Sefer Tehillim/Psalms

Some people asked me about putting together ideas on The Psalms, so...My prayer is that this overview of the importance of Sefer Tehillim/Psalms will encourage us to Draw Near to HaShem, to learn from and enjoy this "food in due season" as we celebrate the New Year for Trees.   b"H     -- Touvaniah

Dedicated on TuB'Shevat 5772 to Rabbi Avraham Sutton, Rabbi Chaim Richman and The Temple Institute http://www.avrahamsutton.com/   http://www.templeinstitute.org/main.htm   http://www.universaltorah.com

The Book of Psalms is called Ruach HaKodesh (Divine Inspiration) by the Sages and therefore can also be called prophetic and/or instructional songs that will benefit us in our daily lives. Psalms is a companion to Torah and was written as part of the ancient liturgy by King David (et. al.) in 5 "Sections" which Midrash says correspond to the 5 books of Moses. (See end of Psalms 41, 72, 89, and 106.) The Priests recited a portion of Psalms everyday and they are also included in all Sabbath and Festival liturgy. Psalms was meant to be used daily and ALONG WITH our weekly Parsha. Weekly Torah is read in time (in due season, Ecc. 3:1) to create a specific prophetic space for the community to learn from and to enjoy. Psalms are part of this special definite prophetic space created thru each specific Weekly Torah Reading. “All of them wait for You, that You may give them their food (i.e. their portion of Torah) in due season.” (Psalm 104:27), and “The eyes of all wait for You, and You give them their food (i.e. their portion of Torah) in due season. (Psalm 145:15 - Ashrei). Finally, “A man has joy in the answer of his mouth; and a word in due season, how good is it!” (Proverbs 15:23).

This is not a comprehensive list, just some notes taken from various sources and thru my own research and love of Tanach over the last 30 years. Most of the Psalms are prayers. Prayer hints at "judging oneself", so the purpose of prayer (tefilah תפלה ) is to transform ourselves through self-examination. More on the relationship between prayer and psalms ("tehillah and tefillah") can be found by reading S. R. Hirsch, Horeb §620.

Tehillim contains 150 Songs divided into 5 sections or books. Book 1: Ps 1-41; Book 2: Ps 42-72; Book 3: Ps 73-89; Book 4: Ps 90-106; Book 5: Ps 107-150, and can also be put into 5 categories, as follows (the 5th one is my contribution):
Maskils (Instructive) 1, 32, 42, 44, 45, 52, 53, 55, 74, 78, 88, 89, 102, 127, 149
Shiggions (Meditative/Longings) 7, 23, 87, 95, 119.   Psalms 50 and 73–83 are the Psalms of Asaph, and associated with Prophecy. Psalms 42, 44–49, 84, 85, 87, and 88 are the Songs of The Sons of Korah.
Michtams (Poems to carry with you) 16, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60
Tefilat/Eichah (Purpose of Prayers/Laments/Cries are majority of Tehillim, so will mention only a few) 17, 51, 69, 70, 86, 90, 102
Chai (Major Life Events - Royal/Coronation/Wedding/Birth/Battle/Thanks) 2, 20, 21, 24, 27, 30, 45, 47, 93, 96 thru 98, 99, 101, 110, 117, 120 thru 134 (*132), 136. [Life Events of King David: 3, 7, 18, 34, 51, 52, 54, 56, 57, 59, 60, 63, 142.]
101 Psalms name a person/group as author; 73 name David, 3 name Jeduthun (Ps 39 [ vs 8 is included in Amidah for Rosh HaShanah], 62, 77), and 1 is ascribed to Moses (Ps 90).

Muslims believe that Psalms (Zabur in the Quran) was revealed by HaShem to David in the same way that Torah was revealed to Moses.

Psalm 117 is the shortest Psalm (2 verses).

Psalm 119 is the longest Psalm (176 verses in sets of 8 lines, each set of 8 lines beginning with one of the 22 Hebrew letters (22x8=176)).
Psalms 9, 10, 25, 34, 37, 111, 112, 119, 145 are all acrostics of the Hebrew Aleph-Beit (see also Lamentations 1-4 & Prov 31:10-31).

The Dead Sea Scrolls "Psalms Scroll" places the order of the Psalms differently from the way we see them in our books today. It contains 1 additional Psalm (151) written in Hebrew, and a variation to (at least some) verses in Ps 136.

Some versions of the Peshitta (Aramaic Bible Version) include the additional Psalms 152–155.

See Pesukei d'Zemira (verses of praise/song) where whole or portions of Ps 30, 84, 100, 144, 145-150 are included in Kaddish, Barukh She'amar, Hodu, Ashrei, and Yishtabach. See also The Family Zemiros by ArtScroll [translated and annotated].

Additional Daily Psalms [recited with the Psalm of the Day shown below] are Ps 100, 145 (Ashrei) and 150.
Yom Rishon [Day 1- Sun] Chesed/Love: Psalm 24 “The earth is the L-rd’s, and the fullness thereof.”
Yom Sheni [Day 2- Mon] Din-Gevurah/Judgment: Psalm 48 “Great is the L-rd, and highly to be praised in the city of our G-d"
Yom Shelishi [Day 3- Tue] Tiferet/Truth-Torah: Psalm 82 “G-d stands in the congregation of G-d; He judges among the judges.”
Yom Revii [Day 4- Wed] Netzach/Victory: Psalm 94 “O L-rd G-d, to whom vengeance belongs; O G-d, to whom vengeance belongs, shine forth!”
Yom Chamishi [Day 5- Thu] Hod/Majesty: Psalm 81 “Sing aloud to G-d our strength: make a joyful noise to the G-d of Jacob.”
Yom Shishi [Day 6- Fri] Yesod/Foundation: Psalm 93 “The L-rd reigns, He is clothed in majesty.”
Shabbat [Day 7- Sat] Malchut/Kingdom of HaShem: Psalm 92 “A psalm, a song for the Sabbath day”

[Friday Night] Erev Shabbat - Kabbalat (Received)/Tikkun Olam (Repair/Restoration of Worlds) Psalms are read in this order: 95-99, 29, 92, 93
[Saturday] Shabbat - Psalms are read in this order: 2, 19, 34, 90, 91, 135, 136, 33, 92, 93 interspersed with the liturgy containing whole or parts of other Psalms as mentioned below. (Remember, this is not meant to be an all-inclusive list.)

Psalm 24 is recited when the Sefer Torah is returned to the Ark after the reading on weekdays, and Psalm 29 is recited on Shabbat.

Psalms 113–118 constitute "The Hallel", which is recited on for Shelosh Regalim, the 3 Great Festivals (Pesach, Shavuout and Sukkot); at the new moon; and on the eight days of Chanukah. The culmination of Hallel is Psalm 136, generally called "The Great Hallel", but the Talmud also includes Psalms 120–135 as part of The Great Hallel. The Sages say that on Pesach the Kohen performed Shechita on all the lambs and it appeared as if they were moving like lightening (ever see time-lapse photography?) while the choir sung Hallel. A strange and wonderous prophetic space/time was created and all the many thousands of sacrifices were completed before the last verse of The Great Hallel was sung.

Each Fesitival has various and specific Psalms read during the liturgy, and may depend upon Azkenazi or Sephardi preferences. As each Festival is also a Shabbat, Psalms 19, 34, 90, 91, 135, 136, 33, 92, 93 are read in this order. See related Machzor (Azkenaz or Sephard) for more details.   A group of Psalms (120 thru 134) are called the 15 Songs of Ascents/Degrees representing the 15 steps ascending (going up/Aliyah) to the Beit HaMikdash/Temple. Aliyah represents our desire to Korban (Draw Near) to HaShem. The 'sacrifices' are also called Korban (Draw Near).

Special Psalms for Pre or Post Festivals/Occassions:
The confession/forgiveness of Psalm 27 is recited at the end of the morning and evening service during Teshuvah (season of return) from the beginning of the month of Elul until Hoshanah Rabbah [the final day of Sukkot]. Before the evening service at the end of Shabbat, Psalms 144 and 67 are read. Psalm 104 is read during the morning service on Rosh Chodesh (New Moon), and during the afternoon service on winter Sabbaths.

From Page 5 (Morning Service) of the Revised Authorized Daily Prayer Book by Rabbi Joseph H. Hertz © 1948, Eighth Print 1959:
Ps 5:8 As for me, in the abundance of thy lovingkindness will I come into Thy House: I will worship toward Thy Holy Temple in fear of thee.
Ps 26:8 L-rd, I love the habitation of thy house, and the place where thy glory dwelleth.
Ps 69:14 I will worship and bow down: I will bend the knee before the L-rd, my Maker. May my prayer unto thee, O L-rd, be in an acceptable time: O G-d, in the abundance of thy lovingkindness, answer me with thy sure salvation.

May it be your will, O my G-d and G-d of my fathers, that the Temple be rebuilt speedily in our days, and give us our portion in your Torah, and there we will worship you with reverence as in ancient days and former years. And may the Mincha offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasing to G-d, as in ancient days and former years. Amein.
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Psa 102:12-13 But thou, O HaShem, shall endure for ever; and thy remembrance unto all generations. Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Tziyon: for the time to favor her, yea, the set time, is come.