(ד) אַחַ֤ת ׀ שָׁאַ֣לְתִּי מֵֽאֵת־יְהוָה֮ אוֹתָ֪הּ אֲבַ֫קֵּ֥שׁ שִׁבְתִּ֣י בְּבֵית־יְ֭הוָה כָּל־יְמֵ֣י חַיַּ֑י לַחֲז֥וֹת בְּנֹֽעַם־יְ֝הוָ֗ה וּלְבַקֵּ֥ר בְּהֵיכָלֽוֹ׃
(4) One thing I ask of the LORD, only that do I seek: to live in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD, to frequent His temple.
Why do we say it?
- Sefer Shem Tov Katan (R. Binyamin Beinish, 1706): All who say Psalm 27 from Rosh Chodesh Elul until after Simchat Torah will have all their negative spiritual decrees against them nullified.
- Sefer Zechira (Hamburg, 1709): All who say Psalm 27 morning and night will have all their days filled with good and the heavenly prosecutors will have no dominion over them.
- Rabbi Nachman of Breslov, (Likutei Moharan, 1808): in Elul and the Ten Days of Teshuvah, that all Israel occupy themselves with the recitation of Psalms, is because the recitation of Psalms is effective for repentance...for Psalms [provides] a very, very, great awakening to HaShem, may He be blessed.
When did the tradition start?
Not mentioned in:
First mentioned in Siddur Bet Yaakov (R. Ya’akov Emden, 1745)
Not mentioned in:
- Talmud
- Maimonides (12th century)
- Shulchan Aruch (16th century)
First mentioned in Siddur Bet Yaakov (R. Ya’akov Emden, 1745)
A Map of the Psalm
1-3 Complete confidence in God - or trying to have complete confidence in God
4-6 Petitions for God's presence and protection - dreaming of what that would mean
7-10 Fear of abandonment by God - not sure that his needs are being heard
11-12 Specific petitions of practical needs
13-14 Anxiety, hope and statement of faith
(See commentary by Alan Cooper, Benjamin Sommer and Robert Pollack)
1-3 Complete confidence in God - or trying to have complete confidence in God
4-6 Petitions for God's presence and protection - dreaming of what that would mean
7-10 Fear of abandonment by God - not sure that his needs are being heard
11-12 Specific petitions of practical needs
13-14 Anxiety, hope and statement of faith
(See commentary by Alan Cooper, Benjamin Sommer and Robert Pollack)
(א) לְדָוִ֨ד ׀ יְהוָ֤ה ׀ אוֹרִ֣י וְ֭יִשְׁעִי מִמִּ֣י אִירָ֑א יְהוָ֥ה 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׃ (ד) אַחַ֤ת ׀ שָׁאַ֣לְתִּי מֵֽאֵת־יְהוָה֮ אוֹתָ֪הּ אֲבַ֫קֵּ֥שׁ שִׁבְתִּ֣י בְּבֵית־יְ֭הוָה כָּל־יְמֵ֣י חַיַּ֑י לַחֲז֥וֹת בְּנֹֽעַם־יְ֝הוָ֗ה 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 לַיהוָֽה׃ (ז) שְׁמַע־יְהוָ֖ה קוֹלִ֥י אֶקְרָ֗א וְחָנֵּ֥נִי וַעֲנֵֽנִי׃ (ח) לְךָ֤ ׀ אָמַ֣ר לִ֭בִּי בַּקְּשׁ֣וּ פָנָ֑י אֶת־פָּנֶ֖יךָ יְהוָ֣ה אֲבַקֵּֽשׁ׃ (ט) אַל־תַּסְתֵּ֬ר פָּנֶ֨יךָ ׀ מִמֶּנִּי֮ אַֽל־תַּט־בְּאַ֗ף עַ֫בְדֶּ֥ךָ עֶזְרָתִ֥י הָיִ֑יתָ אַֽל־תִּטְּשֵׁ֥נִי וְאַל־תַּֽ֝עַזְבֵ֗נִי אֱלֹהֵ֥י יִשְׁעִֽי׃ (י) כִּי־אָבִ֣י וְאִמִּ֣י עֲזָב֑וּנִי וַֽיהוָ֣ה יַֽאַסְפֵֽנִי׃ (יא) ה֤וֹרֵ֥נִי יְהוָ֗ה דַּ֫רְכֶּ֥ךָ וּ֭נְחֵנִי בְּאֹ֣רַח מִישׁ֑וֹר לְ֝מַ֗עַן שׁוֹרְרָֽי׃ (יב) אַֽל־תִּ֭תְּנֵנִי בְּנֶ֣פֶשׁ צָרָ֑י כִּ֥י קָֽמוּ־בִ֥י עֵֽדֵי־שֶׁ֝֗קֶר וִיפֵ֥חַ חָמָֽס׃ (יג) לׅׄוּלֵׅׄ֗אׅׄ הֶ֭אֱמַנְתִּי לִרְא֥וֹת בְּֽטוּב־יְהוָ֗ה בְּאֶ֣רֶץ חַיִּֽים׃ (יד) קַוֵּ֗ה אֶל־יְה֫וָ֥ה חֲ֭זַק וְיַאֲמֵ֣ץ לִבֶּ֑ךָ וְ֝קַוֵּ֗ה אֶל־יְהוָֽה׃
(1) Of David. The LORD is my light and my help; whom should I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life, whom should I dread? (2) When evil men assail me to devour my flesh— it is they, my foes and my enemies, who stumble and fall. (3) Should an army besiege me, my heart would have no fear; should war beset me, still would I be confident. (4) One thing I ask of the LORD, only that do I seek: to live in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD, to frequent His temple. (5) He will shelter me in His pavilion on an evil day, grant me the protection of His tent, raise me high upon a rock. (6) Now is my head high over my enemies roundabout; I sacrifice in His tent with shouts of joy, singing and chanting a hymn to the LORD. (7) Hear, O LORD, when I cry aloud; have mercy on me, answer me. (8) In Your behalf my heart says: “Seek My face!” O LORD, I seek Your face. (9) Do not hide Your face from me; do not thrust aside Your servant in anger; You have ever been my help. Do not forsake me, do not abandon me, O God, my deliverer. (10) Though my father and mother abandon me, the LORD will take me in. (11) Show me Your way, O LORD, and lead me on a level path because of my watchful foes. (12) Do not subject me to the will of my foes, for false witnesses and unjust accusers have appeared against me. (13) Had I not the assurance that I would enjoy the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living… (14) Look to the LORD; be strong and of good courage! O look to the LORD!
Other translations
Psalm 27
translated by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi (z''l)
Yah! You are my light.
You are my savior.
Whom need I dread?
Yah, with you as my strong protector who can make me panic?
When hateful bullies gang up on me, wanting to harass me, to oppress and terrorize me
They are the ones who stumble and fall.
Even if a gang surrounds me my heart is not weakened.
If a battle is joined around me my trust in You is firm.
Only one thing do I ask of You, Yah:
Just this alone do I seek, I want to be at home with you, Yah,
All the days of my life.
I want to delight in seeing You.
Seeing You when I come to visit You in Your temple.
You hide me in your sukkah on a foul day.
You conceal me unseen in Your tent.
You also raise me beyond anyone's reach
And now, as You have held my head high despite the presence of my powerful foes
I prepare to celebrate and thrill, singing and making music to You, Yah!
Listen, Yah, to the sound of my cry
And, being kind, answer me!
My heart has said, I turn to seek you.
Your presence is what I beg for
Don't hide Your face from me.
Don't just put me down, You who have been my helper.
Don't abandon me, don't forsake me, God my support.
Though my father and my mother have left me
You, Yah, will hold me securely.
Please teach me Your way.
Teach me Your way and guide me on the straight path.
Discourage those who defame me
Because false witnesses stood up against me belching out violence.
Don't let me become the victim of my foes.
I wouldn't have survived
If I hadn't hoped that I would see, yet,
Your goodness, God, fully alive on earth.
So I tell you, my friends: you too hope to Yah! Be sturdy!
And make strong your heart. And most of all, keep hoping to Yah.
translated by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi (z''l)
Yah! You are my light.
You are my savior.
Whom need I dread?
Yah, with you as my strong protector who can make me panic?
When hateful bullies gang up on me, wanting to harass me, to oppress and terrorize me
They are the ones who stumble and fall.
Even if a gang surrounds me my heart is not weakened.
If a battle is joined around me my trust in You is firm.
Only one thing do I ask of You, Yah:
Just this alone do I seek, I want to be at home with you, Yah,
All the days of my life.
I want to delight in seeing You.
Seeing You when I come to visit You in Your temple.
You hide me in your sukkah on a foul day.
You conceal me unseen in Your tent.
You also raise me beyond anyone's reach
And now, as You have held my head high despite the presence of my powerful foes
I prepare to celebrate and thrill, singing and making music to You, Yah!
Listen, Yah, to the sound of my cry
And, being kind, answer me!
My heart has said, I turn to seek you.
Your presence is what I beg for
Don't hide Your face from me.
Don't just put me down, You who have been my helper.
Don't abandon me, don't forsake me, God my support.
Though my father and my mother have left me
You, Yah, will hold me securely.
Please teach me Your way.
Teach me Your way and guide me on the straight path.
Discourage those who defame me
Because false witnesses stood up against me belching out violence.
Don't let me become the victim of my foes.
I wouldn't have survived
If I hadn't hoped that I would see, yet,
Your goodness, God, fully alive on earth.
So I tell you, my friends: you too hope to Yah! Be sturdy!
And make strong your heart. And most of all, keep hoping to Yah.
Psalm 27 – Meditation for Elul
Translation by Rabbi Yael Levy
To the Beloved,
The Infinite Presence is my light and expanse, who should I fear?
The Infinite Presence is the strength of my life, what shall I dread?
When forces come close
Seeming to devour me,
When narrowness threatens,
And opposition attacks,
All that is menacing stumbles and falls.
Even as an army of mistrust besieges me
My heart does not fear.
Even as thoughts and desires rise up against me
I still have trust.
One thing I ask of the Infinite,
One thing I seek,
To dwell in the Presence all the days of my life.
To awaken to the beauty of each moment
as I pass through this world.
The Infinite shelters me as I encounter difficulty and pain.
The Infinite holds me close in deep and hidden places.
And lifts me high upon a rock.
Now I can see through to what is true.
And I will offer my gifts of thanks
And I will sing and make music to the Eternal.
Please, Infinite One, Listen to my voice, hear my call.
Be gracious with me.
Answer me.
You call to my heart, “Seek my presence”
Your presence I seek.
Please don’t hide from me.
Please don’t let me turn away in anger.
I long to serve.
You are my help.
Do not let me feel abandoned. Do not let me turn away.
In You I am safe.
For my Mother and father have left me
And it is you who gathers me in.
Teach me Your ways. Guide me on the path of integrity.
There is so much to lead me astray.
Don’t let me give in to all that torments me,
the lies, the illusions, the menacing threats.
I must have faith that I can see through all of this
I can see the good, the blessings, the ways of life.
Cultivate hope in the Infinite Presence.
Let your heart be strong and filled with courage.
Cultivate hope.
Translation by Rabbi Yael Levy
To the Beloved,
The Infinite Presence is my light and expanse, who should I fear?
The Infinite Presence is the strength of my life, what shall I dread?
When forces come close
Seeming to devour me,
When narrowness threatens,
And opposition attacks,
All that is menacing stumbles and falls.
Even as an army of mistrust besieges me
My heart does not fear.
Even as thoughts and desires rise up against me
I still have trust.
One thing I ask of the Infinite,
One thing I seek,
To dwell in the Presence all the days of my life.
To awaken to the beauty of each moment
as I pass through this world.
The Infinite shelters me as I encounter difficulty and pain.
The Infinite holds me close in deep and hidden places.
And lifts me high upon a rock.
Now I can see through to what is true.
And I will offer my gifts of thanks
And I will sing and make music to the Eternal.
Please, Infinite One, Listen to my voice, hear my call.
Be gracious with me.
Answer me.
You call to my heart, “Seek my presence”
Your presence I seek.
Please don’t hide from me.
Please don’t let me turn away in anger.
I long to serve.
You are my help.
Do not let me feel abandoned. Do not let me turn away.
In You I am safe.
For my Mother and father have left me
And it is you who gathers me in.
Teach me Your ways. Guide me on the path of integrity.
There is so much to lead me astray.
Don’t let me give in to all that torments me,
the lies, the illusions, the menacing threats.
I must have faith that I can see through all of this
I can see the good, the blessings, the ways of life.
Cultivate hope in the Infinite Presence.
Let your heart be strong and filled with courage.
Cultivate hope.
Psalm 27 – For love’s sake the courage to live as if… / Bitachon
by Rabbi Jamie Arnold
My deepest fear?
The energy illuminating everything
cannot be seen or named.
When all I see is reflection and refraction,
who am I to be afraid
of dark or light?
of seeing, being seen, or not?
Silence is the mother of all sounds,
syllables, names.
When a wisp of breath and unspoken incantation
guards the fortress of my life,
Who shall I fear?
Which ‘I’ is the one that worries?
Fear and worry come fast consuming my flesh from within,
thieving me of ease and joy.
If only they would stumble, topple like the walls of Jericho.
For now, they have set up camp, settling in,
starving head of sense and heart of wonder.
If you force upon me this unwanted war,
I will trust in… this, this mystery
of light and sight, hidden forces
made visible through masks of refraction.
My deepest desire?
One? If granted one last wish,
this would be my re-quest:
To sample sabbath rest
in the house of wonder
every living day,
to see with eyes of equanimity and ease
waking me to each new dawn
in a palace of delight.
Point me north to find shelter from my worst fears
under a blanket of stars-promising-progeny,
winking at me through the leafy roof of a sucah.
Let me hide in the hidden folds of this makeshift shelter,
tent turned tabernacle, sanctuary erected on
and protected by a mountain of smooth, solid sandstone.
There now.
See my head rise above engulfing echoes of oys and veys
Releasing, sacrificing wants no longer suited for service
Fragmented breaths pressing through parsed lips into a horn
transforming silent fears into jubilant song. Teruah.
I will sing. Zivhei teruah.
Atonement through attunement.
Shema qoli. Hear my voice
turning silence to song
Choneini. Fill me with an easy grace
in the face of my unfulfilled desires
Aneini. Gift me with a humble responsiveness
to your unmet needs.
Your deepest desire?
Voice whispers through my heart and says,
'Seek my face.'
I will seek your face, the hidden light,
reflected in every face, revealing light.
Do not let anger distract me from witnessing your majestic presence
tucked away in the creases of faces furrowed
by anger in the face of injustice
and a fear of being forgotten.
My father, my mother, yours, all beloved
parental protectors will die.
Time will orphan me if I live that long.
And yet, magnetism prevails, a law of nature
in-gathering, out-glowing
showing all the wisdom of your ways,
paths paved by and for service and song
Don’t let worry distort these nefesh-soul, body-based truths
with false testimonies, hyperboles, and half-truths
blowhards fermenting fears to safeguard their power.
Our declaration:
Lulei. What if? What if it were not so?
Doubt. Division. Danger. Death. As if!
I choose to live as if I have the courage
to act in the face of doubt
to see the hidden connections and blessing
to belong and be beholden to the living land, eretz chaim.
Together, let us draw new kinds of lines in the shifting sands.
I choose to trust you, to empower you, to re-see you,
to celebrate your courageous heart, amatz lev
to reshape this longing in your likeness.
by Rabbi Jamie Arnold
My deepest fear?
The energy illuminating everything
cannot be seen or named.
When all I see is reflection and refraction,
who am I to be afraid
of dark or light?
of seeing, being seen, or not?
Silence is the mother of all sounds,
syllables, names.
When a wisp of breath and unspoken incantation
guards the fortress of my life,
Who shall I fear?
Which ‘I’ is the one that worries?
Fear and worry come fast consuming my flesh from within,
thieving me of ease and joy.
If only they would stumble, topple like the walls of Jericho.
For now, they have set up camp, settling in,
starving head of sense and heart of wonder.
If you force upon me this unwanted war,
I will trust in… this, this mystery
of light and sight, hidden forces
made visible through masks of refraction.
My deepest desire?
One? If granted one last wish,
this would be my re-quest:
To sample sabbath rest
in the house of wonder
every living day,
to see with eyes of equanimity and ease
waking me to each new dawn
in a palace of delight.
Point me north to find shelter from my worst fears
under a blanket of stars-promising-progeny,
winking at me through the leafy roof of a sucah.
Let me hide in the hidden folds of this makeshift shelter,
tent turned tabernacle, sanctuary erected on
and protected by a mountain of smooth, solid sandstone.
There now.
See my head rise above engulfing echoes of oys and veys
Releasing, sacrificing wants no longer suited for service
Fragmented breaths pressing through parsed lips into a horn
transforming silent fears into jubilant song. Teruah.
I will sing. Zivhei teruah.
Atonement through attunement.
Shema qoli. Hear my voice
turning silence to song
Choneini. Fill me with an easy grace
in the face of my unfulfilled desires
Aneini. Gift me with a humble responsiveness
to your unmet needs.
Your deepest desire?
Voice whispers through my heart and says,
'Seek my face.'
I will seek your face, the hidden light,
reflected in every face, revealing light.
Do not let anger distract me from witnessing your majestic presence
tucked away in the creases of faces furrowed
by anger in the face of injustice
and a fear of being forgotten.
My father, my mother, yours, all beloved
parental protectors will die.
Time will orphan me if I live that long.
And yet, magnetism prevails, a law of nature
in-gathering, out-glowing
showing all the wisdom of your ways,
paths paved by and for service and song
Don’t let worry distort these nefesh-soul, body-based truths
with false testimonies, hyperboles, and half-truths
blowhards fermenting fears to safeguard their power.
Our declaration:
Lulei. What if? What if it were not so?
Doubt. Division. Danger. Death. As if!
I choose to live as if I have the courage
to act in the face of doubt
to see the hidden connections and blessing
to belong and be beholden to the living land, eretz chaim.
Together, let us draw new kinds of lines in the shifting sands.
I choose to trust you, to empower you, to re-see you,
to celebrate your courageous heart, amatz lev
to reshape this longing in your likeness.