Ashrei (Psalm 145)

The Ashrei is a psalm, attributed to King David. It was sung in biblical times in the Temple in Jerusalem. It is part of the Morning and Afternoon service to prepare worshipers for the Call to Prayer (the Barchu). After the introduction, the Psalm follows the Hebrew aleph-bet, each line beginning with the next letter, forming an acrostic. This tells us that it was once memorized using the aleph-bet as a memory device. Only the letter nun (p) is missing, traditionally because it begins the name of the prophet Nathan who criticized King David a great deal. We chant this song responsively, perhaps like our ancestors did thousands of years ago.

:d lQ LEl l d i cFr ,Lzi a i aWFi ixW ` :ei l ` i iW m rd ixW ` ,FN d kM W m rd ixW `

Ashrei yoshvei veitecha, od y hal lucha selah. Ashrei ha-am she ka cha lo, ashrei haam she-Adonai Elohav.

:ce c l d ld Y :c re m lFrl Ln W d kx a` e ,K lO d idFl ` Ln nFx ` :c re m lFrl Ln W d ll d `e , k x a` mFi l kA

T hilah l David. Aromimcha Elohai haMelech, v-avarchah shimcha l olam va-ed. B chol yom avarcheka, va-ahal lah shimcha l olam va-ed.

:x wg oi` Fz Nc b l e ,c`n l Nd nE i i lFcB :EciB i Li xEabE ,LiU rn g AW i xFcl xFc

Gadol Adonai um hulal m od, v lig dulato ein cheiker. Dor l dor y shabach ma-asecha, ug vurotecha yagidu.

:dgi U ` Li `l t p ixa c e ,LcFd cFaM xc d :d Px R q ` Lz Nc bE Exn` i LizF`xFp fEf re

Hadar k vod hodecha, v divrei nifl otecha asichah. Ve-ezuz nor otecha yomeiru, ug dulat cha asprenah.

:EpP x i Lz w c v e ,EriA i LaEh ax x k f :c qg lc bE miR ` Kx ` , ii mEgxe oEPg

Zeicher rav-tovcha yabiyu, v tzedkat cha y raneinu. Chanun v rachum Adonai, erech apayim ug dal chased.

:eiU rn l M l r ein gxe ,lM li i aFh :d kEk x ai Lici q ge ,LiU rn l Mi i LEcF i

Tov Adonai lakol, v rachamav al kol maasav. Yoducha Adonai kol-ma-asecha, vachasidecha y var chuchah.

:ExA c i Lz xEa bE ,Exn` i LzEk l n cFaM :FzEkl n xc d cFakE ,ei xEab mc ` d i pa l r icFd l
K vod malchut cha yomeiru, ug vruat cha y dabeiru. L hodiyah livnei ha-adam g vurotav, uch vod hadar malchuto.

:xce xc l kA LY l W n nE ,min lFr lM zEkl n LzEk l n :mitEt M d l kl s wFfe ,mil Pd l kl i i KnF q

Maluchut cha malchut kol-olamim, umemshalt cha b chol dor vador. Someich Adonai l chol hanoflim, v zokeif l chol hak fufim.

:FYr A m lk ` z` md l ozFp dY ` e ,ExA U i Lil ` lk i pir :oFvx ig l kl r iA U nE ,Lc i z` g zF R

Einei chol eilecha y sabeiru, v ata notein lahem et ochlam b ito. Potei-ach et yadecha, umasbiya l chol chai ratzon.

:eiU rn l kA ciq g e ,ei kxC l kA i i wiC v :zn `a Ed` xw i xy ` l kl ,ei` w l kl i i aFxw

Tzadik Adonai b chol d rachav, v chasid b chol maasav. Karov Adonai l chol kor av, l chol asher yikra-uhu ve-emet.

:m riyFi e rn W i mz re W z` e ,dU ri ei` x i oFvx :cin W i mir W x d l M z` e ,ei a ` l M z` i i xnF W

R tzon y rei-av yaaseh, v et shavatam yish ma v yoshi-eim. Shomeir Adonai et kol ohavav, v et kol harsha-im yashmid.

:c re m lFrl ,FWc w mW xU A l M Kx aie ,iR x Ac i i i z Nd Y :D iEll d ,m lFr c re dY rn ,D i Kx ap Epg p ` e

T hilat Adonai y dabeir pi, viy varech kol-basar shem kodsho, l olam va-ed. Vaanachnu n varech Yah, mei-atah v ad olam, hal luyah.

Happy are they who dwell in Your house; they will ever praise You! Happy is the people whose portion is this, whose God is Adonai. A Song of David:

(`) I will exalt You, my Sovereign God; I will bless Your Name forever. (a) Every day I will bless You; I will extol Your name forever. (b) Great is God and worthy of praise; God s greatness cannot be fathomed. (c) Each generation will acclaim You to the next; they shall tell of Your mighty acts. (d) They shall contemplate Your radiant glory; they shall reflect on Your wondrous works. (e) They shall speak of Your awesome might, and make known Your greatness. (f) They shall tell all of Your great goodness, and sing of Your righteousness. (g) Adonai is gracious and compassionate, endlessly patient, overflowing with love. (h) Adonai is good to all; God s compassion shelters all creatures. (i) All Your works, Adonai, shall praise You; Your faithful shall bless You. (k) They shall speak of the glory of Your sovereignty, and tell of Your mighty strength, (l) Proclaiming Your power to all people, and the glorious splendor of Your majesty. (n) Your reign is everlasting, Your dominion endures through all time. (q) Adonai, You support the falling; You raise up all who are bowed down. (r) The eyes of all turn to You; You sustain them in time of want. (t) You open Your hand, satisfying the needs of all creatures. (v) You are just in all Your ways, gracious in all Your deeds. (w) Adonai is near to all who cry out, to all who call out in truth. (x) God will fufill the hope of all the reverent; God will hear their cry and help them. (y) You preserve those who love, Adonai, but the lawless You bring to grief. (z) My lips shall declare the glory of Adonai; let all flesh bless God s holy name forever and
ever. We will bless God now and always. Halleluyah!