TORAH

FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES

NEVI'IM

PROPHETS

KETUVIM

WRITINGS

Chapter 27

Translation and Transliteration of

Listen to this chapter in Hebrew:

1Of David. Hashem is my light and my help; whom should I fear? Hashem is the stronghold of my life, whom should I dread?

l'-da-VID a-do-NAI o-REE v'-yish-EE mi-MEE i-RA, a-do-NAI ma-OZ-kha-YAI mi-MEE ef-KHAD

אלְדָוִ֨ד ׀ יְהֹוָ֤ה ׀ אוֹרִ֣י וְ֭יִשְׁעִי מִמִּ֣י אִירָ֑א יְהֹוָ֥ה מָעוֹז־חַ֝יַּ֗י מִמִּ֥י אֶפְחָֽד׃

2When evil men assail me to devour my flesh— it is they, my foes and my enemies, who stumble and fall.

bi-K'rov a-LAI m'-re-EEM le-e-KHOL et b'-sa-REE tza-RAI v'-o-y'-VAI LEE, HAY-ma kha-SHU v'-na-FA-lu.

בבִּקְרֹ֤ב עָלַ֨י ׀ מְרֵעִים֮ לֶאֱכֹ֢ל אֶת־בְּשָׂ֫רִ֥י צָרַ֣י וְאֹיְבַ֣י לִ֑י הֵ֖מָּה כָשְׁל֣וּ וְנָפָֽלוּ׃

3Should an army besiege me, my heart would have no fear; should war beset me, still would I be confident.

im-ta-cha-NEH a-LAI ma-cha-NEH lo yi-RA li-BI im-ta-KUM a-LAI mil-cha-MAH b'-ZOT a-NEE bo-TE-ach

גאִם־תַּחֲנֶ֬ה עָלַ֨י ׀ מַחֲנֶה֮ לֹא־יִירָ֢א לִ֫בִּ֥י אִם־תָּק֣וּם עָ֭לַי מִלְחָמָ֑ה בְּ֝זֹ֗את אֲנִ֣י בוֹטֵֽחַ׃

4One thing I ask of Hashem, only that do I seek: to live in the house of Hashem all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of Hashem, to frequent His temple.

a-KHAT sha-AL-tee may-ET a-do-NAI, o-TAH a-va-KESH shiv-TEE b'-bait a-do-NAI, kol y'-MAY kha-YAI, la-KHA-zot b'-no-am a-do-NAI, u-l'-va-KER b'-he-KHA-lo

דאַחַ֤ת ׀ שָׁאַ֣לְתִּי מֵֽאֵת־יְהֹוָה֮ אוֹתָ֢הּ אֲבַ֫קֵּ֥שׁ שִׁבְתִּ֣י בְּבֵית־יְ֭הֹוָה כׇּל־יְמֵ֣י חַיַּ֑י לַחֲז֥וֹת בְּנֹעַם־יְ֝הֹוָ֗ה וּלְבַקֵּ֥ר בְּהֵֽיכָלֽוֹ׃

5He will shelter me in His pavilion on an evil day, grant me the protection of His tent, raise me high upon a rock.

ki yitz-pe-NE-ni b'-su-KO b'-YOM ra-AH yas-ti-RE-ni b'-SE-ter a-ho-LO b'-TSUR ye-ro-m'-ME-ni

הכִּ֤י יִצְפְּנֵ֨נִי ׀ בְּסֻכֹּה֮ בְּי֢וֹם רָ֫עָ֥ה יַ֭סְתִּרֵנִי בְּסֵ֣תֶר אׇהֳל֑וֹ בְּ֝צ֗וּר יְרוֹמְמֵֽנִי׃

6Now is my head high over my enemies roundabout; I sacrifice in His tent with shouts of joy, singing and chanting a hymn to Hashem.

v'-a-TAH ya-RUM ro-SHI al o-y'-VAI se-vi-VO-tai v'-ez-b'-CHA b'-o-HA-lo ziv-KHEI t'-ru-AH a-SHI-ra va-a-zam-RAH la-a-do-NAI

ווְעַתָּ֨ה יָר֪וּם רֹאשִׁ֡י עַ֤ל אֹיְבַ֬י סְֽבִיבוֹתַ֗י וְאֶזְבְּחָ֣ה בְ֭אׇהֳלוֹ זִבְחֵ֣י תְרוּעָ֑ה אָשִׁ֥ירָה וַ֝אֲזַמְּרָ֗ה לַֽיהֹוָֽה׃

7Hear, Hashem, when I cry aloud; have mercy on me, answer me.

SH'-ma a-do-NAI ko-LEE ek-RA va-kha-NE-ni va-a-NE-ni

זשְׁמַע־יְהֹוָ֖ה קוֹלִ֥י אֶקְרָ֗א וְחׇנֵּ֥נִי וַֽעֲנֵֽנִי׃

8In Your behalf my heart says: “Seek My face!” Hashem, I seek Your face.

le-KHA a-MAR li-BEE ba-k'-SHU fa-NAI et fa-NE-kha a-do-NAI a-va-KESH

חלְךָ֤ ׀ אָמַ֣ר לִ֭בִּי בַּקְּשׁ֣וּ פָנָ֑י אֶת־פָּנֶ֖יךָ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֲבַקֵּֽשׁ׃

9Do 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 Hashem, my deliverer.

al-tas-TEr pa-NE-kha mi-ME-ni, al-tat-b'-aF av-DE-kha ez-ra-TI ha-YI-ta, al-tit-TE-sh'-NI v'-al-ta-aZ'-ve-NI, e-lo-HE-yi yish-I.

טאַל־תַּסְתֵּ֬ר פָּנֶ֨יךָ ׀ מִמֶּנִּי֮ אַ֥ל תַּט־בְּאַ֗ף עַ֫בְדֶּ֥ךָ עֶזְרָתִ֥י הָיִ֑יתָ אַֽל־תִּטְּשֵׁ֥נִי וְאַל־תַּ֝עַזְבֵ֗נִי אֱלֹהֵ֥י יִשְׁעִֽי׃

10Though my father and mother abandon me, Hashem will take me in.

ki-a-VEE v'-i-MEE a-za-VOO-nee va-a-do-NAI ya-as-FAY-nee

יכִּֽי־אָבִ֣י וְאִמִּ֣י עֲזָב֑וּנִי וַֽיהֹוָ֣ה יַאַסְפֵֽנִי׃

11Show me Your way, Hashem, and lead me on a level path because of my watchful foes.

ho-RE-ni a-do-NAI dar-KHE-kha u-ne-KHE-ni b'-o-RACH mi-SHOR l'-ma-aN sho-r'-RAI

יאה֤וֹרֵ֥נִי יְהֹוָ֗ה דַּ֫רְכֶּ֥ךָ וּ֭נְחֵנִי בְּאֹ֣רַח מִישׁ֑וֹר לְ֝מַ֗עַן שֽׁוֹרְרָֽי׃

12Do not subject me to the will of my foes, for false witnesses and unjust accusers have appeared against me.

al-ti-t'-NEE b'-NE-fesh tza-RAI, KEE ka-MU-vi e-DAY-she-KER vi-FAY-akh cha-MAS.

יבאַֽל־תִּ֭תְּנֵנִי בְּנֶ֣פֶשׁ צָרָ֑י כִּ֥י קָמוּ־בִ֥י עֵדֵי־שֶׁ֝֗קֶר וִיפֵ֥חַ חָמָֽס׃

13Had I not the assurance that I would enjoy the goodness of Hashem in the land of the living…

LU-a-LE, he-MA-n'-TEE lir-OT b'-tuv-a-do-NAI b'-E-rets kha-YIM

יגלׅׄוּׅׄלֵׅ֗ׄאׅׄ הֶ֭אֱמַנְתִּי לִרְא֥וֹת בְּֽטוּב־יְהֹוָ֗ה בְּאֶ֣רֶץ חַיִּֽים׃

14Look to Hashem; be strong and of good courage! O look to Hashem!

ka-VAY el a-do-NAI kha-ZAK v'-ya-a-MAYTZ li-BE-kha v'-ka-VAY el a-do-NAI

ידקַוֵּ֗ה אֶל־יְ֫הֹוָ֥ה חֲ֭זַק וְיַאֲמֵ֣ץ לִבֶּ֑ךָ וְ֝קַוֵּ֗ה אֶל־יְהֹוָֽה׃

27:14 Look to Hashem

Prime Minister Menachem Begin (1913-1992)

In this psalm, which Jews recite each day during the Hebrew month of Elul, immediately prior to the High Holidays and the Ten Days of Repentance, King David serves as a model of faith. Despite terrible enemies and feelings of abandonment, he never gives up hope in the Lord. Instead, he longs for a time when he will dwell permanently in the house of Hashem and behold his graciousness (verse 4), and instructs his readers to maintain similar hope and faith in God, and wait for His salvation (verse 14). The People of Israel have always taken this exhortation seriously, and though they waited a long time for Him, they never gave up their hope and trust in the Lord. Prime Minister Menachem Begin once said about the return of the Jews to Israel: “The miracle of Return was accompanied by the miracle of Revival. Within a generation there developed within the Jewish people the strength to take up arms, to rise against alien rule, to throw off the yoke of oppression. How long, how endless were the years of exile, of humiliation and destruction. And how short, in comparison, were the years of revival, reinvigoration and armed uprising. History has no parallels in its record!” They waited faithfully for Him, and in our generation, He has brought them home.