The following psalm is omitted on Rosh Ḥodesh, Ḥanukkah, Ḥol ha-Mo‘ed, the
14th and 15th of Adar and Adar Sheni, the 9th of Av, Erev Pesaḥ
and Erev Yom Kippur.
Psalm 20
For the Choirmaster; a psalm of David. May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble; may the name of Jacob’s God protect you. May he send you help from the sanctuary, and give you support from Zion. May he remember all of your offerings, and be pleased with all your sacrifices. May he grant you your heart’s desire, and fulfill all your plans. We will exult over your victory, and raise our banners in the name of God; may he fulfill all your requests. Now I know that the Lord has saved his anointed, answering him from his holy heavens with the mighty acts of his saving power. Some trust in chariots, and some in horses, but we call upon the name of the Lord our God. They bend and fall; we rise and stand upright. O Lord, save us; may the King answer us when we call.
A redeemer shall come to Zion and to those in Jacob who turn from transgression, says the Lord. As for me, this is my covenant with them, says the Lord: My spirit it is which shall be upon you; and my words which I have put in your mouth shall not depart from your mouth, nor from the mouth of your children, nor from the mouth of your children’s children, says the Lord, henceforth and forever.[1]
Thou, holy God, art enthroned amidst the praises of Israel.[2] They keep calling to one another: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory."[3] [4]They receive it from one another, and say: “Holy in the highest heavens, his divine abode; holy upon earth, his work of might; holy forever and to all eternity is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his radiant glory.” Then a wind lifted me up, and I heard behind me a mighty sound: “Blessed be the glory of the Lord from his abode."[5] Then a wind lifted me up and I heard behind me a great moving sound of those who uttered praises, saying: “Blessed be the glory of the Lord from the
ובא לציון, which consists of biblical passages accompanied by the paraphrase of the Targum, was designed to enable every Jew to have a daily share in the study of the Torah (Rashi, Sotah 49a). On Sabbaths and festivals, when the Torah and the Prophets are read at great length, the recitation of this collection of Scriptural passages is postponed till the afternoon service.
