Psalms 121:0

שִׁ֗יר לַֽמַּ֫עֲל֥וֹת
A Song of degrees.
Select a Hebrew word above to see its details.

שִׁ֗יר
שִׁ֗יר
Root word song, songs, musick, singing, musical, …
Dictionary form: שִׁיר · sheer

Noun — Common, both singular, absolute state

In the KJV here: a song
a song ×25 song ×20 of musick ×7 or song ×6 and with singing ×3 the song ×3 and song ×2 of thy songs ×2
More options
song — Most natural, versatile rendering for any context.
hymn — Prefer when the song has clear worship or sacred character.
chant — Suits repetitive, liturgical, or processional contexts.
anthem — Good for communal or celebratory songs of praise.
melody — Emphasizes the musical/tonal quality over lyrical content.
ballad — Use for narrative or lyrical poetry set to music.

BDB8643 H7892

BDB8642 | BIBLICAL HEBREW | BDB8644

שִׁיר77 noun masculine song (Late Hebrew id.; so Eccl 40:21 +); — ׳שׁ absolute Judg 5:12 +, construct 2Chr 29:27 +; suffix שִׁירִי Ps 28:7, etc.; plural שִׁירִים 1Chr 13:8; Song 1:1 שִׁרִים Gen 31:27; Prov 25:20 suffix שִׁרֶ֫יךָ Amos 5:23, etc.; —

1. lyric song, + מָשָׁל 1Kgs 5:12, opposed to קִינָה Amos 8:10 joyous Gen 31:27 (J) Isa 30:29 עגבים ׳שׁ Ezek 33:32 triumphal Judg 5:12 love song Song 1:1 (twice in verse) (title שִׁיר הַשִּׁירִים), Ps 45:1 (שִׁיר יְדִידֹת); noisy Amos 5:23; Ezek 26:13, in drunken revels Isa 24:9, compare Isa 23:16 כסילים ׳שׁ Eccl 7:5 not for sorrow Prov 25:20; Ps 137:3 (twice in verse); בְּנוֺת הַשִּׁיר Eccl 12:4 songstresses (probably birds).
2. religious song, in worship, || תפלה Ps 42:9 usually praise, הלל בשׁיר Ps 69:31 מִשִּׁירִי אֲהוֺדֶנּוּ Ps 28:7 שִׁרִ תְּהִלָּה וְהוֺדוֺת Neh 12:46 ׳שׁיר י Ps 137:4; 2Chr 29:27 שׁיר חדשׁ Isa 42:10 (fresh outburst), + 6 t., see חָדָשׁ; in Psalm-titles, שׁיר Isa 46:1, compare Isa 26:1 שׁיר המעלות pilgrim songs Ps 120:1 + 14 t. (see II. מַעִַלָה p.752); with מִמְוֺר Ps 48:1 + 12 t. (see ׳מִז p. 274); מַשְׁכִּיל שִׁיר Ps 45:1 (׳שׁ originally alone in all except Ps 30:1; Ps 92:1; Ps 108:1, see BrJBL xviii (1899), 138).
3. specifically song of Levitical choirs, with musical accompare, 1Chr 6:16; 1Chr 6:17; 1Chr 13:8 (so read also || 2Sam 6:5 for בְּרוֺשִׁים, ᵐ5 Th and modern, compare ׳ב), 1Chr 25:6; 1Chr 25:7; 2Chr 23:18; 2Chr 29:28; Neh 12:27 כלי (ה)שׁיר instrument to accompany song 1Chr 15:16 + 6 t. (see כְּלִי 2 b); compare Amos 6:5.

BDB8644 H7892

BDB8643 | BIBLICAL HEBREW | BDB8645

שִׁירָה noun feminine song (plural ירות[שׁ] Eccl 39:15); — absolute ׳שׁ Exod 15:1 + 9 t.; construct שִׁירַת Isa 5:1; Isa 23:15 plural construct שִׁירוֺת Amos 8:3 (read שָׁרוֺת ᵐ5 HoffmZAW iii (1883) We and others); — song, ode, Exod 15:1 (E), 2Sam 22:1 = Ps 18:1; Deut 31:19 (twice in verse); Deut 31:21; Deut 31:22; Deut 31:30; Deut 32:44; Num 21:17 (E) Isa 5:1; Isa 23:15.

song, songs, musick, singing, musical, …
šîr
a song; abstractly, singing
  • (n m) song
    • lyric song
      • "religious song"song of Levitical choirs
    (n f) song
    • song, ode

לַֽ מַּ֫עֲל֥וֹת
לַֽ
Prefix — preposition to, for + "the" (the article is absorbed into the prefix)
מַּ֫עֲל֥וֹת
Root word degrees, steps, stairs, dial, stories, …
Dictionary form: מַעֲלָה · ma-uh-LAW

לַ
Hidden "the" לַ = the preposition + the article הַ squeezed together: the "a" vowel under the prefix is the swallowed "the". Translate "to the ___".

Noun — Common, feminine plural, absolute state plural — usually add "-s"

In the KJV here: of degrees
of degrees ×15 steps ×9 degrees ×8 the stairs ×3 and he brought me by the steps ×1 and his stairs ×1 by steps ×1 dial ×1
More options
step — Most common sense; physical or figurative progression.
stair — Prefer when describing architectural ascending structure.
degree — Use for gradations, ranks, or the 'Song of Ascents' titles.
ascent — Emphasizes upward movement or journey; slightly formal.
level — Good for figurative or ranked gradations in modern prose.
sundial — Narrow use; only for the dial/shadow-clock passages (2 Kgs 20).

BDB6081 H4609

BDB6080 | BIBLICAL HEBREW | BDB6082

I. [מַעֲלָה] noun feminine what comes up; — plural construct מַעֲלוֺת רוּחֲכֶם Ezek 11:5, i.e. your thoughts.

BDB6082 H4609

BDB6081 | BIBLICAL HEBREW | BDB6083

II. מַעֲלָה46 noun feminine step, stair; — ׳מ Ezra 7:9; 1Chr 17:17 plural מַעֲלוֺת Isa 38:8 +, suffix מַעֲלֹתָו֯ Amos 9:6, etc.; —

1. step, stair of temple Ezek 40:6 + 5 t. 40, and temple porch Ezek 40:49 of altar Exod 20:26 (E) (forbidden, compare RSOTJC xii, n. l; 2nd ed. 358) Ezek 43:17 (prescribed); of house 2Kgs 9:13, of throne 1Kgs 10:19; 1Kgs 10:20; 2Chr 9:18; 2Chr 9:19 to the city of David Neh 3:15; Neh 12:37.
2. steps (forming sun-dial, compare DiIs) 2Kgs 20:9 (twice in verse); 2Kgs 20:10 (twice in verse); 2Kgs 20:11 (3 t. in verse) = Isa 38:8 (5 t. in verse)
3. stories of heaven Amos 9:6.
4. ascent, מִבָּבֶל Ezra 7:9. 5. (ל)הַמַּעֲלוֺת שִׁיר song of ascents, to the three great pilgrim feasts, i.e. to be sung on way up to Jerusalem, titles of Psalms 120-134 + Ps 84:6 We and others — כְּתוֺר האדם המעלה 1Chr 17:17 is corrupt, see Commentaries on the passage (and on || 2Sam 7:19).

degrees, steps, stairs, dial, stories, …
maʿălâ
elevation, i.e., the act (literally, a journey to a higher place, figuratively, a thought arising), or (concretely) the condition (literally, a step or grade-mark, figuratively, a superiority of station); specifically a climactic progression (in certain Psalms)
  • what comes up, thoughts
    • "step, stair
    • step, stair
      • "steps (of sundial)"stories (of heaven)"ascent"song of ascent
      • to the three great pilgrim feasts (Psalm titles)

This book is chanted to the poetic accent system (used only in Job, Psalms, and Proverbs). Each group below ends at one of its pausing accents — translate a group as one unit.
שִׁ֗יר Revia Gadol — a lesser break לַֽמַּ֫עֲל֥וֹת Ole We-Yored — the strongest pause of a poetic verse

שִׁיר לַֽמַּעֲלוֹת
0
A Song of degrees.
Read Psalms 121
Psalms 121:1