(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׃
(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.
(ד) רַבָּנָן פָּתְרִין קְרָא בְּרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה וְיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים, אוֹרִי בְּרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה וְיִשְׁעִי בְּיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים, מִמִּי אִירָא (שמות טו, ב): עָזִּי וְזִמְרָת יָהּ. בִּקְרֹב עָלַי מְרֵעִים, אֵלּוּ שָׂרֵי אֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם. לֶאֱכֹל אֶת בְּשָׂרִי, לְפִי שֶׁשָּׂרֵי אֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם בָּאִין וּמְקַטְרְגִין עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וְאוֹמְרִים לְפָנָיו, רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם אֵלּוּ עוֹבְדֵי עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה וְאֵלּוּ עוֹבְדֵי עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, אֵלּוּ מְגַלֵּי עֲרָיוֹת וְאֵלּוּ מְגַלֵּי עֲרָיוֹת, אֵלּוּ שׁוֹפְכֵי דָמִים וְאֵלּוּ שׁוֹפְכֵי דָמִים, מִפְּנֵי מָה אֵלּוּ יוֹרְדִין לַגֵּיהִנֹּם וְאֵלּוּ אֵינָן יוֹרְדִין לַגֵּיהִנֹּם. צָרַי וְאֹיְבַי לִי, בִּימוֹת הַחַמָּה שְׁלשׁ מֵאוֹת שִׁשִּׁים וַחֲמִשָּׁה יוֹם, הַשָּׂטָן גִּימַטְרִיָּא שְׁלשׁ מֵאוֹת שִׁשִּׁים וְאַרְבָּעָה, שֶׁכָּל יְמוֹת הַשָּׁנָה הַשָּׂטָן מְקַטְרֵג וּבְיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים אֵינוֹ מְקַטְרֵג, אָמְרוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, אִם תַּחֲנֶה עָלַי מַחֲנֶה, שֶׁל סמא"ל, לֹא יִירָא לִבִּי, שֶׁהִבְטַחְתַּנִי בְּזֹאת יָבֹא אַהֲרֹן אֶל הַקֹּדֶשׁ.
The Rabbis interpreted this verse as talking about RH and YK. My light is on RH and my salvation is on YK. Whom should I fear? My strength and song of God. When evil men assail me? These are the princes of the nations of the world. To eat my flesh? Because these princes come and bring charges against Israel and say, God, these and these are both idol worshippers, sexually licentious, and murderers. Why do the Jews not get sent to Gehennom?! My foes and my enemies? During a year, there are 365 days. The Satan in numerology is equal to 364. All days of the year, the Satan comes to bring charges against us but on YK, he doesn't. Israel said to God should an army besiege me-this is Sama'el. My heart will not fear, for you have promised me that Aaron will come to the Temple.
Divre Yoel---1926
Regarding the verse, "one thing I ask of God...to dwell in God's house all the days of my life, the Rabbis explore it in the Talmud(Brachot 12b) quoting from Deuteronomy 16:3 "in order that you remember the day that you left Egypt all the days of your life. The days of your life includes the days and all the days of your life includes the night. This is why it is written here all because even amidst the exile and subjugation where everything feels like darkness, God will help us break this cycle.
Further, there is another secret in this gemara where they say we must remember the Exodus from Egypt at night. That is to say, during all of our exiles which are dark periods, we must remember how spiritually lowly the Israelites were in Egypt. Even then, God helped them and brought them from darkness to light...so too we must seek just like our exodus from Egypt, God should show us similar miracles. From the darkness of exile, God should bring us out quickly and speedily.
The Psalmist begins to pray that God remove all the hindrances and troubles in his worship. This request is not for his needs but rather in order that he fulfill the essential purpose of worshipping God. First he starts by asking to hear the prayer of being saved from enemies. But he preempts it by saying with my mouth, I am also seeking other things. But didn't my heart tell you my real request...my face only desires to see your face. This is the cleaving and capture of the face of God and it is my sole desire. If so, don't hide your face from me...you have always been my help on matters for which I have no strength. If so, also now, don't abandon me.
He likens himself to an orphan whose parents left him. God, having compassion, gathered him to God's home to raise him. Since all of my needs are upon you, it's fitting that you teach me the way and supervise me for there is no other helper beside you.
(ז) וְאַף־עַל־פִּי שֶׁהוּא קוֹרֵא וְצוֹעֵק לְהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ זֶה זְמַן רַב מְאֹד, וַעֲדַיִן הוּא רָחוֹק מְאֹד מְאֹד, אַף־עַל־פִּי־כֵן אִם יִהְיֶה חָזָק וְאַמִּיץ בִּתְפִלּוֹת וּבַקָּשׁוֹת, בְּוַדַּאי סוֹף כָּל סוֹף יַעֲנֵהוּ הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ וִיקָרְבוֹ לַעֲבוֹדָתוֹ בֶּאֱמֶת, בְּוַדַּאי בְּלִי סָפֵק, רַק חֲזַק וֶאֱמָץ. וּכְמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (ברכות לב), שֶׁתְּפִלָּה צָרִיךְ חִזּוּק, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (תהילים כ״ז:י״ד): קַוֵּה אֶל ה' חֲזַק וְיַאֲמֵץ לִבֶּךָ וְקַוֵּה אֶל ה', וּפֵרֵשׁ רַשִׁ"י: וְאִם לֹא תִּתְקַבֵּל תְּפִלָּתְךָ, חֲזֹר וְקַוֵּה. וְכֵן לְעוֹלָם, עַד יַשְׁקִיף וְיֵרֶא ה' מִשָּׁמָיִם:
(7) And even if a person has been calling and shouting out to God for an extremely long time and is still very, very distant, if she persists and perseveres in the prayers and supplications, ultimately God will certainly answer her. And God will certainly and without any doubt genuinely bring her closer to God's service, as long as she remains strong and courageous. This is as our Sages, of blessed memory, taught (Berakhot 32b) : Prayer requires encouragement, as it is written, “Hope to God! Be strong, and God will give you courage. And hope to God!” (Psalms 27:14). Rashi explains: And if your prayer is not accepted, go back and hope. And keep on doing this forever, “until God looks down from heaven and sees” (Lamentations 3:50).
Rav Soloveitchik-Kol Dodi Dofek
On Rosh Ha-shana, we hear the echo of God's voice hewing through flames of fire at the first revelation at Mount Sinai in full public view, while on Yom Kippur we enter the company of Moshe, who stood upon the mountain and listened attentively to the still silence from which there emerged and arose the wonder of repentance and of God's kindness. The second revelation at Sinai has a different character than the first … no wondrous light illuminated [Moshe's] way, there were no burning torches, nor was he crowned with clouds of purity… Moshe ascended the mountain, looked this way and that, sought God and did not find God… Moshe did not cease seeking God, alone… and was seized with a great fear that perhaps God would not reveal God's self on high. God wanted Moshe to wait for God this time, to seek God, to plead and entreat God with prayer. And the hour of favor arrived, and God responded and answered him… but this revelation had cost Moshe much anguish… with fear, the fear of the creature when he is severed for a short time from his Creator.
A person may meet their Creator in two ways… Sometimes God appears to one and shows God's face to him… God fills her with vitality and showers her with the dew of rejuvenation, without the person having to wait days and nights, without seeking and searching for God… However, God often hides… and then man pleads, "Show me, I pray You, Your glory." If this person – frightened and anxious, thirsty for salvation and relief, is longing for the living God, and God does not hurry to the encounter, then she must do as Moshe did on that wondrous morning. She must seek God… with agility, assiduously, conscientiously, with exertion and compulsion. This is how one seeks and finds God.
1. For the year ahead, in the frame of "this one thing I ask," what is one thing you want for yourself?
2. What are you fearful of for the year ahead?
3. What are you hopeful for this year?