Entering the Biblical Book of Prayer 3 - Psalms 29 & 126 Psalms for Kabbalat Shabbat and Birkat HaMazon

(1) A psalm of David.
Ascribe [OR: Grant!] to the LORD, O divine beings [בני אלים / benei eilim],
ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.

(2) Ascribe to the LORD the glory of His name;
bow down to the LORD, majestic in holiness.

(3) The voice [קול / kol ] of the LORD is over the waters;
the God of glory thunders,
the LORD, over the mighty waters.

(4) The voice of the LORD is power;
the voice of the LORD is majesty;

(5) the voice of the LORD breaks cedars;
the LORD shatters the cedars of Lebanon.

(6) He makes Lebanon skip like a calf,^-a
Sirion, like a young wild ox.

(7) The voice of the LORD kindles flames of fire;

(8) the voice of the LORD convulses the wilderness;
the LORD convulses the wilderness of Kadesh;

(9) the voice of the LORD causes hinds to calve,
and strips forests bare;^-b
while in His temple [ובהיכלו / u've'heikhalo - Or: 'in His palace'] all say “Glory!”

(10) The LORD sat enthroned at the Flood;
the LORD sits enthroned, king forever.
(11) May the LORD grant strength to His people;
may the LORD bestow on His people wellbeing [שלום / shalom ].

GEMARA: Since the mishna deals with the fundamental obligation to recite the Amida prayer, the Gemara seeks to resolve fundamental problems pertaining to this prayer. Corresponding to what were these eighteen blessings instituted? When the Shemoneh Esreh was instituted by the Sages, on what did they base the number of blessings?

Rabbi Hillel, son of Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani, said: Corresponding to the eighteen mentions of God’s name that King David said in the psalm: “Give unto the Lord, O you sons of might” (Psalms 29). ...

To this point, the Gemara discussed allusions to the nineteen blessings that constitute the weekday Amida prayer. The Gemara asks: Corresponding to what were these seven blessings of the Shabbat Amida prayer instituted? The Gemara answers: Rabbi Ḥalafta ben Shaul said: Corresponding to the seven “voices” which David mentioned on the waters; in other words, the seven times that “the voice of God” is mentioned in Psalms 29, which served as the source for the weekday prayer.

§ ... “Now Yitro, the priest of Midian, Moses’ father-in-law, heard of all that God had done for Moses, and for Israel His people, how the Lord had brought Israel out of Egypt” (Exodus 18:1). What tiding did he hear that he came and converted? ... Rabbi Elazar HaModa’i says: He heard about the giving of the Torah and came.

As when the Torah was given to the Jewish people, the voice of the Holy One, Blessed be He, went from one end of the world to the other end, and all of the kings of the nations of the world were overcome with trembling in their palaces and recited a song of praise, as it is stated: “The voice of the Lord makes the hinds to calve…and in his palace all say: Glory” (Psalms 29:9), i.e., each king in his own palace recited songs of praise to God.

A code of Jewish law, written by Jacob ben Asher, Spain, ~1300-~1340

...

The Torah scroll is returned to its place. It is customary in Spain to recite "A psalm of David. Ascribe to the LORD, O divine beings..." (Psalm 29), because [this Psalm] treats of the Giving of the Torah. Further, the Seven Blessings of [the] Shabbat [Amidah, Silent Prayer] were established corresponding the seven 'Voices' [instances of the word קול/kol/voice] that are declared in it.

[This Mishnah provides a description of the Water Drawing Festival in the Temple:]

...

And the Levites would play on lyres, harps, cymbals, and trumpets, and countless other musical instruments. The musicians would stand on the fifteen stairs that descend from the Israelites’ courtyard to the Women’s Courtyard, corresponding to the fifteen Songs of the Ascents in Psalms, i.e., chapters 120–134, and upon which the Levites stand with musical instruments and recite their song. ...

NJPS Translation

(1) A song of ascents.

When the LORD restores the fortunes of Zion
—we see it as in a dream^-a— (2) our mouths shall be filled with laughter,
our tongues, with songs of joy.
Then shall they say among the nations,
“The LORD has done great things for them!” (3) The LORD will do great things for us
and we shall rejoice.

(4) Restore our fortunes, O LORD,
like watercourses in the Negeb. (5) They who sow in tears
shall reap with songs of joy. (6) Though he goes along weeping,
carrying the seed-bag,
he shall come back with songs of joy,
carrying his sheaves.

NJPS note for v. 1 "we are veritable dreamers"

Author:Isaiah HaLevi Horovitz

Written by Rabbi Isaiah HaLevi Horovitz (c.1555-1630). Sometime chief rabbi of Prague; moved to the Land of Israel in 1621.

Shney Luchot HaBrit / The Two Tablets of the Covenant (known by the acronym "Shelah" של״ה) is a commentary on the Torah. The work contains a chapter for each weekly Torah portion. The author lists the commandments found in each portion and explains their stated and hidden meanings. He also explains ethical and moral teachings of the Torah. Composed: Ottoman Palestine (c.1611 - c.1631 CE) (Source: Sefaria)

In the Zohar on Parashat Terumah [it is taught]: 'One who luxuriates at his table and delights in those foods ought to call to mind and to feel concern for the holiness of the Holy Land and for the Temple of the King that has been destroyed. In consideration of the sadness that one feels at one's table--in the midst of the joy and celebration [lit. drinking] there--the Holy Blessed One accounts it to one as if one has rebuilt His House and rebuilt all the ruins of the Temple. Happy is one's portion!' (Zohar 2:157:2).

Therefore it is customary to recite the Psalm 'By the waters of Babylon' (Psalms 137) before Grace after Meals, particularly since the table corresponds to the (Temple) altar, while, through our many sins, the altar itself is no longer. One should call to mind [the teaching], 'Woe to the children who have been banished from their Father's table' (Talmud Berachot 3a). The banishment from the Table (shulchan, sh.l.h.n / ש.ל.ח.נ.) was caused by the power of the Snake (lenachash, l.n.h.sh. / ל.נ.ח.ש.), as is taught in the Zohar [about the word] Eichah ('.y.kh.h, 'Alas;' the name of the Book of Lamentations): 'I shall set enmity' (Eivah, איבה '.y.b.h) (Genesis 3:15), understood as a cipher for א׳יכה י׳שבה ב׳דד ה׳עיר 'Alas, the city sits solitary' (איב״ה '.y.b.h) (Lamentations 1:1). On Shabbat and Festivals one recites the Psalm 'When the Name restores the fortunes of Zion' (Psalms 126).