A Psalm of David. A plea for deliverance from pursuing enemies, joined to a humble confession that no one is righteous before Hashem, and a request for guidance, mercy, and rescue for His servant's sake.
Tap any Hebrew word to reveal its root, value, and meanings.
A Psalm of David. O Hashem, hear my prayer, give ear to my supplications; In Your faithfulness answer me, and in Your righteousness.
verse value 3635
Insights
Verse structure: 10 words, 51 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֤ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "hear" (שְׁמַ֬ע, 3 letters) and the longest is "to·my·supplications" (אֶל־תַּחֲנוּנַ֑י, 8 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "to·my·supplications" (אֶל־תַּחֲנוּנַ֑י), "in·Your·faithfulness" (בֶּאֱמֻנָתְךָ֥). 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 688x in Psalms); "of·David" (root דוד, 89x in Psalms); "hear" (root שמע, 76x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·my·supplications', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 3 words. Full calculation: מִזְמ֗וֹר [a·psalm] (293) + לְדָ֫וִ֥ד [of·David] (44) + יְהֹוָ֤ה [Hashem] (26) + שְׁמַ֬ע [hear] (410) + תְּפִלָּתִ֗י [my·prayer] (920) + הַאֲזִ֥ינָה [give·ear] (78) + אֶל־תַּחֲנוּנַ֑י [to·my·supplications] (555) + בֶּאֱמֻנָתְךָ֥ [in·Your·faithfulness] (513) + עֲ֝נֵ֗נִי [answer·me] (180) + בְּצִדְקָתֶֽךָ [in·Your·righteousness] (616) = 3635.
Rashi
"with Your faith" — to realize the promise that You promised me.
Ibn Ezra
'A Psalm of David. Hashem, hear my prayer' — the bet of 'in Your righteousness' is like the bet of 'answer me in a broad place, Hashem.' And the sense is: that You show Your righteousness.
Radak
'A psalm' — this psalm, too, is on the same subject as the one before it. And it says, 'Hashem, hear my prayer, give ear to my supplications; in Your faithfulness answer me, and in Your righteousness' — meaning: 'in Your faithfulness,' for You have made a promise to me, and Your word is true. 'And in Your righteousness' — for You are righteous and upright, and You will see that justice is with me, and wrongdoing is with my enemies.
Metzudat David
"In Your faithfulness" — To make true and confirm Your promise concerning me. "Answer me in Your righteousness" — If I have no merit of my own, answer me through Your righteousness.
Malbim
"A psalm of David" — This too was composed in the cave. "Hear my prayer" — this is the fixed prayer in which one prays concerning His general governance, like the Eighteen Blessings which the Men of the Great Assembly instituted, who arranged the praises of the Omnipresent first and last, with the request for general needs in between. And after the prayer one recites supplications, which are the needs of the individual, who requests particular things on his own behalf; therefore he says, "give ear to my supplications." And he explains, corresponding to "hear my prayer," "in Your faithfulness answer me" — for prayer concerning general matters is prayed on the basis of His faithfulness, that Hashem is faithful to uphold the general laws He established for the sustenance of life and for bringing down rain and the like, and He is obligated to do this because He created them: "whoever gives life gives sustenance, and whoever gives sustenance, gives it for the sake of life." So too the early rain and the late rain in their season — all of this He preserves for the world at large on account of His faithfulness. And corresponding to "give ear to my supplications," he explains, "answer me in Your righteousness" — for particular needs are not obligatory on the basis of faithfulness, but rather He does this on account of supreme righteousness, on account of His particular attributes: gracious, and merciful, and abundant in kindness.
And enter not into judgment with Your servant; For in Your sight shall no man living be justified.
verse value 1897
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 35 letters. The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֤י, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·do·not·enter" (וְאַל־תָּב֣וֹא, 7 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "and·do·not·enter" (וְאַל־תָּב֣וֹא), "with·Your·servant" (אֶת־עַבְדֶּ֑ךָ), "not·shall·be·just" (לֹֽא־יִצְדַּ֖ק). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "for" (root כי, 216x in Psalms); "before·You" (root פנים, 131x in Psalms); "all·living" (root כל, 82x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'with·Your·servant', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 4 words. Full calculation: וְאַל־תָּב֣וֹא [and·do·not·enter] (446) + בְ֭מִשְׁפָּט [in·judgment] (431) + אֶת־עַבְדֶּ֑ךָ [with·Your·servant] (497) + כִּ֤י [for] (30) + לֹֽא־יִצְדַּ֖ק [not·shall·be·just] (235) + לְפָנֶ֣יךָ [before·You] (190) + כׇל־חָֽי [all·living] (68) = 1897.
Ibn Ezra
'And... Your servant' — 'et' is like 'im' (with). And the sense: if I have sinned against You, do not enter into judgment with me now, for I have great distress from the enemy; and in general, no living being is justified before You — so how could I be justified?!
Radak
'And enter not' — now, while I am in great distress, do not enter into judgment with me; if I have sinned against You, do not punish me now, for You know that I am Your servant. 'For in Your sight shall no man living be justified' — if You were to look at all his deeds; and how then could I be justified before You?
Metzudat David
"Into judgment" — To deal with me according to the reward due my deeds. "For shall no man be justified" — If You repay according to [strict] reward, there is no one in the world who would be righteous before You; therefore, set aside strict judgment and act with righteousness.
Malbim
"And enter not into judgment with Your servant" — for it could also be imagined that one who supplicates would be brought to judgment, to weigh his deeds, whether he deserves by strict law that his request be fulfilled; he asks that He not bring him into judgment. And he explains that then the judgment would necessarily have regard to the debt that the created being owes his Creator, and then Hashem would enter into judgment with him — for then Hashem too would be, so to speak, the subject being judged, meaning that in this judgment one would have to weigh Hashem's greatness and the abundance of good He has done for the petitioner, to see whether he has served and merited in accordance with what he was obligated, in proportion to the greatness and exaltedness of the Creator. And by this reckoning, "no living being shall be justified before You," for in proportion to Your greatness and Your goodness, which are without limit, it would follow that the service owed would also have to be without limit — and it is impossible for a living being, who is finite, to render service without limit. Now he lays out the substance of his request.
For the enemy has persecuted my soul; He has crushed my life down to the ground; He has made me to dwell in darkness, as those that have been long dead.
verse value 2956
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 45 letters. The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֥י, 2 letters) and the longest is "in·darkness" (בְ֝מַחֲשַׁכִּ֗ים, 7 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "has·pursued" (רָ֘דַ֤ף), "has·crushed" (דִּכָּ֣א), "my·life" (חַיָּתִ֑י). 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "for" (root כי, 216x in Psalms); "to·the·ground" (root ארץ, 157x in Psalms); "of·old" (root עולם, 144x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'my·life', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 4 words. Full calculation: כִּ֥י [for] (30) + רָ֘דַ֤ף [has·pursued] (284) + אוֹיֵ֨ב [enemy] (19) + נַפְשִׁ֗י [my·soul] (440) + דִּכָּ֣א [has·crushed] (25) + לָ֭אָרֶץ [to·the·ground] (321) + חַיָּתִ֑י [my·life] (428) + הוֹשִׁבַ֥נִי [he·has·made·me·dwell] (373) + בְ֝מַחֲשַׁכִּ֗ים [in·darkness] (420) + כְּמֵתֵ֥י [like·dead·of] (470) + עוֹלָֽם [of·old] (146) = 2956.
Rashi
"For an enemy pursued my soul" — That is to say: If I have sinned before You, behold, I have suffered. This psalm was recited as referring to all of Israel in Babylon.
Ibn Ezra
'For... he has crushed' — alludes to disgrace and dishonor. And the sense of 'in dark places' is that he is hidden from His presence; or it likens the distress of the heart to one who sits in darkness and cannot see. 'As those long dead' — meaning those who died a long time ago.
Radak
'He has crushed my life down to the ground' — as if it were [flattened] to the ground, for it is close to death. 'In darkness' — [meaning] the recesses of the cave in which he sat, where there was no light; so he is like one dead, in darkness beneath the earth. And it says 'as those that have been long dead' — that is, those who died long ago: a person despairs of their revival and of their [seeing] light more than he despairs of the rest of the dead of recent times — even though neither group has any way of revival by the natural order — it mentions the ones more distant [in time], further from the possibility of revival, since their bodily form has already decayed.
Metzudat David
"For [the enemy] has persecuted" — That is, behold, my prayer concerns the fact that the enemy has pursued my soul. "He has crushed [my life]," etc. — He has beaten down my life, to bring it down to the ground. "He has made me to dwell" — The enemy made me dwell in a place of darkness, like the dead of old, who dwell in the darkness of the grave.
Metzudat Zion
"Crushed" [דכא] — an expression of "breaking" (שבר) and "pounding" (כתיתה). "My life" [חיתי] — that is, the soul, as it is written, "and man became a living soul" [ויהי האדם לנפש חיה] (Genesis 2).
Malbim
"For [the enemy] has persecuted" — meaning that the enemy touched him in both his parts. First: in his divine soul, in that he sought to make him sin and to drive him away from cleaving to the inheritance of Hashem; therefore he says, "for the enemy has persecuted my soul." Second: in the life of the body, "he has crushed my life to the ground," to the point that "he has made me dwell in darkness" — that is, the cave, where he sits in darkness "like those long dead," who are buried in the pit — so that I am lacking here, both in the perfection of my soul and in the life of my body.
And my spirit faints within me; My heart within me is appalled.
verse value 2575
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 27 letters. The shortest word is "upon·me" (עָלַ֣י, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·faints" (וַתִּתְעַטֵּ֣ף, 6 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "in·my·midst" (בְּ֝תוֹכִ֗י), "is·appalled" (יִשְׁתּוֹמֵ֥ם). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "upon·me" (root על, 120x in Psalms); "my·heart" (root לב, 74x in Psalms); "my·spirit" (root רוח, 31x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'my·spirit', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: וַתִּתְעַטֵּ֣ף [and·faints] (965) + עָלַ֣י [upon·me] (110) + רוּחִ֑י [my·spirit] (224) + בְּ֝תוֹכִ֗י [in·my·midst] (438) + יִשְׁתּוֹמֵ֥ם [is·appalled] (796) + לִבִּֽי [my·heart] (42) = 2575.
Rashi
"is appalled" — Heb. ישתומם, an expression of daze and astonishment, like (Ezek. 3:15): “and I remained there overwhelmed (משמים) among them seven days.” Also (II Sam. 13:20): “and Tamar sat, overwhelmed (ושוממה).”
Ibn Ezra
'And my spirit faints' — the thought of the soul, one part folding upon its other part. 'Within me' — the sense is doubled [repeated for emphasis].
Radak
'And [my spirit] faints' — we explained this in the previous psalm. 'My heart within me is appalled' — this repeats the same idea in different words.
Metzudat David
"And [my spirit] faints," etc. — My spirit, which is upon me, faints, and within me my heart is desolate and astonished.
Metzudat Zion
"Is appalled" [ישתומם] — an expression of "astonishment" (תמהון) and being "silenced" (מושתק), like "and I sat... appalled among them" [ואשב וגו' משמים בתוכם] (Ezekiel 3).
Malbim
"And it faints" — He pictures himself as one whose end has come to die, so that his spirit, which is his spiritual and psychic powers, wraps and hides itself within him; and likewise "the heart," which is the dwelling place of life, "is appalled within him," for it sees that its time is near.
I remember the days of old; I meditate on all Your doing; I muse on the work of Your hands.
verse value 2385
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 39 letters. The shortest word is "days" (יָמִ֨ים, 4 letters) and the longest is "in·all·Your·work" (בְכׇל־פׇּעֳלֶ֑ךָ, 7 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "I·meditate" (הָגִ֥יתִי), "in·the·work·of" (בְּֽמַעֲשֵׂ֖ה), "I·muse" (אֲשׂוֹחֵֽחַ). 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "days" (root יום, 121x in Psalms); "Your·hands" (root יד, 78x in Psalms); "I·remember" (root זכר, 64x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'in·all·Your·work', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 3 words. Full calculation: זָ֘כַ֤רְתִּי [I·remember] (637) + יָמִ֨ים [days] (100) + מִקֶּ֗דֶם [from·of·old] (184) + הָגִ֥יתִי [I·meditate] (428) + בְכׇל־פׇּעֳלֶ֑ךָ [in·all·Your·work] (252) + בְּֽמַעֲשֵׂ֖ה [in·the·work·of] (417) + יָדֶ֣יךָ [Your·hands] (44) + אֲשׂוֹחֵֽחַ [I·muse] (323) = 2385.
Rashi
"I remember the days of yore" — when You performed for us many wondrous miracles.
Ibn Ezra
'I remember' — the former days, when You saved me. And the word 'asochach' (I muse) is among the verbs with a hidden middle letter (a hollow verb), with the final letter doubled, like 'yechonen.'
Radak
'I remember' — when I am in distress and my heart is appalled within me, I remember the days of old, when You saved our fathers, who were in great distress, and I am comforted. 'I meditate on all Your doing' — on the wonders, the marvels, and the works of Your hands that You performed for them; I meditate, I speak, and I am comforted by them, and I say to my heart that You will do the same for me.
Metzudat David
"I remember" — When I remember the days that were mine from days of old, and when I think about all Your former works, and when I speak of the deeds of Your hands.
Metzudat Zion
"I meditate" [הגיתי] — an expression of "thought" (מחשבה), like "and the meditation of my heart" [והגיון לבי] (above, Psalm 19). "I muse" [אשוחח] — from the language of "conversation" (שיחה) and "speech" (דבור).
Malbim
"I remember the days of old" — And in this final moment, in which the soul is about to separate from the body, all that has happened to him in his life passes before his thoughts (as this image appeared above, in Psalm 38), until he remembers the days of old. "I meditate on all Your doing; I muse on the work of Your hands" — there is a difference between po'al ("doing") and ma'aseh ("work"): ma'aseh is a thing that has been completed, while po'al is the ongoing engagement with the thing. So too he reflects on matters in which he saw the "doing" of Hashem — how the hands of the Creator are still active and engaged in sustaining existence and preserving it through His continual providence; and likewise he muses on "the work of His hands," on the existence that stands complete, as Hashem created it during the six days of creation.
I spread forth my hands to You; My soul [thirsts] after You, as a weary land. Selah
verse value 2136
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 29 letters. The shortest word is "to·You" (לְךָ֣, 2 letters) and the longest is "like·a·weary·land" (כְּאֶרֶץ־עֲיֵפָ֖ה, 8 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "I·spread·forth" (פֵּרַ֣שְׂתִּי), "like·a·weary·land" (כְּאֶרֶץ־עֲיֵפָ֖ה). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "my·soul" (root נפש, 143x in Psalms); "to·You" (root אל, 112x in Psalms); "my·hands" (root יד, 78x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·You', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 4 words. Full calculation: פֵּרַ֣שְׂתִּי [I·spread·forth] (990) + יָדַ֣י [my·hands] (24) + אֵלֶ֑יךָ [to·You] (61) + נַפְשִׁ֓י [my·soul] (440) + כְּאֶרֶץ־עֲיֵפָ֖ה [like·a·weary·land] (476) + לְךָ֣ [to·You] (50) + סֶֽלָה [Selah] (95) = 2136.
Rashi
"like a weary land" — in exile.
Ibn Ezra
'I spread forth' — every supplicant who asks that something be placed in his hand accordingly says: 'my two hands.' And the sense of 'like a weary land' is: that it hopes for water; so too my soul hopes for You.
Radak
'As a weary land' — like a thirsty land that longs and hopes for rain, so my soul thirsts and hopes for You.
Metzudat David
"I spread forth" — Then I spread forth my hands in prayer, for my soul longs for Your work forever, without cease, like a weary and thirsty land that longs for water; that is to say, just as it was from of old, so it longs that it be forever.
Metzudat Zion
"Weary" [עיפה] — since one who is weary (עיף) is thirsty for water, he therefore used the term "weariness" (עיפה) figuratively, of a thirsty land upon which rain has not fallen.
Malbim
"I spread forth" — After he had brought to mind everything he had attained in his world from the deeds of Hashem and His works, he then prepares himself for expiring and parting from this life. "And I spread forth my hands" — in the manner of all living creatures, who spread out their hands at the time of expiring; and he depicts them as spreading [their hands] toward Hashem, to return to Him. Likewise, ("I spread forth") "my soul [thirsts] after You, like a weary land" — and it is ready to return to the dwelling place of eternal life. "Selah" — the conclusion of the matter.
Answer me speedily, O Hashem, My spirit fails; Hide not Your face from me; Lest I become like those who go down into the pit.
verse value 3899
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 49 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָה֮) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "hasten" (מַ֘הֵ֤ר, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·I·become·like" (וְ֝נִמְשַׁ֗לְתִּי, 7 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "with·those·who·go·down·to" (עִם־יֹ֥רְדֵי). 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 688x in Psalms); "Your·face" (root פנים, 131x in Psalms); "from·me" (root מן, 59x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'from·me', dividing the verse into phrases of 8 and 3 words. Full calculation: מַ֘הֵ֤ר [hasten] (245) + עֲנֵ֨נִי [answer·me] (180) + יְהֹוָה֮ [Hashem] (26) + כָּלְתָ֢ה [fails] (455) + ר֫וּחִ֥י [my·spirit] (224) + אַל־תַּסְתֵּ֣ר [do·not·hide] (1091) + פָּנֶ֣יךָ [Your·face] (160) + מִמֶּ֑נִּי [from·me] (140) + וְ֝נִמְשַׁ֗לְתִּי [and·I·become·like] (836) + עִם־יֹ֥רְדֵי [with·those·who·go·down·to] (334) + בֽוֹר [pit] (208) = 3899.
Rashi
"my spirit pines" — If one longs and does not attain, it is called the pining of the eyes and the pining of the spirit.
Ibn Ezra
'Speedily' — for my spirit has almost been spent, and I have become like those who go down to the pit. The sense is doubled; or, the phrase 'hide not [Your face]' is for a different reason, in the manner of 'before the mountains were brought forth' — meaning: let me not become like those who go down to the pit.
Radak
'Speedily' — for I am close to death; therefore it is necessary that You hasten to answer me, for my spirit fails; I am about to die. 'Hide not' — for if You hide Your face from me even a little, I shall be counted among those who go down into the pit. 'Cause me to hear in the morning' — the time of distress is called 'evening,' and the time of salvation, 'morning.' 'This way shall I go' — I shall flee from those who pursue me. 'I have lifted up my soul' — like 'and he sets his heart upon it' — expressing the sense of longing and hope.
Metzudat David
"My spirit fails" — Because of the greatness of the longing, my spirit almost failed from the body and departed from it. "Lest I be like" — That is, when You hide Your face, I will become like those who go down into the pit.
Malbim
"Speedily" — With this depiction, in which he portrays that there is but a hairsbreadth between him and death, the power of hope and trust is aroused, and he says, "answer me speedily, O Hashem," after "my spirit fails" — my spirit has already gone out, and he stands on the threshold of expiring. Likewise, "hide not Your face from me" — that You should not turn Your face from me even for a moment, for when You turn away from me, behold, I am already "like those who go down into the pit," for my life hangs by a hair.
Cause me to hear Your lovingkindness in the morning, For in You do I trust; Cause me to know the way where I should walk, For to You have I lifted up my soul.
verse value 3097
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 54 letters. The shortest word is "I·should·walk" (אֵלֵ֑ךְ, 3 letters) and the longest is "cause·me·to·hear" (הַשְׁמִ֘יעֵ֤נִי, 7 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "cause·me·to·hear" (הַשְׁמִ֘יעֵ֤נִי), "the·way·that" (דֶּרֶךְ־ז֥וּ). The root כי appears 2 times in this verse. 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "for·in·You" (root כי, 216x in Psalms); "my·soul" (root נפש, 143x in Psalms); "Your·lovingkindness" (root חסד, 125x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'I·should·walk', dividing the verse into phrases of 8 and 3 words. Full calculation: הַשְׁמִ֘יעֵ֤נִי [cause·me·to·hear] (485) + בַבֹּ֨קֶר [in·the·morning] (304) + חַסְדֶּךָ֮ [Your·lovingkindness] (92) + כִּֽי־בְךָ֢ [for·in·You] (52) + בָ֫טָ֥חְתִּי [I·trust] (429) + הוֹדִיעֵ֗נִי [cause·me·to·know] (155) + דֶּרֶךְ־ז֥וּ [the·way·that] (237) + אֵלֵ֑ךְ [I·should·walk] (51) + כִּי־אֵ֝לֶ֗יךָ [for·to·You] (91) + נָשָׂ֥אתִי [I·have·lifted·up] (761) + נַפְשִֽׁי [my·soul] (440) = 3097.
Rashi
"in the morning" — When the redemption sprouts. (I found.) "let me know the way in which I am to go; I lift up my soul" — that You accept my request.
Ibn Ezra
'Cause me to hear' — as if a voice called to me from on high, for from there He will show me kindness. And the sense of 'in the morning' is that most journeys and tasks begin in the morning. And the sense of 'to You have I lifted up my soul' is like: 'and to it he lifts up his soul.'
Metzudat David
"In the morning" — That is, rising early, with great alacrity. "The way where I should walk" — The path in which I should walk in order to be saved from the hand of the enemy. "I have lifted up my soul" — I lift my soul upward, to gaze upon You and trust in You.
Malbim
"Cause me to hear" — Now he arranges four requests. First: that his spirit should return to its sheath and he should remain alive, and for this he pleads, "cause me to hear Your lovingkindness in the morning" — as though the morning would shine out of the darkness of night, and with it a thread of lovingkindness, the tidings that Hashem has revived him; and this You shall do after "in You do I trust." Second: that You bring me out of the cave — "cause me to know the way where I should walk" — that I should leave this darkness, for "to You have I lifted up my soul," that You will guide me in paths of righteousness.
Deliver me from my enemies, O Hashem; With You have I hidden myself.
verse value 835
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 23 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֗ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֗ה, 4 letters) and the longest is "deliver·me" (הַצִּילֵ֖נִי, 6 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "I·have·hidden" (כִסִּֽתִי). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 688x in Psalms); "to·You" (root אל, 112x in Psalms); "from·my·enemies" (root איב, 71x in Psalms). Full calculation: הַצִּילֵ֖נִי [deliver·me] (195) + מֵאֹיְבַ֥י [from·my·enemies] (63) + יְהֹוָ֗ה [Hashem] (26) + אֵלֶ֥יךָ [to·You] (61) + כִסִּֽתִי [I·have·hidden] (490) = 835.
Rashi
"to You I have hidden" — My tribulations I conceal from all men to tell them to You.
Ibn Ezra
'Deliver me' — Rabbi Marinus, of blessed memory, said: that 'to You have I hidden myself' is like 'in You I have taken refuge.' But what seems correct to me is that the word for 'taking' reverses its sense depending on the letter (i.e., the preposition) that follows it, as in: 'take from among yourselves an offering.' And behold, the sense there is like [saying] 'give' — 'take for me,' meaning he should take it for his own need. Likewise 'turn aside to me' means that he should turn from his place and come to her; and the opposite of this is 'turn aside from me.' So too the word 'concealing': if he says 'shall I hide it from Abraham,' the sense is clear; but if he says 'shall I hide it to Abraham,' the matter would be reversed. And behold, the sense of 'Deliver me from my enemies, Hashem' is: that to You I reveal them in secret. And this is indeed the correct construction of the language: that I have hidden this matter from others, for I have no need to reveal it to them — could they help me? Only to You, to You alone, for You alone are able to deliver me.
Radak
'Deliver me... with You have I hidden myself' — he says, 'Deliver me from my enemies, Hashem,' for I have not revealed my grievance to people, since the salvation of man is worthless. 'With You have I hidden myself' — from them; and to You alone have I revealed [my grievance]. And this is the meaning of 'with You have I hidden myself': to You I have cried out in secret, hidden from people.
Metzudat David
"With You have I hidden myself" — I did not reveal my grievance to human beings, for the salvation of man is worthless; therefore I concealed it from everyone, to reveal it to You alone.
Malbim
"Deliver me. Third:" — that He deliver him from his enemies who lie in wait for him along the way. "With You have I hidden myself" — after I have hidden my path, my going out, and my coming in from every person, only You shall know my place, for You are the One who conceals my secret, which I have hidden with You from every person.
Teach me to do Your will, For You are my God; Let Your good spirit Lead me in an even land.
verse value 3417
Insights
Verse structure: 10 words, 47 letters. The shortest word is "Your·spirit" (רוּחֲךָ֥, 4 letters) and the longest is "teach·me" (לַמְּדֵ֤נִי, 5 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "Your·will" (רְצוֹנֶךָ֮). 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "in·a·land·of" (root ארץ, 157x in Psalms); "for·You" (root אתה, 115x in Psalms); "to·do" (root עשה, 109x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'good', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 3 words. Full calculation: לַמְּדֵ֤נִי [teach·me] (134) + לַ֥עֲשׂ֣וֹת [to·do] (806) + רְצוֹנֶךָ֮ [Your·will] (366) + כִּֽי־אַתָּ֢ה [for·You] (436) + אֱל֫וֹהָ֥י [my·God] (52) + רוּחֲךָ֥ [Your·spirit] (234) + טוֹבָ֑ה [good] (22) + תַּ֝נְחֵ֗נִי [lead·me] (518) + בְּאֶ֣רֶץ [in·a·land·of] (293) + מִישֽׁוֹר [level·ground] (556) = 3417.
Ibn Ezra
'Teach me' — accustom me, in the sense of 'a wild donkey accustomed to the wilderness.' And some say: that he pictured himself as being in the midst of the sea, and therefore asks for a good wind to give him rest and bring him out to land. Or, the letter bet is missing, and what is correct in my view is: '[Let] Your good spirit lead me,' with the verb form addressed to Hashem. And Rabbi Shlomo the Spaniard, of blessed memory, said: [it means] a power from the supernal spirit.
Radak
'Teach me' — he asked for the salvation of the body, and he also asked for the salvation of the soul, saying that [Hashem] should teach him and help him in the study of wisdom, so that he would know what the will of God, may He be blessed, is, and do it. 'For You are my God' — I acknowledge that Yours alone is the power and the ability, and You are the judge of the world and its guide. 'Your good spirit' — the power of the spirit of the beings on high. 'Lead me' — and guide me in a level land, that is, on a straight path in which I will not stumble.
Metzudat David
"Teach me" — Put it in my heart to do Your will, for You are my God, and it is in Your power to incline my heart toward You. "Your good spirit" — Your good will shall guide me in an even land, meaning that I will not stumble into sin, like one walking on level ground who does not stumble.
Metzudat Zion
"Your spirit" [רוחך] — an expression of "will" (רצון), like "behold I will put a spirit in him" [הנני נותן בו רוח] (Isaiah 37:7).
Malbim
"Teach me. Fourth:" — that instead of "the enemy has pursued my soul" in order to make me sin, "teach me to do Your will"; and since "You are my God," I ask that "Your good spirit" shall "lead me in an even land." He depicts the "even land" as an abstract entity dwelling in a particular land, and Your good spirit, which is the Holy Spirit, will lead me to that land, for there is the dwelling place of uprightness and equity.
For Your name's sake, O Hashem, quicken me; In Your righteousness bring my soul out of trouble.
verse value 2952
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 35 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֣ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. Verse gematria: 2952 is divisible by 18, the value of chai ('life'). The shortest word is "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֣ה, 4 letters) and the longest is "for·the·sake·of·Your·name" (לְמַעַן־שִׁמְךָ֣, 7 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "bring·out" (תּוֹצִ֖יא), "from·distress" (מִצָּרָ֣ה). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 688x in Psalms); "my·soul" (root נפש, 143x in Psalms); "bring·out" (root יצא, 35x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'quicken·me', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 4 words. Full calculation: לְמַעַן־שִׁמְךָ֣ [for·the·sake·of·Your·name] (550) + יְהֹוָ֣ה [Hashem] (26) + תְּחַיֵּ֑נִי [quicken·me] (478) + בְּצִדְקָתְךָ֓ [in·Your·righteousness] (616) + תּוֹצִ֖יא [bring·out] (507) + מִצָּרָ֣ה [from·distress] (335) + נַפְשִֽׁי [my·soul] (440) = 2952.
Ibn Ezra
'For the sake of' — so that Your name may be made known, or because I serve Your name.
Radak
'For Your name's sake' — so that Your name will be made great in the mouths of people, when You save me and revive me from the great distress I am in, close to death.
Metzudat David
"For Your name's sake" — so that Your name may be sanctified and magnified. "In Your righteousness" — Even if I have no merit of my own, nevertheless in Your righteousness You will bring my soul out of trouble.
Malbim
"For [Your name's] sake" — Now he explains his own words. Corresponding to what he said, "cause me to hear Your lovingkindness in the morning," is that "for Your name's sake, O Hashem, quicken me." And corresponding to what he said, "cause me to know the way where I should walk," which is that he should go out from the cave, he says, "in Your righteousness bring my soul out of trouble." And corresponding to what he said, "deliver me from my enemies," he said—
And in Your mercy cut off my enemies, And destroy all those who harass my soul; For I am Your servant.
verse value 2658
Insights
Verse structure: 9 words, 40 letters. The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֝֗י, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·in·Your·mercy" (וּֽבְחַסְדְּךָ֮, 6 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "and·in·Your·mercy" (וּֽבְחַסְדְּךָ֮), "cut·off" (תַּצְמִ֢ית), "and·destroy" (וְֽ֭הַאֲבַדְתָּ). 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "for" (root כי, 216x in Psalms); "my·soul" (root נפש, 143x in Psalms); "and·in·Your·mercy" (root חסד, 125x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'my·soul', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 3 words. Full calculation: וּֽבְחַסְדְּךָ֮ [and·in·Your·mercy] (100) + תַּצְמִ֢ית [cut·off] (940) + אֹ֫יְבָ֥י [my·enemies] (23) + וְֽ֭הַאֲבַדְתָּ [and·destroy] (418) + כׇּל־צֹרְרֵ֣י [all·who·harass] (550) + נַפְשִׁ֑י [my·soul] (440) + כִּ֝֗י [for] (30) + אֲנִ֣י [I] (61) + עַבְדֶּֽךָ [Your·servant] (96) = 2658.
Ibn Ezra
'And in Your mercy' — upon me alone. And the sense of 'for I am Your servant' is a support for the second interpretation of the verse: 'for Your name's sake, Hashem, quicken me.'
Radak
'And in Your mercy' — for I am Your servant, and they are not.
Metzudat David
"For I am Your servant" — and it is incumbent upon the master to rescue his servant from the hand of those who rise against him.
Metzudat Zion
"Cut off" [תצמית] — "You will destroy" (תכרית), like "and in their evil, cut them off" [וברעתם יצמיתם] (above, Psalm 54).
Malbim
"And in Your mercy cut off my enemies." And corresponding to what he said, "teach me to do Your will," he said, "and destroy all those who harass my soul" — who are the enemies of the soul; and this is fitting since "I am Your servant."
Rashi
Ibn Ezra
Radak
Metzudat David
Malbim