For me, the beauty of the Jewish path is their religious innovations.
That there is one and only God, that one can have a direct relationship
with God through prayer, and that life is a holy gift with purpose and
meaning: all of these were truly original religious concepts... that
launched many other paths. Most of all, I love the Psalms, the beautiful,
inspirational collection of prayers. Even those who do not follow this
path are surely familiar with the words: "I will dwell in the house of
the Lord for ever."
The Lord is my shepherd: I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green Pastures,
he leadeth me beside the still waters.
He restoreth my soul:
he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake,
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil: for thou art with me,
thy rod and staff they comfort me.
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies:
thou anointed my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life:
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.
God, hear my prayer, And let my cry come to You.
Do not hide from me in the day of my distress.
Turn to me and speedily answer my prayer.
Eternal God, Source of healing,
Out of my distress I call upon You.
Help me sense Your presence, At this difficult time.
Grant me patience when the hours are heavy;
In hurt or disappointment give me courage.
Keep me trustful in Your love.
Give me strength for today, and hope for tomorrow.
To your loving hands I commit my spirit,
When asleep and when awake.
You are with me; I shall not fear.
O my God, the soul which Thou gavest me is pure, Thou didst create
it, Thou didst form it, Thou didst breathe it into me. Thou preservest
it within me, and Thou wilt take it from me, but will restore it unto
me hereafter. So long as the soul is within me, I will give thanks
unto Thee, O Lord, my God and God of my Fathers, Sovereign of all worlds,
Lord of all Souls!
Blessed are you, Lord our God, king of the universe, who causes the
bonds of sleep to fall on my eyes, and slumber on my eyelids.
May it
be acceptable in your presence, O Lord my God, and God of my fathers,
to cause me to lie down in peace, and to raise me up again in peace;
and suffer me not to be troubled with evil dreams, or evil reflections;
but grant me a calm and uninterrupted repose in your presence; and
enlighten my eyes again, lest I sleep the sleep of death.
Blessed are
you, O Lord, who gives light to the whole universe in your glory.
May the One Who blessed our ancestors be present to those who provide
help for the troubled among us. May they be filled with the fortitude
and courage, endowed with sympathy and compassion, as they give strength
to those at their side. May they fight against despair, and find within
themselves the will to reach out to those in need. And in their love of
others, may they know the blessing of community, and the blessing of
renewed faith.
Have mercy on me, O god, according to thy loving kindness;
according unto the multitude of they tender mercies;
blot out my transgressions.
Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.
For I acknowledge my transgressions; and my sin is ever before me.
Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not they Holy Spirit from me.
Restore unto me the joy of the salvation; and uphold me with the free Spirit.
He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide
under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, He is my
refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. Surely he shall
deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.
He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust:
his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.
Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow
that flieth by day; Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness;
nor for the destruction that wasteth by day. A thousand shall fall
at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come
nigh thee. Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward
of the wicked. Thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the
most High, thy habitation. There shall no evil befall thee, neither
shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. For he shall give his angels
charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.
They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against
a stone. Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and
the dragon shalt thou trample under feet. Because he hath set his love
upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because
he hath known my name. He shall call upon me, and I will answer him:
I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him.
With long life will I satisfy him, and show him my salvation.
I will extol thee, my God, O King; and I will bless thy name for ever
and ever.
Every day will I bless thee; and I will praise thy name for ever and
ever.
Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is
unsearchable.
One generation shall praise thy works to another, and shall declare
thy mighty acts.
I will speak of the glorious honor of thy majesty, and of thy wondrous
works.
Men shall speak of the might of thy terrible acts: and I will declare
thy greatness.
They shall utter the memory of thy great goodness and sing of
thy righteousness.
The Lord is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of
great mercy.
The Lord is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his
works.
All thy works shall praise thee, O Lord; and thy saints shall bless
thee.
They shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom, and talk of thy
power; to make known to the sons of men his mighty acts, and the
glorious majesty of his kingdom.
Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and thy dominion endureth
throughout all generations.
The Lord upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up all those bowed
down.
The eyes of all wait upon thee; and thou givest them their meat
in due season.
Thou openest thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living
thing.
The Lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his
works.
The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call
upon him in truth.
He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear
their cry, and will save them.
The Lord preserveth all them that love him: but all the wicked will
he destroy.
My mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord:
and let all flesh bless his holy name for ever and ever.
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