Psalms in Liturgy 9 - Psalms 20 & 130 Psalms for times of trouble

The Book of Commandments, Maimonides / Rambam (1135-1204)

(1) That is that we are commanded to serve Him. And this command is repeated several times: His saying, "And you shall serve the Lord, your God" (Exodus 23:25); and His saying, "and you shall serve Him" (Deuteronomy 13:5).

And although this command is from the inclusive commands - as we explained in Principle Four (Sefer HaMitzvot, Shorashim 4) - it nevertheless has specificity, since it is the command to pray. The language of the Sifrei is, "'And to serve Him' (Deuteronomy 11:13) - that is prayer." And they also said, "'And to serve Him' - that is [Torah] study."

And in the Mishnah of Rabbi Eliezer, the son of Rabbi Yose HaGelili, they said, "From where [do we know that] the essence of prayer is a commandment? From here - 'You shall fear the Lord, your God, and you shall serve Him' (Deuteronomy 6:13)." And they said, "Serve Him through His Torah; serve Him in His Temple." This means, direct [yourself] towards it, to pray [towards] there, as Shlomo, peace be upon him, explained. (See Parashat Mishpatim: Mishneh Torah, Prayer and the Priestly Blessing 1.)

Strictures of R. Moshe ben Nachman on Maimonides Book of Commandments

(Ramban or Nachmanides, 1194-1270, Girona, Catalonia - Jerusalem).

The Master [=Maimonides] wrote that the fifth mitzvah which we have been commanded concerns the service of God [service in the heart=prayer], as it is written, "and you shall serve the Name Your God..." and it is written, "and to serve Him with all your heart." ...

However, it is certain that the entire matter of prayer is not obligatory at all. Rather, it is an expression of the Creator's (may He be blessed) kindness to us that He hears and responds 'at our every call to Him' (Deuteronomy 4:7) ...

When the Talmudic rabbis expounded in the Sifrei (the legal midrash on Deuteronomy) "'to serve Him' (Deuteronomy 11:13) refers to study [of Torah]; another interpretration: it refers to prayer'" - that is merely a biblical allusion. Alternatively, the rabbis meant that service of God includes learning His Torah and praying to Him during times of crisis (tzarot, "tzores")...as it is written: "When you are at war in your land against an aggressor who attacks you, you shall sound short blasts on the trumpets, that you may be remembered before your God" (Numbers 10:9)--that is a mitzvah [to pray in response] to a crisis. ...

If indeed the homiletic statement of the Talmudic Rabbis means that there is [an independent] biblical obligation [to pray], we shall count prayer according to the Master's reckoning and say that there is a commandment in time of crisis (tzarot, "tzores") that we should believe that He, may He be blessed and exalted, hears prayer and saves (matzil) people from difficulties through prayer and calls [for help]. Understand this.

......it is customary now to recite [as part of the conclusion of the weekday morning service] "Happy are those who dwell in your house" (Ashrei/Psalm 145) and "May the Lord answer you in time of trouble" (Psalm 20), because it deals with salvation (yeshuah י.ש.ע.).

(2) And He, the Merciful One, atones iniquity; and does not destroy. He frequently withdraws His anger and does not arouse all His rage. (Psalms 78:38)

Adonoy, deliver [us!] The King will answer us on the day we call. (Psalms 20:10)

Footnote from the Metsudah Siddur:

"In the evening when man pauses from the rush of his daily activities, he is conscious of having sinned during the day, and thus begins his prayer with this appeal for Divine mercy.—Machzor Vitry"

(8) Recite each of these verses three times: Adonoy of Hosts is with us, a stronghold for us is the God of Jacob, Selah! (Psalms 46:8)

Adonoy of Hosts, fortunate is the man who trusts in You. (Psalms 84:13)

Adonoy, deliver [us]! The King will answer us on the day we call. (Psalms 20:10)

(1) For the leader. A psalm of David. (2) May the LORD answer you in time of trouble (tzarah),
the name of Jacob’s God keep you safe. (3) May He send you help from the sanctuary,
and sustain you from Zion. (4) May He receive the tokens of all your meal offerings,
and approve your burnt offerings. Selah.

(5) May He grant you your desire,
and fulfill your every plan. (6) May we shout for joy in your victory (yeshu`ah),
arrayed by standards in the name of our God.
May the LORD fulfill your every wish.

(7) Now I know that the LORD will give victory (hoshi`a) to His anointed,
will answer him from His heavenly sanctuary
with the mighty victories (yeisha`) of His right arm. (8) They [call] on chariots, they [call] on horses,
but we call on the name of the LORD our God. (9) They collapse and lie fallen,
but we rally and gather strength.

(10) O LORD, grant victory (hoshi`ah)!
May the King answer us when we call.^-c

^{c[NJPS Note to verse 10:]}Or in the light of v. 7, "O Lord, grant victory to the king; / may He answer us when we call."

(1) A song of ascents.

Out of the depths I call You, O LORD. (2) O Lord, listen to my cry;
let Your ears be attentive
to my plea for mercy. (3) If You keep account of sins, O LORD,
Lord, who will survive? (4) Yours is the power to forgive
so that You may be held in awe.

(5) I look to the LORD;
I look to Him;
I await His word. (6) I am more eager for the Lord
than watchmen for the morning,
watchmen for the morning.
(7) O Israel, wait for the LORD;
for with the LORD is steadfast love
and great power to redeem. (8) It is He who will redeem Israel from all their iniquities.