Prayer of the Elements
Almighty God, may all throughout the earth adore
your everlasting name, and may they come to see
Beauty in your Teaching, like beryl bright
written on the tablets and on Moses' face.
Call your people home, Creator of the earth,
and give to them the Land. What is this Land?
Dwelling in your Doctrine, in Sabbath-rest,
living in meditation on your Law, your Holy Word.
Everlasting is the excellence of the one
who rests within the fortress of your Word,
Fearing your Holy Name, forbearing from all sin,
singing out your praises on the Temple Mount.
Great is your Name, O Lord, great your Glory,
wherever your people are, your Presence rests there,
Heavy with the holiness of your Name;
whoever studies Torah bears eternal weight.
I was rooted in iniquity, transgression,
covered with deep waters, in dark despair;
Justice raised me out, returned my joy,
when it kissed most holy mercy beneath your Throne.
King of heaven, Keeper of the just,
let mercy and truth be joined in righteous peace,
Let your lovingkindness rain with grace
on those who seek your Teaching and your Way,
Making them to live in the Mercy of your Light
that they may dwell long days in your Land.
Never let them fall into nothing, Lord,
but give to them the wisdom of your Way;
Open to them the ocean, the floodgates, of your Truth,
each moment an age of ages to praise your Holy Name;
Pour on them your Presence like oil of gladness
scented with your Splendor, your victorious might.
Quiet am I before you, Lord, but by you quickened,
as David in the Psalm was stilled to knowledge;
Raise me, Lord, unto the righteousness of your Way,
as you will raise Israel in the coming of your day,
Save me from my foes; I seek your Splendor
and from your Holy Doctrine I do not seek to stray,
Truth alone I seek; I seek it in your Teaching,
and in reverence unto you I hope to pass may days
Up on your Temple mount, your unction on my heart,
reciting out the Psalms, living by your Torah,
Victorious not in arms, but in the holy virtue
your Word alone can give, as you alone give life,
Wondering at your Wisdom, in which I feast
with overflowing cup for everlasting days.
Xenodochial have been your dealings, mercy your xenium,
the hospitality of your gifts a holy theoxeny;
You alone are worthy, from yore to now
to everlasting age, you alone are worthy of all praise.
Zealous shall we be for Torah; zeal shall I have for your House;
with zeal, O Lord, Most Holy, lift up your servants.
(Yes, X was hard; but 'xenodochial' and 'xenium' should be widely used words, anyway, because they actually are pretty handy words to know. Use one today!)
