“G‑d is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? G‑d is the stronghold of my life; from whom shall I be frightened? ... My adversaries and my enemies against me? They stumbled and fell!”1

Last week, together with hundreds of thousands of Jews worldwide, I began reciting Psalm 27 twice a day—an ancient tradition beginning on the first day of the month of Elul and continuing until Hoshana Rabbah.

But this year, Psalm 27 holds a new and deeply moving meaning for me.

On Rosh Chodesh Elul, the day we began reciting the psalm, I received a video clip that shook me to my core. In it, Sapir Cohen shares her incredible story about this very Psalm.

A few months before October 7th, Sapir felt an overwhelming sensation that something terrible was on the horizon. Convinced she was facing a terminal illness, she made an appointment with her doctor for a full health check. Everything came back normal, but she couldn’t shake the sense that her life was in danger.

In her search for answers, she came across a suggestion online: recite Psalm 27 for 30 days in a row, and it would bring healing from sickness. Desperate for a solution, she did exactly that, saying the psalm every day for a month.

The last day was October 7th.2

“I remember how, in the last week of reciting Psalm 27, I started paying closer attention to the words,” Sapir recalled. “I was confused – this psalm talks about enemies and evildoers, but I wasn’t fighting enemies; I thought I was sick. How did this apply to me?”

But on that terrible day, when terrorists broke into her bomb shelter, Sapir’s fear turned into clarity. “Suddenly, I remembered the words of the psalm, and I knew: I would survive.”

Sapir continued reciting the psalm—the only prayer she knew by heart—every day during her captivity. One day, her captors even asked her if she knew how to pray, and suggested she do so out loud. It was a surreal moment for her, sitting there with her captors, saying King David’s words: “My adversaries and my enemies against me? They stumbled and fell!”

Thank G‑d, she was released and is now safely back home.

Hearing this story on Rosh Chodesh Elul imbued the recitation of Psalm 27 with new significance for me. Thinking of Sapir and her faith helps strengthen my own.

Unfortunately, we still have many enemies, and many of our brothers and sisters remain in captivity, desperately needing our prayers. As we continue through this month of Elul, let’s unite in saying Psalm 27 daily, praying for their safe return and for peace.

In the words of the final verse of Psalm 27:

“Hope for the L-rd, be strong, and He will give your heart courage. Hope for the L-rd!”