And He, the Merciful One,

atones iniquity; and does not destroy.

He frequently withdraws His anger

and does not arouse all His rage.¹ Midrash Tanchuma (Pinchos 13) notes that the morning sacrifice (תמיד של שחר) atoned for sins committed during the night, while the afternoon sacrifice (תמיד של בין הערבים) atoned for sins committed during the day. Since the evening service does not represent Temple sacrifice, it became customary to recite this verse because it mentions that God “atones iniquity.”—Avudraham

footnotes: ¹ Psalms 78:38. This verse consists of thirteen Hebrew words. It recalls the “thirteen attributes of Divine mercy” (Exodus 34:67). 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

Adonoy, deliver [us!]

The King will answer us on the day we call.²

footnotes: ² Psalms 20:10.

Bless Adonoy Who is blessed.

Blessed is Adonoy, Who is blessed

forever and ever.

Blessed are You, Adonoy,

our God, King of the Universe,

With His word He brings on evenings,

with wisdom He opens the gates³ (of heaven);

footnotes: ³ These are the gates of sunrise and sunset through which God, in His infinite wisdom, has divided life on earth into two complementary halves.—Rabbi S.R. Hirsch

and with understanding

changes⁴ the times

footnotes: ⁴ He alternates the three daily periods—evening, morning, and afternoon.—Avudraham

and alternates the seasons,

and arranges the stars

in their watches,⁵ in the sky,

footnotes: ⁵ The stars appear as watchmen appointed by God to stand guard over the sleeping world below. He also appointed them their places in definite orbits, according to His will, and for purposes known to Him alone.—S.R. Hirsch

according to His will.

He creates day and night,

He rolls the light away from before darkness,

and darkness from before light;

He causes day to pass

and brings night,

and separates between day and night;

Adonoy of Hosts⁶ is His Name.

footnotes: ⁶ His Name, ה’ צבאות, means “He Who takes all the infinite variety of hosts and creatures and unites them to act and interact as parts of one unified Universe.”—S.R. Hirsch

The Almighty,

[Who is] living and enduring

will always reign over us

forever and ever.

Blessed are You, Adonoy,

Who brings on evening.

[With] An everlasting love⁷

footnotes: ⁷ This prayer is an abbreviated form of the אהבה רבה prayer in the morning service. It thanks God for the sacred gift of Divine Revelation that He granted Israel. It declares that Torah alone is the eternal heritage of the Jewish people and that all other goods and gifts of life are transitory.—S.R. Hirsch

You loved the House of Israel, Your people.

Torah and commandments,

statutes and laws,

You taught us.

Therefore, Adonoy, our God,

when we lie down and when we rise,

we will discuss Your statutes,

and rejoice

in the words of the teachings of Your Torah

and in Your commandments forever.

For they are our life

and they lengthen our days,

and on them we will meditate day and night.

[May] Your love

never be removed from us

Blessed are You, Adonoy,

Who loves His people Israel.