I wrote this song of praise in about seven minutes while making the Kickstarter film about my forthcoming book, Jewish Prayers of Hope and Healing. My videographer wanted a shot of me writing. Pretending to write a prayer felt silly, so I jotted down a few favorite lines, ignored the camera and let it flow. The lines are, essentially, instructions to the reader incorporated into the prayer: quite, breathe, listen. I use those same instructions in two other prayers: “We are Music” and “Invitations.”
Here’s what I wrote during the video. Since then, I’ve changed one word. The rest is exactly as I wrote it in the black moleskin notebook that you can see me using the film. The title came later.
Sing Praises
Quiet now.
Breathe.
Breathe and listen.
Listen to the prayers in the wind.
Listen to the joy on the breeze.
Listen to the hope in the heavens.
For love and life are yours.
Holiness and passion remain.
Wonder and awe
Shimmer from sunset to sunset.
This is the moment where love meets joy,
Where hope meets surrender.
What is that music?
What is that radiance?
What is that yearning?
Quiet now.
Breathe.
Breathe and listen.
Listen to your own voice.
Listen to your own prayers.
This is your power and your peace.
This is your pulse and your heartbeat.
This is your life.
Sing praises,
Sing praises.
© 2013 Alden Solovy and www.tobendlight.com. All rights reserved.
Postscript: Please see also: “We are Music,” “Invitations,” “Life as a Symphony,” “For the Gift of Song” and “For the Gift of Music.”
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Photo Source: Elahn Zetlin, Chutzpah Media, from my Kickstarter
Tags: beauty, being the music of living, bless, dance, faith, freedom, G-d's gift of prayer, gifts, grief, healing, hope, joy, music, music of the universe, mystery, praise, renewal, Shabbat Shira, song, spirit, symphony of life