Mizmor Shir Chanukat Habayit – SSA/SSAA

Mizmor Shir Chanukat HaBayit offers thanks to God for protecting us from harm and lifting us up, spiritually. As the first verse of the psalm states, it is a song of dedication, but I think that “dedication” in this context not only refers to the Temple, but to the space our spiritual wellbeing inhabits. In that way, the opening vocal motif serves as a building block for the construction of this spiritual house, with the blocks interlocking and stacking as the construction ensues.

Like all psalm text settings, this composition is suitable for programming at any time during the year. Although the psalm does not connect specifically to the holiday of Chanukah, the word “chanukat” (which means “dedication”) links it to Chanukah and might lend itself well to a seasonal concert in December. More broadly, Mizmor Shir Chanukat HaBayit would be appropriate for any special occasion of dedication or achievement, whether the installaEon of a special building or space, or the dedication of a new idea, generation, or commitment.