Showing posts with label love. Show all posts
Showing posts with label love. Show all posts

Tuesday, September 8, 2026

Psalm 27-Faith journeys

 



Day 27, Psalm 27

Since the start of Elul we have read this psalm each day. It is a journey of faith, of fear and ultimately of hope.  There is an entire saga of emotion and life in this psalm. It truly reflects our lives and the fears and opportunities we may find. We desire to feel the presence of something greater than ourselves. 

Be strong, and let thy heart take courage! What would your life look like with less fear?


27

[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? 

When evil-doers came upon me to eat up my flesh, Even mine adversaries and my foes, they stumbled and fell. 

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. 

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. 

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. . 

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. 

Hear, O LORD, when I call with my voice, And be gracious unto me, and answer me. 

In Thy behalf my heart hath said: ‘Seek ye My face'; Thy face, LORD, will I seek. 

Hide not Thy face far 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. 

For though my father and my mother have forsaken me, The LORD will take me up. 

Teach me Thy way, O LORD; And lead me in an even path, Because of them that lie in wait for me. 

Deliver me not over unto the will of mine adversaries; For false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out violence. 

If I had not believed to look upon the goodness of the LORD In the land of the living!— 

Wait on the LORD; Be strong, and let thy heart take courage; Yea, wait thou for the LORD.


כ״ז

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

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

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

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

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

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

שְׁמַע־יְהֹוָ֖ה קוֹלִ֥י אֶקְרָ֗א וְחׇנֵּ֥נִי וַעֲנֵֽנִי׃ 

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

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

כִּֽי־אָבִ֣י וְאִמִּ֣י עֲזָב֑וּנִי וַֽיהֹוָ֣ה יַאַסְפֵֽנִי׃ 

ה֤וֹרֵ֥נִי יְהֹוָ֗ה דַּ֫רְכֶּ֥ךָ וּ֭נְחֵנִי בְּאֹ֣רַח מִישׁ֑וֹר לְ֝מַ֗עַן שֽׁוֹרְרָֽי׃ 

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

לׅׄוּׅׄלֵׅ֗ׄאׅׄ הֶ֭אֱמַנְתִּי לִרְא֥וֹת בְּֽטוּב־יְהֹוָ֗ה בְּאֶ֣רֶץ חַיִּֽים׃ 

קַוֵּ֗ה אֶל־יְ֫הֹוָ֥ה חֲ֭זַק וְיַאֲמֵ֣ץ לִבֶּ֑ךָ וְ֝קַוֵּ֗ה אֶל־יְהֹוָֽה׃ {פ}

27

Friday, August 9, 2019

Tisha B'Av

It may seem strange to begin a site about joy with the most depressing and difficult day on the Jewish calendar, yet it is the most logical place to start!

In order to reach our highest heights, we must be aware of our lowest lows.  Judaism is lived in community.  It is a not a faith that wants us to "bowl alone."  Remembering who we are in our darkest moments helps us build the community.  Being with people in their worst builds the bonds that sustain us in times of joy.

After a day of fasting, prayer, and reading by candlelight, the following Shabbat is Parshat Nachamu.  There we SING words of consolation.  There we hear of the Shema and of the Aseret Hadibrot, the Ten Commandments.  There we learn of the power of love and connection.  There we become a people.  

Once we receive Torah; once we know we are loved; once we can live meaningful lives together--joy will follow.  

This site will be about finding more joy and less oy--but today, we start with a little bit of both!