1 The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
2 When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell.
3 Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.
4 One thing have I desired 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 beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in his temple.
5 For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.
6 And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the Lord.
7 Hear, O Lord, when I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me, and answer me.
8 When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek.
9 Hide not thy face far from me; put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation.
10 When my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up.
11 Teach me thy way, O Lord, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies.
12 Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty.
13 I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.
14 Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.
<html><b>in this I trust</b> In what is stated above: “The Lord is the stronghold of my life.”</html>
<html><b>and to visit His Temple every morning</b> To appear there every morning. Dunash (Teshuvoth Dunash, p. 53) explained in this manner. Menachem (Machbereth Menachem, p. 47) however associated it with (Lev. 27:33), “He shall not inquire (יבקר),” but Dunash interpreted it as an expression of “morning” (בקר).</html>
<html><b>That He will hide me in His tabernacle</b> I am confident that He will hide me in His Temple, and we learned in Seder Olam (ch. 18) that this verse was stated concerning Joash the son of Ahaziah, who was hidden by his sister, Jehosheba, in the attic of the Holy of Holies, as the matter is stated (in II Kings 11:3): “And he was hiding with her in the house of the Lord for six years.” <b>He will lift me up on a rock</b> He stood my feet on a rock.</html>
<html><b>sacrifices with joyous song</b> Sacrifices over which a song is recited.</html>
<html><b>On Your behalf, my heart says, “Seek My presence.”</b> On Your behalf, as Your agent, my heart says to me, “All of you Israelites, seek My presence.” And I obey it. “Your presence, O Lord, I will seek.” [The word] לך is like (Job 33:6): “Behold I am like your mouth to God (לא-ל),” [that is,] in His stead; (ibid. 13:8), “Will you contend for God (לא-ל)?” [that is,] in His stead. Here, too, “On Your behalf, my heart says,” in Your stead, my heart comes to me to say this.</html>
<html><b>do not turn…away</b> Heb. תט, do not bend over, as (above 18:10): “And He bent (ויט) the heavens.”</html>
<html><b>For my father and my mother have forsaken me</b> At the time of coitus, they intended their own pleasure. As soon as their pleasure is over, this one turns his face this way and that one turns her face the other way. <b>but the Lord gathers me in</b> The Holy One, blessed be He, guards the droplet and forms the fetus.</html>
<html><b>to the desires of my adversaries</b> To the desire of my enemies, to have their desire fulfilled through me. <b>and speakers of evil</b> Heb. ויפח חמס, speakers of evil. Another explanation: An expression of a trap (פח).</html>
<html><b>Had I not believed in seeing, etc.</b> If I had not believed in the Holy One, blessed be He, those false witnesses would have already risen against me and destroyed me. [The word] לולא is punctuated for the homily which our Sages expounded (Ber. 4a): I know that You give reward to the righteous in the world to come, but I do not know whether I have a share with them or not.</html>
<html><b>Hope for the Lord</b> and if your prayer is not accepted, reinforce your hope.</html>