You're My Light (Psalm 27 Redux)

from Rapping the Psalms by Danny Raphael

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about

Sometimes hope is hard to come by, and when that happens, we need to try extra hard to cultivate it. That's the basic thrust of this one. It's a version of Psalm 27 which we say in times of Teshuvah, which means striving to overcome our inner critic and returning to our best selves.

The hooks are translated in the course of the verses, so don't worry if you don't understand them, just enjoy the sounds...

lyrics

[Hook 1]

אִם תַּחֲנֶה עָלַי מַחֲנֶה לֹא יִירָא לִבִּי
אִם תָּקוּם עָלַי מִלְחָמָה
בְּזֹאת אֲנִי בוֹטֵחַ

קַוֵּה אֶל הויה
חֲזַק וְיַאֲמֵץ לִבֶּךָ
וְקַוֵּה אֶל הויה

[Verse 1]

You’re my light
And I know You’ll deliver me
Who shall I fear when You’ve given me
The strength to survive
Now who's the man who can limit me?
When the ignorant are rising to injure me
-
Confused with jealousy
They would consume my flesh
Imbued with enmity
I watch them lose their step
Victims of conditioning imprisoned in their misery
Unwilling to be human
And enter Your synergy
-
If an army should rise against me
If the promises of allies were revealed as empty
If my being were placed under siege
Still Your sacred name would I breathe
-
Asking only to dwell in Your tent in humility
Thanks for the gift that You’ve given we
May we watch as the sweetest delivery
Clears all fear
Cos right here is Infinity

[Hook 2]

לוּלֵא הֶאֱמַנְתִּי
לִרְאוֹת בְּטוּב הויה
בְּאֶרֶץ חַיִּים

קַוֵּה אֶל הויה
חֲזַק וְיַאֲמֵץ לִבֶּךָ
וְקַוֵּה אֶל הויה

[Verse 2]

Now my head is held high over my enemies
My insecurity and my fear lay trembling
I come to Your tent with an offering
I will sing from my depths
Giving thanks and honoring
-
You who my heart command me to seek
In the sweetest silence
There I hear You speak
Even if my father and mother neglect me
I know You’re always there to protect me
-
Show me Your ways through the ups and downs of life
Help me to channel your light
Please don’t let me escape myself with lies
Please
Don’t let me hide
-
If it wasn’t for my faith in Your goodness
I couldn’t survive
I wouldn’t be singing these lines
So hope
Learn to hope
Whatever the price
Hope must always survive

[Hook 3]

אִם תַּחֲנֶה עָלַי מַחֲנֶה לֹא יִירָא לִבִּי
אִם תָּקוּם עָלַי מִלְחָמָה
בְּזֹאת אֲנִי בוֹטֵחַ

קַוֵּה אֶל הויה
חֲזַק וְיַאֲמֵץ לִבֶּךָ
וְקַוֵּה אֶל הויה

לוּלֵא הֶאֱמַנְתִּי
לִרְאוֹת בְּטוּב הויה
בְּאֶרֶץ חַיִּים

קַוֵּה אֶל הויה
חֲזַק וְיַאֲמֵץ לִבֶּךָ
וְקַוֵּה אֶל הויה

[Tag]

Hope
Learn to hope
Whatever the price
Hope must always survive

The original psalm is here: www.sefaria.org/Psalms.27