Personally Connecting to Psalm 27

Psalm 27 “on one foot”:
Psalm 27 is recited at Shacharit just after the shofar is sounded and at Arvit (the morning and evening service, respectively) starting with Rosh Chodesh Elul (the beginning of the month of Elul) and continuing through Hoshanah Rabba, the 7th day of Sukkot (some end after Yom Kippur). Some of the phrases are reflected in the Selichot and Yom Kippur prayer “Shema Koleinu”, “Hear Our Voice”. The custom of saying this during Elul is first mentioned in 1745 (https://schechter.edu/why-do-we-recite-psalm-27-from-rosh-hodesh-elul-until-hoshanah-rabbah-responsa-for-today-volume-4-issue-no-1-october-2009/)

תהילים כ״ז

(א) לְדָוִ֨ד ׀ יְהֹוָ֤ה ׀ אוֹרִ֣י וְ֭יִשְׁעִי מִמִּ֣י אִירָ֑א יְהֹוָ֥ה מָעוֹז־חַ֝יַּ֗י מִמִּ֥י אֶפְחָֽד׃ (ב) בִּקְרֹ֤ב עָלַ֨י ׀ מְרֵעִים֮ לֶאֱכֹ֢ל אֶת־בְּשָׂ֫רִ֥י צָרַ֣י וְאֹיְבַ֣י לִ֑י הֵ֖מָּה כָשְׁל֣וּ וְנָפָֽלוּ׃ (ג) אִם־תַּחֲנֶ֬ה עָלַ֨י ׀ מַחֲנֶה֮ לֹא־יִירָ֢א לִ֫בִּ֥י אִם־תָּק֣וּם עָ֭לַי מִלְחָמָ֑ה בְּ֝זֹ֗את אֲנִ֣י בוֹטֵֽחַ׃ (ד) אַחַ֤ת ׀ שָׁאַ֣לְתִּי מֵֽאֵת־יְהֹוָה֮ אוֹתָ֢הּ אֲבַ֫קֵּ֥שׁ שִׁבְתִּ֣י בְּבֵית־יְ֭הֹוָה כׇּל־יְמֵ֣י חַיַּ֑י לַחֲז֥וֹת בְּנֹעַם־יְ֝הֹוָ֗ה וּלְבַקֵּ֥ר בְּהֵֽיכָלֽוֹ׃ (ה) כִּ֤י יִצְפְּנֵ֨נִי ׀ בְּסֻכֹּה֮ בְּי֢וֹם רָ֫עָ֥ה יַ֭סְתִּרֵנִי בְּסֵ֣תֶר אׇהֳל֑וֹ בְּ֝צ֗וּר יְרוֹמְמֵֽנִי׃ (ו) וְעַתָּ֨ה יָר֪וּם רֹאשִׁ֡י עַ֤ל אֹיְבַ֬י סְֽבִיבוֹתַ֗י וְאֶזְבְּחָ֣ה בְ֭אׇהֳלוֹ זִבְחֵ֣י תְרוּעָ֑ה אָשִׁ֥ירָה וַ֝אֲזַמְּרָ֗ה לַֽיהֹוָֽה׃ (ז) שְׁמַע־יְהֹוָ֖ה קוֹלִ֥י אֶקְרָ֗א וְחׇנֵּ֥נִי וַֽעֲנֵֽנִי׃ (ח) לְךָ֤ ׀ אָמַ֣ר לִ֭בִּי בַּקְּשׁ֣וּ פָנָ֑י אֶת־פָּנֶ֖יךָ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֲבַקֵּֽשׁ׃ (ט) אַל־תַּסְתֵּ֬ר פָּנֶ֨יךָ ׀ מִמֶּנִּי֮ אַ֥ל תַּט־בְּאַ֗ף עַ֫בְדֶּ֥ךָ עֶזְרָתִ֥י הָיִ֑יתָ אַֽל־תִּטְּשֵׁ֥נִי וְאַל־תַּ֝עַזְבֵ֗נִי אֱלֹהֵ֥י יִשְׁעִֽי׃ (י) כִּֽי־אָבִ֣י וְאִמִּ֣י עֲזָב֑וּנִי וַֽיהֹוָ֣ה יַאַסְפֵֽנִי׃ (יא) ה֤וֹרֵ֥נִי יְהֹוָ֗ה דַּ֫רְכֶּ֥ךָ וּ֭נְחֵנִי בְּאֹ֣רַח מִישׁ֑וֹר לְ֝מַ֗עַן שֽׁוֹרְרָֽי׃ (יב) אַֽל־תִּ֭תְּנֵנִי בְּנֶ֣פֶשׁ צָרָ֑י כִּ֥י קָמוּ־בִ֥י עֵדֵי־שֶׁ֝֗קֶר וִיפֵ֥חַ חָמָֽס׃ (יג) לׅׄוּׅׄלֵׅ֗ׄאׅׄ הֶ֭אֱמַנְתִּי לִרְא֥וֹת בְּֽטוּב־יְהֹוָ֗ה בְּאֶ֣רֶץ חַיִּֽים׃ (יד) קַוֵּ֗ה אֶל־יְ֫הֹוָ֥ה חֲ֭זַק וְיַאֲמֵ֣ץ לִבֶּ֑ךָ וְ֝קַוֵּ֗ה אֶל־יְהֹוָֽה׃ {פ}

Psalms 27

(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 people assail me to devour my flesh (or “to slander me”; cf. Dan. 3.8; 6.25) —
it is they, my foes and my enemies,
who stumble and fall. (3) Should an armed camp 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,
this is what I seek:
to live in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life,
to behold the peacefulness of the LORD,
to frequent God’s sanctuary. (5) God will shelter me in God’s sukkah
on a day of calamity,
grant me the protection of God’s tent,
raise me high upon a rock. (6) Now my head is raised high over my enemies round about;
I sacrifice in God’s 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) It is You of whom my heart said:
“Seek My face!”
O LORD, I seek Your presence. (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 straight path
despite those arrayed against me. (12) Do not subject me to the will of my foes,
for false witnesses and people who breathe out violence (chamas)
have arisen against me. (13) If only I could trust that I would see God’s goodness in the land of the living…
(14) Place your hope in the LORD;
be strong and take courage, and place your hope in the LORD!

Context: This is from the Biblical Book of Psalms, Psalm 27. Psalm 27 starts off confident, becomes hesitant, and then eventually finishes confidently. The verses in this psalm generally exhibit parallelism, with the first half being echoed in the second half. The psalm is entirely in first-person except for the last verse, suggesting that either the narrator is addressing themself or that somebody else is addressing the narrator.
Note that the first word of the penultimate verse is “Elul” backwards (this is the word that has dots above and below it in Biblical texts).
1. What is your reaction to this psalm?
2. What verse in particular speaks to you?
3. Why might this be a text that we say every day to prepare for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur? How might it connect to Sukkot?
4. How would you characterize the mood of verses 1-6? 7-12? 13-14?
5. What might be going on in the poet’s life that they would write something like this?

תהילים כ״ז:א׳

(א) לְדָוִ֨ד ׀ יְהֹוָ֤ה ׀ אוֹרִ֣י וְ֭יִשְׁעִי מִמִּ֣י אִירָ֑א יְהֹוָ֥ה מָעוֹז־חַ֝יַּ֗י מִמִּ֥י אֶפְחָֽד׃

Psalms 27:1

(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?

Have you ever experienced someone or something as a light in your time of personal darkness?

תהילים כ״ז:ב׳-ג׳

(ב) בִּקְרֹ֤ב עָלַ֨י ׀ מְרֵעִים֮ לֶאֱכֹ֢ל אֶת־בְּשָׂ֫רִ֥י צָרַ֣י וְאֹיְבַ֣י לִ֑י הֵ֖מָּה כָשְׁל֣וּ וְנָפָֽלוּ׃ (ג) אִם־תַּחֲנֶ֬ה עָלַ֨י ׀ מַחֲנֶה֮ לֹא־יִירָ֢א לִ֫בִּ֥י אִם־תָּק֣וּם עָ֭לַי מִלְחָמָ֑ה בְּ֝זֹ֗את אֲנִ֣י בוֹטֵֽחַ׃

Psalms 27:2-3

(2) When evil people assail me to devour my flesh (or “to slander me”; cf. Dan. 3.8; 6.25) —
it is they, my foes and my enemies,
who stumble and fall. (3) Should an armed camp besiege me,
my heart would have no fear;
should war beset me,
still would I be confident.

Have you ever felt beset by (an) enemy/enemies? What was it like and how did you handle it?

תהילים כ״ז:ד׳

(ד) אַחַ֤ת ׀ שָׁאַ֣לְתִּי מֵֽאֵת־יְהֹוָה֮ אוֹתָ֢הּ אֲבַ֫קֵּ֥שׁ שִׁבְתִּ֣י בְּבֵית־יְ֭הֹוָה כׇּל־יְמֵ֣י חַיַּ֑י לַחֲז֥וֹת בְּנֹעַם־יְ֝הֹוָ֗ה וּלְבַקֵּ֥ר בְּהֵֽיכָלֽוֹ׃

Psalms 27:4

(4) One thing I ask of the LORD,
this is what I seek:
to live in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life,
to behold the peacefulness of the LORD,
to frequent God’s sanctuary.

Have you ever experienced “the peacefulness of the Lord” or “G-d’s sanctuary” in nature? What about in a synagogue?

תהילים כ״ז:ה׳-ו׳

(ה) כִּ֤י יִצְפְּנֵ֨נִי ׀ בְּסֻכֹּה֮ בְּי֢וֹם רָ֫עָ֥ה יַ֭סְתִּרֵנִי בְּסֵ֣תֶר אׇהֳל֑וֹ בְּ֝צ֗וּר יְרוֹמְמֵֽנִי׃ (ו) וְעַתָּ֨ה יָר֪וּם רֹאשִׁ֡י עַ֤ל אֹיְבַ֬י סְֽבִיבוֹתַ֗י וְאֶזְבְּחָ֣ה בְ֭אׇהֳלוֹ זִבְחֵ֣י תְרוּעָ֑ה אָשִׁ֥ירָה וַ֝אֲזַמְּרָ֗ה לַֽיהֹוָֽה׃

Psalms 27:5-6

(5) God will shelter me in God’s sukkah
on a day of calamity,
grant me the protection of God’s tent,
raise me high upon a rock. (6) Now my head is raised high over my enemies round about;
I sacrifice in God’s tent with shouts of joy,
singing and chanting a hymn to the LORD.

If you were to compose a hymn to G-d after G-d saved you in some way, what’s one line you would put in it?

תהילים כ״ז:ז׳

(ז) שְׁמַע־יְהֹוָ֖ה קוֹלִ֥י אֶקְרָ֗א וְחׇנֵּ֥נִי וַֽעֲנֵֽנִי׃

Psalms 27:7

(7) Hear, O LORD, when I cry aloud;
have mercy on me, answer me.

What is something you’ve cried out to G-d about, whether on Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, or some other time of your life?

תהילים כ״ז:ח׳-ט׳

(ח) לְךָ֤ ׀ אָמַ֣ר לִ֭בִּי בַּקְּשׁ֣וּ פָנָ֑י אֶת־פָּנֶ֖יךָ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֲבַקֵּֽשׁ׃ (ט) אַל־תַּסְתֵּ֬ר פָּנֶ֨יךָ ׀ מִמֶּנִּי֮ אַ֥ל תַּט־בְּאַ֗ף עַ֫בְדֶּ֥ךָ עֶזְרָתִ֥י הָיִ֑יתָ אַֽל־תִּטְּשֵׁ֥נִי וְאַל־תַּ֝עַזְבֵ֗נִי אֱלֹהֵ֥י יִשְׁעִֽי׃

Psalms 27:8-9

(8) It is You of whom my heart said:
“Seek My face!”
O LORD, I seek Your presence. (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.

Given that there is a bit of G-d in each of us, whose presence, attention, or pride have you sought in the past (or do you seek now)? Who might be seeking those from you?

תהילים כ״ז:י׳-י״ב

(י) כִּֽי־אָבִ֣י וְאִמִּ֣י עֲזָב֑וּנִי וַֽיהֹוָ֣ה יַאַסְפֵֽנִי׃ (יא) ה֤וֹרֵ֥נִי יְהֹוָ֗ה דַּ֫רְכֶּ֥ךָ וּ֭נְחֵנִי בְּאֹ֣רַח מִישׁ֑וֹר לְ֝מַ֗עַן שֽׁוֹרְרָֽי׃ (יב) אַֽל־תִּ֭תְּנֵנִי בְּנֶ֣פֶשׁ צָרָ֑י כִּ֥י קָמוּ־בִ֥י עֵדֵי־שֶׁ֝֗קֶר וִיפֵ֥חַ חָמָֽס׃

Psalms 27:10-12

(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 straight path
despite those arrayed against me. (12) Do not subject me to the will of my foes,
for false witnesses and people who breathe out violence (chamas)
have arisen against me.

Have you ever felt like G-d was leading you on a certain path? If so, when?

תהילים כ״ז:י״ג-י״ד

(יג) לׅׄוּׅׄלֵׅ֗ׄאׅׄ הֶ֭אֱמַנְתִּי לִרְא֥וֹת בְּֽטוּב־יְהֹוָ֗ה בְּאֶ֣רֶץ חַיִּֽים׃ (יד) קַוֵּ֗ה אֶל־יְ֫הֹוָ֥ה חֲ֭זַק וְיַאֲמֵ֣ץ לִבֶּ֑ךָ וְ֝קַוֵּ֗ה אֶל־יְהֹוָֽה׃ {פ}

Psalms 27:13-14

(13) If only I could trust that I would see God’s goodness in the land of the living…
(14) Place your hope in the LORD;
be strong and take courage, and place your hope in the LORD!

There is a Jewish story of a man whose only desire was that G-d would let him win the lottery. The man dies without winning the lottery, and his soul confronts G-d about this. G-d’s response was “Couldn’t you at least have bought a lottery ticket?” How do verses 13 and 14 relate to this story, and what message do they have for our own lives?

Musical Settings for “Achat Sha’alti”
Which ones reflect the meaning and tone of Psalm 27:4 for you?

Context: This is the most common tune to “Achat Sha’alti”. It was written by Israel Katz prior to 1970, as it is ascribed to him in Velvel Pasternak’s book Songs of the Chassidim I.

Context: This is the second-most common version of “Achat Sha’alti”.

Context: This is a setting of “Achat Sha’alti” by Chava Mirel, from 2018.

Context: This is a version of “Achat Sha’alti” by Beth Styles from 2020. It is being sung of Cantor Azi Schwartz and Cantor Rachel Brook, then of Park Avenue Synagogue in New York City.

This is a version by Hazzan Amy Robinson Katz from 2022. You can see her using it at her shul (Congregation B’nai Israel, Orange County, CA) here: https://youtu.be/NjmhpQKkc48

Context: This is Paul Schoenfield’s (1947-present) 1991 instrumental version of “Achat Sha’alti” for flute and piano. He created it for his friend Carol Wincenc’s collection of new flute and piano pieces and recorded it with her (him on piano) on “New World Recording, Flutes”. She notes that this piece should be played with great warmth and power. Paul Schoenfeld was a touring pianist and is now on the faculty at the University of Michigan.

Context: This the Israeli dance version of “Achat Sha’alti”, created by Maurice Peretz in 1989.

Appendix: Midrash Tehillim connecting Psalm 27 to Elul/Tishrei

מדרש תהילים כ״ז:ג׳

(ג) דבר אחר ה' אורי וישעי. … רבנן פתרי קראי בראש השנה ויום הכפורים. אורי בראש השנה. וישעי ביום הכפורים. …

Midrash Tehillim 27:3

(3) ...Another explanation. 'The LORD is my light and my help...' …The rabbis explained this verse as referring to Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur. 'my light,' on Rosh Hashanah. 'And my help ,' on Yom Kippur….

Context: This is from Midrash Tehillim, which is a commentary on the book of Psalms dating from 1050 CE in France.

מדרש תהילים כ״ז:ג׳

(ג) … צרי ואויבי לי. את מוצא מנין השט"ן בגימטריא שס"ד. כל ימות השנה יש לו רשות לקטרג חוץ מיום הכפורים (וראש השנה). …

Midrash Tehillim 27:3

(3)…'my foes and my enemies,' the numerical value of the letters of hasatan (the accuser) is 364. Every day of the year he has the authority to make accusations, except on Yom Kippur (and Rosh Hashanah). …

Same text.