Fifteen Exceptional Hymns
Not every psalm contains a special heading, but those that do have one for a reason. For example, Psalms 120 – 134: all fifteen of these begin with the curious title “A Song of Ascents.” In Hebrew, this title is Shir HaMa’alot שִׁיר הַמַּעֲלוֹת.The word Shir simply means “song,” but HaMa’alot has an interesting double meaning that can only be grasped if you understand Hebrew.
Rising Up to God’s Shrine
The first meaning of HaMa’alot is “the steps.” This is a reference to the monumental stairway that led from the courtyard up into the Temple’s holiest sanctuary. In the days of the Bible, the Levites would pause and sing each one of these psalms as they ascended the fifteen steps up to the House of the Lord. These songs became the sacred music accompanying the sacrifices conducted by the priests on the altar.
Hear the Authentic Sounds of Ancient Jerusalem
The second meaning of HaMa’alot is “the uphill trek,” a reference to the journey of Jewish pilgrims up to Jerusalem in the days of the Bible. As they joyfully approached the city, these songs became their travel anthem. When Jesus and his disciples walked to Jerusalem for the Passover feast, they surely sang these very words. Enroll in our live online Biblical Hebrew course so you can hear the authentic sounds which were heard in Jerusalem millennia ago.