TORAH
FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES
NEVI'IM
PROPHETS
KETUVIM
WRITINGS
Chapter 27
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1Of David. Hashem is my light and my help; whom should I fear? Hashem is the stronghold of my life, whom should I dread?
אלְדָוִד יְהֹוָה אוֹרִי וְיִשְׁעִי מִמִּי אִירָא יְהֹוָה מָעוֹז־חַיַּי מִמִּי אֶפְחָד׃
2When evil men assail me to devour my flesh— it is they, my foes and my enemies, who stumble and fall.
בבִּקְרֹב עָלַי מְרֵעִים לֶאֱכֹל אֶת־בְּשָׂרִי צָרַי וְאֹיְבַי לִי הֵמָּה כָשְׁלוּ וְנָפָלוּ׃
3Should an army besiege me, my heart would have no fear; should war beset me, still would I be confident.
גאִם־תַּחֲנֶה עָלַי מַחֲנֶה לֹא־יִירָא לִבִּי אִם־תָּקוּם עָלַי מִלְחָמָה בְּזֹאת אֲנִי בוֹטֵחַ׃
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.
דאַחַת שָׁאַלְתִּי מֵאֵת־יְהֹוָה אוֹתָהּ אֲבַקֵּשׁ שִׁבְתִּי בְּבֵית־יְהֹוָה כָּל־יְמֵי חַיַּי לַחֲזוֹת בְּנֹעַם־יְהֹוָה וּלְבַקֵּר בְּהֵיכָלוֹ׃
5He will shelter me in His pavilion on an evil day, grant me the protection of His tent, raise me high upon a rock.
הכִּי יִצְפְּנֵנִי בְּסֻכֹּה בְּיוֹם רָעָה יַסְתִּרֵנִי בְּסֵתֶר אָהֳלוֹ בְּצוּר יְרוֹמְמֵנִי׃
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.
ווְעַתָּה יָרוּם רֹאשִׁי עַל אֹיְבַי סְבִיבוֹתַי וְאֶזְבְּחָה בְאָהֳלוֹ זִבְחֵי תְרוּעָה אָשִׁירָה וַאֲזַמְּרָה לַיהֹוָה׃
7Hear, Hashem, when I cry aloud; have mercy on me, answer me.
זשְׁמַע־יְהֹוָה קוֹלִי אֶקְרָא וְחָנֵּנִי וַעֲנֵנִי׃
8In Your behalf my heart says: “Seek My face!” Hashem, I seek Your face.
חלְךָ אָמַר לִבִּי בַּקְּשׁוּ פָנָי אֶת־פָּנֶיךָ יְהֹוָה אֲבַקֵּשׁ׃
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.
טאַל־תַּסְתֵּר פָּנֶיךָ מִמֶּנִּי אַל־תַּט־בְּאַף עַבְדֶּךָ עֶזְרָתִי הָיִיתָ אַל־תִּטְּשֵׁנִי וְאַל־תַּעַזְבֵנִי אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׁעִי׃
10Though my father and mother abandon me, Hashem will take me in.
יכִּי־אָבִי וְאִמִּי עֲזָבוּנִי וַיהֹוָה יַאַסְפֵנִי׃
11Show me Your way, Hashem, and lead me on a level path because of my watchful foes.
יאהוֹרֵנִי יְהֹוָה דַּרְכֶּךָ וּנְחֵנִי בְּאֹרַח מִישׁוֹר לְמַעַן שׁוֹרְרָי׃
12Do not subject me to the will of my foes, for false witnesses and unjust accusers have appeared against me.
יבאַל־תִּתְּנֵנִי בְּנֶפֶשׁ צָרָי כִּי קָמוּ־בִי עֵדֵי־שֶׁקֶר וִיפֵחַ חָמָס׃
13Had I not the assurance that I would enjoy the goodness of Hashem in the land of the living…
יגלוּלֵא הֶאֱמַנְתִּי לִרְאוֹת בְּטוּב־יְהֹוָה בְּאֶרֶץ חַיִּים׃
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
ידקַוֵּה אֶל־יְהֹוָה חֲזַק וְיַאֲמֵץ לִבֶּךָ וְקַוֵּה אֶל־יְהֹוָה׃
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.
