This Song is Sung Everywhere

Tamid Ohev Oti

Jul 03, 2025

Translating Israel: One Voice at a Time is now publishing once a week. I am slowly going to be creating a new template— you’ll see it forming week by week with each blog, and I more than welcome any feedback, suggestions or requests!

My intent here with Translating Israel is to bring you voices you otherwise might not hear and to give you an insider’s look into what is being said on the street, in people’s blogs, in Israeli music and art. In this vein, I want to (for the most part) move away from attempting to translate voices that are “current affairs”, i.e. topics that are the most current in the news, and instead create a theme for each issue with voices that express that theme. When there are pressing issues (like the recent war in Iran, or even things perhaps less intense, but something does seem to always be going on here… I will bring voices that feel urgent, and perhaps that will be it’s own “column” under the title of Current Affairs. (Hmm— maybe you, most appreciated reader, have an idea for a better title for such a section. Lmk)

Today’s first topic is about a song. Not a song translation as I usually do— but a story of a specific song. In these days following the “12-Day War” with Iran, when we are both grateful for all that happened and waiting for the good yet to come, I share with you a song that is being sung everywhere, and I mean everywhere. Even in the ruins of a home stuck by a missile. Even if you don’t yet know the meaning of the words— watch this, and keep reading.

And God, the blessed One, always loves me
And all will always be good for me
God, the blessed One, always loves me
And it will always be good for me
And things will be
Better and better
Better and better
Better and better
And it will always be good for me

(for the full translation see below)

‘Always Loves Me’ was released less than a year after the war’s outbreak (you can hear its creator speak about that in the video below) and it has become so ubiquitous in Israel it seems you can’t go to any event— be it a bar mitzvah, sporting event, children’s school play, army base, or even the waiting room of a family whose loved one has just been released from captivity after 498 days— where it’s not being sung. And, by the way, it seems to make no difference if the athletes/fans/school/ soldiers/family are religious or not— everyone is singing this song.)

Take a look, and I will share more about it below.

Reserve soldiers lifting the morale. The credits for this video can be seen on the clip.

I don’t know anything about this bar mitzvah boy, but this is just one example of many to be found

Upon the release of their brother and grandson, Sagui Dekel Chen’s family sings ‘Always Loves Me’

I think these are Maccabi Tel Aviv basketball players but I am not certain— no matter. I found another clip of Beitar Jerusalem— it’s being sung in all the locker rooms and in all the stands.

So what is it with this song?

Here is an abridged version of an interview with Hasidic rapper (yes, there is such a thing) Yair Elitzur, the song’s writer and creator. He tells what he actually thinks about the song, and what he believes is behind its incredible popularity.

Israel’s “war soundtrack” as it has been widely called, offers an incredibly revealing view into the Israeli mindset. As Amit Segal, one of Israel’s premier newscasters and political commentators, said, the songs of this war have moved from the expression of pain, to tenacity to fight, to “we will win” to “G-d loves us.”

”Always Loves Me” has hit a chord with an overwhelming number of Israelis who, whether religious or not, have been moved since October 7th to open up to a relationship with G-d they may not have known before.

Here is one last clip— in English (except for the song, of course—) following a lecture in the U.S. by released hostages Sapir Cohen and Sasha Trufanov (Sapir after 55 days and Sasha after 498). The rabbi here explains what Sasha told him about his mother Lena, and ‘Always Loves Me’:

Lyrics to “Always Loves Me” by Yair Elitzur.

And below a link to the 2 most popular versions of this song (the most popular is a cover by Sasson Ifram Shaulov that actually made the song the hit it is)

God is a good parent who always takes pride in me
And only sees the good in me
Understands that I want to be better, even when I struggle
And I’m really just short a few prayers
And God sees my good intentions
The times I tried, refusing to give up
Sees my humiliation in the bitterness I felt
And how I start over, again and again
And God, the blessed One, always loves me
And all will always be good for me
God, the blessed One, always loves me
And it will always be good for me
And things will be
Better and better
Better and better
Better and better
And it will always be good for me
God hears me, has mercy and always answers.
And even if not yet, I keep waiting.
It fills me up that You always love me
And give me new gifts every day
And lead me with such mercy as in this world is called mercy
Let everyone see that you do hear prayers
And we will be healthy and sing
And God, the blessed One, always loves me
And all will always be good for me
God, the blessed One, always loves me
And it will always be good for me
And things will be
Better and better
Better and better
Better and better
And it will always be good for me
I’ll have a livelihood
I’ll have wealth
Single men and women will find their spouse
There will also be complete healing and strong health
A beautiful, happy life, year after year
The light will shine on us, faith will shine,
True wisdom and knowledge and understanding
Our Messiah will come– without any war
We’ll eat watermelon, we’ll have a holiday
And God, the blessed One, always loves me
And all will always be good for me
God, the blessed One, always loves me
And it will always be good for me
And things will be
Better and better
Better and better
Better and better
And it will always be good for me

Let me know if you knew this song before today, and what you think of it!

Shabbat Shalom.

Translating Israel: One Voice at a Time