Monday, December 2, 2013

Matisyahu - Refuge

This is from Matis' debut album from way back. I had this on the other night and it just spoke to me, as it's coming from a very real, very deep place in a young journey along a path of chassidut and even some bittul. When I go back to the older albums, it reminds me that that guy still exists somewhere in there. I know he's on a quest - we all are - and we can all relate to the fact that sometimes that quest meanders. Hearing his old music somehow infuses me with hope that he can make it back alright.



Ani auni vevyone. Hashem yashav li. Ezrati, umafalti, atau.

My word is like a hammer like a shattering rock,
crack through your heart and take the evil apart

From the end of the earth unto you I call, time and again I fall, back to you I crawl
You have been a refuge for me, a tower of strength in the face of the enemy
Enemy, enemy lines I find I let myself get tied up too many times
You can't have my heart I'm taking back what's mine
I know it lie just smoke in your eye and you saved my soul from the other side

When faint grows my heart to a rock that too hard for me to climb alone lead me
For you have been a refuge

With you I smash a troop and with my G-d I leap over a wall
May the king answer you on the day that you call
Stand tall, battle yawl, the clouds crawl low, all stalled,
heavens lay draped over New York like a prayer shawl,
the holy one enthroned upon the praises of Israel

Pathways of my heart clogged like a traffic jam
From the start, I want to take the blockage apart