Verses of Song

p'sukei d'zimra

פסוקי דזמרא

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Israeli: ' marks a reduced vowel that Israeli speech drops (b'rachah); when the vowel is pronounced it is written e (lefanecha). - separates syllables that would otherwise run together.

How to read the transliterations

Exodus 15:1–18

Hebrew

קָדְשֶׁךָ: שָׁמְעוּ עַמִּים יִרְגָּזוּן חִיל
אָחַז יֹשְׁבֵי פְּלָשֶׁת: אָז נִבְהֲלוּ אַלּוּפֵי
אֱדוֹם אֵילֵי מוֹאָב יֹאחֲזֵמוֹ רָעַד נָמֹגוּ
כֹּל יֹשְׁבֵי כְנָעַן: תִּפֹּל עֲלֵיהֶם אֵימָתָה
וָפַחַד בִּגְדֹל זְרוֹעֲךָ יִדְּמוּ כָּאָבֶן עַד־
יַעֲבֹר עַמְּךָ יְהוָה עַד־יַעֲבֹר עַם־זוּ
קָנִיתָ: תְּבִאֵמוֹ וְתִטָּעֵמוֹ בְּהַר נַחֲלָתְךָ מָכוֹן
לְשִׁבְתְּךָ פָּעַלְתָּ יְהוָה מִקְּדָשׁ אֲדֹנָי כּוֹנְנוּ
יָדֶיךָ: יְהוָה יִמְלֹךְ לְעֹלָם וָעֶד:

Israeli

kodshecha: shameu amim yirgazun chil
achaz yoshvei p'lashet: az nivhalu alufei
Edom eilei Mo-av yochazemo ra-ad namogu
kol yoshvei ch'na-an: tipol aleihem eimatah
vafachad bigdol z'ro-acha yidmu ka-aven ad-
ya-avor amecha Adonai ad-ya-avor am-zu
kanita: t'vi-emo vetita-emo behar nachalatcha machon
leshivtecha pa-alta Adonai mikdash Adonai konenu
yadecha: Adonai yimloch le-olam va-ed:

English

Peoples hear and tremble; alarm seizes Philistia's inhabitants. Terror overtakes Edom’s chieftains; Moab's mighty ones are gripped by shaking; Canaan's whole citizenry stands dismayed, as dread and fear fall upon them. They grow mute as stone before Your overwhelming power, even as Your people, Adonai—those You have redeemed—cross through in peace. Guide them and bring them unto Your lofty mountain; the dwelling You fashioned, Adonai, the holy place Your hands established. Forever and ever shall Adonai reign.

Certain assemblies include this passage:

Exodus 15:20–21

Hebrew

וַתִּקַּח מִרְיָם הַנְּבִיאָה אֲחוֹת אַהֲרֹן אֶת־הַתֹּף בְּיָדָהּ
וַתֵּצֶאןָ כָל־הַנָּשִׁים אַחֲרֶיהָ בְּתֻפִּים וּבִמְחֹלֹת: וַתַּעַן לָהֶם
מִרְיָם שִׁירוּ לַיהוָה כִּי־גָאֹה גָּאָה סוּס וְרֹכְבוֹ רָמָה בַיָּם:

Israeli

vatikach miryam hanevi-ah achot Aharon et-hatof b'yadah
vatetzena chol-hanashim achareha b'tupim uvimcholot: vata-an lahem
miryam shiru ladonai ki-ga-oh ga-ah sus verochvo ramah vayam:

English

Thereupon Miriam the prophet, sister of Aaron, grasped in her hand a timbrel and went forth, all the women going after her with timbrels and with dance. Miriam then led them in reply: “Sing unto Adonai who triumphed in glory, who flung horse and rider into the sea.”

Hebrew

כִּי לַיהוָה הַמְּלוּכָה וּמֹשֵׁל בַּגּוֹיִם: וְעָלוּ מוֹשִׁעִים בְּהַר צִיּוֹן
לִשְׁפֹּט אֶת־הַר עֵשָׂו וְהָיְתָה לַיהוָה הַמְּלוּכָה:
וְהָיָה יְהוָה לְמֶלֶךְ עַל כָּל־הָאָרֶץ
בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא יִהְיֶה יְהוָה אֶחָד וּשְׁמוֹ אֶחָד:

Israeli

ki ladonai hameluchah umoshel bagoyim: ve-alu moshi-im behar Tziyon
lishpot et-har Esav vehaytah ladonai hameluchah:
vehayah Adonai lemelech al kol-ha-aretz
bayom hahu yihyeh Adonai echad ushmo echad:

English

For kingship belongs to Adonai, who governs the nations. Saviors shall arise on Mount Zion to judge Esau's mountain, and the dominion shall be Adonai's. Over all the earth Adonai shall be sovereign. In that day Adonai will be one, and one shall be the name of God.

Commentary

THEN MIRIAM THE PROPHET וַתִּקַּח מִרְיָם. In the Torah, this passage immediately follows the Song at the Sea, emphasizing that all of Israel—men and women—celebrated together. That sense of inclusiveness is a fitting introduction to the following passage, Nishmat Kol Hai, “the breath of every living being,” which follows on the next page. Rashi (1040–1105, northern France), interpreting the Mekhilta (the 2nd-century commentary on Exodus), pictures Moses reciting the Song and the men repeating after him, and then Miriam reciting the Song and the women repeating after her. In commenting on Exodus 15:1, Midrash Shekhel Tov (12th century, Italy?) imagines Miriam reciting the first half of each verse and the women completing the verse. Philo (1st century C.E., Egypt) comments that the men and women, under the influence of divine inspiration, became a chorus singing hymns of thanksgiving to God—together with Moses “the prophet” leading the men, and Miriam “the prophet” leading the women. He may be reflecting the prayer practice of the Jewish community of 1st-century Egypt.

Dancing with Timbrels The righteous women of that generation had faith that the blessed Holy One would perform miracles for them, so they brought timbrels with them from Egypt, to be able to sing and dance at such a moment. —RASHI …

FOR SOVEREIGNTY BELONGS TO ADONAI כִּי לַיהוָה הַמְּלוּכָה. Psalm 22:29. The biblical selections of P’sukei D’zimra conclude by framing the powerful climax of the Song at the Sea with verses from Psalms and the Prophets that emphasize God’s sovereignty—and the universal recognition of God that will mark the end of days.

TO JUDGE THE MOUNTAIN OF ESAU לִשְׁפֹּט אֶת־הַר עֵשָׂו. Obadiah 1:21. The mountain referred to is perhaps Palmyra—the red rock, home of the “red” Esau (Genesis 25:25). Throughout Jewish history, oppressors were identified with Esau. Thus in ancient times, Rome was midrashically referred to as Esau, and in modern times Jews talked about their German oppressors using that name—throughout history, a safe way to reference a tyrannical regime. Obadiah, quoted here, predicted that though Israel and Judah were bent low in his time, redemption would come soon. Thus the victory described in the Song at the Sea is connected and turned into a vision of ever-renewed deliverance of the people Israel.

AND THE NAME OF GOD, ONE וּשְׁמוֹ אֶחָד. Zechariah 14:9. The Aleinu prayer also ends with this verse, representing a wish for universal justice and peace. In that time, religious ideals will be not only a hope and a dream but also an experienced reality. The exodus from Egypt and the Egyptians’ defeat foreshadows this future time.