Tehillim 47 – How to Cut Down the Accusers

Tehillim 47 – How to Cut Down the Accusers

When you read the entire Sefer Tehillim on Shabbat, you discover something new each time. It is known that this psalm is recited on Rosh Hashanah, before the sounding of the shofar, which helps the Jewish people defend themselves against the Yetzer Hara (the accuser). It is also known that the Sages call the Psalms Zemirot, from the root mezamer, as it is written: “He will cut off the branches with mazmerot (pruning hooks).” (Isaiah 18:5) This means that the Zemirot are precisely those Psalms that, like pruning shears, cut evil out of all the frightening places that bring suffering upon the Jewish people. This is precisely why we recite Tehillim (P’sukei de-Zimra) before the Amidah—thereby cutting down the accusers, the mekatrегim, so that our prayer can rise unhindered to its intended recipient. Psalm 47 is one of the mizmorim. Moreover, in Tehillim 47, the word זמרו “zamru” (sing) is repeated five times—the same root as in mizmor. The gematria of the word זמרו is equal to that of the word רחמה “rachma” (womb)—253. The root of the word רחמה “rachma” (womb) is also the root of the word רחמים “rachamim” (mercy). We know from the hidden teachings that there are five forces of gevurot (judgments), corresponding to the five letters of ManTzePaCh (the five final letters). Thus, by repeating the word “zamru” five times, we neutralize these forces of gevurot and transform Dinim (judgments) into songs. And when we sing the final song—the Song of Redemption???