Interpreting the Seven Psalms for the Week

(4) The following is a list of each daily psalm that the Levites would recite in the Temple. On the first day of the week they would recite the psalm beginning: “A psalm of David. The earth is the Lord’s and all it contains, the world and all who live in it” (Psalms, chapter 24). On the second day they would recite the psalm beginning: “A song; a psalm of the sons of Korah. Great is the Lord and highly to be praised in the city of God, on His sacred mountain” (Psalms, chapter 48). On the third day they would recite the psalm beginning: “A psalm of Asaph. God stands in the divine assembly; among the judges He delivers judgment” (Psalms, chapter 82). On the fourth day they would recite the psalm beginning: “O Lord God, to Whom vengeance belongs, God to Whom vengeance belongs, shine forth” (Psalms, chapter 94). On the fifth day they would recite the psalm beginning: “For the leader; upon the Gittith, a psalm of Asaph. Sing for joy to God, our strength; shout aloud to the God of Jacob” (Psalms, chapter 81). On the sixth day they would recite the psalm beginning: “The Lord reigns: He is robed in majesty; the Lord is robed, girded with strength” (Psalms, chapter 93). On Shabbat they would recite the psalm beginning: “A psalm, a song for Shabbat day” (Psalms, chapter 92). This is interpreted as a psalm, a song for the future, for the day that will be entirely Shabbat and rest for everlasting life.

The Gemara expands on the topic of the daily psalms recited by the Levites. It is taught in a baraita that Rabbi Yehuda said in the name of Rabbi Akiva: On the first day of the week, Sunday, what psalm would the Levites recite? The psalm beginning with the phrase: “The earth is the Lord’s, and its fullness” (Psalms 24:1), in commemoration of the first day of Creation, because on that day He acquired the world and transferred it to man, and He was the only ruler in His world, as the angels were not created until the second day. On the second day of the week what psalm would the Levites recite? The psalm that begins: “Great is the Lord, and highly to be praised in the city of our God, His sacred mountain” (Psalms 48:2). This is because on the second day of Creation He separated His works, dividing between the upper waters and the lower waters, and ruled over them as King; and this psalm speaks of Jerusalem as “The city of a great King” (Psalms 48:3). On the third day of the week they would recite the psalm beginning: “God stands in the congregation of God” (Psalms 82:1), because on the third day of Creation He revealed the land in His wisdom and thereby prepared the world for His assembly that could now live on the dry land. On the fourth day of the week they would recite the psalm beginning: “O Lord God, to Whom vengeance belongs” (Psalms 94:1), because on the fourth day of Creation He created the sun and the moon, and in the future He will punish and take vengeance upon those who worship them. On the fifth day of the week the Levites would recite the psalm beginning: “Sing aloud to God our strength” (Psalms 81:2), because on the fifth day of Creation He created birds and fish to praise His name. On the sixth day of the week they would recite the psalm beginning: “The Lord reigns, He is clothed with majesty” (Psalms 93:1), because on that day He completed His labor and ruled over all of creation in full glory. On the seventh day of the week, Shabbat, they would recite the psalm beginning: “A psalm, a song for the day of Shabbat” (Psalms 92:1), as the future world will be a day that is all Shabbat.

Rabbi Neḥemya said: What did the Sages see that led them to distinguish between these chapters, as they interpret the psalms recited on the six weekdays as referring to the past, whereas the psalm recited on Shabbat is referring to the future.

Rather, all of the psalms refer to the past. The first six are as explained above....

on the sixth day, the reason is that He completed His labor and ruled over all of creation. However, on the seventh day, the reason is that He rested from His work, as the phrase “A psalm, a song for the day of Shabbat” is referring to the first Shabbat of Creation.

(1) Of David. A psalm.
The earth is the LORD’s and all that it holds,
the world and its inhabitants. (2) For He founded it upon the ocean,
set it on the nether-streams.

(3) Who may ascend the mountain of the LORD?
Who may stand in His holy place?— (4) He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
who has not taken a false oath by My life
or sworn deceitfully. (5) He shall carry away a blessing from the LORD,
a just reward from God, his deliverer. (6) Such is the circle of those who turn to Him,
Jacob, who seek Your presence. Selah.

(7) O gates, lift up your heads!
Up high, you everlasting doors,
so the King of glory may come in! (8) Who is the King of glory?—
the LORD, mighty and valiant,
the LORD, valiant in battle. (9) O gates, lift up your heads!
Lift them up, you everlasting doors,
so the King of glory may come in! (10) Who is the King of glory?—
the LORD of hosts,
He is the King of glory! Selah.

(1) A song. A psalm of the Korahites. (2) The LORD is great and much acclaimed
in the city of our God,
His holy mountain— (3) fair-crested, joy of all the earth,
Mount Zion, summit of Zaphon,
city of the great king. (4) Through its citadels, God has made Himself known as a haven. (5) See, the kings joined forces;
they advanced together. (6) At the mere sight of it they were stunned,
they were terrified, they panicked; (7) they were seized there with a trembling,
like a woman in the throes of labor, (8) as the Tarshish fleet was wrecked
in an easterly gale. (9) The likes of what we heard we have now witnessed
in the city of the LORD of hosts,
in the city of our God—
may God preserve it forever! Selah.

(10) In Your temple, God,
we meditate upon Your faithful care. (11) The praise of You, God, like Your name,
reaches to the ends of the earth;
Your right hand is filled with beneficence. (12) Let Mount Zion rejoice!
Let the towns of Judah exult,
because of Your judgments.
(13) Walk around Zion,
circle it;
count its towers, (14) take note of its ramparts;
go through^-d its citadels,
that you may recount it to a future age. (15) For God—He is our God forever;
He will lead us evermore.^-d

(1) A psalm of Asaph.

God stands in the divine assembly;
among the divine beings He pronounces judgment. (2) How long will you judge perversely, showing favor to the wicked? Selah.

(3) Judge the wretched and the orphan,
vindicate the lowly and the poor, (4) rescue the wretched and the needy;
save them from the hand of the wicked.

(5) They neither know nor understand,
they go about in darkness;
all the foundations of the earth totter.

(6) I had taken you for divine beings,
sons of the Most High, all of you; (7) but you shall die as men do,
fall like any prince.

(8) Arise, O God, judge the earth,
for all the nations are Your possession.

​​​​​​​(1) God of retribution, LORD,
God of retribution, appear! (2) Rise up, judge of the earth,
give the arrogant their deserts! (3) How long shall the wicked, O LORD,
how long shall the wicked exult, (4) shall they utter insolent speech,
shall all evildoers vaunt themselves? (5) They crush Your people, O LORD,
they afflict Your very own; (6) they kill the widow and the stranger;
they murder the fatherless, (7) thinking, “The LORD does not see it,
the God of Jacob does not pay heed.”

(8) Take heed, you most brutish people;
fools, when will you get wisdom? (9) Shall He who implants the ear not hear,
He who forms the eye not see? (10) Shall He who disciplines nations not punish,
He who instructs men in knowledge? (11) The LORD knows the designs of men to be futile.
(12) Happy is the man whom You discipline, O LORD,
the man You instruct in Your teaching, (13) to give him tranquillity in times of misfortune,
until a pit be dug for the wicked. (14) For the LORD will not forsake His people;
He will not abandon His very own. (15) Judgment shall again accord with justice
and all the upright shall rally to it.
(16) Who will take my part against evil men?
Who will stand up for me against wrongdoers? (17) Were not the LORD my help,
I should soon dwell in silence. (18) When I think my foot has given way,
Your faithfulness, O LORD, supports me. (19) When I am filled with cares,
Your assurance soothes my soul.
(20) Shall the seat of injustice be Your partner,
that frames mischief by statute? (21) They band together to do away with the righteous;
they condemn the innocent to death. (22) But the LORD is my haven;
my God is my sheltering rock. (23) He will make their evil recoil upon them,
annihilate them through their own wickedness;
the LORD our God will annihilate them.

(1) For the leader; on the gittith. Of Asaph. (2) Sing joyously to God, our strength;
raise a shout for the God of Jacob. (3) Take up the song,
sound the timbrel,
the melodious lyre and harp. (4) Blow the horn on the new moon,
on the full moon for our feast day. (5) For it is a law for Israel,
a ruling of the God of Jacob; (6) He imposed it as a decree upon Joseph
when he went forth from^-a the land of Egypt;
I heard a language that I knew not.
(7) I relieved his shoulder of the burden,
his hands were freed from the basket. (8) In distress you called and I rescued you;
I answered you from the secret place of thunder^-b
I tested you at the waters of Meribah. Selah.

(9) Hear, My people, and I will admonish you;
Israel, if you would but listen to Me! (10) You shall have no foreign god,
you shall not bow to an alien god. (11) I the LORD am your God
who brought you out of the land of Egypt;
open your mouth wide and I will fill it.
(12) But My people would not listen to Me,
Israel would not obey Me. (13) So I let them go after their willful heart
that they might follow their own devices. (14) If only My people would listen to Me,
if Israel would follow My paths, (15) then would I subdue their enemies at once,
strike their foes again and again. (16) Those who hate the LORD shall cower before Him;
their doom shall be eternal. (17) He fed them the finest wheat;
I sated you with honey from the rock.

(1) The LORD is king,
He is robed in grandeur;
the LORD is robed,
He is girded with strength.
The world stands firm;
it cannot be shaken. (2) Your throne stands firm from of old;
from eternity You have existed.

(3) The ocean sounds, O LORD,
the ocean sounds its thunder,
the ocean sounds its pounding. (4) Above the thunder of the mighty waters,
more majestic than the breakers of the sea
is the LORD, majestic on high.

(5) Your decrees are indeed enduring;
holiness befits Your house,
O LORD, for all times.

(1) A psalm. A song; for the sabbath day. (2) It is good to praise the LORD,
to sing hymns to Your name, O Most High, (3) To proclaim Your steadfast love at daybreak,
Your faithfulness each night (4) With a ten-stringed harp,
with voice and lyre together.
(5) You have gladdened me by Your deeds, O LORD;
I shout for joy at Your handiwork.

(6) How great are Your works, O LORD,
how very subtle Your designs! (7) A brutish man cannot know,
a fool cannot understand this: (8) though the wicked sprout like grass,
though all evildoers blossom,
it is only that they may be destroyed forever.
(9) But You are exalted, O LORD, for all time.
(10) Surely, Your enemies, O LORD,
surely, Your enemies perish;
all evildoers are scattered. (11) You raise my horn high like that of a wild ox;
I am soaked in freshening oil. (12) I shall see the defeat of my watchful foes,
hear of the downfall of the wicked who beset me. (13) The righteous bloom like a date-palm;
they thrive like a cedar in Lebanon; (14) planted in the house of the LORD,
they flourish in the courts of our God. (15) In old age they still produce fruit;
they are full of sap and freshness, (16) attesting that the LORD is upright,
my rock, in whom there is no wrong.