מִזְמוֹר שִׁיר־חֲנֻכַּת הַבַּֽיִת A song for the dedication of the House. According to Rashi, King David wrote this psalm to be sung at the inauguration of the Temple, though he knew it would only take place in the lifetime of his son Solomon. The psalm was added to the daily prayers in the seventeenth century. It is beautifully suited to be a bridge between the Morning Blessings and the Verses of Praise. The connecting theme is the sense of life restored as a reason for giving praise. The Psalmist recalls a crisis when his life, hitherto secure, was suddenly in danger. It was then that he prayed to God, “What gain would there be if I died… Can dust thank You?” So, we, waking to the life of a new day, express our sense of joy “so that my soul may sing to You and not be silent.”

כִּי דִלִּיתָֽנִי For You have lifted me up. The Hebrew verb is used to refer to the act of drawing water from a well. Just as a bucket is lowered to bring up fresh water, so sometimes we experience distress and from it gain new strength (Sefat Emet).