I shall praise the Lord who has given me counsel

Judah ha-Levi

Early 12th Century

[ . . . ] Angels declare His sanctity, seraphim declare His awe,

holy creatures speak of Him,

wheels mention Him, watchers declare His highness, holy ones praise Him,

cherubim show Him honor, shin’anim give Him blessing,

spirits laud Him, souls acknowledge Him.

The entire host of heaven and the luminaries and all that fly,

and the firmament, and the water underneath it, and the mountains and hills, and the mountain

ranges and valleys, and all hearts and kidneys, and all that live and endure—

they bless and acknowledge and kneel and prostrate themselves before You!

The One who creates life, stretches out the heavens,

makes the earth firm, stores the deep seas in storehouses,

life of all souls, creator of new things,

foreteller of the future, rememberer of the past, examiner of heart and kidneys—

nations hear His laws and are in awe of His miracles.

His splendor covers the heavens, and the earth gleams from His glory.

The light of the luminaries, the sheen of the constellations—

He created them with His wisdom, and called them all by name,

and brought out their host, one by one—

and the host of heaven prostrates itself before You!

For they are beautiful as they prostrate themselves,

for they shine with the light of Your face,

and as they prostrate themselves before You, they are made lofty.

They know the way that light is distributed, and they run, wholeheartedly,

to greet the presence of their master,

and to prostrate themselves thousands of thousands of times, at every instant,

before the throne of glory, and facing the firmament that is stretched out over their heads,

which bears them and the entire world.

At every prostration, You renew them, and they gain new strength, as they walk while bent down.

They hold fast to their upright ways in front of their King,

and they fall on their faces in front of their Master,

and they say: Blessed is the name of His glorious kingship for ever and ever!

The vast heavens cannot subsume You,

so could hearts contain You?

You are first among firsts,

hidden from all eyes, kept of every tongue [that cannot express Your greatness].

He passes by me, and I do not see; He is gone, and I have not comprehended.

He is bright in the heavens.

Every mouth speaks of Him; every tongue testifies about Him.

The beasts of the field show Him honor;

how noble is His name, and how awesome His place,

where the Name is called out, the Name of the Lord of hosts, enthroned upon the cherubim,

the throne of glory, lofty from aforetime, the place of our Temple,¹

which is named our holy place and our glory.

Blessed is His glorious Name forever, and may His glory fll the whole world. Amen! Amen!

I acknowledge You, for I have experienced Your awesome wonders,

and I am full of Your kindness.

You created me from nought; You brought me out from nothing.

You built bodies, and made souls,

and created eyes and carved out ears.

You poured me out like milk and curdled me like cheese,

clothed me with skins and flesh,

covered me with bones and sinews.

You gave me life and kindness,

and Your command has preserved my spirit.

For this, I acknowledge You, and prostrate myself before You!

Translated by Gabriel Wasserman.

Notes

1. [This may be referring to the earthly Temple, which once stood in Jerusalem, where God’s glorious presence resided; or to the Temple on high, the heavens, which are also God’s residence.—Trans.]

Published in: The Posen Library of Jewish Culture and Civilization, vol. 3: Encountering Christianity and Islam.

I shall praise the Lord who has given me counsel

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