]
and he struck with pestil[ence] their livestock,
and their animals he delivered to [dea]th.
He pla[ced dark]ness in their land,
and absolute darkness in their [houses]
so that no one could see his brother.
[And he struck] their land with hail,
and the[ir] ground [with] frost
to de[stroy al]l the fruit which they ea[t].
And he brought locusts to cover the face of the ea[rth],
heavy locusts in all their territory
to eat all the vegetables in [their] l[and …]
and God har[dened] the heart of [Pharao]h
so that he would not [let them] go,
and in order to multiply wonders.
[And he struck their firstborn,]
the firstfruits of al[l their strength …] … […]
Translations from Aubrey E. Buster, Remembering the Story of Israel.