Verse structure: 3 words, 15 letters. The shortest word is "of·David" (לְדָוִ֣ד, 4 letters) and the longest is "to·make·memorial" (לְהַזְכִּֽיר, 6 letters). 3 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "of·David" (root דוד, 89x in Psalms); "to·make·memorial" (root זכר, 64x in Psalms); "a·psalm" (root מזמור, 57x in Psalms). Full calculation: מִזְמ֖וֹר [a·psalm] (293) + לְדָוִ֣ד [of·David] (44) + לְהַזְכִּֽיר [to·make·memorial] (272) = 609.
Rashi
"A song of David, to make remembrance" — To recite it in time of distress, to make remembrance of the distress of Israel before the Holy One, blessed be He, and he recited it as relating to all Israel.
Ibn Ezra
"A psalm" — the meaning is a poetic composition, whose opening [words] are "to make memorial."
Radak
"A Psalm of David, to make memorial" — It is possible that the word "le-hazkir" [to make memorial] is one of the musical terms, as we wrote regarding the fourth psalm. And some explain "le-hazkir" as meaning "to give thanks"; and likewise: "make mention that His name is exalted" (Isaiah 12:4). But in my opinion, David composed this psalm for every person crushed by illness and by the distress of his soul, to pray with it; and this is [the meaning of] "le-hazkir" — to remind and make known to every crushed and broken person that he should pray with this [psalm].
Metzudat David
"To make memorial" — this psalm was composed in order to remind one afflicted by suffering to pray to Hashem with words like these.
Malbim
"A psalm" — this song was composed when he fell ill with a grave illness and then recovered from his illness. This was after the incident of Bat-Sheva, and he attributed the illness to his sins; his enemies, too, rejoiced then over his misfortune and plotted against him. Therefore he said "to make memorial" — that his sins should be remembered and remain before him always.
O Hashem, rebuke me not in Your anger; neither chasten me in Your wrath.
verse value 2059
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 30 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְֽהֹוָ֗ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "Hashem" (יְֽהֹוָ֗ה, 4 letters) and the longest is "not·in·Your·anger" (אַל־בְּקֶצְפְּךָ֥, 7 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "not·in·Your·anger" (אַל־בְּקֶצְפְּךָ֥). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 688x in Psalms). First appearance of the root קצף ("not·in·Your·anger") in Psalms. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'rebuke·me', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 2 words. Full calculation: יְֽהֹוָ֗ה [Hashem] (26) + אַל־בְּקֶצְפְּךָ֥ [not·in·Your·anger] (323) + תוֹכִיחֵ֑נִי [rebuke·me] (504) + וּֽבַחֲמָתְךָ֥ [and·in·Your·wrath] (476) + תְיַסְּרֵֽנִי [chasten·me] (730) = 2059.
Ibn Ezra
"Not in Your anger" [אל בקצפך] — the word "al" ("not") serves for the other clause as well, [namely] "nor in Your fury"; and similarly: "and the knowledge of the Holy One I know" (Proverbs 30:3), and "the two captains of bands were captains of the son of Saul" (2 Samuel 4:2).
Radak
"Hashem, not in Your anger" — the qof is vocalized with a segol, like the alef of "eshtekha" (your wife) in "your wife shall be like a fruitful vine" (Psalms 128:3). "Rebuke me" — and the explanation: "And chasten me not in Your wrath" — [this is as if written] "and not in Your wrath." The word "not" (al), already mentioned [in the first half of the verse], stands in place of two [i.e., it is understood to apply to both clauses]. So too: "the hope of the poor shall not perish forever" (Psalms 9:19), [where the negation from the first clause likewise carries over to the second]. And the verse repeats the same idea in different words.
Metzudat David
"And in Your wrath" — the word "do not" serves double duty [applies to both clauses], as if it said: "Do not, in Your wrath, chasten me."
Metzudat Zion
"Rebuke me" — [meaning] chastise me; an expression of retribution and punishment.
Malbim
"Hashem" — he already said above (Psalm 6), "rebuke me not in Your anger, neither chasten me in Your wrath," and I explained there that there is a difference between anger ('af,' and likewise fury, 'ketzef') and wrath ('chemah'): anger and fury are expressed openly, while wrath is that which is stored up in the heart. And there is a difference between chastening ('meyaser') and rebuking ('mochiach'): rebuking is meant to turn a person back from his sin in the future, and this is not done in wrath, for an enemy does not rebuke; but sometimes it is done with open anger, striking him with blows — and so he asked that the rebuke not be in anger but only with soft words and good sense and knowledge. Chastening, by contrast, is through sufferings for a past sin, and this is always with open anger; but he asked that it not be with inner wrath. But here he did not repeat the word "neither," and he intended something else: for he saw that Hashem's rebuke — which was to arouse him to repent and correct his way — was coming with fury, for he found his heart full of despair, and the grief of his inner soul intensified greatly, as if his vigor had perished, so that the inner rebuke over his sins was with great fury. And together with this came the external sufferings of his body, and these were with wrath, for they came with the cruelty of heat and a flood of anger. And he asked of Hashem that these two not come upon him together — that He rebuke him with fury in his inner soul, and together with this, "chasten me in Your wrath" through the harsh sufferings of the body as well. For it would be fitting that through the inner rebuke and the greatness of the remorse and the anguish of heart that he found, the external sufferings be removed from him — or, conversely, that through the greatness of the sufferings he find comfort in his heart, knowing that through this his sins are being purged — rather than being chastened with cruel blows while also full of despair in his heart. And he begins to explain this: "for" — [You] rebuke me in Your anger, for "Your arrows have sunk into me," which are the arrows that descend into the depths of his soul from despair and worry; and also [You] chasten me in Your wrath, for "Your hand presses down upon me," which is the blows of the body, that the hand of Hashem strikes his body with visible blows. And he depicts the blows of the soul through arrows, because it is internal and cannot be struck by a blow of the hand, only by an arrow that pierces inward; and he depicts the blow of the body as striking with hand and fist.
For Your arrows have gone deep into me, and Your hand has come down upon me.
verse value 1642
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 23 letters. The shortest word is "into·me" (בִ֑י, 2 letters) and the longest is "for·Your·arrows" (כִּֽי־חִ֭צֶּיךָ, 6 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "for·Your·arrows" (כִּֽי־חִ֭צֶּיךָ), "have·sunk" (נִ֣חֲתוּ), "and·came·down" (וַתִּנְחַ֖ת). The root נחת appears 2 times in this verse. 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "upon·me" (root על, 120x in Psalms); "Your·hand" (root יד, 78x in Psalms). First appearance of the root בי ("into·me") in Psalms. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'into·me', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: כִּֽי־חִ֭צֶּיךָ [for·Your·arrows] (158) + נִ֣חֲתוּ [have·sunk] (464) + בִ֑י [into·me] (12) + וַתִּנְחַ֖ת [and·came·down] (864) + עָלַ֣י [upon·me] (110) + יָדֶֽךָ [Your·hand] (34) = 1642.
Rashi
"have been shot" — Heb. נחתו, have been cast. The expression of נחת applies to the bending of a bow, and since the arrows are shot by bending the bow, he wrote נחתו בי [literally] “were bent in me.” Similarly, (in Exod. 15:9): “I will unsheath my sword (אריק חרבי),” [lit. I emptied my sword.] The Torah should have written: אריק תערי, I will empty my sheath, but because when they draw the sword from its sheath, the sheath is emptied of it, he therefore relates the emptying to the sword. Similarly, (above 18:35): “a copper bow was bent (ונחתה).” The “nun” is not a radical, because, if it were a radical, it would have to be ננחתו, but the “nun” of נחתו, and so ותנחת, is not a radical but is sometimes dropped, like the “nun” of נגף, to smite; נשך, to bite; נדר, to vow; נקם, to avenge. And when it is passive we say: נִגַּף, smitten; נִשַׁךְ, bitten; נִדַּר, vowed; נִקַּם, avenged, like נִנְקַם, נִנְדַּר, נִנְשַׁךְ, נִנְגַּף. The “dagesh” in the word replaces the “nun.” Similarly (in Lev. 26:36), a rattling (נִדַף) leaf,” (in Lam. 3:49), “My eyes stream (נִגְרָה),” like נִנְגְּרָה. So does he say נִחֲתוּ like נִנְחֲתוּ, and so (above 18:35): “and a copper bow was bent (וְנִּחֲתָה),” like וְנִנְחֲתָה. It was customary for the “cheth” to be treated like the letters that do accept a “dagesh” in most places, e.g. (in I Kings 13:18): “He lied (כִּחֶשׁ) to him,” in the form that is punctuated by a “dagesh,” [i.e., the pi’el conjugation,] like דִבֶּר spoke, from the same conjugation as וַיְדַבֶּר, כִּחֶשׁ from the same conjugation as (Gen. 18: 15): “And Sarah lied (וַתְּכַחֵשׁ),” and we do not say כֵּחַשׁ as we say from הַמְבָרֵךְ, בֵּרַךְ and we do not say בִּרֵךְ as we say דִּבֵּר, because the power of the “dagesh”; is not recognizable in the “resh,” but in the “cheth” the power of the “dagesh” is recognizable, and so (in Deut. 32:5): “Have they injured (שִׁחֵת) Him?” like כִּפֵר, atoned, דִּבֵּר, spoke. Here, too, he says, נִחֲתוּ like נִגְּשׁוּ they approached, נִתְּנוּ, they were given, from the roots נחת, נגש, נתן, the “nun” being a defective radical, replaced by a “dagesh” in the passive voice. So is (I Sam. 2: 4): “The bows of the mighty are broken (חתים),” from the root נחת and חתת as you say from נסב, סבב, from נשם, שמם ; (Lev. 26:22), “and your ways shall become desolate (וְנָשַׁמוּ),” (ibid. verse 32), “shall wonder (וְשָׁמְמוּ) over it.” Similarly, בָּלַל, נָבֹל, (Gen. 11:9) “for there the Lord confused בָּלַל” (ibid. verse 7) “and let us confuse (וְנָבְלָה) their language there.” So does he say נחת and חתת in the active voice. "and Your hand has come down upon me" — This is the explanation of “Your arrows have been shot into me.” And this is its interpretation: What bent the bow to shoot the arrows? Your hand has come down upon the bow to shoot arrows at me. ותנחת is an expression of ותרד, it came down, and in this the “nun” is a radical. Similarly (18:35), “and a copper bow was broken (ונחתה),” in which the “nun” is not a radical.
Ibn Ezra
"For ... have sunk" [נחתו] — [this is] the nifal construction, as if written "ninchatu"; from the same root as "and Your hand has come down [ותנחת] upon me" [later in this verse]. And the meaning is that illnesses and pains [struck him] like arrows.
Radak
"For Your arrows" — the illnesses, which are like arrows. "Have gone deep into me" — is in the nifal construction; its rule, in its complete form, would be "ninnachatu" (with two nuns); and were it not for the chet, which is a guttural letter, [the letter following the merged nun] would take a dagesh [doubling], as in "nitzvu" (they stood) and "niggeshu" (they drew near). "And it has come down" — is in the simple (qal) construction, and its meaning is one of descending, as in the Targum's rendering of "and he went down" (Genesis 12:10): "ve-nachat." [Footnote: See the Guide for the Perplexed (1:27) and the commentary of Rabbeinu Moshe ben Nachman (Ramban) on the Torah (Genesis 46:4).] "Upon me is Your hand" — Your blow. And since the blow is inflicted by the hand, the blow itself is called "hand."
Metzudat David
"They have come down upon me" — the arrows of suffering have already come down upon me, and the blow of Your hand has already come down upon me, and that is enough.
Metzudat Zion
"Have gone deep... has come down" — an expression of descending, as in 'who shall come down upon us' (ibid. 21).
There is no soundness in my flesh because of Your indignation; neither is there any health in my bones because of my sin.
verse value 2629
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 40 letters. The shortest word is "from·the·face·of" (מִפְּנֵ֣י, 4 letters) and the longest is "no·peace" (אֵין־שָׁל֥וֹם, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 180: from·the·face·of, from·the·face·of. 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "no·soundness" (אֵין־מְתֹ֣ם), "no·peace" (אֵין־שָׁל֥וֹם), "in·my·bones" (בַּ֝עֲצָמַ֗י). The root פנים appears 2 times in this verse. 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "from·the·face·of" (root פנים, 131x in Psalms); "no·soundness" (root אין, 67x in Psalms); "no·peace" (root שלום, 28x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Your·anger', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 4 words. Full calculation: אֵין־מְתֹ֣ם [no·soundness] (541) + בִּ֭בְשָׂרִי [in·my·flesh] (514) + מִפְּנֵ֣י [from·the·face·of] (180) + זַעְמֶ֑ךָ [Your·anger] (137) + אֵין־שָׁל֥וֹם [no·peace] (437) + בַּ֝עֲצָמַ֗י [in·my·bones] (212) + מִפְּנֵ֥י [from·the·face·of] (180) + חַטָּאתִֽי [my·sin] (428) = 2629.
Rashi
"soundness" — Perfection, anterin in Old French, wholeness.
Ibn Ezra
"No soundness" — from the root of "tam" ("whole"), and the meaning is health. And behold, he mentions the near cause of this — "because of Your indignation" — and the far cause — "Because of my sin" — for on its account You were indignant with me.
Radak
"There is no soundness in my flesh because of Your indignation" — "metom" means wholeness and health. He means: his flesh is entirely afflicted. The first mem is an added letter, and its root is t-m-m. But my father and teacher, of blessed memory, wrote: the first mem is [part of] the root itself, and it is related to "metei mispar" (men few in number) (Genesis 34:30), whose root is m-t-h, and in its complete form would be "metayom," on the pattern of "shilshom" (the day before yesterday) [and] "pit'om" (suddenly). And its explanation is: that no human form remained in him, from the abundance of his afflictions. "Neither is there any health in my bones" — even my bones, which are stronger than the flesh, are not "in health," for they too are in pain. And the meaning of "because of Your indignation" [applies here as well]: "Because of my sin" — for You were indignant with me because of my sin, and not for nothing. For a person is obligated to justify the [divine] judgment upon himself, whether he is aware of the sin or not.
Metzudat David
"There is no soundness" — there is no whole, sound place in my flesh, because of the sufferings that come upon me on account of Your anger. "Because of my sin" — because of the sufferings that come on account of my sin.
Malbim
"There is no" — he explains these two [afflictions]: corresponding to what he said, "and Your hand presses down upon me," he says that therefore "there is no soundness in my flesh because of Your indignation," [meaning] that it struck all the external flesh; and corresponding to what he said, "for Your arrows have sunk into me," he explains "there is no health in my bones because of my sin," [meaning] that his innermost bones are full of grief and despair because of the sin.
For my iniquities have gone over my head; as a heavy burden they are too heavy for me.
verse value 1924
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 31 letters. Notable word values: "heavy" (כָ֝בֵ֗ד) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. Verse gematria: 1924 is divisible by 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֣י, 2 letters) and the longest is "my·iniquities" (עֲ֭וֺנֹתַי, 5 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "like·a·burden" (כְּמַשָּׂ֥א), "heavy" (כָ֝בֵ֗ד), "are·too·heavy" (יִכְבְּד֥וּ). The root כבד appears 2 times in this verse. 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "for" (root כי, 216x in Psalms); "from·me" (root מן, 59x in Psalms); "have·passed·over" (root עבר, 34x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'my·head', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 4 words. Full calculation: כִּ֣י [for] (30) + עֲ֭וֺנֹתַי [my·iniquities] (536) + עָבְר֣וּ [have·passed·over] (278) + רֹאשִׁ֑י [my·head] (511) + כְּמַשָּׂ֥א [like·a·burden] (361) + כָ֝בֵ֗ד [heavy] (26) + יִכְבְּד֥וּ [are·too·heavy] (42) + מִמֶּֽנִּי [from·me] (140) = 1924.
Rashi
"are too heavy" — Heb. יכבדו, are heavy.
Ibn Ezra
"For" — heap upon heap, and they grew so high that they passed over my head, for they are many.
Radak
"For my iniquities have gone over my head" — he likens his iniquities to great waters that have passed over his head, so that he is drowning in them. "As a heavy burden they are too heavy" — and he further likens them to a heavy burden that he is unable to carry. "For me" — that is, I have no strength to bear them. And the metaphor means to say: that he does not have enough good deeds to lighten the iniquities.
Metzudat David
"They have gone over my head" — he likens the abundance of iniquity to entering deep waters that pass over one's head. "As a heavy burden" — just as it is impossible to bear a heavy burden, so my iniquities have become heavy, until they are too heavy for the measure of strength that is in me, and I am unable to bear them; and this is a figure of speech.
Malbim
"For" — he explains, corresponding to what he said that there is no peace within him because of his sins, he explains that "my iniquities," which "have gone over my head," are too heavy for me, like a heavy burden. (The iniquity ['avon] is the perversion of thought, which is done deliberately, and therefore it is attributed to the head, which is the seat of thought, and there his mental iniquities pass by.) And they are like a heavy burden upon him from the abundance of remorse and sorrow over them. And corresponding to what he said, "there is no soundness in my flesh because of Your indignation," he explains that "my wounds fester and decay," and this is "because of my folly." And since I am afflicted in both my parts — in body and in soul — therefore "I am bent," meaning that the inner order of his soul has been disrupted, as if he were full of a confused spirit and derangement of mind, which is the desolation of the soul; and also "I am bowed down" in my body through the blows, and not a little, but "exceedingly," to a great excess, until "I go about mourning all day long." For one who is afflicted in his body but has peace in his inner spirit is strengthened by his spirit and inner hope, as it is said, "the spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity" (Proverbs 18:14); but one whose soul and spirit are afflicted, even though his body remains whole, will also suffer the anguish of his spirit. But I — "my loins and my thoughts are filled with disgrace," which is the inner shame that fills his thoughts and spirit; and also "there is no soundness in my" outer "flesh," so that I am stricken both in flesh and in spirit.
My wounds are noisome, they fester, because of my foolishness.
verse value 1773
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 25 letters. The shortest word is "fester" (נָ֭מַקּוּ, 4 letters) and the longest is "are·noisome" (הִבְאִ֣ישׁוּ, 6 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "are·noisome" (הִבְאִ֣ישׁוּ), "fester" (נָ֭מַקּוּ), "my·wounds" (חַבּוּרֹתָ֑י). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "from·the·face·of" (root פנים, 131x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'my·wounds', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 2 words. Full calculation: הִבְאִ֣ישׁוּ [are·noisome] (324) + נָ֭מַקּוּ [fester] (196) + חַבּוּרֹתָ֑י [my·wounds] (626) + מִ֝פְּנֵ֗י [from·the·face·of] (180) + אִוַּלְתִּֽי [my·foolishness] (447) = 1773.
Ibn Ezra
"Fester" [הבאישו] — an intransitive verb, as in "and it did not become foul" (Exodus 16:24); or it may be that it is passive [i.e., the wounds are the object of the action]; and he is describing the wounds that broke out on his body, the cause of which is my folly.
Radak
"Are noisome" — is in the hif'il construction yet functions as an intransitive verb. So too: "and it did not become foul" (Exodus 16:24). "They fester, my wounds" — the "chaburot" are the sores that form on the flesh, which are full of putrid discharge. Likewise, a wound in which the blood has clotted is called a "chaburah." And the meaning of "namaku" (fester) is: from the abundance of discharge in them, [the flesh] festers and the skin dissolves off of them until the discharge comes out and turns foul; and all this is "Because of my folly" — for I did not keep the way of Hashem.
Metzudat David
"They have become noisome, etc." — that is to say, because the wounds have festered and discharged blood and fluid, therefore my flesh has become foul. "My folly" — that is to say, my iniquities, for no man commits a transgression unless a spirit of folly enters him.
Metzudat Zion
"Fester" — an expression of dissolving. "My wounds" — from the language of 'bruise,' which is a wound in which blood is congealed beneath it. "My foolishness" — from the language of 'fool' and 'imbecile.'
I am bent and bowed down greatly; I go mourning all the day.
verse value 2263
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 29 letters. The shortest word is "mourning" (קֹדֵ֥ר, 3 letters) and the longest is "I·am·bent" (נַעֲוֵ֣יתִי, 6 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "I·am·bent" (נַעֲוֵ֣יתִי), "I·am·bowed·down" (שַׁחֹ֣תִי). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "all·the·day" (root יום, 121x in Psalms); "I·go" (root הלך, 68x in Psalms); "greatly" (root מאד, 35x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'greatly', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: נַעֲוֵ֣יתִי [I·am·bent] (546) + שַׁחֹ֣תִי [I·am·bowed·down] (718) + עַד־מְאֹ֑ד [greatly] (119) + כׇּל־הַ֝יּ֗וֹם [all·the·day] (111) + קֹדֵ֥ר [mourning] (304) + הִלָּֽכְתִּי [I·go] (465) = 2263.
Rashi
"I am...stunned" — Heb. נעויתי an expression of (Chullin 60b): “Convulsions (עוית) seize him.” Etourdissant in French, stunning.
Ibn Ezra
"I am bent" — I have no strength to stand in an upright, straight posture; therefore I am bent and bowed down, and my face has changed, as though the sun had struck me all day long; and this is the meaning of "I go about in gloom."
Radak
"I am bent and bowed down greatly" — from the abundance of illnesses, the body becomes bent and goes about stooped and bowed. "I go mourning all the day" — the face has darkened and grown gloomy. And the meaning of "all the day" is: that I have no rest for even a single hour of the day, but all the day I am sick and in pain. And "I go" [halakhti] is an intransitive verb even though it is of the intensive [doubled] construction; and it indicates the intensity of the action.
Metzudat David
"I am bent" — my body has become bent, and I go about stooped. "I go about in gloom" — I walk in the darkness of troubles.
Metzudat Zion
"I am bent" — an expression of crookedness, as in 'and the men of valor shall bend themselves' (Ecclesiastes 12). "And bowed down" — from the language of bowing and bending. "Mourning" — an expression of blackness.
For my loins are filled with burning; and there is no soundness in my flesh.
verse value 1473
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 26 letters. The shortest word is "soundness" (מְ֝תֹ֗ם, 3 letters) and the longest is "for·my·loins" (כִּֽי־כְ֭סָלַי, 6 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "for·my·loins" (כִּֽי־כְ֭סָלַי), "burning" (נִקְלֶ֑ה), "soundness" (מְ֝תֹ֗ם). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·there·is·no" (root אין, 67x in Psalms); "are·filled" (root מלא, 30x in Psalms). First appearance of the root כסל ("for·my·loins") in Psalms. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'burning', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: כִּֽי־כְ֭סָלַי [for·my·loins] (150) + מָלְא֣וּ [are·filled] (77) + נִקְלֶ֑ה [burning] (185) + וְאֵ֥ין [and·there·is·no] (67) + מְ֝תֹ֗ם [soundness] (480) + בִּבְשָׂרִֽי [in·my·flesh] (514) = 1473.
Rashi
"For my loins are full of self-effacement" — In my thoughts, I am insignificant in my own eyes.
Ibn Ezra
"For my loins" — the meaning is that his innards are filled with something disgusting and contemptible, not fit for me to mention aloud; and he mentions "there is no soundness" a second time, [this time] concerning the visible limbs of my body.
Radak
"For my loins are filled with burning" — the "kesalim" [loins] are beneath the waist, above the base of the thighs, and they are adjacent to the kidneys, and weakness and illness befall them. And the explanation of "niklah": an affliction that is "niklah" — despised and contemptible — and it is missing the noun it modifies, like "for you are greatly beloved" (ki chamudot atah) (Daniel 9:23); "like a flock of shorn ewes" (ke-eder ha-ketzuvot) (Song of Songs 4:2), and the like. But my father and teacher, of blessed memory, explained: "niklah" is a term related to "roasted with fire" (kaluy ba-esh) (Leviticus 2:14). And he said this concerning the great heat of the illness, as Job said (6:10): "and I will exult in [my] suffering" (va-asaldah ve-chilah). And he further mentions: "And there is no soundness in my flesh" — for this is the way of one who weeps and moans, to repeat his words. "Metom" I have already explained (in verse 4 above).
Metzudat David
"They are filled with burning" — they are filled with the burning fire of sickness, and there is no sound place in my flesh.
Metzudat Zion
"My loins" — it is the part of the spine adjacent to the kidneys, and likewise 'which is upon the loins' (Leviticus 3). "Filled with burning" — an expression of a fire and burning, as in 'roasted with fire' (ibid. 2).
I am benumbed and sore crushed; I groan by reason of the moaning of my heart.
verse value 2465
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 32 letters. The shortest word is "my·heart" (לִבִּֽי, 3 letters) and the longest is "I·am·benumbed" (נְפוּג֣וֹתִי, 7 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "I·am·benumbed" (נְפוּג֣וֹתִי), "and·I·am·crushed" (וְנִדְכֵּ֣יתִי), "from·the·growling·of" (מִֽנַּהֲמַ֥ת). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "my·heart" (root לב, 74x in Psalms); "greatly" (root מאד, 35x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'greatly', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: נְפוּג֣וֹתִי [I·am·benumbed] (555) + וְנִדְכֵּ֣יתִי [and·I·am·crushed] (500) + עַד־מְאֹ֑ד [greatly] (119) + שָׁ֝אַ֗גְתִּי [I·roar] (714) + מִֽנַּהֲמַ֥ת [from·the·growling·of] (535) + לִבִּֽי [my·heart] (42) = 2465.
Rashi
"I passed out" — Heb. נפוגתי, I passed out, an expression of (Gen. 45:26), “and his heart fainted (ויפג) .” (Lam. 3:49), “without respite (הפגת).”
Ibn Ezra
"I am benumbed" [נפוגותי] — from the root of "and his heart failed" (Genesis 45:26). "I groan" — because of the greatness of my pain, in the manner of "I moaned until morning, like a lion" (Isaiah 38:13).
Radak
"I am benumbed" [nefugoti] — refers to feebleness and weakness. So too: "and his heart fainted" (vayafog libo) (Genesis 45:26); "therefore the law is slacked" (al ken tafug torah) (Habakkuk 1:4); "give yourself no respite" (al titeni fugat lakh) (Lamentations 2:18); and in the Mishnah (Yoma 3:5): "so that their chill would subside" (kedei shetafug tzinatan). "And sore crushed; I groan by reason of the moaning of my heart" — "I groan" with my voice and cry out, because of the abundance of "the moaning of my heart," for my heart moans over the illness and over the troubles.
Metzudat David
"I am benumbed and sore crushed" — weakness and a crushed spirit have seized me, from the groaning of the heart, not merely from the lips outward.
Metzudat Zion
'I am benumbed' — an expression of weakness and faintness, as in 'and his heart fainted' (Genesis 45).
Malbim
"I am benumbed" — he depicts himself as if he has reached the gates of death and is in the throes of dying, with his soul ready to depart. And it is the way of a living being that at the moment his soul departs, all the powers of the body gather to the heart, which is the last to die; and then the heart is surrounded by all the forces and powers of the body, resembling a candle that flares up once more before it goes out — so all the powers then exert themselves and encircle round about the heart, which is the king of the body. And then the heart utters its last, bitter groan; and then all the affairs of his life, past together with future, pass before him like a flock passing one by one [an idiom from the language of judgment], as he now stands at the final border between the new, future life which he is preparing himself for and the passing life from which he is departing — and he goes from life to life, from world to world. This is the awesome image that the psalmist depicts here. He says: behold, "I am benumbed and I am crushed," [meaning] that his inner powers grew faint and his external bodily limbs were crushed, "exceedingly." And then "I roar because of the moaning of my heart," that being the last, bitter groan that the heart utters at the time when the bitterness of death draws near. And nevertheless he used the term "I roar," for a roar is distinct from a moan, in that it indicates a roar of joy — as if at this moment some hope and expectation was renewed in him, and he began to arrange his prayer at this final, awesome moment.
Lord, all my desire is before You; and my sighing is not hid from You.
verse value 2330
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 31 letters. The shortest word is "from·You" (מִמְּךָ֥, 3 letters) and the longest is "all·my·desire" (כׇל־תַּאֲוָתִ֑י, 7 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "all·my·desire" (כׇל־תַּאֲוָתִ֑י), "and·my·sighing" (וְ֝אַנְחָתִ֗י), "is·not·hidden" (לֹֽא־נִסְתָּֽרָה). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Lord" (root אדון, 64x in Psalms); "from·You" (root מן, 59x in Psalms); "before·You" (root נגד, 55x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'all·my·desire', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: אֲֽדֹנָ֗י [Lord] (65) + נֶגְדְּךָ֥ [before·You] (77) + כׇל־תַּאֲוָתִ֑י [all·my·desire] (867) + וְ֝אַנְחָתִ֗י [and·my·sighing] (475) + מִמְּךָ֥ [from·You] (100) + לֹֽא־נִסְתָּֽרָה [is·not·hidden] (746) = 2330.
Rashi
"all my desire" — You know my needs.
Ibn Ezra
"Hashem, before You" — before You alone is all my desire — perhaps that I might live — and not before the physicians.
Radak
"Lord, all my desire is before You" — my desire is not hidden from You, that I long to live [recover] from my illness. And since he had said "I groan," he now mentions the desire that was in his heart. He said: whether I cry out or do not cry out, You know the desire of my heart, and it is before You. "And my sighing is not hid from You" — for I sigh within myself over my life. And the sage Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra explained: "before You alone is all my desire" — perhaps I will live [recover] from my illness — and not before the physicians.
Metzudat David
"Before You is all my desire" — the healing and the relief that I long for are before You, and it is in Your power to bring them about. And my sighing — that is, my crying out in remorse over my sins — is not hidden from You; therefore it is fitting that You fulfill my desire.
Malbim
"Hashem, all my desire is before You" — for in this moment the heart passes over all its desires regarding the future; and likewise "my sighing," which I sigh over the past, "is not hidden from You" — that is to say, even though I am unable to speak, surely they are before You, and You know [my] thoughts.
My heart flutters, my strength fails me; as for the light of my eyes, it also has gone from me.
verse value 1608
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 34 letters. The shortest word is "my·heart" (לִבִּ֣י, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·the·light·of·my·eyes" (וְֽאוֹר־עֵינַ֥י, 8 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "flutters" (סְ֭חַרְחַר), "and·the·light·of·my·eyes" (וְֽאוֹר־עֵינַ֥י), "also·they" (גַּם־הֵ֝֗ם). 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "my·heart" (root לב, 74x in Psalms); "there·is·not" (root אין, 67x in Psalms); "and·the·light·of·my·eyes" (root אור, 30x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'my·strength', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 4 words. Full calculation: לִבִּ֣י [my·heart] (42) + סְ֭חַרְחַר [flutters] (476) + עֲזָבַ֣נִי [has·left·me] (139) + כֹחִ֑י [my·strength] (38) + וְֽאוֹר־עֵינַ֥י [and·the·light·of·my·eyes] (353) + גַּם־הֵ֝֗ם [also·they] (88) + אֵ֣ין [there·is·not] (61) + אִתִּֽי [with·me] (411) = 1608.
Rashi
"engulfed" — Heb. סחרחר, surrounded by grief. This is one of the double words, like (Lev. 13: 49), “dark green (ירקרק), dark red (אדמדם),” (Ned. 66b) “round (סגלגל)” (Lam. 1:20), “my spirits are troubled (חמר מרו).”
Ibn Ezra
"My heart flutters" [סחרחר] — as rendered by the Targum: "round about, it finds no rest." "My strength" — the strength of one's natural constitution. "And the light of my eyes" — such is the way of the sick.
Radak
"My heart flutters" [secharchar] — for it has no stability, for a person who is at ease has a calm and tranquil heart, but one who has many troubles, his thoughts go about and circle here and there. And the explanation of "secharchar" is: "around"; and the Targum renders "saviv" (around) (Genesis 23:17, and in all such places) as "sechor sechor," with the middle and final letters of the root doubled. "My strength fails me; as for the light of my eyes, it also has gone from me" — for the sick person, one beset by troubles, his limbs and body grow weak, and the light of his eyes grows weak as well. And in saying "gam hem" (also they, plural) rather than "gam hu" (also it, singular), this is the custom of the [Hebrew] language in many places, such as: "the bows of the mighty are broken" (keshet giborim chatim) (I Samuel 2:4); "the voice of the nobles was hushed" (kol negidim nechbau) (Job 29:10), and the like. He means to say: also they — the eyes — were struck in their light, so that they are not with me.
Metzudat David
"My heart flutters" — my heart is encompassed by grief and sighing, and my strength has left me and gone from me. "[The light of my eyes] is not with me" — it no longer remains in them [my eyes].
Metzudat Zion
'Flutters' (sechar-char) — an expression of going around, as in 'they go about in the land' (Jeremiah 14:18).
Malbim
"My heart flutters" — my heart is now surrounded, all around, by all the powers of the body, which have gathered around it at the time of expiring, until "my strength has left me" — for all my powers have separated from me and gathered to the heart to expire there; "and the light of my eyes" — which is the bond by which a person is connected to the sensible world outside him — "they too are not with me."
My friends and my companions stand aloof from my plague; and my kinsmen stand afar off.
verse value 1456
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 35 letters. Notable word values: "who·love·me" (אֹֽהֲבַ֨י) = 18, chai, 'life'. Verse gematria: 1456 is divisible by 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "who·love·me" (אֹֽהֲבַ֨י, 4 letters) and the longest is "and·my·kinsmen" (וּ֝קְרוֹבַ֗י, 6 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "my·plague" (נִגְעִ֣י), "stand" (יַעֲמֹ֑דוּ), "and·my·kinsmen" (וּ֝קְרוֹבַ֗י). The root עמד appears 2 times in this verse. 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "aloof·from" (root נגד, 55x in Psalms); "who·love·me" (root אהב, 40x in Psalms); "stand" (root עמד, 36x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'stand', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 3 words. Full calculation: אֹֽהֲבַ֨י [who·love·me] (18) + וְרֵעַ֗י [and·my·companions] (286) + מִנֶּ֣גֶד [aloof·from] (97) + נִגְעִ֣י [my·plague] (133) + יַעֲמֹ֑דוּ [stand] (130) + וּ֝קְרוֹבַ֗י [and·my·kinsmen] (324) + מֵרָחֹ֥ק [from·afar] (348) + עָמָֽדוּ [stand] (120) = 1456.
Rashi
"stand aloof from my affliction" — Those who appear to me as lovers in time of their pleasure, and when they see that the affliction comes upon me, they do not stand up for me in the time of my strait, but stand aloof and do not aid me. "and those close to me" — who showed themselves to be close to me.
Ibn Ezra
"My friends" — those who used to love me. "Stand aloof from my plague" — because my wounds have festered.
Radak
"My friends and my companions" — people who are full of pain, for the most part their loved ones and their brothers forsake them, for they grow weary of witnessing their distress, and their souls distance themselves from them, as it says: "all the brothers of the poor hate him" (kol achei rash sne'uhu) (Proverbs 19:7). "Stand aloof from my plague" — that they do not visit me, for a visit strengthens the soul of the sick. "And my kinsmen stand afar off" — this repeats the same idea in different words. "And my kinsman" [ve-korovi] is like "my companion" [re'i]: a companion is called "karov" (near/close) because he is "close" to his fellow in outlook and in will, or because there is dealing between them, or because they are neighbors, or because they are blood relatives.
Metzudat David
"Aloof from my plague" — when I am in my affliction and pain, they stand aloof and do not come near me to help.
Malbim
"My beloved and my friends stand aloof from my plague" — as with a dying person, whose loved ones have already distanced themselves from him and given up hope for his recovery. "And my kinsmen" — that is, those who always "stood far off" — they themselves are now "my kinsmen" [i.e., my near ones], standing close to me, because by now everyone is allowed to draw near to me — just as with the dead, whom enemies and loved ones, great and small, approach.
Those also who seek after my life lay snares for me; and those who seek my hurt speak crafty devices, and utter deceits all the day.
verse value 4020
Insights
Verse structure: 10 words, 48 letters. The shortest word is "my·life" (נַפְשִׁ֗י, 4 letters) and the longest is "and·lay·snares" (וַיְנַקְשׁ֤וּ, 6 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "and·lay·snares" (וַיְנַקְשׁ֤וּ), "utter" (יֶהְגּֽוּ). 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "my·life" (root נפש, 143x in Psalms); "speak" (root דבר, 133x in Psalms); "all·the·day" (root יום, 121x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'mischief', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 3 words. Full calculation: וַיְנַקְשׁ֤וּ [and·lay·snares] (472) + מְבַקְשֵׁ֬י [who·seek] (452) + נַפְשִׁ֗י [my·life] (440) + וְדֹרְשֵׁ֣י [and·who·seek] (520) + רָ֭עָתִי [my·hurt] (680) + דִּבְּר֣וּ [speak] (212) + הַוּ֑וֹת [mischief] (417) + וּ֝מִרְמ֗וֹת [and·deceits] (692) + כׇּל־הַיּ֥וֹם [all·the·day] (111) + יֶהְגּֽוּ [utter] (24) = 4020.
Rashi
"And those who seek my life lay traps" — They seek traps for me.
Ibn Ezra
"And they lay snares" [וינקשו] — the word "my life" [נפשי] serves for another clause as well, so that it is as if written: "and those who seek my life lay snares," for it is the object. And the meaning is that their words are a snare to me.
Radak
'Those who seek my life lay snares for me, and those who seek my harm speak destruction and utter deceit all day long' — the loved ones and companions stand aloof, while the enemies speak evil things. And the explanation of 'lay snares' (וינקשו): they have set a snare for my life through words, in order to destroy it. And the explanation of 'those who seek my life': to destroy it — and the words 'to destroy it' are omitted [understood but not written]. Compare: 'he who seeks my life seeks your life' (I Samuel 22:23). And 'הוות' (havot) is a term for ruin and for evil matters.
Metzudat David
"And they lay snares" — they hid a trap for me. "They speak of destruction" — they speak to me words that break the spirit.
Malbim
"Those who seek my life lay snares" — those who seek his death, who now stand by his bed and fear lest he yet recover from his illness, wanted to trap him by means of a deadly poison or the like, in order to hasten his death (as it says further below, Psalms 41:9, "an evil thing is poured into him"). "And those who seek my harm," in order to spread an evil report about him — they "speak destruction," telling about him that he is wicked and a sinner; "and utter deceit all day long," to reinforce their words in the eyes of the masses through deceit and lies.
But I am as a deaf man, I hear not; and I am as a dumb man that opens not his mouth.
verse value 1759
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 28 letters. The shortest word is "not" (לֹ֣א, 2 letters) and the longest is "opens·his·mouth" (יִפְתַּח־פִּֽיו, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 31: not, not. 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "and·like·a·mute·man" (וּ֝כְאִלֵּ֗ם), "opens·his·mouth" (יִפְתַּח־פִּֽיו). The root לא appears 2 times in this verse. 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "not" (root לא, 174x in Psalms); "I·hear" (root שמע, 76x in Psalms); "and·I" (root אני, 64x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'I·hear', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 3 words. Full calculation: וַאֲנִ֣י [and·I] (67) + כְ֭חֵרֵשׁ [like·a·deaf·man] (528) + לֹ֣א [not] (31) + אֶשְׁמָ֑ע [I·hear] (411) + וּ֝כְאִלֵּ֗ם [and·like·a·mute·man] (97) + לֹ֣א [not] (31) + יִפְתַּח־פִּֽיו [opens·his·mouth] (594) = 1759.
Rashi
"But I am as a deaf person" — Israel hears their reproach from the nations but does not respond. Why? Because I hoped for You, O Lord, that You would redeem me and save me from them.
Ibn Ezra
"But I" — describing a physical deficiency.
Radak
'But I am like a deaf man [this is how it reads in our text] — I do not hear' — I do hear their words, whether by report or directly from them, for they are not hidden from me; but I hear, and I make myself like a deaf man, as if I do not hear what they are saying. 'And like a mute man who does not open his mouth' — I have likewise made myself like a mute man who does not open his mouth; so I hear my disgrace and do not answer.
Metzudat David
"But I am as a deaf man" — I make myself like a deaf man, as though I do not hear.
Malbim
"But I" — this is a parallel statement, corresponding to what they said in order to kill him, as stated, "those who seek my life lay snares" — they said this in his presence and thought that he did not hear; [so] "I am like a deaf man, I do not hear." And corresponding to what is said, "and those who seek my harm speak destruction," I am "like a mute man who does not open his mouth," to respond to their slander and establish my innocence.
Indeed, I have become as a man that hears not, and in whose mouth are no arguments.
verse value 2300
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 30 letters. Verse gematria: 2300 is divisible by 50, the years to the Jubilee (yovel). The shortest word is "who" (אֲשֶׁ֣ר, 3 letters) and the longest is "arguments" (תּוֹכָחֽוֹת, 6 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "like·a·man" (כְּ֭אִישׁ), "not·hearing" (לֹֽא־שֹׁמֵ֑עַ). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "who" (root אשר, 101x in Psalms); "and·I·became" (root היה, 97x in Psalms); "not·hearing" (root שמע, 76x in Psalms). First appearance of the root תוכחת ("arguments") in Psalms. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'not·hearing', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 3 words. Full calculation: וָאֱהִ֗י [and·I·became] (22) + כְּ֭אִישׁ [like·a·man] (331) + אֲשֶׁ֣ר [who] (501) + לֹֽא־שֹׁמֵ֑עַ [not·hearing] (441) + וְאֵ֥ין [and·there·is·not] (67) + בְּ֝פִ֗יו [in·his·mouth] (98) + תּוֹכָחֽוֹת [arguments] (840) = 2300.
Ibn Ezra
"And I have become" — by my own will, like a man who does not hear the speech of the one speaking. And the meaning is that I will not answer them.
Metzudat David
"[As one who] hears not" — I do not understand their words. "Arguments" — claims with which to dispute with them.
Malbim
"And I have become" — in truth I was not [really] like a deaf man, for I heard everything; rather, I made myself "like a man who does not hear." And likewise, regarding what is said, "and like a mute man who does not open his mouth," he means that he was not [really] mute and was able to speak, but he made himself "like a man in whose mouth there are no arguments." And he explains the reason he made himself like a man who does not hear: he was not afraid of the trap by which they wished to kill him.
For in You, O Hashem, do I hope; You will answer, O Lord my God.
verse value 1607
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 29 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֣ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "You" (אַתָּ֥ה, 3 letters) and the longest is "I·hope" (הוֹחָ֑לְתִּי, 6 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "for·to·You" (כִּֽי־לְךָ֣). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 688x in Psalms); "my·God" (root אלהים, 347x in Psalms); "for·to·You" (root כי, 216x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'I·hope', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 4 words. Full calculation: כִּֽי־לְךָ֣ [for·to·You] (80) + יְהֹוָ֣ה [Hashem] (26) + הוֹחָ֑לְתִּי [I·hope] (459) + אַתָּ֥ה [You] (406) + תַ֝עֲנֶ֗ה [will·answer] (525) + אֲדֹנָ֥י [Lord] (65) + אֱלֹהָֽי [my·God] (46) = 1607.
Ibn Ezra
"For" — I have no hope except in You. And the meaning of "You will answer" — that I will not set my heart toward their words, for I have relied on You in my heart, and my tongue is Yours.
Radak
'For in You, Hashem, I hope' — what use is it for me to argue with them and answer their words? For I have no hope in them that they will help me; rather, in You alone have I placed my hope. 'You will answer, my Lord, my God' — just as I have placed my hope in You, so will You answer me; for You are Lord over all, and You are my God, who will take up my cause against the wicked.
Metzudat David
"For in You, etc." — for I have waited upon You, that You will answer them on my behalf; that is to say, You will perform for me a sign for good, and it will be counted as a decisive answer.
Metzudat Zion
'I hope' (hochalti) — an expression of waiting, as in 'and I waited for your words' (Job 32).
Malbim
"For in You, Hashem, do I hope" — that You will save me from their hand; and the reason I made myself like a man in whose mouth there are no arguments to respond to their slander is that I said, "You will answer, Hashem my God."
For I said: 'Lest they rejoice over me; when my foot slips, they magnify themselves against me.'
verse value 1683
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 33 letters. The shortest word is "against·me" (עָלַ֥י, 3 letters) and the longest is "lest·they·rejoice·over·me" (פֶּן־יִשְׂמְחוּ־לִ֑י, 9 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "lest·they·rejoice·over·me" (פֶּן־יִשְׂמְחוּ־לִ֑י), "in·the·tottering·of" (בְּמ֥וֹט), "magnify·themselves" (הִגְדִּֽילוּ). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "against·me" (root על, 120x in Psalms); "for·I·said" (root אמר, 111x in Psalms); "lest·they·rejoice·over·me" (root שמח, 55x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'lest·they·rejoice·over·me', dividing the verse into phrases of 2 and 4 words. Full calculation: כִּֽי־אָ֭מַרְתִּי [for·I·said] (681) + פֶּן־יִשְׂמְחוּ־לִ֑י [lest·they·rejoice·over·me] (534) + בְּמ֥וֹט [in·the·tottering·of] (57) + רַ֝גְלִ֗י [my·foot] (243) + עָלַ֥י [against·me] (110) + הִגְדִּֽילוּ [magnify·themselves] (58) = 1683.
Rashi
"For I said, “Lest they rejoice over me”" — For this reason we remain silent, because we say to ourselves, “If we answer them brazenly, they may witness our downfall and rejoice over us when our feet falter, and they will magnify themselves over us saying, ‘Weren’t you boasting of your salvation?’”
Ibn Ezra
"For they magnify themselves" [הגדילו] — [with an implied object] "to speak," or the verb is intransitive. And the meaning of "lest they rejoice over me" — like "lest they say about me"; for behold, at the slipping of my foot and my sickness, they have magnified themselves against me.
Radak
'For I said' — in my heart, 'Lest they rejoice over me' — if You do not answer me and save me from my troubles, they will rejoice over me at my ruin, for 'When my foot slips, they magnify themselves against me' — [namely] their tongue. And what will they do if I collapse completely? Therefore I am afraid that I will die of my illness.
Metzudat David
"For I said" — that is to say, behold, I did not want to respond to them at all, for I said: lest the punishment overpower me and they rejoice all the more; for when only my foot slipped, they already magnified themselves to be haughty against me — how much more so if I were afflicted in my whole body!
Metzudat Zion
'When [my foot] slips' (bemot) — an expression of stumbling and inclining to fall, as in 'at the time when their foot slips' (Deuteronomy 32:35). 'They magnify themselves' (higdilu) — from the language of 'great' (gadol).
Malbim
(17-18) "For I said" — this refers back to what is said in verse 22, "Do not forsake me, Hashem," for it is fitting that He not forsake him — "for I said" that if You forsake me, "lest they rejoice over me"; for "when my foot slipped, they magnified themselves against me, for I am prone to stumble" — that once my foot slipped a little, and they exaggerated the matter, saying that through the slipping of my foot I had become disabled and that I would always be prone to limping on my hip, so that "my pain would always be before me" because of this. From this it is evident how they hope for my downfall, and how they now rejoice that I am truly ill.
For I am ready to halt, and my pain is continually before me.
verse value 1043
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 28 letters. The shortest word is "to·stumbling" (לְצֶ֣לַע, 4 letters) and the longest is "and·my·pain" (וּמַכְאוֹבִ֖י, 7 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "to·stumbling" (לְצֶ֣לַע), "and·my·pain" (וּמַכְאוֹבִ֖י). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "for·I" (root אני, 64x in Psalms); "before·me" (root נגד, 55x in Psalms); "ready" (root כון, 52x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'ready', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: כִּֽי־אֲ֭נִי [for·I] (91) + לְצֶ֣לַע [to·stumbling] (220) + נָכ֑וֹן [ready] (126) + וּמַכְאוֹבִ֖י [and·my·pain] (85) + נֶגְדִּ֣י [before·me] (67) + תָמִֽיד [continually] (454) = 1043.
Rashi
"For I am ready for disaster" — For this reason, we are concerned lest they rejoice over us, because we are accustomed to blows and are always ready and prepared for disaster. "and my pain is always before me" — It is always prepared to come before me.
Ibn Ezra
"For" — in the manner of "and at my limping they rejoiced and gathered together" (Psalm 35:15). But the correct [interpretation] is: that I am liable to be lame, so that I will not be able to rise for many days, and my pain will be before me continually.
Radak
'For I am ready to limp' — therefore I am afraid that I will die from my illness, for I am always ready to limp, so that I go about limping from my pain, 'And my pain is always before me' — for my pain does not depart from me.
Metzudat David
"Ready to halt" — I am prepared and accustomed to limping from bodily weakness, and the things that cause me pain are always ready, poised to come upon me.
Metzudat Zion
'To halt' (letzela) — an expression of a lame person who limps on his hip. 'Ready' (nachon) — from the language of preparation.
For I do declare my iniquity; I am full of care because of my sin.
verse value 661
Insights
Verse structure: 4 words, 20 letters. Notable word values: "I·declare" (אַגִּ֑יד) = 18, chai, 'life'. The shortest word is "I·declare" (אַגִּ֑יד, 4 letters) and the longest is "for·my·iniquity" (כִּֽי־עֲוֺנִ֥י, 6 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "for·my·iniquity" (כִּֽי־עֲוֺנִ֥י), "I·am·anxious" (אֶ֝דְאַ֗ג), "because·of·my·sin" (מֵ֖חַטָּאתִֽי). 4 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "I·declare" (root נגד, 55x in Psalms); "for·my·iniquity" (root עון, 30x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'I·declare', dividing the verse into phrases of 2 and 2 words. Full calculation: כִּֽי־עֲוֺנִ֥י [for·my·iniquity] (166) + אַגִּ֑יד [I·declare] (18) + אֶ֝דְאַ֗ג [I·am·anxious] (9) + מֵ֖חַטָּאתִֽי [because·of·my·sin] (468) = 661.
Rashi
"For I relate my iniquity" — My heart tells me my iniquity. Therefore, I worry, and fear my sin, lest it cause me disaster and pain.
Ibn Ezra
"For" — I confess to people, and this is the meaning of "I will declare" [אגיד]; and "I am full of care" describes the state of my heart.
Radak
'For I will declare my iniquity' — therefore I am anxious, for I recall my iniquity and declare it inwardly to myself, [fearing] that I might die from it, 'I am anxious over my sin' — lest it become a snare for me.
Metzudat David
"For I do declare my iniquity" — I myself declare my iniquity, for I know in myself that I have sinned; therefore I worry lest the punishment come and they rejoice over me.
Malbim
"For" — after he explained the nature of their hatred, he [now] explains the cause of their hatred; for one who is hated because of a known cause can remove the hatred by removing the cause. For example, one who is hated by a wicked person because he pursues good — the hatred will cease if he conceals his deed, so that [the wicked person] does not see him doing good; and one who is hated by the righteous because he does evil — the hatred will cease if he improves his deed. But here, behold, I "declare my iniquity" — I myself publicize my iniquity, and I publicize "that I am anxious because of my sin" — and despite this
But my enemies are strong in health; and those who hate me wrongfully have multiplied.
verse value 1478
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 24 letters. The shortest word is "falsely" (שָֽׁקֶר, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·my·enemies" (וְֽ֭אֹיְבַי, 5 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "and·have·multiplied" (וְרַבּ֖וּ). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·my·enemies" (root איב, 71x in Psalms); "alive" (root חי, 43x in Psalms); "who·hate·me" (root שנא, 42x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'are·mighty', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: וְֽ֭אֹיְבַי [and·my·enemies] (29) + חַיִּ֣ים [alive] (68) + עָצֵ֑מוּ [are·mighty] (206) + וְרַבּ֖וּ [and·have·multiplied] (214) + שֹׂנְאַ֣י [who·hate·me] (361) + שָֽׁקֶר [falsely] (600) = 1478.
Rashi
"are in the vigor of life" — They are in the vigor of life with tranquility and goodness. "have become great" — And those who hate me because of false words have become exalted.
Ibn Ezra
"But my enemies" — some say: [the meaning is] "because of my iniquity I am full of care, on account of my sin," lest I die while my enemies live.
Radak
'But my enemies are vigorous, alive' — I am always in my pain, while they are in vigorous and good health. 'And those who hate me without cause have multiplied' — 'שקר' (falsely) [means] for no reason; that is to say, those who hate me for no reason. Like: 'Surely in vain I have guarded' (I Samuel 25:21). And they have multiplied in sons and possessions, while I am poor and crushed.
Metzudat David
"But my enemies" — but my enemies, the days of their lives have multiplied and grown great.
Metzudat Zion
'Are strong in health' (atzemu) — an expression of multitude, as in 'her widows have increased for me' (Jeremiah 15:8). 'And have multiplied' (verabu) — have grown great.
Those also who repay evil for good are adversaries to me, because I follow the thing that is good.
verse value 3385
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 38 letters. The shortest word is "evil" (רָ֭עָה, 3 letters) and the longest is "oppose·me" (יִ֝שְׂטְנ֗וּנִי, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 808: instead·of, because. 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "and·who·repay" (וּמְשַׁלְּמֵ֣י), "my·pursuit·of·good" (רׇֽדְפִי־טֽוֹב). The root תחת appears 2 times in this verse. 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "good" (root טוב, 63x in Psalms); "evil" (root רעה, 25x in Psalms); "instead·of" (root תחת, 23x in Psalms). First appearance of the root שטן ("oppose·me") in Psalms. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'good', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 4 words.
Rashi
"for my pursuit of goodness" — Because we cleave to the Holy One, blessed be He, and to His commandments.
Ibn Ezra
"And those who repay" — his own words prove it: that he was among them during their illnesses and did good for them, as he relates in another psalm.
Radak
'Those who repay evil for good are adversaries to me, because I pursue [*] good' — now he tells how they hate him without cause: for by rights they should have loved him, since he did good to them, yet they repay him evil for good. And he does not know any reason why they treat him as an adversary, except that they are jealous of him, for he pursues good while they pursue evil — therefore they treat him as an adversary. And the word 'רדפי' is written [in the text] as 'רדופי,' meaning that the good is 'that which I pursue' — that after which I run; but it is read (קרי) as 'רדפי,' which is an infinitive functioning as a verb, and the resh is drawn out by the [cantillation] accent, as in 'of those who go down to the pit' (מיורדי בור) (Psalms 30:4).
Metzudat David
"Those also who repay, etc." — they too, the days of their lives have multiplied and grown great. "In place of [because]" — in place of my pursuing and being diligent to do good to them.
Metzudat Zion
'Are adversaries to me' (yisteneni) — from the language of accusation and harbored enmity, as in 'and Esau hated him' (Genesis 26).
Malbim
(20-21) "My enemies oppose me in return for pursuing good" — meaning, even though I publicize that I am a sinner, the cause of their hatred will [nevertheless] be that I pursue good, and they will not believe what I publicize — that I am not [really] a pursuer of good, but rather one full of iniquity and a sinner. And their hatred has grown very great, to the point that "they are vigorous, they grow mighty" — they have grown mighty in their enmity, even unto life; and the hatred is not removed by my declaring my iniquity, for they are "haters for a false cause," seeking false pretexts against me. Therefore I ask, (22-23) "Do not forsake me" — to separate from me utterly; "and also do not distance Yourself from me"; and also, "hasten to my aid" — that is, [make] swift the coming to my aid.
Forsake me not, O Hashem; O my God, be not far from me.
verse value 1521
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 26 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֑ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. Verse gematria: 1521 = 39². The shortest word is "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֑ה, 4 letters) and the longest is "not·leave·me" (אַל־תַּעַזְבֵ֥נִי, 8 letters). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 688x in Psalms); "my·God" (root אלהים, 347x in Psalms); "from·me" (root מן, 59x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Hashem', dividing the verse into phrases of 2 and 3 words. Full calculation: אַל־תַּעַזְבֵ֥נִי [not·leave·me] (570) + יְהֹוָ֑ה [Hashem] (26) + אֱ֝לֹהַ֗י [my·God] (46) + אַל־תִּרְחַ֥ק [not·be·far] (739) + מִמֶּֽנִּי [from·me] (140) = 1521.
Ibn Ezra
"Be not far from me" — corresponds to the earlier "stand afar off."
Radak
'Do not forsake me, Hashem' — as they think, that I have no helper; 'My God, do not be far from me' — rather, be near to my cry.
Metzudat David
"Forsake me not" — since I myself am unable to respond to them at all, therefore do not You forsake me, and let it [Your help] be counted as a response to their mockery.
Verse structure: 4 words, 20 letters. The shortest word is "hasten" (ח֥וּשָׁה, 4 letters) and the longest is "to·my·help" (לְעֶזְרָתִ֑י, 6 letters). 4 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Lord" (root אדון, 64x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·my·help', dividing the verse into phrases of 2 and 2 words. Full calculation: ח֥וּשָׁה [hasten] (319) + לְעֶזְרָתִ֑י [to·my·help] (717) + אֲ֝דֹנָ֗י [Lord] (65) + תְּשׁוּעָתִֽי [my·salvation] (1186) = 2287.
Ibn Ezra
"Make haste" — in my opinion: "make haste to help me, You, Hashem, for You are my salvation," like "say to my soul, I am your salvation" (Psalm 35:3). And Rabbi Moshe said that "make haste" [חושה] serves for another clause as well, so that it is as if written: "make haste to my help, Hashem; make haste to my salvation."
Radak
'Make haste' — quickly, 'To help me, my Lord, my salvation' — for You are the Lord of my salvation, and no other. Or its explanation is: 'Make haste to my salvation,' and the lamed of 'עזרתי' (my help) stands in place of a bet [i.e., 'through my help']; and 'Hashem' is used as a vocative [a direct address]. And this psalm was composed by David, who gave it to Jeduthun the musician. [Note: these seven words were perhaps mistakenly copied here from verse 1 of the following psalm.]
Metzudat David
"Make haste" — hurry to help me, for You have always been my salvation, and there is no one else for me to wait upon to be a help.
Rashi
Ibn Ezra
Radak
Metzudat David
Malbim