Pesukei Dezimra

The "Pesukei Dezimra" (Aramaic: פסוקי דזמרא) are a group of prayers that are recited daily during Jewish morning services. The prayers consist of various blessings, psalms, and sequences of verses.

The purpose of "Pesukei Dezimra" is so an individual will recite praises of God prior to making requests of God which take place later during Shacharit and throughout the day [The Complete Artscroll Siddur, page 58] .

Prayers

The "Pesukei Dezimra" is composed of the following prayers:

Psalm 30

Psalm 30 ("Mizmor Shir Chanukat Habayit"), is the introductory psalm to the "Pesukei Dezimra". It was added to the "Pesukei Dezimra" during the 17th century, a decision that was made because the psalm describes the inauguration of the Temple in Jerusalem, and it was fitting as an introduction to the Shacharit service [The Complete Artscroll Siddur, page 55] .

Mourner's Kaddish

Prior to Psalm 30, Rabbis' Kaddish is recited if a minyan is present. Following Psalm 30, Mourner's Kaddish is recited, given the same conditions.

*"Barukh She'amar"
*"Hodu Lashem Kir'u Bishmo", or "Hodu" (from bibleverse-lb|I|Chronicles|16:8-36|HE)
*Psalm 100 (omitted on Shabbat, Yom Tov, the Eve of Yom Kippur, the Eve of Passover, and the intermediate days of Passover)
*"Yehi Khevod"
*Ashrei
*Psalm 146
*Psalm 147
*Psalm 148
*Psalm 149
*Psalm 150
*"Vayvarekh David"
*Song of the sea

Yishtabach

The "Yishtabach" (Hebrew: ישתבח) prayer is the final portion of the "Pesukei Dezimra", recited before the second kaddish leading to the Shema prayers. The theme of fifteen plays a pivotal role in the blessing; there are fifteen expressions conveying praise in the beginning half of the paragraph and fifteen words in the concluding blessing (after "Blessed are You, God..."). The number fifteen is an allusion both to the Divine Name יה (whose gematria is fifteen) and to the fifteen Songs of Ascents composed by King David (Psalms 120–34).

habbat & holiday additions

On Shabbat and other holidays of Biblical origin, the following are added between "Hodu" and "Yehi Khevod":
*Psalm 19
*Psalm 33
*Psalm 34
*Psalm 90
*Psalm 91
*Psalm 135
*Psalm 136

*Psalm 92
*Psalm 93

Following The Song of the Sea but before "Yishtabach", "Nishmat" is added.

References