(א) לְדָוִ֨ד ׀ יי ׀ אוֹרִ֣י וְ֭יִשְׁעִי מִמִּ֣י אִירָ֑א יי מָֽעוֹז־חַ֝יַּ֗י מִמִּ֥י אֶפְחָֽד׃ (ב) בִּקְרֹ֤ב עָלַ֨י ׀ מְרֵעִים֮ לֶאֱכֹ֪ל אֶת־בְּשָׂ֫רִ֥י צָרַ֣י וְאֹיְבַ֣י לִ֑י הֵ֖מָּה כָשְׁל֣וּ וְנָפָֽלוּ׃ (ג) אִם־תַּחֲנֶ֬ה עָלַ֨י ׀ מַחֲנֶה֮ לֹֽא־יִירָ֪א לִ֫בִּ֥י אִם־תָּק֣וּם עָ֭לַי מִלְחָמָ֑ה בְּ֝זֹ֗את אֲנִ֣י בוֹטֵֽחַ׃
Adonai is my light and my help, whom should I fear?
Adonai is my source of strength, who can frighten me?
Though those who wish me harm draw near to devour me -these foes, these enemies –they stumble and fall.
If they surrounded me on all sides,
still my heart would be fearless—
If they warred on me,
I would still trust.
In the first section, the Psalmist expresses faith and confidence in God’s protection. Given the context of the rest of the psalm, this reads less as an expression of total confidence than an attempt to remind him or herself of God’s protecting power. It seems like a mantra, lines we say to ourselves as encouragement in times of difficulty and stress.
Reflection:
-
What has helped you cope in times of stress or difficulty? Do you have a go-to line or mantra that gives you strength and encouragement?
(ד) אַחַ֤ת ׀ שָׁאַ֣לְתִּי מֵֽאֵת־יי אוֹתָ֪הּ אֲבַ֫קֵּ֥שׁ שִׁבְתִּ֣י בְּבֵית־יי כָּל־יְמֵ֣י חַיַּ֑י לַחֲז֥וֹת בְּנֹֽעַם־יי וּלְבַקֵּ֥ר בְּהֵיכָלֽוֹ׃ (ה) כִּ֤י יִצְפְּנֵ֨נִי ׀ בְּסֻכֹּה֮ בְּי֪וֹם רָ֫עָ֥ה יַ֭סְתִּרֵנִי בְּסֵ֣תֶר אָהֳל֑וֹ בְּ֝צ֗וּר יְרוֹמְמֵֽנִי׃ (ו) וְעַתָּ֨ה יָר֪וּם רֹאשִׁ֡י עַ֤ל אֹֽיְבַ֬י סְֽבִיבוֹתַ֗י וְאֶזְבְּחָ֣ה בְ֭אָהֳלוֹ זִבְחֵ֣י תְרוּעָ֑ה אָשִׁ֥ירָה וַ֝אֲזַמְּרָ֗ה לַיי׃
I have just one request of Adonai –
for this I yearn—
Let me dwell in the house of Adonai all the days of my life,
let me gaze on the loveliness of Adonai , in God’s sanctuary.
For God will hide me in a shelter when times are evil,
Concealing me in God’s own tent, standing me high on a rock
to raise my head above all the enemies around me:
I will make offerings to God in that tent, shouting for joy,
singing and chanting praise of Adonai
The speaker yearns to be in God's presence or protection. Although references to God's house and sanctuary are typically understood as referring to the Temple in Jerusalem, here they can also be read as seeking intimacy and security with God. The psalm also uses the beautiful imagery of God offering shelter in a sukkah or hiding us from harm in a tent.
Reflection:
- What place, person, or activity do you seek out when you are in need of refuge?
(ז) שְׁמַע־יי קוֹלִ֥י אֶקְרָ֗א וְחָנֵּ֥נִי וַעֲנֵֽנִי׃ (ח) לְךָ֤ ׀ אָמַ֣ר לִ֭בִּי בַּקְּשׁ֣וּ פָנָ֑י אֶת־פָּנֶ֖יךָ יי אֲבַקֵּֽשׁ׃
(ט) אַל־תַּסְתֵּ֬ר פָּנֶ֨יךָ ׀ מִמֶּנִּי֮ אַֽל־תַּט־בְּאַ֗ף עַ֫בְדֶּ֥ךָ עֶזְרָתִ֥י הָיִ֑יתָ אַֽל־תִּטְּשֵׁ֥נִי וְאַל־תַּֽ֝עַזְבֵ֗נִי אֱלֹקֵ֥י יִשְׁעִֽי׃
(י) כִּי־אָבִ֣י וְאִמִּ֣י עֲזָב֑וּנִי וַֽיי יַֽאַסְפֵֽנִי׃ (יא) ה֤וֹרֵ֥נִי יי דַּ֫רְכֶּ֥ךָ וּ֭נְחֵנִי בְּאֹ֣רַח מִישׁ֑וֹר לְ֝מַ֗עַן שׁוֹרְרָֽי׃ (יב) אַֽל־תִּ֭תְּנֵנִי בְּנֶ֣פֶשׁ צָרָ֑י כִּ֥י קָֽמוּ־בִ֥י עֵֽדֵי־שֶׁ֝֗קֶר וִיפֵ֥חַ חָמָֽס׃
O hear my voice, Adonai, when I call You—be gracious to me—
answer me—my heart yearns for You
to see me. It is Your face that I seek—
O God, do not hide Your face from me in anger—
do not turn away from me—
You have been my help always,
do not abandon me – don’t leave me,
O God Who saves me.
Though my father and mother leave me, Adonai will gather me in.
Teach me Your way, Adonai,
by leading me on a straight path
to confound my foes. Don’t give me over to them,
false witnesses
who have risen against me,
whose every breath is violence.
The Psalmist asks for God's help and support, with a series of requests: Hear my voice, be gracious to me, answer me;
Do not hide your face from me, do not turn away, do not forsake me; Teach me, lead me on your way; don’t hand me over to my foes. The opening of this supplication echoes the words of our prayers throughout the High Holy Days when we ask God to hear our voices - sh'ma koleinu - and to answer us in our time of need.
Reflection
- What do you want God to hear from you this Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur?
- What do you hope to gain from the holidays this year and this season of teshuva?
(יג) לׅׄוּלֵׅׄ֗אׅׄ הֶ֭אֱמַנְתִּי לִרְא֥וֹת בְּֽטוּב־יי בְּאֶ֣רֶץ חַיִּֽים׃ (יד) קַוֵּ֗ה אֶל־יי חֲ֭זַק וְיַאֲמֵ֣ץ לִבֶּ֑ךָ וְ֝קַוֵּ֗ה אֶל־יי׃
Let me believe
I will see the goodness of Adonai
in this land of the living –
and I will hope in Adonai—
be strong, have
a heart of courage,
and hope in Adonai!
The psalmist ends with an expression of hope that he or she will make it through this time of trouble and experience goodness and the fullness of life once again. The speaker concludes with words of encouragement - to him or herself, and to us - to have courage and hope. Hope, it seems, does not mean that we are free from fear or expecting a dramatic reversal overnight. Perhaps having hope gives us the strength and courage needed to cope with the challenges we face.
Reflection:
- What words of encouragement would you offer to a friend or family member in a moment of crisis?
- What gives you hope right now?
(Translation adapted from Miriyam Glazer, "Psalms of the Jewish Liturgy: A Guide to Their Beauty, Power & Meaning.")