Tehillim 119—the secret of the psalms, Zemirot
Tehillim 119—the secret of the psalms—Mizmorim
Tehillim 119:54
—“Zemirot hayu li chukecha”—(Your statutes have been my songs wherever I dwell.)
The psalms are called ZeMiRot, from the root meZaMer, as it is written: “He will cut off the twigs with maZMeRot (pruning knives).” (Isaiah 18:5)
This means that ZeMiRot are precisely those psalms that disperse and cut away evil from all the terrifying places that bring troubles upon the Jewish people.
Therefore, David HaMelech set apart a group of psalms that he called “Mizmorim”—from the word “mizmor,” meaning to cut down all the accusers/mekatregim.
Incidentally, this can also be seen in Pesukei DeZimra—the section of the Shacharit prayer (the morning prayer) that precedes the main prayer, the Amidah. It cuts down all potential accusers so that the prayer can reach its destination—the Heavenly Throne—without hindrance.
This is precisely why we recite Psalm 47 on Rosh Hashanah. In it, the word “zameru” (sing) is repeated five times. Remembering that this word shares a root with “lezamer” (to cut down), on Rosh Hashanah we have the kavanah that all the accusers should be cut down. In addition, the gematria of the word “zameru”—253, the same as the Aramaic word “rachma” (womb). By reciting Psalm 47 on Rosh Hashanah, we draw down “Rachamim” (which contains the same letters as “rachma”).
List of the psalms—Zemirot/Mizmorim:
3 (Mizmor LeDavid),
15 (Mizmor LeDavid),
19-20-21 (Lamnatzeach Mizmor),
23 (Mizmor LeDavid),
24 (LeDavid Mizmor),
29 (Mizmor LeDavid),
30 (Mizmor Shir),
31 (Lamnatzeach Mizmor),
38 (Mizmor LeDavid),
41 (Lamnatzeach Mizmor),
48 (Shir Mizmor),
49 (Lamnatzeach livnei Korach Mizmor),
50 (Mizmor LeAsaf),
51 (Lamnatzeach Mizmor),
62 (Lamnatzeach al Yedutun Mizmor),
63 (Mizmor LeDavid),
64-65 (Lamnatzeach Mizmor),
66 (Lamnatzeach Shir Mizmor),
67 (Lamnatzeach binginot Mizmor Shir),
68 (Lamnatzeach LeDavid Mizmor Shir),
73 (Mizmor LeAsaf),
75 (Lamnatzeach al tashchet Mizmor LeAsaf),
76 (Lamnatzeach binginot Mizmor),
77 (Lamnatzeach al Yedutun LeAsaf Mizmor),
79 (Mizmor LeAsaf),
80 (Lamnatzeach el shoshanim edut LeAsaf Mizmor),
82 (Mizmor LeAsaf),
83 (Shir Mizmor LeAsaf),
84 (Lamnatzeach al hagitit livnei Korach Mizmor),
85 (Lamnatzeach livnei Korach Mizmor),
87 (Livnei Korach Mizmor Shir),
88 (Shir Mizmor),
92 (Mizmor Shir),
98 (Mizmor Shiru),
100 (Mizmor LeTodah),
101 (LeDavid Mizmor),
108 (Shir Mizmor),
109 (Lamnatzeach LeDavid Mizmor Shir),
110 (LeDavid Mizmor),
139 (Lamnatzeach LeDavid Mizmor),
140 (Lamnatzeach Mizmor LeDavid),
141 (Mizmor LeDavid),
143 (Mizmor LeDavid).
(“Sha'arei Orah,” First Gate; translated by the Sila Tehilim website)
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Tags: The Hidden Meaning of Tehillim, Mizmor, Tehillim 119, Tehillim 119 — What Does “Zemirot” Mean?, Tehillim - Zemirot, Zemirot, The Secret of Zemirot
