A Psalm of David. A plea for vindication against unjust enemies who repay good with evil, and a vow of thanksgiving for the deliverance Hashem will bring.
Tap any Hebrew word to reveal its root, value, and meanings.
[A Psalm] of David. Strive, O Hashem, with those who strive with me; Fight against those who fight against me.
verse value 1487
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 28 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְ֭הֹוָה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "fight" (לְ֝חַ֗ם, 3 letters) and the longest is "with·my·opponents" (אֶת־יְרִיבַ֑י, 7 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "with·my·opponents" (אֶת־יְרִיבַ֑י), "those·fighting·me" (אֶת־לֹחֲמָֽי). The root לחם appears 2 times in this verse. 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 688x in Psalms); "of·David" (root דוד, 89x in Psalms); "fight" (root לחם, 23x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'with·my·opponents', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 2 words. Full calculation: לְדָוִ֨ד [of·David] (44) + רִיבָ֣ה [strive] (217) + יְ֭הֹוָה [Hashem] (26) + אֶת־יְרִיבַ֑י [with·my·opponents] (633) + לְ֝חַ֗ם [fight] (78) + אֶת־לֹחֲמָֽי [those·fighting·me] (489) = 1487.
Rashi
"O Lord, strive with those who strive against me" — Make a quarrel with those who make quarrels with me. "battle" — Heb. לחם an expression of war (מלחמה), and so לחמי, battle those who battle with me.
Ibn Ezra
"Of David. Strive, O Hashem, with those who strive with me" — "who strive with me" [יריבי]: some say that it is a transposed form, like "if you indeed return" [אם שוב תשובו], "if Hashem indeed brings me back" [אם שוב ישיבני ה']. But what is correct in my view is that they are two [separate] roots.
Radak
"[A Psalm] of David. Strive, O Hashem, with those who strive with me" — this psalm, too, he spoke while fleeing from Saul. "Rivah" (strive) is accented mil'ra (on the final syllable), an imperative from the hif'il pattern; its expected form would be "hariva." In "yerivai" (those who strive with me) the yod is extra, like the yod in "yakum," "yibol"; its meaning is "merivai" (those who contend with me), and it is a descriptive (adjectival) form. Compare (Isaiah 49:25): "And I will strive with him who strives with you." "Fight against those who fight against me" — this repeats the same idea in different words.
Metzudat David
"With those who strive with me" — with those who strive against me, You shall strive on my behalf.
Metzudat Zion
"Strive" — from the language of war.
Malbim
"Of David" — he prayed this prayer against his enemies and those who pursued him. "Strive, Hashem, with those who strive with me" — strive with them before they come to actual war at all; and if the matter has already reached the point of war, "fight against those who fight against me" — You fight with them; and if the matter has reached the point that I myself must fight, then at least (vv. 2-3) "take hold of shield and buckler, and rise up to my help" — to defend me; and if the matter has reached the point that I must flee, "draw out the spear, and block" the way "against my pursuers," so that they will not be able to pursue me. "And say to my soul, I am your salvation" — to save, at the very least, my soul.
Take hold of shield and buckler, And rise up to my help.
verse value 1210
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 22 letters. The shortest word is "shield" (מָגֵ֣ן, 3 letters) and the longest is "in·my·help" (בְּעֶזְרָתִֽי, 6 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "take·hold" (הַחֲזֵ֣ק), "and·buckler" (וְצִנָּ֑ה), "and·arise" (וְ֝ק֗וּמָה). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·arise" (root קום, 52x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·buckler', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 2 words. Full calculation: הַחֲזֵ֣ק [take·hold] (120) + מָגֵ֣ן [shield] (93) + וְצִנָּ֑ה [and·buckler] (151) + וְ֝ק֗וּמָה [and·arise] (157) + בְּעֶזְרָתִֽי [in·my·help] (689) = 1210.
Ibn Ezra
"Take hold of" — the meaning is that the shield and buckler that I take for battle, I do not lean upon them, but upon You, that You should strengthen me and strengthen my shield.
Radak
"Take hold of shield and buckler, and rise up to my help" — by way of a parable, like a man gripping weapons of war in his hand to fight. "Hachazek" (take hold) means to grasp firmly and swiftly; similarly (Genesis 21:18): "and hold your hand on him." It occurs both with the preposition bet and without it, and it is an expression of grasping. "Vekumah" (and rise up) is accented mil'eil (on the penultimate syllable), and there is no other instance like it accented mil'eil in the [Psalms]."
Metzudat David
"Take hold" — grasp in Your hand a shield, etc.; this is a figure of speech, drawn from the manner customary among men.
Metzudat Zion
"Shield and buckler" — names of weapons of war used for protection.
Draw out also the spear, and the battle-axe, against those who pursue me; Say to my soul: 'I am Your salvation.'
verse value 3645
Insights
Verse structure: 9 words, 37 letters. The shortest word is "say" (אֱמֹ֥ר, 3 letters) and the longest is "against" (לִקְרַ֣את, 5 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "and·draw·out" (וְהָ֘רֵ֤ק), "and·battle-axe" (וּ֭סְגֹר), "against" (לִקְרַ֣את). 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "to·my·soul" (root נפש, 143x in Psalms); "say" (root אמר, 111x in Psalms); "I" (root אני, 64x in Psalms). First appearance of the root חנית ("spear") in Psalms. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'my·pursuers', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 4 words. Full calculation: וְהָ֘רֵ֤ק [and·draw·out] (311) + חֲנִ֣ית [spear] (468) + וּ֭סְגֹר [and·battle-axe] (269) + לִקְרַ֣את [against] (731) + רֹדְפָ֑י [my·pursuers] (294) + אֱמֹ֥ר [say] (241) + לְ֝נַפְשִׁ֗י [to·my·soul] (470) + יְֽשֻׁעָתֵ֥ךְ [your·salvation] (800) + אָֽנִי [I] (61) = 3645.
Rashi
"And arm Yourself with a spear" — Heb. והרק. Arm Yourself, as (in Exod. 15:9) “I will arm myself (אריק) with my sword”; (Gen. 14:14), “And he armed (וירק) his trained men.” "and bar the way before my pursuers" — Protect between me and them, as a barrier. "to my soul" — A moi meme in French, to myself, as (in Jer. 18:20): “for they have dug a pit for me (לנפשי).”
Ibn Ezra
"And draw out" — as if You are the One who draws out the spear. "And bar [the way]" — to block them off, so that they do not overtake him as they pursue him. "Say" — that the salvation will be from Hashem.
Radak
"Draw out also the spear" — an expression of drawing [a weapon] for battle. Similarly (Ezekiel 5:12): "and I will draw out a sword after them." "And the battle-axe [sagar], against those who pursue me" — "sagar" is the name of one of the weapons of war. Some explain it according to its plain meaning, as an expression of "closing" (Rashi and Ibn Ezra) — that is, "close off" the road against them as they pursue me, so that they will not overtake me. "Say to my soul" — for they seek to take my soul, as it says (verse 4): "those who seek my soul"; and You, declare to my soul and say to it: Do not fear, for "I am your salvation" — the meaning is that He will put strength into his [the psalmist's] heart; the opposite of (Leviticus 26:36): "and I will bring faintness into their hearts."
Metzudat David
"And bar the way" — stand in the road and bar their way, so that they cannot pursue after me.
Metzudat Zion
"Draw out" — an expression of removing a thing from its sheath, as in 'and I will draw out a sword' (Ezekiel 5).
Let them be ashamed and brought to confusion who seek after my soul; Let them be turned back and be abashed who devise my hurt.
verse value 2926
Insights
Verse structure: 9 words, 41 letters. The shortest word is "let·them·be·ashamed" (יֵבֹ֣שׁוּ, 4 letters) and the longest is "and·let·them·be·confounded" (וְיִכָּלְמוּ֮, 6 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "who·devise" (חֹ֝שְׁבֵ֗י). 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "my·soul" (root נפש, 143x in Psalms); "my·harm" (root רע, 53x in Psalms); "let·them·be·ashamed" (root בוש, 36x in Psalms). First appearance of the root כלם ("and·let·them·be·confounded") in Psalms. First appearance of the root סוג ("let·them·turn") in Psalms. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·let·them·be·abashed', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 2 words. Full calculation: יֵבֹ֣שׁוּ [let·them·be·ashamed] (318) + וְיִכָּלְמוּ֮ [and·let·them·be·confounded] (112) + מְבַקְשֵׁ֢י [who·seek] (452) + נַ֫פְשִׁ֥י [my·soul] (440) + יִסֹּ֣גוּ [let·them·turn] (79) + אָח֣וֹר [backward] (215) + וְיַחְפְּר֑וּ [and·let·them·be·abashed] (310) + חֹ֝שְׁבֵ֗י [who·devise] (320) + רָעָתִֽי [my·harm] (680) = 2926.
Ibn Ezra
"Let them be ashamed, let them be turned back" — [the form is] like "yikkonu," from the nif'al construction; for if it were from the roots whose first letter is a nun, it would be like "yiplu" — as in "[they] shall fall into the heart of the king's enemies."
Radak
"Let them be ashamed and brought to confusion who seek after my soul" — ashamed of their strength and of their hope. "Let them be turned back" — let them turn backward. Similarly (Psalms 44:19): "Our heart has not turned back." He is saying: when You come against them with sword and spear, they will turn backward from pursuing me. "And be abashed who devise my hurt" — "let them be ashamed," in that they planned to do me harm and were unable to.
Metzudat David
"Let them be ashamed" — when they are unable to prevail against me.
Metzudat Zion
"Be turned back" — [meaning] they shall retreat backward, and likewise 'we have not turned back' (below, Psalm 44). "Who devise" — from the language of thought.
Malbim
"Let those who seek my soul be ashamed" — those who wish to kill me; "and also let those who devise my harm be turned back" — for they are less severe than those who seek my soul.
Let them be as chaff before the wind, The angel of Hashem thrusting them.
verse value 711
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 27 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֣ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "like·chaff" (כְּמֹ֥ץ, 3 letters) and the longest is "before·the·wind" (לִפְנֵי־ר֑וּחַ, 7 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "like·chaff" (כְּמֹ֥ץ), "thrusting" (דּוֹחֶֽה). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 688x in Psalms); "before·the·wind" (root פנים, 131x in Psalms); "let·them·be" (root היה, 97x in Psalms). First appearance of the root דחה ("thrusting") in Psalms. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'before·the·wind', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: יִֽהְי֗וּ [let·them·be] (31) + כְּמֹ֥ץ [like·chaff] (150) + לִפְנֵי־ר֑וּחַ [before·the·wind] (384) + וּמַלְאַ֖ךְ [and·the·angel·of] (97) + יְהֹוָ֣ה [Hashem] (26) + דּוֹחֶֽה [thrusting] (23) = 711.
Ibn Ezra
"Let them be" — it is possible that the wind will drive the chaff to some place and it will settle there; but if it is the angel who drives it, it will never settle, but will scatter completely until it can no longer be found.
Radak
"Let them be as chaff before the wind" — the "chaff" is the fine straw that is blown about before the wind. "The angel of Hashem thrusting [them]" — for the chaff at times finds a resting place before the wind, when it meets a fence or something that stops it; but they will have no resting place, for the angel of Hashem will thrust them onward.
Metzudat David
"Let them be as chaff" — let them be wandering and drifting from place to place, like chaff driven before the wind.
Metzudat Zion
"As chaff" — it is the refuse of the grain.
Malbim
"Let them be" — punished by an external cause — "as chaff carried away before the wind"; and not in the natural way, but rather "the angel of Hashem" will be "the one driving them away." And also "let their way be," of themselves, "darkness and slipperiness," until they slip and are cast down into darkness of their own accord; and in this too there will be an agent of providence, that "the angel of Hashem pursues them."
Let their way be dark and slippery, The angel of Hashem pursuing them.
verse value 1738
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 30 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְ֝הֹוָ֗ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "darkness" (חֹ֥שֶׁךְ, 3 letters) and the longest is "let·their·way·be" (יְֽהִי־דַרְכָּ֗ם, 7 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "let·their·way·be" (יְֽהִי־דַרְכָּ֗ם), "and·slippery·places" (וַחֲלַקְלַקֹּ֑ת), "pursuing·them" (רֹדְפָֽם). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 688x in Psalms); "let·their·way·be" (root היה, 97x in Psalms); "pursuing·them" (root רדף, 20x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·slippery·places', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: יְֽהִי־דַרְכָּ֗ם [let·their·way·be] (289) + חֹ֥שֶׁךְ [darkness] (328) + וַחֲלַקְלַקֹּ֑ת [and·slippery·places] (674) + וּמַלְאַ֥ךְ [and·the·angel·of] (97) + יְ֝הֹוָ֗ה [Hashem] (26) + רֹדְפָֽם [pursuing·them] (324) = 1738.
Rashi
"dark and slippery" — Both together, so that their feet should slip on the slippery places and the darkness should not allow them to beware of the slippery places, as it is written (in Jer. 23: 12): “Therefore, their way shall be for them like slippery places in the dark: ‘let them be thrust and fall therein.’ “
Ibn Ezra
"Let ... be" — the meaning is: as they flee, they will not know which way to flee. "And the angel of Hashem pursuing them" — so that they cannot escape. "And slippery" [חלקלקות] — a doubled form, like "sacharchar" (dizzy) [and] "shecharchoret" (blackish). And the meaning of "dark" — thick and smooth, such that the faculty of touch could perceive it, in the manner of "vayamesh choshech" ("a darkness that could be felt"), which is like when a blind man feels his way; and to relate it to "vaye'esh" is not correct at all.
Radak
"Let their way be dark and slippery" — these are two evils; and the third is: "The angel of Hashem pursuing them" — for one who walks in darkness will stumble on a stone or an obstacle in the path and fall. Likewise one who walks on slippery ground, his feet will slip and he will fall. Yet despite this, he could walk gently and perhaps escape; but if someone is pursuing him, he will be forced to run, and in any case he will fall.
Metzudat David
"Let their way be dark" — so that they cannot see to be careful, and let their way be slippery, so that their feet slip as they flee when the angel pursues them; and this is a figure of speech, meaning that they shall be caught up in troubles and be unable to escape.
For without cause have they hid for me the pit, even their net, Without cause have they dug for my soul.
verse value 2783
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 30 letters. The shortest word is "pit" (שַׁ֣חַת, 3 letters) and the longest is "they·hid·for·me" (טָֽמְנוּ־לִ֭י, 6 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "for·freely" (כִּֽי־חִנָּ֣ם), "they·hid·for·me" (טָֽמְנוּ־לִ֭י), "their·net" (רִשְׁתָּ֑ם). The root חנם appears 2 times in this verse. 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "for·my·soul" (root נפש, 143x in Psalms). First appearance of the root חנם ("for·freely") in Psalms. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'their·net', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 3 words. Full calculation: כִּֽי־חִנָּ֣ם [for·freely] (128) + טָֽמְנוּ־לִ֭י [they·hid·for·me] (145) + שַׁ֣חַת [pit] (708) + רִשְׁתָּ֑ם [their·net] (940) + חִ֝נָּ֗ם [freely] (98) + חָפְר֥וּ [they·dug] (294) + לְנַפְשִֽׁי [for·my·soul] (470) = 2783.
Rashi
"they have dug it for my soul" — they have dug a pit into which I should fall.
Ibn Ezra
"For," "a pit" [שחת] — from the root of "yashit" (ישית), on the pattern of "asher zoreh varachat" ("that which is winnowed with a shovel"), [the shovel-word] from the root of "ruach" (wind).
Radak
"For without cause" — some explain "for without cause" as meaning: for there is no violence in my hands. "They have hidden for me the pit, even their net" — his meaning is: the pit within their net; that is, they dug a pit and covered and hid its mouth with a net, so that I would pass over it without noticing and fall into it — just as hunters do when they wish to trap wild animals: they dig pits in the fields and forests and cover them with nets and earth, so that the animals will not notice the pit and will fall into it when they pass over it. "Without cause have they dug" — for there is no violence in my hands, they dug the pit and hid the net with earth, as I have explained. "For my soul" — like "for my body." And the correct [reading of] "for without cause" is: I am not cursing them without cause, but rather they pursued me without cause and hid their net for me to trap me. And the explanation of "pit" and "their net" is that they are two [separate] things: the "pit" is a dug hollow, as in (Psalms 94:13): "until a pit is dug for the wicked"; and similarly (Ezekiel 19:4): "he was caught in their pit"; and likewise the grave is called "pit," since it is a hollowed-out place. And the explanation of "the pit" and "the net" [together] is: "without cause have they hidden for me" the net, so that I would be caught in it, "and dug for my soul" the pit, so that I would fall into it. One may also explain "shachat" (pit) as equivalent to "net." Similarly (Lamentations 4:20): "he was caught in their pits." And in the words of our sages, of blessed memory (Bavli Bava Kamma 117a): "this shata" [note: in our version the text of the Talmud reads: "that shuta over which two people were disputing"] — meaning that they were disputing over it; and "shata" means to say "sichata" (a matter/dispute), for it is their custom to drop the guttural letters. And similarly they said (Bavli Bava Batra 39a): "let no shotar go out from you," which is like "she'uta"; the Targum of "and he told" (Genesis 24:66, and everywhere) renders it "ve'ishta'i." And the construct joining of "pit" to "their net" indicates the great effort they exerted to trap him. And so too in this construction: "out of the miry pit" (Psalms 40:3); "dust of the earth" (Daniel 12:2). And afterward it says "dug for my soul," meaning they dug a hollow for me so that I would fall into it. And the sense is: that in every way they could devise schemes and contrive pretexts to trap me, they did so.
Metzudat David
"Without cause" — for there is no violence in my hands. "For my soul" — like "for my body"; and so too, "iron entered into his soul" (below, Psalm 105).
Metzudat Zion
"The pit" — a pit. "Their net" — like 'and their net'; it is a trapper's snare.
Malbim
"For without cause" — this is the way of animal trappers: they dig a pit, and around it they hide a net, so that it will trap the animal when it goes there. He says, "for without cause they hid the net for me," and also what "they dug for my soul" — all of it was "without cause," for I did no evil to them. Therefore "calamity shall come upon him" — a sudden darkness — which "he does not know" to beware of, and through this "the very net that he hid shall catch him," for "through the calamity" and the darkness "he shall fall into it" — in such a way that the wicked man is trapped by the very work of his own hands. "But my soul shall rejoice in Hashem" — the rejoicing in the heart will be through Hashem, "and the gladness" openly will be through "His salvation." Now he relates that they did him harm in soul, in body, and in property alike. Against the soul he said, "and my soul shall rejoice"; against the body he says, "all my bones shall say" — meaning, that the limb through which the miracle was performed is the one that speaks and testifies to the miracle; and since a miracle was performed for me in every one of my bones and in every limb — for each of my limbs was in a particular danger — therefore all my bones shall testify that there is none like Hashem. And regarding the saving of the body they shall say that He "saves the poor from one stronger than he"; and regarding the saving of property they shall say that He "saves the poor and needy from one who robs him."
Let destruction come upon him unawares; And let his net that he has hid catch himself; With destruction let him fall into it.
verse value 3260
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 41 letters. The shortest word is "destruction" (שׁוֹאָה֮, 4 letters) and the longest is "let·it·come·upon·him" (תְּבוֹאֵ֣הוּ, 6 letters). 8 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "let·it·come·upon·him" (תְּבוֹאֵ֣הוּ), "destruction" (שׁוֹאָה֮), "he·does·not·know" (לֹֽא־יֵ֫דָ֥ע). The root שוא appears 2 times in this verse. 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "he·does·not·know" (root ידע, 95x in Psalms); "let·it·come·upon·him" (root בוא, 79x in Psalms); "let·him·fall·into·it" (root נפל, 30x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'let·it·catch·him', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 2 words. Full calculation: תְּבוֹאֵ֣הוּ [let·it·come·upon·him] (420) + שׁוֹאָה֮ [destruction] (312) + לֹֽא־יֵ֫דָ֥ע [he·does·not·know] (115) + וְרִשְׁתּ֣וֹ [and·his·net] (912) + אֲשֶׁר־טָמַ֣ן [that·he·has·hid] (600) + תִּלְכְּד֑וֹ [let·it·catch·him] (460) + בְּ֝שׁוֹאָ֗ה [with·destruction] (314) + יִפׇּל־בָּֽהּ [let·him·fall·into·it] (127) = 3260.
Rashi
"darkness" — Heb. שואה, darkness, broine in Old French, obscurity. "and his net that he hid" — So is the custom to hide the net and to cover it with straw or with earth, in order that the one who passes over it should not notice it until he is trapped in it.
Ibn Ezra
"Let it come upon him" — evil [shall come] upon each one, such that all who hear of it will be astonished. "Let it catch him" — in the manner of: "and this is his name that they shall call him."
Radak
"Let destruction come upon him" — the singular suffix refers to each one of his enemies, or to Saul. "Unawares" (literally, "he shall not know") — he will not perceive it, until "it comes upon him," sufficiently that he will not be able to escape from it. "And let his net that he has hid catch himself; with destruction let him fall into it" — with the net that he hid for me. And the meaning of "destruction" [shoah] is like a sudden calamity that comes without warning; and so too: "nor of the destruction of the wicked, when it comes" (Proverbs 3:25).
Metzudat David
"Let it come upon him" — let darkness come upon him, so that he will not know to be on guard. "That he has hid" — for indeed it is the custom to hide and cover the net, so that it not be seen, so that one cannot guard against it. "Let it catch him" — namely, the one who spread it. "With destruction" — because of the darkness that comes upon him, he will not see it, and he will fall into it.
Metzudat Zion
"Destruction" — darkness, as in 'yesterday's desolation' (Job 30).
And my soul shall be joyful in Hashem; It shall rejoice in His salvation.
verse value 2721
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 25 letters. The shortest word is "shall·be·joyful" (תָּגִ֣יל, 4 letters) and the longest is "in·His·salvation" (בִּישׁוּעָתֽוֹ, 7 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "shall·be·joyful" (תָּגִ֣יל), "shall·exult" (תָּ֝שִׂ֗ישׂ). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "in·Hashem" (root יהוה, 688x in Psalms); "and·my·soul" (root נפש, 143x in Psalms); "in·His·salvation" (root ישועה, 44x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'in·Hashem', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 2 words. Full calculation: וְ֭נַפְשִׁי [and·my·soul] (446) + תָּגִ֣יל [shall·be·joyful] (443) + בַּיהֹוָ֑ה [in·Hashem] (28) + תָּ֝שִׂ֗ישׂ [shall·exult] (1010) + בִּישׁוּעָתֽוֹ [in·His·salvation] (794) = 2721.
Rashi
"And my soul shall exult" — when I see their downfall.
Ibn Ezra
"And my soul" — alludes to the supernal soul, which is called "nefesh" because it is bound together with it.
Radak
"And my soul shall rejoice in Hashem" — when He avenges me against my enemies and delivers "my soul" from them, who had planned to take it — "it shall rejoice in Hashem." "It shall exult in His salvation" — for He saved it from their hand.
All my bones shall say: 'Hashem, who is like to You, who deliver the poor from the one who is too strong for him, Indeed, the poor and the needy from the one who spoils him?'
verse value 2412
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 54 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֗ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. Verse gematria: 2412 is divisible by 18, the value of chai ('life'). The shortest word is "poor" (עָ֭נִי, 3 letters) and the longest is "all·my·bones" (כׇּ֥ל־עַצְמוֹתַ֨י, 8 letters). Words sharing gematria 136: who·is·like·You, from·him, and·poor. 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "shall·say" (תֹּאמַרְנָה֮), "from·the·strong" (מֵחָזָ֣ק), "from·the·one·who·robs·him" (מִגֹּֽזְלֽוֹ). The root עני appears 2 times in this verse. 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 688x in Psalms); "shall·say" (root אמר, 111x in Psalms); "from·him" (root מן, 59x in Psalms). First appearance of the root גזל ("from·the·one·who·robs·him") in Psalms. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'from·him', dividing the verse into phrases of 8 and 3 words. Full calculation: כׇּ֥ל־עַצְמוֹתַ֨י [all·my·bones] (666) + תֹּאמַרְנָה֮ [shall·say] (696) + יְהֹוָ֗ה [Hashem] (26) + מִ֥י־כָ֫מ֥וֹךָ [who·is·like·You] (136) + מַצִּ֣יל [who·delivers] (170) + עָ֭נִי [poor] (130) + מֵחָזָ֣ק [from·the·strong] (155) + מִמֶּ֑נּוּ [from·him] (136) + וְעָנִ֥י [and·poor] (136) + וְ֝אֶבְי֗וֹן [and·needy] (75) + מִגֹּֽזְלֽוֹ [from·the·one·who·robs·him] (86) = 2412.
Rashi
"All my bones" — will praise You for everything, for now...
Ibn Ezra
"All my bones" — alludes to the body, for the bones are its foundations, and it is as if they speak and testify that there is no [other] god, only Hashem, who is able to save this poor man.
Radak
"All" — this instance is not a reduced [chataf] vowel like its other occurrences, but is vocalized with a broad kamatz, like "all the brothers of a poor man hate him" (Proverbs 19:7). The rest of the occurrences that are vocalized with a kamatz are all reduced ones, except for these two. "My bones" — it mentions "the bones" in place of the body, because the bones support the body and are its foundation. "They shall say: Hashem, who is like You" — he means: that the soul and the body will both thank You for having saved them. And the thanking of the body is by way of metaphor, like "my heart and my flesh sing for joy unto the living God" (Psalms 84:3). Or the explanation of "my bones" is: the limbs of the body were stirred (see Kuzari 2:79) with the intent of prayer and thanksgiving, as though they themselves were praising. Or the explanation of "all my bones" is: that from the very design and formation of the body's limbs, a person praises the Creator through them, as though they themselves were praising. And so it was explained by the sage Rabbeinu Bachya, may he rest in Eden (Chovot HaLevavot 2:5), and by the great sage Rabbeinu Moshe son of Rabbeinu Maimon, may the memory of the righteous be for a blessing (Guide of the Perplexed 1). And this is a good explanation, but it does not fit the context of the verse. "Who delivers" — [meaning] that You will deliver. "The poor from one stronger than he" — that You saved me from my enemies who were stronger than me. And in the Midrash (Genesis Rabbah 54; Midrash Shocher Tov, with a slight change of wording and out of place — on Psalm 34:23): "Who delivers the poor from one stronger than he." "And the poor and needy from one who robs him" — [this refers to] the good inclination from the evil inclination; for is there any robber greater than this?
Metzudat David
"Who is like You" — who saves like You? "From him who is too strong for him" — from the enemy who is stronger than he. "From him who spoils him" — from the one who wishes to rob him.
Unrighteous witnesses rise up; They ask me of things that I do not know.
verse value 1837
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 29 letters. The shortest word is "witnesses·of" (עֵדֵ֣י, 3 letters) and the longest is "I·do·not·know" (לֹֽא־יָ֝דַ֗עְתִּי, 7 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "arise" (יְ֭קוּמוּן), "witnesses·of" (עֵדֵ֣י), "they·ask·me" (יִשְׁאָלֽוּנִי). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "that" (root אשר, 101x in Psalms); "I·do·not·know" (root ידע, 95x in Psalms); "arise" (root קום, 52x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'violence', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: יְ֭קוּמוּן [arise] (212) + עֵדֵ֣י [witnesses·of] (84) + חָמָ֑ס [violence] (108) + אֲשֶׁ֥ר [that] (501) + לֹֽא־יָ֝דַ֗עְתִּי [I·do·not·know] (525) + יִשְׁאָלֽוּנִי [they·ask·me] (407) = 1837.
Rashi
"False witnesses rise up" — constantly against me, etc.
Ibn Ezra
"They rise up" — he explains why Hashem will bring the evil upon them, and a calamity they did not know shall come upon them, corresponding to [the phrase] "things that I do not know." And the meaning of "they ask me" — they ask of me that I give them what I do not know, except through testimony gained by violence.
Radak
"Unrighteous witnesses rise up; they ask me of things I do not know" — he had enemies among Israel, and among them was one who demanded money from him under a false pretext. And even though we do not find this in the Book of Samuel, we see that he mentions this "violence" among the complaints he had against his enemies.
Metzudat David
"Rise up" — wicked witnesses rise up to testify against me, and they ask and demand of me to give back something that I never knew of and that never came into my hand.
Malbim
"They rise up" — now he explains how they wanted to harm him in these three things: in property, in body, and in soul. Against his property he said, "violent witnesses rise up" — to testify against him falsely in matters of money, and their cunning was that "they ask me of things I did not know" — for example, they testified that his father had borrowed such-and-such a sum from so-and-so, or that he had sold his field — a matter he could not deny or bring proof against. Against the body he said, "they repay me evil for good," for it is the way of the world that one who comes to harm his fellow bodily does so only by way of revenge, if that person had wronged him; he says that this was evil in place of good, for I had done good to them. And against the soul he said that they would repay "bereavement to my soul" — for they wanted to bereave my soul of cleaving to the inheritance of Hashem.
They repay me evil for good; Bereavement has come to my soul.
verse value 2377
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 26 letters. The shortest word is "evil" (רָ֭עָה, 3 letters) and the longest is "they·repay·me" (יְשַׁלְּמ֣וּנִי, 7 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "they·repay·me" (יְשַׁלְּמ֣וּנִי), "bereavement" (שְׁכ֣וֹל). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "to·my·soul" (root נפש, 143x in Psalms); "good" (root טוב, 63x in Psalms); "evil" (root רעה, 25x in Psalms). Full calculation: יְשַׁלְּמ֣וּנִי [they·repay·me] (446) + רָ֭עָה [evil] (275) + תַּ֥חַת [instead·of] (808) + טוֹבָ֗ה [good] (22) + שְׁכ֣וֹל [bereavement] (356) + לְנַפְשִֽׁי [to·my·soul] (470) = 2377.
Ibn Ezra
"They repay me" — and the evil is "bereavement to my soul," and "bereavement" [שכול] is a noun.
Radak
"They repay me evil for good" — in that they demand money from me that "I never knew" they had any claim against me for; and I had done good to these men, yet they "repay me evil." "Bereavement to my soul" — this matter is like death to my soul. Or its explanation: they seize from me by violence and seek to take my soul, bringing bereavement upon it, if they are able to seize it.
Metzudat David
"[They repay me evil] for" — in place of the good that I did for them. "Bereavement to my soul" — they desire to bring death upon me.
But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth, I afflicted my soul with fasting; And my prayer, may it return into my own bosom.
verse value 4281
Insights
Verse structure: 10 words, 46 letters. The shortest word is "sackcloth" (שָׂ֗ק, 2 letters) and the longest is "when·they·were·sick" (בַּחֲלוֹתָ֡ם, 6 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "when·they·were·sick" (בַּחֲלוֹתָ֡ם), "upon·my·bosom" (עַל־חֵיקִ֥י). 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "my·soul" (root נפש, 143x in Psalms); "may·it·return" (root שוב, 72x in Psalms); "and·I" (root אני, 64x in Psalms). First appearance of the root חלה ("when·they·were·sick") in Psalms. First appearance of the root צום ("with·fasting") in Psalms. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'my·soul', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 3 words. Full calculation: וַאֲנִ֤י [and·I] (67) + בַּחֲלוֹתָ֡ם [when·they·were·sick] (486) + לְב֬וּשִׁי [my·clothing] (348) + שָׂ֗ק [sackcloth] (400) + עִנֵּ֣יתִי [I·afflicted] (540) + בַצּ֣וֹם [with·fasting] (138) + נַפְשִׁ֑י [my·soul] (440) + וּ֝תְפִלָּתִ֗י [and·my·prayer] (926) + עַל־חֵיקִ֥י [upon·my·bosom] (228) + תָשֽׁוּב [may·it·return] (708) = 4281.
Rashi
"and may my prayer return upon my bosom" — That is to say: If they say that I afflicted myself only for their detriment, that their illness should become more serious, may my prayer that I prayed for them return to me.
Ibn Ezra
"But as for me" — he relates his own good deed, that during their illness his clothing was sackcloth. Now, we know that every instance of "affliction" is always joined with "soul" — it means fasting: "and you shall afflict your souls," "and satisfy the afflicted soul," "a day for a man to afflict his soul." If so, what is the point of adding the word "batzom" ["with fasting"], with the bet vocalized with a patach? The meaning is: because on the day when his illness weighed heavily upon him, his friends and companions proclaimed a fast, and it was a specific known day, and I too afflicted my soul on it. "And my prayer shall return upon my own bosom" — Rabbi Levi said: the meaning is that I would pray while bowing down and downcast. But what is correct is that it is in the manner of "and return to our neighbors sevenfold into their bosom" — that Hashem should give me the same as my prayer and my request from Hashem on his behalf.
Radak
"But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth, I afflicted my soul with fasting" — he recounts the good that he used to seek and do for them. He says: if one of them was sick, I would grieve and be anxious, and would wear sackcloth and afflict myself on his behalf, that God heal him. "And my prayer" — that I used to pray for them. "May it return into my own bosom" — that is to say, may the good that I sought for them come back upon me! [He says this] so that no one should think that I only did this outwardly, appearing anxious for them, while secretly I prayed the opposite for them and sought their harm. Therefore he says, "and my prayer, may it return into my own bosom." And as for his saying "I afflicted my soul with fasting" — the bet of "with fasting" [ba-tzom] is vocalized with a patach, meaning "the known fast" — that is, the day on which the relatives of the sick person would fast; I too "afflicted my soul" together with them, as though he were my brother or relative.
Metzudat David
"When they were sick" — when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth, and I afflicted my soul with fasting on their behalf; "and my prayer" — meaning, lest they say that all this was done so that their illness would become still heavier upon them, he therefore says "and my prayer": that which I prayed on their behalf, let it return into my own bosom and be fulfilled in me instead.
Malbim
"But as for me" — he depicts that he used to seek their welfare, and when they fell ill, he was so distressed over it that he himself took to his bed, while they rejoiced that he had taken to bed and hoped for the day of his death. He says: "when they were sick" I did everything possible — "I put on sackcloth," and also "I afflicted my soul with fasting," and also "I prayed" with intent, "into my own bosom" — meaning, in my heart and in privacy, not in order to show others that I was exerting myself on their behalf, for my prayer was into my own bosom; and it was not a single prayer, for my prayer "would return" again and again. And also "I bowed down" — as though he were "a friend and a brother to me, so I walked about" at every hour to visit him; "and like one who mourns for his mother," so "I was bowed down in mourning," until, from the great distress and effort, I became bent and bowed down.
I went about as though it had been my friend or my brother; I bowed down mournful, as one who mourns for his mother.
verse value 2351
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 29 letters. The shortest word is "to·me" (לִ֭י, 2 letters) and the longest is "I·walked·about" (הִתְהַלָּ֑כְתִּי, 7 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "as·a·friend·as·a·brother" (כְּרֵעַ־כְּאָ֣ח), "I·walked·about" (הִתְהַלָּ֑כְתִּי), "as·a·mourner·for·a·mother" (כַּאֲבֶל־אֵ֝֗ם). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "to·me" (root לי, 68x in Psalms); "I·walked·about" (root הלך, 68x in Psalms). First appearance of the root קדר ("mournful") in Psalms. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'I·walked·about', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: כְּרֵעַ־כְּאָ֣ח [as·a·friend·as·a·brother] (319) + לִ֭י [to·me] (40) + הִתְהַלָּ֑כְתִּי [I·walked·about] (870) + כַּאֲבֶל־אֵ֝֗ם [as·a·mourner·for·a·mother] (94) + קֹדֵ֥ר [mournful] (304) + שַׁחֽוֹתִי [I·bowed·down] (724) = 2351.
Rashi
"I walked about as though it were a friend or as though it were my own brother" — As though it were my brother or my friend; I walked about depressed because of their distress. "as the mourning of a mother" — As a son who mourns for his mother or as a mother who mourns for her son. "with gloom" — Heb. קדר, an expression of blackness. "I was bowed" — An expression of humility.
Ibn Ezra
"Like a friend," "I went about" — connects with "as one who mourns for a mother." But what is correct is that it connects with "in sorrow I went about." And the meaning of "in sorrow" [קודר] — because it is the custom of a mourner to clothe himself in gloom.
Radak
"I went about as though he were my friend, my brother" — thus I would go about mourning over whichever of them was sick, just as a "friend" does for his "friend," and a "brother" for his "brother." "As one who mourns for a mother, I bowed down mourning" — or, like a son who mourns for his mother who has died. And it says "mother," not "father," because a person grieves more over his mother, who formed him in her womb, and nursed him, and weaned him, and reared him until he grew up; and even after he has grown, the mother is present in the house, preparing for the son his needs of food and drink. So "I bowed down" and "went about mourning," for the mourner and the grieving person walks bent over. And the meaning of "mourning" [kadar] is that because of grief and sighing the radiance flees from a person's face, for his face darkens. Or he says "mourning" in reference to clothing, for the mourner wears black. And my father, my lord, may his memory be for a blessing, explained: "as one who mourns for a mother" — like an infant whose mother has died and who has no wet-nurse, who is downcast.
Metzudat David
"As though it had been my friend" — I walked about bent over and afflicted, as though they were my friend and my brother. "As one who mourns for his mother" — like a mother mourning for her son, for I went about in gloom, bowed down.
Metzudat Zion
"Mournful" — an expression of darkness, as in 'the sun and moon are darkened' (Joel 2:10). "I bowed down" — an expression of bowing and bending.
But when I halt they rejoice, and gather themselves together; The abjects gather themselves together against me, and those whom I do not know; They tear me, and do not cease;
verse value 2186
Insights
Verse structure: 10 words, 46 letters. The shortest word is "against·me" (עָלַ֣י, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·at·my·limping" (וּבְצַלְעִי֮, 6 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "and·at·my·limping" (וּבְצַלְעִי֮), "and·they·gather·themselves" (וְֽנֶ֫אֱסָ֥פוּ), "stricken" (נֵ֭כִים). The root אסף appears 2 times in this verse. 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·not" (root לא, 174x in Psalms); "against·me" (root על, 120x in Psalms); "I·know" (root ידע, 95x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'I·know', dividing the verse into phrases of 8 and 2 words. Full calculation: וּבְצַלְעִי֮ [and·at·my·limping] (208) + שָׂמְח֢וּ [they·rejoice] (354) + וְֽנֶ֫אֱסָ֥פוּ [and·they·gather·themselves] (203) + נֶאֶסְפ֬וּ [they·gather·themselves] (197) + עָלַ֣י [against·me] (110) + נֵ֭כִים [stricken] (120) + וְלֹ֣א [and·not] (37) + יָדַ֑עְתִּי [I·know] (494) + קָרְע֥וּ [they·tear] (376) + וְלֹא־דָֽמּוּ [and·they·do·not·cease] (87) = 2186.
Rashi
"And, when I limped, they rejoiced and gathered" — And when I limped because I suffered a fracture, they rejoiced and gathered [around me]. "lame people gathered about me" — Heb. נכים, lame people, as we translate “Pharaoh-neco,” חגירא, lame. Menachem (p. 122f.) associated it with (Isa. 16: 7), נכאים, broken-hearted, amenuyze in Old French, crushed. "Were they to tear, they would not draw blood" — Were they to tear my flesh, my blood would not flow to the ground when they embarrass me [lit. make my face white].
Ibn Ezra
"But when I halt" [ובצלעי] — alludes to my sickness, from the same root as "and he limped on his thigh," because he was too weary to stand on his feet and walk like anyone healthy. "The abjects" [נכים] — an adjective on the pattern of "meitim" (dead), and it is like "nekheh ruach" (crushed in spirit), like "ge'im" (proud). And some say it is like "nekheh raglayim" (crippled in the feet), corresponding to "but when I halt." And the meaning of "and those whom I do not know" — that they are witnesses of violence: those whom I knew and visited during their illnesses — abjects lesser than they have [now] gathered to visit me instead, and although I did not know who they were, they "tore my flesh" — by way of metaphor, meaning that they spoke evil of me. "And do not cease" — from the root "damam" (to be still), one of the geminate verbs, like "tammu divrei Iyov" ("the words of Job are ended").
Radak
"But at my limping they rejoiced" — I was anxious over the sick, but they "rejoiced" at my sickness, "at my limping," when I was limping from the pain of my limbs. "And gathered themselves together" — they would gather to talk about me and to rejoice with one another over my sickness. "The abjects gathered themselves together against me" — lowly men. And likewise: "children of fools, yea, children of base men; they were scourged out of the land" (Job 30:8), meaning that they are "stricken" and driven out because of their lowliness. And the explanation: "And those whom I did not know" — I did not know why they gathered against me to rejoice at my distress, for I had done them no evil. "They tore, and did not cease" — "they tore" their mouths wide open from excessive laughter, "and did not" cease their mocking of me. Or the term "tearing" may be used in the sense of "opening," in this way: "though you enlarge your eyes with paint" (Jeremiah 4:30); and likewise: "and cuts him out windows" (Jeremiah 22:14). And there are those who explain: when they spoke evil of me, it was as though they tore my flesh. And my father, my lord, may his memory be for a blessing, explained: "they tore" that which they would not be able to sew back together even were they to regret it; and this is a metaphor for deeds and evil words.
Metzudat David
"But when I halt" — meaning, in my sickness, for then a person grows too weary to stand upright on his feet, and becomes like a lame or crippled invalid; even those who were injured in their feet gathered against me — meaning, all of them gathered, not one was missing. "And those whom I do not know" — for what did they gather against me? Did I do wrong to even one of them? "They tear me" — and they open their mouths in laughter, and are unable to restrain themselves or refrain from laughing.
Metzudat Zion
"When I halt" — an expression of limping and lameness, as in 'and he limped' (Genesis 32). "The abjects" — smitten in the foot, as in 'lame of feet' (II Samuel 4). "They tear me" — the opening of the mouth for mockery is so called; and just as the opening of windows is likewise so called, as it is written, 'and cuts out its windows' (Jeremiah 22:14). "And do not cease" — and do not keep silent.
Malbim
(Verses 15-16) "And at my stumbling" — then, because I was bowed down and could not stand on my feet, and I lay down to rest on "my side" and my flank, from the great exertion — for through this I too fell somewhat ill and took to my bed — then they "rejoiced" over this "and gathered together." And when they came to my house to visit me, they did not show their joy openly, but rather "gathered against me, stricken ones" — they presented themselves before me as though they were of crushed spirit and grieving over me, "and I did not know" of their joy in their hearts. Indeed, "they tore their garments and did not stop" — out of their great longing for my death they tore their garments as though I were already dead, and they did not fall silent in the manner of tearing garments in silence and mourning; rather, after they had torn their garments, they gathered together "with hypocritical mockers at feasts" — that is, in the company of scoffers and jesters who speak words of mockery, "and gnashed their teeth at me" in contempt.
With the profanest mockeries of backbiting They gnash at me with their teeth.
verse value 1206
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 24 letters. Verse gematria: 1206 is divisible by 18, the value of chai ('life'). The shortest word is "they·gnash" (חָרֹ֖ק, 3 letters) and the longest is "with·the·profane·ones·of" (בְּ֭חַנְפֵי, 5 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "with·the·profane·ones·of" (בְּ֭חַנְפֵי), "mockeries·of" (לַעֲגֵ֣י), "cake" (מָע֑וֹג). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "at·me" (root על, 120x in Psalms). First appearance of the root חרק ("they·gnash") in Psalms. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'cake', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: בְּ֭חַנְפֵי [with·the·profane·ones·of] (150) + לַעֲגֵ֣י [mockeries·of] (113) + מָע֑וֹג [cake] (119) + חָרֹ֖ק [they·gnash] (308) + עָלַ֣י [at·me] (110) + שִׁנֵּֽימוֹ [their·teeth] (406) = 1206.
Rashi
"Because of the flattery of scorn for food, they gnash, etc." — Because of the flattery of scorn of eating and drinking, that they flatter Saul in order that he give them to eat and drink, they gnash their teeth against me. "food" — Heb. מעוג, an expression of eating, as (in I Kings 17:12): “if I have food (מעוג),” written regarding Elijah, but Menachem (p. 130) interpreted it as an expression of a loaf of bread, and so “if I have a cake (מעוג).”
Ibn Ezra
"With profane [mockers]" [בחנפי] — some say that the flatterers would say something for which the "masters of the cake" would mock them; but this explanation is long and makes no sense. What is closer to correct in my view: that these flatterers, who are "flatterers of mockery," regard mockery in their eyes like a cake to eat, in the manner of "those who devour my people devour bread" — therefore, above, it says "they tore my flesh," and the proof that this is so is what follows it: "they gnashed their teeth at me."
Radak
"With the profanest mockeries of backbiting" — this is a construct chain built upon a construct chain (samukh al samukh), like: "rivers, streams of honey and butter" (Job 20:17); "the sum of the census of the people" (2 Samuel 24:9); "the wise counselors of Pharaoh" (Isaiah 19:11); and "the hidden treasures of the sand" (Deuteronomy 33:19). Its meaning: men who are flatterers and mockers, occupied with idle matters. The meaning of "ma'og" is idle talk. And similar to this is what our Sages, of blessed memory, said (Bavli Sanhedrin 101b): "and in the border towns, in the language of 'igah.'" And the bet of "bechanfei" is like "with" [im]; so too: "through You we gore our foes" (Psalms 44:6) [bekha]. And its meaning: these afflicted men are gathered together with flatterers, and men of mockery laugh and gnash their teeth at me. The commentators (Menachem and others) explained "ma'og" as a term related to "ugah" [cake]; so too: "if I have a cake" (1 Kings 17:12). Its meaning: men who indulge in pleasure, men of desire. Or its meaning is: by way of metaphor, bad counsel and an evil deed are called "ma'og," as in: "Ephraim was a cake not turned" (Hosea 7:8); and likewise: "kneading dough until it is leavened" (ibid., v. 4). "They gnash their teeth at me" — "charak" [gnash] is an infinitive; and its meaning is [an expression of] joy, for a person gnashes his teeth when he sees vengeance upon his enemies; so too: "they have gnashed their teeth" (Lamentations 2:16).
Metzudat David
"With the profanest mockeries of backbiting" — they join together with flatterers who mock and jeer at people, for the sake of the morsel of bread that they receive from whoever desires this service, and each one of them gnashed his teeth at me in anger and wrath.
Metzudat Zion
"Cake" — a wafer or cake, as in 'if I have a cake' (I Kings 17). "They gnash" — an expression of grinding and crushing the teeth against each other in rage, as in 'and they gnashed their teeth' (Lamentations 2).
Lord, how long will You look on? Rescue my soul from their destructions, My only one from the lions.
verse value 2736
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 39 letters. Verse gematria: 2736 is divisible by 18, the value of chai ('life'). The shortest word is "how·long" (כַּמָּ֢ה, 3 letters) and the longest is "from·young·lions" (מִ֝כְּפִירִ֗ים, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 65: Lord, how·long. 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "from·their·destructions" (מִשֹּׁאֵיהֶ֑ם), "from·young·lions" (מִ֝כְּפִירִ֗ים). 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "my·soul" (root נפש, 143x in Psalms); "will·You·look" (root ראה, 100x in Psalms); "rescue" (root שוב, 72x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'from·their·destructions', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 2 words. Full calculation: אֲדֹנָי֮ [Lord] (65) + כַּמָּ֢ה [how·long] (65) + תִ֫רְאֶ֥ה [will·You·look] (606) + הָשִׁ֣יבָה [rescue] (322) + נַ֭פְשִׁי [my·soul] (440) + מִשֹּׁאֵיהֶ֑ם [from·their·destructions] (396) + מִ֝כְּפִירִ֗ים [from·young·lions] (400) + יְחִידָתִֽי [my·only·one] (442) = 2736.
Rashi
"how long will You look on?" — How much patience do You have to look upon all these? "from their darkness" — Heb. משאיהם, from their darkness. "my only one from young lions" — This refers to “Return my soul.” Return my only one from young lions.
Ibn Ezra
"Lord, how long will You look on" — and I do not [yet] see Your vengeance upon them. "From their destructions" [משואיהם] — a noun, as if it were "meshoatam" [in the feminine form], for there are nouns that occur in both masculine and feminine patterns. And the meaning of "from the lions" [מכפירים] — [attacking] with their teeth like the teeth of a lion.
Radak
"Lord, how long will You look on" — [meaning] until how long will You look upon my affliction and my distress from them, as if to say: until when will You look upon my affliction and my distress. So too: "How often is the lamp of the wicked put out" (Job 21:17). "Rescue my soul from their destructions" — like what is said (Psalms 68:23): "The Lord said: I will bring back from Bashan, I will bring back from the depths of the sea," which is in the sense of rescue. And the meaning of "mishoeihem" is: from their tumult and their roaring. And "mishoeihem" is a plural form; and its singular is "sho'ah," on the pattern of "yoreh u-malkosh" [the early and late rain] (Deuteronomy 11:14). "From the lions" [mikfirim] — for they are like the young lions that tear their prey. And the meaning of "my only one" [yechidati] — is my soul; and so we explained above (Psalms 22:21).
Metzudat David
"How long will You look on" — until when will You look upon my affliction and not save me? "Rescue" — deliver my soul from the darkness of the troubles that they bring upon me.
Metzudat Zion
"How long" — an expression of a long time. "Their destructions" — an expression of darkness. "From the lions" — strong ones, like young lions. "My only one" — my soul.
Malbim
(Verses 17-18) "Hashem, how long will You look on" — meaning, although I did not know their thoughts, that they were coming to mock and deride, yet how much do You see! Do You not see everything? How much greater by far is Your sight than ours! Therefore, "restore my soul from their destructions" — meaning, I am in danger either way: if I am in the company of people, I am in danger from their destruction and their tumult; and if I separate myself from people to be alone in the wilderness, I am in danger from the young lions that are in the wilderness. Therefore, "restore my only one from the young lions," if I am to be alone in solitude, "and then I will thank You in the great assembly" for the salvation with which You saved me from evil men and from evil beasts.
I will give You thanks in the great congregation; I will praise You among a numerous people.
verse value 774
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 22 letters. Notable word values: "I·will·praise·You" (אֲהַלְלֶֽךָּ) = 86, equal to Elohim. Verse gematria: 774 is divisible by 86, the value of Elohim. The shortest word is "great" (רָ֑ב, 2 letters) and the longest is "I·will·praise·You" (אֲהַלְלֶֽךָּ, 5 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "mighty" (עָצ֣וּם). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "among·a·people" (root עם, 135x in Psalms); "I·will·praise·You" (root הלל, 94x in Psalms); "I·will·thank·You" (root ידה, 68x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'great', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: א֭וֹדְךָ [I·will·thank·You] (31) + בְּקָהָ֣ל [in·the·assembly] (137) + רָ֑ב [great] (202) + בְּעַ֖ם [among·a·people] (112) + עָצ֣וּם [mighty] (206) + אֲהַלְלֶֽךָּ [I·will·praise·You] (86) = 774.
Ibn Ezra
"I will give thanks to You" — a vow, that upon being saved he will give thanks to Hashem openly.
Radak
"I will give You thanks in the great congregation" — when You rescue me from the young lions. "I will praise You among a numerous people" — and "a great congregation" and "a numerous people" [refer to] when all Israel is together as one.
Metzudat David
"I will give You thanks" — and then I will give You thanks in a great assembly.
Metzudat Zion
"A numerous [people]" — an expression of abundance, and likewise 'her widows have increased to me' (Jeremiah 15:8).
Let not those who are wrongfully my enemies rejoice over me; Neither let them wink with the eye who hate me without a cause.
verse value 2053
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 31 letters. The shortest word is "falsely" (שֶׁ֑קֶר, 3 letters) and the longest is "let·them·not·rejoice·over·me" (אַֽל־יִשְׂמְחוּ־לִ֣י, 9 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "let·them·not·rejoice·over·me" (אַֽל־יִשְׂמְחוּ־לִ֣י), "let·them·wink·the·eye" (יִקְרְצוּ־עָֽיִן). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "my·enemies" (root איב, 71x in Psalms); "let·them·not·rejoice·over·me" (root שמח, 55x in Psalms); "my·haters" (root שנא, 42x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'falsely', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: אַֽל־יִשְׂמְחוּ־לִ֣י [let·them·not·rejoice·over·me] (435) + אֹיְבַ֣י [my·enemies] (23) + שֶׁ֑קֶר [falsely] (600) + שֹׂנְאַ֥י [my·haters] (361) + חִ֝נָּ֗ם [freely] (98) + יִקְרְצוּ־עָֽיִן [let·them·wink·the·eye] (536) = 2053.
Rashi
"those who are my enemies for an unjust cause" — who hate me because of a false matter, that they testify against me what never entered my mind. Let them not rejoice at my downfall. "who hate me" — Let those who hate me not wink their eyes at me, to mock my downfall with their eyes. יקרצו means seynt in Old French, signal.
Ibn Ezra
"Let not," "wrongfully" [שקר] — connected with "my enemies," as in "those who hate me without cause wink the eye" — this closing of the corner of the eye alludes, as is customary, to mockery.
Radak
"Let not... rejoice over me, my enemies" — "let them not rejoice" over me any more, for "my enemies" have already rejoiced over me greatly up until now "wrongfully" [sheker] — is vocalized with a segol and an etnachta; and so too: "many are those who would destroy me, my wrongful enemies" (Psalms 69:5). Its meaning: that they hate me for no reason, as it says: "who hate me without cause" — and so too: "surely in vain have I kept" (1 Samuel 25:21), meaning: for nothing. "Neither let them wink with the eye" — "let them wink the eye" to one another in mockery of me. And "winking of the eye" is a movement of the eyes [done] in mockery and contempt. And this same matter is expressed with the lips: "he winks with his lips" (Proverbs 16:30); and so too: "he winks with his eyes, he speaks with his feet, he points with his fingers" (ibid., 6:13).
Metzudat David
"Who are wrongfully my enemies" — enemies to me without cause. "Wink with the eye" — the word "let not" serves double duty [for both clauses], as if it said, "let them not wink with the eye" in a mocking manner.
Metzudat Zion
"Over me" — [meaning] 'against me.' "Wink" — an expression of the movement of the eye in mockery, and likewise 'he winks with his eyes' (Proverbs 20).
Malbim
"Let them not rejoice over me" — the enemy's enmity is open, and he rejoices openly; therefore it says, "let them not rejoice over me." And usually the enmity will be for a cause, such as that he did him some harm, or the like; therefore it says that it is "enmity for a falsehood," for he had done them no harm. And the hater is one whose hatred is in the heart and who does not rejoice openly, but only winks the eye, causing pain; therefore it says, "let them not wink the eye." And the hatred will be on account of some blemish or fault that he found in him; therefore it says, "those who hate me without cause."
For they do not speak peace; But they devise deceitful matters against those who are quiet in the land.
verse value 2617
Insights
Verse structure: 9 words, 38 letters. The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֤י, 2 letters) and the longest is "quiet·ones·of·the·land" (רִגְעֵי־אֶ֑רֶץ, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 376: peace, they·devise. 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "quiet·ones·of·the·land" (רִגְעֵי־אֶ֑רֶץ), "deceits" (מִ֝רְמ֗וֹת), "they·devise" (יַחֲשֹׁבֽוּן). The root דבר appears 2 times in this verse. 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "for" (root כי, 216x in Psalms); "not" (root לא, 174x in Psalms); "they·speak" (root דבר, 133x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'quiet·ones·of·the·land', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 3 words. Full calculation: כִּ֤י [for] (30) + לֹ֥א [not] (31) + שָׁל֗וֹם [peace] (376) + יְדַ֫בֵּ֥רוּ [they·speak] (222) + וְעַ֥ל [but·against] (106) + רִגְעֵי־אֶ֑רֶץ [quiet·ones·of·the·land] (574) + דִּבְרֵ֥י [words·of] (216) + מִ֝רְמ֗וֹת [deceits] (686) + יַחֲשֹׁבֽוּן [they·devise] (376) = 2617.
Rashi
"and against the crushed people of the earth" — Heb. רגעי, on the crushed people of the earth, and so (in Jer. 31:34): “Who stirs up (רגע) the sea”; (Job 7:5), “my skin wrinkled (רגע).” And so did Dunash explain it.
Ibn Ezra
"For" — Rabbi Moshe said: "the quiet ones of the land" [means] "the clefts of the land," and the sense alludes to a hiding place; and similarly: "my skin heals over and breaks out again."
Radak
"For they do not speak peace" — like: "and they could not speak peaceably to him" (Genesis 37:4). "But they devise deceitful matters against those who are quiet in the land" — "eretz" [land] is vocalized with a segol and an etnachta; and there are four such [forms] according to the Masorah (in Scripture?; and these are the words of the Masorah: four "patachs" at the etnachta; and "patachs," in the terminology of the masters of the Masorah and of those who came after them by hundreds of years, are what is called "segols.") Some commentators (Dunash, Rashi, Rabbi Moshe HaKohen Gikatilla, and others) explain: "rig'ei" is from "He stirs up [roga] the sea" (Jeremiah 31:35), which is an expression of breaking/splitting; so "rig'ei eretz" would mean "the fissures of the earth," that is, hidden places; but this is not correct, for a hidden place is not needed for a thought, but only for speech or for a deed. And some commentators (Rashi, and others as well) explain "rig'ei eretz" from the sense of "marg'oa" [repose], which is an expression of rest; and the meaning of "rig'ei eretz" is: the humble/afflicted of the land. And they are called this because the humble are gentle and calm of mind. One may also explain "rig'ei eretz" as: the fat and complacent, who are at ease and rest. And the meaning of "ve'al" is like "ve'im" [and with]; so too: "and the men came with [al] the women" (Exodus 35:22). And its meaning: these flatterers and mockers, together with these fat and complacent wicked men, "devise deceitful matters" against me; they are at ease while I am in exile and distress.
Metzudat David
"For they do not speak peace" — all their words are strife and contention. "Against those who are quiet in the land" — against those who are hidden from them in the recesses of the land, they devise deceit.
Metzudat Zion
"Who are quiet" — an expression of cracking, as in 'my skin is cracked' (Job 7).
Malbim
"For" — his enemies were spreading slander about him, and the way of a slanderer is to distance the source of his testimony; and when they were asked, "From whom did you hear this thing you say evil of him?" they would say that they heard it from so-and-so and so-and-so, who had already died. And this is what it means by "they do not speak peace," through which "they devise deceitful words against those who are quiet in the land" — they would say that those who rest in the earth and sleep in the grave had said this thing. But afterward they held fast to their slander and grew brazen-faced, claiming that they themselves had seen this thing with their own eyes. And this is what it means, "and they opened their mouths wide against me" — that afterward they opened their mouths even wider, until they said, "Aha, aha, has not our eye seen it" — that indeed with our own eyes we saw that David did such evil.
Indeed, they open their mouth wide against me; They say: 'Aha, aha, our eye has seen it.'
verse value 1554
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 33 letters. The shortest word is "against·me" (עָלַ֗י, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·they·opened·wide" (וַיַּרְחִ֥יבוּ, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 14: aha!, aha!. 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "and·they·opened·wide" (וַיַּרְחִ֥יבוּ), "our·eye" (עֵינֵֽנוּ). The root האח appears 2 times in this verse. 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "against·me" (root על, 120x in Psalms); "they·say" (root אמר, 111x in Psalms); "has·seen" (root ראה, 100x in Psalms). First appearance of the root האח ("aha!") in Psalms. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'aha!', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 2 words. Full calculation: וַיַּרְחִ֥יבוּ [and·they·opened·wide] (242) + עָלַ֗י [against·me] (110) + פִּ֫יהֶ֥ם [their·mouth] (135) + אָ֭מְרוּ [they·say] (247) + הֶאָ֣ח [aha!] (14) + הֶאָ֑ח [aha!] (14) + רָאֲתָ֥ה [has·seen] (606) + עֵינֵֽנוּ [our·eye] (186) = 1554.
Rashi
"Aha! Aha!" — Heb. האח, an expression of joy of one who boasts with the lust of his heart, out of their [sic] great joy, that they see their lust gratified.
Ibn Ezra
"Indeed they open [their mouth] wide" — the word "aha" alludes to vengeance.
Radak
"Indeed, they open their mouth wide against me" — in laughter and in speech, when they saw me exiled from place to place. "They say: 'Aha, aha, our eye has seen it'" — meaning, "our eye has seen" in him what we imagined and wished for. So too: "and mine eye has gazed upon my enemies" (Psalms 54:9). "Aha" [is an expression of] joy; and the doubling is for the greatness of the joy. So too: "because Tyre has said of Jerusalem: Aha" (Ezekiel 26:2).
Metzudat David
"They open wide" — with great mockery. "Our eye has seen it" — that which we desired to see.
Metzudat Zion
"Aha, aha" — it is an expression of joy, and likewise 'Tyre said concerning Jerusalem, Aha' (Ezekiel 26).
You have seen, O Hashem; do not keep silence; O Lord, do not be far from me.
verse value 2525
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 29 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְ֭הֹוָה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "Hashem" (יְ֭הֹוָה, 4 letters) and the longest is "do·not·keep·silent" (אַֽל־תֶּחֱרַ֑שׁ, 6 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "You·have·seen" (רָאִ֣יתָה). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 688x in Psalms); "You·have·seen" (root ראה, 100x in Psalms); "Lord" (root אדון, 64x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'do·not·keep·silent', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: רָאִ֣יתָה [You·have·seen] (616) + יְ֭הֹוָה [Hashem] (26) + אַֽל־תֶּחֱרַ֑שׁ [do·not·keep·silent] (939) + אֲ֝דֹנָ֗י [Lord] (65) + אַל־תִּרְחַ֥ק [do·not·be·far] (739) + מִמֶּֽנִּי [from·me] (140) = 2525.
Ibn Ezra
"You have seen" — corresponding to "our eye has seen it." "Do not keep silent" — corresponding to "they say."
Radak
"You have seen, Hashem; do not keep silence" — do not be silent to my cry, and do not make Yourself like one who is deaf [cheresh], but rather answer me and save me, for You have seen their mockery and their talk against me. "Lord, do not be far from me."
Metzudat David
"You have seen" — have You not seen their rejoicing over me? Do not be silent regarding them, and do not withhold my vengeance from them.
Malbim
"You have seen" — he says: behold, they claim to have seen something they did not see, and I have no evidence against them except You. "Hashem, have You not seen" the truth, and You are a witness; therefore "do not keep silent" — declare the truth Yourself. This is expressed in "do not be far from me" and "contend my cause," to make known that the truth is with me.
Rouse Yourself, and awake to my judgment, Even to my cause, my God and my Lord.
verse value 1344
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 31 letters. The shortest word is "my·God" (אֱלֹהַ֖י, 4 letters) and the longest is "and·awake" (וְ֭הָקִיצָה, 6 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "rouse·Yourself" (הָעִ֣ירָה), "and·awake" (וְ֭הָקִיצָה), "to·my·judgment" (לְמִשְׁפָּטִ֑י). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "my·God" (root אלהים, 347x in Psalms); "to·my·judgment" (root משפט, 65x in Psalms); "and·my·Lord" (root אדון, 64x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·my·judgment', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: הָעִ֣ירָה [rouse·Yourself] (290) + וְ֭הָקִיצָה [and·awake] (216) + לְמִשְׁפָּטִ֑י [to·my·judgment] (469) + אֱלֹהַ֖י [my·God] (46) + וַאדֹנָ֣י [and·my·Lord] (71) + לְרִיבִֽי [to·my·cause] (252) = 1344.
Rashi
"Arouse Yourself and awaken" — the heavenly retinue to judge my cause from my enemies.
Ibn Ezra
"Rouse Yourself" [העירה] — both verbs are intransitive, or perhaps "ha'irah" is transitive, with the meaning "[rouse] Yourself," in the manner of "koder halakhti" ("in sorrow I went about"), which is [likewise] transitive [used reflexively]. And because he joined "rouse Yourself" and "awake" with "to my judgment," he joined [them] with "my God." The meaning: "rouse Yourself, my God, to my judgment," and "awake, my Lord, to my cause." But in my opinion: it is because [it says] "You are my God" and "You are my Lord," and the meaning is "my master," for it is written with an alef and a dalet.
Radak
"Rouse Yourself, and awake to my judgment, my God, and my Lord, to my cause" — this is a doubling of the same idea in different words, for emphasis. Its meaning: that You should no longer be as one asleep, but take up my judgment and my cause against them; for You are "my God," and I have no other judge; and You are "my Lord," and the master seeks justice for his servant.
Metzudat David
"To my judgment" — to execute my judgment and to plead my cause.
Malbim
"Stir up" — in response to their having spoken their deceitful words in the name of those who lie still in the earth and the dead: "stir up and awake" the dead from their graves "to my judgment," so that they may tell the truth. And in response to their claim that their own eyes had seen it: You Yourself arise, "my God and my Lord, to my cause," against the false witnesses.
Judge me, O Hashem my God, according to Your righteousness; And let them not rejoice over me.
verse value 1196
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 28 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֥ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. Verse gematria: 1196 is divisible by 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֥ה, 4 letters) and the longest is "and·let·them·not·rejoice·over·me" (וְאַל־יִשְׂמְחוּ־לִֽי, 10 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "according·to·Your·righteousness" (כְ֭צִדְקְךָ), "and·let·them·not·rejoice·over·me" (וְאַל־יִשְׂמְחוּ־לִֽי). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 688x in Psalms); "my·God" (root אלהים, 347x in Psalms); "and·let·them·not·rejoice·over·me" (root שמח, 55x in Psalms). Full calculation: שׇׁפְטֵ֣נִי [judge·me] (449) + כְ֭צִדְקְךָ [according·to·Your·righteousness] (234) + יְהֹוָ֥ה [Hashem] (26) + אֱלֹהָ֗י [my·God] (46) + וְאַל־יִשְׂמְחוּ־לִֽי [and·let·them·not·rejoice·over·me] (441) = 1196.
Ibn Ezra
"Judge me" — take for me righteous judgment from them.
Radak
"Judge me, Hashem my God, according to Your righteousness" — take up my judgment against them with Your righteousness and Your uprightness, for You know that the truth is with me, while with them is injustice and violence. "And let them not rejoice over me" — let them not rejoice over me any more.
Metzudat David
"According to Your righteousness" — according to the measure of Your righteousness, and not according to my deeds.
Malbim
"Judge me" — and You will bring "my judgment" to light "according to Your righteousness," and then "let them not rejoice over me" — the false enemies mentioned above.
Let them not say in their heart: 'Aha, we have our desire'; Let them not say: 'We have swallowed him up.'
verse value 1319
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 33 letters. The shortest word is "aha!" (הֶאָ֣ח, 3 letters) and the longest is "let·them·not·say" (אַל־יֹאמְר֣וּ, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 288: let·them·not·say, let·them·not·say. 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "we·have·swallowed·him·up" (בִּֽלַּעֲנֽוּהוּ). The root אמר appears 2 times in this verse. 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "our·soul" (root נפש, 143x in Psalms); "let·them·not·say" (root אמר, 111x in Psalms); "in·their·heart" (root לב, 74x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'our·soul', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 2 words. Full calculation: אַל־יֹאמְר֣וּ [let·them·not·say] (288) + בְ֭לִבָּם [in·their·heart] (74) + הֶאָ֣ח [aha!] (14) + נַפְשֵׁ֑נוּ [our·soul] (486) + אַל־יֹ֝אמְר֗וּ [let·them·not·say] (288) + בִּֽלַּעֲנֽוּהוּ [we·have·swallowed·him·up] (169) = 1319.
Ibn Ezra
"Let not [them say]" — lest their soul rejoice and they boast with their tongue.
Radak
"Let them not say in their heart" — even "in their heart" they shall not be able to rejoice over me and to say "Aha, our desire" [nafshenu] — meaning: we have satisfied our desire [lit. "we have gladdened our soul"]. "Let them not say" — and they shall not say, as they are saying now: "We have swallowed him up" — and we have destroyed him.
Metzudat David
"Aha, we have our desire" — [meaning] our soul rejoices. "We have swallowed him up" — we have swallowed up David.
Malbim
"Let them not say, 'Aha, our desire'" — these are the ones who wanted to lower his honor; "let them not say, 'We have swallowed him up'" — these are the ones who wanted to kill him.
Let them be ashamed and abashed together who rejoice at my hurt; Let them be clothed with shame and confusion who magnify themselves against me.
verse value 3097
Insights
Verse structure: 9 words, 46 letters. The shortest word is "against·me" (עָלָֽי, 3 letters) and the longest is "let·them·be·clothed·with·shame" (יִֽלְבְּשׁוּ־בֹ֥שֶׁת, 8 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "who·rejoice·at" (שְׂמֵחֵ֢י), "let·them·be·clothed·with·shame" (יִֽלְבְּשׁוּ־בֹ֥שֶׁת), "who·magnify·themselves" (הַֽמַּגְדִּילִ֥ים). 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "against·me" (root על, 120x in Psalms); "who·rejoice·at" (root שמח, 55x in Psalms); "my·harm" (root רע, 53x in Psalms). First appearance of the root לבש ("let·them·be·clothed·with·shame") in Psalms. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·confusion', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 2 words. Full calculation: יֵ֘בֹ֤שׁוּ [let·them·be·ashamed] (318) + וְיַחְפְּר֨וּ [and·let·them·be·abashed] (310) + יַחְדָּו֮ [together] (28) + שְׂמֵחֵ֢י [who·rejoice·at] (358) + רָעָ֫תִ֥י [my·harm] (680) + יִֽלְבְּשׁוּ־בֹ֥שֶׁת [let·them·be·clothed·with·shame] (1050) + וּכְלִמָּ֑ה [and·confusion] (101) + הַֽמַּגְדִּילִ֥ים [who·magnify·themselves] (142) + עָלָֽי [against·me] (110) = 3097.
Ibn Ezra
"Let them be ashamed" — the meaning of "together" corresponds to "the abjects gathered against me." And the object of "those who magnify themselves" is omitted, and it is [understood to be] "tongue" or "word."
Radak
"Let them be ashamed and abashed together who rejoice at my hurt; let them be clothed with shame and confusion" — "let them be ashamed and abashed" is a doubling for emphasis. And it says: just as they gathered together against me to rejoice, so "let them be ashamed together," disappointed in their hope "who magnify themselves against me" — [magnify] "their mouth," as it says: "and they open their mouth wide against me."
Metzudat David
"Together" — all of them together, and each one will see the shame of his fellow. "Who rejoice at my hurt" — those who rejoice when evil comes upon me. "Who magnify themselves against me" — those who are haughty and consider themselves great in comparison to me.
Metzudat Zion
"Who magnify themselves" — from the language of 'great.'
Malbim
"Let those who rejoice at my misfortune be ashamed" — these are the ones who said, "We have swallowed him up"; "let those who magnify themselves against me be clothed" with shame and disgrace — in contrast to those who said, "Aha, our desire."
Let them shout for joy, and be glad, who delight in my righteousness; Indeed, let them say continually: 'Magnified be Hashem, who delights in the peace of His servant.'
verse value 2459
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 48 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֑ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "let·them·shout·for·joy" (יָרֹ֣נּוּ, 4 letters) and the longest is "and·let·them·be·glad" (וְיִשְׂמְחוּ֮, 6 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "let·them·shout·for·joy" (יָרֹ֣נּוּ). The root חפץ appears 2 times in this verse. 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 688x in Psalms); "and·let·them·say" (root אמר, 111x in Psalms); "His·servant" (root עבד, 61x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Hashem', dividing the verse into phrases of 8 and 3 words. Full calculation: יָרֹ֣נּוּ [let·them·shout·for·joy] (266) + וְיִשְׂמְחוּ֮ [and·let·them·be·glad] (370) + חֲפֵצֵ֢י [who·delight·in] (188) + צִ֫דְקִ֥י [my·righteousness] (204) + וְיֹאמְר֣וּ [and·let·them·say] (263) + תָ֭מִיד [continually] (454) + יִגְדַּ֣ל [be·magnified] (47) + יְהֹוָ֑ה [Hashem] (26) + הֶ֝חָפֵ֗ץ [who·delights·in] (183) + שְׁל֣וֹם [peace·of] (376) + עַבְדּֽוֹ [His·servant] (82) = 2459.
Ibn Ezra
"Let them shout for joy" — when those who rejoice at my harm are ashamed, then those who desire to see my righteousness will rejoice; and "let Hashem be magnified" corresponds to "those who magnify themselves against me."
Radak
"Let them shout for joy and be glad, who delight in my righteousness" — these are [the opposite of] "let them be ashamed and confounded," who are "those who rejoice at my harm"; whereas "those who delight in my righteousness" shout for joy and are glad. And the meaning of "my righteousness" is: my uprightness, and what is fitting for me. "And let them say continually" — they will continually praise God concerning me, and say: "Magnified be Hashem, who delights in the peace of His servant" — that is David, whose peace He desired, and He saved him from his enemies.
Metzudat David
"Who delight in my righteousness" — those who desire that I find righteousness from Hashem. "And let them say continually" — at all times let them say: "Let the glory of Hashem be magnified, who delights in the peace of His servant."
Malbim
"Let them shout for joy and be glad" — the righteous, who are "those who delight in my righteousness"; "and let them say continually, 'Let Hashem be magnified'" — for in that Hashem guards His servants and grants them peace, His name is magnified in the world.
And my tongue shall speak of Your righteousness, And of Your praise all the day.
verse value 1995
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 25 letters. The shortest word is "shall·speak" (תֶּהְגֶּ֣ה, 4 letters) and the longest is "and·my·tongue" (וּ֭לְשׁוֹנִי, 6 letters). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "all·the·day" (root יום, 121x in Psalms); "Your·righteousness" (root צדק, 49x in Psalms); "and·my·tongue" (root לשון, 33x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Your·righteousness', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 2 words. Full calculation: וּ֭לְשׁוֹנִי [and·my·tongue] (402) + תֶּהְגֶּ֣ה [shall·speak] (413) + צִדְקֶ֑ךָ [Your·righteousness] (214) + כׇּל־הַ֝יּ֗וֹם [all·the·day] (111) + תְּהִלָּתֶֽךָ [Your·praise] (855) = 1995.
Ibn Ezra
"And my tongue" — corresponds to "they said, Aha." "Shall speak of Your righteousness" — corresponds to "judge me according to Your righteousness." And the meaning of "all the day" — that it will be so continually.
Radak
"And my tongue shall speak of Your righteousness" — they [others] will praise God concerning me, and how much more so my tongue, which is fitting that it should speak of Your righteousness. "[And of] Your praise all the day" — just as they continually declare Your praise.
Metzudat David
"Your righteousness" — the righteousness that You did for me. "All the day" — I will tell of Your praise.
Metzudat Zion
"Shall speak" — [meaning] it shall speak.
Malbim
"And my tongue shall utter Your righteousness" — through the punishment of the wicked; "and all the day, Your praise" — through the reward of the righteous and their protection.
Rashi
Ibn Ezra
Radak
Metzudat David
Metzudat Zion
Malbim