While I love some much-cherished melodies from this season, and look forward to singing them again year after year, a few have grown, well, stale for me. The tune we've used forever for one text was such a case. So one evening in the back room of our little house, I began "messing around" -- that's what I call playing with musical ideas -- and came up with another setting of that text.
I didn't write the words -- the text comes from Psalm 27, which we read and meditate on during the month of Elul as we prepare for the High Holy Days. But I wanted a new melody, so I came up with one. This year, I taught it to some friends at my shul and we may actually use it in services.
I'm offering it here, and also as a free download for one week over at my ReverbNation page, so that if you like, you can use it in your meditations and preparations for the Yamim Noraim (Days of Awe).
One thing I ask of You, O God,
This is all I ask
Let me live in the shelter of Your house
All the days of my life. (Ps. 27:4)
.אַחַת ׁשָאַֽלְּתִי מֵאֵת יְיָ, אותָּה אֲבַּקֵׁש, ׁשִבְּתִי ּבְבֵית יְיָ ּכָל יְמֵי חַּיַי,
Elul officially begins next Sunday. But since Selichot is less than a month from now, I thought I'd offer it a little sooner. I'll leave the download up at Reverb until the first day of Elul. If you observe this time of spiritual preparation, may it be a thoughtful and revealing time for you.