For the Leader. A Psalm of David the servant of Hashem, sung after his deliverance from Saul and all his enemies. A triumphant song of thanksgiving praising Hashem as rock, fortress, and deliverer.
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For the Leader. [A Psalm] of David the servant of Hashem, who spoke to Hashem the words of this song in the day that Hashem delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul;
verse value 3955
Insights
Verse structure: 16 words, 77 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֗ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "who" (אֲשֶׁ֤ר, 3 letters) and the longest is "Hashem·delivered·him" (הִֽצִּיל־יְהֹוָ֘ה־אוֹת֥וֹ, 12 letters). 6 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "the·words·of" (אֶת־דִּ֭בְרֵי), "the·song" (הַשִּׁירָ֣ה), "this" (הַזֹּ֑את). The root יהוה appears 3 times in this verse. 13 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 688x in Psalms); "spoke" (root דבר, 133x in Psalms); "in·the·day·of" (root יום, 121x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'this', dividing the verse into phrases of 10 and 6 words.
Rashi
"on the day the Lord saved him etc." — When he became old and all his troubles had already passed over him and he was saved from them. "and from the hand of Saul" — Was not Saul included? But [he is mentioned specifically] because he was the harshest to him and pursued him more than all of them. Similarly, you say (in Josh. 2:1): “see the land and Jericho.”
Ibn Ezra
"For the leader" — the sense of "servant of Hashem" is that he kept His ways, as in "for I have kept the ways of Hashem" (v. 22), "Hashem rewarded me according to my righteousness" (v. 21). And he composed this song when his men made him swear that he would no longer go out with them to war (2 Samuel 21:17), and he mentioned Saul among his enemies.
Radak
"For the leader; of the servant of Hashem" — whoever places all his strength and intention in the blessed God in all his affairs is called "a servant of Hashem." "Of David" — David, wherever he went and wherever he turned, his intention and his trust were in the blessed God in every matter, like a servant who looks to the hand of his master. "Who spoke to Hashem the words of this song on the day that Hashem delivered him" — He was "delivering him" in every situation of danger he was in, like a master "who delivers his servant"; therefore he says in this psalm, "of the servant of Hashem." This song is written in the Book of Samuel (II Samuel 22), except that it differs from this version in several words, though the meaning is the same. David composed this song at the end of his days, when Hashem had given him rest from all his enemies. And he said: "From the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul" — for Saul was equal in weight to all his enemies.
Metzudat David
"On the day that [Hashem] delivered" — in his old age, when he was saved from all afflictions; or, at any time that he was saved from some trouble, he would then sing this song.
Malbim
"For the Leader" — in this psalm (in which he gives thanks that Hashem saved him from the hand of all his enemies, in the many wars that he waged, and from the hand of Saul in particular, from whom he was in greater danger than from all of them), he relates two kinds of matters in Hashem's dealings with him: (1) the time of tranquility, when no trouble or fear of an enemy reached him at all, at which time he blesses Him for the good, that Hashem guarded him so that no evil at all would come upon him; (2) the time when many evils and troubles came upon him. And regarding this he relates two kinds of providence and salvation: (a) providence by means of nature — this is when he is not worthy on account of his deeds, but only that Hashem saves him through his prayer, in which case He saves him by natural means; (b) providence and salvation through open miracles above the way of nature, when he is worthy of this on account of his deeds, in which case prayer is not needed at all, for Hashem is with him to grant him a miracle, to be raised as a banner.
Verse structure: 4 words, 18 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֣ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֣ה, 4 letters) and the longest is "and·said" (וַיֹּאמַ֡ר, 5 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "I·love·You" (אֶרְחׇמְךָ֖), "my·strength" (חִזְקִֽי). 4 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 688x in Psalms); "and·said" (root אמר, 111x in Psalms). First appearance of the root רחם ("I·love·You") in Psalms. First appearance of the root חזק ("my·strength") in Psalms. Full calculation: וַיֹּאמַ֡ר [and·said] (257) + אֶרְחׇמְךָ֖ [I·love·You] (269) + יְהֹוָ֣ה [Hashem] (26) + חִזְקִֽי [my·strength] (125) = 677.
Rashi
"I love You" — Heb. ארחמך, I love You, as the Targum renders (Lev. 19:18): “and you shall love your neighbor,” ותרחם.
Ibn Ezra
"And he said" — the word "racham" [compassion] throughout the entire Bible is in the heavy [intensive] conjugation. "And I will love You" — is from the light [simple] conjugation, and is not a transitive verb, in the manner of (Jeremiah 10:20) "my sons have gone out from me," [meaning] "they have gone out from me"; [or] "You have overpowered me" (Jeremiah 20:7), [meaning] "You are stronger than me" — and this means: "I seek mercy from You." And some say: it is like the Targum's rendering of "I love You."
Radak
"And he said, I love You (אֶרְחָמְךָ)" — the chet is vocalized with a chataf-kamatz, on the pattern of "I will remember You (אֶזְכָּרְךָ) from the land of the Jordan" (Psalms 42:7); and its meaning is "I will love You." The Targum renders "and he loved" (Genesis 25:28) as "וְרָחִים." Love is the furthest a person can go in this world to draw close to the Creator; so too it says, "the seed of Abraham who loved Me" (Isaiah 41:8). Fear precedes love; and when a person accustoms himself to fear, he comes to love, so that he serves the Creator out of love, even if he has no reward for it. And some (Ibn Ezra and others) explain "אֶרְחָמְךָ" as meaning "I seek mercy from You." "Hashem is my strength (חִזְקִי)" — the chet has a chirik, and it is from the root "strong" (חָזָק); and even though this exact form is not otherwise found, if it were from "חֹזֶק" it would be vocalized "חָזְקִי" with a chataf-kamatz, like "is it not by our own strength (בְּחָזְקֵנוּ)?" (Amos 6:13).
Metzudat Zion
"I love You" (erchamcha) — an expression of love and affection.
Malbim
"I love You" [ארחמך] — I fill You with compassion; You are "Hashem, my strength" (for Hashem cannot be affected, and compassion — the being-moved that the compassionate one feels when he sees a crushed person — does not properly apply to Him). I am the recipient on whose account You are full of compassion, not that the compassion stems from an emotional response on Your part.
Hashem is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; My God, my rock, in Him I take refuge; my shield, and my horn of salvation, my high tower.
verse value 2560
Insights
Verse structure: 10 words, 51 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֤ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "my·God" (אֵלִ֣י, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·the·horn·of·my·salvation" (וְקֶֽרֶן־יִ֝שְׁעִ֗י, 8 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "I·take·refuge·in·Him" (אֶֽחֱסֶה־בּ֑וֹ), "and·the·horn·of·my·salvation" (וְקֶֽרֶן־יִ֝שְׁעִ֗י). 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 688x in Psalms); "my·God" (root אל, 112x in Psalms); "my·rock" (root צור, 28x in Psalms). First appearance of the root סלע ("my·rock") in Psalms. First appearance of the root מצוד ("and·my·fortress") in Psalms. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'I·take·refuge·in·Him', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 3 words. Full calculation: יְהֹוָ֤ה [Hashem] (26) + סַ֥לְעִ֥י [my·rock] (170) + וּמְצוּדָתִ֗י [and·my·fortress] (556) + וּמְפַ֫לְטִ֥י [and·my·deliverer] (175) + אֵלִ֣י [my·God] (41) + צ֭וּרִי [my·rock] (306) + אֶֽחֱסֶה־בּ֑וֹ [I·take·refuge·in·Him] (82) + מָֽגִנִּ֥י [my·shield] (103) + וְקֶֽרֶן־יִ֝שְׁעִ֗י [and·the·horn·of·my·salvation] (746) + מִשְׂגַּבִּֽי [my·high·tower] (355) = 2560.
Rashi
"my rock" — For You saved me at the Rock of the Divisions (I Sam. 23:28), when I was trapped between Saul and his men, to be caught, as it is stated (in I Sam. 23:26): “but Saul and his men were encircling to David and his men etc.” "and my fortress" — Heb. ומצודתי, an expression of a fortress. "my rock" — Heb. צורי, an expression of a rock. "I will take refuge" — Abrier in French (to protect, cover; cf. Rashi to Isa. 30:2, Joel 4:16). "I will take refuge in Him" — I will take shelter in His shade, as the matter is stated (in Job 24:8): “and without shelter (מחסה) they embrace the rocks,” because the rocks are a shelter and a shield for the travelers from the winds and from the downpour of rains.
Ibn Ezra
"Hashem is my rock" — by way of metaphor, like a person who is in a high place and does not fear anyone lower than him.
Radak
"Hashem is my rock and my fortress" — like "the rock and the fortress" in which a person takes refuge from his enemy. He says: I have no "rock and fortress" in which to take refuge except Your name, as it is written, "The name of Hashem is a tower of strength; the righteous runs into it and is safe" (Proverbs 18:10). "And my deliverer" — for "the rock and the fortress" in which a person takes refuge sometimes save him and sometimes do not, for there his enemy may seize him; but I have taken refuge in Your name, and You have saved me every time. "My God, my rock" — this repeats the same idea in different words, for God is called "strong one" (הָאֵל) because He is strong and capable. "In Him I take refuge" — therefore it is right for me "that I take refuge in Him." "My shield and the horn of my salvation" — it is the way of Scripture to describe strength by the term "horn," as in "and his horns are like the horns of the wild ox" (Deuteronomy 33:17); "the ram with the horns" (Daniel 8:6) — because the ram, the ox, and the wild ox are strong through their horns, with which they gore. And he says: God is "my shield" in that He protects me with His name from my enemies, and He is "my horn," with which I gore my enemies "and am saved" from them. "My high tower" — for He is to me like the tower and the rock in which "I take refuge." And in the midrash (Shocher Tov): because ten mighty enemies fell before David, he praised Hashem in this song with ten expressions of praise. These are the ten enemies: Saul; Doeg and Ahitophel; Sheba son of Bichri; Shimei son of Gera; the three brothers of Goliath, and Goliath himself; and an Egyptian man whom Benaiah son of Jehoiada struck down — five from Israel and five from the nations of the world. And these are the ten expressions of praise: "my strength, my rock, my fortress, my deliverer, my God, my rock, my refuge, my shield, the horn of my salvation, my high tower."
Metzudat David
"Hashem is my rock" — Hashem is for me a refuge, like a fortification of rocks, and like a stronghold. "And the horn of my salvation" — He is for me salvation and help, as the horn is to a horned animal.
Metzudat Zion
"And my fortress" — a high and strong tower. "And my deliverer" — an expression of rescue. "My rock" — my strength, like a rock and a boulder; and he doubles his statement [uses synonymous terms]. "And horn" — it is the way of Scripture to refer to strength by the term "horn," since animals with horns rely on them for strength when they fight with an opponent.
Malbim
"Hashem is my rock" — he first relates the time of tranquility, when no trouble at all reaches him. And there are two aspects to this: (1) protection and defense from the enemy, so that he does not come near him; (2) a greater level, that he moreover defeats the enemy and rules over him. Corresponding to the protection, he says "Hashem is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer," for protection consists of three things: (1) the escape from the enemy, for which he says "my deliverer"; (2) the stronghold and fortress to which he flees and finds refuge, for which he says "and my fortress"; (3) the place on which the fortress stands, on a high rocky crag, for which he says "Hashem is my rock" — meaning, You are the rock, and also the fortress built upon it, and also the one who delivers me to the fortress. And corresponding to the second level, that he will defeat and rule over the enemy, he says "my God, my rock, in Him I take refuge," for the term "my God, my rock," as a designation applied to a person, indicates a more specialized providence and the attachment he has with Him, and on this account will You not do more with me, that I moreover shall defeat the enemy? And this too requires three things: (1) the shield that is carried before him in time of battle, for which he says "my shield"; (2) the horn with which he gores his enemies, for which he says "horn of my salvation"; (3) the strength and might in time of battle, for which he says "my high tower."
Praised, I cry, is Hashem, and I am saved from my enemies.
verse value 929
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 23 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֑ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "praised" (מְ֭הֻלָּל, 4 letters) and the longest is "and·from·my·enemies" (וּמִן־אֹ֝יְבַ֗י, 7 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "and·from·my·enemies" (וּמִן־אֹ֝יְבַ֗י), "I·am·saved" (אִוָּשֵֽׁעַ). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 688x in Psalms); "praised" (root הלל, 94x in Psalms); "I·am·saved" (root ישע, 75x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Hashem', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 2 words. Full calculation: מְ֭הֻלָּל [praised] (105) + אֶקְרָ֣א [I·call] (302) + יְהֹוָ֑ה [Hashem] (26) + וּמִן־אֹ֝יְבַ֗י [and·from·my·enemies] (119) + אִוָּשֵֽׁעַ [I·am·saved] (377) = 929.
Rashi
"With praise I call to the lord" — With praises I call Him and pray before Him constantly, i.e., even before the salvation I praise Him, because I am confident that I will be saved from my enemies.
Ibn Ezra
"Praised, I call Hashem" — when I call to Him with praises, I am immediately saved.
Radak
"Praised, I call upon Hashem" — when I pray, I call Hashem "praised," praising Him with my praises; then "I am saved from my enemies."
Metzudat David
"Praised" — when I call to Hashem with praise, then I am saved from my enemies.
Malbim
"Praised" — meaning, at a time such as this, when I am in no trouble at all, then "I call upon Hashem" and I call Him by the name "Praised," for He is praised continually; for in this mode one does not pray or supplicate about trouble, but rather praises Him continually for His goodness, and through praise alone, "I am saved from my enemies," and I need no prayer at all.
The cords of Death compassed me, and the floods of Belial assailed me.
verse value 1517
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 30 letters. The shortest word is "and·the·torrents·of" (וְֽנַחֲלֵ֖י, 5 letters) and the longest is "the·cords·of·Death" (חֶבְלֵי־מָ֑וֶת, 7 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "and·the·torrents·of" (וְֽנַחֲלֵ֖י), "Belial" (בְלִיַּ֣עַל), "terrified·me" (יְבַֽעֲתֽוּנִי). 5 unique roots are used. First appearance of the root אפף ("surrounded·me") in Psalms. First appearance of the root נחל ("and·the·torrents·of") in Psalms. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'the·cords·of·Death', dividing the verse into phrases of 2 and 3 words. Full calculation: אֲפָפ֥וּנִי [surrounded·me] (227) + חֶבְלֵי־מָ֑וֶת [the·cords·of·Death] (496) + וְֽנַחֲלֵ֖י [and·the·torrents·of] (104) + בְלִיַּ֣עַל [Belial] (142) + יְבַֽעֲתֽוּנִי [terrified·me] (548) = 1517.
Rashi
"Bands of death have encompassed me" — On many occasions wicked men have surrounded me. אפפוני is like סבבוני. Similarly (below 40:13), “For countless evils...have encompassed (אפפו) me.” "Bands of death" — Heb. חבלי, camps of enemies, as (in I Sam. 10:5): “a band (חבל) of prophets.” But Jonathan renders: as a woman who sits on a birthstool, an expression of the pangs (חבלי) of a woman in confinement. "and streams of scoundrels" — That too is an expression of troops that flood like a stream.
Ibn Ezra
"The cords of death compassed me" — ["cords"] is like "pangs and pains," and therefore it is written with three [vowel] points, to distinguish it from "the portions of Manasseh." "And the floods" — he likens the enemy to water, as with the king of Assyria, [likened to] the waters of the river (Isaiah 8:7); then "the waters swept over us." Rabbi Yehuda HaLevi said: in any case, "Belial" — by way of prayer, should not be taken literally; rather, it refers to the enemy, and "cords" is a metaphor for the pangs of death.
Radak
"Compassed me (אֲפָפוּנִי)" — meaning "surrounded me." "The cords of death" — the chet takes a segol, like "the pangs of a woman in labor (חֶבְלֵי יוֹלֵדָה)" (Hosea 13:13), which share the same meaning; whereas "and there fell to Manasseh the portions (חֶבְלֵי מְנַשֶּׁה)" (Joshua 17:5), where the chet takes a patach, has a different meaning. He says this about the great troubles in which he came close to death, such as at the Rock of Divisions (I Samuel 23:28), and in the matter of the Philistine, when Abishai helped him (II Samuel 21:17). "And the floods of Belial assailed me" — the troubles are like a rushing torrent; and "Belial" refers to each and every one of his enemies. Or "Belial" may be the name of the wicked one himself, and Jonathan translates in the Book of Samuel (II Samuel 22:5) "the camp and company of the guilty" — though in the Targum text before us it is written only "company of the guilty" (סִיעַת חַיָּבִין), and "camp" (מַשְׁרִית), that is, "the wicked" (רְשִׁיעִין), is actually the Targum's rendering of "the cords of Sheol" (ibid., v. 6), as Rabbeinu himself brings in his explanation of the following verse. And it is also possible to explain "floods" (נַחֲלֵי) from "your wound is incurable (נַחְלָה מַכָּתֵךְ)" (Jeremiah 30:12).
Metzudat David
"Compassed me" — when the pains of death surrounded me, and when the afflictions coming from men of wickedness terrified and frightened me.
Metzudat Zion
"Afefuni" ("encompassed me") — [meaning] they surrounded me, as in "for they have encompassed me" (ki afefu alai) (below, Psalm 40). "My chevel" [cords/pangs] — my pains, as in "the pangs of a woman in labor" (chevlei yoldah) (Hosea 13). "And nachalei" — from the language of "choli" [illness], as in "your wound is grievous" (nachlah makatecha) (Nahum 3). "Belial" — like "beli ol" ("without a yoke") — [referring to] those who have thrown off the yoke of Heaven.
Malbim
"Compassed me" — now he begins to relate the second mode of governance, the time when evils and troubles come upon him, when he will need prayer — the time when "the cords of death compassed me," and along with this, also "the floods of Belial assailed me" — death from one side and enemies from the other.
The cords of Sheol surrounded me; the snares of Death confronted me.
verse value 1629
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 28 letters. The shortest word is "Death" (מָֽוֶת, 3 letters) and the longest is "surrounded·me" (סְבָב֑וּנִי, 6 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "confronted·me" (קִ֝דְּמ֗וּנִי), "the·snares·of" (מ֣וֹקְשֵׁי). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Death" (root מות, 33x in Psalms); "confronted·me" (root קדם, 23x in Psalms); "surrounded·me" (root סבב, 21x in Psalms). First appearance of the root מוקש ("the·snares·of") in Psalms. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'surrounded·me', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: חֶבְלֵ֣י [the·cords·of] (50) + שְׁא֣וֹל [Sheol] (337) + סְבָב֑וּנִי [surrounded·me] (130) + קִ֝דְּמ֗וּנִי [confronted·me] (210) + מ֣וֹקְשֵׁי [the·snares·of] (456) + מָֽוֶת [Death] (446) = 1629.
Rashi
"Bands of the nether world" — Like “bands of death,” camps of wicked men, and I - what did I do?
Radak
"The cords of Sheol" — we have already explained this; and Jonathan translates in the Book of Samuel (ibid., v. 6): "the camp of the wicked" (מַשְׁרִית רְשִׁיעִין) — though in the Targum text before us it is "the company of scribes" (סִיעַת סָפְרַיָּא) — like "a band of prophets" (I Samuel 10:5). "They surrounded me, the snares of death confronted me" — meaning that they came out before me. And a midrash (Shocher Tov) reads this as speaking of the four kingdoms: "the cords of death compassed me" — this is Babylon; "and the floods of Belial assailed me" — this is Media; "the cords of Sheol surrounded me" — this is Greece; "the snares of death confronted me" — this is Edom. Why does it write "death" in the first and in the fourth? Because this one destroyed the First Temple, and this one destroyed the Second Temple.
Metzudat David
"The cords" — and when the pains of Sheol surrounded me, and snares that bring death confronted me.
Metzudat Zion
"Kidmuni" ("confronted me") — [meaning] they came before me.
Malbim
"The cords of" — he adds that more than this, "the cords of Sheol surrounded me," as though I am about to be buried in Sheol, since already "the snares of death confronted me," as though he is already past death and about to be buried — and all this is a metaphor, that it seemed as though he had died and been buried and annulled from the world.
In my distress I called upon Hashem, and cried to my God; out of His temple He heard my voice, and my cry came before Him to His ears.
verse value 3250
Insights
Verse structure: 12 words, 59 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָה֮) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. Verse gematria: 3250 is divisible by 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "I·call" (אֶ֥קְרָ֣א, 4 letters) and the longest is "and·to·my·God" (וְאֶל־אֱלֹהַ֢י, 7 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "and·to·my·God" (וְאֶל־אֱלֹהַ֢י), "I·cry·out" (אֲשַׁ֫וֵּ֥עַ), "from·His·palace" (מֵהֵיכָל֣וֹ). 12 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 688x in Psalms); "and·to·my·God" (root אלהים, 347x in Psalms); "before·Him" (root פנים, 131x in Psalms). First appearance of the root שועה ("and·my·cry") in Psalms. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'my·voice', dividing the verse into phrases of 8 and 4 words. Full calculation: בַּצַּר־לִ֤י [in·my·distress] (332) + אֶ֥קְרָ֣א [I·call] (302) + יְהֹוָה֮ [Hashem] (26) + וְאֶל־אֱלֹהַ֢י [and·to·my·God] (83) + אֲשַׁ֫וֵּ֥עַ [I·cry·out] (377) + יִשְׁמַ֣ע [He·heard] (420) + מֵהֵיכָל֣וֹ [from·His·palace] (111) + קוֹלִ֑י [my·voice] (146) + וְ֝שַׁוְעָתִ֗י [and·my·cry] (792) + לְפָנָ֤יו [before·Him] (176) + תָּב֬וֹא [came] (409) + בְאׇזְנָֽיו [to·His·ears] (76) = 3250.
Rashi
"When I am in distress, I call" — I would always call upon the Lord.
Ibn Ezra
"In my distress... from His temple" — the heavens, where all His decrees are written and sealed.
Radak
"In my distress I called upon Hashem, and cried to my God" — at the time when I was "in distress," I did not turn to any savior other than Him. "Out of His temple He heard my voice" — from the heavens He "heard my voice" every time I called out to Him. "And my cry came before Him, into His ears" — my cry, which "I cried out before Him, came into His ears" immediately, and He would help me and save me.
Metzudat David
"In my distress" — at the time that I was in distress from one of these things, then I called to Hashem, and He heard my voice, and my cry [came] before Him; and that which I cried out before Him came into His ears — and the matter is repeated in different words, in the manner of poetic expression.
Malbim
"In my distress I called upon Hashem" — for then I need prayer, and I call upon Him out of the distress; "and cried to my God" — for salvation; and then "He heard my voice from His temple" — through prayer, and He hastens to save. Now this verse is a refrain-verse that will be repeated with each statement that follows. The poet depicts here Hashem's salvation, in which He saves him by natural means, in the way of nature. And the imagery is presented thus: at the time that he calls to Hashem out of his distress, Hashem prepares one of the natural causes by which he is saved from this trouble; but this very cause that was prepared for his salvation brings about, according to nature, another trouble for him, and he cries out a second time; and Hashem provides another cause so that he is saved also from this evil; and then, again, through this second cause, another evil unfolds from it according to nature, and he cries out a third time, and He saves him from this as well — in such a way that he goes from evil to evil, and Hashem saves him each time. And he sets up this imagery as a parable: that at the time his enemies surrounded him and besieged him and he cried out to Hashem, Hashem prepared an earthquake, so that the earth opened its mouth and his enemies went down alive to Sheol, and he was delivered from his distress; but through the earthquake a fire broke out — as is the way of mountains, which spew forth fire and brimstone at the time of an earthquake — and he was in another danger, from the fire; and he cried out to Hashem, and He prepared a torrential rain to extinguish the fire; but because the clouds suddenly grew dark, there burst forth from them mighty lightning and thunder, and he was in another danger, from the thunder and lightning; and he cried out again to Hashem, and Hashem commanded that the clouds burst and their waters fall, and the thunder and the sounds ceased; but through the bursting of the clouds, there was suddenly a great flood in the place where he stood, and a torrent of water swept him away; and he cried out again to Hashem, and Hashem sent forth His hand and drew him out of many waters in His kindness. This is the gist of the imagery in general, and with this we come to the explanation: he says that at the time he called to Hashem in his distress, He heard his voice from His temple.
Then the earth shook and quaked, the foundations also of the mountains trembled; they were shaken, because He was angry.
verse value 3732
Insights
Verse structure: 9 words, 43 letters. Notable word values: "to·Him" (לֽוֹ) = 36, double chai. The shortest word is "to·Him" (לֽוֹ, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·were·shaken" (וַ֝יִּתְגָּֽעֲשׁ֗וּ, 7 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "and·shook" (וַתִּגְעַ֬שׁ), "and·the·foundations·of" (וּמוֹסְדֵ֣י), "and·were·shaken" (וַ֝יִּתְגָּֽעֲשׁ֗וּ). The root געש appears 2 times in this verse. 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "the·earth" (root ארץ, 157x in Psalms); "mountains" (root הר, 43x in Psalms); "to·Him" (root לו, 22x in Psalms). First appearance of the root רעש ("and·quaked") in Psalms. First appearance of the root חרה ("because·He·was·angry") in Psalms. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'trembled', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 3 words. Full calculation: וַתִּגְעַ֬שׁ [and·shook] (779) + וַתִּרְעַ֨שׁ [and·quaked] (976) + הָאָ֗רֶץ [the·earth] (296) + וּמוֹסְדֵ֣י [and·the·foundations·of] (126) + הָרִ֣ים [mountains] (255) + יִרְגָּ֑זוּ [trembled] (226) + וַ֝יִּתְגָּֽעֲשׁ֗וּ [and·were·shaken] (795) + כִּי־חָ֥רָה [because·He·was·angry] (243) + לֽוֹ [to·Him] (36) = 3732.
Rashi
"The earth shook and quaked" — This is not connected to the preceding verse, but its beginning is connected to its end; i.e., when He was angered, the earth shook and quaked. [The word] כי is used as an expression of “when.” When He was angered and came to wreak the vengeance of His people, His servants, on Pharaoh and his people, the earth shook and quaked.
Ibn Ezra
"Then [the earth] shook" — he mentions the earth and the mountains because they are stationary and have no movement of their own, and this is a metaphor: that all of David's enemies would be shaken before the wrath of Hashem, even were they as strong as mountains.
Radak
"Then the earth shook and quaked, the foundations also of the mountains trembled; they were shaken, because He was angry."
Metzudat David
"And it quaked" — my enemies, the inhabitants of the land, trembled and quaked. "The foundations of the mountains" — this is a metaphor for Pharaoh and his officers. "For He was angry" — when He was angered enough to take my vengeance from them.
Metzudat Zion
"Vatig'ash" ("and it quaked") — an expression of swaying and motion, as in "his waters toss like the rivers" (kanaharot yitga'ashu meimav) (Jeremiah 46:7).
Malbim
"The earth shook and quaked" — an earthquake was made in the earth in order to sink his enemies alive down to Sheol. "The foundations of the mountains trembled" — in the manner of the ancient mountains, until their mouths would open at the time of the quake, and they would tremble in anger, in fury, and in burning fire. And this came about "because Hashem was angry" — His burning wrath and the fire of His fury were revealed in the midst of the quake.
Smoke arose up in His nostrils, and fire out of His mouth devoured; coals flamed forth from Him.
verse value 2013
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 34 letters. The shortest word is "arose" (עָ֘לָ֤ה, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·fire·from·His·mouth" (וְאֵשׁ־מִפִּ֥יו, 7 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "and·fire·from·His·mouth" (וְאֵשׁ־מִפִּ֥יו), "burned" (בָּעֲר֥וּ). 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "from·Him" (root מן, 59x in Psalms); "in·His·nostrils" (root אף, 40x in Psalms); "devoured" (root אכל, 35x in Psalms). First appearance of the root עשן ("smoke") in Psalms. First appearance of the root גחל ("coals") in Psalms. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'devoured', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 3 words. Full calculation: עָ֘לָ֤ה [arose] (105) + עָשָׁ֨ן [smoke] (420) + בְּאַפּ֗וֹ [in·His·nostrils] (89) + וְאֵשׁ־מִפִּ֥יו [and·fire·from·His·mouth] (443) + תֹּאכֵ֑ל [devoured] (451) + גֶּ֝חָלִ֗ים [coals] (91) + בָּעֲר֥וּ [burned] (278) + מִמֶּֽנּוּ [from·Him] (136) = 2013.
Rashi
"Smoke went up in His nostrils" — (En ses nariles in Old French, in his nostrils.) So is the custom of every anger, to cause smoke to ascend from his nostrils.
Ibn Ezra
"Arose" — like (Exodus 15:7) "You send forth Your wrath"; and likewise (Isaiah 9:4) "it shall be for fuel of fire" — and the sense is death.
Radak
"Smoke arose up in His nostrils, and fire out of His mouth devoured; coals flamed forth from Him."
Metzudat David
"Devoured" — it burned my enemies, and coals came forth from it and burned among them.
Metzudat Zion
"Smoke went up" — this is an expression of anger, stated in terms that apply to man, [in the sense] that through the heat of anger something like smoke appears to come out of the nostrils; and likewise, "Your anger shall smoke" (ye'eshan apecha) (below, Psalm 74).
Malbim
"Smoke arose in His nostrils" — he depicts the burning mountain, pouring out fire and sulfur and sending up smoke on the day of the quake, as if the smoke that rises were the smoke rising from His nostrils [to indicate, as it were, that the wrath of Hashem burns in the heart of the mountain]. "And the devouring fire" from it is what comes out "from the mouth of Hashem," who pours forth fire through His mouth, until "coals were kindled by it" — like what happens with mountains that pour out stones of fire.
He bowed the heavens also, and came down; and thick darkness was under His feet.
verse value 2078
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 24 letters. The shortest word is "and·He·bowed" (וַיֵּ֣ט, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·thick·darkness" (וַ֝עֲרָפֶ֗ל, 5 letters). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "heavens" (root שמים, 71x in Psalms); "His·feet" (root רגל, 31x in Psalms); "and·He·bowed" (root נטה, 28x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·came·down', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: וַיֵּ֣ט [and·He·bowed] (25) + שָׁ֭מַיִם [heavens] (390) + וַיֵּרַ֑ד [and·came·down] (220) + וַ֝עֲרָפֶ֗ל [and·thick·darkness] (386) + תַּ֣חַת [under] (808) + רַגְלָֽיו [His·feet] (249) = 2078.
Rashi
"And He bent the heavens, and He came down" — to pass through the land of Egypt. “He came down” is to be understood in its simple meaning. Another explanation is “i atonvit” in Old French, to flatten, as (in Exod. 39:3), and the radical is רדד.
Ibn Ezra
"And He bent [the heavens]" — the sense is that the decree would descend upon the enemies from the heavens, from the glorious Hashem.
Radak
"He bowed the heavens also, and came down; and thick darkness was under His feet."
Metzudat David
"And He bowed" — He inclined the heavens down toward the earth and came down upon it, to be close to them so as to strike them; and this is by way of metaphor, to say that He hastened to exact retribution from them. "Under His feet" — to be prepared to exact retribution on them in the darkness of thick cloud.
Metzudat Zion
"And thick darkness" (arafel) — the darkness of the cloud.
Malbim
(10-11) "And He bowed" — here the verse continues from "In my distress I called upon Hashem... and He heard my voice out of His temple, and He bowed the heavens and came down" — that then, when he cried out a second time over the new distress, He bowed the heavens downward and came down to save him. And instead of the two elements — the element of earth and the element of fire that are in the belly of the earth — raging to swallow and destroy, Hashem prepared salvation by means of the element of wind and the element of water. For at the time Hashem came down, with thick darkness under His feet to save him, "and He rode upon a cherub," then "He flew upon the wings of the wind" — as if the wind was stirred up and carried the clouds to extinguish the fire (as it is written, "who makes the clouds His chariot, who walks upon the wings of the wind") — until, through the aroused wind, the element of water was stirred, continuing until:
And He rode upon a cherub, and flew; Indeed, He swooped down upon the wings of the wind.
verse value 1227
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 28 letters. The shortest word is "and·flew" (וַיָּעֹ֑ף, 4 letters) and the longest is "upon·the·wings·of·wind" (עַל־כַּנְפֵי־רֽוּחַ, 9 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "and·He·rode" (וַיִּרְכַּ֣ב), "upon·a·cherub" (עַל־כְּ֭רוּב), "and·flew" (וַיָּעֹ֑ף). 5 unique roots are used. First appearance of the root רכב ("and·He·rode") in Psalms. First appearance of the root כרוב ("upon·a·cherub") in Psalms. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·flew', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 2 words. Full calculation: וַיִּרְכַּ֣ב [and·He·rode] (238) + עַל־כְּ֭רוּב [upon·a·cherub] (328) + וַיָּעֹ֑ף [and·flew] (166) + וַ֝יֵּ֗דֶא [and·swooped] (21) + עַל־כַּנְפֵי־רֽוּחַ [upon·the·wings·of·wind] (474) = 1227.
Rashi
"He swooped" — Heb. וידא, He flew, as (in Deut. 28:49), “as the eagle swoops (ידאה).”
Ibn Ezra
"And He rode" — by way of metaphor, and the sense is: the decree descending swiftly, without delay or hindrance.
Radak
"And He rode upon a cherub, and flew; Indeed, He swooped down upon the wings of the wind."
Metzudat David
"And He rode" — to hasten to come. "The wings of the wind" — He likened the blowing of the wind to the flying of a bird.
Metzudat Zion
"Cherub" — an angel; and our Sages, of blessed memory, said [it is like] "kravya" (Chagigah 13), which is the Aramaic translation of "na'ar" [a lad], for they have the form of a man. "And he flew" (vayeda) — an expression of soaring and flight, as in "as the eagle swoops down" (ka'asher yid'eh hanesher) (Deuteronomy 28:49).
He made darkness His hiding-place, His pavilion round about Him; darkness of waters, thick clouds of the skies.
verse value 4044
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 37 letters. The shortest word is "the·clouds·of" (עָבֵ֥י, 3 letters) and the longest is "His·surroundings" (סְבִֽיבוֹתָ֥יו, 8 letters). 6 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "He·made·darkness" (יָ֤שֶׁת־חֹ֨שֶׁךְ), "His·hiding-place" (סִתְר֗וֹ), "His·surroundings" (סְבִֽיבוֹתָ֥יו). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "His·hiding-place" (root סתר, 33x in Psalms); "He·made·darkness" (root שית, 32x in Psalms). First appearance of the root סכה ("His·pavilion") in Psalms. First appearance of the root חשך ("the·darkness·of·waters") in Psalms. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'His·pavilion', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 3 words. Full calculation: יָ֤שֶׁת־חֹ֨שֶׁךְ [He·made·darkness] (1038) + סִתְר֗וֹ [His·hiding-place] (666) + סְבִֽיבוֹתָ֥יו [His·surroundings] (496) + סֻכָּת֑וֹ [His·pavilion] (486) + חֶשְׁכַת־מַ֝֗יִם [the·darkness·of·waters] (818) + עָבֵ֥י [the·clouds·of] (82) + שְׁחָקִֽים [skies] (458) = 4044.
Rashi
"the darkness of waters" — that are in the thick clouds of the skies are the darkness that is about Him. Lest you say that within the darkness there is no light, Scripture tells us: From the brightness before Him, and from within His partition, His thick clouds that are about Him are split, and hail and coals of fire pass through them.
Ibn Ezra
"He made [His hiding-place]" — with the roar of the sea's waves its waters churn, and the rising mist increases; therefore darkness is generated there. And this is the meaning of "darkness of water, thick mist" — when it becomes thick, it is the cloud. And the sense is: the decrees descending, and no man seeing them.
Radak
"He made darkness His hiding-place, His pavilion round about Him; darkness of waters, thick clouds of the skies."
Metzudat David
"He made darkness" — to darken things for the enemy. "Round about Him" — He placed the darkness around His pavilion, to be ready before Him. "The darkness of" — this darkness comes from the darkness of the abundance of waters absorbed in the clouds spread out beneath the skies.
Malbim
"He made darkness His hiding-place" — that is, the darkness in which Hashem conceals Himself, the darkness found around His pavilion. He set it to be "darkness of waters, thick clouds of the skies" — that clouds would gather through the wind until the earth would be darkened by the clouds and by the darkness of waters, and these waters would extinguish the fire and the burning coals from the mountain, and he would be saved from this distress. However, now he relates that from this natural cause through which salvation came to him, another evil and distress unfolded in a chain: through the massing together of the many clouds, which are full of particles of fire and combustible substances like sulfur and saltpeter, and through the blowing of the wind upon them with great force, and through their swift motion and the lightness of their course, and through the pressing together of the coldness of the clouds with the warmth of the electricity stirred up within them — through this, great thunders and mighty lightnings arise, as is known to natural scientists. And so he said (13-14), "Out of the brightness before Him" — he depicts that out of the darkness of His hiding-place a brightness would shine forth opposite the light of Hashem, and from this the fire of the lightning would come to be; through it "His thick clouds passed, hail and coals of fire" — that the clouds became filled with hail from the cold, because the electric fire spreads out from the vapors, and with coals of fire through the arousal of heat; and the fire and the cold explode against one another, and through this mighty thunders and terrible lightnings come to be. "Until Hashem thundered in the heavens" — whereas quiet had come about on the earth from the fire, the fire and the thunder were now stirred up in the heavens, where "the Most High gave forth His voice, with hail and coals of fire" — and he is now placed in a new distress.
At the brightness before Him, there passed through His thick clouds Hailstones and coals of fire.
verse value 1091
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 26 letters. The shortest word is "hail" (בָּ֝רָ֗ד, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·the·coals·of·fire" (וְגַֽחֲלֵי־אֵֽשׁ, 7 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "from·brightness" (מִנֹּ֗גַהּ), "before·Him" (נֶ֫גְדּ֥וֹ), "His·clouds" (עָבָ֥יו). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "before·Him" (root נגד, 55x in Psalms); "passed" (root עבר, 34x in Psalms). First appearance of the root ברד ("hail") in Psalms. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'passed', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 2 words. Full calculation: מִנֹּ֗גַהּ [from·brightness] (98) + נֶ֫גְדּ֥וֹ [before·Him] (63) + עָבָ֥יו [His·clouds] (88) + עָבְר֑וּ [passed] (278) + בָּ֝רָ֗ד [hail] (206) + וְגַֽחֲלֵי־אֵֽשׁ [and·the·coals·of·fire] (358) = 1091.
Rashi
"passed" — Heb. עברו, trepasant in Old French, passed. The hail split and passes through onto the Egyptians at the Sea of Reeds.
Ibn Ezra
"From the brightness" — the meaning of "His clouds passed" is that they exceeded the customary limit, in great quantity. "Hailstones and coals of fire" — this is like burning iron, which also kills by wind [blast]. And the meaning is the fear and dread in the hearts of the enemies when they heard the sound of the thunder.
Radak
"At the brightness before Him, there passed through His thick clouds hailstones and coals of fire."
Metzudat David
"From the brightness before Him" — from the light that is before Him, which He wishes to make shine and to save me with. "His clouds passed" — the clouds were passing along, to cast upon the enemy hail and coals of fire.
Hashem also thundered in the heavens, and the Most High gave forth His voice; hailstones and coals of fire.
verse value 2076
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 36 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְֽהֹוָ֗ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "gave" (יִתֵּ֣ן, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·the·coals·of·fire" (וְגַֽחֲלֵי־אֵֽשׁ, 7 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "and·the·Most·High" (וְ֭עֶלְיוֹן), "His·voice" (קֹל֑וֹ). 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 688x in Psalms); "gave" (root נתן, 95x in Psalms); "in·the·heavens" (root שמים, 71x in Psalms). First appearance of the root רעם ("and·thundered") in Psalms. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'His·voice', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 2 words. Full calculation: וַיַּרְעֵ֬ם [and·thundered] (326) + בַּשָּׁמַ֨יִם [in·the·heavens] (392) + יְֽהֹוָ֗ה [Hashem] (26) + וְ֭עֶלְיוֹן [and·the·Most·High] (172) + יִתֵּ֣ן [gave] (460) + קֹל֑וֹ [His·voice] (136) + בָּ֝רָ֗ד [hail] (206) + וְגַֽחֲלֵי־אֵֽשׁ [and·the·coals·of·fire] (358) = 2076.
Ibn Ezra
"And He thundered" — the mem [of vayar'em] is a root letter. And He mentions "hailstones and coals of fire" a second time because they occurred together, in a single moment.
Radak
"Hashem also thundered in the heavens, and the Most High gave forth His voice; hailstones and coals of fire."
Metzudat David
"And He thundered" — He set in the heavens a sound of thunder, to bring down from there hail and coals of fire.
And He sent out His arrows, and scattered them; and He shot forth lightnings, and discomfited them.
verse value 1365
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 28 letters. Verse gematria: 1365 is divisible by 13, the value of echad ('one') and ahavah ('love'). The shortest word is "many" (רָ֝֗ב, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·scattered·them" (וַיְפִיצֵ֑ם, 6 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "and·scattered·them" (וַיְפִיצֵ֑ם), "and·lightnings" (וּבְרָקִ֥ים), "and·confused·them" (וַיְהֻמֵּֽם). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "many" (root רב, 67x in Psalms); "and·He·sent" (root שלח, 33x in Psalms). First appearance of the root שלח ("and·He·sent") in Psalms. First appearance of the root פוץ ("and·scattered·them") in Psalms. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·scattered·them', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: וַיִּשְׁלַ֣ח [and·He·sent] (354) + חִ֭צָּיו [His·arrows] (114) + וַיְפִיצֵ֑ם [and·scattered·them] (236) + וּבְרָקִ֥ים [and·lightnings] (358) + רָ֝֗ב [many] (202) + וַיְהֻמֵּֽם [and·confused·them] (101) = 1365.
Ibn Ezra
"And He sent forth His arrows" — and the word "rav" is a past-tense verb of the geminate [doubled-root] verb class, on the pattern of "if the money is spent" (Genesis 47:18), and it is from the same root-class as "verubo" [their increase]; thus "rav" stands parallel to "vayishlach" ("He sent").
Radak
"And He sent out His arrows, and scattered them; and He shot forth lightnings, and discomfited them."
Metzudat David
"And scattered them" — the enemies. "And shot forth many lightnings" — He shot lightnings and confounded them.
Metzudat Zion
"Rav" — an expression of shooting arrows, as in "an archer" (roveh keshet, lit. "one who shoots a bow") (Genesis 21).
Malbim
"And He sent out" — here the verse continues from "In my distress I called upon Hashem," etc., "and He heard my voice out of His temple" — "and He sent out His arrows, and scattered them" — that the thunder itself shatters the clouds, and through the multiplying of the thunders and lightnings, the clouds scatter and pour out their waters, as is known. And he pictures this in his poetic language as if Hashem sent out His arrows and scattered the clouds, and he explains what the arrows are: "that He shot forth lightnings" in abundance, and through the abundance of lightnings "He discomfited them" and the thunder ceased. And all these salvations come about through natural causes, until he was saved from this distress as well.
And the channels of waters appeared, and the foundations of the world were laid bare, at Your rebuke, O Hashem, at the blast of the breath of Your nostrils.
verse value 3421
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 48 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֑ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "waters" (מַ֗יִם, 3 letters) and the longest is "the·foundations·of" (מוֹסְד֢וֹת, 6 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "the·channels·of" (אֲפִ֥יקֵי), "and·were·uncovered" (וַֽיִּגָּלוּ֮), "the·foundations·of" (מוֹסְד֢וֹת). 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 688x in Psalms); "and·appeared" (root ראה, 100x in Psalms); "Your·nostrils" (root אף, 40x in Psalms). First appearance of the root אפיק ("the·channels·of") in Psalms. First appearance of the root מים ("waters") in Psalms. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Hashem', dividing the verse into phrases of 8 and 3 words. Full calculation: וַיֵּ֤רָא֨וּ [and·appeared] (223) + אֲפִ֥יקֵי [the·channels·of] (201) + מַ֗יִם [waters] (90) + וַֽיִּגָּלוּ֮ [and·were·uncovered] (55) + מוֹסְד֢וֹת [the·foundations·of] (516) + תֵּ֫בֵ֥ל [the·world] (432) + מִגַּעֲרָ֣תְךָ֣ [at·Your·rebuke] (733) + יְהֹוָ֑ה [Hashem] (26) + מִ֝נִּשְׁמַ֗ת [at·the·breath·of] (830) + ר֣וּחַ [the·wind·of] (214) + אַפֶּֽךָ [Your·nostrils] (101) = 3421.
Rashi
"And the depths of the water appeared" — when the sea split. "the foundations of the world were laid bare" — for all the waters in the world split. "by the blast" — from the blowing.
Ibn Ezra
"And the channels of water appeared" — [these are] the strong places, and the meaning is to expose the hidden [plots] of those who rose up against David. And Hillel says: it is possible that the meaning is a different way, that Hashem shakes the earth whenever He wishes; and the meaning is that He removes it from its natural order and brings water down from the heavens — and He who has the power to do so will deliver me.
Radak
"And the channels of waters appeared, and the foundations of the world were laid bare, at Your rebuke, Hashem, at the blast of the breath of Your nostrils."
Metzudat David
"And they were seen" — the bottom of the channels of water became visible, because the waters split apart. "And were laid bare" — because the earth split open. "At Your rebuke" — from that with which You rebuked the enemy. "At the blast" — from the blowing of the wind that goes out from Your nostril — and all of this is by way of metaphor.
Metzudat Zion
"Afikei" [channels] — these are waters that flow with force, as in "like streams in the Negev" (ka'afikim banegev) (below, Psalm 126).
Malbim
"Then were seen" — now he relates that from this salvation another, natural distress ensued: that through the breaking of the clouds and their sudden bursting, a flood of waters came to be, until "the channels of waters appeared, and the foundations of the world were laid bare" — that the waters which had been the foundation of the world during the six days of Creation, when the whole world was water within water, and were afterward covered because the waters rose by means of vapor to the firmament and the clouds, as is explained in the commentary on the account of Creation and further below, at Psalm 104 — now they were laid bare a second time, for the waters returned and spread over the dry land. And all this was "at Your rebuke, Hashem" — that just as at first the deep fled "as with a garment You covered it" at Your rebuke, so now the waters returned a second time onto the dry land at the rebuke of Hashem. "And at the blast of the breath of Your nostrils" — which scattered and burst apart the clouds, the earth was swept by a flood, and through this David too was swept away in a flood of water, and a torrent overwhelmed him.
He sent from on high, He took me; He drew me out of many waters.
verse value 1644
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 27 letters. The shortest word is "He·sent" (יִשְׁלַ֣ח, 4 letters) and the longest is "from·on·high" (מִ֭מָּרוֹם, 5 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "He·drew·me·out" (יַֽ֝מְשֵׁ֗נִי). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "many" (root רב, 67x in Psalms); "from·waters" (root מים, 38x in Psalms); "He·sent" (root שלח, 33x in Psalms). First appearance of the root משה ("He·drew·me·out") in Psalms. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'He·took·me', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: יִשְׁלַ֣ח [He·sent] (348) + מִ֭מָּרוֹם [from·on·high] (326) + יִקָּחֵ֑נִי [He·took·me] (178) + יַֽ֝מְשֵׁ֗נִי [He·drew·me·out] (410) + מִמַּ֥יִם [from·waters] (130) + רַבִּֽים [many] (252) = 1644.
Rashi
"He sent forth from on high" — His angels to save Israel from the sea and from the Egyptians. "He drew me out" — Heb. ימשני, an expression of drawing out, as (in Exod. 2:10), “I drew him out (משיתהו) of the water.”
Ibn Ezra
"He sent from on high" — or His angel — and took me from those who surrounded me. "He drew me out of many waters" — corresponding to "and the torrents of Belial" [Psalm 18:5].
Radak
"He sent from on high, He took me; He drew me out of many waters: Then the earth shook and quaked" — from this verse above (v. 8) until "He sent from on high, He took me" (ibid., v. 17), there are commentators (Rashi and others) who explained that these verses hint at the miracles that the Holy One, blessed be He, performed for Israel, and at the wonders He brought about anew; and such is also the view of the Targum. They explained "and the earth shook and quaked" as referring to the overturning of Sodom and Gomorrah; and likewise "smoke went up from His nostrils." But the Targum explained "smoke went up from His nostrils" as referring to the matter of Pharaoh; "He bent the heavens also, and came down" — as referring to the giving of the Torah; and such is also the view of the Midrash (Shocher Tov and others); and likewise the verses that follow: "Hashem also thundered in the heavens" alludes to the hail that fell in the days of Joshua; "and the channels of waters appeared" alludes to the splitting of the Sea of Reeds and the Jordan. And it says: the God who did all these wonders will also do wonders for me — "He sent from on high, He took me!" But the correct interpretation, according to the plain sense (peshat), is that all these verses are a metaphor concerning the enemies of David and Israel, and that Hashem fought on their behalf against their enemies, for their distress is represented by "the shaking of earth and heaven," and darkness, and thick cloud, and coals, and fire, and arrows, and lightning — and all of it is by way of metaphor. And so you find in Scripture, in many places, concerning distress: darkness, and gloom, cloud, and thick cloud, and the darkening of the sun, moon, and stars. And as for what it says, "He bent the heavens also, and came down" — it is as if He bent the heavens and came down to destroy them swiftly; and this is [the meaning of] "He rode upon a cherub and flew; He swooped upon the wings of the wind" — meaning: the swiftness of the decree. And so we find elsewhere, in the words of our Rabbis, of blessed memory (Shocher Tov): Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachmani said, an earthquake comes only over the downfall of a kingdom; and so it says, "and the earth trembled and was in anguish, for the purposes of Hashem against Babylon are fulfilled" (Jeremiah 51:29). "Smoke went up from His nostrils" is a metaphor for the burning of His anger against the enemies, like "then the anger of Hashem and His jealousy shall smoke" (Deuteronomy 29:19). "And fire out of His mouth devoured" — fire that went out from His mouth devoured them, and coals that went out from Him set them ablaze. "He bent the heavens also, and came down" — we have already explained it. "And thick darkness was under His feet" — He set thick darkness and gloom under His feet for them, the enemies, whom He trampled in His wrath. "And He rode upon a cherub" — we have explained it. "Va-yeide" [and He swooped], with a dalet, is from the kal [simple] form, like "as the eagle swoops" (ibid., Deuteronomy 28:49); and its meaning is "and He flew." And in Samuel (II Samuel 22:11) it is written "va-yera," with a resh, from the nif'al conjugation, meaning "He was seen" — but the sense is the same. "He made darkness His hiding place" alludes to the troubles, as we have explained, which are darkness to them. Or its meaning is: that God, who brings down the decrees upon them, "made darkness His hiding place, His pavilion round about Him," so that they would not see Him, for He is hidden from them. "Darkness of waters" — and in Samuel (ibid., v. 12) it is written "chashrat mayim," whose meaning is the binding together of the clouds — compare the Targum's rendering of "and their fillets" (Exodus 27:10) as "chashureihon" [editorial note: in the Targum text as printed before us it is written "u-khevusheihon"; but there is no doubt that Radak's reading is the correct one. Playing on the verse "it is hidden from the eyes of all living, and concealed from the fowl of the air" (Job 28:21): this correct reading was hidden from the eyes of the author of "Netina LaGer," and concealed from the author of "Ma'of HaShamayim" ("HaNesher") — both being Rav Natan Adler] — and the sense is the same, for when the clouds bind together with one another, there comes about the darkness and thickening from the water that fills "the thick clouds of the sky." "Out of the brightness before Him" — the brightness that is before Him, toward those who love Him, "His thick clouds passed" toward His enemies, and it is "darkness, hail, and coals of fire"; that is to say: those clouds rain down "hail and coals of fire" upon the enemies, in the manner of "fire flashing up amid the hail" (ibid., Exodus 9:24). "Hashem also thundered in the heavens" — He thundered in the heavens against the enemies and gave forth "His voice" against them; and the sense is that He placed faintness and fear in their hearts, and they were afraid of Him, just as a person trembles and is terrified at the sound of thunder. And it says further: "hail and coals of fire," for along with the thunderclaps there is the working of the decrees that will destroy them, which are like "hail and coals of fire." "And He sent out His arrows, and scattered them" — He sent out His arrows and scattered the enemies. "And He shot forth lightnings, and discomfited them" — He discomfited the enemies with lightning bolts that He shot at them. "Rav" is from [the same root as] "and they embittered him, and shot [at him]" (Genesis 49:23); its meaning is "he shot arrows"; and it is a past-tense verb from the geminate [doubled-root] verb class. And "the arrows" and "the lightnings" are the harsh decrees. "And the channels of waters appeared" — these are valleys full of water, like "to the ravines and to the valleys" (Ezekiel 6:3); "over all its channels" (Isaiah 8:7). And "the waters" are the troubles and dangers that he was in; and salvation from them comes in two ways. The first: like a man drowning in many waters, whom God saves by widening [parting] the waters, so that "the channels appear" and "the foundations of the world are laid bare," which had been covered by water — and this is by the rebuke of Hashem against the waters. And this is [the meaning of] "at Your rebuke, Hashem" — like "and He rebuked the Sea of Reeds, and it dried up" (Psalms 106:9). And likewise "at the blast of the breath of Your nostrils," that He blew upon them and they dried up; and this is by way of a metaphor for the downfall of the enemies in battle, and David was saved. And the salvation of one drowning in water, in the other way: that someone happens along who draws him out of the water. And such was David's salvation without the downfall of his enemies in battle, as at the Rock of Divisions (Sela HaMachlekot), where David was saved but his enemies did not fall; and concerning this he says: "He sent from on high, He took me; He drew me out of many waters." And concerning this David spoke and gave thanks to God for having saved him in both ways.
Metzudat David
"He sent" — He sent His help from on high, and took me from the hand of the enemy. "Out of many waters" — from the many pursuers who flooded like water.
Metzudat Zion
"Yamsheni" ("He drew me out") — an expression of taking out, as in "for I drew him out of the water" (min hamayim meshitihu) (Exodus 2:10).
Malbim
"He sent from on high" — here the verse continues from "In my distress I called upon Hashem," etc., "and He heard my voice out of His temple: He sent from on high, He took me." He depicts that he had already been sinking in the water, and Hashem sent and "drew him out" and brought him forth "from many waters." And in this too he depicts that his enemies had still not let up from him: when they saw him sinking in the water, and that he had a way to come out of the water, they stood at the water's edge, watching, so that when he wished to come out they would drown him again — and Hashem saved him from their hand as well. And so he said, that at the time He drew him out of many waters, (18-19) "He also delivered me from my mighty enemy, who confronted me on the day of my calamity" — for they wanted to get ahead of him before he came out of the river, in order to drown him again. "And Hashem was a stay to me" — for through the providence of Hashem, "He brought me forth into a broad place," to a place where they were unable to prevent him from coming out of the water; and when he came out, then "He delivered me from their hand," so that they would not be able to seize him and do him harm. And all this was because "He delighted in me" — therefore He saved me from all these evils.
He delivered me from my enemy most strong, and from those who hated me, for they were too mighty for me.
verse value 1054
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 29 letters. The shortest word is "strong" (עָ֑ז, 2 letters) and the longest is "He·delivered·me" (יַצִּילֵ֗נִי, 6 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "He·delivered·me" (יַצִּילֵ֗נִי), "for·they·were·strong" (כִּֽי־אָמְצ֥וּ). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "from·my·enemy" (root איב, 71x in Psalms); "than·me" (root מן, 59x in Psalms); "He·delivered·me" (root נצל, 44x in Psalms). First appearance of the root אמץ ("for·they·were·strong") in Psalms. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'strong', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: יַצִּילֵ֗נִי [He·delivered·me] (200) + מֵאֹיְבִ֥י [from·my·enemy] (63) + עָ֑ז [strong] (77) + וּ֝מִשֹּׂנְאַ֗י [and·from·those·who·hate·me] (407) + כִּֽי־אָמְצ֥וּ [for·they·were·strong] (167) + מִמֶּֽנִּי [than·me] (140) = 1054.
Ibn Ezra
"He delivered me" — the metaphor of water reappears; regarding "my enemy" — a word is missing, namely "strong."
Radak
"He delivered me from my enemy most strong" — the singular form is used, referring to Goliath or to Yishbi-benov. "and from those who hated me, for they were too mighty for me."
Metzudat David
"For they were too mighty" — when they grew stronger than me in the battle, then He delivered me from their hand.
They confronted me in the day of my calamity; but Hashem was a stay to me.
verse value 890
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 30 letters. The shortest word is "to·me" (לִֽי, 2 letters) and the longest is "in·the·day·of·my·calamity" (בְיוֹם־אֵידִ֑י, 8 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "they·confronted·me" (יְקַדְּמ֥וּנִי), "in·the·day·of·my·calamity" (בְיוֹם־אֵידִ֑י), "and·Hashem·was" (וַֽיְהִי־יְהֹוָ֖ה). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·Hashem·was" (root יהוה, 688x in Psalms); "in·the·day·of·my·calamity" (root יום, 121x in Psalms); "to·me" (root לי, 68x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'in·the·day·of·my·calamity', dividing the verse into phrases of 2 and 3 words. Full calculation: יְקַדְּמ֥וּנִי [they·confronted·me] (220) + בְיוֹם־אֵידִ֑י [in·the·day·of·my·calamity] (83) + וַֽיְהִי־יְהֹוָ֖ה [and·Hashem·was] (57) + לְמִשְׁעָ֣ן [for·a·support] (490) + לִֽי [to·me] (40) = 890.
Rashi
"They confronted me" — My enemies would hasten and attack me early on the day of my calamity, but the Lord was, etc.
Ibn Ezra
"They confronted me" — corresponding to "the snares of death confronted me" [Psalm 18:6].
Radak
"They confronted me in the day of my calamity" — Targum Jonathan renders, in the Book of Samuel (II Samuel 22:19): "they confronted me in the day of my wandering." [Thus] "eidi" [my calamity] means "my wandering"; that is to say: on the day that I had calamity, and I was exiled and wandering about, my enemies would come to confront me with their evildoing, as the Ziphites did. "but Hashem was a stay to me."
Metzudat David
"They confronted me" — my enemies would hasten to come upon me at the time some evil mishap befell me, thinking that once I had begun to fall I would not rise again; but Hashem supported me — even though I fell, behold, I have risen.
Metzudat Zion
"Eidi" [my calamity] — an expression of distress and misfortune, as in "is not calamity for the unrighteous?" (halo eid le'aval) (Job 31:3).
He brought me forth also into a large place; He delivered me, because He delighted in me.
verse value 881
Insights
Verse structure: 4 words, 26 letters. The shortest word is "to·the·wide·place" (לַמֶּרְחָ֑ב, 5 letters) and the longest is "and·He·brought·me·out" (וַיּוֹצִיאֵ֥נִי, 8 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "and·He·brought·me·out" (וַיּוֹצִיאֵ֥נִי), "to·the·wide·place" (לַמֶּרְחָ֑ב), "He·delivered·me" (יְ֝חַלְּצֵ֗נִי). 4 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·He·brought·me·out" (root יצא, 35x in Psalms); "because·He·delighted·in·me" (root חפץ, 27x in Psalms). First appearance of the root מרחב ("to·the·wide·place") in Psalms. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·the·wide·place', dividing the verse into phrases of 2 and 2 words. Full calculation: וַיּוֹצִיאֵ֥נִי [and·He·brought·me·out] (183) + לַמֶּרְחָ֑ב [to·the·wide·place] (280) + יְ֝חַלְּצֵ֗נִי [He·delivered·me] (198) + כִּ֘י־חָ֥פֵֽץ־בִּֽי [because·He·delighted·in·me] (220) = 881.
Ibn Ezra
"He brought me forth also into a large place" — the opposite of "in my distress I called upon Hashem" [Psalm 18:7].
Radak
"He brought me forth also into a large place; He delivered me, because He delighted in me" — "He delivered me" from the distress that I was in, "and brought me forth into a large place."
Metzudat David
"Into a large place" — into a spacious place, to be saved from their hand. "He drew me out" — He brought me out from the narrow strait.
Hashem rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands has He recompensed me.
verse value 1001
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 27 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֣ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. Verse gematria: 1001 is divisible by 13, the value of echad ('one') and ahavah ('love'). The shortest word is "to·me" (לִֽי, 2 letters) and the longest is "rewarded·me" (יִגְמְלֵ֣נִי, 6 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "rewarded·me" (יִגְמְלֵ֣נִי). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 688x in Psalms); "my·hands" (root יד, 78x in Psalms); "He·repaid" (root שוב, 72x in Psalms). First appearance of the root בר ("according·to·the·cleanness·of") in Psalms. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'according·to·my·righteousness', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 4 words. Full calculation: יִגְמְלֵ֣נִי [rewarded·me] (143) + יְהֹוָ֣ה [Hashem] (26) + כְּצִדְקִ֑י [according·to·my·righteousness] (224) + כְּבֹ֥ר [according·to·the·cleanness·of] (222) + יָ֝דַ֗י [my·hands] (24) + יָשִׁ֥יב [He·repaid] (322) + לִֽי [to·me] (40) = 1001.
Rashi
"according to my righteousness" — According to the righteousness of my following Him in the desert. "according to the cleanness" — Heb. כבד, an expression of cleanness, as (below 24:4), “and pure of heart.” Another explanation: He sent forth from on high [and] He took me. [David] said this about himself, concerning the angel who came to the Rock of the Divisions (I Sam. 23:27) to turn Saul away from him, as it is stated: “And an angel came to Saul, etc.” "according to my righteousness" — that I did not slay him when I sliced off the skirt of his coat. [Obviously, Rashi explains verses 8-17 as referring to Israel’s departure from Egypt. Only in verse 17 does he suggest the explanation that David refers to his own experiences.]
Ibn Ezra
"Hashem rewards me" — this is connected with what precedes it: He did all this so that He would reward me according to my righteousness. "according to the cleanness of my hands [kevor yadai]" — in the manner of "in the integrity of my heart"; and since most deeds are done by the hands, He mentioned "cleanness" [bor] together with them, in the manner of "and according to the cleanness of my palms."
Radak
"Hashem rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands has He recompensed me" — For He knew that righteousness was with me and injustice was with my enemies; therefore "He rewarded me according to my righteousness and recompensed me according to the cleanness of my hands," and He saved me from their hand. And it says "the cleanness of my hands," in the sense of "clean hands" (Psalms 24:4).
Metzudat David
"According to my righteousness" — according to my righteousness, for I did not do evil to a single one of them. "According to the cleanness of my hands" — this repeats the same matter in [different] wording.
Metzudat Zion
"Kevor" [cleanness] — from the language of "barur" [clear] and "naki" [clean].
Malbim
"Hashem rewarded me" — after he explained the first mode by which Hashem saves him, through his prayer and his crying out and through natural means — in which the causes and their effects sometimes proceed in a chain and lead him from one distress to another, until he had to cry out each time — he begins to speak of the second mode by which Hashem saves him: by way of miracle and wonder, at a time when he merits this on account of his good deeds; for then distress does not arise a second time, and the salvation is wondrous and very great. And so he said: "At the time that Hashem rewards me according to my righteousness," etc., then "the God who girds me with strength," etc., "who makes my feet like hinds' feet," etc., as will be explained. And he said, "Hashem rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands has He recompensed me." There is a difference between "reward" and "recompense": recompense corresponds to the deed and the action, while reward corresponds to the disposition of love or hatred that He has toward him — for reward is always bound up with feelings. And there is a difference between "my righteousness" and "the cleanness of my hands": "my righteousness" is righteousness achieved by rising up and doing, while "the cleanness of my hands" is what comes from sitting still and not committing a transgression. Accordingly, it would have been fitting for him to say the opposite — that He recompensed him according to his righteousness, and rewarded him according to the cleanness of his hands — since recompense is for what one did in deed, while reward and love are for what was refrained from doing. However, he said something novel: that not only did Hashem recompense him according to his righteousness, but He also rewarded him according to his righteousness — that besides the payment corresponding to the deed, there would also be a reward corresponding to the love; and likewise, not only did He reward him for the cleanness of his hands, but He also recompensed him — for He accounts to him what he refrained from doing wrong as if he had actually done good, and He recompenses him for this with a reward. And he explains the matter in parallel statements: "Hashem rewarded me according to my righteousness" — "for I have kept the ways of Hashem" — that the righteousness he performed, he did not perform it because reason and convention obligate it — to the point that it would not suffice for Him to recompense him only for the deed itself — rather, he kept it because these are the ways of Hashem, to walk in His ways and to become like Him — and for this he is deserving of a reward, that He should reward him according to the love and attachment with which he walked in His ways and clung to Him. "And according to the cleanness of my hands has He recompensed me, for I have not wickedly departed from my God" — that his not acting wickedly was not because reason obligates it or because his nature does not incline to wickedness; rather, the cause was "from my God" — because of Hashem's warning and His commandments — even though his [evil] inclination was inciting him to act wickedly. And for this it is fitting that He pay him a reward, for when a matter of transgression comes to a person's hand and he subdues his desire, he is given a reward as one who performs a commandment, as our Sages, of blessed memory, have said.
For I have kept the ways of Hashem, and have not wickedly departed from my God.
verse value 2343
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 28 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֑ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "the·ways·of" (דַּרְכֵ֣י, 4 letters) and the longest is "and·I·have·not·been·wicked" (וְלֹֽא־רָ֝שַׁ֗עְתִּי, 8 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "for·I·have·kept" (כִּֽי־שָׁ֭מַרְתִּי), "and·I·have·not·been·wicked" (וְלֹֽא־רָ֝שַׁ֗עְתִּי). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 688x in Psalms); "from·my·God" (root אלהים, 347x in Psalms); "and·I·have·not·been·wicked" (root רשע, 87x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Hashem', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 2 words. Full calculation: כִּֽי־שָׁ֭מַרְתִּי [for·I·have·kept] (980) + דַּרְכֵ֣י [the·ways·of] (234) + יְהֹוָ֑ה [Hashem] (26) + וְלֹֽא־רָ֝שַׁ֗עְתִּי [and·I·have·not·been·wicked] (1017) + מֵאֱלֹהָֽי [from·my·God] (86) = 2343.
Ibn Ezra
"For I have kept" — the positive commandments, and the word "my ways" serves double duty, applying to what follows it as well. "and have not wickedly departed" — from the ways of my God — the negative commandments.
Radak
"For I have kept the ways of Hashem" — this may be interpreted [as referring] to all the commandments, meaning: I "kept His ways," and He kept me from my enemies. "And have not wickedly departed from my God" — I did not act wickedly or with willful intent in departing from the ways of Hashem, except when I erred unintentionally. It may also be interpreted with reference to Saul: "For I have kept the ways of Hashem and have not wickedly departed from my God" means that I was driven away and pursued by him, yet I did not lay a hand on him when it was in my power and I was able to overcome him, as it is said (I Samuel 26:9): "For who can put forth his hand against Hashem's anointed and be guiltless?" For it would have been a sin for him [David] to kill him [Saul], even though Saul was pursuing him, because Saul was king.
For all His ordinances were before me, and I did not put away His statutes from me.
verse value 1554
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 30 letters. The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֣י, 2 letters) and the longest is "all·His·ordinances" (כׇל־מִשְׁפָּטָ֣יו, 8 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "all·His·ordinances" (כׇל־מִשְׁפָּטָ֣יו), "and·His·statutes" (וְ֝חֻקֹּתָ֗יו), "I·did·not·put·away" (לֹא־אָסִ֥יר). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "for" (root כי, 216x in Psalms); "all·His·ordinances" (root משפט, 65x in Psalms); "from·me" (root מן, 59x in Psalms). First appearance of the root חקה ("and·His·statutes") in Psalms. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'before·me', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: כִּ֣י [for] (30) + כׇל־מִשְׁפָּטָ֣יו [all·His·ordinances] (495) + לְנֶגְדִּ֑י [before·me] (97) + וְ֝חֻקֹּתָ֗יו [and·His·statutes] (530) + לֹא־אָסִ֥יר [I·did·not·put·away] (302) + מֶֽנִּי [from·me] (100) = 1554.
Rashi
"For all His ordinances were before me" — I always placed them before my eyes.
Ibn Ezra
"For" — I have not forgotten His ordinances, and this is the meaning of "before me."
Radak
"For all His ordinances" were "before me" always, and I did not forget them. "And I did not put away His statutes from me" — that I did not turn my heart to other things, but at all times I guarded myself from all sin with all my strength.
Metzudat Zion
"Mini" — [meaning] from me.
Malbim
"For all His ordinances were before me, and I did not put away His statutes from me" — There is a difference between "ordinance" (mishpat) and "statute" (chok): the ordinance is something that the intellect requires, while the statute is something whose reason the intellect does not understand. And there is a difference between "before me" and "I did not put away from me": that which stands before a person is a separate entity, apart from him, but "I did not put away from me" indicates that it is attached to him and he does not remove it from himself. That is to say: the ordinances — even though the intellect requires them and they are naturally bound up with man — I do not perform because they are found within my own intellect, but rather because Hashem commanded them; and it is as if they stand before me, not found within me in my own intellect, but I receive them from Hashem as things that are far from the intellect — and nevertheless I confine my ways in accordance with them. But the statutes are, in my eyes, as if they are found within my own intellect and soul, and as if they are rational commandments, and they do not stand before me at a distance but are found together with me — as it is written, "I have inclined my heart to perform Your statutes" — for through his faith in Hashem, his heart inclines toward them as if they were commandments that the intellect requires, to the point that he does not remove them from himself, and they are rooted in his heart and his soul.
And I was single-hearted with Him, and I kept myself from my iniquity.
verse value 1751
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 22 letters. The shortest word is "with·Him" (עִמּ֑וֹ, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·I·kept·myself" (וָ֝אֶשְׁתַּמֵּ֗ר, 6 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "and·I·kept·myself" (וָ֝אֶשְׁתַּמֵּ֗ר). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "with·Him" (root עם, 135x in Psalms); "and·I·was" (root היה, 97x in Psalms); "and·I·kept·myself" (root שמר, 73x in Psalms). First appearance of the root עון ("from·my·iniquity") in Psalms. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'with·Him', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 2 words. Full calculation: וָאֱהִ֣י [and·I·was] (22) + תָמִ֣ים [complete] (490) + עִמּ֑וֹ [with·Him] (116) + וָ֝אֶשְׁתַּמֵּ֗ר [and·I·kept·myself] (947) + מֵעֲוֺנִֽי [from·my·iniquity] (176) = 1751.
Ibn Ezra
"And I was single-hearted [tamim]" — like "tamim tihyeh" ("you shall be wholehearted," Deuteronomy 18:13). "and I kept myself from my iniquity" — like the form "ma'aneh lev" [answer of the heart].
Radak
"He makes my feet like hinds'" — if I had to flee and escape, there "my feet" were "like hinds'." "And sets me upon my high places" — and afterward, in the place to which I had escaped — that being "my high places" — there He "sets me" securely.
Metzudat David
"With Him" — with Hashem. "And I kept myself" — I guarded myself from the thing that would be counted to me as sin.
Malbim
"And I was" — meaning: if I increase in strength and reach an even greater level, until "I was single-hearted with Him." And the definition of the level of "single-hearted" (tamim) is that there is no opposition at all, in the powers of his body and his intellect, to the commandments of Hashem — for the nature of his body and his intellect has been transformed into the nature of holiness and purity, to the point that he does not deliberate at all, and he has no inclination and no leaning whatsoever in the service of Hashem — until "I kept myself from my iniquity," meaning that I would be guarded from iniquity automatically, of its own accord, and I would also be guarded from the iniquity itself, for the desires of his body and its qualities themselves guard him so that he does not desire iniquity at all. And then, "Hashem repaid me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands," which is "before His eyes" — then the reward will not be for the deeds themselves as mere deeds, but rather according to how they stand before the eyes of Hashem, who observes the secrets of the heart and knows the roots from which the deeds sprouted, and the character of their workings within the disposition of the soul.
Therefore Hashem has recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in His eyes.
verse value 1087
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 30 letters. The shortest word is "to·me" (לִ֣י, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·Hashem·repaid" (וַיָּֽשֶׁב־יְהֹוָ֣ה, 8 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "and·Hashem·repaid" (וַיָּֽשֶׁב־יְהֹוָ֣ה). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·Hashem·repaid" (root יהוה, 688x in Psalms); "my·hands" (root יד, 78x in Psalms); "to·me" (root לי, 68x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'according·to·my·righteousness', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 4 words. Full calculation: וַיָּֽשֶׁב־יְהֹוָ֣ה [and·Hashem·repaid] (344) + לִ֣י [to·me] (40) + כְצִדְקִ֑י [according·to·my·righteousness] (224) + כְּבֹ֥ר [according·to·the·cleanness·of] (222) + יָ֝דַ֗י [my·hands] (24) + לְנֶ֣גֶד [before] (87) + עֵינָֽיו [His·eyes] (146) = 1087.
Ibn Ezra
"Therefore He recompensed" — He mentions "according to the cleanness of my hands, before His eyes" — corresponding to "for all His ordinances were before me" [Psalm 18:23].
Radak
"Hashem has recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands" — since I guarded myself from sin, "Hashem recompensed me according to my righteousness"; whereas Saul — he, his kingdom, and his entire house [perished], while I endured and my kingdom stands. And it says— "In His eyes" — for He knows my deeds and knows that my intention is for good.
Metzudat David
"And He recompensed" — and therefore Hashem recompensed me according to my righteousness. "Before His eyes" — and not before people, so as to be boastful.
With the merciful You show Yourself merciful, with the upright man You show Yourself upright;
verse value 2749
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 24 letters. The shortest word is "complete" (תָּ֝מִ֗ים, 4 letters) and the longest is "with·the·merciful" (עִם־חָסִ֥יד, 6 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "with·the·merciful" (עִם־חָסִ֥יד), "You·show·Yourself·merciful" (תִּתְחַסָּ֑ד), "with·a·man" (עִם־גְּבַ֥ר). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "You·show·Yourself·merciful" (root חסד, 125x in Psalms); "with·the·merciful" (root חסיד, 25x in Psalms). First appearance of the root גבור ("with·a·man") in Psalms. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'You·show·Yourself·merciful', dividing the verse into phrases of 2 and 3 words. Full calculation: עִם־חָסִ֥יד [with·the·merciful] (192) + תִּתְחַסָּ֑ד [You·show·Yourself·merciful] (872) + עִם־גְּבַ֥ר [with·a·man] (315) + תָּ֝מִ֗ים [complete] (490) + תִּתַּמָּֽם [You·show·Yourself·upright] (880) = 2749.
Rashi
"With a kind one, You show Yourself kind" — Because so are His ways, to pay a measure for a measure. Kind...sincere...pure, corresponding to the three patriarchs.
Ibn Ezra
"With the merciful You show Yourself merciful" — "gever" [man] is a descriptive adjective and is not in the construct state. "You show Yourself blameless [titamam]" — an elided third letter tav, like "titchazak" ("you strengthen yourself"). And the meaning is: He shows that your deed is perfect, or: You are perfect in knowledge.
Radak
"With the merciful You show Yourself merciful" — for such is Your way: with "the merciful" You show Your mercy, and repay him even more than what is due him. "With the upright man You show Yourself upright" — gever means "man," as the Targum renders ish, "man" (Genesis 2:24), [by the word gevar]; and so too gever [here means the same], only it is a different grammatical pattern. And "with" a man who is "upright" You show Your integrity and Your uprightness.
Metzudat David
"With the merciful" — for such is Your way, to conduct Yourself with kindness toward the merciful one.
Metzudat Zion
"Gever" — [meaning] a man, as in "the way of a man with a maiden" (derech gever be'almah) (Proverbs 30:19).
Malbim
"With the merciful" — He explains in this three matters. First: that sometimes the higher governance is directed to correspond to a person's deeds — that if he is merciful (chasid), Hashem will act toward him with kindness (chesed), and if he is on the level of "single-hearted" (tamim) or "pure" (navar), Hashem will likewise conduct Himself toward him according to his disposition, whether for good or for bad.
With the pure You show Yourself pure; and with the crooked You show Yourself subtle.
verse value 3460
Insights
Verse structure: 4 words, 21 letters. The shortest word is "with·pure" (עִם־נָבָ֥ר, 5 letters) and the longest is "and·with·crooked" (וְעִם־עִ֝קֵּ֗שׁ, 6 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "with·pure" (עִם־נָבָ֥ר), "You·show·Yourself·pure" (תִּתְבָּרָ֑ר), "and·with·crooked" (וְעִם־עִ֝קֵּ֗שׁ). The root ברר appears 2 times in this verse. 3 unique roots are used. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'You·show·Yourself·pure', dividing the verse into phrases of 2 and 2 words. Full calculation: עִם־נָבָ֥ר [with·pure] (362) + תִּתְבָּרָ֑ר [You·show·Yourself·pure] (1202) + וְעִם־עִ֝קֵּ֗שׁ [and·with·crooked] (586) + תִּתְפַּתָּֽל [You·show·Yourself·subtle] (1310) = 3460.
Rashi
"With a pure one" — a faithful one. "but with a crooked one" — alluding to Pharaoh.
Ibn Ezra
"With the pure [nivar]" — from the geminate [doubled-root] verb class, like "nikal" ("he was dishonored") and "nimas" ("it melted"). "You show Yourself subtle [titpatal]" — like "the wrestlings of God" [Genesis 30:8], in the sense of: You contend [with him] until You defeat him.
Radak
"With the pure You show Yourself pure" — like "Hashem has recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands." "And with the crooked You show Yourself subtle" — You bring upon him, in his own "crooked" manner, that which is "twisted."
Metzudat David
"With the pure" — with a clear and clean man You conduct Yourself with purity, for You repay each man according to his deeds.
Metzudat Zion
"Ikesh" [crooked] — [meaning] bent, twisted. "Titpatal" ("You show yourself subtle") — this too is an expression of crookedness, as in "a crooked and twisted generation" (dor ikesh uftaltol) (Deuteronomy 32).
For You save the afflicted people; but the haughty eyes You humble.
verse value 3114
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 30 letters. Verse gematria: 3114 is divisible by 18, the value of chai ('life'). The shortest word is "haughty" (רָמ֣וֹת, 4 letters) and the longest is "and·eyes" (וְעֵינַ֖יִם, 6 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "people·afflicted" (עַם־עָנִ֣י), "and·eyes" (וְעֵינַ֖יִם), "haughty" (רָמ֣וֹת). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "for·You" (root אתה, 115x in Psalms); "You·save" (root ישע, 75x in Psalms); "and·eyes" (root עין, 64x in Psalms). First appearance of the root שפל ("You·humble") in Psalms. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'You·save', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: כִּֽי־אַ֭תָּה [for·You] (436) + עַם־עָנִ֣י [people·afflicted] (240) + תוֹשִׁ֑יעַ [You·save] (786) + וְעֵינַ֖יִם [and·eyes] (186) + רָמ֣וֹת [haughty] (646) + תַּשְׁפִּֽיל [You·humble] (820) = 3114.
Ibn Ezra
"For" [You save] "the afflicted [ani]" — the opposite of "crooked." "and You save" — the opposite of "You show Yourself subtle." And He mentions "people" — for it is a greater wonder to save a whole people than to save a single man. And He mentions "haughty eyes" — for they do not see in the night.
Radak
"For You save the afflicted people" — forever "You" support "the afflicted" and the pursued, and "You humble" the haughty who rise up against "the afflicted"; and this is what it says— "But the haughty eyes You humble" — it attributes the haughtiness "to the eyes," because they are the cause of haughtiness and of sin, as it is said (Numbers 15:39): "That you go not about after your own heart and after your own eyes"; and likewise it is said (Job 31:7): "And my heart walked after my eyes."
Metzudat David
"With the afflicted" — with one who is humbled. "But the haughty eyes" — those who are most arrogant.
Malbim
"For" — and sometimes He conducts Himself toward a person in a manner opposite to his disposition — that "the afflicted people," who are humbled and lowly in their hearts, "You save; but Your eyes are upon the haughty, to humble them."
For You light my lamp; Hashem my God lightens my darkness.
verse value 1745
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 28 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֥ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "my·lamp" (נֵרִ֑י, 3 letters) and the longest is "for·You" (כִּֽי־אַ֭תָּה, 5 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "You·light" (תָּאִ֣יר), "my·lamp" (נֵרִ֑י), "lightens" (יַגִּ֥יהַּ). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 688x in Psalms); "my·God" (root אלהים, 347x in Psalms); "for·You" (root אתה, 115x in Psalms). First appearance of the root נר ("my·lamp") in Psalms. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'my·lamp', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 4 words. Full calculation: כִּֽי־אַ֭תָּה [for·You] (436) + תָּאִ֣יר [You·light] (611) + נֵרִ֑י [my·lamp] (260) + יְהֹוָ֥ה [Hashem] (26) + אֱ֝לֹהַ֗י [my·God] (46) + יַגִּ֥יהַּ [lightens] (28) + חׇשְׁכִּֽי [my·darkness] (338) = 1745.
Rashi
"For You light my lamp" — when he fought at night with the Amalekite troop that attacked Ziklag, as it is stated (in I Sam. 30:17): “And David smote them from evening until evening to their morrow.”
Ibn Ezra
"For" — He mentions "for You light my lamp," and this is a metaphor for his good fortune.
Radak
"For You light my lamp" — trouble is darkness, and salvation from it is light and radiance; and this is what it says: "Hashem my God lightens my darkness."
Metzudat David
"You light my lamp" — meaning, You send me help. "He lightens my darkness" — He saves me from distress.
Metzudat Zion
"Yagiah" ("You light") — [meaning] He causes to shine and gives light.
Malbim
"For" — and there is a form of governance that does not correspond at all to a person's deeds, and these are of two kinds. First, regarding making known the truths and showing the way in which light dwells; and concerning this it says, "For You light my lamp" — meaning that man, by virtue of the nature of his physical substance and his bodily powers, is not prepared to have the divine light shine upon him and to know the truths; however, by virtue of his intellect, he is prepared to receive the light. And for this reason the light of the intellect is likened to a lamp that illuminates the darkness of the soul, as it is written, "The lamp of God is the soul of man." However, this lamp does not give light of itself, but only through the light of Hashem, who kindles the lamp of the soul and causes light to shine upon its face — for the intellect, through its own investigations, is unable to attain the light of truth; only Hashem lights its lamp, so that it shines with the light of Hashem. For this reason it says, "For You light my lamp." However, the darkness and the mist that surround this lamp — which are the material powers that cover over it — are actual darkness, to the point that they are not prepared to receive brightness from this light; and for this too the help of Hashem is needed, to make this darkness prepared to be illuminated by this light. And concerning this it says, "For You, my God, light up my darkness." The parable of the lamp refers to the making known of the true beliefs and the prophecy that influences man's intellect, and the parable of illuminating the darkness refers to the commandments that Hashem gave, through which the clouds of matter are removed by means of holiness and purification. And both of these come from Hashem, without His waiting upon man.
For by You I run upon a troop; and by my God do I scale a wall.
verse value 958
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 24 letters. The shortest word is "I·run" (אָרֻ֣ץ, 3 letters) and the longest is "I·scale·wall" (אֲדַלֶּג־שֽׁוּר, 7 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "band" (גְּד֑וּד), "and·by·my·God" (וּ֝בֵֽאלֹהַ֗י), "I·scale·wall" (אֲדַלֶּג־שֽׁוּר). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·by·my·God" (root אלהים, 347x in Psalms); "for·by·You" (root כי, 216x in Psalms). First appearance of the root רוץ ("I·run") in Psalms. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'band', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 2 words. Full calculation: כִּֽי־בְ֭ךָ [for·by·You] (52) + אָרֻ֣ץ [I·run] (291) + גְּד֑וּד [band] (17) + וּ֝בֵֽאלֹהַ֗י [and·by·my·God] (54) + אֲדַלֶּג־שֽׁוּר [I·scale·wall] (544) = 958.
Rashi
"For by You" — By Your assurance. "and by my God I scale a wall" — When he came to wage war against Jebus, and he said (in I Chron. 11:6): “Whoever smites the Jebusites, etc. shall be a leader and a prince.” Joab brought a green juniper tree, bent it over, suspended himself on it, and scaled the wall. Said David (in Ps. 141:5): “May a righteous man smite me with loving-kindness,” and the Holy one, blessed be He, lowered the wall, and he scaled it (Mid. Ps. 18:24).
Ibn Ezra
"For [by You] I run [aruts]" — like "artsets" [I crush], and similarly "merutsatam" [their running]. And some say: "I run" after the troop, in the manner of "I pursue," [meaning] that he is sometimes found together with others and sometimes alone; and the meaning is that by You alone I defeat many. And the meaning of "by You" — with You, or in Your name that I call upon.
Radak
"For by You I run upon a troop" — with Your help I shall break the troops of my enemies. And arutz ["I shall run"] is from the root R-Tz-Tz ["to crush, to break"], and it is written with a shuruk vowel [textual note: in our texts the resh has a kubutz vowel, but originally the word was vocalized with a shuruk] — as in (Proverbs 29:6) yaron ve-sameach, "he shall sing and rejoice"; yashud tzohorayim, "the destruction that ravages at noonday" (Psalms 91:6). Or its meaning is: I "run" to meet the "troop" of my enemies and do not fear them. And likewise— "And by my God do I scale a wall" — I "scale" the walls of my enemies' cities in order to conquer them; and it says "I scale" to indicate the swiftness with which they conquered them, as if they entered by a single leap. And in the Midrash (Shocher Tov): this verse was said concerning the conquest of Zion, and the verse above it concerning the war with Amalek. A great troop of Amalek came against David, and David waged war against them for two nights and one day, as it is said (I Samuel 30:17): "And David smote them from the twilight even unto the evening of the next day." Who gave him light during those two nights? Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: the Holy One, blessed be He, gave him light by lightning-flashes; and this is [the meaning of] "For You light my lamp. For by You I run upon a troop": At the time David went to Jebus to wage war against them, David began and said, "Whoever strikes the Jebusites first shall be head and captain" (I Chronicles 11:6). What did Joab do? He went and brought a fresh cypress tree and set it beside the wall, and bent down its top, which was pliant, and David took hold of it, and Joab leapt onto David's head and clung to the cypress and scaled the wall. David said (Psalms 141:5): "Let a righteous man strike me in kindness, and rebuke me." What did the Holy One, blessed be He, do? He shortened the wall until David climbed up after him, as it is said: "And by my God do I scale a wall."
Metzudat David
"For by You, etc." — with trust in You I run toward the enemy's camp and do not fear, and with God's help I leap over the wall to conquer the city.
Metzudat Zion
"Adaleg" ("I run/leap") — [meaning] I jump. "Shur" [wall] — a wall, as in "its branches run over the wall" (banot tza'adah alei shur) (Genesis 49:22).
Malbim
"For by You" — and the second matter that Hashem does of Himself is protection and safeguarding from mishaps, and in particular, victory for those who fear Him — that it should not be according to their own preparation and might, for there is no restraint upon Hashem to save with many or with few, as it is written, "He does not delight in the strength of the horse" — Hashem desires those who fear Him, to deliver their souls from death. And this is what it says, "For by You I run upon a troop" — that it seems to me as if I have many troops and men of valor — "and by my God do I scale a wall," meaning the wall and fortresses of the enemy, to conquer them.
As for God, His way is perfect; the word of Hashem is tried; He is a shield to all those who take refuge in Him.
verse value 2120
Insights
Verse structure: 10 words, 40 letters. Notable word values: "the·God" (הָאֵל֮) = 36, double chai. The shortest word is "in·Him" (בּֽוֹ, 2 letters) and the longest is "the·word·of·Hashem" (אִמְרַֽת־יְהֹוָ֥ה, 8 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "the·word·of·Hashem" (אִמְרַֽת־יְהֹוָ֥ה), "those·who·take·refuge" (הַחֹסִ֬ים). 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "the·word·of·Hashem" (root יהוה, 688x in Psalms); "the·God" (root אל, 112x in Psalms); "to·all" (root כל, 82x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'tried', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 5 words. Full calculation: הָאֵל֮ [the·God] (36) + תָּמִ֢ים [complete] (490) + דַּ֫רְכּ֥וֹ [his·way] (230) + אִמְרַֽת־יְהֹוָ֥ה [the·word·of·Hashem] (667) + צְרוּפָ֑ה [tried] (381) + מָגֵ֥ן [shield] (93) + ה֝֗וּא [He] (12) + לְכֹ֤ל [to·all] (80) + הַחֹסִ֬ים [those·who·take·refuge] (123) + בּֽוֹ [in·Him] (8) = 2120.
Rashi
"refined" — Pure. He promises and He does.
Ibn Ezra
"The God [ha'El]" — the meaning is that He is mighty and does no wrong, but rather His way is perfect. And it has already been said, "and His word" — there is no blemish or flaw in it, for it is refined; that He will forever be a shield to those who take refuge in Him. With You, or in Your name that I call upon.
Radak
"As for God, His way is perfect" — He is "my God," in whose hand is all power, and whatever He does, He does "in perfection" and in uprightness, and He repays each man according to his deeds — He has recompensed me according to my righteousness and my enemies according to their wickedness. "The word of Hashem is tried" — "His word is tried," in that there is no dross in any of His judgments, but all of it follows the line of uprightness and faithfulness — "tried" and refined of all dross. "He is a shield to all those who take refuge in Him."
Metzudat David
"His way is perfect" — to repay each man according to his deed. "Tried" — like refined silver that has no dross, so too the sayings of Hashem and His promise contain nothing that fails [to come true]. "A shield" — a refuge, like a shield.
Malbim
"As for God" — He explains that since "the way of God" — which is His governance — is "perfect," and "every word of God [Eloah]," which is the creation that He created by utterance, is "purified" of all dross, therefore "He is a shield" and refuge "to all who take refuge in Him." And to clarify the matter: the affairs of Hashem in His world appear to us under two aspects. First, the natural laws that He bounded and inscribed at the time of creation — a fixed law that will not be transgressed; for example, that fire burns, water flows downward, the heavens give their dew, and the earth yields its produce. Second, the ways in which He conducts Himself according to the deeds of people who possess free will, whether for good or for bad — that at the time when the possessors of free will perform good deeds before Him, He arranges the governance to do good to them and to give them life, and at the time when their deeds turn bad, He arranges the governance for evil. And as it appears to the eyes of flesh, these two laws are distinct from one another and very far apart — for what connection could there be between the rain of the heavens and the deeds of people in their service [of Hashem] or their rebellion, or an earthquake, locusts, blight, and the like, and the actions of those with free will? Surely the laws of nature are fixed and necessary and do not change, while the actions of those with free will are contingent. And from this illusory appearance people are led to err, thinking that there is no [purposeful] deed, knowledge, or reckoning — for how could nature change on account of the deeds of people? But once we take to heart that the laws of nature are arranged by Hashem, and that the governance according to deeds — by which He rewards and punishes — is also from Hashem, there is no doubt that He who formed them certainly bound the two forms of governance together with thin, spiritual cords, so that they are affected by one another and drawn after one another; and the laws of nature are dependent upon and drawn after, and change for good or for bad according to whether people change their deeds. And in this there is hope that the righteous person will be protected from all natural evils, for nature will submit itself beneath him according to his deeds. And this is what it says: since "God's way is perfect" — that is, the way of the governance by free will, which depends upon the contingent deeds of people, for His ways are kindness, mercy, and grace to the good, and judgment and justice to the wicked, and this way is perfect, lacking nothing, and the laws of nature do not restrain them. "For every word of Hashem is purified" — that is, the utterances by which He decreed that the world should come into being, and by which He bounded the laws of the world and of nature — these are purified of all dross, so that there is no contradiction between them and the governance by free will. And for this reason "He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him," for the laws of nature submit themselves to those who take refuge in Hashem. And he explains a second time: "For who is God besides Hashem" — the name Havayah [the Tetragrammaton] indicates creation, that He brought every existing thing into being, while the name Eloah indicates governance and providence; and God [Elohim], who guides and watches over according to deeds, is Himself Hashem, who created the whole of creation and established the laws of nature. "And there is no Rock" — creator and fashioner — "besides our God," who watches over and guides — so that the Creator is the Guide and the Guide is the Creator, and He surely ordered everything so that there would be no contradiction between the laws of creation and the laws of governance, and the laws of nature are drawn along according to the laws of governance.
For who is God, save Hashem? And who is a Rock, except our God?
verse value 1211
Insights
Verse structure: 9 words, 35 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֑ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֤י, 2 letters) and the longest is "besides" (מִבַּלְעֲדֵ֣י, 6 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "besides" (מִבַּלְעֲדֵ֣י), "except" (זוּלָתִ֥י). The root מי appears 2 times in this verse. 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 688x in Psalms); "our·God" (root אלהים, 347x in Psalms); "for" (root כי, 216x in Psalms). First appearance of the root אלוה ("God") in Psalms. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Hashem', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 4 words. Full calculation: כִּ֤י [for] (30) + מִ֣י [who?] (50) + אֱ֭לוֹהַּ [God] (42) + מִבַּלְעֲדֵ֣י [besides] (156) + יְהֹוָ֑ה [Hashem] (26) + וּמִ֥י [and·who] (56) + צ֝֗וּר [Rock] (296) + זוּלָתִ֥י [except] (453) + אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ [our·God] (102) = 1211.
Ibn Ezra
"For" [who is God besides Hashem] — there is none who stands against Him such that He would fail to fulfill His word, for there is no god besides Him.
Radak
"The God who girds me with strength" — He is the master of might, and it is He who grants strength. "And makes my way perfect" — He makes "my way" complete, in that not one of my men was lost in war.
Metzudat David
"For who is God" — [i.e., who else] has, in his own hand, the power to restrain His hand?
Metzudat Zion
"Tzur" [rock] — an expression of strength. "Zulati" ("except") — [meaning] besides, other than.
The God that girds me with strength, and makes my way straight;
verse value 1587
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 25 letters. Notable word values: "the·God" (הָ֭אֵל) = 36, double chai. The shortest word is "the·God" (הָ֭אֵל, 3 letters) and the longest is "who·girds·me" (הַמְאַזְּרֵ֣נִי, 7 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "who·girds·me" (הַמְאַזְּרֵ֣נִי). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "the·God" (root אל, 112x in Psalms); "and·gives" (root נתן, 95x in Psalms); "my·way" (root דרך, 70x in Psalms). First appearance of the root אזר ("who·girds·me") in Psalms. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'strength', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: הָ֭אֵל [the·God] (36) + הַמְאַזְּרֵ֣נִי [who·girds·me] (313) + חָ֑יִל [strength] (48) + וַיִּתֵּ֖ן [and·gives] (466) + תָּמִ֣ים [complete] (490) + דַּרְכִּֽי [my·way] (234) = 1587.
Rashi
"and He makes my way perfect" — He removed all obstacles from my way until it became perfect and paved.
Ibn Ezra
"The God [ha'El]" — and since He is a mighty God, He girded me with strength, from His might; and since His way is perfect, so too He made my way perfect. And the meaning of "and He gives" is that the good comes about from Him.
Metzudat David
"My way was perfect" — my way was perfect and complete, and not one of my men was lost in battle.
Metzudat Zion
"Hame'azreni" ("who girds me") — from the language of "ezor" and "chagorah" [belt/girdle]. "Chayil" [strength] — [meaning] power.
Malbim
"The God who girds me with strength" — after this introduction, in which he explained how, through good deeds, a person comes to be protected from mishaps and from all evil, he returns to the subject he began in verse 21: to relate how, through his good deeds, he is saved in a miraculous, wondrous way — treading upon the laws of nature, with nature yielding beneath him. And he explains this by two approaches. (The first approach:) that although Hashem gives him strength and swiftness and teaches him the tactics of war, nevertheless he does not fight and does not run, but stands in his place, and the victory comes about by itself, in a miraculous way. And in line with this he says, "The God who girds me with strength" — he has in mind three things. First, that He gives him the strength and power for war, and nevertheless "makes my way straight" — my way will be in wholehearted innocence, in that I will not fight and will not do evil to any person. Second, the swiftness and the running — and so he says: although "He makes my feet" as swift as the feet of "hinds" to run after my enemy, nevertheless I will not run, but rather "sets me upon my high places" — I remain standing in my place and do not pursue anyone. Third, the counsel and instruction in the tactics of war — that although "He trains my hands for war" and teaches me the tactics of war, nevertheless I will not need to fight, for on the contrary, "a bow of bronze is broken by my arms" — the bow breaks and is not used at all. This is the one approach: that the entire victory comes about in a miraculous way, while I sit in my house. (The second approach:) that although the victory comes about through Hashem alone, as it was in the miracle of Sennacherib, nevertheless Hashem wishes to magnify my honor, as though I myself were the one who won through my own might. And so it says, "and You have given me the shield of Your salvation" — meaning, that for war one needs, first, the shield for protection, and second, the right hand for victory. Now, You give the shield to me, as though I held the shield at the time of battle — even though it is "the shield of Your salvation," that it is Your salvation that held the shield, not I — You give it to me as though it were mine. And likewise, for the victory, "Your right hand sustains me," so that I am victorious by my right hand through the support of Your right hand. And this You do because "Your humility magnifies me" — as though, out of the greatness of Your humility, You do not wish to attribute the victory to Yourself — that You were victorious — but rather magnify me, so as to hang the victory upon me. And it is from this — that You wish to attribute the victory to me — that "You have enlarged my steps under me." For whereas in the first approach it says "and sets me upon my high places," meaning that he stands in one place, here "You have enlarged my steps" so as to run after the enemy (and in this too it indicates that it is Hashem who enlarges his steps, and that this is not accomplished by his own strength). Second, it is as though "You have enlarged my steps under me" — meaning, in my own place — that even so I remain standing in my place, as if the spirit of Hashem transports him, through a miraculous leaping of the earth, after the enemy whom he pursues, and even so he remains standing in his own place. And regarding this it says, "and my ankles have not slipped," for even so I stand in one place. And in this connection, "I pursued my enemies" and also "overtook them," and I did not turn back until they were utterly consumed.
Who makes my feet like hinds', and sets me upon my high places;
verse value 1813
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 28 letters. The shortest word is "and·upon" (וְעַ֥ל, 3 letters) and the longest is "sets·me" (יַעֲמִידֵֽנִי, 7 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "who·makes" (מְשַׁוֶּ֣ה), "like·the·hinds" (כָּאַיָּל֑וֹת), "my·high·places" (בָּ֝מֹתַ֗י). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·upon" (root על, 120x in Psalms); "sets·me" (root עמד, 36x in Psalms); "my·feet" (root רגל, 31x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'like·the·hinds', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: מְשַׁוֶּ֣ה [who·makes] (351) + רַ֭גְלַי [my·feet] (243) + כָּאַיָּל֑וֹת [like·the·hinds] (467) + וְעַ֥ל [and·upon] (106) + בָּ֝מֹתַ֗י [my·high·places] (452) + יַעֲמִידֵֽנִי [sets·me] (194) = 1813.
Rashi
"He makes my feet like hinds" — The feet of the females stand straighter than those of the males.
Ibn Ezra
"Who makes equal [mashaveh]" — since He mentioned "his way," He then mentioned "my feet." "and makes equal" — like "shaveh" [equal, level], or like "I have set Hashem always before me" [Psalm 16:8]. "and sets me" — so that I should not stumble.
Metzudat David
"Makes [my feet] like" — He made my feet swift to run quickly after the enemy, like a hind that is swift in its running. "And upon my high places" — You set me upon my heights and my greatness.
Metzudat Zion
"Mashveh" ("sets/makes") — [meaning] places, as in "I have made myself [still] until morning" (shiviti ad boker) (Isaiah 38:13).
Who trains my hands for war, so that my arms bend a bow of brass.
verse value 2622
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 32 letters. The shortest word is "my·hands" (יָ֭דַי, 3 letters) and the longest is "bow·of·bronze" (קֶֽשֶׁת־נְ֝חוּשָׁ֗ה, 8 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "who·teaches" (מְלַמֵּ֣ד), "and·bends" (וְֽנִחֲתָ֥ה), "bow·of·bronze" (קֶֽשֶׁת־נְ֝חוּשָׁ֗ה). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "my·hands" (root יד, 78x in Psalms); "who·teaches" (root למד, 27x in Psalms). First appearance of the root למד ("who·teaches") in Psalms. First appearance of the root מלחמה ("for·the·war") in Psalms. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'for·the·war', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: מְלַמֵּ֣ד [who·teaches] (114) + יָ֭דַי [my·hands] (24) + לַמִּלְחָמָ֑ה [for·the·war] (153) + וְֽנִחֲתָ֥ה [and·bends] (469) + קֶֽשֶׁת־נְ֝חוּשָׁ֗ה [bow·of·bronze] (1169) + זְרוֹעֹתָֽי [my·arms] (693) = 2622.
Rashi
"so that a copper bow is bent by my arms" — Heb. ונחתה, an expression of treading the bow, as (below 38:3): “Your arrows were driven (נחתו) into me.” Its radical [or its active voice] is נחת. When it is used in the passive voice, a dagesh comes and causes the “nun” to drop out. Hence נחתה is derived from ננחתה as (below 69:4): “My throat is dried (נחר),” derived from ננחר as (in Jer. 6:29): “The bellows is heated (נחר)”; נדף, rattling (in Lev. 26:36) is derived from ננדף ; “My eyes stream (נגרה)” (in Lam. 3:49), is like ננגרה ; “was given (נתנה)” (Gen. 38:14) is like ננתנה ; “they were smitten (נגף)” (II Sam. 10:15) is derived from ננגף. We cannot interpret it as being of the radical חתת, for then it would say נחתתה, as [it says] נעשתה, was done, from עשה ; נענתה, was answered, from ענה. Another explanation: and a copper bow is bent by my arms: חית is an expression of treading a bow, as (below 38:3): “Your arrows were driven (נחתו).” The “nun” is not of the radical but it is like נחלו “gave for inheritance” (in Jos. 14:1), and the copper bow was bent by my arms. Copper bows were hanging in David’s house. The kings of the nations would see them and say to each other, “Do you think that David has the strength to bend them? This is only to frighten us.” But he would hear [them] and bend the bows before them.
Ibn Ezra
"Who trains [melamed]" — [meaning] accustoms; one accustomed to evil, [as in] "accustomed to the wilderness." "so that [my arms] bend [venichata]" — each one of my arms, in the manner of "branches run over the wall" [Genesis 49:22], where the nun is a root letter, like "and Your hand came down upon me" [Psalm 38:3]. And it is also possible that "venichata" is like "it is a descending," with the letter nun serving the nif'al construction, and the letter bet of "mizro'otai" ["from my arms"] being missing, as in the construction found in "beit Hashem" ["house of Hashem"].
Radak
"Who trains my hands for war" — when I was successful in war, I did not glory in my own might, but rather it was He who "trained" and accustomed "my hands for war." "So that my arms bend a bow of brass" — He trained "my hands" to such a degree that they would cause "a bow of brass" to fall from my enemies' hands, and it would be broken "by my arms"; and this is a manner of hyperbole. Or its meaning is as if "my arms" broke it, because their bow would be of no avail against me. And the meaning of "brass" (nechushah) is: strong "as brass," that being hard iron; and likewise, "and your land as brass" (Leviticus 26:19). And in the Midrash (Shocher Tov): that David would take "a bow of brass" and bend it. Another interpretation: it is easier for a man to bend "a bow of brass" than to bend David's arms.
Metzudat David
"For war" — to know the tactics of war. "So that [my arms] bend" — You gave me strength to break a bow of bronze.
Metzudat Zion
"Venichata" ("bends") — from the language of "tachat" [being brought down] and breaking.
You have also given me Your shield of salvation, and Your right hand has held me up; and Your condescension has made me great.
verse value 3333
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 36 letters. The shortest word is "shield·of" (מָגֵ֢ן, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·You·gave·to·me" (וַתִּתֶּן־לִי֮, 6 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "and·You·gave·to·me" (וַתִּתֶּן־לִי֮), "held·me·up" (תִסְעָדֵ֑נִי), "and·Your·humility" (וְֽעַנְוַתְךָ֥). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·You·gave·to·me" (root נתן, 95x in Psalms); "Your·salvation" (root ישע, 75x in Psalms); "and·Your·right·hand" (root ימין, 43x in Psalms). First appearance of the root סעד ("held·me·up") in Psalms. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'held·me·up', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 2 words. Full calculation: וַתִּתֶּן־לִי֮ [and·You·gave·to·me] (896) + מָגֵ֢ן [shield·of] (93) + יִ֫שְׁעֶ֥ךָ [Your·salvation] (400) + וִֽימִינְךָ֥ [and·Your·right·hand] (136) + תִסְעָדֵ֑נִי [held·me·up] (594) + וְֽעַנְוַתְךָ֥ [and·Your·humility] (552) + תַרְבֵּֽנִי [made·me·great] (662) = 3333.
Rashi
"and You have treated me with great humility" — You have dealt with me with great humility.
Ibn Ezra
"You have given" — He mentions "and Your right hand," corresponding to "who trains my hands for war"; and this condescension that You have placed in me — it is what magnifies me and strengthens me; thus "tarbeni" ["makes me great"], like "over all the chief of his house" [Esther 1:8].
Radak
"You have also given me Your shield of salvation" — in all the wars, "Your salvation" was "a shield" to me, in that I was not struck down in any of all the wars, and this was only because— "And Your right hand has held me up" — that is, "Your right hand held me up." "And Your condescension has made me great" — that is to say, "Your condescension" and Your kindness did this. For I was not worthy of it, but rather Your kindness "made me great"; for I was among a small people and my enemies among a numerous people, yet "Your condescension made me great," and I would be victorious as though I were greater in number than they. And it says "Your condescension" by way of metaphor, as though You lowered Your honor to take heed of me.
Metzudat David
"Your condescension has made me great" — the greatness of Your condescension in watching over me made me as though I were a great people, able to defeat the enemy, even though my men were but a small number.
You have enlarged my steps under me, and my feet have not slipped.
verse value 2169
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 25 letters. The shortest word is "and·not" (וְלֹ֥א, 3 letters) and the longest is "You·enlarged" (תַּרְחִ֣יב, 5 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "my·steps" (צַעֲדִ֣י), "have·slipped" (מָ֝עֲד֗וּ), "my·ankles" (קַרְסֻלָּֽי). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·not" (root לא, 174x in Psalms); "under·me" (root תחת, 23x in Psalms). First appearance of the root מעד ("have·slipped") in Psalms. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'under·me', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: תַּרְחִ֣יב [You·enlarged] (620) + צַעֲדִ֣י [my·steps] (174) + תַחְתָּ֑י [under·me] (818) + וְלֹ֥א [and·not] (37) + מָ֝עֲד֗וּ [have·slipped] (120) + קַרְסֻלָּֽי [my·ankles] (400) = 2169.
Rashi
"You have enlarged my step[s] beneath me" — One who widens his steps does not fall easily. Similarly, Scripture states (in Prov. 4:12): “When you walk, your steps will not be hampered (יצר) .” "slipped" — Heb. מעדו aluverjert in Old French, to slip. "my ankles" — Heb. קרסלי. They are the feet from the ankle which is called keville (cheville) in Old Frenchand below [to the heel].
Ibn Ezra
"You have enlarged," "my ankles [karsulai]" — as the Targum renders: "that which has legs." And the meaning of "You have enlarged" — is "for the sake of."
Radak
'You have enlarged my steps under me' — like [in] 'When you walk, your step shall not be straitened; and if you run, you shall not stumble' (Proverbs 4:12). And this is [the meaning of]: 'And my ankles have not slipped' — [meaning] if I were running before my enemies [I would not stumble]. And the meaning of 'karsulai' (my ankles) is 'my legs' (kera'ai), as in the Targum's rendering of 'which has legs' (Leviticus 11:21): 'dilei karsulin' (its legs).
Metzudat David
"You have enlarged" — You widened my stride so that my feet would not slip and be prone to falling.
Metzudat Zion
"Ma'adu" ("slipped") — an expression of slipping from one's place. "Karsulai" [my ankles] — the Aramaic translation of "kera'ayim" [legs/haunches] is "karsulin."
I have pursued my enemies, and overtaken them; neither did I turn back till they were consumed.
verse value 1596
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 30 letters. The shortest word is "I·pursued" (אֶרְדּ֣וֹף, 5 letters) and the longest is "and·I·did·not·return" (וְלֹֽא־אָ֝שׁ֗וּב, 7 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "I·pursued" (אֶרְדּ֣וֹף), "and·I·overtook·them" (וְאַשִּׂיגֵ֑ם), "and·I·did·not·return" (וְלֹֽא־אָ֝שׁ֗וּב). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·I·did·not·return" (root שוב, 72x in Psalms); "my·enemies" (root איב, 71x in Psalms); "until·they·were·consumed" (root כלה, 24x in Psalms). First appearance of the root כלה ("until·they·were·consumed") in Psalms. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·I·overtook·them', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 2 words. Full calculation: אֶרְדּ֣וֹף [I·pursued] (291) + א֭וֹיְבַי [my·enemies] (29) + וְאַשִּׂיגֵ֑ם [and·I·overtook·them] (360) + וְלֹֽא־אָ֝שׁ֗וּב [and·I·did·not·return] (346) + עַד־כַּלּוֹתָֽם [until·they·were·consumed] (570) = 1596.
Ibn Ezra
"I pursued [erdof]" — and did not turn back from following them.
Radak
'I have pursued my enemies and overtaken them, and did not turn back until they were consumed' — like what he did to Amalek.
I have smitten them through, so that they are not able to rise; they are fallen under my feet.
verse value 1605
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 26 letters. The shortest word is "to·rise" (ק֑וּם, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·they·could·not" (וְלֹא־יֻ֣כְלוּ, 7 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "I·smote·them" (אֶ֭מְחָצֵם). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "to·rise" (root קום, 52x in Psalms); "my·feet" (root רגל, 31x in Psalms); "they·fell" (root נפל, 30x in Psalms). First appearance of the root מחץ ("I·smote·them") in Psalms. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·rise', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: אֶ֭מְחָצֵם [I·smote·them] (179) + וְלֹא־יֻ֣כְלוּ [and·they·could·not] (103) + ק֑וּם [to·rise] (146) + יִ֝פְּל֗וּ [they·fell] (126) + תַּ֣חַת [under] (808) + רַגְלָֽי [my·feet] (243) = 1605.
Ibn Ezra
"I struck them down [emchatsem]," "to rise [kum]" — an infinitive, [used] as when they fall.
Radak
'I have smitten them so that they could not rise; they are fallen under my feet' — they had no ability to rise up against him, for he killed them all except four hundred young men who rode upon camels and fled (I Samuel 30:17).
Metzudat Zion
"Emchatzem" ("I have smitten them through") — an expression of wounding and striking, as in "He crushes the head" (machatz rosh) (below, Psalm 110).
Malbim
"I struck them down" — he adds, to say that even if I strike them with a small blow, "they were not able to rise." He adds further "that they fell" by themselves, "under my feet." (After he explained the manner of the pursuit, he now explains the manner of the battle itself.)
For You have girded me with strength to the battle; You have subdued under me those who rose up against me.
verse value 2543
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 28 letters. The shortest word is "strength" (חַ֭יִל, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·You·girded·me" (וַתְּאַזְּרֵ֣נִי, 7 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "You·subdued" (תַּכְרִ֖יעַ), "those·who·rose·against·me" (קָמַ֣י). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "those·who·rose·against·me" (root קום, 52x in Psalms); "strength" (root חיל, 29x in Psalms); "under·me" (root תחת, 23x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'for·the·war', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: וַתְּאַזְּרֵ֣נִי [and·You·girded·me] (674) + חַ֭יִל [strength] (48) + לַמִּלְחָמָ֑ה [for·the·war] (153) + תַּכְרִ֖יעַ [You·subdued] (700) + קָמַ֣י [those·who·rose·against·me] (150) + תַּחְתָּֽי [under·me] (818) = 2543.
Ibn Ezra
"For You have girded me with strength" — You gave power to the limbs of my body to bear the burden of war.
Radak
'For You have girded me with strength for battle' — You girded my loins with strength and with power. 'You subdue under me those who rise against me' — and I did not stumble, but they stumbled, 'and You subdued them under me.'
Metzudat Zion
"Tachria" ("You subdue") — its meaning is falling upon the knees. "Oref" [the nape] — this is the back of the face.
Malbim
(40–41) "And You have girded me" — whereas in the first approach it said, "The God who girds me with strength" and "makes my way straight" — meaning that the strength given to him was not for war — now it says that "He girds him with strength" in that the strength would be "for war," and nevertheless, "You made those who rose against me collapse under me" — that is, in my place; You are in my place to make them collapse. "And You made my enemies turn their backs to me" — that all this You do. (See Beur HaMilim [Explanation of the Words].)
You have also made my enemies turn their backs to me, and I cut off those who hate me.
verse value 2262
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 26 letters. Verse gematria: 2262 is divisible by 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "to·me" (לִּ֣י, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·those·who·hate·me" (וּ֝מְשַׂנְאַ֗י, 6 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "neck" (עֹ֑רֶף), "I·cut·off·them" (אַצְמִיתֵֽם). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "You·gave" (root נתן, 95x in Psalms); "and·my·enemies" (root איב, 71x in Psalms); "to·me" (root לי, 68x in Psalms). First appearance of the root צמת ("I·cut·off·them") in Psalms. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'neck', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 2 words. Full calculation: וְֽאֹיְבַ֗י [and·my·enemies] (29) + נָתַ֣תָּה [You·gave] (855) + לִּ֣י [to·me] (40) + עֹ֑רֶף [neck] (350) + וּ֝מְשַׂנְאַ֗י [and·those·who·hate·me] (407) + אַצְמִיתֵֽם [I·cut·off·them] (581) = 2262.
Rashi
"You have given me the back of their necks" — They would turn the back of their necks to me and flee.
Ibn Ezra
"And my enemies You have given" — as if it said, You have given me [their] back. "my enemies" — in their fleeing, like "Your hand on the neck of your enemies" [Genesis 49:8].
Radak
'You have made my enemies turn their backs to me, and those who hate me I cut off' — for they fled from before me and turned 'their backs to me.'
Metzudat David
"You have given me the necks [of my enemies]" — for they fled from before me and turned their backs to me.
Metzudat Zion
"Atzmitem" ("I cut off") — [meaning] I destroy them, as in "him I will destroy" (oto atzmit) (below, Psalm 101).
They cried, but there was none to save; even to Hashem, but He did not answer them.
verse value 1208
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 26 letters. The shortest word is "and·not" (וְלֹ֣א, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·there·was·no·savior" (וְאֵין־מוֹשִׁ֑יעַ, 9 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "they·cried" (יְשַׁוְּע֥וּ), "and·there·was·no·savior" (וְאֵין־מוֹשִׁ֑יעַ), "He·answered·them" (עָנָֽם). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "to·Hashem" (root יהוה, 688x in Psalms); "and·not" (root לא, 174x in Psalms); "and·there·was·no·savior" (root אין, 67x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·there·was·no·savior', dividing the verse into phrases of 2 and 3 words. Full calculation: יְשַׁוְּע֥וּ [they·cried] (392) + וְאֵין־מוֹשִׁ֑יעַ [and·there·was·no·savior] (493) + עַל־יְ֝הֹוָ֗ה [to·Hashem] (126) + וְלֹ֣א [and·not] (37) + עָנָֽם [He·answered·them] (160) = 1208.
Rashi
"They pray" — to their idols. "but no one saves them" — Because it [their prayer] has no power, and they return and call upon the Lord, but He does not answer them.
Ibn Ezra
"They cried out," "unto Hashem [al Hashem]" — like "el Hashem" ["to Hashem"], like "and Hannah prayed unto Hashem" [1 Samuel 1:10].
Radak
'They cried, but there was none to save — to Hashem' — 'al Hashem' (upon Hashem) is like 'el Hashem' (to Hashem); and likewise 'and she prayed to Hashem' (I Samuel 1:10); and likewise 'and the book is given to him who cannot read' (Isaiah 29:12). 'But He did not answer them' — for they call to Hashem, but their heart is not steadfast with Him.
Metzudat David
"They cried out" — for the help of men. "Unto Hashem" — like "to Hashem."
Malbim
"They cried out" — and they found no one to plead their cause, neither among men, for "they cried out" for deliverance "but there was no savior" — nor from Hashem, for "He did not answer them." And more than this: for although "I ground them like dust before the wind" — that the men of the army in battle would be like fine dust, ground up and scattered to every wind, so they too fled to every wind — and those who remained in their cities, "I poured them out like the mire of the streets," and they became something to be trampled, and slaves and maidservants — even so, no one was found to plead their cause. For You "delivered me from the strivings of the people" — that if their allies, who came to plead their cause, had stood [against me], You would deliver me from their hand. On the contrary, "You made me the head of nations" — and not only of the nearby nations, for also "a people I had not known served me." And more than this, for also "at the hearing of the ear they obeyed me" — "the sons of the stranger" who "denied me" — meaning, the foreigners dwelling in a very distant land, who "denied me," that is, who used to deny my existence, for they had not known at all, until now, that there existed in the world a people Israel, and David their king. Now they will hear, and gather to me — not by the sight of the eye, having seen my might, but only by the hearing of the ear, having heard of the wonders that were done for me.
Then I beat them small as the dust before the wind; I cast them out as the mire of the streets.
verse value 2188
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 32 letters. The shortest word is "like·dust" (כְּעָפָ֥ר, 4 letters) and the longest is "over·the·surface·of·wind" (עַל־פְּנֵי־ר֑וּחַ, 8 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "and·I·pulverized·them" (וְֽאֶשְׁחָקֵ֗ם), "over·the·surface·of·wind" (עַל־פְּנֵי־ר֑וּחַ), "like·mud·of" (כְּטִ֖יט). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "over·the·surface·of·wind" (root פנים, 131x in Psalms). First appearance of the root טיט ("like·mud·of") in Psalms. First appearance of the root חוץ ("streets") in Psalms. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'over·the·surface·of·wind', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: וְֽאֶשְׁחָקֵ֗ם [and·I·pulverized·them] (455) + כְּעָפָ֥ר [like·dust] (370) + עַל־פְּנֵי־ר֑וּחַ [over·the·surface·of·wind] (454) + כְּטִ֖יט [like·mud·of] (48) + חוּצ֣וֹת [streets] (510) + אֲרִיקֵֽם [I·emptied·them·out] (351) = 2188.
Rashi
"Then I ground them" — Heb. ואשחקם, an expression of crushing. "I did pour them" — like loose mud, which is not thick, as (in Gen. 42:35): “when they emptied (מריקים) their sacks”; (in Jer. 48:11), “has not been poured (הורק) from one vessel to another vessel.”
Ibn Ezra
"Then I beat them small," "I cast them out [arikem]" — like "lean of flesh" [Genesis 41:3], even though the letter kof ought to have had a dagesh.
Radak
'Then I beat them small as the dust before the wind; I cast them out (arikem) as the mire of the streets' — 'arikem': the quiescent letter stands in place of the doubling dagesh, for its root is r-k-k (רקק), related to the term 'rekek' mentioned by our Sages, may their memory be blessed (Babylonian Talmud, Chullin 27b): 'a bird created from the muck (rekek).' Its meaning is: I make them into muck (rekek), like 'the mire of the streets.' Or it may be related to the sense of 'thin cakes of flesh,' as in 'and thin unleavened cakes (rekikei matzot)' (Exodus 29:2, and elsewhere).
Metzudat David
"Like dust" — that they would be as fine as dust that flies about in the wind. "I cast them out" — I made them empty of everything, like mud thrown in the streets, which is trodden and ground fine under the feet of men, and the wind scatters it, and the place remains empty of it.
Metzudat Zion
"Ve'eshchakem" ("I beat them small") — an expression of grinding, as in "and you shall grind it fine" (veshachakta mimenah hadek) (Exodus 30). "Arikem" ("I cast them out") — from the language of "reikan" [empty].
You have delivered me from the contentions of the people; You have made me the head of the nations; a people whom I have not known serve me.
verse value 3138
Insights
Verse structure: 9 words, 43 letters. The shortest word is "people" (עָ֥ם, 2 letters) and the longest is "not·I·have·known" (לֹא־יָדַ֣עְתִּי, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 110: people, people. 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "from·contentions·of" (מֵרִ֢יבֵ֫י), "You·made·me" (תְּ֭שִׂימֵנִי), "they·serve·me" (יַֽעַבְדֽוּנִי). The root עם appears 2 times in this verse. 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "people" (root עם, 135x in Psalms); "not·I·have·known" (root ידע, 95x in Psalms); "they·serve·me" (root עבד, 61x in Psalms). First appearance of the root ריב ("from·contentions·of") in Psalms. First appearance of the root שים ("You·made·me") in Psalms. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'nations', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 3 words. Full calculation: תְּפַלְּטֵנִי֮ [You·delivered·me] (579) + מֵרִ֢יבֵ֫י [from·contentions·of] (262) + עָ֥ם [people] (110) + תְּ֭שִׂימֵנִי [You·made·me] (810) + לְרֹ֣אשׁ [as·head·of] (531) + גּוֹיִ֑ם [nations] (59) + עַ֖ם [people] (110) + לֹא־יָדַ֣עְתִּי [not·I·have·known] (525) + יַֽעַבְדֽוּנִי [they·serve·me] (152) = 3138.
Rashi
"You allowed me to escape from the contenders of the people" — so that I should not be punished according to Jewish law, for perverting justice or for subjugating an Israelite more than is permitted. "You shall make me the head over nations" — for whom there is no punishment.
Ibn Ezra
"You have delivered me from the contentions of the people" — they are Israel, an allusion to Saul; therefore what follows it says: "a people whom I have not known serve me."
Radak
'You deliver me from the contentions of the people' — and in the book of Samuel (II Samuel 22:44) it reads: 'from the contentions of my people.' He means: 'You deliver me' from the war of Saul and those from among my own people who supported him, and also Absalom and those who were with him. 'You make me the head of nations' — from the contentions of the people You have delivered me, and made me 'the head' of the nations of the world. 'People' (am) — its meaning is: sons/descendants. 'A people I have not known serve me' — 'I have not known,' meaning that they are not of the children of Israel, like Edom and Aram, who were servants to David (ibid. 8:6, 14).
Metzudat David
"From the contentions of the people" — from the wars of peoples. "You have made me the head of nations" — and they will be subdued before me and will not continue further to fight against me. "Whom I have not known" — for they are from a distant land.
As soon as they hear of me, they obey me; The sons of the stranger dwindle away before me.
verse value 1680
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 27 letters. The shortest word is "to·me" (לִ֑י, 2 letters) and the longest is "they·dwindle·before·me" (יְכַחֲשׁוּ־לִֽי, 7 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "they·dwindle·before·me" (יְכַחֲשׁוּ־לִֽי). The root שמע appears 2 times in this verse. 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "at·hearing·of" (root שמע, 76x in Psalms); "to·me" (root לי, 68x in Psalms); "ear" (root אזן, 36x in Psalms). First appearance of the root נכר ("sons·of·foreigner") in Psalms. First appearance of the root כחש ("they·dwindle·before·me") in Psalms. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·me', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 2 words. Full calculation: לְשֵׁ֣מַֽע [at·hearing·of] (440) + אֹ֭זֶן [ear] (58) + יִשָּׁ֣מְעוּ [they·obey] (426) + לִ֑י [to·me] (40) + בְּנֵֽי־נֵ֝כָ֗ר [sons·of·foreigner] (332) + יְכַחֲשׁוּ־לִֽי [they·dwindle·before·me] (384) = 1680.
Rashi
"As soon as they hear" — Even in my absence, as long as they hear my message. "they shall obey me" — They shall give heed to my bidding and obey my orders. "shall lie to me" — out of fright.
Ibn Ezra
"At the hearing [of the ear]," "they obey [yishme'u]" — [these] combine, in the manner of "and Saul heard." "they dwindle away before me [yikhashu li]" — and the meaning of "they dwindle away before me" is that they had been boasting of their might, against my might; like "through the greatness of Your strength Your enemies shall dwindle before You" [Psalm 66:3].
Radak
'At the hearing of the ear they obey me' — as it is written, 'And David made himself a name when he returned from smiting Aram' (II Samuel 8:13). And the meaning of 'they obey' (yishme'u) is: they gather, as in 'and Saul gathered (vayishma) the people' (I Samuel 15:4). It is an expression of gathering, since the gathering of the people comes about through the sounding of the herald's voice. 'The sons of the stranger dwindle away before me' — out of their fear of me, 'they dwindle away' and lie 'to me.' Those who were at war against me will say: We did not fight against you and we were not arrayed against you. Or its meaning is: 'they dwindle away' [prove false] to their own allies on my account, like Aram, who were in a covenant with the children of Ammon; and when they saw that they [Aram] were struck down, it says (II Samuel 10:19): 'And they made peace with Israel and served them; and Aram feared to help the children of Ammon any more.'
Metzudat David
"At the hearing of the ear" — because they will hear that a reputation for might has gone out concerning me, they will become obedient to my service. "They shall feign submission to me" — they will speak to me words of deceit, saying that they love me, because their dread of me will be upon them.
The sons of the stranger fade away, and come trembling out of their close places.
verse value 1417
Insights
Verse structure: 4 words, 26 letters. Verse gematria: 1417 is divisible by 13, the value of echad ('one') and ahavah ('love'). The shortest word is "they·fade·away" (יִבֹּ֑לוּ, 4 letters) and the longest is "from·their·strongholds" (מִֽמִּסְגְּרֽוֹתֵיהֶֽם, 10 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "and·they·come·trembling·out" (וְ֝יַחְרְג֗וּ), "from·their·strongholds" (מִֽמִּסְגְּרֽוֹתֵיהֶֽם). 4 unique roots are used. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'they·fade·away', dividing the verse into phrases of 2 and 2 words. Full calculation: בְּנֵי־נֵכָ֥ר [sons·of·foreigner] (332) + יִבֹּ֑לוּ [they·fade·away] (48) + וְ֝יַחְרְג֗וּ [and·they·come·trembling·out] (233) + מִֽמִּסְגְּרֽוֹתֵיהֶֽם [from·their·strongholds] (804) = 1417.
Rashi
"shall wither" — Heb. יבלו. They shall become weary, as (in Exod. 18:18): “you shall surely wither (נבל תבל),” which the Targum renders: you shall surely weary. Menachem (Machbereth p. 45) explains it as (in Gen. 18:12): “after I have become old (בלתי),” and he explained נבל תבל in the same manner. "and they shall fear" — Heb. ויחרגו, an expression of fear; (in Deut. 32:25) “and terror from within,” the Targum renders: חרגת, fear of death. "their imprisonments" — Because of the tortures of the imprisonments in the dungeon where I imprison them and where they torture them. Menachem (p. 94) interprets it as an expression of loosening the girdle, and so he explains it: and they will be loosened of their girdles [meaning they will be frightened or weakened]. Dunash interprets ויחגרו ממסגרותיהם, and they will be lamed from their shackles, which are placed on their feet. The meaning of ויחגרו is: they will become lame, as the Aramaic for a lame person is חגר.
Ibn Ezra
"They fade away [yibolu]" — like "navol tibol" ["you shall surely wear away"] (Exodus 18:18). "and come trembling [veyechregu]" — as the Targum [renders]: "chargat mota" ["the terror of death"]; and it has no parallel elsewhere in Scripture. "out of their close places [mimisgerotehem]" — from their lofty palaces in which they shut themselves up out of fear.
Radak
'The sons of the stranger fade away' — out of their fear of me they are like a withering leaf. 'And come trembling out of their strongholds' — even in the place where they shut themselves in out of their fear, even there they will tremble. 'Vayechergu' (they come trembling) — from the Targum's rendering of 'and from the chambers, terror' (Deuteronomy 32:25): 'u-mituneya chargat mota' (and from the chambers, the terror of death).
Metzudat David
"They shall fade away" — meaning, they will be afflicted with pain. "And come trembling" — they will be lame, from having their feet shut up in the confines of iron fetters.
Metzudat Zion
"Yibolu" ("fade away") — [meaning] they wither. "Yechergu" ("come trembling") — this is the transposed form of the word "chagar" [to gird], similar to "keves" and "kesev" [both meaning lamb, with transposed letters].
Malbim
"The sons of the stranger" — meaning, at the hearing of the ear they will obey me: "the sons of the stranger, who fade away and come limping out of their strongholds" — meaning, the sons of the stranger who are shut up in distant mountains, who wear themselves out and labor and grow weary from the length of the journey, until they become lame from the length of the journey — who struggle to come out of their strongholds, to come to me, to listen to me.
Hashem lives, and blessed be my Rock; and exalted be the God of my salvation;
verse value 1288
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 29 letters. The shortest word is "my·Rock" (צוּרִ֑י, 4 letters) and the longest is "Hashem·lives" (חַי־יְ֭הֹוָה, 6 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "Hashem·lives" (חַי־יְ֭הֹוָה), "and·exalted·be" (וְ֝יָר֗וּם). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem·lives" (root יהוה, 688x in Psalms); "and·blessed" (root ברך, 76x in Psalms); "my·salvation" (root ישע, 75x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'my·Rock', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: חַי־יְ֭הֹוָה [Hashem·lives] (44) + וּבָר֣וּךְ [and·blessed] (234) + צוּרִ֑י [my·Rock] (306) + וְ֝יָר֗וּם [and·exalted·be] (262) + אֱלוֹהֵ֥י [God·of] (52) + יִשְׁעִֽי [my·salvation] (390) = 1288.
Rashi
"The Lord lives" — He Who does all this for me.
Ibn Ezra
"Hashem lives [chai]" — the meaning is that my Rock lives forever, and forever the God of my salvation shall be exalted; therefore I do not fear.
Radak
'Hashem lives, and blessed be my Rock, and exalted be the God of my salvation' — that is to say: all this good and all this honor that is mine — why [do I have it]? Because Hashem is 'my Rock,' meaning my portion, and He is 'the God of my salvation.' He is 'living, blessed, and exalted,' and everything is in His hand, to raise up and to bring low, and riches and honor come from before Him.
Metzudat David
"Hashem lives" — behold, Hashem lives forever, and He will do such deeds all the days, and He shall be blessed forever on account of this.
Metzudat Zion
"Tzuri" ("my Rock") — from the language of "tzur" [rock], meaning my strength.
Malbim
"Hashem lives" — corresponding to the protection from the enemy, it says, "Hashem lives, and blessed be my Rock"; and corresponding to the fact that He granted salvation so that he was victorious over the enemy — which is a higher degree — it says, "and exalted be the God of my salvation." And in explanation of "and exalted be the God of my salvation," it says, "the God who gives me vengeance" — that He further let him see vengeance upon his enemies — "and subdues peoples under me," so that they come under his dominion. And corresponding to "blessed be my Rock," it says, "my deliverer from my enemies" — the enemy being one who seeks harm in secret. And it adds, "indeed, You lift me up above those who rise against me" — these being those who rose against him openly to fight him. "And You rescue me from the man of violence" — this is Saul, who did violence against him, as it is written, "on the day that Hashem delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul." "Therefore I will give You thanks among the nations, Hashem" — to give You thanks for the good; "and to Your name" I will sing, to declare the praise of Hashem.
Even the God that executes vengeance for me, and subdues peoples under me.
verse value 2383
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 28 letters. Notable word values: "the·God" (הָאֵ֗ל) = 36, double chai. The shortest word is "to·me" (לִ֑י, 2 letters) and the longest is "who·gives" (הַנּוֹתֵ֣ן, 5 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "and·subdues" (וַיַּדְבֵּ֖ר). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "peoples" (root עם, 135x in Psalms); "and·subdues" (root דבר, 133x in Psalms); "the·God" (root אל, 112x in Psalms). First appearance of the root נקמה ("vengeance") in Psalms. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·me', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 3 words. Full calculation: הָאֵ֗ל [the·God] (36) + הַנּוֹתֵ֣ן [who·gives] (511) + נְקָמ֣וֹת [vengeance] (596) + לִ֑י [to·me] (40) + וַיַּדְבֵּ֖ר [and·subdues] (222) + עַמִּ֣ים [peoples] (160) + תַּחְתָּֽי [under·me] (818) = 2383.
Rashi
"Who grants me vengeance" — Who gives me strength to avenge myself upon my enemies. "and destroys" — Heb. וידבר, and He slew, an expression of דבר, pestilence. Another explanation: as (in Exod. 3:1): “and he led (וינהג),” which is translated into Aramaic as וּדְבַר. Menachem (p. 61) too associated it in this manner. Likewise, he associated (below 47:4), “He leads (יַדְבֵּר) peoples under us.” "instead of me" — Heb. תחתי, in my place and in my stead, as the matter is stated (in Isa. 43:4): “and I give men in your stead (תחתיך), (verse 3), “I have given Egypt as your ransom. [Cush and Seba in your stead (תחתיך)].”
Ibn Ezra
"And subdues [vayadber]" — like "like a flock in the midst of its being driven" [Micah 2:12].
Radak
'The God who executes vengeance for me' — the vengeance that I take upon my enemies, He 'gives' it 'to me,' meaning He 'gives me' the strength [to take it]. 'And subdues peoples under me' — [the word 'yadbeir'] we render in line with 'vayanhag' (and he drove) (Exodus 3:1), which [the Targum] translates as 'u-dvar.' He drives the peoples from their place to me, and puts them 'under me.' Or it is from 'and she destroyed (vatedaber) all the royal offspring' (II Chronicles 22:10), which carries the sense of dever (destruction).
Metzudat David
"[He] who gives [me vengeance]" — who avenges my vengeance from the hand of the enemy. "And subdues" — He made me a leader over them.
Metzudat Zion
"Vayadber" ("and He subdues") — from the language of governance/leadership, as in the phrase "davar echad ladur" [one leader/guide for a generation].
He delivers me from my enemies; Indeed, You lift me up above those who rise up against me; You deliver me from the violent man.
verse value 2348
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 37 letters. The shortest word is "indeed" (אַ֣ף, 2 letters) and the longest is "You·lift·me·up" (תְּרוֹמְמֵ֑נִי, 7 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "He·delivers·me" (מְפַלְּטִ֗י), "from·those·who·rise·against·me" (מִן־קָ֭מַי), "You·lift·me·up" (תְּרוֹמְמֵ֑נִי). 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "from·my·enemies" (root איב, 71x in Psalms); "from·those·who·rise·against·me" (root קום, 52x in Psalms); "You·lift·me·up" (root רום, 49x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'You·lift·me·up', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 3 words. Full calculation: מְפַלְּטִ֗י [He·delivers·me] (169) + מֵאֹ֫יְבָ֥י [from·my·enemies] (63) + אַ֣ף [indeed] (81) + מִן־קָ֭מַי [from·those·who·rise·against·me] (240) + תְּרוֹמְמֵ֑נִי [You·lift·me·up] (746) + מֵאִ֥ישׁ [from·man·of] (351) + חָ֝מָ֗ס [violence] (108) + תַּצִּילֵֽנִי [You·deliver·me] (590) = 2348.
Ibn Ezra
"He delivers me from my enemies" — some say: Saul and his men. "indeed, from those who rise up against me" — they are the nations of the lands. "from the violent man" — the king of the Philistines, for it is far-fetched to say of Saul "a violent man." It is also possible that it is an allusion to Saul, as when he said: "from the wicked comes forth wickedness" [1 Samuel 24:14].
Radak
'He delivers me from my enemies' — it is not enough that He saves me from them; He also raises me above them. And this is [the meaning of]: 'You also lift me up above those who rise against me; from the man of violence You deliver me' — from Saul, who did me 'violence' by pursuing me; 'You delivered me.' And through that deliverance all his honor came to him, and therefore it is told last [in the psalm], even though his deliverance — his being delivered from Saul's hand — was the beginning of all his honor.
Metzudat David
"Above those who rise up against me" — You raise me up higher than those who rise up against me.
Therefore I will give thanks to You, O Hashem, among the nations, and will sing praises to Your name.
verse value 937
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 27 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֑ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "therefore" (עַל־כֵּ֤ן, 4 letters) and the longest is "among·the·nations" (בַגּוֹיִ֥ם, 5 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "and·to·Your·name" (וּלְשִׁמְךָ֥). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 688x in Psalms); "and·to·Your·name" (root שם, 119x in Psalms); "I·will·praise·You" (root ידה, 68x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Hashem', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 2 words. Full calculation: עַל־כֵּ֤ן [therefore] (170) + אוֹדְךָ֖ [I·will·praise·You] (31) + בַגּוֹיִ֥ם [among·the·nations] (61) + יְהֹוָ֑ה [Hashem] (26) + וּלְשִׁמְךָ֥ [and·to·Your·name] (396) + אֲזַמֵּֽרָה [I·will·sing] (253) = 937.
Ibn Ezra
"Therefore I will give thanks to You" — with my mouth, for the might is Yours.
Radak
'Therefore' — 'therefore,' [meaning] because You did all these things for me. 'I will give thanks to You among the nations, Hashem' — before all 'the nations' who obey me and serve me, 'I will give thanks,' for the might and the strength that are mine come from You, Hashem. 'And will sing praises to Your name.'
Great salvation He gives to His king; and shows mercy to His anointed, To David and to his seed, for evermore.
verse value 2395
Insights
Verse structure: 9 words, 43 letters. The shortest word is "mercy" (חֶ֨סֶד, 3 letters) and the longest is "salvations·of" (יְשׁוּע֢וֹת, 6 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "He·magnifies" (מַגְדִּל֮), "His·king" (מַ֫לְכּ֥וֹ), "to·His·anointed" (לִמְשִׁיח֗וֹ). 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "forever" (root עולם, 144x in Psalms); "mercy" (root חסד, 125x in Psalms); "and·shows" (root עשה, 109x in Psalms). First appearance of the root גדל ("He·magnifies") in Psalms. First appearance of the root זרע ("and·to·his·seed") in Psalms. Full calculation: מַגְדִּל֮ [He·magnifies] (77) + יְשׁוּע֢וֹת [salvations·of] (792) + מַ֫לְכּ֥וֹ [His·king] (96) + וְעֹ֤שֶׂה [and·shows] (381) + חֶ֨סֶד [mercy] (72) + לִמְשִׁיח֗וֹ [to·His·anointed] (394) + לְדָוִ֥ד [to·David] (44) + וּלְזַרְע֗וֹ [and·to·his·seed] (319) + עַד־עוֹלָֽם [forever] (220) = 2395.
Ibn Ezra
"[He] magnifies [magdil]" — and "to Your name I will sing praises," for it is He who magnifies [salvation].
Radak
'He magnifies salvations' (magdil) — and in the book of Samuel (II Samuel 22:51) it is 'migdol' (a tower), which is a noun form; but the sense is one and the same. 'To His king, and shows mercy to His anointed' — 'His king' and 'His anointed' — he speaks of himself. 'To David and to his seed forever' — and just as He magnified his salvations and showed him 'mercy,' so will He do 'to his seed forever.'
Metzudat David
"Great [salvation]" — and with this I will thank You among the nations, for I will declare, saying: Know that Hashem magnifies salvations — meaning, He performs great salvations for His king, and not as payment of reward, but rather out of kindness. "And to his seed" — and so will He do for his seed forever.
Metzudat Zion
"Migdol" ("great") — from the language of "gadol" [great].
Malbim
"[He] magnifies" — and in proportion to the greatness of the thanksgiving, so the salvation grows great, at every time, until "He magnifies the salvations of His king." And beyond what He repays me for the thanksgiving and praise, "He shows mercy to His anointed, to David and to his seed" — for the sure mercies of David consisted in this, that He made a covenant with him that the kingship would not depart from his seed; this was a matter of pure kindness, as is written in II Samuel 2:7, and this kindness will continue forever.
Rashi
Ibn Ezra
Radak
Metzudat David
Malbim