Псальмы (Psalms)

Song Meaning

The lyrics paint a stark, almost apocalyptic picture, opening with a raw offering: "Трымайце ж, вось вам сэрца" (Here, take my heart). This immediate presentation of vulnerability, juxtaposed with the chilling image of "Зімой жаўрукі пелі звонка / Ды селі і заінявелі" (Larks sang loudly in winter / Then sat and fell silent), sets a tone of beauty abruptly extinguished. The narrator seems to be presenting a broken narrative, a "гісторыя на касеце" (story on a cassette), suggesting a recorded, perhaps unchangeable, past. The central tension revolves around the persistent, agonizing plea: "Трымай мае раны адкрытымі" (Keep my wounds open). This isn't a call for healing, but for acknowledgment, a refusal to let the pain be covered or forgotten. It’s a defiant stance against the idea of moving on, especially when contrasted with the post-chorus refrain, "Ня трэба больш расьпяваць псальмы" (No need to sing psalms anymore). This suggests a rejection of traditional comfort or solace, implying that such rituals are insufficient or even inappropriate in the face of profound suffering. The lyrics employ striking, often violent imagery to convey this desolation. The second verse speaks of "нябесных камянёў / Палаючых гарадоў" (stones from the sky / Burning cities) and the chilling "Усьмешцы тваёй — ртуць / Усьмешцы тваёй — студзь" (Your smile is mercury / Your smile is frost). This personification of a smile with toxic and cold elements underscores a deep betrayal or emotional void. Later, the bridge directly addresses Death, "Сёньня Сьмерць пяе псальмы" (Today Death sings psalms), turning a symbol of divine peace into an instrument of finality, while the narrator remains trapped "усё ўва сьне" (all in a dream). Ultimately, the effectiveness of these lyrics lies in their unflinching portrayal of enduring pain and the rejection of easy answers. The repeated command to keep wounds open, coupled with the imagery of silenced larks and a smiling frost, creates a powerful sense of unresolved trauma. The final verses offer a fragile hope, "Што не прайшло, то міне" (What hasn't passed, will pass), but it’s delivered amidst the lingering echoes of destruction and the unsettling realization that "Ня можа і быць не магло ніякага «мы»" (There can't have been, couldn't have been any 'us').