Song of Ascents
Song of Ascents is a title given to fifteen of the Psalms, 120–134 (119–133 in the Septuagint and the Vulgate), each starting with the superscription "Shir Hama'aloth" (Hebrew: שיר המעלות, romanized: šir ham-ma‘loṯ, lit.'Song of the Ascents'), or, in the case of Psalm 121, Shir Lama'aloth (Hebrew: שיר למעלות, romanized: šir lama‘loṯ, lit.Preceded and succeeded by seven Psalms of ascent, each side adorned with 24 occurrences of 'Yahweh,' a numerical symmetry evoking divine significance.Many scholars believe the title indicates that these psalms were sung by worshippers as they ascended the road to Jerusalem to attend the Three Pilgrimage Festivals[3] (Deuteronomy 16:16).[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 the Grace After Meals on Shabbat, Jewish holidays, and other festive occasions in keeping with its themes of joy and redemption.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.[17] Symbolically, the anabathmoi are chanted as a reminder that Christians are ascending to the Heavenly Jerusalem, and that the spiritual intensity of the service is rising as they approach the reading of the Gospel.[18] The Western Daily Office was strongly influenced by the Rule of Saint Benedict, where these psalms are assigned to Terce, Sext and Nones on weekdays.
City of DavidPsalmsSeptuagintVulgateHebrewromanizedPsalm 121SolomonPsalm 132JerusalemThree Pilgrimage FestivalsLeviteTemple in JerusalemNehemiahBabylonian captivityepanaphoraepigrammaticGreat Psalms ScrollDead Sea ScrollsShe'ar Yashuv CohenIsrael–Jordan peace treatyMishnahPsalm 126Grace After MealsShabbatJewish holidaysfestive occasionsMinchaPsalm 128MaarivliturgicalHebrew Bibleearly ChristianityhermitsPsaltercenobitescanonical hoursEastern Orthodox ChurchEastern Catholic ChurchesByzantine RiteKathismaVespersliturgical yearGreat LentHoly WeekSlavic usageapodosisExaltation of the CrossforefeastNativity of ChristTheophanySunday of the Prodigal SonMatinsfeast daysSlavonicprokeimenonMatins Gospeleight tonesByzantine chantantiphonsHeavenly JerusalemGospelDaily OfficeRule of Saint Benedictprimer prayer booksComplinePope Pius XPope John XXIIILiturgy of the HoursCatholic Churchsolemnitiesoctave of EasterAntiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North AmericaMesorah Publications, Ltd.Kallistos (Ware), ArchimandriteFaber and FaberThurston, HerbertNew York City9 (9a)10 (9b)11 (10)12 (11)13 (12)14 (13)15 (14)16 (15)17 (16)18 (17)19 (18)20 (19)21 (20)22 (21)23 (22)24 (23)25 (24)26 (25)27 (26)28 (27)29 (28)30 (29)31 (30)32 (31)33 (32)34 (33)35 (34)36 (35)37 (36)38 (37)39 (38)40 (39)41 (40)42 (41)43 (42)44 (43)45 (44)46 (45)47 (46)48 (47)49 (48)50 (49)51 (50)52 (51)53 (52)54 (53)55 (54)56 (55)