WINTER PSALMS

We are now steadily moving out of the depths of winter, and our review of the Winter Psalms, at least as a first read-through, is done. Stay tuned for a new study topic for consideration.

If Psalm 132 was the longest psalm, 133 is one of the shortest, only three verses in length. 

Psalm 132 is the longest of the Songs of Ascent. It focuses on worship, which the nation of Israel modeled on the experiences and prayers of its greatest king and prayer leader, David. It reviews his history as a basis for our liturgy, and recalls both David’s vow to bring the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem (verses 1-10) and G-d’s covenantal promise to David regarding how his descendants will be kings henceforth (verses 11-18); these are also both covered in prose in 2 Samu

Psalm 131 is, well, short. It is sometimes ascribed to David in his younger days (although Rashi said that he wrote it much later in life, perhaps when he was “on the run” from his son’s Absalom’s rebellion. Below, I will reprint the psalm with references to two (2) different sources of analysis. 

Psalm 130 is a regular part of our High Holidays liturgy.  The Sephardic tradition recites it at the end of the selichot prayers throughout the month of Elul, and then onwards to Yom Kippur. 

He has been harassed and tortured by other people for his entire life, both for his own actual sins and out of their own hatred and jealously. Now, with G-d’s help, he is finally returning from exile to his own land, even as his enemies fail and die away. 

Psalm 128 is relatively straightforward.  As part of our covenant, if we (as a people) obey the laws which we have been given (in the Torah), we will be rewarded with prosperity, family, long life and peace, as we live together around the holy city of Jerusalem in Eretz Yisrael.

This psalm is attributed to King Solomon.

The psalm refers to Tzion (Zion), (ציון), one of the Bible’s names for Jerusalem which is also used in a more general sense for the entire Land of Israel.

Psalm 125 continues our journey up the Temple Mount, using many of the modes common in these psalms.

In this text, as we ascend towards the Temple Mount, we celebrate all of the ways in which G-d has saved us in the past and will continue to save us in times to come.

In this short work, even as we are physically climbing up the stairs to the Temple in Jerusalem, we are also, metaphysically, looking up to G-d in Heaven for help. The following is the text of the psalm (in bold) as presented in Sefaria, along with commentary by Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz (of beloved memory).

This psalms describes how a Jew might feel on making a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, which we are directed to do for each of the three harvest festivals (Pesach, Shavuot and Sukkot), and climbing up to the Temple to make a sacrifice.

A Song of Ascents. I lift my eyes to the mountains; from where will my help come? My help is from Adoshem, who made the heavens and the earth.

This week, take a look at Psalm 120, in which David, in exile, complains of having been driven away from King Saul and the court by lies told by other courtiers. 

The first psalm in this group is #104