A psalm of thanksgiving for Hashem's redeemed, recounting His deliverance of wanderers, prisoners, the sick, and sailors in peril, each rescued when they cried out to Him.
Tap any Hebrew word to reveal its root, value, and meanings.
'O give thanks to Hashem, for He is good, For His mercy endures for ever.'
verse value 402
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 24 letters. The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֖י, 2 letters) and the longest is "to·Hashem" (לַיהֹוָ֣ה, 5 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "give·thanks" (הֹד֣וּ). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "to·Hashem" (root יהוה, 688x in Psalms); "for" (root כי, 216x in Psalms); "forever" (root עולם, 144x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'that·it·was·good', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: הֹד֣וּ [give·thanks] (15) + לַיהֹוָ֣ה [to·Hashem] (56) + כִּי־ט֑וֹב [that·it·was·good] (47) + כִּ֖י [for] (30) + לְעוֹלָ֣ם [forever] (176) + חַסְדּֽוֹ [His·mercy] (78) = 402.
Rashi
"Give thanks to the Lord because He is good, etc."
Ibn Ezra
'Give thanks to Hashem' — 'let the redeemed of Hashem say' — our sages, of blessed memory, said: four [categories of people] must give thanks, and they are the ones mentioned in this psalm; and the phrase 'give thanks to Hashem' is to be said by the redeemed themselves; therefore, following it, they say: 'from the hand of the adversary,' like 'adversary and distress — in my distress.'
Radak
"Give thanks" — this psalm is spoken concerning four [types of people] who went out from distress to relief, and who need to give thanks to Hashem, for it is He who brings them out from distress to relief, and it is not a matter of chance, as those who err imagine; rather, they must give thanks, for through the punishment of their sin they were in distress, and through God's kindness they were saved from their distress when they cried out to Him: those who travel through deserts; one who was confined in a prison-house and went free; one who was sick and was healed; and those who go down to the sea. And this psalm also mentions that those who are well-off in their place — the blessed God brings them to a loss of that good and makes them live in adversity — while those who are in a bad place, He raises them up and saves them from their adversity and grants them great good. All this to teach that everything, the evil and the good, comes from the hand of God.
Malbim
"Give thanks" — after he mentioned the ingathering of the exiles, he says that those who return from exile will offer thanksgiving sacrifices for all four things for which one must give thanks, and concerning all of them, "let them give thanks to Hashem, for He is good," and let them acknowledge His kindness, which is forever. And it is explained that "kindness" (chesed) is said of that which [Hashem] does without obligation and without a prior promise, even though the recipient of the kindness is not worthy of it according to his deeds; and also, "kindness" with respect to Hashem, in its precise sense, refers to a miracle above the way of nature, as he wrote in chapter 89 and in many other places.
So let the redeemed of Hashem say, Whom He has redeemed from the hand of the adversary;
verse value 1252
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 26 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֑ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "whom" (אֲשֶׁ֥ר, 3 letters) and the longest is "let·them·say" (יֹ֭אמְרוּ, 5 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "the·redeemed·of" (גְּאוּלֵ֣י), "from·the·hand·of·the·adversary" (מִיַּד־צָֽר). The root גאל appears 2 times in this verse. 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 688x in Psalms); "let·them·say" (root אמר, 111x in Psalms); "whom" (root אשר, 101x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Hashem', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: יֹ֭אמְרוּ [let·them·say] (257) + גְּאוּלֵ֣י [the·redeemed·of] (50) + יְהֹוָ֑ה [Hashem] (26) + אֲשֶׁ֥ר [whom] (501) + גְּ֝אָלָ֗ם [He·has·redeemed·them] (74) + מִיַּד־צָֽר [from·the·hand·of·the·adversary] (344) = 1252.
Rashi
"Those redeemed by the Lord shall say it" — when He redeems them from the hands of an oppressor.
Ibn Ezra
'Let the redeemed of Hashem say' — our sages, of blessed memory, said: four [categories of people] must give thanks, and they are the ones mentioned in this psalm; and the phrase 'give thanks to Hashem' is to be said by the redeemed themselves; therefore, following it, they say: 'from the hand of the adversary,' like 'adversary and distress — in my distress.'
Radak
"Let... say" — praise and thanks to God, who redeemed them from the hand of the adversary; and let them acknowledge that He is the Redeemer — therefore he calls them "the redeemed of Hashem." "From the hand of trouble [tsar]" — [tsar] is a noun here, like [the word] tsarah (distress).
Metzudat David
"Let the redeemed of Hashem say" — Let them say "Give thanks," etc., because He redeemed them from the hand of the adversary.
Malbim
(2-3) "Let them say" — thus "let the redeemed of Hashem say," [those] with whom He performed wondrous kindness in two things: (1) "that He redeemed them from the hand of the adversary," (2) "that He gathered them from the lands," and brought back their scattered ones "from the east and from the west, and from the north and from the sea" — that is, from the islands of the sea; and He did not count "south," for there is no habitation in the south.
And gathered them out of the lands, From the east and from the west, From the north and from the sea.
verse value 1990
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 31 letters. The shortest word is "gathered·them" (קִ֫בְּצָ֥ם, 4 letters) and the longest is "and·from·the·lands" (וּֽמֵאֲרָצ֗וֹת, 7 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "and·from·the·lands" (וּֽמֵאֲרָצ֗וֹת), "gathered·them" (קִ֫בְּצָ֥ם), "from·the·east" (מִמִּזְרָ֥ח). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·from·the·lands" (root ארץ, 157x in Psalms); "and·from·the·sea" (root ים, 31x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·from·the·west', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 2 words. Full calculation: וּֽמֵאֲרָצ֗וֹת [and·from·the·lands] (743) + קִ֫בְּצָ֥ם [gathered·them] (232) + מִמִּזְרָ֥ח [from·the·east] (295) + וּמִֽמַּעֲרָ֑ב [and·from·the·west] (358) + מִצָּפ֥וֹן [from·the·north] (266) + וּמִיָּֽם [and·from·the·sea] (96) = 1990.
Ibn Ezra
'And from the lands' — he mentioned east and west, for so is the inhabited world, from one end to the other. And he mentioned the north, for there is all [the rest of] the inhabited world; but he did not mention the south, because of the heat of the sun — there is no habitation there, by conclusive proofs. And the meaning of 'and the sea' — [refers to] those who go down to the sea, for 'go down' is written [in connection] with the four [categories] mentioned; and so it mentions 'those who go down to the sea,' and afterward it is written: 'let them give thanks to Hashem for His mercy.' And some say [it is to be understood as] a passive form. 'Let the redeemed of Hashem say' — he is the one who redeemed them from the hand of the adversary. 'And give thanks to Hashem' — the words of the psalmist [addressed] to the four [categories] mentioned.
Radak
"And gathered them from the lands" — God [gathered] the desert-travelers, for they are found [in this category] more than the other three, because people are accustomed to travel for trade from land to land and pass through deserts, and He in His kindness gathers them from the lands to which they had wandered here and there, and returns them to their place in peace. And he mentions, among the directions, east and west and north, but does not mention south, for it is the least settled of all the directions, because of the heat of the sun, and people go in that direction for trade only rarely. And the meaning of "and from the sea" — those who cross by sea from land to land, He returns them to their land in peace; and he further mentions the sea concerning the distress of those who are at sea, that He saves them from it — and he mentions them now because he had said "and gathered them from the lands"; thus those who cross over to the far side of the sea, He gathers them from their place.
Metzudat David
"And from the lands" — The people whom He gathered from the lands of the east, etc., to return to their place. "And from the sea" — From the islands of the sea.
They wandered in the wilderness in a desert way; They found no city of habitation.
verse value 2162
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 31 letters. The shortest word is "not" (לֹ֣א, 2 letters) and the longest is "in·waste·of" (בִּישִׁימ֣וֹן, 7 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "found" (מָצָֽאוּ). 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "not" (root לא, 174x in Psalms); "way" (root דרך, 70x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'way', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 4 words. Full calculation: תָּע֣וּ [wandered] (476) + בַ֭מִּדְבָּר [in·the·wilderness] (248) + בִּישִׁימ֣וֹן [in·waste·of] (418) + דָּ֑רֶךְ [way] (224) + עִ֥יר [city·of] (280) + מ֝וֹשָׁ֗ב [seat] (348) + לֹ֣א [not] (31) + מָצָֽאוּ [found] (137) = 2162.
Rashi
"They strayed in the desert, on a road of desolation, etc." — Those who travel in the deserts must also give thanks because sometimes they stray and suffer from hunger and thirst.
Ibn Ezra
'They wandered a way' — connected with '[who] wandered'; and they are 'the redeemed of Hashem,' [about whom] he relates what happened to them. 'A wasteland' [yeshimon] — I have explained it [elsewhere].
Radak
"They wandered" — he mentions the distress of those who travel through deserts; and one of these distresses is that they wander on the way in the desert, for the abundance of sand there covers the paths when the wind blows, so that they cannot find a way to travel to a city of habitation where they wish to go.
Metzudat David
"They wandered" — At times they wandered in a desolate wilderness and did not find the way that leads to an inhabited city.
Malbim
(4-5) "They wandered" — he depicts that at the time of their exile they went and wandered by way of the wilderness, and from there they came "to a desolate waste," which is more desolate than the wilderness, and there "they wandered from the way, and found no city of habitation," and were "hungry," and afterward they also became "thirsty," for the water was spent from their vessels, until their soul fainted within them.
Verse structure: 5 words, 24 letters. The shortest word is "in·them" (בָּהֶ֥ם, 3 letters) and the longest is "also·thirsty" (גַּם־צְמֵאִ֑ים, 7 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "also·thirsty" (גַּם־צְמֵאִ֑ים), "fainted" (תִּתְעַטָּֽף). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "their·soul" (root נפש, 143x in Psalms); "in·them" (root הם, 69x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'also·thirsty', dividing the verse into phrases of 2 and 3 words. Full calculation: רְעֵבִ֥ים [hungry] (322) + גַּם־צְמֵאִ֑ים [also·thirsty] (224) + נַ֝פְשָׁ֗ם [their·soul] (470) + בָּהֶ֥ם [in·them] (47) + תִּתְעַטָּֽף [fainted] (959) = 2022.
Ibn Ezra
'Hungry' — when their provisions ran out, this happened to them, as it happened to Hagar: 'and she went, and wandered... and the water was spent.' 'Their soul fainted' [tit'attaf] — like [the phrase]: 'those who faint from hunger.'
Radak
"Hungry" — for they carry with them provisions for the road, in the amount [needed] for the days' journey between one land and another, since in the desert they find no water and no food at all. Now, in their wandering, since the way is not visible to them, the days in the desert grow long for them, and so they are both hungry and thirsty. "Their soul fainted within them" — from the abundance of hunger and thirst, and they have no way at all to be saved from their distress except to cry out to Hashem.
Metzudat David
"Hungry" — They would be hungry and thirsty from lack of bread and water. "Fainted" — When a person is in distress he is crushed and bent over, as if he were wrapped up, part of him folded upon part of him.
Then they cried to Hashem in their trouble, And He delivered them out of their distresses.
verse value 1623
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 33 letters. The shortest word is "in·the·trouble" (בַּצַּ֣ר, 3 letters) and the longest is "from·their·distresses" (מִ֝מְּצ֥וּקוֹתֵיהֶ֗ם, 10 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "from·their·distresses" (מִ֝מְּצ֥וּקוֹתֵיהֶ֗ם). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "to·Hashem" (root יהוה, 688x in Psalms); "to·them" (root הם, 69x in Psalms); "He·delivered·them" (root נצל, 44x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·them', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 2 words. Full calculation: וַיִּצְעֲק֣וּ [and·cried] (282) + אֶל־יְ֭הֹוָה [to·Hashem] (57) + בַּצַּ֣ר [in·the·trouble] (292) + לָהֶ֑ם [to·them] (75) + מִ֝מְּצ֥וּקוֹתֵיהֶ֗ם [from·their·distresses] (737) + יַצִּילֵֽם [He·delivered·them] (180) = 1623.
Ibn Ezra
'Then they cried out' — it means: He would deliver them, like [the phrase]: 'to deliver him from his affliction.'
Radak
"In trouble [ba-tsar]" — like ba-tsarah (in distress).
Metzudat David
"In their trouble" — At the time the sea was distressing to them. "From their distresses" — He saved them from that distress.
Malbim
"And they cried out" — regarding the wilderness and the sea it says "va-yitz'aku" ("and they cried out"), while regarding the sick and the imprisoned it says "va-yiz'aku" ("and they cried out," a different verb form), for tze'akah (outcry) is greater than ze'akah (cry). And likewise, regarding these two [the wilderness and the sea] it says "yatzilem" ("He delivered them"), while regarding the sick and the imprisoned it says "yoshi'am" ("He saved them"), for hatzalah (deliverance) is greater than yeshu'ah (salvation), because the danger of the sea and the wilderness is greater than that of sickness and imprisonment.
And He led them by a straight way, That they might go to a city of habitation.
verse value 2170
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 28 letters. The shortest word is "in·a·way" (בְּדֶ֣רֶךְ, 4 letters) and the longest is "and·He·led·them" (וַֽ֭יַּדְרִיכֵם, 7 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "and·He·led·them" (וַֽ֭יַּדְרִיכֵם), "straight" (יְשָׁרָ֑ה), "to·a·city·of" (אֶל־עִ֥יר). The root דרך appears 2 times in this verse. 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·He·led·them" (root דרך, 70x in Psalms); "to·go" (root הלך, 68x in Psalms); "straight" (root ישר, 30x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'straight', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: וַֽ֭יַּדְרִיכֵם [and·He·led·them] (290) + בְּדֶ֣רֶךְ [in·a·way] (226) + יְשָׁרָ֑ה [straight] (515) + לָ֝לֶ֗כֶת [to·go] (480) + אֶל־עִ֥יר [to·a·city·of] (311) + מוֹשָֽׁב [seat] (348) = 2170.
Rashi
"And He led them" — And He led them; therefore, they shall give thanks to the Lord for His kindness.
Ibn Ezra
'And He led them' — the opposite of 'they wandered.' 'To a city of habitation' — corresponding to what was written above: 'they found no city of habitation.'
Radak
"And He led them by a straight way" — He revealed to them the way on which they had gone astray.
Metzudat David
"And He led them" — He put it in their hearts to walk on a straight path.
Metzudat Zion
"Led them" — an expression of "walking/going."
Malbim
"And He led them" — and He performed a miracle for them in that He showed them a straight way, so that they would arrive at a city of habitation.
Let them give thanks to Hashem for His mercy, And for His wonderful works to the children of men!
verse value 886
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 29 letters. Notable word values: "let·them·give·thanks" (יוֹד֣וּ) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "man" (אָדָֽם, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·His·wonders" (וְ֝נִפְלְאוֹתָ֗יו, 9 letters). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "to·Hashem" (root יהוה, 688x in Psalms); "His·mercy" (root חסד, 125x in Psalms); "let·them·give·thanks" (root ידה, 68x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'His·mercy', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: יוֹד֣וּ [let·them·give·thanks] (26) + לַיהֹוָ֣ה [to·Hashem] (56) + חַסְדּ֑וֹ [His·mercy] (78) + וְ֝נִפְלְאוֹתָ֗יו [and·His·wonders] (589) + לִבְנֵ֥י [to·the·sons·of] (92) + אָדָֽם [man] (45) = 886.
Ibn Ezra
'Let them give thanks' — the word 'let them give thanks' also serves for the second [clause], and thus it is as if it read: 'and let them give thanks for His wonders.'
Radak
"Let them give thanks" — when they arrive at a city of habitation, and give thanks to God who brought them to a city of habitation. And let them recount "to the children of men" the wonders that the blessed God performed for them.
Metzudat David
"Let them give thanks" — Those people should give thanks to Hashem for His kindness, and recount His wonders to the children of men, to publicize the miracle.
Malbim
(8-9) "Let them give thanks" — then they are obligated to give thanks: (1) on account of "the kindness" that He did with them; (2) on account of the miracle "and the wonder," for although this is not a wonder with respect to Hashem, it is a wonder with respect to human beings — "for He has satisfied the longing soul" — corresponding to the thirsty, "and filled the hungry soul with good" — corresponding to the hungry.
For He has satisfied the longing soul, And the hungry soul He has filled with good.
verse value 2153
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 28 letters. The shortest word is "soul" (נֶ֣פֶשׁ, 3 letters) and the longest is "for·He·has·satisfied" (כִּֽי־הִ֭שְׂבִּיעַ, 7 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "for·He·has·satisfied" (כִּֽי־הִ֭שְׂבִּיעַ), "longing" (שֹׁקֵקָ֑ה), "and·soul" (וְנֶ֥פֶשׁ). The root נפש appears 2 times in this verse. 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "soul" (root נפש, 143x in Psalms); "for·He·has·satisfied" (root שבע, 40x in Psalms); "has·filled·with·good" (root מלא, 30x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'longing', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: כִּֽי־הִ֭שְׂבִּיעַ [for·He·has·satisfied] (417) + נֶ֣פֶשׁ [soul] (430) + שֹׁקֵקָ֑ה [longing] (505) + וְנֶ֥פֶשׁ [and·soul] (436) + רְ֝עֵבָ֗ה [hungry] (277) + מִלֵּא־טֽוֹב [has·filled·with·good] (88) = 2153.
Ibn Ezra
'For He has satisfied' — concerning water, [as in] 'a land not sated with water' (Proverbs 30:16); and this is Hashem's kindness. And now he returns to mention the captives.
Radak
"For" [He has satisfied the longing soul] — "shokekah" (longing) is an adjective belonging to the hollow roots (with a weak middle letter), from [the verse] "and for your husband shall be your longing [teshukatekh]" (Genesis 3:16). He means: the soul that had craved water in the desert, He has now satisfied, upon bringing it to a city of habitation; and likewise the soul that had been hungry for food, He filled with good.
Metzudat David
"For He has satisfied" — Because He satisfied the longing soul while it was wandering. "He filled with good" — When they came to an inhabited city.
Metzudat Zion
"Longing" — an expression of desire, as in "and his soul is longing" (Isaiah 29).
Such as sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, Being bound in affliction and iron—
verse value 1878
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 26 letters. The shortest word is "darkness" (חֹ֣שֶׁךְ, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·shadow·of·death" (וְצַלְמָ֑וֶת, 6 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "prisoners·of" (אֲסִירֵ֖י), "and·iron" (וּבַרְזֶֽל). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "dwellers·of" (root ישב, 58x in Psalms); "affliction" (root עני, 32x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·shadow·of·death', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: יֹ֭שְׁבֵי [dwellers·of] (322) + חֹ֣שֶׁךְ [darkness] (328) + וְצַלְמָ֑וֶת [and·shadow·of·death] (572) + אֲסִירֵ֖י [prisoners·of] (281) + עֳנִ֣י [affliction] (130) + וּבַרְזֶֽל [and·iron] (245) = 1878.
Rashi
"Those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death" — Also those imprisoned in a dungeon are required to give thanks when they emerge from their prison.
Ibn Ezra
'Such as sat' — for most of them were in a house of imprisonment and iron, like: 'his foot was hurt with fetters, he was laid in iron' (Psalm 105:18).
Radak
"Those who dwell" — now he mentions the prisoners, and mentions that they were taken captive because of their sin, and when they return to the blessed God, He brings them out of the prison-house. Regarding the prisoners and the sick he mentions [their] sin, for it was through their sin that they were seized and fell ill; but regarding the desert-travelers and those who go down to the sea, he does not mention their sin, for at the outset of their journey there is no wrongdoing or fault in what they do — they do not travel through deserts nor go down to the sea because of sin — rather, some matter of distress and danger comes upon them along the way, so that they might return to Hashem and He would save them. And he says "those who dwell in darkness," for the prison-house is a place of darkness. "Affliction [oni]" — cords or ropes with which they bind them and afflict them with them. "And iron" — iron fetters that are placed on their feet.
Metzudat David
"Such as sat" — The people who sat in a place of darkness, and they were bound with afflicting bonds and with fetters of iron.
Metzudat Zion
"The shadow of death" — the shadow of death; it is an expression of darkness, like the darkness of the grave.
Malbim
"Such as sat" — However, when they arrived at a settled city and were saved from the danger of the wilderness, they encountered another danger: there, wicked schemes were plotted against them, and they were thrown into prison, as it is written, "As when a man flees from a lion..." (Amos 5:19). And there it was bitter for them: (a) because of the place — for they were confined there in darkness and the shadow of death; (b) because they were "bound in affliction" — they were afflicted with hardships — "and fetters of iron," so that they could not flee.
Because they rebelled against the words of God, And contemned the counsel of the Most High.
verse value 1442
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 25 letters. The shortest word is "and·counsel·of" (וַעֲצַ֖ת, 4 letters) and the longest is "because·they·rebelled" (כִּֽי־הִמְר֥וּ, 6 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "words·of·God" (אִמְרֵי־אֵ֑ל), "and·counsel·of" (וַעֲצַ֖ת). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "words·of·God" (root אמר, 111x in Psalms); "the·Most·High" (root עליון, 22x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'words·of·God', dividing the verse into phrases of 2 and 3 words. Full calculation: כִּֽי־הִמְר֥וּ [because·they·rebelled] (281) + אִמְרֵי־אֵ֑ל [words·of·God] (282) + וַעֲצַ֖ת [and·counsel·of] (566) + עֶלְי֣וֹן [the·Most·High] (166) + נָאָֽצוּ [spurned] (147) = 1442.
Rashi
"For they rebelled against the words of God" — Trouble does not befall a person except because of his iniquity.
Ibn Ezra
'Because' — behold, he shows that most of the captives [were taken] to chastise them for their iniquities. And the word 'they rebelled' (himru) — or 'maru' — is close in meaning. And likewise 'they spurned' (ni'atzu) is from the light (kal) form; or 'na'atz'/'ni'etz' is the heavy (intensive) form. 'The words of' — [directed] toward them, [meaning] the dictates of the heart, for [the name of] Hashem is implanted in the heart of every rational being (lit. 'speaker').
Radak
"Because" — he informs them that it was through their sin that they were taken captive, since they rebelled against "the words of God" — these being the commandments that He commanded mankind; for the commandments were not spoken to Israel alone, but to all the nations — except that God distinguished Israel from the [other] nations through additional commandments that He commanded them, and sanctified them through bodily purity and through their food; but the commandments known by tradition were given to Adam, the first man, and to his descendants after him, and these are "the words of God." "And the counsel of the Most High" — that He counseled mankind to do them and live by them; and when they rebel against them, He sends against them chains through illnesses, or leads them into captivity. "Contemned [na'atzu]" — from the simple (kal) binyan, vocalized like "shamru" (they kept), because of the pausal form.
Metzudat David
"Because they rebelled" — And the recompense of punishment came because they rebelled against the words of God.
Metzudat Zion
"Rebelled" — from the language of "rebellion" and "revolt." "Contemned" — an expression of "contempt."
Malbim
"Because" — He explains that the second evil that came upon them (after He had performed a miracle for them regarding the first evil) came about because, after the miracle was done for them and they were saved from the wilderness, they returned to their vomit and "rebelled against the words of God," and thereby "spurned the counsel of the Most High" — for the purpose of His counsel in performing the miracle for them was that through it they would return to Him and keep His commandments, but they did not do so. Therefore He "brought down their heart" to repentance through "hard labor," and therefore "they stumbled" — Hashem prepared a stumbling block before them so that they would be placed in prison. And because "there was none to help," through this (verses 13-14) "they cried out to Hashem" and returned in repentance, and then He "brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death" and also broke apart their bonds.
Therefore He humbled their heart with travail, They stumbled, and there was none to help—
verse value 1070
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 23 letters. The shortest word is "their·heart" (לִבָּ֑ם, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·He·humbled" (וַיַּכְנַ֣ע, 5 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "and·He·humbled" (וַיַּכְנַ֣ע). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "their·heart" (root לב, 74x in Psalms); "and·none" (root אין, 67x in Psalms); "helping" (root עזר, 26x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'their·heart', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: וַיַּכְנַ֣ע [and·He·humbled] (156) + בֶּעָמָ֣ל [in·the·toil] (142) + לִבָּ֑ם [their·heart] (72) + כָּ֝שְׁל֗וּ [stumbled] (356) + וְאֵ֣ין [and·none] (67) + עֹזֵֽר [helping] (277) = 1070.
Ibn Ezra
'Therefore He humbled with hardship' — for their masters worked them ruthlessly, and there was none to help redeem them.
Radak
"With travail of their heart" — through the travail of captivity, He subdues their heart, which had grown proud and had scorned the word of Hashem. "They stumbled" — in captivity. "And there was none to help" — except the blessed God, so that they would cry out to Him and He would save them.
Metzudat David
"Therefore He humbled" — And therefore He humbled their heart with the toil of imprisonment, and they stumbled in distress and found no helper.
He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, And broke their bands in sunder. .
verse value 2430
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 30 letters. Verse gematria: 2430 is divisible by 18, the value of chai ('life'). The shortest word is "from·darkness" (מֵחֹ֣שֶׁךְ, 4 letters) and the longest is "and·their·bands" (וּמוֹסְר֖וֹתֵיהֶ֣ם, 10 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "and·their·bands" (וּמוֹסְר֖וֹתֵיהֶ֣ם), "tore·apart" (יְנַתֵּֽק). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "He·brought·them·out" (root יצא, 35x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·shadow·of·death', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 2 words. Full calculation: י֭וֹצִיאֵם [He·brought·them·out] (157) + מֵחֹ֣שֶׁךְ [from·darkness] (368) + וְצַלְמָ֑וֶת [and·shadow·of·death] (572) + וּמוֹסְר֖וֹתֵיהֶ֣ם [and·their·bands] (773) + יְנַתֵּֽק [tore·apart] (560) = 2430.
Ibn Ezra
'He shall bring them out of darkness' — [this repeats] what was written above. 'He shall break' — corresponding to 'the prisoners of affliction and iron.'
Radak
"And their bonds" — these are the cords and fetters with which they were bound. "He shall break [yenatek]" — meaning: He brings about circumstances for them and arranges events so that they escape from captivity, or puts it into the heart of their captors to release them from their imprisonment, or [arranges] other circumstances by which they are saved; for to Him alone are events weighed.
Metzudat David
"He shall break" — He removed from them the bonds of their imprisonment — that is, He released them from their imprisonment, as if He had taken away the bonds.
Metzudat Zion
"Their bands" — an expression of the binding of cords. "Broke" — an expression of "tearing away," as in "I have broken your bands" (Jeremiah 2).
Let them give thanks to Hashem for His mercy, And for His wonderful works to the children of men!
verse value 886
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 29 letters. Notable word values: "let·them·give·thanks" (יוֹד֣וּ) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "man" (אָדָֽם, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·His·wonders" (וְ֝נִפְלְאוֹתָ֗יו, 9 letters). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "to·Hashem" (root יהוה, 688x in Psalms); "His·mercy" (root חסד, 125x in Psalms); "let·them·give·thanks" (root ידה, 68x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'His·mercy', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: יוֹד֣וּ [let·them·give·thanks] (26) + לַיהֹוָ֣ה [to·Hashem] (56) + חַסְדּ֑וֹ [His·mercy] (78) + וְ֝נִפְלְאוֹתָ֗יו [and·His·wonders] (589) + לִבְנֵ֥י [to·the·sons·of] (92) + אָדָֽם [man] (45) = 886.
Ibn Ezra
'Let them give thanks' — the sense is for people to learn [from this].
Radak
"Let them give thanks" — when they go out from captivity they shall give thanks to God, may He be blessed. And they shall recount, "to the children of men" — meaning, among the children of men — His wonders that He performed for them. And what are these wonders? That He shattered doors of bronze — for it is the way of men to place captives in a fortified city behind doors and a bar. And in saying "bronze and iron" it is by way of exaggeration, meaning to say that they were very strong; and behold, they had no scheme by which they could flee and be saved from the strong tower in which they were held captive, but God, may He be blessed, brings about the means for them to go out from there, and the strength of the doors and bars does not hold them back.
Malbim
(verses 15-16) "Let them give thanks" — and therefore they are obligated to give thanks a second time, for the second miracle, for He broke the doors of bronze.
For He has broken the gates of brass, And cut the bars of iron in sunder.
verse value 2682
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 27 letters. Verse gematria: 2682 is divisible by 18, the value of chai ('life'). The shortest word is "He·cut·off" (גִּדֵּֽעַ, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·bars·of" (וּבְרִיחֵ֖י, 6 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "for·He·has·broken" (כִּי־שִׁ֭בַּר), "doors·of" (דַּלְת֣וֹת), "copper" (נְחֹ֑שֶׁת). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "for·He·has·broken" (root שבר, 26x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'copper', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: כִּי־שִׁ֭בַּר [for·He·has·broken] (532) + דַּלְת֣וֹת [doors·of] (840) + נְחֹ֑שֶׁת [copper] (758) + וּבְרִיחֵ֖י [and·bars·of] (236) + בַרְזֶ֣ל [iron] (239) + גִּדֵּֽעַ [He·cut·off] (77) = 2682.
Rashi
"For He broke copper doors" — that were shut before them.
Ibn Ezra
'For' — He weighs the deeds of those who fled from a land whose doors were of bronze, as though they had been broken; and now he goes on to mention the sick.
Metzudat David
"For He has broken" — Because He has broken, etc. — that is, He brought them out of their imprisonment, as if He had broken the doors of the prison-house and cut through the bars.
Metzudat Zion
"The bars" — like a bar placed across the width of the doors to close them. "Cut" — an expression of "cutting down," as in "sycamores have been cut down" (Isaiah 9).
Crazed because of the way of their transgression, And afflicted because of their iniquities—
verse value 2004
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 27 letters. The shortest word is "from·the·way·of" (מִדֶּ֣רֶךְ, 4 letters) and the longest is "and·from·their·iniquities" (וּֽ֝מֵעֲוֺ֥נֹתֵיהֶ֗ם, 9 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "foolish" (אֱ֭וִלִים), "from·the·way·of" (מִדֶּ֣רֶךְ), "and·from·their·iniquities" (וּֽ֝מֵעֲוֺ֥נֹתֵיהֶ֗ם). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "are·afflicted" (root ענה, 56x in Psalms); "and·from·their·iniquities" (root עון, 30x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'their·transgression', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 2 words. Full calculation: אֱ֭וִלִים [foolish] (87) + מִדֶּ֣רֶךְ [from·the·way·of] (264) + פִּשְׁעָ֑ם [their·transgression] (490) + וּֽ֝מֵעֲוֺ֥נֹתֵיהֶ֗ם [and·from·their·iniquities] (627) + יִתְעַנּֽוּ [are·afflicted] (536) = 2004.
Rashi
"Fools, because of the way of their transgression and because of their iniquities, are afflicted" — with the agonies of illnesses. They too are among those who are required to give thanks. There are markers in this chapter (i.e., six inverted “nuns” are written) and they come to be expounded upon instead of “buts” and “onlys” to limit [the power of the verse] meaning that if they [the prisoners] cry out before the verdict has been promulgated, they are answered; after the verdict has been promulgated, they are not answered.
Ibn Ezra
'Fools' — he also mentions that the sickness came because of transgression, and as rebukes for iniquity; and so too in the words of Elihu. 'And the sense of "fools"' — even if they are wise, they are counted as fools because of their transgression. And the word 'because of the way' (mi-derekh) does double duty, governing itself and another [clause] along with it; and thus it is as if it read: 'and because of the way of their iniquities they are afflicted.'
Radak
"Fools" — Now he mentions the sick, and says that by reason of their transgression and their iniquities they become ill and afflicted, and he calls them "fools" — something he did not say regarding the captives, because captivity happens all at once, whereas illness is not so, for at first it is mild and afterward grows heavier day by day. Now they are fools in that they do not recognize and know that the illness is like a messenger sent to them so that they should repent, yet they do not feel it, like the fool who does not feel the harm that will come to him from his own foolish deeds. Had they been wise, they would have considered in their hearts: what is this illness that God has sent us, and for what sin is it? — and they would have examined their deeds and corrected their ways before the illness grew heavy upon them. And if they did not feel it on the first day, they would feel it on the second day, or the third day. But the fools do not feel anything, and do not turn back to God, may He be blessed, until the illness grows very heavy upon them and their sickness lasts long, until they are greatly afflicted and abhor all food.
Metzudat David
"Crazed" — The foolish people, who, because of the sin of the way of their transgression and because of their iniquities, are afflicted with sickness and pain.
Metzudat Zion
"Crazed" — meaning "sinners."
Malbim
"Crazed [fools]" — The fool is one who doubts and does not believe that what happened — being in danger and being delivered from it — was all from Hashem, and instead attributes everything to chance. And this comes either "because of the way of their transgression" — because they have already become so habituated to transgressions that their heart is not prepared to accept the statutes of moral discipline — or "because of their iniquities," through a corruption of the intellect and heresy. These fools, who still stand in their folly, "are afflicted" — Hashem subdues them a third time, through illness.
Their soul abhorred all manner of food, And they drew near to the gates of death—
verse value 2648
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 28 letters. The shortest word is "death" (מָֽוֶת, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·drew·near" (וַ֝יַּגִּ֗יעוּ, 6 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "all·food" (כׇּל־אֹ֭כֶל), "abhorred" (תְּתַעֵ֣ב), "and·drew·near" (וַ֝יַּגִּ֗יעוּ). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "their·soul" (root נפש, 143x in Psalms); "all·food" (root אכל, 35x in Psalms); "death" (root מות, 33x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'their·soul', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: כׇּל־אֹ֭כֶל [all·food] (101) + תְּתַעֵ֣ב [abhorred] (872) + נַפְשָׁ֑ם [their·soul] (470) + וַ֝יַּגִּ֗יעוּ [and·drew·near] (105) + עַד־שַׁ֥עֲרֵי [to·the·gates·of] (654) + מָֽוֶת [death] (446) = 2648.
Ibn Ezra
'All'; 'the gates of death' — the grave, for when its gates are shut, they see no light.
Radak
"Their soul abhors all food" — all food, even food that is desirable. And when they draw near to the gates of death, then they cry out to Hashem, for they see that no physician, potion, or medicinal compound can help them.
Metzudat David
"Abhorred" — Like the manner of a sick person who loathes food. "And they drew near" — They were close to death.
Malbim
"All manner of food" — Just as they were sick with a sickness of the soul and did not accept the food of health for their healing, so too "their soul abhorred all manner of food" that nourishes the body, and "they drew near to the gates of death" — and they are in distress for a third time.
They cried to Hashem in their trouble, And He saved them out of their distresses;
verse value 1790
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 33 letters. The shortest word is "in·the·trouble" (בַּצַּ֣ר, 3 letters) and the longest is "from·their·distresses" (מִ֝מְּצֻ֥קוֹתֵיהֶ֗ם, 9 letters). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "to·Hashem" (root יהוה, 688x in Psalms); "He·saved·them" (root ישע, 75x in Psalms); "to·them" (root הם, 69x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·them', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 2 words. Full calculation: וַיִּזְעֲק֣וּ [and·cried] (199) + אֶל־יְ֭הֹוָה [to·Hashem] (57) + בַּצַּ֣ר [in·the·trouble] (292) + לָהֶ֑ם [to·them] (75) + מִ֝מְּצֻ֥קוֹתֵיהֶ֗ם [from·their·distresses] (731) + יוֹשִׁיעֵֽם [He·saved·them] (436) = 1790.
Ibn Ezra
'And they cried out' — the psalmist mentions this, for as to those who wandered in the wilderness, neither those who know the roads nor the diviners could help them; rather, only through crying out to Hashem could He alone save them. Likewise, as to the prisoners — none of the people of the world could [help] until the time that Hashem decreed. And so too the sick — no physicians could help them, only Hashem alone. And likewise the sailors and seafarers — all their skill is swallowed up.
Malbim
(verses 19-20) "And they cried out" — and returned in repentance. "He sent His word and healed them" in body, "and delivered [them]" from their corruption in soul.
He sent His word, and healed them, And delivered them from their graves.
verse value 2196
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 27 letters. Verse gematria: 2196 is divisible by 18, the value of chai ('life'). The shortest word is "He·sent" (יִשְׁלַ֣ח, 4 letters) and the longest is "from·their·pits" (מִשְּׁחִֽיתוֹתָֽם, 8 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "and·healed·them" (וְיִרְפָּאֵ֑ם), "and·delivered" (וִ֝ימַלֵּ֗ט), "from·their·pits" (מִשְּׁחִֽיתוֹתָֽם). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "His·word" (root דבר, 133x in Psalms); "He·sent" (root שלח, 33x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·healed·them', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 2 words. Full calculation: יִשְׁלַ֣ח [He·sent] (348) + דְּ֭בָרוֹ [His·word] (212) + וְיִרְפָּאֵ֑ם [and·healed·them] (337) + וִ֝ימַלֵּ֗ט [and·delivered] (95) + מִשְּׁחִֽיתוֹתָֽם [from·their·pits] (1204) = 2196.
Ibn Ezra
'He sent His word' — that He decrees, and immediately [the sick person] is healed, not by means of a potion or human action; 'and delivered them from their graves' — from the root 'destruction' (hashchatah), or from '[one who] digs a pit' (koreh shachat) (Proverbs 26:27) — corresponding to 'the gates of Sheol.'
Radak
"He sent" — since the healing performed by physicians comes about through action, he says that the healing of Hashem, may He be blessed, is not so; rather, by His word alone He heals them. "And His word" — that is, His will. "And delivered them from their graves" — He delivers their soul from the pit that was near it. The singular of "shechitotam" (their graves) is "shechitah" (a pit), and to it is attached the pronominal suffix mem ("their"), because they themselves brought this about through their sin.
Metzudat David
"He sent His word" — Not like the healing of physicians, who heal by means of medicines, but rather He heals by His utterance. "From their graves" — From the pit of the grave, which was near to them.
Metzudat Zion
"Their graves" — from the language of "pit" and "well."
Let them give thanks to Hashem for His mercy, And for His wonderful works to the children of men!
verse value 886
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 29 letters. Notable word values: "let·them·give·thanks" (יוֹד֣וּ) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "man" (אָדָֽם, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·His·wonders" (וְ֝נִפְלְאוֹתָ֗יו, 9 letters). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "to·Hashem" (root יהוה, 688x in Psalms); "His·mercy" (root חסד, 125x in Psalms); "let·them·give·thanks" (root ידה, 68x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'His·mercy', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: יוֹד֣וּ [let·them·give·thanks] (26) + לַיהֹוָ֣ה [to·Hashem] (56) + חַסְדּ֑וֹ [His·mercy] (78) + וְ֝נִפְלְאוֹתָ֗יו [and·His·wonders] (589) + לִבְנֵ֥י [to·the·sons·of] (92) + אָדָֽם [man] (45) = 886.
Ibn Ezra
'Let them give thanks' — these too are obligated to give thanks.
Malbim
(verses 21-22) "Let them give thanks... and let them sacrifice" — Now, on the first two occasions, he mentioned only that they should give thanks for the particular miracle that had just been done for them, even though the law is that one for whom two miracles were performed must, when he blesses over one miracle, also bless over the second, as stated in the chapter of Ha-Ro'eh [in tractate Berakhot]. And it would have been fitting for the one who left prison to also mention the miracle of the deliverance from the wilderness; however, he did not yet recognize the kindnesses of Hashem, as it says, "fools, because of the way of their transgression," and so he gave thanks only for the thing from which he had been saved at that time. But now, having been saved this third time, "let them give thanks to Hashem for His mercy, and let them recount His works" — meaning let him recount the earlier miracles as well. And likewise, up to now they had not yet brought a thanksgiving offering; now "let them sacrifice sacrifices of thanksgiving" — many offerings, also for the earlier occasions when they had not completed their thanksgiving properly — and let them recount all three miracles together.
And let them offer the sacrifices of thanksgiving, And declare His works with singing.
verse value 1526
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 29 letters. The shortest word is "sacrifices·of" (זִבְחֵ֣י, 4 letters) and the longest is "and·let·them·sacrifice" (וְ֭יִזְבְּחוּ, 6 letters). The root זבח appears 2 times in this verse. 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "His·works" (root מעשה, 39x in Psalms); "and·let·them·declare" (root ספר, 38x in Psalms); "and·let·them·sacrifice" (root זבח, 21x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'thanksgiving', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: וְ֭יִזְבְּחוּ [and·let·them·sacrifice] (39) + זִבְחֵ֣י [sacrifices·of] (27) + תוֹדָ֑ה [thanksgiving] (415) + וִיסַפְּר֖וּ [and·let·them·declare] (362) + מַעֲשָׂ֣יו [His·works] (426) + בְּרִנָּֽה [with·a·ringing·cry] (257) = 1526.
Ibn Ezra
'And let them sacrifice' — and they are obligated to sacrifice, for the wanderer and the captive are healthy in body, whereas the sick person is close to death; and now he mentions the fourth group.
Radak
"And let them offer" — sacrifices of thanksgiving for having saved them. And he says here "let them offer," which he did not say regarding the others, because for the sick the days of recovery extend over time, and in the meantime they would vow sacrifices as they gradually grew stronger, and they would offer the sacrifices once the days of their recovery were complete. Now those who go down to the sea, and those who travel through deserts, and the prisoners could also possibly offer sacrifices; but he mentions it regarding the sick because it is found among them most commonly. "And declare His works with singing" — they shall declare to the children of men the deeds of kindness that He did for them, in the midst of an assembly, with singing and with a loud voice.
Metzudat David
"Sacrifices of thanksgiving" — The thanksgiving offering that is brought on account of the miracle.
Those who go down to the sea in ships, Who do business in great waters—
verse value 1574
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 30 letters. The shortest word is "the·sea" (הַ֭יָּם, 3 letters) and the longest is "in·ships" (בׇּאֳנִיּ֑וֹת, 6 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "who·go·down" (יוֹרְדֵ֣י), "in·ships" (בׇּאֳנִיּ֑וֹת), "occupation" (מְ֝לָאכָ֗ה). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "who·do" (root עשה, 109x in Psalms); "great" (root רב, 67x in Psalms); "in·water" (root מים, 38x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'in·ships', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 4 words.
Ibn Ezra
'Those who go down' — anyone who goes onto the sea 'goes down.'
Radak
"Those who go down" — even though the sea is elevated above the dry land, one who crosses over to the sea is called "one who goes down," because the dry land is higher than the shore of the sea, and relative to that shore he is called "one who goes down." And my father and teacher, of blessed memory, explained that he is called "one who goes down" relative to the ship itself, which is deep, and he goes down into it; and the "work" consists of the sail, the mast, the ropes, the oars, and the other implements that the ship requires — and when they are in great waters, they need more of this work.
Metzudat David
"Those who go down to the sea" — The people who go down to the sea in ships (and because the shore of the sea is above, and from it they go down below to the sea, it therefore says "those who go down to the sea"). "Who do business" — This is the skill of steering the ship toward the desired place.
Malbim
"Those who go down" — Now he depicts how, after they returned from their exile and traveled by sea in ships, Hashem showed them His wonders once again, so that they would give thanks to Hashem for His mercy upon their arrival in their land. And he explains that there are two matters involved here: (a) "those who go down to the sea in ships"; (b) among them there are those who are "doers of work in great waters" — who know the arts and crafts needed to steady the ship in time of storm and be saved.
These saw the works of Hashem, And His wonders in the deep;
verse value 1465
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 29 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֑ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "they" (הֵ֣מָּה, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·His·wonders" (וְ֝נִפְלְאוֹתָ֗יו, 9 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "in·depth" (בִּמְצוּלָֽה). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 688x in Psalms); "saw" (root ראה, 100x in Psalms); "they" (root הם, 69x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Hashem', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 2 words.
Ibn Ezra
'These' — for in a single moment He terrifies the sea, and immediately calms it as He wishes.
Radak
"These saw" — in the deep, in the depths of the sea; there they see the work of Hashem and His wonders, for through the great fish and the roaring of the sea one recognizes that He gave man wisdom and ingenuity to stand in the depths upon planks of wood — and how much more so when the wind storms upon the sea. This is what he goes on to say.
For He commanded, and raised the stormy wind, Which lifted up its waves;
verse value 1677
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 27 letters. Verse gematria: 1677 is divisible by 13, the value of echad ('one') and ahavah ('love'). The shortest word is "wind·of" (ר֣וּחַ, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·lifted·up" (וַתְּרוֹמֵ֥ם, 6 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "and·lifted·up" (וַתְּרוֹמֵ֥ם). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·said" (root אמר, 111x in Psalms); "and·lifted·up" (root רום, 49x in Psalms); "and·raised" (root עמד, 36x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'storm', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 2 words.
Ibn Ezra
The 'vav' of 'its waves' (galav) refers back to the sea [mentioned in] 'those who go down to the sea.'
Radak
"For He commanded" — [meaning] God; that is, He willed and decreed, and a stormy wind arose upon the sea, and that wind lifted up the waves of the sea, and then the ship rises and falls — this is what he goes on to say.
Metzudat David
"For He commanded" — When Hashem commanded, a stormy wind arose, and it lifted up the waves of the sea.
Malbim
"For He commanded" — and He raised up a stormy wind, and the wind lifted up the waves of the sea.
They mounted up to the heaven, they went down to the deeps; Their soul melted away because of trouble;
verse value 3182
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 32 letters. Verse gematria: 3182 is divisible by 86, the value of Elohim. The shortest word is "went·up" (יַעֲל֣וּ, 4 letters) and the longest is "deeps" (תְהוֹמ֑וֹת, 6 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "melted·away" (תִתְמוֹגָֽג). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "their·soul" (root נפש, 143x in Psalms); "heaven" (root שמים, 71x in Psalms); "in·trouble" (root רע, 53x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'deeps', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 3 words.
Ibn Ezra
'They mount up' — [referring to] the waves, or [to] those who go down to the sea.
Radak
"They rise" — the men of the ship rise "to the heavens," meaning into the height of the air, as the wave lifts the ship up; and afterward, when the wave passes, they go down to the depths. And between the rising and the falling, "their soul melts away because of trouble" — meaning their soul dissolves because of that harm and the anxiety they have that they will drown in the sea.
Metzudat David
"They mounted up to the heaven" — The people of the ship go up above toward the heavens, then go back down to the deep, because the waves lift the ship up high and afterward bring it down low together with its people. "Because of trouble" — Because of the evil of fear, their soul melts.
Metzudat Zion
"Melted away" — from the language of "melting" and "dissolving."
Malbim
"They mounted up" — and thereby, those who go down in ordinary ships "mount up to the heaven and go down to the deeps," for every wave lifts the ship upward and then it descends downward.
They reeled to and fro, and staggered like a drunken man, And all their wisdom was swallowed up—
verse value 2193
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 29 letters. The shortest word is "reeled" (יָח֣וֹגּוּ, 5 letters) and the longest is "and·all·their·wisdom" (וְכׇל־חׇ֝כְמָתָ֗ם, 8 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "reeled" (יָח֣וֹגּוּ), "and·staggered" (וְ֭יָנוּעוּ), "like·the·drunkard" (כַּשִּׁכּ֑וֹר). 5 unique roots are used. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'like·the·drunkard', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 2 words.
Rashi
"They were frightened" — Heb. יחוגו. This is an expression of breaking. Similarly (Song 2:14): “in the clefts of (בחגוי) the rock”; and similarly (Isa. l9:17), “And the land of Judah will be to Egypt for a dread (לחגא).”
Ibn Ezra
'They reel' — for because of the raging of the sea they have no strength to stand in the ship or to sit. 'Is swallowed up' — it is hidden, not seen, as though they had had no skill in seamanship (lit. 'the craft of the waters').
Radak
"They reeled and staggered" — a repetition of the same idea in different words. "They reeled" — an expression of motion. "Like a drunken man" — who sways in his drunkenness and cannot keep himself steady; so too the men of the ship — even the sailors are unable to stand firm in the stormy wind that makes the ship sway back and forth, and up and down. "And all their wisdom was swallowed up" — and all the wisdom of the ship's captain is ruined at that moment, for with all their wisdom and skill they are unable to keep the ship steady unless God, may He be blessed, calms the wind; and they have no way at all to be saved, except to cry out to Hashem.
Metzudat David
"They reeled" — And they moved and staggered within the ship because of the great motion of the ship, until it was impossible to stand in their place, in the manner of a drunken person. "And all their wisdom" — Which they had learned and mastered in the steering of the ship — all that wisdom is swallowed up, for they gain no benefit from their wisdom.
Metzudat Zion
"Reeled to and fro" — an expression of dancing and forceful movement, as in "a multitude keeping festival" (above, Psalm 42). "Was swallowed up" — an expression of destruction, as in "Hashem has swallowed up without pity" (Lamentations 2:2).
Malbim
"They reeled" — and those who do work in great waters steady the ship by casting iron [anchors] into the sea, so that the ship then does not rise up in height; but then "they reel and stagger like a drunken man" back and forth in their place, and "all their wisdom is swallowed up," for the ship was on the verge of breaking apart where it stood.
They cried to Hashem in their trouble, And He brought them out of their distresses.
verse value 1600
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 34 letters. Verse gematria: 1600 = 40². The shortest word is "in·the·distress" (בַּצַּ֣ר, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·from·their·distresses" (וּֽ֝מִמְּצ֥וּקֹתֵיהֶ֗ם, 10 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "and·from·their·distresses" (וּֽ֝מִמְּצ֥וּקֹתֵיהֶ֗ם). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "to·Hashem" (root יהוה, 688x in Psalms); "to·them" (root הם, 69x in Psalms); "He·brought·them·out" (root יצא, 35x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·them', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 2 words.
Ibn Ezra
'And they cried out' — he says: '[that] He would bring them out,' for they were at sea, and that was their entire request. Rabbi Judah ibn Bal'am said: it ought to have been 'yeshev' ('He causes to settle') rather than 'yakem' ('He raises'). But what seems correct to me is that at first it said 'and a stormy wind stood' (va-ya'amod ruach se'arah), and now it says 'He raises' a storm without wind — [and] then it becomes a calm. 'And their waves were stilled' — the waves of the sea, the opposite of 'lifted up its waves' [v. 25]; and because waves make a sound, therefore, by way of figure, [it says] 'to a calm' and 'were stilled.'
Radak
"He brought them out" — that He brings them out from the sea to dry land; or its meaning is that He brings them out from the distress they were in from the turmoil of the waves, and in His kindness He calms them by calming the wind; and thus they go out from distress to relief.
Malbim
(verses 28-29) "And they cried out... He makes the storm calm" — meaning that in order to display His wonders, He raises the storm to great extremity, and when it reaches the utmost of its raging, suddenly it becomes calm, "and the waves are hushed," to make known that the hand of Hashem did this.
He made the storm a calm, So that its waves were still.
verse value 1022
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 22 letters. The shortest word is "He·made" (יָקֵ֣ם, 3 letters) and the longest is "to·a·calm" (לִדְמָמָ֑ה, 5 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "He·made" (יָקֵ֣ם), "to·a·calm" (לִדְמָמָ֑ה), "and·were·still" (וַ֝יֶּחֱשׁ֗וּ). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "He·made" (root קום, 52x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·a·calm', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 2 words. Full calculation: יָקֵ֣ם [He·made] (150) + סְ֭עָרָה [storm] (335) + לִדְמָמָ֑ה [to·a·calm] (119) + וַ֝יֶּחֱשׁ֗וּ [and·were·still] (330) + גַּלֵּיהֶֽם [their·waves] (88) = 1022.
Radak
"He made [the storm] stand" — some commentators explain "yakem" as equivalent to "yashuv" (he causes to return); and it may also be explained according to its plain sense, meaning: the storm that He raised up, He causes to return to stillness, so that their waves are hushed. The pronominal suffix [in "their waves"] refers to the men of the ship, for it is for their sake that the waves grow still.
Metzudat David
"He made the storm a calm" — That is to say: the storm that He raised, He turns back into a calm, and the waves of the sea no longer roar.
Metzudat Zion
"A calm" — an expression of silence, as in "a still small voice" (I Kings 19). "Were stilled" — an expression of silence, as in "a time to keep silence" (Ecclesiastes 3).
Then they were glad because they were quiet, And He led them to their desired haven.
verse value 1640
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 28 letters. The shortest word is "their·desire" (חֶפְצָֽם, 4 letters) and the longest is "for·they·were·quiet" (כִֽי־יִשְׁתֹּ֑קוּ, 7 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "for·they·were·quiet" (כִֽי־יִשְׁתֹּ֑קוּ), "to·haven·of" (אֶל־מְח֥וֹז), "their·desire" (חֶפְצָֽם). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·rejoiced" (root שמח, 55x in Psalms); "their·desire" (root חפץ, 27x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'for·they·were·quiet', dividing the verse into phrases of 2 and 3 words. Full calculation: וַיִּשְׂמְח֥וּ [and·rejoiced] (370) + כִֽי־יִשְׁתֹּ֑קוּ [for·they·were·quiet] (846) + וַ֝יַּנְחֵ֗ם [and·He·led·them] (114) + אֶל־מְח֥וֹז [to·haven·of] (92) + חֶפְצָֽם [their·desire] (218) = 1640.
Rashi
"They rejoiced that they were stilled" — The waves. "the region" — Heb. מחוז, an expression of a border, and Menachem (p. 86) associated it with (Isa. 28:18): “and your limit (וחזותכם) with the grave,” your limit, that it should not enter our boundary. Similarly (I Kings 7:4): “an edge (מחזה מול מחזה) opposite an edge,” three times. In Tanchuma, I found [this].
Ibn Ezra
'And they were glad' — those who go down to the sea. 'For they were quiet' — the waves. 'To the harbor' (el mechoz) — like 'boundary'; and similarly: 'his days were not seen,' meaning: 'his days were not bounded.' And the sense is: they cannot attain to know the end of his days.
Radak
"To their desired haven" — to the border of their desire. He says that God, may He be blessed, guides them to the place where they desired to go, by giving them the wind that would carry the ship there.
Metzudat David
"Then they were glad" — The people of the ship rejoice when the waves grow quiet. "And He led them" — And the Omnipresent leads them to the shore to which they desired to go.
Metzudat Zion
"Haven" — a boundary; and likewise "we have made a covenant with Sheol" (Isaiah 28:15).
Malbim
"Then they were glad" — and thereby their joy is increased in two ways: (a) in that the waves "grow silent"; (b) in that "He leads them to their desired haven" without mishap.
Let them give thanks to Hashem for His mercy, And for His wonderful works to the children of men!
verse value 886
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 29 letters. Notable word values: "let·them·give·thanks" (יוֹד֣וּ) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "man" (אָדָֽם, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·His·wonders" (וְ֝נִפְלְאוֹתָ֗יו, 9 letters). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "to·Hashem" (root יהוה, 688x in Psalms); "His·goodness" (root חסד, 125x in Psalms); "let·them·give·thanks" (root ידה, 68x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'His·goodness', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: יוֹד֣וּ [let·them·give·thanks] (26) + לַיהֹוָ֣ה [to·Hashem] (56) + חַסְדּ֑וֹ [His·goodness] (78) + וְ֝נִפְלְאוֹתָ֗יו [and·His·wonders] (589) + לִבְנֵ֥י [to·sons·of] (92) + אָדָֽם [man] (45) = 886.
Ibn Ezra
'Let them give thanks,' 'His mercy' — for He saved them. 'And His wonders' — in the deep.
Radak
"Let them give thanks" — when they arrive at their desired haven, they shall give thanks to Him, may He be blessed, for having saved them; and the wonders that He performed for them at sea, they shall recount to the children of men.
Malbim
(verses 31-32) "Let them give thanks... and let them exalt Him" — for upon their arrival in their land, they will give thanks there in the assemblies of the myriads and thousands of Israel in the land, and before the elders found there. And there is a difference between "exaltation" and "praise": "exaltation" concerns His hidden deeds, and this is expressed "to the multitude of the people," who do not know Hashem — He is exalted in their eyes; while "praise" concerns His revealed deeds, and this is expressed "in the assembly of the elders" and Torah scholars who recognize His deeds. And as our sages, of blessed memory, taught: one must give thanks in the presence of ten people, two of whom are scholars.
Let them exalt Him also in the assembly of the people, And praise Him in the seat of the elders.
verse value 1221
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 33 letters. The shortest word is "elders" (זְקֵנִ֣ים, 5 letters) and the longest is "and·let·them·exalt·Him" (וִֽ֭ירוֹמְמוּהוּ, 9 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "and·let·them·exalt·Him" (וִֽ֭ירוֹמְמוּהוּ), "in·assembly·of·people" (בִּקְהַל־עָ֑ם). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "let·them·praise·Him" (root הלל, 94x in Psalms); "and·let·them·exalt·Him" (root רום, 49x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'in·assembly·of·people', dividing the verse into phrases of 2 and 3 words. Full calculation: וִֽ֭ירוֹמְמוּהוּ [and·let·them·exalt·Him] (319) + בִּקְהַל־עָ֑ם [in·assembly·of·people] (247) + וּבְמוֹשַׁ֖ב [and·in·seat·of] (356) + זְקֵנִ֣ים [elders] (207) + יְהַלְלֽוּהוּ [let·them·praise·Him] (92) = 1221.
Rashi
"And they shall exalt Him in an assembly of people" — He must give thanks in the presence of ten. "and in a sitting of elders" — And two of them must be rabbinical scholars.
Ibn Ezra
'And let them exalt Him' — he adds this because most people have not seen the sea.
Radak
"And let them exalt Him" — the cantillation accents connect it to those who go down to the sea, or it may refer to all four groups, for all of them, when they give thanks to God, may He be blessed, for His kindness, do so in the assembly of the people, and exalt Him among them. Likewise, "in the seat of the elders" — meaning the wise, who shall praise Him, because they too, upon hearing of the wonders, shall praise Him and exalt Him along with them.
Metzudat David
"In the assembly of the people" — In the gathering of a great people.
He turns rivers into a wilderness, And watersprings into a thirsty ground;
verse value 1741
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 27 letters. The shortest word is "He·turns" (יָשֵׂ֣ם, 3 letters) and the longest is "into·a·thirsty·ground" (לְצִמָּאֽוֹן, 6 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "into·a·wilderness" (לְמִדְבָּ֑ר), "and·springs·of" (וּמֹצָ֥אֵי), "into·a·thirsty·ground" (לְצִמָּאֽוֹן). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "water" (root מים, 38x in Psalms); "He·turns" (root שים, 33x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'into·a·wilderness', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: יָשֵׂ֣ם [He·turns] (350) + נְהָר֣וֹת [rivers] (661) + לְמִדְבָּ֑ר [into·a·wilderness] (276) + וּמֹצָ֥אֵי [and·springs·of] (147) + מַ֝֗יִם [water] (90) + לְצִמָּאֽוֹן [into·a·thirsty·ground] (217) = 1741.
Rashi
"He makes rivers into a desert" — That is to say that He makes the settlements of the nations into ruins.
Ibn Ezra
'He turns' — the psalmist returns to mention the might of Hashem, as though He does a thing and then the opposite of that thing, according to His wisdom; and having finished mentioning the sea, he returns to mention the rivers that flow into it. 'And the sense of "into a wilderness"' — a parched land. 'And springs of water' — these are the fountains.
Radak
"He turns" — since the psalmist has mentioned the four groups who must give thanks to God, may He be blessed, for having turned their mourning into dancing and their distress into relief, he also mentions that He likewise acts in other places, turning them from good to bad as a punishment for those who dwell in them, and from bad to good when they do the will of God, may He be blessed — to make known that everything is by His will and by His decree, and that He changes the natural order as He wills, not as the fools have supposed, that the affairs of men are governed by chance. And he says, "He turns rivers" — meaning, a place that has rivers and springs of water, He turns it into a wilderness and a place of thirst.
Metzudat David
"He turns rivers" — That is to say: besides these miracles, He performs additional wonders — a thing and its opposite — for He turns rivers into a dry place like a wilderness. "And watersprings, etc." — This repeats the matter in different words.
Metzudat Zion
"Thirsty ground" — a place of thirst and dryness.
Malbim
(verses 33-34) "He turns" — After speaking of the kindnesses of Hashem to individual people, he now speaks of His providence as it is seen over collectives — whether over whole states or over classes of people. Now, it is seen at times that, because of the wickedness of its inhabitants, He lays waste to settled lands: a place where there were "rivers, He turns" into "a wilderness," and the springs from which there were "watersprings" flowing into the rivers, "He turns to a thirsty ground," and thereby "a fruitful land" is turned "into a salt waste" — all this because of "the wickedness of those who dwell in it."
A fruitful land into a salt waste, For the wickedness of those who dwell in it.
verse value 1739
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 22 letters. The shortest word is "in·it" (בָֽהּ, 2 letters) and the longest is "into·a·salt·waste" (לִמְלֵחָ֑ה, 5 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "into·a·salt·waste" (לִמְלֵחָ֑ה), "from·wickedness·of" (מֵ֝רָעַ֗ת). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "land·of" (root ארץ, 157x in Psalms); "who·dwell" (root ישב, 58x in Psalms); "from·wickedness·of" (root רע, 53x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'into·a·salt·waste', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: אֶ֣רֶץ [land·of] (291) + פְּ֭רִי [fruit] (290) + לִמְלֵחָ֑ה [into·a·salt·waste] (113) + מֵ֝רָעַ֗ת [from·wickedness·of] (710) + י֣וֹשְׁבֵי [who·dwell] (328) + בָֽהּ [in·it] (7) = 1739.
Rashi
"into a salty waste" — To be like a salty land insofar as it does not produce fruit.
Ibn Ezra
'A land' — that was adjacent to the river and to the springs within it. 'Into a salt-waste' — [meaning] that it will not be sown and will not sprout. He mentions the reason Hashem does this, for He does not act for nothing, but because of the wickedness of those dwelling in it.
Radak
"A [fruitful] land" — likewise, a land that bears fruit, He turns it into a salt land where no grass at all can grow; and all this is because of the wickedness of those who dwell in it.
Metzudat David
"A fruitful land" — Then the land that produces fruit is turned into salty soil, so that it should not produce fruit. "Because of the wickedness" — That is to say: He does not do this for nothing, but rather because of the wickedness of its inhabitants, and He is paying them their recompense.
He turns a wilderness into a pool of water, And a dry land into watersprings.
verse value 1423
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 29 letters. The shortest word is "He·turns" (יָשֵׂ֣ם, 3 letters) and the longest is "into·a·pool·of·water" (לַאֲגַם־מַ֑יִם, 7 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "into·a·pool·of·water" (לַאֲגַם־מַ֑יִם), "dryness" (צִ֝יָּ֗ה), "into·springs·of" (לְמֹצָ֥אֵי). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·land·of" (root ארץ, 157x in Psalms); "wilderness" (root דבר, 133x in Psalms); "water" (root מים, 38x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'into·a·pool·of·water', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 4 words. Full calculation: יָשֵׂ֣ם [He·turns] (350) + מִ֭דְבָּר [wilderness] (246) + לַאֲגַם־מַ֑יִם [into·a·pool·of·water] (164) + וְאֶ֥רֶץ [and·land·of] (297) + צִ֝יָּ֗ה [dryness] (105) + לְמֹצָ֥אֵי [into·springs·of] (171) + מָֽיִם [water] (90) = 1423.
Rashi
"He makes a desert into a pool of water" — He makes a ruined settlement into a building and restores it to its original state.
Ibn Ezra
'He turns' — and the reverse of the matter: He turns a wilderness into a pool of water.
Radak
"He turns a wilderness" — and behold, He does the opposite for the righteous: He turns a wilderness into a pool of water for them, and a dry land into springs of water.
Metzudat David
"He turns a wilderness" — A dry place like a wilderness He turns into a place of pools of water. "And a dry land" — This repeats the matter in different words.
Metzudat Zion
"A pool of water" — the name of a place where water gathers. "Dry land" — desolation.
Malbim
"He turns" — and likewise it is seen conversely that at times He turns the wilderness into a pool of water, and a parched land, which is drier than the wilderness, becomes a source of water, from which springs of water emerge, through which the wilderness becomes a pool of water.
And there He makes the hungry to dwell, And they establish a city of habitation;
verse value 1762
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 26 letters. The shortest word is "there" (שָׁ֣ם, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·they·establish" (וַ֝יְכוֹנְנ֗וּ, 7 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "and·settles" (וַיּ֣וֹשֶׁב). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "there" (root שם, 119x in Psalms); "and·settles" (root ישב, 58x in Psalms); "and·they·establish" (root כון, 52x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'hungry', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: וַיּ֣וֹשֶׁב [and·settles] (324) + שָׁ֣ם [there] (340) + רְעֵבִ֑ים [hungry] (322) + וַ֝יְכוֹנְנ֗וּ [and·they·establish] (148) + עִ֣יר [city·of] (280) + מוֹשָֽׁב [dwelling] (348) = 1762.
Ibn Ezra
'And He causes to dwell,' 'the hungry' — for He sustained them in the parched land.
Radak
"And He caused [them] to dwell" — Those who had been hungry in another place, He settled in that very place, as if the place had become good on their account. "And they establish a city of habitation" — They established a city there, for the hungry ones whom Hashem desired came there from here and there.
Metzudat David
"And there He makes to dwell" — And in that place He settles people who had been hungry until then, without finding a place to sustain their souls. "And they establish" — And they establish that place to be an inhabited city, so that nothing should be lacking in it.
Malbim
(verses 36-38) "And there He makes the hungry to dwell," and they "establish" there "a city of habitation," and also "they sow" there "fields and plant vineyards." And corresponding to what he said, that they sow fields, it says "and they yield fruits of increase" — that the fields and vineyards produce fully ripened fruit, not unripe fruit. And corresponding to what he said, that they establish a city of habitation, it says "and He blesses them, and they multiply greatly" — that He blesses them with possessions, and they multiply in sons and daughters, and also their cattle does not decrease.
And sow fields, and plant vineyards, Which yield fruits of increase.
verse value 2516
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 33 letters. The shortest word is "fruit·of" (פְּרִ֣י, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·sow" (וַיִּזְרְע֣וּ, 6 letters). 6 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "and·sow" (וַיִּזְרְע֣וּ), "fields" (שָׂ֭דוֹת), "and·plant" (וַיִּטְּע֣וּ). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·make" (root עשה, 109x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'vineyards', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 3 words. Full calculation: וַיִּזְרְע֣וּ [and·sow] (299) + שָׂ֭דוֹת [fields] (710) + וַיִּטְּע֣וּ [and·plant] (101) + כְרָמִ֑ים [vineyards] (310) + וַ֝יַּעֲשׂ֗וּ [and·make] (392) + פְּרִ֣י [fruit·of] (290) + תְבוּאָֽה [produce] (414) = 2516.
Ibn Ezra
'And they sow fields of produce' — the opposite of [turning] a fruitful land into a salt-waste.
Radak
"And they sow" — They sowed fields there and planted vineyards, and they prospered, for the vineyards and fields produced fruit of increase. And the interpretation of "fruit of increase" — it lacks the conjunctive vav; [its meaning is] fruit and increase, and it is a doubling of the same idea in different words.
Metzudat David
"And they sow" — [This refers to] the fields and the vineyards. "Fruits of increase" — The vineyards produce fruit, and the fields produce grain.
He blesses them also, so that they are multiplied greatly, And suffers not their cattle to decrease.
verse value 1210
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 27 letters. The shortest word is "not" (לֹ֣א, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·He·blesses·them" (וַיְבָרְכֵ֣ם, 6 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "and·He·blesses·them" (וַיְבָרְכֵ֣ם), "and·they·multiply" (וַיִּרְבּ֣וּ), "and·their·cattle" (וּ֝בְהֶמְתָּ֗ם). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "not" (root לא, 174x in Psalms); "and·He·blesses·them" (root ברך, 76x in Psalms); "greatly" (root מאד, 35x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'greatly', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: וַיְבָרְכֵ֣ם [and·He·blesses·them] (278) + וַיִּרְבּ֣וּ [and·they·multiply] (224) + מְאֹ֑ד [greatly] (45) + וּ֝בְהֶמְתָּ֗ם [and·their·cattle] (493) + לֹ֣א [not] (31) + יַמְעִֽיט [He·decreases] (139) = 1210.
Ibn Ezra
'And He blesses them' — after they had been hungry.
Radak
"He blesses them" — in their wealth. "And they are multiplied greatly" — in children. "And suffers not their cattle to decrease" — meaning that there would be no loss of young among them — and all the more so, among their wives.
Again, they are minished and dwindle away Through oppression of evil and sorrow.
verse value 1221
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 23 letters. The shortest word is "evil" (רָעָ֣ה, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·are·diminished" (וַיִּמְעֲט֥וּ, 6 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "and·are·diminished" (וַיִּמְעֲט֥וּ), "and·dwindle·away" (וַיָּשֹׁ֑חוּ), "from·oppression·of" (מֵעֹ֖צֶר). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "evil" (root רעה, 25x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·dwindle·away', dividing the verse into phrases of 2 and 3 words. Full calculation: וַיִּמְעֲט֥וּ [and·are·diminished] (141) + וַיָּשֹׁ֑חוּ [and·dwindle·away] (330) + מֵעֹ֖צֶר [from·oppression·of] (400) + רָעָ֣ה [evil] (275) + וְיָגֽוֹן [and·grief] (75) = 1221.
Rashi
"Whereas they were few and they sank down" — But they, from the beginning, sank down and were few because of dominion, trouble, and sorrow.
Ibn Ezra
'And they diminish' — up to this point he mentioned that He destroys nations and settles wastelands; and now he relates that He impoverishes and enriches. And we find in the holy tongue that the verbs are mentioned without the subject being named, except at the end — as in: 'I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near' (Numbers 24:17) — and who is this? This is: 'a star that shall step forth out of Jacob' (Numbers 24:17). And more explicit: 'they looked to Him and were radiant' (Psalm 34:6), and another verse explains the attachment of the 'vav' to it, namely: 'this poor man cried' (Psalm 34:7). And so too here: 'and they diminish' — and who are they? They are 'the princes' mentioned afterward, in the second verse. And behold, [this] is the opposite of 'and He blesses them' [followed by] 'they diminish.' 'From oppression' (me-otzer) — [meaning] the womb, in the manner of: 'for Hashem had fast closed up' (atzor atzar Hashem) (Genesis 20:18) — the opposite of 'and they multiply'; and 'misfortune' (ra'ah) is the opposite of 'and He blesses them.' Now, 'misfortune' [refers to] illnesses of the body, and 'sorrow' [refers to] grief of the heart. Also, the 'vav' of 've-yagon' ('and sorrow') draws backward [to the earlier nouns], like 'ruby, topaz, and emerald' (Exodus 28:17) — [so it is to be read:] 'from oppression, and from misfortune, and from sorrow.'
Radak
"And they are diminished" — Now, when God, may He be blessed, wills it, their situation will be reversed, and this is on account of their sin, for they grew haughty from the abundance of their good fortune; and "they are diminished" is the opposite of "they are multiplied," mentioned [above]. "And they are bowed down" — the opposite of their formerly walking upright; now they will be gloomy and bowed down. "Through oppression, evil, and sorrow" — it lacks the conjunctive vav, and its meaning is "through oppression and evil"; "oppression" is the dominion of others that was upon them, and they will be bowed down beneath them. He says that they will be bowed down through oppression, and through evil, and through sorrow. "And evil" — this is bodily affliction and loss of wealth. "And sorrow" — this is grief of the heart.
Metzudat David
"Again, they are diminished" — That is to say: and so, conversely, because of their sin they are diminished and bowed down to the dust, from the evil that is held back and restrained among them, and from the sorrow that is upon them.
Metzudat Zion
"Dwindle away" — an expression of lowliness and bending, as in "beneath him the helpers of Rahab stoop" (Job 9). "Oppression" — an expression of detention, as in "let us detain you" (Judges 13).
Malbim
"And they are diminished" — and sometimes "they are diminished and bow down" through "the oppression of evil" — meaning that an evil dominion subjugates them; they are diminished in that it kills many of them, while those who remain bow down from grief. For (verses 40-41) "He pours out" — the oppressor and ruler who subjugated them pours contempt upon nobles and makes them wander, leading them into exile — just as happened when Nebuchadnezzar conquered Jerusalem: he exiled all the nobles of the people and killed many of them, while the poor of the land, who had nothing at all, he left to be vinedressers and plowmen. Then "He sets the needy safe on high from affliction," and they "become families, like a flock" — they are fruitful and multiply in the land, like a flock that is fruitful and increases very greatly.
He pours contempt upon princes, And causes them to wander in the waste, where there is no way.
verse value 1825
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 28 letters. The shortest word is "He·pours" (שֹׁפֵ֣ךְ, 3 letters) and the longest is "upon·princes" (עַל־נְדִיבִ֑ים, 8 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "upon·princes" (עַל־נְדִיבִ֑ים), "and·He·makes·them·wander" (וַ֝יַּתְעֵ֗ם), "in·a·waste" (בְּתֹ֣הוּ). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "not·way" (root דרך, 70x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'upon·princes', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 3 words.
Ibn Ezra
'He pours,' 'princes' (nedivim) — these are the honored ones, as in: 'to make them sit with princes, and inherit the throne of glory' (1 Samuel 2:8); therefore 'contempt' is the opposite of their honor. 'And causes them to wander' — for He confounds their understanding.
Radak
"Princes" — the honored rich, who were called "princes"; and now God, may He be blessed, turns their honor into shame and contempt. And it says "pours" — meaning, [He increases] abundant contempt and shame. "And causes them to wander in the waste, where there is no way" — for there is no counsel or stratagem for them to be saved from the evil that God, may He be blessed, brings upon them; and so they go about in darkness, in a waste, with no way.
Metzudat David
"He pours" — At times He brings great disgrace upon nobles. "And causes them to wander" — He makes them wander to go in a trackless waste, not on a straight path — that is, straying in their understanding.
Yet He sets the needy on high from affliction, And makes his families like a flock.
verse value 1917
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 29 letters. The shortest word is "and·makes" (וַיָּ֥שֶׂם, 4 letters) and the longest is "families" (מִשְׁפָּחֽוֹת, 6 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "and·sets·on·high" (וַיְשַׂגֵּ֣ב). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·makes" (root שים, 33x in Psalms); "from·affliction" (root עון, 30x in Psalms); "needy" (root אביון, 23x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'from·affliction', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: וַיְשַׂגֵּ֣ב [and·sets·on·high] (321) + אֶבְי֣וֹן [needy] (69) + מֵע֑וֹנִי [from·affliction] (176) + וַיָּ֥שֶׂם [and·makes] (356) + כַּ֝צֹּ֗אן [like·the·flock] (161) + מִשְׁפָּחֽוֹת [families] (834) = 1917.
Rashi
"and made him families like flocks" — He made [for] the needy the families of his children as numerous as flocks.
Ibn Ezra
'And He sets on high' — behold, the needy one is set on high. 'And makes [them] like a flock' — the subject of the verb is 'the needy one,' as in: 'they produce sons' [i.e., they multiply].
Radak
"And sets on high" — behold, He humbles the rich. "And the needy" — He sets him on high out of the poverty he was in; He sets him on high and exalts him — the opposite of "and they are bowed down," stated [above]. "And makes his families like a flock" — the opposite of "and they are diminished," stated [above]; that is to say, God, may He be blessed, makes the families of the needy multiply like the flock — meaning that there will be no barren or bereaved females among them, and they will multiply greatly. Now, flocks multiply far more than other cattle, and therefore He likened them to a flock. And it is also possible to interpret the sense of "and makes" as referring to the needy person himself, meaning that he begets many children.
Metzudat David
"Yet He sets on high" — That is to say: and so, conversely, He strengthens the needy person out of the poverty he was in, and causes him to bring forth many families, like flocks of sheep.
The upright see it, and are glad; And all iniquity stops her mouth.
verse value 1684
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 29 letters. The shortest word is "her·mouth" (פִּֽיהָ, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·all·iniquity" (וְכׇל־עַ֝וְלָ֗ה, 7 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "and·all·iniquity" (וְכׇל־עַ֝וְלָ֗ה), "stops" (קָ֣פְצָה). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "see" (root ראה, 100x in Psalms); "and·rejoice" (root שמח, 55x in Psalms); "her·mouth" (root פה, 46x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·rejoice', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: יִרְא֣וּ [see] (217) + יְשָׁרִ֣ים [upright] (560) + וְיִשְׂמָ֑חוּ [and·rejoice] (370) + וְכׇל־עַ֝וְלָ֗ה [and·all·iniquity] (167) + קָ֣פְצָה [stops] (275) + פִּֽיהָ [her·mouth] (95) = 1684.
Rashi
"shuts" — Heb. קפצה, closes up, like (Deut. 15:7): “and not close up (תקפץ) your hand.”
Ibn Ezra
'They shall see' — because most people think that Hashem judges them according to their deeds in this world, therefore the upright rejoice, for since they are upright, they are glad, and they do not worry or fear that such trouble as came upon the princes will come upon them; and they hope that good will come to them, as it does to the rest of the needy. 'And the sense of "all iniquity"' — all men of iniquity shut their mouths, for they have no answer when they see this.
Radak
"The upright see" — that they will see the vengeance [taken] on the wicked, and they will rejoice. "And all iniquity stops her mouth" — every man of iniquity will shut his mouth and be ashamed to speak, for he will see that God, may He be blessed, observes their ways, and their recompense returns upon their own heads.
Metzudat David
"The upright see" — The good that comes to the needy person. "And are glad" — When they see [an instance] of the providence of the Omnipresent. "And all iniquity" — Every unjust person will shut his mouth and be ashamed to speak, because he sees the wonders of [divine] providence.
Metzudat Zion
"Stops" — [meaning] it closes, as in "has He in anger shut up His compassions" (above, Psalm 77).
Malbim
"The upright see it" — those who walk straight in their understanding — they "are glad," for from all this they recognize Hashem's providence. "And all iniquity shuts its mouth," for they see that there is One who rewards and punishes.
Whoso is wise, let him observe these things, And let them consider the mercies of Hashem.
verse value 1348
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 29 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָֽה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "mercies·of" (חַֽסְדֵ֥י, 4 letters) and the longest is "and·let·him·keep·these" (וְיִשְׁמׇר־אֵ֑לֶּה, 8 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "who·is·wise" (מִי־חָכָ֥ם), "and·let·him·keep·these" (וְיִשְׁמׇר־אֵ֑לֶּה), "and·let·them·consider" (וְ֝יִתְבּוֹנְנ֗וּ). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 688x in Psalms); "mercies·of" (root חסד, 125x in Psalms); "and·let·him·keep·these" (root שמר, 73x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·let·him·keep·these', dividing the verse into phrases of 2 and 3 words. Full calculation: מִי־חָכָ֥ם [who·is·wise] (118) + וְיִשְׁמׇר־אֵ֑לֶּה [and·let·him·keep·these] (592) + וְ֝יִתְבּוֹנְנ֗וּ [and·let·them·consider] (530) + חַֽסְדֵ֥י [mercies·of] (82) + יְהֹוָֽה [Hashem] (26) = 1348.
Ibn Ezra
'Whoever,' 'let him observe these things' — that he should lay these matters upon his heart, in the manner of: 'mark the man of integrity, and behold the upright' (Psalm 37:37). 'And let them consider' — [meaning] the discerning shall consider the mercies of Hashem, like: 'and consider the wondrous works of God' (Job 37:14). And Rabbi Moshe said: that the mercies of Hashem will be [the object] considered.
Radak
"Whoso" — whoever is wise will heed these things stated in this psalm; he will keep them in his heart and recognize that everything is in the hand of God, may He be blessed, and that He raises up and casts down, makes rich and makes poor, wounds and heals. "And let them consider the mercies of Hashem" — which He does for those who do His will. For even though a person sees in this world peace for the wicked and evil for the righteous, if he considers the workings of the world, he will see, for the most part, that God is a God of faithfulness and there is no injustice in Him, and He gives to every man according to his ways. And as for the little that he sees not going according to [this] order, let him say in his heart that God, may He be blessed, knows why this is so, and we do not know — and let him attribute the ignorance to himself, and not attribute the injustice to God, may He be blessed.
Metzudat David
"Whoso is wise" — Whoever whose heart has moved him with wisdom, and who keeps these things in his heart, will come to discern the mercies of Hashem. That is to say: by laying these things upon his heart, the mercies of Hashem will be revealed to him, and he will understand them.
Malbim
"Whoso is wise" — who has accepted the laws of wisdom — he "will observe these things," for from this he will bring proof of Hashem's providence, and thereby "they will consider the mercies of Hashem" — that the world is not ownerless, but everything is by Hashem's kindnesses and providence.
Rashi
Ibn Ezra
Radak
Malbim