So pressed by longing for the living God

It is unknown when Judah ha-Levi wrote this or the other Hebrew poems that describe his journey to the land of Israel, but they clearly express a desire to depart his homeland for the East. They may have been written after he had already started his voyage. It is not clear, either, who the Isaac mentioned here is. The personal reflections found in this text are a hallmark of Andalusi poetry, of which ha-Levi was a master. This poem plays off several themes found in Psalm 84, such as the closing note of that psalm that praises those who trust in God.