Category Archives: Psalms

Clean Hands: Mi ya’aleh

01/09/2010 Alia Meira

Mi ya’aleh v’har Adonai umi yakum bim’kom kodsho?
N’ki chapayim uvar layvov

Clean Hands Hebrew text

Who may ascend the Mountain of God and who may establish the Place of His Holiness?
One with clean hands and a pure heart. (Psalm 24:3-4)
[Click (or tap) to see the entire Psalm 24 in Hebrew and English (JPS 1985).]

As we prepare for the work of holiness, we can listen for this question from Psalm 24, that asks us to step forward, raise our consciousness and enter the Place where God’s Presence can be known and experienced. The requirements are clean hands and a pure heart. Clean hands represent the purity of our intention as we do our work. A pure heart is who we are.

To hear the various parts of the chant, use the audio players. To download a part, right-click a note and save (or download) the linked MP3 file.

To download the PDF file for this chant, click Clean Hands PDF.

Chants, Psalms

Lands of Life: Et’halech lifnay

01/09/2010 Alia Meira

Et’halech lifnay Yah B’Artzot HaChayyim.

I will walk before God in the Lands of the Living
I will walk before God in the Lands of Life. (Psalm 116:9)
[Click (or tap) to see the entire Psalm 116 in Hebrew and English (JPS 1985).]

The Power of Placebo
As I was exploring the power of my beliefs, I was curious about the word placebo. I learned that its origin was Psalm 116:9, which was translated into Latin and adapted into a Catholic funeral ritual. They sang, “Placebo Domino in regione vivorum” (“I will please the Lord in the land of the living”) The word, placebo came into the English language to mean sycophant or flatterer because of the interpretation “I will please…” and then it came to mean simulator because how can you trust someone who is trying to please?

Today the phenomenon of placebo is linked to the miraculous power of Belief. When I chant these compelling words from Psalm 116, I am embodying my belief in God’s loving, life-giving Presence that surrounds me and beckons me towards ever-more radiant vitality. As I strengthen, nurture and refine this belief, God’s Presence manifests before me as the miracle of my Life.

To hear the various parts of the chant, use the audio players. To download a part, right-click a note and save (or download) the linked MP3 file.

To download the PDF file for this chant, click Lands of Life PDF. To download the musical notation, click The Lands of Life notation PDF.

Chants, Psalms

Morning Song: Va’ani ashir

12/29/2009 Alia Meira

Va’ani ashir uzecha va’aranayn labokayr chasdecha

And I will sing Your Glory and I will sing Your Love to the morning. (Psalm 59:17)
[Click (or tap) to see the entire Psalm 59 in Hebrew and English (JPS 1985).]

As my morning practice, I attune myself to the Divine attributes, allowing God’s strength, glory and love to sing through me. I become the channel for God to address this new day.

To hear the various parts of the chant, use the audio players. To download a part, right-click a note and save (or download) the linked MP3 file.

To download the PDF file for this chant, click Morning Song PDF. For the musical notation, click Morning Song notation PDF.

The musical notation is also on page 272 of The Magic of Hebrew Chant, which is available from the Books page.
The Magic of Hebrew Chant ©2013 Shefa Gold. All rights reserved.

Chants, Psalms

Re-Parented: Ki avi

12/27/2009 Alia Meira

Ki avi v’imi azvuni
Va’Adonai ya’asfayni
Horayni Yah darkecha
Re-Parented Hebrew text
Though my father and my mother have forsaken me,
God will gather me in.
Teach me Your Way, Oh God. (Psalm 27:10-11)
[Click (or tap) to see the entire Psalm 27 in Hebrew and English (JPS 1985).]

This three part round is a three part process of first admitting the ways that your parents may have “failed” you. They may not have been able to give you the exact safety, encouragement, nourishment, guidance, or embrace that you needed. From your grown-up perspective now you can stop blaming them and instead cultivate compassion for their limitations and for yourself. They were really doing the best they could.

The second step is to turn to God, the Great Father/Mother and allow yourself to be embraced, gathered in, and re-parented. Surrender into the arms of that Divine Parent and let yourself be held, seen, known, and sent to your own truth.

And the third step is to open to Guidance, internalizing that Divine Parent as you connect to Wisdom in this very moment on your Life Path.

To hear the chant and the round, use the audio players. To download the chant or round, right-click a note and save (or download) the linked MP3 file.

To download the PDF file for this chant, click Re-Parented PDF. For the musical notation, click Re-Parented notation PDF.

Chants, Psalms

Oh Justice: Yifrach

08/31/2009 Alia Meira

Yifrach b’yamav Tzadik, v’rov Shalom
Oh Justice Hebrew text
Oh Justice, Oh Justice… in the fullness of Peace!
Oh, Justice shall flourish in its time, and the fullness of peace. (Psalm 72:7)
[Click (or tap) to see the entire Psalm 72 in Hebrew and English (JPS 1985).]

In Memory of Senator Ted Kennedy:
At the funeral of Senator Ted Kennedy, his daughter Kara led the congregation in a version of Psalm 72. After each line, the congregation of dignitaries responded with refrain, “Justice shall flourish in its time, and the fullness of peace forever.”

Senator Kennedy, may his memory be a blessing, understood that Justice is the inner truth of Peace. His legacy of making justice for the poor, for the disabled, for the disenfranchised people of this land, can be our inspiration as we all become Makers of Peace.

This practice marries Justice with Peace, affirming that the fullness of Peace is Justice. All our work for Justice must have Peace as its driving force and as we work for Peace, we must make Justice our goal.

To hear the various parts of the chant, use the audio players. To download a part, right-click a note and save (or download) the linked MP3 file.