To the conductor:

A psalm of David.

May Adonai respond to you on a troubled day;

May the name “God of Jacob” lift you up,

Inspiration

As humans, we seek answers. We want to know exactly what is happening and why. There will be many times in our lives where we will not receive answers, as much as we are desperate to have them. This psalm asks us to take our focus away from trying to get answers to our troubled times, and move towards seeing that although there may not be an answer, there IS a response.

We ask to receive signs as guiding lights on our journey. And they are there. We just have to open our eyes, recognize them, and in the response, decide which steps to take.

Judaism encourages us to remember our past. To remember the signs that we were once given to us, to remember that God did respond, and that those signs brought us to where we are today. It’s important to remember that challenging times are not a response to anything. They just are. And in those times we remind ourselves that we have been guided before.

It’s in these times that we find ourselves reaching out, searching for answers. We don’t just want to be guided. We want to know exactly what to do. But that’s not how life works. For one, we are unique beings and each one of our journeys is its own. No one formula would fit all of us. More so, where would the lessons and the growth lie if we weren’t challenged?

Right now is a great time to ask for a response, to reach out into the universe and ask for some guidance. We can’t get caught up in the answers. We have to remind ourselves that God is always responding.