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 worshipersfor the Call to Prayer (the Barchu). After the introduction, the Psalm follows the Hebrewaleph-bet, each line beginning with the next letter, forming an acrostic. This tells us that itwas once memorized using the aleph-bet as a memory device. Only the letter nun (p) ismissing, traditionally because it begins the name of the prophet Nathan who criticized KingDavid a great deal. We chant this song responsively, perhaps like our ancestors didthousands of years ago.

:dlQ LE l l d i cFr ,Lzi a i a WFi i x W ` :ei??l` ii W mrd i x W ` ,FN dkM W mrd i x W `

Ashrei yoshvei veitecha, od yhallucha selah.Ashrei ha-am shekacha lo, ashrei haam she-Adonai Elohav.

:c ec l dl d Y` :cre mlFr l L n W dk xa` e ,KlO d i dFl` L n nFx

A :cre mlFr l L n W dl l d` e ,?k xa` mFi lkThilah lDavid.Aromimcha Elohai haMelech, v-avarchah shimcha lolam va-ed.

Bchol yom avarcheka, va-ahallah shimcha lolam va-ed.

B :x wg oi ` FzN c b l e ,c?` n lN d nE i i lFcc :EciBi Li??xEa bE ,Li Ur n g A W i xFc l xF

Gadol Adonai umhulal mod, vligdulato ein cheiker.Dor ldor yshabach ma-asecha, ugvurotecha yagidu.

d :dgi U ` Li??` l t p i x a c e ,L cFd cFa M x ce :dP x R q` L zN c bE Exn ?`i LizF`xFp fEfr

Hadar kvod hodecha, vdivrei niflotecha asichah.Ve-ezuz norotecha yomeiru, ugdulatcha asprenah.

f :EpP x i L zw c v e ,Eri Ai L aEh a x xkg :c qg lc bE m iR ` K x` ,i i mEg x e oEP

Zeicher rav-tovcha yabiyu, vtzedkatcha yraneinu.Chanun vrachum Adonai, erech apayim ugdal chased.

h :eiUr n lM lr eing x e ,l?Ml i i aFi :dkE k xa i Li ci qg e ,Li Ur n lM i i LE cF

Tov Adonai lakol, vrachamav al kol maasav.Yoducha Adonai kol-ma-asecha, vachasidecha yvarchuchah.

M :ExA c i L zxEa bE ,Exn ?`i L zEk l n cFal :FzEk l n x cd cFa kE ,ei??xEa b mc ` d ip a l ri cFd

Kvod malchutcha yomeiru, ugvruatcha ydabeiru.Lhodiyah livnei ha-adam gvurotav, uchvod hadar malchuto.

n :x?ce x?c lk A L Y l W n nE ,mi nlFr lM zEk l n L zEk lq :mi tEt M d lk l s wFf e ,mi l ??P d lk l i i K nF

Maluchutcha malchut kol-olamim, umemshaltcha bchol dor vador.Someich Adonai lchol hanoflim, vzokeif lchol hakfufim.

r :FY r A ml k ` z ` m dl o zFp dY ` e ,ExA U i Lil ` l?k ipiR :oFvx i g lk l riA U nE ,L ci z ` g zF

Einei chol eilecha ysabeiru, vata notein lahem et ochlam bito.Potei-ach et yadecha, umasbiya lchol chai ratzon.

v :eiUr n lk A ci qg e ,eikx C lk A i i wi Cw :z n` a Ed ` x w i x y` lk l ,ei ` ??w lk l i i aFx

Tzadik Adonai bchol drachav, vchasid bchol maasav.Karov Adonai lchol korav, lchol asher yikra-uhu ve-emet.

x :mri yFi e r n W i mzr e W z ` e ,d Uri ei ` x i oFvW:ci n Wi mi rW xd lM z ` e ,eia??` lM z ` i i x nF

Rtzon yrei-av yaaseh, vet shavatam yishma vyoshi-eim.Shomeir Adonai et kol ohavav, vet kol harsha-im yashmid.

Y:cre mlFr l ,FW cw m W xUA lM K xai e ,i R xA c i i i zN d:DiEl l d ,mlFr cr e dY r n ,Di K xa p Ep gp` e

Thilat Adonai ydabeir pi, viyvarech kol-basar shem kodsho, lolam va-ed.Vaanachnu nvarech Yah, mei-atah vad olam, halluyah.

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; Gods 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; Gods 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 Gods holy name forever andever.We will bless God now and always. Halleluyah!