Chapter 130

Translation and Transliteration of

Listen to this chapter in Hebrew:

1A song of ascents. Out of the depths I call You, Hashem.

אשִׁיר הַמַּעֲלוֹת מִמַּעֲמַקִּים קְרָאתִיךָ יְהֹוָה׃

2O Hashem, listen to my cry; let Your ears be attentive to my plea for mercy.

באֲדֹנָי שִׁמְעָה בְקוֹלִי תִּהְיֶינָה אָזְנֶיךָ קַשֻּׁבוֹת לְקוֹל תַּחֲנוּנָי׃

3If You keep account of sins, Hashem, Lord, who will survive?

גאִם־עֲוׂנוֹת תִּשְׁמָר־יָהּ אֲדֹנָי מִי יַעֲמֹד׃

4Yours is the power to forgive so that You may be held in awe.

דכִּי־עִמְּךָ הַסְּלִיחָה לְמַעַן תִּוָּרֵא׃

5I look to Hashem; I look to Him; I await His word.

הקִוִּיתִי יְהֹוָה קִוְּתָה נַפְשִׁי וְלִדְבָרוֹ הוֹחָלְתִּי׃

6I am more eager for Hashem than watchmen for the morning, watchmen for the morning.

naf-SHEE la-do-NAI mi-sho-m'-REEM la-BO-ker sho-m'-REEM la-BO-ker

ונַפְשִׁי לַאדֹנָי מִשֹּׁמְרִים לַבֹּקֶר שֹׁמְרִים לַבֹּקֶר׃

130:6 Watchmen for the morning

Members of the Hashomer security force

This psalm is recited by Jews all over the world in times of distress, as the psalmist calls out to Hashem “out of the depths” (verse 1). In times of trouble, we wait for God and His salvation even more than one who watches for the morning. The word hashomer (השומר), ‘the watchman,’ was taken as the name of the first modern Jewish security force in the Land of Israel. From 1909 until 1920, during the period known as the time of the Second Aliyah, a group of Jewish settlers formed Hashomer to protect Jewish towns from enemy incursions. After the group disbanded, its members formed the Haganah defense organization, precursor of the Israel Defense Forces. The Jewish people have been defending themselves in the land for over one hundred years, but the psalm reminds us that Hashem is the ultimate protector of Israel.

7O Yisrael, wait for Hashem; for with Hashem is steadfast love and great power to redeem.

זיַחֵל יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶל־יְהֹוָה כִּי־עִם־יְהֹוָה הַחֶסֶד וְהַרְבֵּה עִמּוֹ פְדוּת׃

8It is He who will redeem Yisrael from all their iniquities.

חוְהוּא יִפְדֶּה אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵל מִכֹּל עֲוׂנֹתָיו׃