The Prayer That Starts in the Dark.

מִזְמ֗וֹר לְדָ֫וִ֥ד יְהוָ֤ה׀ שְׁמַ֬ע תְּפִלָּתִ֗י הַאֲזִ֥ינָה אֶל־תַּחֲנוּנַ֑י בֶּאֱמֻנָתְךָ֥ עֲ֝נֵ֗נִי בְּצִדְקָתֶֽךָ׃

Hear my prayer, O Lord ; give ear to my pleas for mercy! In your faithfulness answer me, in your righteousness!

וְאַל־תָּב֣וֹא בְ֭מִשְׁפָּט אֶת־עַבְדֶּ֑ךָ כִּ֤י לֹֽא־יִצְדַּ֖ק לְפָנֶ֣יךָ כָל־חָֽי׃

[2] Enter not into judgment with your servant, for no one living is righteous before you.

כִּ֥י רָ֘דַ֤ף אוֹיֵ֨ב׀ נַפְשִׁ֗י דִּכָּ֣א לָ֭אָרֶץ חַיָּתִ֑י הוֹשִׁיבַ֥נִי בְ֝מַחֲשַׁכִּ֗ים כְּמֵתֵ֥י עוֹלָֽם׃

[3] For the enemy has pursued my soul; he has crushed my life to the ground; he has made me sit in darkness like those long dead.

וַתִּתְעַטֵּ֣ף עָלַ֣י רוּחִ֑י בְּ֝תוֹכִ֗י יִשְׁתּוֹמֵ֥ם לִבִּֽי׃

[4] Therefore my spirit faints within me; my heart within me is appalled.

זָ֘כַ֤רְתִּי יָמִ֨ים׀ מִקֶּ֗דֶם הָגִ֥יתִי בְכָל־פָּעֳלֶ֑ךָ בְּֽמַעֲשֵׂ֖ה יָדֶ֣יךָ אֲשׂוֹחֵֽחַ׃

[5] I remember the days of old; I meditate on all that you have done; I ponder the work of your hands.

פֵּרַ֣שְׂתִּי יָדַ֣י אֵלֶ֑יךָ נַפְשִׁ֓י׀ כְּאֶֽרֶץ־עֲיֵפָ֖ה לְךָ֣ סֶֽלָה׃

[6] I stretch out my hands to you; my soul thirsts for you like a parched land. Selah

מַ֘הֵ֤ר עֲנֵ֨נִי׀ יְהוָה֮ כָּלְתָ֪ה ר֫וּחִ֥י אַל־תַּסְתֵּ֣ר פָּנֶ֣יךָ מִמֶּ֑נִּי וְ֝נִמְשַׁ֗לְתִּי עִם־יֹ֥רְדֵי בֽוֹר׃

[7] Answer me quickly, O Lord ! My spirit fails! Hide not your face from me, lest I be like those who go down to the pit.

הַשְׁמִ֘יעֵ֤נִי בַבֹּ֨קֶר׀ חַסְדֶּךָ֮ כִּֽי־בְךָ֪ בָ֫טָ֥חְתִּי הוֹדִיעֵ֗נִי דֶּֽרֶךְ־ז֥וּ אֵלֵ֑ךְ כִּֽי־אֵ֝לֶיךָ נָשָׂ֥אתִי נַפְשִֽׁי׃

[8] Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love, for in you I trust. Make me know the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.

הַצִּילֵ֖נִי מֵאֹיְבַ֥י׀ יְהוָ֗ה אֵלֶ֥יךָ כִסִּֽתִי׃

[9] Deliver me from my enemies, O Lord ! I have fled to you for refuge.

לַמְּדֵ֤נִי׀ לַֽעֲשׂ֣וֹת רְצוֹנֶךָ֮ כִּֽי־אַתָּ֪ה אֱל֫וֹהָ֥י רוּחֲךָ֥ טוֹבָ֑ה תַּ֝נְחֵ֗נִי בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִישֽׁוֹר׃

[10] Teach me to do your will, for you are my God! Let your good Spirit lead me on level ground!

לְמַֽעַן־שִׁמְךָ֣ יְהוָ֣ה תְּחַיֵּ֑נִי בְּצִדְקָתְךָ֓׀ תוֹצִ֖יא מִצָּרָ֣ה נַפְשִֽׁי׃

[11] For your name's sake, O Lord , preserve my life! In your righteousness bring my soul out of trouble!

וּֽבְחַסְדְּךָ֮ תַּצְמִ֪ית אֹ֫יְבָ֥י וְֽ֭הַאֲבַדְתָּ כָּל־צֹרֲרֵ֣י נַפְשִׁ֑י כִּ֝֗י אֲנִ֣י עַבְדֶּֽךָ׃

[12] And in your steadfast love you will cut off my enemies, and you will destroy all the adversaries of my soul, for I am your servant.