Gam Ki Eilech – גַּם כִּי אֵלֵךְ
Gam Ki Eilech Lyrics
Gam, ki eilech, b’gei tzalmavet,
Lo ira ra, ki ata imadi
Ach tov, tov vachesed (x3)
Yirdefuni (x3)
Kol y’mei chayai (x4)
גַּם כִּי אֵלֵךְ בְּגֵיא צַלְמָוֶת
לֹא אִירָא רָע כִּי אַתָּה עִמָּדִי
אַךְ טוֹב וָחֶסֶד יִרְדְּפוּנִי
כָּל יְמֵי חַיָּי
Translation – I am not alone.
Though I walk in the valley
of the shadow of death,
I will not fear,
for you are with me…
Surely goodness and kindness
will chase after me
All the days of my life.
Melody by Coleen Dieker and Rabbi Josh Warshawsky
Lyrics: Psalm 23 Verses 4 and 6
A teaching from Coleen Dieker:
Seek comfort and let comfort seek you.
For all the abundance of blessings that fill our lives, life can certainly be heavy. I found myself in a deep state of grief in late 2018. I had endured too much loss, heartbreak and death that year to enjoy my lifelong passion of playing music, to enjoy my hobbies and friends, to enjoy food. I flew to LA in October to rehearse with Josh for our upcoming tour. I could barely play a note without breaking down.
He shared with me these two familiar verses from Psalm 23, which I had heard many times throughout my life. But this time, I needed them. I clung to them, and let them sink in. I let the medicine of these words wash over me, and we wrote a melody for them. We wrote a melody of comfort that acknowledges the grief and pain of life, and holds that heaviness with love and compassion.
The first verse (verse 4 of the Psalm) is like a mantra, that shortens itself to “ki atah imadi”, or “you are with me.” You are with me. You are with me. The second verse (verse 6 of the Psalm) insists with its melody that goodness and mercy are chasing me, washing me with compassion, incessantly, all the days of my life. All the days of my life. All the days of my life.
Find the comfort that you seek in this setting of Psalm 23, verses 4 and 6.
Gam Ki Eilech by Coleen Dieker and Rabbi Josh Warshawsky
Lyrics from Psalm 23 Verses 4 and 6
Executive Producers: Marc and Susan Sacks
With generous additional funding provided by Sacred Sounds Unbound:
Temple Emanuel of Beverly Hills and Temple Beth Am Los Angeles
Sponsored by Temple Israel of Natick, MA
Sponsored by Beth El Synagogue Center in New Rochelle, NY
Produced and mixed by Jeremy Lawrence
Engineered by Patrick Kehrier and Tyler Karmen
Additional Audio Editing by Josh Kay and Patrick Rimterakul
Mastered by Mike White
Vocal arrangements and production by Ayo Awosika
Musical direction by Brock Pollock
Recorded at 64 Sound in Highland Park, CA
Directed by Dustin Warren
Produced by The Matterworks
Cinematography by Dustin Warren and Ricky Sanchez
Edited by Dustin Warren
Cover Art by Lizzie Sivitz ( www.nirehor.com )
Featuring the Chaverai Nevarech Band:
Coleen Dieker (Vocals)
Josh Warshawsky (Guitar, Vocals)
Brock Pollock (Music Producer, Bass)
Ayo Awosika (Vocal Producer, Vocals)
Duvid Swirsky (Lead Guitar, Bouzouki, Banjo, Vocals)
Chava Mirel (Vocals)
Deborah Sacks Mintz (Vocals)
Jackson Vance Mercer (Vocals)
Lior Shragg (Percussion)
Jenni Asher (Violin)
