A Psalm of David, a maschil. The blessedness of the one whose sin is forgiven — a psalm of confession and the joy that follows a heart made honest before Hashem.
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[A Psalm] of David. Maschil. Happy is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is pardoned.
verse value 1890
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 28 letters. Verse gematria: 1890 is divisible by 18, the value of chai ('life'). The shortest word is "of·David" (לְדָוִ֗ד, 4 letters) and the longest is "forgiven·of·transgression" (נְֽשׂוּי־פֶּ֗שַׁע, 7 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "forgiven·of·transgression" (נְֽשׂוּי־פֶּ֗שַׁע), "covered·of" (כְּס֣וּי), "sin" (חֲטָאָֽה). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "happy·of" (root אשר, 101x in Psalms); "of·David" (root דוד, 89x in Psalms); "forgiven·of·transgression" (root נשא, 52x in Psalms). First appearance of the root משכיל ("Maskil") in Psalms. First appearance of the root כסה ("covered·of") in Psalms. Full calculation: לְדָוִ֗ד [of·David] (44) + מַ֫שְׂכִּ֥יל [Maskil] (400) + אַשְׁרֵ֥י [happy·of] (511) + נְֽשׂוּי־פֶּ֗שַׁע [forgiven·of·transgression] (816) + כְּס֣וּי [covered·of] (96) + חֲטָאָֽה [sin] (23) = 1890.
Rashi
"Of David, a maskil" — The Sages said (Pes. 117a): Every Psalm in which “maskil” is mentioned was said through an interpreter. "Praiseworthy is he whose transgression is forgiven" — Whose transgression the Holy One, Blessed Be He, forgives, and He conceals his sins. (נשוי is anpardone in Old French, pardoned. The implication is forgiveness, because the forgiveness of iniquity represents [the sin] being lifted up and withdrawn from upon a person.)
Ibn Ezra
'Of David. Maschil. Happy is he whose transgression is forgiven' — it is possible that this psalm follows the pattern of a liturgical poem (piyyut) that begins with the word 'Maschil,' or [it is called so] because it is written within it, 'I will give you understanding.' And the word 'forgiven of transgression' — [its root] belongs to the class of roots ending in alef, used in the manner of roots ending in he, or both forms are found. And the proof is 'and they shall bear their shame'; and 'covered' is a passive form, for 'and covers shame' is used as a transitive verb. And the meaning is: the one who is stricken or afflicted, [it is] on account of a transgression he committed openly — therefore he says, 'I will acknowledge my transgressions.' Now there is a difficult question: we find David saying, 'for I am godly,' and 'do not let Your godly one see [the pit]' — if so, how do we find in several psalms that he has transgressions and iniquities, [such as] 'for I know my transgressions'? And the answer is: his heart was whole with Hashem, and he did not rebel and did not sin — except that toward [other] human beings he had unwitting transgressions. And others said: that he is speaking on behalf of others who are in exile — but if so, what will [this interpretation] do with the phrase 'for I know my transgressions,' which speaks of the matter of Bathsheba? And we shall explain this further.
Radak
"[A Psalm] of David. Maschil" — we have already written in the introduction and in the fourth psalm the meaning of "Maschil" and the rest of the psalm headings. "Happy is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is pardoned" — he said: "Happy" is the one whom God has "forgiven" for his "transgression" and has "covered" his "sin," through repentance by which he returns to God, and through the punishment with which He punishes him in this world — for there is no forgiveness of iniquity without punishment, whether small or great; and according to his repentance his punishment is lightened. And behold, "happy" is he, for he will be free of iniquity in the World to Come. And the word "nasui" (forgiven) comes in the pattern of the heh-final verbs. And so (Ezekiel 39:26): "ve-nasu et kelimatam" (and they shall bear their shame). And he further doubles the matter, saying:
Metzudat David
"Maschil" — with this [psalm] he instructs the people, to teach them knowledge. "Whose transgression is forgiven" — happy is he whose transgression is erased and whose sin is covered, so that it will not be remembered, for he has certainly performed proper repentance.
Metzudat Zion
"Is forgiven" — an expression of pardon, as in "take away all iniquity" (Hosea 14:3).
Malbim
'Of David. Maschil' — This psalm was composed concerning a withholding of rain that occurred at that time. They decreed a fast and affliction and confessed their sins (as was indeed their practice at a time of fasting, to search their deeds), and Hashem was entreated by them and brought down the rain — and the rain was very torrential — and despite all this it was for a blessing. It also appears that at that time they had a war with their enemies, and the flooding of the rain and the waters held back the enemies from entering their borders. One may say that this was at the time of the famine in the days of David that lasted three years, when they inquired then by the Urim and Thummim and their sin became known to them, and they set it right, and the rain came down (as mentioned in the Book of Samuel). Also, the psalm that follows is connected to this psalm, as will be explained. 'Happy' — after he saw that through confessing their sin they were saved, as if the trouble had come about through their having covered up their sin until now, he said: 'Happy is he whose transgression is forgiven' — of 'the covering of sin' — happy is one who is forgiven the transgression he committed in covering up his sins. For inasmuch as it is a covering of sin, and he does not confess it, the sin reverts to being a transgression and rebellion, like one who holds fast to his sins, and his punishment is severe; and happy is he to whom this great transgression is forgiven.
Happy is the man to whom Hashem counts not iniquity, And in whose spirit there is no guile.
verse value 1639
Insights
Verse structure: 9 words, 35 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֣ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "not" (לֹ֤א, 2 letters) and the longest is "happy·of·man" (אַ֥שְֽׁרֵי־אָדָ֗ם, 7 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "happy·of·man" (אַ֥שְֽׁרֵי־אָדָ֗ם), "in·his·spirit" (בְּרוּח֣וֹ). 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 688x in Psalms); "not" (root לא, 174x in Psalms); "happy·of·man" (root אשר, 101x in Psalms). First appearance of the root רמיה ("deceit") in Psalms. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'perversity', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 3 words. Full calculation: אַ֥שְֽׁרֵי־אָדָ֗ם [happy·of·man] (556) + לֹ֤א [not] (31) + יַחְשֹׁ֬ב [counts] (320) + יְהֹוָ֣ה [Hashem] (26) + ל֣וֹ [to·him] (36) + עָוֺ֑ן [perversity] (126) + וְאֵ֖ין [and·there·is·no] (67) + בְּרוּח֣וֹ [in·his·spirit] (222) + רְמִיָּֽה [deceit] (255) = 1639.
Rashi
"to whom the Lord ascribes no iniquity" — provided that in his spirit there is no guile, thinking to revert to his “vomit.”
Ibn Ezra
'Happy' — behold, 'the covering of sin' is [describing] one who repents, so that the wrath of Hashem turns away from him, and his sin is no longer seen, for there was no punishment upon it. The meaning of 'counts' is from 'thought' or 'reckoning.' 'Guile' — is like 'deceit.' And some say: 'and in whose spirit there is no guile' means that his spirit is not like 'a deceitful bow.' And we shall explain this further.
Radak
"Happy is the man to whom Hashem counts not iniquity" — his "iniquity" as nothing; that is to say, that He has forgiven him upon seeing the uprightness of his heart, that he returned to Hashem with all his heart; and this is what it says: "And in whose spirit there is no guile" — for his repentance is not deceitful, like one who says: "I will sin and then repent" (Mishnah Yoma 8:9), or one who has it in mind that he will repent and then sin again. And David said this about himself, for he was anxious about his iniquities, and said: "Happy" is the one who knows that God has "forgiven" his iniquity. And my father and master, of blessed memory, explained this matter as follows. He said: that he [David] mentioned three levels in which the righteous are found. And he began with the lowest level, which is "whose transgression is forgiven": that is, one who sinned and did wrong and transgressed transgressions, and afterward returned in complete repentance and was forgiven. "Whose sin is pardoned": one who has many merits and righteous deeds, and has only a small sin, which is "pardoned" and is not seen amid his righteous deeds — comparable to a grain of millet amid a measure (se'ah) of wheat, where the grain is covered over by them so that it is not seen. "Hashem counts not iniquity for him": this is one who did not sin at all, and it did not even enter his mind [to sin]; and this is [the meaning of] "and in whose spirit there is no guile." And he said: that he placed "whose transgression is forgiven" first, because most of the righteous are on this level, and fewer of them are on the level of "whose sin is pardoned," and the fewest of the few are on the level of "Hashem counts not iniquity for him."
Metzudat David
"[Hashem] counts not" — the iniquity that he committed, Hashem does not count against him in the reckoning of his deeds, for it has been forgiven him through repentance. "And in whose spirit there is no guile" — this is when there is no deceit in his thought, [meaning] that he does not repent in order to deceive people, but rather with a whole heart.
Malbim
'Happy' — And nevertheless, better still is 'the man to whom Hashem counts not iniquity' — one who has not sinned at all — 'and in whose spirit there is no guile,' whose spirit is always with Hashem and has no need to confess. This is better than the penitent, who already had guile and sin in his spirit.
When I kept silence, my bones wore away Through my groaning all the day long.
verse value 2028
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 27 letters. Verse gematria: 2028 is divisible by 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "wore·away" (בָּל֣וּ, 3 letters) and the longest is "when·I·kept·silent" (כִּֽי־הֶ֭חֱרַשְׁתִּי, 8 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "when·I·kept·silent" (כִּֽי־הֶ֭חֱרַשְׁתִּי), "wore·away" (בָּל֣וּ), "in·my·roaring" (בְּ֝שַׁאֲגָתִ֗י). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "all·the·day" (root יום, 121x in Psalms); "my·bones" (root עצם, 22x in Psalms). First appearance of the root בלה ("wore·away") in Psalms. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'my·bones', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 2 words. Full calculation: כִּֽי־הֶ֭חֱרַשְׁתִּי [when·I·kept·silent] (953) + בָּל֣וּ [wore·away] (38) + עֲצָמָ֑י [my·bones] (210) + בְּ֝שַׁאֲגָתִ֗י [in·my·roaring] (716) + כׇּל־הַיּֽוֹם [all·the·day] (111) = 2028.
Rashi
"When I was silent" — When I was silent, [when I refrained] from confessing my transgressions before You. "my bones decayed" — because of my many sighs and my worries all day, that I was worrying about the punishment.
Ibn Ezra
'When' — if I was silent, so that I did not speak as human beings speak, my bones wore away through my roaring, like a lion that raises its voice.
Radak
"For I kept silent, my bones wore away through my groaning all day long" — The word "for" (כי) here means "when," as in (Deuteronomy 4:25): "When (כי) you beget children," and similar cases. He says: when I was silent and pondered within myself, "my bones wore away" from my abundant worry, and I was "groaning" over them "all day long."
Metzudat David
"When I kept silence" — and because the power of repentance is so great, therefore when I kept silent and stood in silence to contemplate my deeds, then I was troubled over my iniquities until my bones wore away, and I was occupied with my groaning all the day.
Metzudat Zion
"Wore away" — rotted.
Malbim
(Verses 3-4) 'For' — now he begins to explain the matter, and how severe the transgression of covering up sin truly is. For behold, 'all the time that I kept silent' and did not confess my sins, 'my bones wore away' through 'my roaring' — for I roared 'all day long,' because 'day and night Your hand was heavy upon me' (that is, the blow of Your hand), 'in that my moisture was turned as in the droughts of summer' — that is, the plague of the withholding of rain; for through the drought and dryness of summer it turned to drought, so that all the moisture of the ground and of the fruits turned to dryness and drought. From this it is clear that, because I did not confess my sin, the rains were withheld and the hand of Hashem grew heavy upon me in a dry and parched summer, until my bones wore away from my constant roaring over the trouble. 'Selah' — concludes the matter.
For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; My sap was turned as in the droughts of summer. Selah
verse value 1843
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 41 letters. The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֤י, 2 letters) and the longest is "in·droughts·of" (בְּחַרְבֹ֖נֵי, 6 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "was·heavy" (תִּכְבַּ֥ד), "was·turned" (נֶהְפַּ֥ךְ), "my·sap" (לְשַׁדִּ֑י). 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "for" (root כי, 216x in Psalms); "by·day" (root יום, 121x in Psalms); "upon·me" (root על, 120x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'my·sap', dividing the verse into phrases of 8 and 3 words. Full calculation: כִּ֤י [for] (30) + יוֹמָ֣ם [by·day] (96) + וָלַיְלָה֮ [and·night] (81) + תִּכְבַּ֥ד [was·heavy] (426) + עָלַ֗י [upon·me] (110) + יָ֫דֶ֥ךָ [Your·hand] (34) + נֶהְפַּ֥ךְ [was·turned] (155) + לְשַׁדִּ֑י [my·sap] (344) + בְּחַרְבֹ֖נֵי [in·droughts·of] (272) + קַ֣יִץ [summer] (200) + סֶֽלָה [Selah] (95) = 1843.
Rashi
"For [both] day and night" — the fear of Your hand and Your decrees was heavy upon me. "my freshness was transformed" — Heb. לשדי, my moisture, and so (in Num. 11:8): “the moisture (לשד) of oil,” the moisture of oil. This is how Dunash explained it (p. 14). Menachem (p. 171) associates [it with] an expression of plunder as (above 12:6): “from the plunder (משד) of the poor”; (above 17: 9) “Because of the wicked who have robbed me (שדוני).” "as in the droughts of summer" — Until it dries up as the drought of summer out of my worry of the heaviness of Your hand, that I was worrying about my sins; therefore...
Ibn Ezra
'For ... Your hand' — [means] Your blow, for the striking is done by the hand. 'My sap' — from the same root as 'the richness of the oil.' And the meaning is the warm fluid by which a person's life [is sustained]; also 'in the droughts of summer' is used by way of a metaphor — that the fluid dried up, and his days drew near to death.
Radak
"For day and night" — By day and by night I worried over my iniquity, and this is what he says: "Your hand was heavy upon me" — for I worried about Your blow, lest You punish me with a punishment as great as my iniquity was great. "My sap was turned" — From my great worry, my flesh and my liver wasted away, and the richness turned into drought and dryness. "My sap" (לשדי) refers to the goodness of richness and its moisture, as in (Numbers 11:8): "the richness of oil" (לשד השמן). And he says: "As in the droughts of summer. Selah" — for in the summer, things dry up. And even though David knew his punishment for the great iniquity and accepted it in this world, nevertheless he was worried about it, lest the cleansing of the iniquity had not been completed in this world, and perhaps he would be punished for it in the world to come.
Metzudat David
"For, etc." — that is to say, for I feared lest, day and night, the blow of Your hand would grow heavy upon me, and the moisture within me would be turned to dryness, as though it were forever in the drought of summer.
Metzudat Zion
"My sap" — an expression of moisture, as in "the richness of oil" (Numbers 11). "In the droughts" — from the term denoting drought and the dryness of heat. "Summer" — those are the days of [summer] heat.
I acknowledged my sin to You, and my iniquity have I not hid; I said: 'I will make confession concerning my transgressions to Hashem' — And You, You forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah
verse value 4317
Insights
Verse structure: 14 words, 63 letters. The shortest word is "upon" (עֲלֵ֣י, 3 letters) and the longest is "not·I·have·hidden" (לֹֽא־כִסִּ֗יתִי, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 428: my·sin, my·sin. 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "I·will·make·known·to·You" (אוֹדִ֪יעֲךָ֡), "and·my·perversity" (וַעֲ֘וֺנִ֤י). The root חטאה appears 2 times in this verse. 12 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "to·Hashem" (root יהוה, 688x in Psalms); "upon" (root על, 120x in Psalms); "and·You" (root אתה, 115x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·Hashem', dividing the verse into phrases of 9 and 5 words. Full calculation: חַטָּאתִ֨י [my·sin] (428) + אוֹדִ֪יעֲךָ֡ [I·will·make·known·to·You] (111) + וַעֲ֘וֺנִ֤י [and·my·perversity] (142) + לֹֽא־כִסִּ֗יתִי [not·I·have·hidden] (531) + אָמַ֗רְתִּי [I·said] (651) + אוֹדֶ֤ה [I·will·confess] (16) + עֲלֵ֣י [upon] (110) + פְ֭שָׁעַי [my·transgressions] (460) + לַיהֹוָ֑ה [to·Hashem] (56) + וְאַתָּ֨ה [and·You] (412) + נָ֘שָׂ֤אתָ [You·forgave] (751) + עֲוֺ֖ן [perversity·of] (126) + חַטָּאתִ֣י [my·sin] (428) + סֶֽלָה [Selah] (95) = 4317.
Rashi
"I would inform You of my sin" — always. This is a present tense. For I said, It is good that I should confess my transgressions to the Lord, and now that I confessed and said to Nathan the prophet, “I have sinned,” (as in II Samuel 12:13)..."You forgave the iniquity of my sin" — as the matter that is stated there (verse 13): “Also the Lord has removed your sin, etc.”
Ibn Ezra
'My sin' — corresponds to 'the covering of sin.' 'And my iniquity' — corresponds to 'Hashem does not reckon iniquity to him'; and 'transgressions' corresponds to 'forgiven of transgression.' The meaning of 'I will acknowledge' is 'to confess.' The meaning of 'You forgave' [was known to him] through the holy spirit, or [it means] that his iniquity had been borne until that day.
Radak
"I acknowledged my sin to You, and my iniquity have I not hidden" — even though He knows hidden things, he said "I will make known to You" in the manner of human speech, meaning that I will confess it with my mouth before You and "not hide" it. "I said: I will make confession concerning my transgressions to Hashem — and You, You forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah" — "I said" — this is what I thought: that this is what is good for me after I have sinned — that I "confess my transgressions," "and You," when I confess before You and return with a whole heart, will "forgive the iniquity of my sin." "You forgave" (נשאת) is a past-tense form used in place of the future, and there are many such cases in prophetic speech; or he said "You forgave" in the manner of prophecy. And the construct pairing of "iniquity" with "my sin" (עון חטאתי) indicates the greatness of "my sin," like (Daniel 12:2): "the dust of the earth" (אדמת עפר); (Psalms 40:3): "out of the miry clay" (מטיט היון).
Metzudat David
"I acknowledged my sin" — therefore I made known my sin and did not deny it, for I said: when I confess my transgressions and repent of them, then You will forgive them forever, for they will not be remembered again.
Malbim
'I acknowledged my sin' — (this refers to the fast and the confession). He says: indeed, after I resolved 'to make known to You my sin' and to confess, 'and my iniquity I did not hide,' then I was saved from the trouble. For as soon as 'I said, I will confess my transgressions to Hashem,' then 'You forgave the iniquity of my sin,' and the rain came down. This shows that confession is effective and turns away wrath. 'Selah' — concludes the matter.
For this let every one who is godly pray to You in a time when You may be found; Surely, when the great waters overflow, they will not reach to him.
verse value 3120
Insights
Verse structure: 13 words, 50 letters. Verse gematria: 3120 is divisible by 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "only" (רַ֗ק, 2 letters) and the longest is "all·faithful" (כׇּל־חָסִ֨יד, 6 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "for·this" (עַל־זֹ֡את), "prays" (יִתְפַּלֵּ֬ל), "all·faithful" (כׇּל־חָסִ֨יד). The root אל appears 2 times in this verse. 12 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "not" (root לא, 174x in Psalms); "to·You" (root אל, 112x in Psalms); "many" (root רב, 67x in Psalms). First appearance of the root שטף ("at·flood·of") in Psalms. First appearance of the root נגע ("will·reach") in Psalms. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'many', dividing the verse into phrases of 10 and 3 words. Full calculation: עַל־זֹ֡את [for·this] (508) + יִתְפַּלֵּ֬ל [prays] (550) + כׇּל־חָסִ֨יד [all·faithful] (132) + אֵלֶיךָ֮ [to·You] (61) + לְעֵ֢ת [at·time·of] (500) + מְ֫צֹ֥א [finding] (131) + רַ֗ק [only] (300) + לְ֭שֵׁטֶף [at·flood·of] (419) + מַ֣יִם [waters] (90) + רַבִּ֑ים [many] (252) + אֵ֝לָ֗יו [to·him] (47) + לֹ֣א [not] (31) + יַגִּֽיעוּ [will·reach] (99) = 3120.
Rashi
"at the time that You are found" — When You are found to accept his prayer, and what is this?..."only about a flood of vast waters" — that they should not reach him, that he should not fall into the hands of enemies, who are like flooding waters. And so we find that David prayed for this and said (II Sam. 24: 14): “Let us fall now into the hand of the Lord, for His mercies are great; but into the hand of man let me not fall.”
Ibn Ezra
'For this' — that You forgive iniquity. 'In a time of finding' — in the manner of 'seek Hashem while He may be found'; and 'and you shall seek Hashem your God from there, and you shall find [Him]'; or, when he finds his heart turned aside and free from [other] thoughts, and free from his affairs and his needs — then he shall pray, in the manner of 'therefore Your servant has found his heart [to pray this prayer].' The meaning of 'the overflowing of great waters' is a reference to killing his enemies by water, like 'He drew me out of many waters'; or [a reference] to death and illnesses, comparing them to waters that surged. And the meaning of 'only' is that the waters afflict others, and it is as though [the word 'only'] is joined with 'to him they shall not reach' — and there are many such [constructions] in our language.
Radak
"For this let every one who is godly pray to You" — since they have seen that You heard my prayer and "forgave my sin," "let every one who is godly pray to You" if iniquity should befall him. "In a time when You may be found" — at a time when he finds his heart free, so that his heart may be whole in repentance. "Surely, when the great waters overflow" — if he does this, needless to say he will not be lost through his sin; rather, even if many troubles come into the world, resembling "the overflow of great waters" that sweep everything away — "they will not reach him" — just as they "did not reach" me.
Metzudat David
"For this" — [refers to] what is stated below. "In a time when You may be found" — when his heart is found whole in repentance. "Surely, when [the great waters] overflow" — that is to say, he should not pray that punishment not come upon him at all, for if so, how would his iniquity be purged? Rather, his prayer should be that it not come all at once together, like an overflow of many waters.
Malbim
'For this' — through the rain there was a flooding of many waters, as above. About this he says: 'Behold, at a time when only a flood of great waters is to be found, for this let every godly one pray to You that they not reach him' — meaning, at a time when great waters are found that are fit only for flooding, to sweep everything away, surely then every godly one will pray that the waters not reach him and that the flood cease. But here it was the opposite, for through the fact that 'You are a hiding place for me, You preserve me from the foe' — and it also means that through the flood You preserved me from the foe and the enemy who came to besiege his land, and who was unable to reach me because of the flood — and therefore 'You surround me with songs of deliverance,' as if a camp surrounded me, singing over the escape and the salvation from the foe, for the waters surrounded me to deliver me from the foe.
You are my hiding-place; You will preserve me from the adversary; With songs of deliverance You will compass me about. Selah
verse value 3190
Insights
Verse structure: 9 words, 32 letters. The shortest word is "to·me" (לִי֮, 2 letters) and the longest is "You·will·surround·me" (תְּס֖וֹבְבֵ֣נִי, 7 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "hiding-place" (סֵ֥תֶר), "You·will·guard·me" (תִּ֫צְּרֵ֥נִי), "songs·of" (רׇנֵּ֥י). 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "You" (root אתה, 115x in Psalms); "Selah" (root סלה, 70x in Psalms); "to·me" (root לי, 68x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'deliverance', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 2 words. Full calculation: אַתָּ֤ה [You] (406) + סֵ֥תֶר [hiding-place] (660) + לִי֮ [to·me] (40) + מִצַּ֢ר [from·the·adversary] (330) + תִּ֫צְּרֵ֥נִי [You·will·guard·me] (750) + רׇנֵּ֥י [songs·of] (260) + פַלֵּ֑ט [deliverance] (119) + תְּס֖וֹבְבֵ֣נִי [You·will·surround·me] (530) + סֶֽלָה [Selah] (95) = 3190.
Rashi
"You are a shelter for me" — to hide in Your shadow from before the enemy. "You guard me" — Heb. תצרני, like תשמרני. "songs of deliverance" — A song of rescue. "You encompass me" — Heb. תסובבני. This is the present tense. You always encompassed me with songs of deliverance. And so You said to me...
Ibn Ezra
'You' — [regarding 'from the adversary'] it is possible that it means an enemy, or the distress of illness, like 'distress and anguish'; and the proof is 'many are the sorrows' [below]. 'Songs of deliverance' — Rabbi Moshe said: 'You will surround me' is a transitive verb taking two objects: the voices of angels [announcing] that I shall escape, and behold, 'glad song,' in the manner of 'and the cry passed [through the camp].' And they [the angels] will instruct me and say, 'I will give you understanding' — 'in this way you shall go, just like this' — and the letter bet is missing from 'my eye' [i.e., it should be read 'with my eye']. And some say [the meaning] is in the sense of a hint.
Radak
"You are my hiding-place; You will preserve me from the adversary" — for "You" were "my hiding-place," and You would save me from troubles the whole time that I was in them because of the punishment for my iniquity; and nevertheless You did not abandon me into the hand of my enemies. "With songs of deliverance You will compass me about. Selah" — songs and cries of salvation "will compass me about" against the enemies who surrounded me.
Metzudat David
"You are my hiding-place" — and he says in his prayer: You will be a hiding place for me from punishment, and You will guard me from troubles so that they do not destroy me from the world. "With songs [of deliverance], etc." — forever You will surround me with a song of deliverance; that is, when trouble comes upon me to purge my iniquity, and it goes away, and comes again, and returns and goes away again — then each time it departs I will sing a song of deliverance, as though I were forever surrounded by them.
'I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you shall go; I will give counsel, My eye being upon you.'
verse value 1749
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 33 letters. The shortest word is "you·shall·go" (תֵלֵ֑ךְ, 3 letters) and the longest is "I·will·instruct·you" (אַשְׂכִּֽילְךָ֨, 6 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "I·will·instruct·you" (אַשְׂכִּֽילְךָ֨), "and·teach·you" (וְֽאוֹרְךָ֗), "in·way·which" (בְּדֶֽרֶךְ־ז֥וּ). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "upon·you" (root על, 120x in Psalms); "in·way·which" (root דרך, 70x in Psalms); "you·shall·go" (root הלך, 68x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'you·shall·go', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 3 words. Full calculation: אַשְׂכִּֽילְךָ֨ [I·will·instruct·you] (381) + וְֽאוֹרְךָ֗ [and·teach·you] (233) + בְּדֶֽרֶךְ־ז֥וּ [in·way·which] (239) + תֵלֵ֑ךְ [you·shall·go] (450) + אִיעֲצָ֖ה [I·will·counsel] (176) + עָלֶ֣יךָ [upon·you] (130) + עֵינִֽי [My·eye] (140) = 1749.
Rashi
"I will enlighten you and instruct you which way" — to go. "I will wink" — With My eye; I will hint to you what to do. איעצה is an expression of winking the eye, as (in Prov. 16:30): “He winks (עצה) his eyes to think perverse thoughts.”
Radak
"I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you shall go" — he rebukes whoever will listen to his rebuke, whether it be one person or many. "My eye being upon you, I will give counsel" — I will give you "counsel" from what I have seen with "my eye" and in myself: that I sinned and walked in a way that was not good, and I came to understand within myself, and I regretted it, and I returned to Hashem with all my heart, and He forgave me and accepted me in repentance; so shall you do.
Metzudat David
"I will instruct you" — I will give understanding to your heart and teach you that you should go in this way. "I will give counsel" — I will give you counsel about a matter which I have seen with my own eyes myself, for I too sinned and returned to Hashem, and so I prayed, and behold, my prayer availed.
Metzudat Zion
"And I will instruct you" — and I will teach you. "I will give counsel" — from the term "counsel."
Malbim
'I will instruct you' — In light of this he says: is it not, then, better that they not wait to return in repentance until Hashem strikes them with the rod of correction, like a horse or a donkey that does not know how to walk in the way until it is struck with a stick? Is it not better that, at a time when 'I will instruct you and teach you in this way that you shall go,' I will not need to chastise you with afflictions, but rather 'I will give counsel, My eye upon you' — so that it will be enough for you to understand through a mere wink of the eye to walk in the straight way? But 'do not be like a horse or a mule that has no understanding' — for if one wishes to show it the way to go, one needs a bit and bridle to guide it, so that with 'a bit and bridle one must curb its advance (edyo)' — to curb and restrain its advance, and turn it away from the road — and likewise to restrain it so that it not 'come near you,' that it not approach you to harm you. Surely you are worthy that it should be enough for you with a mere wink of the eye. (Now, in his figure of speech, he likens man to two parts, a horse and its rider: for the material substance of man is like the substance of the other living creatures, such as a horse or a mule; but the man who dwells within his own matter — that is, the rational soul — is the one who drives his donkey, saddling it and riding upon it. And just as, when the horse rebels against its rider, the rider binds it with bit and bridle, so too, when the beast of man that is close to him — namely, his bodily matter — rebels against the soul, its driver, He chastises its body with pains; and these are for the good of the man who rides upon his donkey, so that his she-donkey not kick against him and harm him through her evil deeds. And it would be fitting, at the very least, that the beast of man, which is his bodily matter, be distinguished from the other animal upon which he rides, in that it should recognize that the bit and bridle and the afflictions are for the good of the man himself — that is, his soul — so that his donkey not draw near to him to bite him and harm him, that is, to corrupt his soul. And of this he says: do not be like a horse or a mule in this respect either, which has no understanding that the bit and bridle are for the good of the rider, to curb its advance so that it not come near you.)
Be you not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding; Whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, That they come not near to you.
verse value 2384
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 47 letters. The shortest word is "not" (בַּ֝֗ל, 2 letters) and the longest is "in·bit·and·bridle" (בְּמֶתֶג־וָרֶ֣סֶן, 8 letters). Words sharing gematria 61: there·is·no, to·you. 8 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "do·not·be" (אַל־תִּהְי֤וּ), "like·a·horse" (כְּס֥וּס), "like·a·mule" (כְּפֶרֶד֮). 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "to·you" (root אל, 112x in Psalms); "do·not·be" (root היה, 97x in Psalms); "there·is·no" (root אין, 67x in Psalms). First appearance of the root עדי ("its·ornament") in Psalms. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·curb', dividing the verse into phrases of 8 and 3 words. Full calculation: אַל־תִּהְי֤וּ [do·not·be] (452) + כְּס֥וּס [like·a·horse] (146) + כְּפֶרֶד֮ [like·a·mule] (304) + אֵ֤ין [there·is·no] (61) + הָ֫בִ֥ין [understanding] (67) + בְּמֶתֶג־וָרֶ֣סֶן [in·bit·and·bridle] (761) + עֶדְי֣וֹ [its·ornament] (90) + לִבְל֑וֹם [to·curb] (108) + בַּ֝֗ל [not] (32) + קְרֹ֣ב [coming·near] (302) + אֵלֶֽיךָ [to·you] (61) = 2384.
Rashi
"Be not like a horse, like a mule" — which does not discern between one who benefits him and one who does him harm, for when you insert a bit into his mouth, he closes his mouth and shakes his bridle, and when you curry him and brush him, you must close his mouth and chastise him with a bit and bridle while you adorn him and groom him. "so that...he does not come near you" — So that he should not come near you to hurt you while you groom him, with bit and bridle (when he is being groomed, to close his mouth. When he is being groomedwhile you curry him and brush himyou must close his mouth with a bit and bridle so that he does not come near you.) בלימה is an expression of closing in the language of the Mishnah: Its mouth is closed (בלום), its feet are closed (מבלמות), in Tractate Bechoroth (40b). (Menachem associated לבלום, and also בלימה [Job 26:7] as an expression of regulating [p. 45].)
Ibn Ezra
'Be you not' — this is the counsel. 'As the horse, as the mule' — [written] without the conjunction 'and,' by way of elegant style, like 'as a friend, as a brother to me'; and at times the letter kaf is missing entirely. Rabbi Moshe said: 'be not' like the horse, which needs a bit and bridle — and he said '[its] mouth,' just as [one might say] '[its] jaw,' and similarly, 'who satisfies your mouth with good.' 'To hold in' — a word known in the language of the Sages. The meaning of 'come not near to you' is 'to harm you.' And some say: 'that it not come near to you' means, far be it from you to be like the horse — in the manner of 'and the counsel of the wicked is far from me.' And some say: that the word 'it' is missing, as if it were written: 'with bit and bridle, its ornament, to hold it in.' And furthermore: 'its ornament' — in the manner of 'to find his iniquity, to hate [it].'
Radak
"Be you not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding; whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, that they come not near to you" — "you shall not be" like the animal that has no understanding, and does not know whether it does harm and causes damage, and does not understand, so that its mouth needs "to be held in with bit and bridle" so that it does not "come near to you" to bite you — for it has no understanding by which it could be disciplined and reproved with words if no action is taken against it to restrain it from evil. But you shall not "be" so; rather, understand, and be reproved, and be disciplined, and return to God from your evil deeds, and He will forgive you. And he mentioned "the horse" and "the mule," which are ridden animals, and the rider holds "the bridle" that is in their mouth in his hand, in order to subdue them and lead them to the place he wishes, and to keep them from the place they themselves would wish to go, and to prevent their mouths from causing harm. "Bit" and "bridle" are one and the same — it is an instrument made to hold in the mouth of the animal, differing from one another only in the manner of their construction. "Its mouth" (עדיו) — meaning its mouth, as in (Psalms 103:5): "Who satisfies your mouth (עדיך) with good things."
Metzudat David
"As the horse, or as the mule" — [do not be] dull of heart like them. "With bit and bridle" — for when they adorn it with bit and bridle, then it is necessary to muzzle its mouth so that it does not come near you to bite, for it has no share of understanding to know that they place [the bit] on it to adorn it and not to hurt it. And he says that you should not be like this, but rather should understand that the sufferings that come are to purge the iniquity, and you should not kick against them.
Metzudat Zion
"With bit and bridle" — names of implements that are placed in the mouth of an animal in order to lead it and to adorn it. "Its mouth" — its mouth, as in "who satisfies your mouth with good things" (below, 103). "To hold in" — an expression of muzzling and closing the mouth; and in the words of our Sages, "one who restrains himself at the time of a quarrel" (Chullin 89).
Many are the sorrows of the wicked; But he who trusts in Hashem, mercy compasses him about.
verse value 1243
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 36 letters. Notable word values: "and·the·one·who·trusts" (וְהַבּוֹטֵ֥חַ) = 36, double chai. The shortest word is "mercy" (חֶ֝֗סֶד, 3 letters) and the longest is "pains" (מַכְאוֹבִ֗ים, 7 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "pains" (מַכְאוֹבִ֗ים), "and·the·one·who·trusts" (וְהַבּוֹטֵ֥חַ), "surrounds·him" (יְסוֹבְבֶֽנּוּ). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "in·Hashem" (root יהוה, 688x in Psalms); "mercy" (root חסד, 125x in Psalms); "to·the·wicked" (root רשע, 87x in Psalms). First appearance of the root מכאב ("pains") in Psalms. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'in·Hashem', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 2 words. Full calculation: רַבִּ֥ים [many] (252) + מַכְאוֹבִ֗ים [pains] (119) + לָ֫רָשָׁ֥ע [to·the·wicked] (600) + וְהַבּוֹטֵ֥חַ [and·the·one·who·trusts] (36) + בַּֽיהֹוָ֑ה [in·Hashem] (28) + חֶ֝֗סֶד [mercy] (72) + יְסוֹבְבֶֽנּוּ [surrounds·him] (136) = 1243.
Ibn Ezra
'Many' — Rabbi Moshe said: one who does not pay heed to guard his ways, perhaps his steps have slipped, and because of this he is called 'wicked.' And it is possible that this is [the same person as] 'forgiven of transgression.' The meaning of 'but he who trusts in Hashem' is that he should not rely on physicians, like Asa. And know, that Scripture permitted seeking medical treatment only for a wound from a human being, for Hashem alone is the Healer of Israel, and His healing is to strengthen the soul and to increase one's fear of Him.
Radak
"Many are the sorrows of the wicked" — who trusts in the greatness of his wealth and does not look to God and does not understand; because of his iniquities and his sins, "many sorrows" come upon him, and there is no one to save him from them. "But he who trusts in Hashem" — but whoever "trusts in Hashem," and understands that he has no support besides Him, must turn back from his sins and from the things that held him back, and must understand that good and evil come to him from God according to his deeds, and "trusts" in Him alone. "Mercy compasses him about" — the opposite of the wicked, whom "many sorrows compass about."
Metzudat David
"Many, etc." — for the wicked man who kicks against sufferings, behold, many pains come upon him; but the one who trusts in Hashem and understands that they are for his good, for through them iniquity is purged, and does not kick against them — kindness from Hashem surrounds him, for He will remove them from him and he will be clean of iniquity.
Malbim
'Many' — it is only 'to the wicked' that 'many are the sorrows' apply, for many things are sorrows to him: the wicked person suffers pain when he is sick, when he is hungry, and so with every kind of affliction. But 'he who trusts in Hashem' does not suffer pain from any of these, for these very pains are, for him, 'mercy that compasses him about' — for they serve to protect him from the wild beast, so that it will not turn from the road and will not draw near to him to harm him. Therefore, 'rejoice in Hashem and be glad,' you 'righteous'; and you 'upright of heart, shout for joy,' for everything He does is for your good and for your success.
Be glad in Hashem, and rejoice, you righteous; And shout for joy, all you who are upright in heart.
verse value 1620
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 35 letters. Verse gematria: 1620 is divisible by 18, the value of chai ('life'). The shortest word is "rejoice" (שִׂמְח֬וּ, 4 letters) and the longest is "all·upright·of·heart" (כׇּל־יִשְׁרֵי־לֵֽב, 8 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "and·shout·for·joy" (וְ֝הַרְנִ֗ינוּ). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "in·Hashem" (root יהוה, 688x in Psalms); "rejoice" (root שמח, 55x in Psalms); "righteous" (root צדיק, 52x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'righteous', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 2 words. Full calculation: שִׂמְח֬וּ [rejoice] (354) + בַיהֹוָ֣ה [in·Hashem] (28) + וְ֭גִילוּ [and·rejoice] (55) + צַדִּיקִ֑ים [righteous] (254) + וְ֝הַרְנִ֗ינוּ [and·shout·for·joy] (327) + כׇּל־יִשְׁרֵי־לֵֽב [all·upright·of·heart] (602) = 1620.
Ibn Ezra
'Be glad' — the righteous who did not sin are glad that illness will not come upon them, for their Healer, who is Hashem, is their Guardian, and He will remove every disease found in their food.
Radak
"Be glad in Hashem, and rejoice, you righteous" — whoever trusts in Him "will rejoice" from the abundance of good that will come to him from Him; or its meaning is: that his soul will find, in the service of God, "gladness" and trust in Him. "And shout for joy, all you who are upright in heart" — "and shout for joy" (והרנינו) is a transitive verb. You, "be glad" and "cause to shout for joy" "every" one whose "heart" is "upright" and who wishes to hold to your way; bring him good tidings from God, and "cause him to shout for joy."
Metzudat David
"Be glad in Hashem" — in the kindness that comes from Him.
Rashi
Ibn Ezra
Radak
Metzudat David
Metzudat Zion
Malbim