(1) For the leader. A psalm of David. (2) How long, O LORD; will You ignore me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me? (3) How long will I have cares on my mind, grief in my heart all day? How long will my enemy have the upper hand? (4) Look at me, answer me, O LORD, my God! Restore the luster to my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death; (5) lest my enemy say, “I have overcome him,” my foes exult when I totter. (6) But I trust in Your faithfulness, my heart will exult in Your deliverance. I will sing to the LORD, for He has been good to me.
22 (Numb. 14:11) “Then the Lord said unto Moses, ‘How long ('ad-'anah) will this people scorn Me, and how long ('ad-'anah) will they have no faith in Me?’”: The Holy One, blessed be He, said, “I have uttered two cries (of 'ad-'anah) because of you. Your end shall be to cry out in the subjection of the four empires: (Ps. 13:2-3,) ‘How long ('ad-'anah), O Lord, will you forget me forever; how long ('ad'-'anah) will you hide Your face from me? How long ('ad-'anah) shall I take counsel in my soul with grief in my heart [all day]; how long ('ad-'anah) will my enemy be exalted over me?’ I cried out (in Numb. 14:27), ‘How long ('Ad-matay) shall this evil congregation [be murmuring against me]?’ Your end shall be to cry out (in Ps. 6:4), ‘My soul also is greatly dismayed; [and You, O Lord, how long ('ad-matay)]?’”
(1) For the leader. Of David, the servant of the LORD, who addressed the words of this song to the LORD after the LORD had saved him from the hands of all his enemies and from the clutches of Saul. (2) He said: I adore you, O LORD, my strength, (3) O LORD, my crag, my fortress, my rescuer, my God, my rock in whom I seek refuge, my shield, my mighty champion, my haven. (4) All praise! I called on the LORD and was delivered from my enemies. (5) Ropes of Death encompassed me; torrents of Belial terrified me; (6) ropes of Sheol encircled me; snares of Death confronted me. (7) In my distress I called on the LORD, cried out to my God; in His temple He heard my voice; my cry to Him reached His ears. (8) Then the earth rocked and quaked; the foundations of the mountains shook, rocked by His indignation; (9) smoke went up from His nostrils, from His mouth came devouring fire; live coals blazed forth from Him. (10) He bent the sky and came down, thick cloud beneath His feet. (11) He mounted a cherub and flew, gliding on the wings of the wind. (12) He made darkness His screen; dark thunderheads, dense clouds of the sky were His pavilion round about Him. (13) Out of the brilliance before Him, hail and fiery coals pierced His clouds. (14) Then the LORD thundered from heaven, the Most High gave forth His voice— hail and fiery coals. (15) He let fly His shafts and scattered them; He discharged lightning and routed them. (16) The ocean bed was exposed; the foundations of the world were laid bare by Your mighty roaring, O LORD, at the blast of the breath of Your nostrils. (17) He reached down from on high, He took me; He drew me out of the mighty waters; (18) He saved me from my fierce enemy, from foes too strong for me. (19) They confronted me on the day of my calamity, but the LORD was my support. (20) He brought me out to freedom; He rescued me because He was pleased with me. (21) The LORD rewarded me according to my merit; He requited the cleanness of my hands; (22) for I have kept to the ways of the LORD, and have not been guilty before my God; (23) for I am mindful of all His rules; I have not disregarded His laws. (24) I have been blameless toward Him, and have guarded myself against sinning; (25) and the LORD has requited me according to my merit, the cleanness of my hands in His sight. (26) With the loyal, You deal loyally; with the blameless man, blamelessly. (27) With the pure, You act purely, and with the perverse, You are wily. (28) It is You who deliver lowly folk, but haughty eyes You humble. (29) It is You who light my lamp; the LORD, my God, lights up my darkness. (30) With You, I can rush a barrier; with my God I can scale a wall; (31) the way of God is perfect; the word of the LORD is pure; He is a shield to all who seek refuge in Him. (32) Truly, who is a god except the LORD, who is a rock but our God?— (33) the God who girded me with might, who made my way perfect; (34) who made my legs like a deer’s, and let me stand firm on the heights; (35) who trained my hands for battle; my arms can bend a bow of bronze. (36) You have given me the shield of Your protection; Your right hand has sustained me, Your care has made me great. (37) You have let me stride on freely; my feet have not slipped. (38) I pursued my enemies and overtook them; I did not turn back till I destroyed them. (39) I struck them down, and they could rise no more; they lay fallen at my feet. (40) You have girded me with strength for battle, brought my adversaries low before me, (41) made my enemies turn tail before me; I wiped out my foes. (42) They cried out, but there was none to deliver; [cried] to the LORD, but He did not answer them. (43) I ground them fine as windswept dust; I trod them flat as dirt of the streets. (44) You have rescued me from the strife of people; You have set me at the head of nations; peoples I knew not must serve me. (45) At the mere report of me they are submissive; foreign peoples cower before me; (46) foreign peoples lose courage, and come trembling out of their strongholds. (47) The LORD lives! Blessed is my rock! Exalted be God, my deliverer, (48) the God who has vindicated me and made peoples subject to me, (49) who rescued me from my enemies, who raised me clear of my adversaries, saved me from lawless men. (50) For this I sing Your praise among the nations, LORD, and hymn Your name: (51) He accords great victories to His king, keeps faith with His anointed, with David and his offspring forever.
"And I besought the Lord" (Deuteronomy 3:23). Halacha: A Jew who stands and prays [the Amidah prayer], may he pray out loud? The sages teach: (Talmud Berachot 31a) "Someone who stands and prays [the Amidah prayer] should hear his own voice [but others should not]. Chanah already explained: (I Samuel 1:13) "And Chanah spoke to herself..." One might think one can pray the three [Amidah prayers throughout the day] as a single [prayer]? Daniel already taught: (Daniel 6:11) "And three times a day he would kneel on his knees, and he would pray and bow before his god." One might think that one should pray at every moment one fancies? David already explained: (Psalms 55:18) "Evening, morning and afternoon I speak and moan, and He hearkened to my voice."
(א) לַ֭מְנַצֵּחַ עַל־אַיֶּ֥לֶת הַשַּׁ֗חַר מִזְמ֥וֹר לְדָוִֽד׃ (ב) אֵלִ֣י אֵ֭לִי לָמָ֣ה עֲזַבְתָּ֑נִי רָח֥וֹק מִֽ֝ישׁוּעָתִ֗י דִּבְרֵ֥י שַׁאֲגָתִֽי׃ (ג) אֱֽלֹהַ֗י אֶקְרָ֣א י֭וֹמָם וְלֹ֣א תַעֲנֶ֑ה וְ֝לַ֗יְלָה וְֽלֹא־דֽוּמִיָּ֥ה לִֽי׃ (ד) וְאַתָּ֥ה קָד֑וֹשׁ י֝וֹשֵׁ֗ב תְּהִלּ֥וֹת יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (ה) בְּ֭ךָ בָּטְח֣וּ אֲבֹתֵ֑ינוּ בָּ֝טְח֗וּ וַֽתְּפַלְּטֵֽמוֹ׃ (ו) אֵלֶ֣יךָ זָעֲק֣וּ וְנִמְלָ֑טוּ בְּךָ֖ בָטְח֣וּ וְלֹא־בֽוֹשׁוּ׃ (ז) וְאָנֹכִ֣י תוֹלַ֣עַת וְלֹא־אִ֑ישׁ חֶרְפַּ֥ת אָ֝דָ֗ם וּבְז֥וּי עָֽם׃ (ח) כָּל־רֹ֭אַי יַלְעִ֣גוּ לִ֑י יַפְטִ֥ירוּ בְ֝שָׂפָ֗ה יָנִ֥יעוּ רֹֽאשׁ׃ (ט) גֹּ֣ל אֶל־יְהוָ֣ה יְפַלְּטֵ֑הוּ יַ֝צִּילֵ֗הוּ כִּ֘י חָ֥פֵֽץ בּֽוֹ׃ (י) כִּֽי־אַתָּ֣ה גֹחִ֣י מִבָּ֑טֶן מַ֝בְטִיחִ֗י עַל־שְׁדֵ֥י אִמִּֽי׃ (יא) עָ֭לֶיךָ הָשְׁלַ֣כְתִּי מֵרָ֑חֶם מִבֶּ֥טֶן אִ֝מִּ֗י אֵ֣לִי אָֽתָּה׃ (יב) אַל־תִּרְחַ֣ק מִ֭מֶּנִּי כִּי־צָרָ֣ה קְרוֹבָ֑ה כִּי־אֵ֥ין עוֹזֵֽר׃ (יג) סְ֭בָבוּנִי פָּרִ֣ים רַבִּ֑ים אַבִּירֵ֖י בָשָׁ֣ן כִּתְּרֽוּנִי׃ (יד) פָּצ֣וּ עָלַ֣י פִּיהֶ֑ם אַ֝רְיֵ֗ה טֹרֵ֥ף וְשֹׁאֵֽג׃ (טו) כַּמַּ֥יִם נִשְׁפַּכְתִּי֮ וְהִתְפָּֽרְד֗וּ כָּֽל־עַצְמ֫וֹתָ֥י הָיָ֣ה לִ֭בִּי כַּדּוֹנָ֑ג נָ֝מֵ֗ס בְּת֣וֹךְ מֵעָֽי׃ (טז) יָ֘בֵ֤שׁ כַּחֶ֨רֶשׂ ׀ כֹּחִ֗י וּ֭לְשׁוֹנִי מֻדְבָּ֣ק מַלְקוֹחָ֑י וְֽלַעֲפַר־מָ֥וֶת תִּשְׁפְּתֵֽנִי׃ (יז) כִּ֥י סְבָב֗וּנִי כְּלָ֫בִ֥ים עֲדַ֣ת מְ֭רֵעִים הִקִּיפ֑וּנִי כָּ֝אֲרִ֗י יָדַ֥י וְרַגְלָֽי׃ (יח) אֲסַפֵּ֥ר כָּל־עַצְמוֹתָ֑י הֵ֥מָּה יַ֝בִּ֗יטוּ יִרְאוּ־בִֽי׃ (יט) יְחַלְּק֣וּ בְגָדַ֣י לָהֶ֑ם וְעַל־לְ֝בוּשִׁ֗י יַפִּ֥ילוּ גוֹרָֽל׃ (כ) וְאַתָּ֣ה יְ֭הוָה אַל־תִּרְחָ֑ק אֱ֝יָלוּתִ֗י לְעֶזְרָ֥תִי חֽוּשָׁה׃ (כא) הַצִּ֣ילָה מֵחֶ֣רֶב נַפְשִׁ֑י מִיַּד־כֶּ֝֗לֶב יְחִידָתִֽי׃ (כב) ה֭וֹשִׁיעֵנִי מִפִּ֣י אַרְיֵ֑ה וּמִקַּרְנֵ֖י רֵמִ֣ים עֲנִיתָֽנִי׃ (כג) אֲסַפְּרָ֣ה שִׁמְךָ֣ לְאֶחָ֑י בְּת֖וֹךְ קָהָ֣ל אֲהַלְלֶֽךָּ׃ (כד) יִרְאֵ֤י יְהוָ֨ה ׀ הַֽלְל֗וּהוּ כָּל־זֶ֣רַע יַעֲקֹ֣ב כַּבְּד֑וּהוּ וְג֥וּרוּ מִ֝מֶּ֗נּוּ כָּל־זֶ֥רַע יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (כה) כִּ֤י לֹֽא־בָזָ֨ה וְלֹ֪א שִׁקַּ֡ץ עֱנ֬וּת עָנִ֗י וְלֹא־הִסְתִּ֣יר פָּנָ֣יו מִמֶּ֑נּוּ וּֽבְשַׁוְּע֖וֹ אֵלָ֣יו שָׁמֵֽעַ׃ (כו) מֵ֥אִתְּךָ֗ תְֽהִלָּ֫תִ֥י בְּקָהָ֥ל רָ֑ב נְדָרַ֥י אֲ֝שַׁלֵּ֗ם נֶ֣גֶד יְרֵאָֽיו׃ (כז) יֹאכְל֬וּ עֲנָוִ֨ים ׀ וְיִשְׂבָּ֗עוּ יְהַֽלְל֣וּ יְ֭הוָה דֹּ֣רְשָׁ֑יו יְחִ֖י לְבַבְכֶ֣ם לָעַֽד׃ (כח) יִזְכְּר֤וּ ׀ וְיָשֻׁ֣בוּ אֶל־יְ֭הוָה כָּל־אַפְסֵי־אָ֑רֶץ וְיִֽשְׁתַּחֲו֥וּ לְ֝פָנֶ֗יךָ כָּֽל־מִשְׁפְּח֥וֹת גּוֹיִֽם׃ (כט) כִּ֣י לַ֭יהוָה הַמְּלוּכָ֑ה וּ֝מֹשֵׁ֗ל בַּגּוֹיִֽם׃ (ל) אָכְל֬וּ וַיִּֽשְׁתַּחֲוּ֨וּ ׀ כָּֽל־דִּשְׁנֵי־אֶ֗רֶץ לְפָנָ֣יו יִ֭כְרְעוּ כָּל־יוֹרְדֵ֣י עָפָ֑ר וְ֝נַפְשׁ֗וֹ לֹ֣א חִיָּֽה׃ (לא) זֶ֥רַע יַֽעַבְדֶ֑נּוּ יְסֻפַּ֖ר לַֽאדֹנָ֣י לַדּֽוֹר׃ (לב) יָ֭בֹאוּ וְיַגִּ֣ידוּ צִדְקָת֑וֹ לְעַ֥ם נ֝וֹלָ֗ד כִּ֣י עָשָֽׂה׃
(1) For the leader; on ayyeleth ha-shaḥar. A psalm of David. (2) My God, my God, why have You abandoned me; why so far from delivering me and from my anguished roaring? (3) My God, I cry by day—You answer not; by night, and have no respite. (4) But You are the Holy One, enthroned, the Praise of Israel. (5) In You our fathers trusted; they trusted, and You rescued them. (6) To You they cried out and they escaped; in You they trusted and were not disappointed. (7) But I am a worm, less than human; scorned by men, despised by people. (8) All who see me mock me; they curl their lips, they shake their heads. (9) “Let him commit himself to the LORD; let Him rescue him, let Him save him, for He is pleased with him.” (10) You drew me from the womb, made me secure at my mother’s breast. (11) I became Your charge at birth; from my mother’s womb You have been my God. (12) Do not be far from me, for trouble is near, and there is none to help. (13) Many bulls surround me, mighty ones of Bashan encircle me. (14) They open their mouths at me like tearing, roaring lions. (15) My life ebbs away: all my bones are disjointed; my heart is like wax, melting within me; (16) my vigor dries up like a shard; my tongue cleaves to my palate; You commit me to the dust of death. (17) Dogs surround me; a pack of evil ones closes in on me, like lions [they maul] my hands and feet. (18) I take the count of all my bones while they look on and gloat. (19) They divide my clothes among themselves, casting lots for my garments. (20) But You, O LORD, be not far off; my strength, hasten to my aid. (21) Save my life from the sword, my precious life from the clutches of a dog. (22) Deliver me from a lion’s mouth; from the horns of wild oxen rescue me. (23) Then will I proclaim Your fame to my brethren, praise You in the congregation. (24) You who fear the LORD, praise Him! All you offspring of Jacob, honor Him! Be in dread of Him, all you offspring of Israel! (25) For He did not scorn, He did not spurn the plea of the lowly; He did not hide His face from him; when he cried out to Him, He listened. (26) Because of You I offer praise in the great congregation; I pay my vows in the presence of His worshipers. (27) Let the lowly eat and be satisfied; let all who seek the LORD praise Him. Always be of good cheer! (28) Let all the ends of the earth pay heed and turn to the LORD, and the peoples of all nations prostrate themselves before You; (29) for kingship is the LORD’s and He rules the nations. (30) All those in full vigor shall eat and prostrate themselves; all those at death’s door, whose spirits flag, shall bend the knee before Him. (31) Offspring shall serve Him; the Lord’s fame shall be proclaimed to the generation (32) to come; they shall tell of His beneficence to people yet to be born, for He has acted.
- Is this psalm comforting to you? If so, why?
- Are there particular verses that move you? Which ones?
The only psalm I had memorized was the 23rd
and now I find myself searching for the order
of the phrases knowing it ends with surely
goodness and mercy will follow me
all the days of my life and I will dwell
in the house of the Lord forever only I remember
seeing a new translation from the original Hebrew
and forever wasn't forever but a long time
which is different from forever although
even a long time today would be
good enough for me even a minute entering
the House would be good enough for me,
even a hand on the door or dropping today's
newspaper on the stoop or looking in the windows
that are reflecting this morning's clouds in first light.
from Prayers & Run-on Sentences. © Deerbrook Editions, 2007.
Psalm 23
You are my shepherd, I am content
You lead me to rest in the sweet grasses
To lie down by the quiet waters
And I am refreshed
You lead me down the right path
The path that unwinds in the pattern of your name
And even if I walk through the valley of the shadow of death
I will not fear
For you are with me
Comforting me with your rod and your staff
Showing me each step
You prepare a table for me
In the midst of my adversity
And moisten my head with oil
Surely my cup is overflowing
And goodness and kindness will follow me
All the days of my life
And in the long days beyond
I will always live in your house
---Norman Fischer, Opening to You: Zen-Inspired translations of the Psalms
.. Rabbi Hiya Bar Abba was sick. Rabbi Yochanan went to visit him; he [Rabbi Yochanan] said to him: "Are your sufferings cdear to you?" He [Rabbi Hiya Bar Abba] replied: "Not them and not their reward." He [Rabbi Yochanan] said: "Give me your hand" He gave him his hand and stood him up [i.e. he was healed.]
Rabbi Yochanan was sick. Rabbi Hanina went to visit him. He said to him: "Is suffering dear to you?" He replied: "Not them and not their reward." He said: "Give me your hand" And he stood him up. Why doesn't Rabbi Yochanan stand himself up? They say - A prisoner can't free himself from prison.
What are the sources of comfort in the psalm and the story of Rabbi Yochanan?
- Is this psalm comforting to you? If so, why?
- Are there particular verses that move you? Which ones?
- How might you use this in your life?