Soul Works: Psalm 27 1

“God is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear.” (Psalm 27:1) These words are to be considered in the light of the verse “ And the light of Israel shall be for a fire, and His Holy One for a flame.”(Isaiah 10:17) In the world’s use, when a man carries about the light of a lamp inside his house, can he say, “Such-and such a man who is my friend is free to use the light of the lamp, but such-and-such a man who is my foe is not free to use the light of the lamp”? But the Holy One, Blessed is He, can limit the use of His light. Since He created the light, in the age-to-come the wicked will not be able to see by His light, as it is said, “The light of the righteous rejoices, but the lamp of the wicked shall be put out.” (Proverbs 13:9)
[Midrash Tehillim 27]

Elul is a time of great love between God and Israel. It is the time when we look forward to being active participants in His coronation on Rosh Hashana. We recite this psalm throughout Elul and the High Holydays to express our belief that God will share His light with all those who are committed to spreading His light throughout creation.

We recite this psalm to remember this light that is ours so that we may use it to develop into greater human beings.