Songs of Strength through the Night

Job 35:9-10

Amichai Lau-Lavie (he/him)

Feb 04, 2025

What gives us strength through dark nights of the soul?

Often, a song.

Ha'Mavdil is a beautiful and beloved Jewish poem - a Middle-Eastern Hebrew Piyyut - recited or sung during Havdalah, the Saturday night ceremony in many households. It is at least a thousand years old and includes both hopeful and blues sentiments as the sabbath rest ends and the weekday begins. It also includes words borrowed from today’s chapter in Job that are about the solace we seek through the night. And I must admit - I’ve sung this poem since childhood and know it by heart but never pause to consider these particular words - or their fascinating origin and meaning.

Chapter 35 continues the tirade of Elihu, the young man who comes along with a theological bullhorn and a lot to say to Job - and to us.

Elihu reminds Job that everybody suffers - he is not unique - and that is part of the plan. God has no time to deal with every individual personally - and yet most people don’t question God’s goodness or just care, as Job does:

מֵרֹב עֲשׁוּקִים יַזְעִיקוּ יְשַׁוְּעוּ מִזְּרוֹעַ רַבִּים׃ וְלֹא־אָמַר אַיֵּה אֱלוֹהַּ עֹשָׂי נֹתֵן זְמִרוֹת בַּלָּיְלָה׃

With so much contention -the oppressed cry out;

They shout because of the power of the great.

Yet none asks, “Where is my God, my Maker,

Who gives strength in the night;

Job 35:9-10

The final words here are translated as ‘strength in the night’ although other translations prefer ‘songs in the night’ - big difference. That is because the Hebrew - ‘Zemirot Ba’laila’ does indeed mean ‘songs in the night’ but was perceived by translators and interpreters to indicate that the purpose of the song is to give the suffering a sense of purpose, strength and hope.

These are also the words quoted in the Byzantine era Saturday night poem - evoking the seeking of sparks of optimism as the sun sets and the week begins.

Rabbi Ariel Goldberg reflects on the role of these songs of the night:

“To give songs in the night” means that God is a source of resilience. Night is often a biblical metaphor for uncertainty, confusion, and fear. Singing is a metaphor for spiritual uplifting. To sing in the night, then, means for the person’s spirit to transcend the forces of confusion and fear, until daylight returns. God may not be a reliable savior from evil. But God is there for us as a source of resilience.”

Elihu, in some way, is flipping the script on Job’s questions - it may not be helpful to ask where God is during days and nights of sorrow - but rather - what are the supporting tools and soul-salves that can be accessible to us when times are tougher than usual. It’s not a complete response to the big question of evil in the world but it does give us some aspect of agency - like choosing a song to sing away the night terrors - and lean in as much as we can.

This attitude recalls the kind of approach suggested by Viktor Frankl, who survived the Holocaust to claim that our task is to make meaning of every experience:

“We must perform a kind of Copernican Revolution, and give the question of the meaning of life an entirely new twist . . .it is not up to man to question; rather, he should recognize that he is questioned by life; he has to respond by being responsible."

Which are the songs that help you through the night? What is our collective playlist of endurance? Whoever inserted the words of Elihu into the Saturday night poem and whoever chose to make that poem a hymn for liminal moments - knew how to give us gifts of musical meaning making and poetic purpose even though the sunsets of our lives.

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Below the Bible Belt

Songs of Strength through the Night

Job 35:9-10

What gives us strength through dark nights of the soul?

Often, a song.

Chapter 35 continues the tirade of Elihu, the young man who comes along with a theological bullhorn and a lot to say to Job - and to us.

Elihu reminds Job that everybody suffers - he is not unique - and that is part of the plan. God has no time to deal with every individual personally - and yet most people don’t question God’s goodness or just care, as Job does:

מֵרֹב עֲשׁוּקִים יַזְעִיקוּ יְשַׁוְּעוּ מִזְּרוֹעַ רַבִּים׃ וְלֹא־אָמַר אַיֵּה אֱלוֹהַּ עֹשָׂי נֹתֵן זְמִרוֹת בַּלָּיְלָה׃

With so much contention -the oppressed cry out;

They shout because of the power of the great.

Yet none asks, “Where is my God, my Maker,

Who gives strength in the night;

Job 35:9-10

These are also the words quoted in the Byzantine era Saturday night poem - evoking the seeking of sparks of optimism as the sun sets and the week begins.

Rabbi Ariel Goldberg reflects on the role of these songs of the night:

This attitude recalls the kind of approach suggested by Viktor Frankl, who survived the Holocaust to claim that our task is to make meaning of every experience:

“We must perform a kind of Copernican Revolution, and give the question of the meaning of life an entirely new twist . . .it is not up to man to question; rather, he should recognize that he is questioned by life; he has to respond by being responsible."

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