Psalm 122
“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May they prosper who love you. May peace be within your walls, And prosperity within your palaces.” For the sake of my brothers and my friends, I will now say, “May peace be within you.” For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek your good.”
Psalm 118 for Feast of Tabernacles
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of Adonai. We bless you from the house of Adonai. Adonai is God, and he gives us light. Join in the pilgrim festival with branches all the way to the horns of the altar. You are my God, and I thank you. You are my God; I exalt you.”
Psalm 51 for Yom Kippur
For the leader. A psalm of David, when Natan the prophet came to him after his affair with Bat-Sheva:
“God, in your grace, have mercy on me; in your great compassion, blot out my crimes. Wash me completely from my guilt, and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my crimes, my sin confronts me all the time. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil from your perspective; so that you are right in accusing me and justified in passing sentence. True, I was born guilty, was a sinner from the moment my mother conceived me. Still, you want truth in the inner person; so make me know wisdom in my inmost heart. Sprinkle me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Let me hear the sound of joy and gladness, so that the bones you crushed can rejoice. Turn away your face from my sins, and blot out all my crimes.
“Create in me a clean heart, God; renew in me a resolute spirit. Don’t thrust me away from your presence, don’t take your Ruach Kodesh away from me. Restore my joy in your salvation, and let a willing spirit uphold me. Then I will teach the wicked your ways, and sinners will return to you.”
“Rescue me from the guilt of shedding blood, God, God of my salvation! Then my tongue will sing about your righteousness — Adonai, open my lips; then my mouth will praise you. For you don’t want sacrifices, or I would give them; you don’t take pleasure in burnt offerings. My sacrifice to God is a broken spirit; God, you won’t spurn a broken, chastened heart. In your good pleasure, make Tziyon prosper; rebuild the walls of Yerushalayim. Then you will delight in righteous sacrifices, in burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings; then they will offer bulls on your altar.”
Psalm 25 for Elul
By David:
“Adonai is my light and salvation; whom do I need to fear? Adonai is the stronghold of my life; of whom should I be afraid? When evildoers assailed me to devour my flesh, my adversaries and foes, they stumbled and fell. If an army encamps against me, my heart will not fear; if war breaks out against me, even then I will keep trusting. Just one thing have I asked of Adonai; only this will I seek: to live in the house of Adonai all the days of my life, to see the beauty of Adonai and visit in his temple. For he will conceal me in his shelter on the day of trouble, he will hide me in the folds of his tent, he will set me high on a rock. Then my head will be lifted up above my surrounding foes, and I will offer in his tent sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will sing, sing praises to Adonai. Listen, Adonai, to my voice when I cry;show favor to me; and answer me. “My heart said of you, ‘Seek my face.’” Your face, Adonai, I will seek. Do not hide your face from me, don’t turn your servant away in anger. You are my help; don’t abandon me; don’t leave me, God my savior. Even though my father and mother have left me, Adonai will care for me. Teach me your way, Adonai; lead me on a level path because of my enemies — don’t give me up to the whims of my foes; for false witnesses have risen against me, also those who are breathing violence. If I hadn’t believed that I would see Adonai’s goodness in the land of the living, . . Put your hope in Adonai, be strong, and let your heart take courage! Yes, put your hope in Adonai!”