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1 October 2024
Why We Say Psalms When Israel is Under Attack
Religious reflections in the face of Iran’s attack on Israel
By Ami Ashman
Editor of Religion & Philosophy
At 150 chapters, the most of any book in the Bible, the Psalms (in Hebrew, Tehillim) contain some of the most emotional, raw, and moving text among the entire Jewish literary anthology. Across the Bible, the relationship between God and man is shown as top-down, as God directing and guiding the Jewish people.
Yet in the Psalms this narrative flows in the opposite direction, where an individual turns to God and speaks about whatever is on their mind, be it thanks, or fear, or requests, or praises. Since King David wrote these chapters, generations of Jews have found solace and peace in their words. In fact, our tradition teaches us that when King David wrote the Psalms, he had in mind every single circumstance that could befall the Jewish people. So now, with our brothers and sisters under attack, we must again find comfort in their timeless words.
Psalm 20
English
For the conductor, a song of David. May the Lord answer you on a day of distress; may the name of the God of Jacob fortify you. May He send your aid from His sanctuary, and may He support you from Zion. May He remember all your meal offerings and may He accept your fat burnt offerings forever. May He give you as your heart [desires], and may He fulfill all your counsel. Let us sing praises for your salvation, and let us assemble in the name of our God; may the Lord fulfill all your requests. Now I know that the Lord saved His anointed; He answered him from His holy heavens; with the mighty acts of salvation from His right hand. These trust in chariots and these in horses, but we-we mention the name of the Lord our God. They kneel and fall, but we rise and gain strength. O Lord, save [us]; may the King answer us on the day we call.
Hebrew
לַֽמְנַצֵּ֗חַ מִזְמ֥וֹר לְדָוִֽד: יַֽעַנְךָ֣ יְ֖הֹוָה בְּי֣וֹם צָרָ֑ה יְ֜שַׂגֶּבְךָ֗ שֵׁ֚ם | אֱלֹהֵ֬י יַֽעֲקֹֽב: יִשְׁלַ֣ח עֶזְרְךָ֣ מִקֹּ֑דֶשׁ וּ֜מִצִּיּ֗וֹן יִסְעָדֶֽךָּ: יִזְכֹּ֥ר כָּל־מִנְחֹתֶ֑יךָ וְ֜עוֹלָֽתְךָ֗ יְדַשְּׁנֶ֣ה סֶּֽלָה: יִֽתֶּן־לְךָ֥ כִלְבָבֶ֑ךָ וְֽכָל־עֲצָֽתְךָ֥ יְמַלֵּֽא: . נְרַ֚נְּנָ֨ה | בִּ֘ישׁ֚וּעָתֶ֗ךָ וּבְשֵׁם־אֱלֹהֵ֥ינוּ נִדְגֹּ֑ל יְמַלֵּ֥א יְ֜הֹוָ֗ה כָּל־מִשְׁאֲלוֹתֶֽיךָ: עַתָּ֚ה יָדַ֗עְתִּי כִּ֚י הוֹשִׁ֥יעַ | יְהֹוָ֗ה מְשִׁ֫יח֥וֹ יַֽ֖עֲנֵהוּ מִשְּׁמֵ֣י קָדְשׁ֑וֹ בִּ֜גְבוּר֗וֹת יֵ֣שַׁע יְמִינֽוֹ: אֵ֣לֶּה בָ֖רֶכֶב וְאֵ֣לֶּה בַסּוּסִ֑ים וַֽאֲנַ֓חְנוּ | בְּשֵׁם־יְהֹוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֣ינוּ נַזְכִּֽיר: הֵמָּה כָּֽרְע֣וּ וְנָפָ֑לוּ וַֽאֲנַ֥חְנוּ קַּ֜֗מְנוּ וַנִּתְעוֹדָֽד: יְהֹוָ֥ה הוֹשִׁ֑יעָה הַ֜מֶּ֗לֶךְ יַֽעֲנֵ֥נוּ בְיֽוֹם־קָרְאֵֽנוּ:
לַֽמְנַצֵּ֗חַ מִזְמ֥וֹר לְדָוִֽד: יַֽעַנְךָ֣ יְ֖הֹוָה בְּי֣וֹם צָרָ֑ה יְ֜שַׂגֶּבְךָ֗ שֵׁ֚ם | אֱלֹהֵ֬י יַֽעֲקֹֽב: יִשְׁלַ֣ח עֶזְרְךָ֣ מִקֹּ֑דֶשׁ וּ֜מִצִּיּ֗וֹן יִסְעָדֶֽךָּ: יִזְכֹּ֥ר כָּל־מִנְחֹתֶ֑יךָ וְ֜עוֹלָֽתְךָ֗ יְדַשְּׁנֶ֣ה סֶּֽלָה: יִֽתֶּן־לְךָ֥ כִלְבָבֶ֑ךָ וְֽכָל־עֲצָֽתְךָ֥ יְמַלֵּֽא: . נְרַ֚נְּנָ֨ה | בִּ֘ישׁ֚וּעָתֶ֗ךָ וּבְשֵׁם־אֱלֹהֵ֥ינוּ נִדְגֹּ֑ל יְמַלֵּ֥א יְ֜הֹוָ֗ה כָּל־מִשְׁאֲלוֹתֶֽיךָ: עַתָּ֚ה יָדַ֗עְתִּי כִּ֚י הוֹשִׁ֥יעַ | יְהֹוָ֗ה מְשִׁ֫יח֥וֹ יַֽ֖עֲנֵהוּ מִשְּׁמֵ֣י קָדְשׁ֑וֹ בִּ֜גְבוּר֗וֹת יֵ֣שַׁע יְמִינֽוֹ: אֵ֣לֶּה בָ֖רֶכֶב וְאֵ֣לֶּה בַסּוּסִ֑ים וַֽאֲנַ֓חְנוּ | בְּשֵׁם־יְהֹוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֣ינוּ נַזְכִּֽיר: הֵמָּה כָּֽרְע֣וּ וְנָפָ֑לוּ וַֽאֲנַ֥חְנוּ קַּ֜֗מְנוּ וַנִּתְעוֹדָֽד: יְהֹוָ֥ה הוֹשִׁ֑יעָה הַ֜מֶּ֗לֶךְ יַֽעֲנֵ֥נוּ בְיֽוֹם־קָרְאֵֽנוּ:
Psalm and translation courtesy of Chabad.
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