Elohim Hashivenu

Last weekend, I attended a concert by excellent a capella choir. One song struck me as very appropriate for the ordination controversy that has gripped our denomination for far too long. It was composed by Salamone Rossi (c 1570 - c 1678) , the leading Jewish composer during the Renaissance in Italy. He was the first to bring choral, polyphonic music to the synagogue -- a revolutionary proposition at that time.

The song that struck a chord in me is Elohim Hashivenu based on Psalm 80:3, 7, 19. Here are the lyrics, with the Hebrew text in italics:

Elohim hashivenu
O God, restore us;
vehaer panekha venivashea.
cause Thy face to shine, and we shall be saved.
Elohim tsevaot hashivenu
O God of hosts, restore us;
vehaer panekha venivashea.
cause Thy face to shine, and we shall be saved.
Adonai elohim tsevaot hashivenu
O Lord of hosts, restore us;
vehaer panekha venivashea.
cause Thy face to shine, and we shall be saved.

This will be my psalm for the general assembly.