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Avinu Malkeinu

A gentle English prayer song about praise, kindness and passing faith from one generation to the next.

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Lyrics

Happy are those who live in your place All day we sing and rest in your grace

Every day we lift your holy name Every night we praise you just the same You open your hand and all are fed You lift our eyes and raise each head The Lord is near to hearts that call in truth You give us peace renew our strength anew

One generation teaches all your way The next will carry light through all their days Your kingdom stands in every time and place Your mercy shines and fills the world with grace

You hear our cry you catch us when we fall You hold us close you answer every call You keep our steps and guide us through the night You guard our hearts and lead us into light

Behind the song

The song’s story

A new prayer-song

This recording is released as Avinu Malkeinu, with original music and English words by Walter J. Kin. Its lyric is a prayer of praise and care, not a line-by-line translation of the traditional prayer associated with that title.

Our recording & notes

Echoes of the Psalms

The opening blessing for those who dwell in God's presence closely echoes Psalm 84. Daily praise, one generation teaching another and an enduring kingdom recall Psalm 145. These are textual connections we can hear in the English words.

Psalm 84 · Psalm 145

Praise expressed as care

Psalm 145 is also at the heart of the daily prayer Ashrei. The lyric's open hand, support for those who fall and nearness to sincere callers recall that psalm. Praise becomes care for others, not only words addressed to God.

Psalm 145 · Ashrei background

For a new generation to sing

The song turns devotional language into direct English images of food, shelter, guidance and trust. Its Jewish connection is in those images and its prayerful purpose. The complete words shown here belong to this recording, with earlier variants kept separate.

Our recording & notes

About this recording

The lyric in this recording begins with a blessing for those who live in God's presence. It moves through daily praise, care for those in need and the passing of faith from one generation to another.

The recording is released under this title; its English lyric is a prayer of praise, not a line-by-line translation of the Avinu Malkeinu prayer.

Why we consider this song Jewish or Jewish-themed

We include this as an English Jewish prayer-themed song. Its language of praise, mercy, God's kingdom and one generation teaching the next places it within the devotional world of the project.

The recording uses a chamber setting with clarinet, violin and answering voices. We do not describe this lyric as a word-for-word translation of the Hebrew prayer named in the title.

Credits & source

Music / English words / production: Walter J. Kin (RIGLI)
Performance: Riglis Band

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