This is a meditation on the Amidah, also known by two other names: the Shmoneh Esrei (‘Eighteen’) and HaT’fillah (‘The Prayer’). It summarizes the entire set of prayers, using phrases to capture the essence of each paragraph. Those phrases are based on headings used in two very different siddurim, the Reform Mishkan T’fillah and the Orthodox Nehalel Siddur. This prayer appears in This Joyous Soul: A New Voice for Ancient Yearnings from CCAR Press.

Amidah
Open my lips, and I will praise You.

You are our loving G-d, the G-d of our ancestors.
You set the journey of the soul and the cycle of nature.
You are sacred, Your Name is holy,
Endowing us with intelligence,
Calling us back to you, repentant,
Forgiving us,
Redeeming us,
Healing us,
Regenerating resources,
Ingathering our communities,
Reinstating justice,
Subverting antagonists,
Rewarding the righteous,
Rebuilding Jerusalem,
Revitalizing us with redemption.
Hear our prayer.
Restore Your Presence among us.
For our lives and our souls, thank You.
Bless us, and establish everlasting peace throughout the world.

May my words, and my heart’s longings
Fit Your desires for me, Adonai,
My Rock and Redeemer.

© 2019 CCAR Press from This Joyous Soul: A New Voice for Ancient Yearnings

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Postscript: Other prayers from This Joyous Soul posted here include: “Ki Mi’Tzion,” “Who is Like You,” “Peace Will Come” and “This Joyous Soul.”

Please check out my ELItalk video, “Falling in Love with Prayer,” and This Grateful Heart: Psalms and Prayers for a New Day. For reprint permissions and usage guidelines and reprint permissions, see “Share the Prayer!” To receive my latest prayers via email, please subscribe (on the home page). You can also connect on Facebook and Twitter.

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