A Psalm of David. Praise of Hashem as rock, fortress, and trainer for battle, with a plea for rescue from deceitful foes and a blessing that Hashem grant the nation peace, plenty, and prosperity.
Tap any Hebrew word to reveal its root, value, and meanings.
[A Psalm] of David. Blessed be Hashem my Rock, Who trains my hands for war, And my fingers for battle;
verse value 1811
Insights
Verse structure: 9 words, 41 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֨ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "my·hands" (יָדַ֣י, 3 letters) and the longest is "my·fingers" (אֶ֝צְבְּעוֹתַ֗י, 7 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "for·the·battle" (לַקְרָ֑ב), "my·fingers" (אֶ֝צְבְּעוֹתַ֗י). 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 688x in Psalms); "of·David" (root דוד, 89x in Psalms); "my·hands" (root יד, 78x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'for·the·battle', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 2 words. Full calculation: לְדָוִ֨ד [of·David] (44) + בָּ֘ר֤וּךְ [blessed] (228) + יְהֹוָ֨ה [Hashem] (26) + צוּרִ֗י [my·rock] (306) + הַֽמְלַמֵּ֣ד [who·trains] (119) + יָדַ֣י [my·hands] (24) + לַקְרָ֑ב [for·the·battle] (332) + אֶ֝צְבְּעוֹתַ֗י [my·fingers] (579) + לַמִּלְחָמָֽה [for·the·war] (153) = 1811.
Ibn Ezra
'Of David: Blessed be Hashem' — he composed this psalm when Hashem had given him rest from all those around him, for such is the sense of the whole psalm. 'Who trains' — [means] 'who accustoms.'
Radak
'Of David' — David composed this psalm after he first became king, after he was victorious in the war against the Philistines and was delivered from the war with Israel and from the war with the Philistines. And he says, 'Blessed be Hashem, my Rock' — meaning, my strength, for He is the One who gives me strength and trains my hands for battle; and he repeats the idea in different words.
Metzudat David
"Who trains my hands" — Every victory that I achieve in war does not come by the strength of my own hand, for it is Hashem who trains my hands for war. "My fingers" — The matter is repeated in different words.
Metzudat Zion
"My rock" [צורי] — from the language of "rock, boulder" (צור סלע), meaning "my strength" (חזקי). "For battle" [לקרב] — an expression of "war," like "delight in war" [קרבות יחפצו] (above, Psalm 68).
Malbim
"Of David" — In this prayer he recalls that Hashem always delivered him from his enemies through His providence, and subdued peoples beneath him, and he asks that Hashem perform open miracles for him, so that all the peoples of the earth would see and fear Hashem. "Blessed be Hashem my Rock" — my strength is from Hashem. Among [the causes of] victory in war is "who trains my hands for war" — which is the warfare in which they fight the enemy at close range; "and my fingers for battle" — which is the warfare in which they fight from a distance, by means of arrows and bow.
My lovingkindness, and my fortress, My high tower, and my deliverer; My shield, and He in whom I take refuge; Who subdues my people under me.
verse value 2970
Insights
Verse structure: 10 words, 48 letters. Verse gematria: 2970 is divisible by 18, the value of chai ('life'). The shortest word is "and·in·Him" (וּב֣וֹ, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·my·deliverer" (וּֽמְפַלְטִ֫י־לִ֥י, 8 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "and·my·deliverer" (וּֽמְפַלְטִ֫י־לִ֥י), "and·in·Him" (וּב֣וֹ), "who·subdues" (הָרוֹדֵ֖ד). 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "my·people" (root עם, 135x in Psalms); "my·lovingkindness" (root חסד, 125x in Psalms); "I·have·taken·refuge" (root חסה, 25x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'I·have·taken·refuge', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 3 words. Full calculation: חַסְדִּ֥י [my·lovingkindness] (82) + וּמְצוּדָתִי֮ [and·my·fortress] (556) + מִשְׂגַּבִּ֢י [my·high·tower] (355) + וּֽמְפַלְטִ֫י־לִ֥י [and·my·deliverer] (215) + מָ֭גִנִּי [my·shield] (103) + וּב֣וֹ [and·in·Him] (14) + חָסִ֑יתִי [I·have·taken·refuge] (488) + הָרוֹדֵ֖ד [who·subdues] (219) + עַמִּ֣י [my·people] (120) + תַחְתָּֽי [under·me] (818) = 2970.
Rashi
"Who flattens peoples beneath me" — Who flattens and spreads out my people to rest in its place, as (Job 12:23): He spreads out (שוטח) the nations.” He makes them great. רוֹדֵד is the Aramaic translation of רוֹקַע, as the Targum renders (Exod. 39:3): וַיְרַקְעוּ, and they spread out; וְרַדִּידוּ. Others interpret הרודד, Who weakens peoples under me. But in an accurate revised version, [the reading is]: עמי, upon which the Masorah states: In three cases, the meaning is עמים, peoples, but the reading is עמי, and on תחתי, it says: the reading is תחתיו, under Him.
Ibn Ezra
"My lovingkindness" — Here I will give you a general rule: one may say "my God is my praise" or simply "my praise" alone, just as [one finds] "He is your praise" and "my God, my Rock; blessed is Hashem, my Rock" — and so too "my God of lovingkindness" or simply "my lovingkindness," and "my fortress." For the sense is the strength one receives from the One above. Thus "my lovingkindness" refers to my time of rest, and "my fortress" to my time of distress. "Who subdues my people" — he means that all [else] is nothing, for who can stand before the one whom Hashem helps?
Radak
'My lovingkindness' — [elsewhere] it says, '[my] God, my lovingkindness,' and it says, 'my God, my Rock,' and it says, 'my Rock,' and it says, 'my God, my praise,' and it says, 'He is my praise' — because in Him, may He be blessed, the [divine] name and the attribute are equivalent. And as for its saying 'to me' — coming after the first-person possessive suffix (the letter yod) — this is an added [word]. 'Who subdues my people under me' — the word 'horoded' (who subdues) means, according to its Aramaic Targum rendering, the same as 'vayarki'u' [they beat/spread out], and likewise 'redido.' 'My people' — like 'peoples,' though it is also possible to interpret it according to its plain sense, without the mem being missing, but rather that the yod is the first-person possessive suffix — referring to Saul and those who supported him.
Metzudat David
"My lovingkindness" — He is the one who deals kindly with me, and He is for me a strong fortress, and He is my high tower. "And my deliverer" — and He rescues me; and for further clarification it says "to me." "My shield" — He is for me a refuge like a shield. "Who subdues" — Who spreads out my people to be a bed beneath me, and they are subdued before me; and this is said concerning the family of the house of Saul, who were among his own people and became his enemies, and afterward fell into his hand and he ruled over them.
Metzudat Zion
"And my fortress" [ומצודתי] — its meaning is "a strong stronghold" (מבצר חזק). "Who subdues" [הרודד] — an expression of "spreading out" (שטיחה) and "beating out" (רקיעה); for [regarding] "and they beat the gold into thin plates" [וירקעו את פחי הזהב] (Exodus 39:3), Targum Onkelos renders "ורדידו"; and likewise "to subdue nations before him" [לרד לפניו גוים] (Isaiah 45:1).
Malbim
"My lovingkindness" — likewise, deliverance from the enemy is also through Hashem, and he explains regarding this three levels. First: at the time when I shut myself in from the enemy inside a strong tower, He is "my lovingkindness and my fortress" — He is the Master of lovingkindness, who receives me into His fortress and into His stronghold cities. Second: also at the time when the enemy finds me on the road before I enter the fortress, He is "my high tower and my deliverer" — from his hand to the fortress. Third: also at the time when I do not flee to the fortress at all, He is "my shield" against the arrows of the enemy, "and He in whom I take refuge." And besides this, He is "the One who subdues my people under me" — my dominion over Israel, too, is through Hashem. After this preface, he asks that Hashem not save him through hidden miracles, to the point that it would appear to the eye as though he were fighting in the manner of ordinary warfare, and made safe by fortress and shield; rather, it is fitting that He save them not through an intermediary, so that all would recognize that the hand of Hashem did this. And he prefaces by saying:
Hashem, what is man, that You take knowledge of him? Or the son of man, that You make account of him?
verse value 1743
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 28 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְֽהֹוָ֗ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "Hashem" (יְֽהֹוָ֗ה, 4 letters) and the longest is "and·You·account·him" (וַֽתְּחַשְּׁבֵֽהוּ, 7 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "what·is·man" (מָֽה־אָ֭דָם), "and·You·know·him" (וַתֵּדָעֵ֑הוּ), "son·of·man" (בֶּן־אֱ֝נ֗וֹשׁ). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 688x in Psalms); "and·You·know·him" (root ידע, 95x in Psalms); "what·is·man" (root אדם, 67x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·You·know·him', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 2 words. Full calculation: יְֽהֹוָ֗ה [Hashem] (26) + מָֽה־אָ֭דָם [what·is·man] (90) + וַתֵּדָעֵ֑הוּ [and·You·know·him] (491) + בֶּן־אֱ֝נ֗וֹשׁ [son·of·man] (409) + וַֽתְּחַשְּׁבֵֽהוּ [and·You·account·him] (727) = 1743.
Rashi
"what is man" — What are Persia [Esau, acc. to mss.] and Ishmael before You that You know them to lavish greatness upon them?
Ibn Ezra
"Hashem." "And You think of him" — for man is nothing; he is only a breath.
Radak
'Hashem, what is man, that You take knowledge of him?' — he says this in reference to Saul, who was king, and whose kingship was cut off in a short time. And the meaning of 'that You take knowledge of him' is like 'that You take account of him,' for the meaning of 'knowledge' in this place, and in similar cases, is recognition and providential care for good.
Metzudat David
"Hashem, what is man, that You take knowledge of him" — You, Hashem, of what account is man reckoned, that You cherish him? "That You make account of him" — that You reckon him of importance in the world.
Metzudat Zion
"That You take knowledge of him" [ותדעהו] — this is an expression of "affection" (חיבה), like "I know you by name" [ידעתיך בשם] (Exodus 33:12), for the one who cherishes another is the one who "knows" and recognizes him.
Malbim
(3-4) "Hashem, what is man" — and the statements are parallel: Hashem, "what is man, that You take knowledge of him? Man is like a breath" — for in himself he is nothing; "the son of man, that You make account of him? His days are like a passing shadow" — and besides this, he is "a son of man," who does not endure as an individual but only as a species, and therefore his days are like a passing shadow. And so there is no substance in him, and also he does not endure, and You do not need great effort to subdue him. And he also means to say: why should this vanity deny Your divinity?
Man is like to a breath; His days are as a shadow that passes away.
verse value 645
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 21 letters. The shortest word is "man" (אָ֭דָם, 3 letters) and the longest is "to·the·breath" (לַהֶ֣בֶל, 4 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "to·the·breath" (לַהֶ֣בֶל), "resembles" (דָּמָ֑ה), "passing" (עוֹבֵֽר). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "his·days" (root יום, 121x in Psalms); "man" (root אדם, 67x in Psalms); "passing" (root עבר, 34x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'resembles', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: אָ֭דָם [man] (45) + לַהֶ֣בֶל [to·the·breath] (67) + דָּמָ֑ה [resembles] (49) + יָ֝מָ֗יו [his·days] (66) + כְּצֵ֣ל [like·a·shadow] (140) + עוֹבֵֽר [passing] (278) = 645.
Rashi
"his days are as a fleeting shadow" — Solomon said (Ecc. 6:12): “that he do them like a shadow,” but he did not explain whether [this refers to] the shadow of a palm or the shadow of a wall, which are permanent. His father already explained, “as a fleeting shadow,” the shadow of a flying bird.
Radak
"Man" — What is the greatness of man considered [to be]? Behold, he is like a breath — something that does not endure, like the breath of the mouth. "Like a passing shadow" — Like a breath that passes quickly as the sun spreads out [i.e., as it rises]; or its meaning is: like the shadow of a bird passing as it flies.
Metzudat David
"He is like to a breath" — Is he not similar to the breath that goes out from the mouth, which has no substance? "As a shadow that passes away" — His days pass quickly, like this shadow which does not remain long in one place, for as the sun tilts, it moves on from its place; and this is said concerning Saul — of what account was he, for all the greatness and honor that he had? Did he not suddenly pass from the world and is no more?
Metzudat Zion
"Is like" [דמה] — from the language of "likeness" (דמיון).
O Hashem, bow Your heavens, and come down; Touch the mountains, that they may smoke.
verse value 1792
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 27 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְ֭הֹוָה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "touch" (גַּ֖ע, 2 letters) and the longest is "bow·Your·heavens" (הַט־שָׁמֶ֣יךָ, 6 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "bow·Your·heavens" (הַט־שָׁמֶ֣יךָ), "and·come·down" (וְתֵרֵ֑ד), "touch" (גַּ֖ע). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 688x in Psalms); "bow·Your·heavens" (root שמים, 71x in Psalms); "on·the·mountains" (root הר, 43x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·come·down', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: יְ֭הֹוָה [Hashem] (26) + הַט־שָׁמֶ֣יךָ [bow·Your·heavens] (384) + וְתֵרֵ֑ד [and·come·down] (610) + גַּ֖ע [touch] (73) + בֶּהָרִ֣ים [on·the·mountains] (257) + וְֽיֶעֱשָֽׁנוּ [that·they·may·smoke] (442) = 1792.
Ibn Ezra
"Hashem." "Bow" — alludes to the decrees that will come, that are destined [to occur] from the heavens. And the meaning of "touch the mountains" is with a descending fire. Hence "that they may smoke" — the sense is that the mountains, which stand firm, if You touch them, they will immediately smoke — how much more so man, who is [mere] breath.
Radak
"Hashem, bow Your heavens" — Similarly it says, "He bowed the heavens and came down," and this is all figurative speech, as if He, may He be blessed, comes down to destroy the wicked swiftly. He spoke this prayer concerning the kings of the nations who seek to make war against him. "[Touch] the mountains" — These are the kings, who are as strong as mountains, speaking figuratively. "That they may smoke" — When You send the fire of Your anger against them, smoke shall rise from them, just as smoke rises from something consumed by fire. And many people see the smoke of a fire but do not see the fire itself — so too with the destruction of the wicked: whoever does not see their destruction will hear of it and know.
Metzudat David
"Bow Your heavens" — As if to say: if the attribute of judgment struck Saul, how much more so the wicked; and therefore, bow Your heaven downward and descend upon it, and touch the mountains — these are the wicked who exalt themselves against Hashem — that they may go up in smoke, for the fire of Hashem shall burn in them; and this is a figurative expression, meaning: judge them with the judgment that is fitting.
Malbim
"Bow Your heavens, and come down" — to destroy him Yourself, so that all will see Your power; or, in any case, if You do not come all the way down, "touch the mountains, that they may smoke" — when You descend to the tops of the mountains.
Cast forth lightning, and scatter them; Send out Your arrows, and discomfit them.
verse value 2193
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 25 letters. The shortest word is "lightning" (בָּ֭רָק, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·scatter·them" (וּתְפִיצֵ֑ם, 6 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "flash" (בְּר֣וֹק), "lightning" (בָּ֭רָק), "and·scatter·them" (וּתְפִיצֵ֑ם). The root ברק appears 2 times in this verse. 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "send" (root שלח, 33x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·scatter·them', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: בְּר֣וֹק [flash] (308) + בָּ֭רָק [lightning] (302) + וּתְפִיצֵ֑ם [and·scatter·them] (626) + שְׁלַ֥ח [send] (338) + חִ֝צֶּ֗יךָ [Your·arrows] (128) + וּתְהֻמֵּֽם [and·discomfit·them] (491) = 2193.
Ibn Ezra
"Cast forth lightning" — in the manner of "and He sent forth His arrows."
Radak
"Cast forth lightning" — The lightning bolts and the arrows are the decrees that come down from heaven.
Metzudat David
"And scatter them" — from the greatness of the terror. "Your arrows" — these are the thunders.
Metzudat Zion
"Cast forth lightning" [ברוק ברק] — meaning, send forth the lightning. "And scatter them" [ותפיצם] — an expression of "scattering" (פזור). "And discomfit them" [ותהמם] — from the language of "confusion" (מהומה).
Malbim
"Lightning" — or, in any case, if You do not reveal Yourself directly but only through a messenger, "cast forth lightning" — which is the light that flashes from You — "and scatter them," so that they will see that the messenger comes from You. Or, if You do not wish to send even a spark of lightning from Your glory, in any case, "send out Your arrows, and discomfit them," in such a way that the arrow will be Yours — and even with this it will be enough to destroy them.
Stretch forth Your hands from on high; Rescue me, and deliver me out of many waters, Out of the hand of strangers;
verse value 1907
Insights
Verse structure: 10 words, 40 letters. The shortest word is "send" (שְׁלַ֥ח, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·deliver·me" (וְ֭הַצִּילֵנִי, 7 letters). The root יד appears 2 times in this verse. 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Your·hands" (root יד, 78x in Psalms); "many" (root רב, 67x in Psalms); "sons·of" (root בן, 62x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'many', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 3 words. Full calculation: שְׁלַ֥ח [send] (338) + יָדֶ֗יךָ [Your·hands] (44) + מִ֫מָּר֥וֹם [from·on·high] (326) + פְּצֵ֣נִי [rescue·me] (230) + וְ֭הַצִּילֵנִי [and·deliver·me] (201) + מִמַּ֣יִם [from·waters] (130) + רַבִּ֑ים [many] (252) + מִ֝יַּ֗ד [from·the·hand·of] (54) + בְּנֵ֣י [sons·of] (62) + נֵכָֽר [a·foreigner] (270) = 1907.
Rashi
"deliver me" — פצני, take me out. That is an expression of saving, and so is (verse 10): “Who delivers (הפוצה) David His servant.” (I found.)
Ibn Ezra
"Stretch forth" — like "stretch forth Your hands"; "He will send from on high." And he likened the enemy to "many waters," therefore he explains it as "from the hand of strangers."
Radak
"Out of many waters" — These are the mighty enemies; and afterward it explains, "out of the hand of strangers," for from now on, since he is king, he has no enemies except foreigners. And the meaning of "rescue me" (פצני) is like "deliver me" (הצילני), and it is related to the sense of "I have opened my mouth" (פציתי פי), which denotes an opening — for one who rescues a person from the hand of another has, as it were, opened him from his confinement.
Metzudat David
"Rescue me" — Rescue me by Your hand and save me from many waters; and for further clarification it says "from the hand of strangers" — these are the idol-worshippers who rose up against him.
Metzudat Zion
"Rescue me" (פצני) — an expression of opening, as in "I have opened my mouth" (פציתי פי) (Judges 12); that is to say, it released me from confinement and danger.
Malbim
"Send forth" — and if You do not wish to scatter them through Your particular providence, in any case the deliverance by which You save me shall be by Your own hand, without an intermediary — not through a high tower and fortress, but rather, "stretch forth Your hands from on high, and rescue me" — meaning that instead of hiding me within a fortress, You will free me from the enemies standing around me by lifting me up on high, out from among them; and thereby, "deliver me out of many waters, out of the hand of strangers" who surround me like a flood of water.
Whose mouth speaks falsehood, And their right hand is a right hand of lying.
verse value 2015
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 26 letters. Verse gematria: 2015 is divisible by 13, the value of echad ('one') and ahavah ('love'). The shortest word is "whose" (אֲשֶׁ֣ר, 3 letters) and the longest is "speaks·falsehood" (דִּבֶּר־שָׁ֑וְא, 6 letters). The root ימין appears 2 times in this verse. 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "speaks·falsehood" (root דבר, 133x in Psalms); "whose" (root אשר, 101x in Psalms); "their·mouth" (root פה, 46x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'speaks·falsehood', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: אֲשֶׁ֣ר [whose] (501) + פִּ֭יהֶם [their·mouth] (135) + דִּבֶּר־שָׁ֑וְא [speaks·falsehood] (513) + וִ֝ימִינָ֗ם [and·their·right·hand] (156) + יְמִ֣ין [a·right·hand·of] (110) + שָֽׁקֶר [lie] (600) = 2015.
Rashi
"Whose mouth speaks vanity, etc." — Scripture connects vanity with the mouth and falsehood with the right hand. When they come to tell with their mouth, they invent exaggerations of vanity, even to misrepresent what is known. If they come to stretch forth their right hand to swear, they refrain from vanity, lest they be caught as thieves, but they do swear falsely, for so is their lot.
Ibn Ezra
"Whose" — Ibn Bal'am said that "their right hand" (וימינם) is, in the Arabic tongue, [a term for] their oath. But correct in my opinion is that it is to be understood in its plain sense, meaning their strength and might. Thus "their mouth is falsehood" and "their strength is a lie" refer to speech and to deed, respectively.
Radak
"Whose mouth" — Refers to the foreign kings who exalt themselves against me with their words, saying, "We will do such-and-such to him" — their words are false and empty, since You will help me. Likewise "their right hand," meaning their strength and might, is a strength that is false and empty.
Metzudat David
"Whose mouth" — Because their mouth speaks falsehood, and the strength of their right hand is skilled at working deceit, and they did not prevail in faithfulness; but I am not so — and therefore, rescue me from their hand.
Malbim
"Whose" — and it is fitting that You do this, since "their mouth speaks falsehood," and they deny Your providence and attribute everything to chance; and on account of this, "their right hand is a right hand of lying," for they choose idolatry — and is there not falsehood in their right hand?
O God, I will sing a new song to You, Upon a psaltery of ten strings I will sing praises to You;
verse value 2437
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 33 letters. Notable word values: "God" (אֱֽלֹהִ֗ים) = 86, equal to Elohim. The shortest word is "to·You" (לָּ֑ךְ, 2 letters) and the longest is "I·will·sing·praises·to·You" (אֲזַמְּרָה־לָּֽךְ, 7 letters). The root שיר appears 2 times in this verse. 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "God" (root אלהים, 347x in Psalms); "a·song" (root שיר, 68x in Psalms); "I·will·sing·praises·to·You" (root זמר, 41x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·You', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 3 words. Full calculation: אֱֽלֹהִ֗ים [God] (86) + שִׁ֣יר [a·song] (510) + חָ֭דָשׁ [new] (312) + אָשִׁ֣ירָה [I·will·sing] (516) + לָּ֑ךְ [to·You] (50) + בְּנֵ֥בֶל [upon·a·harp] (84) + עָ֝שׂ֗וֹר [ten] (576) + אֲזַמְּרָה־לָּֽךְ [I·will·sing·praises·to·You] (303) = 2437.
Ibn Ezra
"O God, a new song" — concerning the lovingkindness by which You saved me. "Upon a ten-stringed psaltery" — I have already explained that it means "upon a psaltery, with ten [strings]."
Radak
"God" — Every time You renew Your wonders with me, I will compose for You a new song, with mouth and with instrument.
Metzudat David
"I will sing to You" — when I am rescued from their hand. "Upon a psaltery of ten strings" (be-nevel asor) — The vav is missing (i.e., elided), and its proper form is "be-nevel ve-asor" ("upon a psaltery, that is, a ten-stringed instrument"), and it is the name of a musical instrument having ten strings.
Malbim
"O God" — behold, therefore, "I will sing a new song to You" — not like the customary songs [sung] for deliverances that come by way of nature, but rather a new song for a miracle that departs from the natural order; "upon a psaltery of ten strings I will sing praises to You" — not upon a lyre and an eight-[stringed instrument], which signifies the music of the celestial spheres, which are eight, but rather upon [an instrument] of ten strings, which alludes to the number belonging to the world of the intellects, whose source is ten, as is known.
Who give salvation to kings, Who rescue David Your servant from the hurtful sword.
verse value 2670
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 37 letters. The shortest word is "evil" (רָעָֽה, 3 letters) and the longest is "to·the·kings" (לַמְּלָ֫כִ֥ים, 6 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "to·the·kings" (לַמְּלָ֫כִ֥ים), "who·rescue" (הַ֭פּוֹצֶה), "David" (אֶת־דָּוִ֥ד). 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "who·give" (root נתן, 95x in Psalms); "David" (root דוד, 89x in Psalms); "to·the·kings" (root מלך, 70x in Psalms). Full calculation: הַנּוֹתֵ֥ן [who·give] (511) + תְּשׁוּעָ֗ה [salvation] (781) + לַמְּלָ֫כִ֥ים [to·the·kings] (170) + הַ֭פּוֹצֶה [who·rescue] (186) + אֶת־דָּוִ֥ד [David] (415) + עַבְדּ֗וֹ [His·servant] (82) + מֵחֶ֥רֶב [from·the·sword] (250) + רָעָֽה [evil] (275) = 2670.
Rashi
"Who gives salvation to kings" — This speaks about the Rock of the Divisions, when David was close to being seized by Saul (I Sam. 23:27): “A messenger came to Saul, saying, ‘Make haste and go, etc.’” He saved Saul from shedding innocent blood, and David from being killed.
Ibn Ezra
"Who gives [salvation]." "Who rescues" — from the root of "and the earth opened [its mouth]," in the manner of "and He delivers us from our adversaries." "From the hurtful sword" — [the phrase] is elliptical for a vav, [as if it read] "and evil." Some say that "hurtful" is a description of "a camp" or "a company," or [that it means] "sharp."
Radak
"Who gives salvation" — Even though they are kings, they need God, may He be blessed, for their salvation. "Who rescues" — We have already explained its meaning under the word "rescue me" (פצני). "From the hurtful sword" — From the sword of Saul; and he called it a "hurtful sword" because he had no way to guard himself against it, since he [Saul] was a king and was one of our own people.
Metzudat David
"Who gives" — You are the one who gives salvation to kings, for despite all the strength of kings, they need Your salvation. "Who rescues David" — Although David himself said this, nevertheless he speaks as one speaking about another, and likewise, "And Hashem sent... and Samuel" (I Samuel 12), where it does not say "and me," even though Samuel himself said it. "From the hurtful sword" — this is the sword of Saul, and it is called "hurtful" because he did not refrain from pursuing him, for he was confident that David would not lay a hand against him, since he was the anointed of Hashem.
Malbim
(10–18) "Who gives" — meaning, that I shall sing to You for the general salvation that You give to kings, and for the particular salvation that You performed for me individually, in a more exalted matter. "Who rescues David His servant" — inasmuch as he is His servant, He rescues him with His own hand; and concerning this: "rescue me and deliver me" individually.
Rescue me, and deliver me out of the hand of strangers, Whose mouth speaks falsehood, And their right hand is a right hand of lying.
verse value 2832
Insights
Verse structure: 10 words, 46 letters. The shortest word is "from·the·hand·of" (מִיַּ֢ד, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·deliver·me" (וְהַצִּילֵנִי֮, 7 letters). The root ימין appears 2 times in this verse. 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "speaks·falsehood" (root דבר, 133x in Psalms); "whose" (root אשר, 101x in Psalms); "from·the·hand·of" (root יד, 78x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'speaks·falsehood', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 3 words. Full calculation: פְּצֵ֥נִי [rescue·me] (230) + וְהַצִּילֵנִי֮ [and·deliver·me] (201) + מִיַּ֢ד [from·the·hand·of] (54) + בְּֽנֵי־נֵ֫כָ֥ר [sons·of·a·foreigner] (332) + אֲשֶׁ֣ר [whose] (501) + פִּ֭יהֶם [their·mouth] (135) + דִּבֶּר־שָׁ֑וְא [speaks·falsehood] (513) + וִ֝ימִינָ֗ם [and·their·right·hand] (156) + יְמִ֣ין [a·right·hand·of] (110) + שָֽׁקֶר [lie] (600) = 2832.
Rashi
"Deliver me and rescue me" — As You delivered me then, so shall You deliver me now.
Ibn Ezra
"Rescue me" — [meaning] do so for me again, as You always do for me. In connection with the first [rescue] he mentioned "a new song," and in connection with the last he mentioned that they would dwell securely.
Radak
"Rescue me" — We have already explained it, for the matter is repeated in this psalm.
Metzudat David
"Rescue me" — Just as You rescued me from the hurtful sword of Saul, so rescue me from the hand of strangers who speak falsehood and act deceitfully; but I am not so.
We whose sons are as plants grown up in their youth; Whose daughters are as corner-pillars carved after the fashion of a palace;
verse value 3687
Insights
Verse structure: 10 words, 55 letters. The shortest word is "whose" (אֲשֶׁ֤ר, 3 letters) and the longest is "in·their·youth" (בִּֽנְעוּרֵ֫יהֶ֥ם, 8 letters). 9 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "our·sons" (בָּנֵ֨ינוּ), "like·plants" (כִּנְטִעִים֮), "grown·up" (מְגֻדָּלִ֢ים). 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "whose" (root אשר, 101x in Psalms); "our·sons" (root בן, 62x in Psalms); "grown·up" (root גדל, 22x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'like·corners', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 3 words. Full calculation: אֲשֶׁ֤ר [whose] (501) + בָּנֵ֨ינוּ [our·sons] (118) + כִּנְטִעִים֮ [like·plants] (199) + מְגֻדָּלִ֢ים [grown·up] (127) + בִּֽנְעוּרֵ֫יהֶ֥ם [in·their·youth] (383) + בְּנוֹתֵ֥ינוּ [our·daughters] (524) + כְזָוִיֹּ֑ת [like·corners] (443) + מְ֝חֻטָּב֗וֹת [carved] (465) + תַּבְנִ֥ית [pattern·of] (862) + הֵיכָֽל [palace] (65) = 3687.
Rashi
"For our sons are, etc." — That is to say that now too this generation is righteous. "our sons are like saplings" — which have no blemish, so pure are they from sin. (I found.) "grown up in their youth" — with this good name, that they are like saplings in their youth, growing all their lives; and this praise cannot be substantiated except in the generation of Hezekiah. "our daughters" — are of tall, beautiful stature like the cornerstones of a stone house, in which the cornerstones are placed exactly one opposite the other, and it ascends upward until the corners are even. "praised as the form of the Temple" — Praised by those who see them and compare them to the form of the height of the Temple. Our Rabbis, however, explained: "Our daughters are like corners" — Full of desire as the corners of the altar are full of blood, but they are intimate only with their husbands.
Ibn Ezra
"Whose sons" — they are grown up in their youth, like saplings. "Our daughters are as corner-pillars" — like the palace of a king, [whose pillars] are carved and decorated. "Carved" — like "the striped cloth of Egypt." "The fashion of a palace" — the sense is repeated [for emphasis].
Radak
"Our sons" — For all my affairs are in good order, provided only that You rescue me from the hand of foreigners; for among us You have sent blessing in the fruit of our womb, and in the fruit of our land, and in the fruit of our cattle — and all three are mentioned in this psalm just as they are mentioned in the Torah, in the blessings: "Blessed is the fruit of your womb, and the fruit of your land, and the fruit of your cattle." And it says that our [sons] are among us like plants — like plants that grow beside abundant water, in a place of richness and fatness — so our sons grow up in their youth in great goodness, in upright faith, and in good deeds. Likewise our daughters grow up in goodness and are beautiful in appearance, comely in their stature, like the corners of a palace — that is, the corners of a mansion, in which are set hewn cornerstones, finely carved with delicate workmanship, until, because of how straight and finely hewn they are, all the corner stones appear as though they were all a single stone. So the daughters are beautiful and comely in their form, like the pattern of a palace.
Metzudat David
"Whose sons" — meaning, we are worthy of salvation, for our sons are like the saplings of trees, fair and cleansed of the blemish of sin. "Grown up in their youth" — for indeed they are raised in the fear of sin from the days of their youth, as it is said, "Train up a child..." etc., "even when he is old, he will not depart from it" (Proverbs 22:6). "Our daughters are as corner-pillars" — Like the corners of a building, made of hewn stones cut with great precision until they appear as a single stone, and they are in the likeness of the pattern of the stones of the building of a king's palace, which are very finely hewn; meaning, just as such corners appear beautiful, without any crooked place, so in our daughters there is found nothing crooked, nor any hint of transgression or immorality.
Metzudat Zion
"Carved" (מחוטבות) — an expression of cutting and hewing, as in "the hewer of your wood" (מחוטב עציך) (Deuteronomy 29). "After the fashion" (תבנית) — [meaning] a likeness.
Malbim
"That our sons" — they are compared "like plants" that are "grown up in their youth": for with a sapling, if care is taken with it at first so that it grows straight, it will become a straight tree, but if it becomes bent while still tender, it will become a crooked tree; so too the sons must be straightened in their youth, and then, even when he grows old, he will walk in the straight path. "Our daughters" are compared "like corner-pillars" that are "carved after the fashion of a palace": for the design of the palace is taken from its corners, if they are made straight — so they [the daughters] are modest, sitting in the innermost parts of the house, and nevertheless they give the design for the whole palace, and according to their righteousness will be the conduct of the household in general. "Our garners" — all the corners are full; that is, they are "full, affording all manner of store" — full of every kind of food, and they bring out food to the members of the household and to the poor. And he is not like a man to whom Hashem gives wealth and possessions but does not empower him to eat from it. "Our sheep increasing by thousands and ten thousands in our fields."
Whose garners are full, affording all manner of store; Whose sheep increase by thousands and ten thousands in our fields;
verse value 2703
Insights
Verse structure: 9 words, 52 letters. The shortest word is "from·kind" (מִזַּ֗ן, 3 letters) and the longest is "in·our·fields" (בְּחוּצוֹתֵֽינוּ, 9 letters). 8 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "our·garners" (מְזָוֵ֣ינוּ), "full" (מְלֵאִים֮), "affording" (מְפִיקִ֥ים). 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "full" (root מלא, 30x in Psalms). 6 of the verse's 9 words begin with the letter מ. Full calculation: מְזָוֵ֣ינוּ [our·garners] (119) + מְלֵאִים֮ [full] (121) + מְפִיקִ֥ים [affording] (280) + מִזַּ֗ן [from·kind] (97) + אֶ֫ל־זַ֥ן [to·kind] (88) + צֹאונֵ֣נוּ [our·sheep] (203) + מַ֭אֲלִיפוֹת [increasing·by·thousands] (567) + מְרֻבָּב֗וֹת [increasing·by·ten-thousands] (650) + בְּחוּצוֹתֵֽינוּ [in·our·fields] (578) = 2703.
Rashi
"Our corners are full" — The corners of our storehouses are full of goodness. "supplying from harvest to harvest" — Supplying food from year to year. "from harvest to harvest" — Heb. מזן אל זן, from the time of the ingathering of this year’s food until the time of the ingathering of next year’s food. זַן is gouvernayl in Old French, food, provisions. "produce thousands, yea, ten thousands" — They produce offspring of thousands and ten thousands.
Ibn Ezra
"Our garners" — the corners of our houses are full. "Affording" — alludes to servants. "From kind to kind" — [meaning] species, as in the Targum's rendering of "according to its kind" as "lezanohi." Likewise "spiced wines" — and the sense [here] is: kinds of wheat, rice, millet, and the like. Some say it is from the root of "sustenance" (מזון); and this commentator said that the word "affording" refers back to "our garners," and its meaning fits the context without a connective. "Our sheep bring forth thousands" — [meaning they] yield a thousand each. "And ten thousands" — from the root of "ten thousand," by a higher power. And the sense is: our sheep that were "bringing forth thousands" have become "bringing forth ten thousands."
Radak
"Our garners" — [Related to] the corners of the house, meaning: in every corner of the house there is [some] type of produce, and there is so much produce of every type that they intermingle with one another. And the meaning of "affording" (מפיקים) is "bringing forth," as in "and obtains favor from Hashem," which means "and brings forth." It is also possible to explain it: the members of the household transfer [produce] of one kind into [the place of] another kind, because each kind is so abundant that the house cannot hold them if each kind were kept by itself, separately. "Zan" (זן) means "kind, type" — it is rendered [in the Aramaic translation] as "to its kind" (לזנוהי). "By thousands and ten thousands" — They give birth by the thousands and by the ten thousands, until they fill our streets with them.
Metzudat David
"Our garners" — The custom is to place the produce in the middle of the storeroom, and when it is plentiful, even the corners become filled; therefore it says "our garners are full," etc., meaning: because of this we are worthy that the corners of our grain-storerooms be full of produce, so that they may bring forth from them for sustenance from the time of this year's harvest until the time of the harvest of the following year, without lacking for all the days of the year. "Our sheep increase by thousands" — the flocks shall multiply in our streets by the thousands and by the ten-thousands.
Metzudat Zion
"Our garners" (מזוינו) — related to the word "corners" (זויות). "Affording" (מפיקים) — [meaning] bringing them forth, as in "and obtains favor" (ויפק רצון) (Proverbs 8:35). "Of every kind" (מזן) — related to the words "feeding" (הזנה) and "sustenance" (מזון). (Verse 14) "Our oxen" (אלופינו) — these are the cattle, as also "the offspring of your cattle" (שגר אלפיך) (Deuteronomy 7).
Whose oxen are well laden; With no breach, and no going forth, And no outcry in our broad places;
verse value 2224
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 44 letters. The shortest word is "and·no" (וְאֵ֣ין, 4 letters) and the longest is "in·our·broad·places" (בִּרְחֹבֹתֵֽינוּ, 8 letters). Words sharing gematria 67: and·no, and·no. 6 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "our·oxen" (אַלּוּפֵ֗ינוּ), "laden" (מְֽסֻבָּ֫לִ֥ים), "no·breach" (אֵֽין־פֶּ֭רֶץ). The root אין appears 3 times in this verse. 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "no·breach" (root אין, 67x in Psalms); "going·forth" (root יצא, 35x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'going·forth', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 3 words. Full calculation: אַלּוּפֵ֗ינוּ [our·oxen] (183) + מְֽסֻבָּ֫לִ֥ים [laden] (182) + אֵֽין־פֶּ֭רֶץ [no·breach] (431) + וְאֵ֣ין [and·no] (67) + יוֹצֵ֑את [going·forth] (507) + וְאֵ֥ין [and·no] (67) + צְ֝וָחָ֗ה [outcry] (109) + בִּרְחֹבֹתֵֽינוּ [in·our·broad·places] (678) = 2224.
Rashi
"Our princes are borne" — The great princes among us are borne by those smaller than they, for the small ones obey the greater ones, the result being that there is no breach among us. "nor rumor going out" — No bad news goes far away. "nor is there a cry" — There is no sound of the confusion of war.
Ibn Ezra
"Our oxen" — like "the offspring of your cattle," and similarly "like a docile lamb." "Well laden" — for they bear the loaded wagons. "No breach" — in the walls of the city. "And none going forth" — from the great, well-known gates. "And no outcry in our streets" — for such was their custom when bad news came, that Israel had been struck down before its enemies.
Radak
"Our oxen" (אלופינו) — [Means] our cattle (שורינו); so too, "the offspring of your cattle" (שגר אלפיך), and "a docile lamb" (כבש אלוף). "Well laden" — Meaning: our cattle are strong and full-bodied, and able to bear the burden of their labor in plowing and in pulling wagons; or its meaning is that some of them are laden with [much] flesh. "With no breach, and none going forth" — Not a single soul goes out into captivity, neither from our people nor from our cattle. "And no outcry" — No outcry is heard in our streets, that is, no one cries out in our streets saying, "Israel has been struck down in battle!" — for all the days that David reigned, Israel was never struck down before their enemies.
Metzudat David
"Our oxen are well laden" — our oxen will be laden with a heavy burden, meaning they will be fat and full of flesh, as if it were reckoned upon them as a burden. "No breach" — no breach shall come, neither upon us nor upon our cattle. "And no going forth" — no soul among them shall go forth into captivity. "And no outcry" — no sound of outcry shall be heard in our streets on account of any terror or fear, for it shall not be among us.
Metzudat Zion
"Well laden" (מסבלים) — an expression of carrying a burden, as in "a bearer of burdens" (נושא סבל) (I Kings 5). "Breach" (פרץ) — related to the word "breach" (פרצה). "Outcry" (צוחה) — an expression of crying out over distress, as in "and the cry of Jerusalem has gone up" (וצוחת ירושלים עלתה) (Jeremiah 14:2).
Malbim
"Our oxen" — the oxen trained for plowing are "well laden" with the work of the field, for we have much work. "No" — he explains: because our sons are like plants, etc., "there is no breach," for they keep the paths of justice; and because our daughters are like corner-pillars, "none going forth" to harlotry and bad conduct, for they are all modest; and because our garners are full, "no outcry" over lack of bread and food.
Happy is the people that is in such a case. Indeed, happy is the people whose God is Hashem.
verse value 2011
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 30 letters. Notable word values: "to·him" (לּ֑וֹ) = 36, double chai. The shortest word is "to·him" (לּ֑וֹ, 2 letters) and the longest is "that·Hashem" (שֱׁיְהֹוָ֥ה, 5 letters). Words sharing gematria 511: happy·is, happy·is. 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "that·is·thus" (שֶׁכָּ֣כָה), "that·Hashem" (שֱׁיְהֹוָ֥ה). The root אשר appears 2 times in this verse. 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "that·Hashem" (root יהוה, 688x in Psalms); "his·God" (root אלהים, 347x in Psalms); "the·people" (root עם, 135x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·him', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 4 words. Full calculation: אַשְׁרֵ֣י [happy·is] (511) + הָ֭עָם [the·people] (115) + שֶׁכָּ֣כָה [that·is·thus] (345) + לּ֑וֹ [to·him] (36) + אַֽשְׁרֵ֥י [happy·is] (511) + הָ֝עָ֗ם [the·people] (115) + שֱׁיְהֹוָ֥ה [that·Hashem] (326) + אֱלֹהָֽיו [his·God] (52) = 2011.
Rashi
"Praiseworthy is the people that has this" — That has all this good.
Ibn Ezra
"Happy" — and why did all this good come to him? Because Hashem is his God.
Radak
"Happy is the people that is in such a case" — That this success belongs to them. And why did this people have this success? Because Hashem is their God — therefore, happy are they, for Hashem is their God.
Metzudat David
"Happy is the people" — Praiseworthy is the people that has so much good in its possession, and praiseworthy is the people whose God is Hashem, in whose power it is to bestow abundant good as a reward for deeds, for His hand is not shortened.
Metzudat Zion
"Happy" (אשרי) — an expression of praise, as in "Happy is the man" (אשרי האיש) (above, Psalm 1).
Malbim
"Happy" — this refers back to what was said, "that our sons..."; meaning, because our sons are like plants, etc., and we have all these virtues, "happy is the people that is in such a case." However, the essence of our happiness is that Hashem is its God, for all this comes to us through the fact that Hashem walks in our midst, and He is our God and we are His people and the flock of His pasture.
Ibn Ezra
Radak
Metzudat David
Metzudat Zion
Malbim