Day 17, Psalm 17
It is said that David arose at midnight daily to sing and praise God. This psalm feels like one from the middle of the night, expressing our deepest fears and greatest hopes. We want not only for the judgement of evil and the blessings of the righteous, but to ensure the wellbeing of the generations to come.
How can we build a home, a shul, a neighborhood, a world that we want our children to inherit?
Day 16, Psalm 16
You will teach me the path of life, In Your Presence is perfect joy, delights ever in Your right hand. In a chaotic world, we can forget the stability of community, faith and God. The Psalmist reminds us that in working and calling for a just world, we bring the presence of God. Sometimes we need to call out evil AND rediscover the peace of good choices. Don’t get stuck in the pits, we can climb out together!
What do you need to find your path this year? What do you have to celebrate from the past year?
ט״ז
מִכְתָּ֥ם לְדָוִ֑ד שׇֽׁמְרֵ֥נִי אֵ֝֗ל כִּֽי־חָסִ֥יתִי בָֽךְ׃
אָמַ֣רְתְּ לַֽ֭יהֹוָה אֲדֹנָ֣י אָ֑תָּה ט֝וֹבָתִ֗י בַּל־עָלֶֽיךָ׃
לִ֭קְדוֹשִׁים אֲשֶׁר־בָּאָ֣רֶץ הֵ֑מָּה וְ֝אַדִּירֵ֗י כׇּל־חֶפְצִי־בָֽם׃
יִרְבּ֥וּ עַצְּבוֹתָם֮ אַחֵ֢ר מָ֫הָ֥רוּ בַּל־אַסִּ֣יךְ נִסְכֵּיהֶ֣ם מִדָּ֑ם וּֽבַל־אֶשָּׂ֥א אֶת־שְׁ֝מוֹתָ֗ם עַל־שְׂפָתָֽי׃
יְֽהֹוָ֗ה מְנָת־חֶלְקִ֥י וְכוֹסִ֑י אַ֝תָּ֗ה תּוֹמִ֥יךְ גּוֹרָלִֽי׃
חֲבָלִ֣ים נָֽפְלוּ־לִ֭י בַּנְּעִמִ֑ים אַף־נַ֝חֲלָ֗ת שָֽׁפְרָ֥ה עָלָֽי׃
אֲבָרֵ֗ךְ אֶת־יְ֭הֹוָה אֲשֶׁ֣ר יְעָצָ֑נִי אַף־לֵ֝יל֗וֹת יִסְּר֥וּנִי כִלְיוֹתָֽי׃
שִׁוִּ֬יתִי יְהֹוָ֣ה לְנֶגְדִּ֣י תָמִ֑יד כִּ֥י מִֽ֝ימִינִ֗י בַּל־אֶמּֽוֹט׃
לָכֵ֤ן ׀ שָׂמַ֣ח לִ֭בִּי וַיָּ֣גֶל כְּבוֹדִ֑י אַף־בְּ֝שָׂרִ֗י יִשְׁכֹּ֥ן לָבֶֽטַח׃
כִּ֤י ׀ לֹא־תַעֲזֹ֣ב נַפְשִׁ֣י לִשְׁא֑וֹל לֹֽא־תִתֵּ֥ן חֲ֝סִידְךָ֗ לִרְא֥וֹת שָֽׁחַת׃
תּֽוֹדִיעֵנִי֮ אֹ֤רַח חַ֫יִּ֥ים שֹׂ֣בַע שְׂ֭מָחוֹת אֶת־פָּנֶ֑יךָ נְעִמ֖וֹת בִּימִינְךָ֣ נֶֽצַח׃ {פ}
16
Michtam of David. Keep me, O God; for I have taken refuge in Thee.
I have said unto the LORD: 'Thou art my Lord; I have no good but in Thee';
As for the holy that are in the earth, They are the excellent in whom is all my delight.
Let the idols of them be multiplied that make suit unto another; Their drink-offerings of blood will I not offer, Nor take their names upon my lips.
O LORD, the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup, Thou maintainest my lot.
The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; Yea, I have a goodly heritage.
I will bless the LORD, who hath given me counsel; Yea, in the night seasons my reins instruct me.
I have set the LORD always before me; Surely He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.
Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth; my flesh also dwelleth in safety;
For Thou wilt not abandon my soul to the nether-world; Neither wilt Thou suffer Thy godly one to see the pit.
Thou makest me to know the path of life; In Thy presence is fulness of joy, In Thy right hand bliss for evermore.
Day 15, Psalm 15
Psalm 15 is often used at funerals as a reminder of the positive traits and behaviors. It reminds us that we must not only actively choose to do good, but we must also shun evil. We strive to do right, especially when it is challenging!
What is going right in your life?
Day 14, Psalm 14
Amidst the range of emotions, hope underlies them all. The wicked may THINK that God does not care, that all of humanity is corrupt, but that is not true. Human beings CAN do wonderful and amazing, selfless work. And they can violent and terrible. Our tradition reminds us that we are not stuck in the worst moment’s of our lives, but can do better.
Day 13, Psalm 13
There is a psalm for every moment. Sometimes we feel so incredibly alone. We may imagine that state of loneliness is immutable. Yet, in crying out, in searching for connection, we discover that possibilities abound. So in the time when I feel brokenhearted, I will sing to God, who has been good to me.
What song will you sing today?
Day 12, Psalm 12
Our choices matter. Our actions matter. Anyone can say anything they wish, but people of integrity live their words. The psalmist cries out about deceitfulness. It was not written in 2026 but millennia ago. Let us emulate our Creator and ACT justly and with compassion.
What small act of compassion can I do today?
