For weeks, we have been living in an ongoing shiva. Over the past month and a half, our hearts have been broken open every single day. We mourn the 1,400 souls lost on October 7 as we simultaneously pray for the safe return of our hostages, for the safety of Israeli soldiers, for our beloved homeland to someday forget war and know peace. We grieve and we worry, but we also hold onto our resilience, our hope.

We are not alone in holding these great nuanced feelings. In our psalms, our poetic ancestors explored themes of despair and hope side by side, expressing thanksgiving and praise while simultaneously crying out to God in anguish. We are struggling, but our tradition tells us we have been here before and we will live to see the dawning of another hopeful day.

There are 150 chapters of poetry gifted to us in the Book of Psalms, which we are encouraged to recite each day. One teaching says that reciting just the last psalm can count as if we have recited the entire canon, and I will go so far as to say that, if we just choose one to recite on any given day, we fulfill our sacred commitment.

For times of crisis but when I simply can’t let go of hope, I turn to Psalm 130. I pray that these words will lift your soul or at the very least fill some empty space in your heart. May the wisdom of our tradition always be a source of great comfort and inspiration alike.

– Cantor Emma Lutz

Psalm 130

שִׁ֥יר הַֽמַּעֲל֑וֹת מִמַּעֲמַקִּ֖ים קְרָאתִ֣יךָ יְהֹוָֽה׃
אֲדֹנָי֮ שִׁמְעָ֢ה בְק֫וֹלִ֥י תִּהְיֶ֣ינָה אׇ֭זְנֶיךָ קַשֻּׁב֑וֹת לְ֝ק֗וֹל תַּחֲנוּנָֽי׃
אִם־עֲוֺנ֥וֹת תִּשְׁמׇר־יָ֑הּ אֲ֝דֹנָ֗י מִ֣י יַעֲמֹֽד׃
כִּֽי־עִמְּךָ֥ הַסְּלִיחָ֑ה לְ֝מַ֗עַן תִּוָּרֵֽא׃
קִוִּ֣יתִי יְ֭הֹוָה קִוְּתָ֣ה נַפְשִׁ֑י וְֽלִדְבָר֥וֹ הוֹחָֽלְתִּי׃
נַפְשִׁ֥י לַאדֹנָ֑י מִשֹּׁמְרִ֥ים לַ֝בֹּ֗קֶר שֹׁמְרִ֥ים לַבֹּֽקֶר׃
יַחֵ֥ל יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל אֶל־יְ֫הֹוָ֥ה כִּֽי־עִם־יְהֹוָ֥ה הַחֶ֑סֶד וְהַרְבֵּ֖ה עִמּ֣וֹ פְדֽוּת׃וְ֭הוּא יִפְדֶּ֣ה אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל מִ֝כֹּ֗ל עֲוֺנֹתָֽיו׃

A song of ascents, out of the depths I call to You.
God, hear my cry, let Your ears be attentive to my plea for care.
If you keep account of our shortcomings God, who will be left standing?
You have the great power to forgive, and we hold You in awe and wonder.
I look to You God, I wait so that I might hear you.
I am more eager for You than early morning watchmen, early morning risers.
Israel, let us wait for God, because God has the great power to redeem us.
It is only God who will help Israel recover from all their struggles.