1 A psalm of David. I call You, Hashem, hasten to me; give ear to my cry when I call You.
א מִזְמוֹר לְדָוִד יְהוָה קְרָאתִיךָ חוּשָׁה לִּי הַאֲזִינָה קוֹלִי בְּקָרְאִי־לָךְ׃
2 Take my prayer as an offering of incense, my upraised hands as an evening sacrifice.
ti-KON t’-fi-la-TEE k’-TO-ret l’-fa-NE-kha mas-AT ka-PAI min-khat A-rev
ב תִּכּוֹן תְּפִלָּתִי קְטֹרֶת לְפָנֶיךָ מַשְׂאַת כַּפַּי מִנְחַת־עָרֶב׃
3 Hashem, set a guard over my mouth, a watch at the door of my lips;
ג שִׁיתָה יְהוָה שָׁמְרָה לְפִי נִצְּרָה עַל־דַּל שְׂפָתָי׃
4 let my mind not turn to an evil thing, to practice deeds of wickedness with men who are evildoers; let me not feast on their dainties.
ד אַל־תַּט־לִבִּי לְדָבָר רָע לְהִתְעוֹלֵל עֲלִלוֹת בְּרֶשַׁע אֶת־אִישִׁים פֹּעֲלֵי־אָוֶן וּבַל־אֶלְחַם בְּמַנְעַמֵּיהֶם׃
5 Let the righteous man strike me in loyalty, let him reprove me; let my head not refuse such choice oil. My prayers are still against their evil deeds.
ה יֶהֶלְמֵנִי־צַדִּיק חֶסֶד וְיוֹכִיחֵנִי שֶׁמֶן רֹאשׁ אַל־יָנִי רֹאשִׁי כִּי־עוֹד וּתְפִלָּתִי בְּרָעוֹתֵיהֶם׃
6 May their judges slip on the rock, but let my words be heard, for they are sweet.
ו נִשְׁמְטוּ בִידֵי־סֶלַע שֹׁפְטֵיהֶם וְשָׁמְעוּ אֲמָרַי כִּי נָעֵמוּ׃
7 As when the earth is cleft and broken up our bones are scattered at the mouth of Sheol.
ז כְּמוֹ פֹלֵחַ וּבֹקֵעַ בָּאָרֶץ נִפְזְרוּ עֲצָמֵינוּ לְפִי שְׁאוֹל׃
8 My eyes are fixed upon You, O Hashem my Lord; I seek refuge in You, do not put me in jeopardy.
ח כִּי אֵלֶיךָ יְהֹוִה אֲדֹנָי עֵינָי בְּכָה חָסִיתִי אַל־תְּעַר נַפְשִׁי׃
9 Keep me from the trap laid for me, and from the snares of evildoers.
ט שָׁמְרֵנִי מִידֵי פַח יָקְשׁוּ לִי וּמֹקְשׁוֹת פֹּעֲלֵי אָוֶן׃
10 Let the wicked fall into their nets while I alone come through.
י יִפְּלוּ בְמַכְמֹרָיו רְשָׁעִים יַחַד אָנֹכִי עַד־אֶעֱבוֹר׃
Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch explains the importance of the mincha, the meal offering (see Leviticus chapter 2) that accompanied the evening sacrifice. The mincha was made of flour, oil and wine, three important products of Eretz Yisrael. Flour represents life, oil represents wealth and wine represents spiritual joy. The three fruits of the land used for this offering symbolize the ideal image of the people of Israel: Living, working and flourishing in the land of Israel, while worshipping the God of Israel.1 comment