Ashira LaShem - Psalms Chapter 13 - Tehilim Poetry

We are back with another Tehilim poem. The thirteenth addition in this wonderful little series where I take a verse, usually the one that most inspires me, from every single chapter in Tehilim and compose a poem based on it or around it.

For this chapter, chapter 13, we focus on the famous line:

וַאֲנִ֤י ׀ בְּחַסְדְּךָ֣ בָטַחְתִּי֮ יָ֤גֵ֥ל לִבִּ֗י בִּישׁוּעָ֫תֶ֥ךָ אָשִׁ֥ירָה לַֽה' כִּ֖י גָמַ֣ל עָלָֽי,

which of course translates to:
But I trusted in Your loving-kindness, my heart will rejoice in Your salvation; I will sing to the L-rd for He has bestowed [it] upon me.

After learning the Perek's translation, I sat down to write a poem, and after some time, had the full first half of it complete. But for some reason, the second half, which I knew the poem needed, just wasn't coming out on the page the way I wanted it to. Something felt off with it. It did not feel right.

So I left it. I saved the work and decided to come back to it when my mind was clear. I ended up leaving it for a solid couple of weeks or maybe even two or three months, before returning back to it literally today, Thursday, April 30th, or Yud Gimmel Iyaar.

But hey, hold on. Hold the phone for just one second there buddy. How awesome is this? This poem is based on Tehilim Perek 13, and today in the month of Iyaar is.. the 13th day?! Wait, what?

We must truly give thanks! :) (haha, see how He orchestrated it?).

Anyway, enough of this introduction, lets jump right on in to the poem!

I hope you enjoy it.

Have a great week,

Your friend,

Yitzy Schweitzer

(LET'S DO THIS!)

Ashira LaShem - Psalms Chapter 13 - Tehilim Poetry

There is but a melody, that plays within my heart,
A song I sing, to my Father, above,
A song of praise, for all He has done for me,
A song of hope, for the future goodness I hope to receive.

There is always a reason, to sing and give thanks,
To Hashem, Our G-d, for whatever He gives us from His hand,
Every action that we do, we are led on a road of the Divine,
A road full of reasons to write my thoughts into rhythm and rhyme.

ואני בחסדך בטחתי
My heart recognises Your kindness that You do for me,
Words fail me, Hashem, I cannot express clearly to You,
How much I truly want to say Thank You.

אשירה לה כי גמל עלי
I’ll send my voice, heavenward, let it reach to the sky,
For even though I can never truly thank You,
Hashem, my songs are my attempts to tell how much I love You.

There is a tune that is heard by my soul,
A composition from the innermost and sincere of places,
This song is my gift, to the Master of the World,
To thank Him, to request of Him and to sing His eternal praises.

King David composed these words long ago,
But they still speak for us, they speak of pain, joy and hope,
But above all, the one thing they always have within them,
Is words to help us say a simple word of gratitude to Hashem.

ואני בחסדך בטחתי
My heart recognises Your kindness that You do for me,
Words fail me, Hashem, I cannot express clearly to You,
How much I truly want to say Thank You.

אשירה לה כי גמל עלי
I’ll send my voice, heavenward, let it reach to the sky,
For even though I can never truly thank You,
Hashem, my songs are my attempts to tell how much I love You.

If I were to begin at this moment,
To thank You, Tatte, for everything,
I will stand in this place, for forever and a day,
Never being able to finish speaking.
For the ultimate praises, sometimes cannot be said,
For it is the words we don’t say that have the most power,
For, how is it possible, that we would ever stop thanking You,
For every moment, second, minute, day, hour?