These are the Words...

Pesookay D'Zeemrah
פסוקי דזמרה

Definition

Pesookay D'Zeemrah means "verses of praise". This is the second section of the liturgy, continueing the themes of the Olah offering.

The sages relate the word d'zimrah with the word tizmor, "to prune". The praise helps prune away our distractions and weekly cares, so that we may be closer to God.

Meaning in Ancient Israel

Scholars have no agreement upon how liturgical was the Levitical worship at the Tabernacle or First Temple. We know there was singing, but not what was sung, when it was sung, or if the people bringing offerings would join the Levites in song.

Throughout the Tenach the ancient Israelites repeatedly sing hodu l'Adonai ki tov ("Give thanks to Adonai for he is good"). But until King David composed his Psalms that early singing may have had little resemblance to this section of modern liturgy.

Meaning in the First Century

During the first century the Levites in the Temple sang from the Psalms. Josephus writes in Antiquities 20.216-218 that in the year 65 C.E. the Levites petitioned a court of Agrippa II, asking to be allowed to sing from memory rather than be continuing to follow the current requirement of holding heaving scrolls. This requrest was granted (and a change of which Josephus did not approve). Scholars are not sure which of the Psalms were used when.

But the singing did happen most of the time, and people bringing sacrifices did not sing as they made their offerings. In the Letter of Aristeas (v. 92-5, cited in Judaism: Practice & Belief 63 BCE - 66 CE by E.P. Sanders) we read:

The ministration of the priests is in every way unsurpassed both for its physical endurance and for its orderly and silent service...
The most complete silence reigns so that one might imagine there was not a single person present, though there are actually seven hundred men engaged in this work, besides the vast number of those who are occupied in bringing up the sacrifices.

So there was no customary singing during or immediately after the olah offering.

Meaning for Messianic Jews in Modern Times

In a typical Jewish service, this section would involve reciting or singing psalms and other praise. In a Messianic Jewish congregation this section is mostly filled by worship music and dance.

At P'nei Adonai we have songs that emphasize our dependence upon God later, in the sixth section of our service. Now, early in the service, we sing of our gladness, thanksgiving, praise and adoration. Later we sing of our dependence, trust and faith. Thus we ensure we have truly worshipped on each Shabbat, as taught by this old story:

Once a tzaddik was asked, "What is worship?"
He replied, "Why do you ask?"
The questioner said, "So many people call nearly everything 'worship' but that seems wrong to my spirit."
The tzaddik answered, "If something has both adoration and supplication it is worship."