Song of Ascents is a title given to fifteen of thePsalms, 120–134 (119–133 in theSeptuagint and theVulgate), each starting with thesuperscription "Shir Hama'aloth" (Hebrew:שיר המעלות,romanized: šir ham-ma‘loṯ,lit. 'Song of the Ascents'), or, in the case ofPsalm 121, Shir Lama'aloth (Hebrew:שיר למעלות,romanized: šir lama‘loṯ,lit. 'a song on the ascents'). They are also variously calledGradual Psalms,Fifteen Psalms,Songs of Degrees,Songs of Steps,songs for going up to worship orPilgrim Songs.
Four of them (Psalms122,124,131, and133) are linked in their ascriptions toDavid, and one (127) toSolomon. Three of them (Psalms 131, 133, and134) have only three verses.[1] The longest isPsalm 132 (18 verses).
A chiastic structure is seen by many in these Psalms with Psalm 127 a Psalm of Solomon as center. Preceded and succeeded by seven Psalms of ascent, each side adorned with 24 occurrences of 'Yahweh,' a numerical symmetry evoking divine significance.[2]
12 of the 15 Psalms, excluding Psalm 127, echo phrases from the priestly blessing, 'The Lord keep you and bless you; may His face shine upon you,' except for the unusual omission of 'make His face shine upon you'.[2]
The centrality of Psalm 127, attributed to Solomon, the builder of God's 'house,' resonates as pilgrims sing these Psalms on their journey to the sacred dwelling. The pilgrimage begins with references to locations north and south of Israel, depicting distance from the temple in Psalm 120, concluding with a blessing for temple night-shift servants in Psalm 134. This nuanced symphony of balance, priestly blessings, and geographical references invites scholarly contemplation.
Many scholars believe the title indicates that these psalms were sung by worshippers as they ascended the road toJerusalem to attend theThree Pilgrimage Festivals[3] (Deuteronomy 16:16). Others think they were sung by theLevite singers as they ascended the fifteen steps to minister at theTemple in Jerusalem.[4] One view says the Levites first sang the Songs at the dedication of Solomon's temple during the night of the fifteenth of Tishri 959 BC.[5] Another study suggests that they were composed for a celebration afterNehemiah's rebuilding of Jerusalem's walls in 445 BC.[6] Others consider that they may originally have been individual poems which were later collected together and given the title linking them to pilgrimage after theBabylonian captivity.[3]
They were well suited for being sung by their poetic form and the sentiments they express. "They are characterized by brevity, by a key-word, byepanaphora [i.e., repetition], and by theirepigrammatic style.... More than half of them are cheerful, and all of them hopeful."[7] As a collection, they contain a number of repeated formulaic phrases, as well as an emphasis on Zion.[8]
TheGreat Psalms Scroll (11Q5), one of theDead Sea Scrolls written between 30-50 CE, contains a set of psalms partially coincident with the canonical Psalms. Most of the canonical psalms it contains are in a different order than in Psalms, but the Songs of Ascents are included in full in their canonical order.[9]
There are two references to the Songs of Ascents in theMishnah, noting the correspondence between the fifteen songs and the temple's fifteen steps between the Israelite's court and the women's court.[10]Rashi refers to a Talmudic legend that King David composed or sang the fifteen songs to calm rising waters at the foundation of the temple.[11]
Psalm 126, eponymously called "Shir Hamaalot" due to its common use, is traditionally recited by Ashkenazim before theGrace After Meals onShabbat,Jewish holidays, and otherfestive occasions in keeping with its themes of joy and redemption.[12] The psalm is sung to a wide variety of tunes both liturgical and secular.
It is traditional for some Jews to place a copy ofPsalm 121 in the labor and delivery room to promote an easy labor by asking God for mercy. As well, it is placed on the baby's carriage and in the baby's room to protect the child and surround them in learning and with holy objects.[13][14]
The 15 chapter are recited in some communities followingMincha on Shabbat afternoon in the winter.[15]
Psalm 128 is recited in some communities inMaariv at the conclusion of the Sabbath.[16]
Theliturgical use of these psalms came into Christianity through its Jewish roots. The form of theHebrew Bible used inearly Christianity was primarily theSeptuagint. In the Septuagint, these psalms are numbered 119–133.
Many earlyhermits observed the practice of reciting the entirePsalter daily,cenobites communities would chant the entire Psalter in a week, so these psalms would be said regularly, during thecanonical hours.
In theEastern Orthodox Church and thoseEastern Catholic Churches which follow theByzantine Rite, the Songs of Degrees (Greek:anabathmoi) make up the EighteenthKathisma (division of the Psalter), and are read on Friday evenings atVespers throughout theliturgical year. The Kathisma is divided into three sections (calledstases) of five psalms each.
DuringGreat Lent the Eighteenth Kathisma is read every weekday (Monday through Friday evening) at Vespers, and on Monday through Wednesday ofHoly Week. In theSlavic usage this Kathisma is also read from theapodosis of theExaltation of the Cross up to theforefeast of theNativity of Christ, and from the apodosis ofTheophany up to theSunday of the Prodigal Son. The reason for this is that the nights are longer in winter, especially in the northern latitudes, so during this season three Kathismata will be chanted at Matins instead of two, so in order to still have a reading from the Psalter at Vespers, the Eighteenth Kathisma is repeated.
AtMatins on Sundays andfeast days throughout the year, special hymns calledanabathmoi (Greek:ἀναβαθμοί, from βαθμός, 'step';Slavonic:stepénny) are chanted immediately before theprokeimenon andMatins Gospel. These anabathmoi are compositions based upon the Songs of Ascents, and are written in theeight tones ofByzantine chant. The Anabathmoi for each tone consists of threestases or sets of verses (sometimes calledantiphons), except for Tone 8 which has four stases. On Sundays, the anabathmoi are chanted according to the tone of the week; on feast days which do not fall on Sunday, the Anabathmoi almost always consist of the first stasis in Tone 4 (based on Psalm 128).[17]
Symbolically, the anabathmoi are chanted as a reminder that Christians are ascending to theHeavenly Jerusalem, and that the spiritual intensity of the service is rising as they approach the reading of theGospel.[18]
The WesternDaily Office was strongly influenced by theRule of Saint Benedict, where these psalms are assigned toTerce,Sext andNones on weekdays. Over the centuries, however, various schedules have been used for reciting the psalms. Among the laity, the devotion of the Fifteen Psalms was adopted withinprimer prayer books.[19]
In the arrangement used in the Roman Rite until 1911, Psalms 119–132 are said atVespers, from Monday to Thursday, and Psalm 133 was one of the four Psalms said every day atCompline. After the reform byPope Pius X in 1911, and continuing in the later reform byPope John XXIII in 1960, these psalms remained at Vespers, but not always on the same day as previously. Psalm 133 was said atCompline only on Sundays and major feasts. The 1960 reform is still in use as the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite.
In the modernLiturgy of the Hours of theCatholic Church, the Gradual Psalms are used in several ways:
"(1) A Song of Ascents. I will lift up mine eyes unto the mountains: From whence shall my help come? (2) My help cometh from the LORD, Who made heaven and earth. (3) He will not suffer thy foot to be moved; He that keepeth thee will not slumber. (4) Behold, He that keepeth Israel Doth neither slumber nor sleep. (5) The LORD is thy keeper; The LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand. (6) The sun shall not smite thee by day, Nor the moon by night. (7) The LORD shall keep thee from all evil; He shall keep thy soul. (8) The LORD shall guard thy going out and thy coming in, From this time forth and for ever."[21]
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