Page:Philip Birnbaum - ha-Siddur ha-Shalem (The Daily Prayer Book,1949).pdf/269

Welcoming the Sabbath

Give to the Lord the glory due to his name; worship the Lord in holy array.

The voice of the Lord peals across the waters; it is the God of glory thundering! The Lord is over the vast waters.

The voice of the Lord is mighty; the voice of the Lord is majestic.

The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars; the Lord shatters the cedars of Lebanon.

He makes Lebanon and Sirion leap like a calf, like a wild ox.

The voice of the Lord strikes flames of fire; the voice of the Lord causes the desert to tremble; the Lord causes the desert of Kadesh to tremble.

The voice of the Lord whirls the oaks, and strips the woods bare; in his palace everything says: “Glory.”

The Lord sat enthroned at the flood; the Lord remains King forever.

The Lord will give strength to his people; the Lord will bless his people with peace.

By the great power of thy right hand, O set the captive free.

Revered God, accept thy people’s prayer; strengthen us, cleanse us.

Almighty God, guard as the apple of the eye those who seek thee.

Bless them, cleanse them, pity them; ever grant them thy truth.

Mighty, holy God, in thy abundant grace, guide thy people.

Exalted God, turn to thy people who proclaim thy holiness.

Accept our prayer, hear our ery, thou who knowest secret thoughts.

Blessed be the name of his glorious majesty forever and ever.

Reader and Congregation:

Come, my friend, to meet the bride; let us welcome the Sabbath.

phrase in the poem which is not borrowed from the Bible. Combining the language of the Bible into a rare mosaic, the poet utilized phrases from Isaiah 52:2; 51:17; 60:1; Judges 5:12; Isaiah 60:1; 54:4; Psalm 42:12; Isaiah 14:32; Jeremiah 30:18, 16; Isaiah 49:19; 62:5; 54:3; 25:9. The Sabbath is personified here and compared to a bride, in the same sense as Israel is likened to a bride (Jeremiah 2:2). The poem gives expression to the hope of Israel in vivid figures of speech.