AJC, ADL, and JFNA Unity Shabbat: Psalm 121
The Bible’s Psalm 121 has been adopted by the Jewish people over many generations as a common prayer recited during times of crisis like the one we are experiencing now as Israel is at war, more than a thousand have been murdered and hundreds are being held hostage by a barbaric enemy, and antisemitism has exploded worldwide. We pray that God, the “guardian of Israel” will watch over us and be our protector and shield from this and every evil. [Rabbi Noam Marans, AJC Director of Interreligious and Intergroup Relations]
A song for ascents. I shall raise my eyes to the mountains, from where will my help come?
:שִׁ֗יר לַֽמַּֽ֫עֲל֥וֹת אֶשָּׂ֣א עֵ֖ינַי אֶל־הֶֽהָרִ֑ים מֵ֜אַ֗יִן יָבֹ֥א עֶזְרִֽי
My help is from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.
:עֶזְרִי מֵעִ֣ם יְהֹוָ֑ה עֹ֜שֵׂ֗ה שָׁמַ֥יִם וָאָֽרֶץ
He will not allow your foot to falter; Your Guardian will not slumber.
:אַל־יִתֵּ֣ן לַמּ֣וֹט רַגְלֶ֑ךָ אַל־יָ֜נ֗וּם שֹֽׁמְרֶֽךָ
Behold the Guardian of Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
:הִנֵּ֚ה לֹ֣א יָ֖נוּם וְלֹ֣א יִישָׁ֑ן שׁ֜וֹמֵ֗ר יִשְׂרָאֵֽל
The Lord is your Guardian; the Lord is your shadow; [He is] by your right hand.
:יְהֹוָ֥ה שֹֽׁמְרֶ֑ךָ יְהֹוָ֥ה צִ֜לְּךָ֗ עַל־יַ֥ד יְמִינֶֽךָ
By day, the sun will not smite you, nor will the moon at night.
:יוֹמָ֗ם הַשֶּׁ֥מֶשׁ לֹֽא־יַ֜כֶּ֗כָּה וְיָרֵ֥חַ בַּלָּֽיְלָה
The Lord will guard you from all evil; He will guard your soul.
:יְֽהֹוָ֗ה יִשְׁמָרְךָ֥ מִכָּל־רָ֑ע יִ֜שְׁמֹ֗ר אֶת־נַפְשֶֽׁךָ
The Lord will guard your going out and your coming in from now and to eternity.
:יְֽהֹוָ֗ה יִשְׁמָר־צֵֽאתְךָ֥ וּבוֹאֶ֑ךָ מֵֽ֜עַתָּ֗ה וְעַד־עוֹלָֽם