Bless the Lord - Taize

Translated into ASL by David Bar-Tzur

Created 12 APril 2006, links updated monthly with the help of LinkAlarm.

EXPLANATION OF THE GLOSSING SYSTEM
(to understand how I describe the signs in this translation).

Refrain: MY SOUL BLESS-rt THE-rt LORD.
ME BLESS GOD HIS-rt HOLY NAME.
MY SOUL BLESS-rt THE-rt LORD.
HIMSELF-rt LEAD ME NEW LIFE.

1. HE-rt FORGIVE ALL YOUR(plural) GUILT.
EVERY SICKNESS YOU(plural) HAVE HE-rt HEAL.
HE-rt PAY-OFF YOUR(plural) SIN, NOT NEED DIE.
LOVE AND COMPASSION HE-rt CROWN"each".

2. THE-rt LORD HAVE COMPASSION AND LOVE.
CALM, NOT BLOW-TOP, MERCY OVERFLOW.
HE-rt NOT PUNISH EVERY SIN.
NOT PAY #BACK LIKE WE alt.MISTAKE.

3. IDEA-LIKE FATHER HAVE-MERCY HIS-ctr CHILDREN,
THE-rt LORD HAVE-MERCY THOSE-rt BOW-DOWN-rt.
WHY? HE-rt KNOW-THAT WE HUMAN.
HE-rt REMEMBER MAKE US FROM DUST.


Notes: BLESS - BLESS - (2h)[O^], POs ><, held at mouth. Hands are brought downwards while opening to (2h)[5]. For a QuickTime file of this sign, see ASL Pro: Bless. I've given up on the position that you can't bless God. It's just used too much.

THE - Underlined words are honorific indices ("indexes"), using the FT of the upturned palm to indicate who is being honored.

HOLY - H-CLEAN. For a QuickTime file of this sign, see ASL Pro: Holy - 1.

PAY-OFF - [open 8] runs middle finger up palm (> wrist), changes to a [B], PO down, and then moves back across palm.

SIN - (2h)[X] touch their respective sides of the mouth, descend to neutral space and circle antisymmetrically parallel to the chest. For an animated gif of this sign, see Animated dictionary of religious signs - Deaf Missions: Sin.

COMPASSION - HEART + (2h)[5^] descend slightly twice while closing to (2h)[O^] but hands close to heart.

CROWN - (2h)[L:] (like BIG) place crown on head with large single movement. For a QuickTime file of this sign, see ASL Pro: Crown.

BLOW-TOP - [5], PO down, FO away, strikes top of [S], PO > DS, FO away, and rises up again, twisting DH at wrist.

OVERFLOW - [5], PO down, FO away, covers top of [S], PO > DS, FO away, and FT wiggle as the hand moves away, like a cup overflowing. For a QuickTime movie of this sign, see ASL browser - overflow.

#BACK - (2h)[B], POs > sign, FOs up; the hands transition to a C and then a K while rushing towards the signer.

IDEA-LIKE - A blending where IDEA has a [Y] instead of an [I] in anticipation of LIKE which is signed smoothly right afterwards.

KNOW-THAT - Starts like KNOW but twists and descends, looking almost like DON'T-KNOW except the hand twists down at the end.

HUMAN - H-BODY.

DUST - [C], PO away, FO up, moves from NDS to DS along dorsal (back hand) side of [B], PO down, FO > DS.

Lyrics:

Refrain: Bless the Lord, my soul,
and bless God's holy name.
Bless the Lord, my soul,
who leads me into life.

1. It is he who forgives all your guilt,
who heals everyone of your ills,
who redeems your life from the grave,
who crowns you with love and compassion.

2. The Lord is compassion and love,
slow to anger and rich in mercy.
He does not treat us according to our sins,
nor repay us according to our faults.

3. As a father has compassion on his children,
the Lord has pity on those who fear him;
for he know of what we are made,
he remembers that we are dust.

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