Psalm 27: A Psalm for the High Holiday Season

Psalm 27: A Psalm for the High Holiday Season

This post offers the Hebrew and English text of Psalm 27, recited twice daily from the beginning of the Hebrew month of Elul through Shemini Atzeret, which concludes the High Holiday season of Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur and Sukkot. Both a prayer and a statement of faith and commitment, this text is a reminder of our dependence on God in this time of repentance. 

Psalms Chapter 27

1 [A Psalm] of David. The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?  The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
2 When evil-doers came upon me to eat up my flesh,  even mine adversaries and my foes, they stumbled and fell.
3 Though a host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear;  though war should rise up against me, even then will I be confident.
4 One thing have I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the graciousness of the LORD, and to visit early in His temple.
5 For He concealeth me in His pavilion in the day of evil; He hideth me in the covert of His tent; He lifteth me up upon a rock.
6 And now shall my head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me; and I will offer in His tabernacle sacrifices with trumpet-sound; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the LORD.
7 Hear, O LORD, when I call with my voice, and be gracious unto me, and answer me.
8 In Thy behalf my heart hath said: ‘Seek ye My face’; Thy face, LORD, will I seek.
9 Hide not Thy face from me; put not Thy servant away in anger;
Thou hast been my help; cast me not off, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation.
10 For though my father and my mother have forsaken me, the LORD will take me up.
11 Teach me Thy way, O LORD; and lead me in an even path, because of them that lie in wait for me.
12 Deliver me not over unto the will of mine adversaries; for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out violence.
13 If I had not believed to look upon the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living!–
14 Wait on the LORD; be strong, and let thy heart take courage; yea, wait thou for the LORD.

תהילים פרק כז

א  לְדָוִד:    יְהוָה, אוֹרִי וְיִשְׁעִי–מִמִּי אִירָא;
יְהוָה מָעוֹז-חַיַּי,    מִמִּי אֶפְחָד.
ב  בִּקְרֹב עָלַי, מְרֵעִים–    לֶאֱכֹל אֶת-בְּשָׂרִי:
צָרַי וְאֹיְבַי לִי;    הֵמָּה כָשְׁלוּ וְנָפָלוּ.
ג  אִם-תַּחֲנֶה עָלַי, מַחֲנֶה–    לֹא-יִירָא לִבִּי:
אִם-תָּקוּם עָלַי, מִלְחָמָה–    בְּזֹאת, אֲנִי בוֹטֵחַ.
ד  אַחַת, שָׁאַלְתִּי מֵאֵת-יְהוָה–    אוֹתָהּ אֲבַקֵּשׁ:
שִׁבְתִּי בְּבֵית-יְהוָה,    כָּל-יְמֵי חַיַּי;
לַחֲזוֹת בְּנֹעַם-יְהוָה,    וּלְבַקֵּר בְּהֵיכָלוֹ.
ה  כִּי יִצְפְּנֵנִי, בְּסֻכֹּה–    בְּיוֹם רָעָה:
יַסְתִּרֵנִי, בְּסֵתֶר אָהֳלוֹ;    בְּצוּר, יְרוֹמְמֵנִי.
ו  וְעַתָּה יָרוּם רֹאשִׁי, עַל אֹיְבַי סְבִיבוֹתַי,    וְאֶזְבְּחָה בְאָהֳלוֹ, זִבְחֵי תְרוּעָה;
אָשִׁירָה וַאֲזַמְּרָה,    לַיהוָה.
ז  שְׁמַע-יְהוָה קוֹלִי אֶקְרָא;    וְחָנֵּנִי וַעֲנֵנִי.
ח  לְךָ, אָמַר לִבִּי–בַּקְּשׁוּ פָנָי;    אֶת-פָּנֶיךָ יְהוָה אֲבַקֵּשׁ.
ט  אַל-תַּסְתֵּר פָּנֶיךָ, מִמֶּנִּי–    אַל תַּט-בְּאַף, עַבְדֶּךָ:
עֶזְרָתִי הָיִיתָ;    אַל-תִּטְּשֵׁנִי וְאַל-תַּעַזְבֵנִי, אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׁעִי.
י  כִּי-אָבִי וְאִמִּי עֲזָבוּנִי;    וַיהוָה יַאַסְפֵנִי.
יא  הוֹרֵנִי יְהוָה, דַּרְכֶּךָ:    וּנְחֵנִי, בְּאֹרַח מִישׁוֹר–לְמַעַן, שׁוֹרְרָי.
יב  אַל-תִּתְּנֵנִי, בְּנֶפֶשׁ צָרָי:    כִּי קָמוּ-בִי עֵדֵי-שֶׁקֶר, וִיפֵחַ חָמָס.
יג  לוּלֵא–הֶאֱמַנְתִּי, לִרְאוֹת בְּטוּב-יְהוָה:    בְּאֶרֶץ חַיִּים.
יד  קַוֵּה, אֶל-יְהוָה:    חֲזַק, וְיַאֲמֵץ לִבֶּךָ; וְקַוֵּה, אֶל-יְהוָה.