Bruce Von Stiers

I recently had a chance to listen to an album that had elements of two things that I really enjoy. The first element was Praise music. The second element was a Mediterranean flavor to the songs on the album. The title of the album is Go Through The Gates. It comes from Batya and Barry Segal. The album was released by Galilee of the Nations.

Batya and Barry are Messianic Jews. And what makes them unique in having their album released in the U.S. is that they make their home in Jerusalem. The album was produced by Andy Piercy with the A & R Direction done by Yochanan Ben Yehuda.

There are 12 songs on Go Through The Gates. Each one is a praise and worship song. The songs have both English and Hebrew lyrics.

The first song on the album is On Your Walls O Jerusalem. It is about putting watchman on the walls of Jerusalem until the city becomes “a praise in the earth.” It has a lot of the tambourine and stringed instruments that you will find in a Middle Eastern musical setting.

Thou Shalt Love begins with some nice saxophone. The song basically is a praise hymn that repeats the lyrics over and over. Batya repeats the lyrics in Hebrew. It sound ever bit as beautiful in Hebrew as it does in English. These lyrics are “thou shalt love the Lord thy God.”

The third song is the title track, Go Through the Gates. This one also has a nice saxophone introduction. This is about leading the way for the people to follow Jesus.

Next up is Shabechi Yerushalayim, or Praise God O Jerusalem. It begins in English with “Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem.” It then moves into Hebrew for most of the rest of the song. It has some interesting instrumental touches in the middle of it.

We Delight In Your Shabbat is the next song. It is a fast paced praise song in the Middle Eastern style of music. Shimcha Kadosh (O Holy One) is about praising God for being the rock of our life’s foundation.

Let Me Hear (Hasmieni) is another song that begins with some wonderful saxophone. It is asking God to show us “your unfailing love in the morning.” Sos Asas (Rejoice Greatly) has a rich Middle Eastern flavor to it, with most of the lyrics in Hebrew. It is about rejoicing because of the promise of salvation that we have received.

In The Latter Days begins with music that makes you envision battle preparation. It moves into a bebopping kind of praise song that talks about “going up to the house of the Lord.”

Other songs on the album are Save Your People (Hoshia Et Amecha), Hoshomer (He Who Keeps) and Ma Navu (How Beautiful). This last one has some rather haunting vocals.

Go Through The Gates is truly one of the best Praise and Worship albums that I have heard in a long time. The songs do a wonderful job of praising God. And the music has the Middle Eastern flavor that is unique and so appealing.

Look for Go Through The Gates at your local Christian retailer. You can also order the album from Galilee of the Nations. Their web site is www.galileeofthenations.com