En K’Elokenu

The Gemara (Berachot 32b) expounds the verse (Tehillim 27:14) “Kave El Hashem, Hazak Ve’ametz Libecha, Vekave El Hashem” (lit. “Hope for Hashem, be strong and He will give your heart courage, and hope for Hashem”) by saying that if one feels that one’s prayers went unanswered, one should pray again. Rabbi Alexander Ziskind (Yesod Veshoresh Ha’Avoda, Sha’ar 14, ch. 4 & 5) explains that this verse is recited near the end of Shaharit so as to reassure those who may feel discouraged about their prayers possibly not being answered. This verse is followed by the liturgical poem of “En K’Elokenu”, in which Hashem is referred to as “Elokenu”, “Adonenu”, “Malkenu” and “Moshienu”. The Arizal explains that these four references each correspond to a different letter of Hashem’s name Yud-Ke-Vav-Ke, while the HIDA (Kesher Gudal ch. 20, § 7) explains that they correlate to the exiles of Babylonia, Persia, Greece and Rome. Rabbi Refael Emmanuel Ricchi (Mishnat Hasidim) writes that this poem is beneficial in thwarting negative spiritual forces. Summary:   En K’Elokenu is a poem of praise which has several meanings.