A Maschil of David, lamenting the anguish of betrayal by a trusted friend and companion. A cry for wings to flee turmoil, and a call to cast one's burden upon Hashem.
Tap any Hebrew word to reveal its root, value, and meanings.
For the Leader; with string-music. Maschil of David.
verse value 1177
Insights
Verse structure: 4 words, 20 letters. The shortest word is "of·David" (לְדָוִֽד, 4 letters) and the longest is "with·stringed·instruments" (בִּנְגִינֹ֗ת, 6 letters). 4 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "of·David" (root דוד, 89x in Psalms); "for·the·leader" (root נצח, 73x in Psalms). Full calculation: לַמְנַצֵּ֥חַ [for·the·leader] (218) + בִּנְגִינֹ֗ת [with·stringed·instruments] (515) + מַשְׂכִּ֥יל [Maskil] (400) + לְדָוִֽד [of·David] (44) = 1177.
Radak
"For the Leader" — David composed this psalm when he fled from Jerusalem because of Absalom, and it was told to him that Ahithophel was among the conspirators.
Malbim
"For the Leader" — this psalm was composed concerning what happened when he fled from Absalom; and he already sang about this above, in chapter 3, but here he speaks specifically about the downfall of Ahithophel and his end.
Give ear, O God, to my prayer; And hide not Yourself from my supplication.
verse value 2969
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 30 letters. Notable word values: "God" (אֱ֭לֹהִים) = 86, equal to Elohim. The shortest word is "God" (אֱ֭לֹהִים, 5 letters) and the longest is "and·do·not·hide·Yourself" (וְאַל־תִּ֝תְעַלַּ֗ם, 8 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "and·do·not·hide·Yourself" (וְאַל־תִּ֝תְעַלַּ֗ם), "from·my·supplication" (מִתְּחִנָּתִֽי). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "God" (root אלהים, 347x in Psalms); "give·ear" (root אזן, 36x in Psalms); "my·prayer" (root תפלה, 32x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'my·prayer', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 2 words. Full calculation: הַאֲזִ֣ינָה [give·ear] (78) + אֱ֭לֹהִים [God] (86) + תְּפִלָּתִ֑י [my·prayer] (920) + וְאַל־תִּ֝תְעַלַּ֗ם [and·do·not·hide·Yourself] (977) + מִתְּחִנָּתִֽי [from·my·supplication] (908) = 2969.
Ibn Ezra
"Give ear, O God, to my prayer" — the sense is parallel: "give ear" is used in the manner of a human being, with the ear. "And hide not Yourself" — with the eye, to see how he supplicates before Hashem.
Radak
"Give ear... and hide not Yourself" — a repetition of the same idea in different words.
Metzudat David
"And hide not Yourself" — Do not hide Yourself from hearing my supplication.
Malbim
"Give ear" — (at the time the news reached him of Absalom's rebellion) — "give ear to my prayer," which is the pouring out of the soul to God; and "supplication" is the request for one's other needs; and therefore it says, "and do not hide Yourself" also "from my supplication."
Attend to me, and hear me; I am distraught in my complaint, and will moan;
verse value 1260
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 28 letters. Verse gematria: 1260 is divisible by 18, the value of chai ('life'). The shortest word is "to·me" (לִּ֣י, 2 letters) and the longest is "attend" (הַקְשִׁ֣יבָה, 6 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "I·roam" (אָרִ֖יד), "and·I·moan" (וְאָהִֽימָה). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "to·me" (root לי, 68x in Psalms); "and·answer·me" (root ענה, 56x in Psalms); "in·my·complaint" (root שיח, 24x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·answer·me', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: הַקְשִׁ֣יבָה [attend] (422) + לִּ֣י [to·me] (40) + וַעֲנֵ֑נִי [and·answer·me] (186) + אָרִ֖יד [I·roam] (215) + בְּשִׂיחִ֣י [in·my·complaint] (330) + וְאָהִֽימָה [and·I·moan] (67) = 1260.
Rashi
"I lament in my speech" — Heb. אריד, I will lament of my pain, as (Lam. 3:19): “Remember my affliction and my misery (ומרודי).” Also (Jud. 11:37): “and wail (וירדתי) upon the mountains.” Menachem (p. 162) interpreted אריד as an expression of ruling, as (Gen. 1:28): “and rule (ורדו) over the fish of the sea.” שּׂיחי is an expression of speech (Prov. 23:29): “He who talks too much (שיח).”
Ibn Ezra
"Attend," "I cry out" (arid) — that is, I cry aloud; and similar to it: "and it shall be when you break loose" (Genesis 27:40); "wail over the multitude of Egypt and bring it down" (Ezekiel 32:18) — he cried out over it; and "I will go down upon the mountains" (Judges 11:37) — even though that is a different root, and there are many such cases — and this shows, regarding the interpretation of "arid," that it is like "I will cry out." The word is "attend" (hakshivah).
Radak
"I am distraught in my complaint" — when I am distraught in my complaint and moan, attend to me; and the meaning of "arid" (distraught) is wailing over illness or over distress.
Metzudat David
"I am distraught" — When I wail while recounting my troubles, and I moan over them.
Metzudat Zion
'I am distraught' — an expression of groaning and wailing, as in 'remember my affliction and my wandering' (Lamentations 3:19). 'In my complaint' — an expression of recounting one's troubles, as in 'and pours out his complaint before Hashem' (below, Psalm 102).
Malbim
"Attend" — he adds that even at the time when "You attend to my voice" from afar, at the start of the prayer, "You will answer me"; and he further adds that even at the time "I am distraught in my complaint" and at the time "I moan" — even though I have not yet prayed — You will attend and answer me.
Because of the voice of the enemy, because of the oppression of the wicked; For they cast mischief upon me, and in anger they persecute me.
verse value 2301
Insights
Verse structure: 10 words, 42 letters. Verse gematria: 2301 is divisible by 13, the value of echad ('one') and ahavah ('love'). The shortest word is "oppression·of" (עָקַ֣ת, 3 letters) and the longest is "for·they·cast·down" (כִּֽי־יָמִ֥יטוּ, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 570: oppression·of, wicked. 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "oppression·of" (עָקַ֣ת), "for·they·cast·down" (כִּֽי־יָמִ֥יטוּ), "and·in·anger" (וּבְאַ֥ף). 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "from·the·face·of" (root פנים, 131x in Psalms); "upon·me" (root על, 120x in Psalms); "wicked" (root רשע, 87x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'wicked', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 5 words. Full calculation: מִקּ֤וֹל [from·the·voice·of] (176) + אוֹיֵ֗ב [enemy] (19) + מִ֭פְּנֵי [from·the·face·of] (180) + עָקַ֣ת [oppression·of] (570) + רָשָׁ֑ע [wicked] (570) + כִּֽי־יָמִ֥יטוּ [for·they·cast·down] (105) + עָלַ֥י [upon·me] (110) + אָ֝֗וֶן [mischief] (57) + וּבְאַ֥ף [and·in·anger] (89) + יִשְׂטְמֽוּנִי [they·persecute·me] (425) = 2301.
Rashi
"the distress" — Heb. עקת, an expression of distress. "for they accuse me of iniquity" — Doeg and Ahithophel accuse me of iniquities that overweigh [the scale] to demonstrate that I am liable to death, and they sanction [the shedding of] my blood.
Ibn Ezra
"Because of the voice" — the sense is that he raises his voice against me. "Oppression" (akat) — according to its Targum: distress that comes upon me from the wicked one. And some say it is from the same root as "as [the cart] presses" (Amos 2:13). "They cast" (yamitu) — from the same root as "and his hand falters with you" (Leviticus 25:35); it is in the heavy conjugation [Hif'il], and its object is "mischief" (aven).
Radak
"Because of the voice" — that I hear from the enemy, who seeks to drive me out of the kingship and to kill me. "And the enemy" — this is Absalom. "The oppression of the wicked" — the distress caused by this wicked one; and why am I distraught by his voice? Because of Israel, who conspired with him. "For they cast mischief upon me" — meaning: they incline toward falsehood, for they rebel against me and deal falsely with the loyalty [they pledged] when they made me king over them wholeheartedly; and now they hate me in anger and wrath, and they have set up my son against me.
Metzudat David
"Because of the voice" — Because of the sound of the enemy's roar, and because of the oppression that the wicked one brings upon me. "For they cast" — They cast upon me iniquity, that is, toil and hardship. "And in anger" — Because of the anger they bear against me, they harbor hatred for me, and not in order to repay a wrong, for I did them no evil.
Metzudat Zion
'Oppression' — this is the Aramaic translation of 'tzarah' (distress); similarly, 'You laid an oppressive burden [upon us]' (below, Psalm 66). 'They persecute me' — an expression of harboring enmity, as in 'and Esau harbored hatred' (Genesis 27).
Malbim
"Because of the voice of the enemy" — who speak against me words of hostility and disgrace; "because of the oppression of the wicked" — who oppress and distress me. And he explains "because of the oppression of the wicked" as "for they cast mischief upon me" and calamity; and "because of the voice of the enemy" as "for in anger they persecute me."
My heart does writhe within me; and the terrors of death are fallen upon me.
verse value 1599
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 28 letters. Verse gematria: 1599 is divisible by 13, the value of echad ('one') and ahavah ('love'). The shortest word is "my·heart" (לִ֭בִּי, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·the·terrors·of" (וְאֵימ֥וֹת, 6 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "and·the·terrors·of" (וְאֵימ֥וֹת). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "upon·me" (root על, 120x in Psalms); "my·heart" (root לב, 74x in Psalms); "death" (root מות, 33x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'within·me', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 4 words. Full calculation: לִ֭בִּי [my·heart] (42) + יָחִ֣יל [writhes] (58) + בְּקִרְבִּ֑י [within·me] (314) + וְאֵימ֥וֹת [and·the·terrors·of] (463) + מָ֝֗וֶת [death] (446) + נָפְל֥וּ [have·fallen] (166) + עָלָֽי [upon·me] (110) = 1599.
Rashi
"shudders" — Heb. יחיל, worries.
Ibn Ezra
"My heart" — alludes to the soul's fear at the voice of the enemy, just as everyone who hears the sound of a lion's roar is afraid.
Radak
"Writhes" — related to the word "chil" (labor pang), like a woman in childbirth; and I fear within myself that they will kill me, for so Ahithophel advised: "and I will strike down the king alone."
Metzudat David
"My heart writhes" — Because of this my heart is afraid, and the terror of death has fallen upon me.
Metzudat Zion
'Writhes' — from the term 'chil' (writhing/anguish) and 'ra'ad' (trembling).
Malbim
"My heart" — meaning, because of the voice of the enemy, "my heart writhes within me," which is the fear at the moment the sudden news arrives; "and the terrors of death have fallen upon me" — for he was afraid that they would kill him.
Fear and trembling come upon me, and horror has overwhelmed me.
verse value 1673
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 24 letters. Notable word values: "comes" (יָ֣בֹא) = 13, the value of echad ('one') and ahavah ('love'). The shortest word is "in·me" (בִ֑י, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·covered·me" (וַ֝תְּכַסֵּ֗נִי, 6 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "and·trembling" (וָ֭רַעַד), "and·covered·me" (וַ֝תְּכַסֵּ֗נִי), "shuddering" (פַּלָּצֽוּת). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "comes" (root בוא, 79x in Psalms); "fear" (root ירא, 77x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'in·me', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 2 words. Full calculation: יִרְאָ֣ה [fear] (216) + וָ֭רַעַד [and·trembling] (280) + יָ֣בֹא [comes] (13) + בִ֑י [in·me] (12) + וַ֝תְּכַסֵּ֗נִי [and·covered·me] (546) + פַּלָּצֽוּת [shuddering] (606) = 1673.
Ibn Ezra
"Fear and trembling" — the fear is in the heart, and the trembling is in the body.
Radak
"Fear" — from the abundance of fear in my heart, I tremble. "And trembling and horror" — one idea in different words; and the meaning of "has overwhelmed me" refers to the abundance of the horror.
Metzudat David
"And has covered me" — The trembling has covered my whole body, due to its great abundance; this is a figure of speech.
Metzudat Zion
'Horror' — trembling, as in 'horror has overwhelmed me' (Isaiah 21).
Malbim
"Fear" — he adds to what he said, "my heart writhes," that "fear and trembling come upon me," which is more than writhing; and to what he said, "the terrors of death have fallen upon me," he adds "and horror has overwhelmed me" — that is the shuddering that seizes a person at the time of death.
And I said: 'Oh that I had wings like a dove! Then would I fly away, and be at rest.
verse value 1635
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 30 letters. The shortest word is "pinion" (אֵ֭בֶר, 3 letters) and the longest is "who·would·give·to·me" (מִֽי־יִתֶּן־לִ֣י, 7 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "who·would·give·to·me" (מִֽי־יִתֶּן־לִ֣י), "pinion" (אֵ֭בֶר), "like·the·dove" (כַּיּוֹנָ֗ה). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·I·said" (root אמר, 111x in Psalms); "who·would·give·to·me" (root נתן, 95x in Psalms); "and·let·me·dwell" (root שכן, 29x in Psalms). First appearance of the root יונה ("like·the·dove") in Psalms. Full calculation: וָאֹמַ֗ר [and·I·said] (247) + מִֽי־יִתֶּן־לִ֣י [who·would·give·to·me] (550) + אֵ֭בֶר [pinion] (203) + כַּיּוֹנָ֗ה [like·the·dove] (91) + אָע֥וּפָה [let·me·fly] (162) + וְאֶשְׁכֹּֽנָה [and·let·me·dwell] (382) = 1635.
Ibn Ezra
"And I said" — some say: "Wings" (ever) — its Targum is "kanaf" (wing). And he mentioned the "dove" — because it dwells among people, and with it kings would send their letters.
Radak
"Wings" — a wing, like the dove, so that I could fly to a place where they could not reach me; and then "I would rest" — from the fear and the trembling.
Metzudat David
"Oh that I had" — Would that I had wings to fly with, for then I would soar far away to dwell there, to be saved from my enemies.
Metzudat Zion
'Wings' — [meaning] a wing, as in 'does the hawk fly (ya'ver) by your understanding' (Job 39:26).
Malbim
"And I said" — he relates how he had resolved in his mind to flee from Jerusalem, but had not yet fled, for the people had crossed over while David remained standing. Therefore he says, "Oh that I had wings like a dove" — for the dove is able to fly with one wing and rest with the other, as the Tosafot state in the name of the Midrash. So too I wish "that I would fly away" and also "be at rest" — that I would fly with one wing and rest with the other, as if I wanted both to fly and not to fly, to rest and not to rest, wavering between two opinions.
Lo, then would I wander far off, I would lodge in the wilderness. Selah
verse value 871
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 23 letters. Verse gematria: 871 is divisible by 13, the value of echad ('one') and ahavah ('love'). The shortest word is "behold" (הִ֭נֵּה, 3 letters) and the longest is "let·me·go·far" (אַרְחִ֣יק, 5 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "let·me·go·far" (אַרְחִ֣יק), "wandering" (נְדֹ֑ד), "let·me·lodge" (אָלִ֖ין). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Selah" (root סלה, 70x in Psalms); "behold" (root הן, 24x in Psalms). First appearance of the root מדבר ("in·the·wilderness") in Psalms. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'wandering', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: הִ֭נֵּה [behold] (60) + אַרְחִ֣יק [let·me·go·far] (319) + נְדֹ֑ד [wandering] (58) + אָלִ֖ין [let·me·lodge] (91) + בַּמִּדְבָּ֣ר [in·the·wilderness] (248) + סֶֽלָה [Selah] (95) = 871.
Rashi
"Behold I would wander far away..." — and... "I would quickly find myself a refuge" — If I had wings, I would wander far away and hasten to save my soul from their hands, for they are like a sweeping wind, a storm wind, which uproots trees, as (Job 19:10): “He has uprooted (ויסע) like a tree.” But Menachem (p. 127) associated it with (Exod.12: 37): “And the children of Israel traveled (ויסעו).
Ibn Ezra
"Lo" — he would distance himself from settled land and lodge in the wilderness; then it would truly be good for him.
Radak
"Lo" — if I had wings, I would wander far off, and go out from inhabited land, and lodge in the wilderness.
Metzudat David
"I would wander far off" — Myself, to roam away from them, and even to lodge in the wilderness forever.
Malbim
"Lo" — he resolves in his mind to go out, so as not to waver between two opinions: "Lo, I would wander far off, I would lodge in the wilderness" — for his intention was to lodge that very night in the wilderness. "Selah" marks the conclusion of the matter.
I would haste me to a shelter from the stormy wind and tempest.'
verse value 1282
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 22 letters. The shortest word is "for·me" (לִ֑י, 2 letters) and the longest is "let·me·hasten" (אָחִ֣ישָׁה, 5 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "let·me·hasten" (אָחִ֣ישָׁה), "escape" (מִפְלָ֣ט), "from·wind" (מֵר֖וּחַ). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "for·me" (root לי, 68x in Psalms). First appearance of the root סער ("from·storm") in Psalms. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'for·me', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: אָחִ֣ישָׁה [let·me·hasten] (324) + מִפְלָ֣ט [escape] (159) + לִ֑י [for·me] (40) + מֵר֖וּחַ [from·wind] (254) + סֹעָ֣ה [stormy] (135) + מִסָּֽעַר [from·storm] (370) = 1282.
Ibn Ezra
"I would hasten" (achishah) — then he would escape the enemy; and the word "achishah" is among the transitive verbs, and similar to it: "let Him hasten His work" (Isaiah 5:19). "From the stormy wind" (me-ruach so'ah) — like "moving on" (nosa'ah), in the manner of: "though his height mount up to the heavens" (Job 20:6). And Rabbi Moshe said: "I would hasten" [means] escape for me from the wind and from the storm that would keep me from flying.
Radak
"I would hasten" — I would hurry to find for myself refuge and rescue from the raging wind, from the storm — from the wars of these enemies of mine, which are like a raging wind and a stormy wind; and the word "so'ah" (raging) is to be interpreted according to its context, for "so'ah" has no parallel elsewhere in Scripture.
Metzudat David
"I would haste" — I would hurry to save my soul from my pursuers, who are like the rushing of wind and storm.
Metzudat Zion
'I would hasten' — I would hurry. 'Shelter' — rescue/escape. 'Stormy' — regarding wind, it is used in the sense of 'hasa'ah' (driving/sweeping along), as it says 'and a wind swept' (Numbers 12).
Malbim
"I would hasten" — it is explained (2 Samuel 17) that at that time Ahitophel advised pursuing him that very night and killing him in the wilderness, but Hushai the Archite frustrated his counsel and said that David would not let the people lodge there; and in the meantime he informed David, who fled from there. And this was by the providence of Hashem, for had it been done according to Ahitophel's words, they would have overtaken David and killed him — as he already alluded to this above, in chapter 3, in what he said, "I lay down and slept." Accordingly, he relates that when the message arrived from Hushai the Archite, he said, "I would hasten to a shelter for myself," so as not to lodge in the wilderness, "from the raging wind, from the storm" — lest the storm of Absalom come upon us — and he fled from the wilderness.
Destroy, O Lord, and divide their tongue; For I have seen violence and strife in the city.
verse value 1965
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 33 letters. The shortest word is "destroy" (בַּלַּ֣ע, 3 letters) and the longest is "for·I·have·seen" (כִּֽי־רָאִ֨יתִי, 7 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "destroy" (בַּלַּ֣ע), "for·I·have·seen" (כִּֽי־רָאִ֨יתִי), "and·strife" (וְרִ֣יב). 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "for·I·have·seen" (root ראה, 100x in Psalms); "Lord" (root אדון, 64x in Psalms); "their·tongue" (root לשון, 33x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'their·tongue', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 4 words. Full calculation: בַּלַּ֣ע [destroy] (102) + אֲ֭דֹנָי [Lord] (65) + פַּלַּ֣ג [divide] (113) + לְשׁוֹנָ֑ם [their·tongue] (426) + כִּֽי־רָאִ֨יתִי [for·I·have·seen] (651) + חָמָ֖ס [violence] (108) + וְרִ֣יב [and·strife] (218) + בָּעִֽיר [in·the·city] (282) = 1965.
Rashi
"divide their tongue" — Divide it so that no one should pay them heed. And Menachem (p. 142) interpreted פלג as an expression of division. "Destroy" — (Defey or defay in Old French, destroy, defais in modern French,) like (Lam. 2:8): “He did not restrain his hand from destroying (מבלע).” So did Menachem interpret it [p. 46]. "for I have seen violence and strife in the city" — through them.
Ibn Ezra
"Destroy" (bala) — the lamed takes a patach ["is opened"] because of the guttural letter [that follows]. "Divide their tongue" — [expressed] in a manner of eloquence. And the sense of "divide" (peleg) — that what happened to the generation of the Dispersion should happen to them, for they all joined together in the city to do me violence.
Radak
"Destroy" — he also prays to God to confound the speech of Ahithophel and his fellow advisors, so that they will not reach one accord, and thereby their counsel and their conspiracy will be thrown into confusion. "For I have seen" — in my heart, violence and strife in the city of Jerusalem, for they have conspired against me, and this is a great violence, that they contend against me.
Metzudat David
"Destroy" — Ruin my enemies and divide their tongue, so that no man will understand his fellow's speech, and their evil counsel will be annulled. "For I have seen" — I see how much violence and strife they commit within the city in which they dwell.
"Destroy" — and since this depended on whether [Absalom] would listen to the counsel of Ahitophel or to the counsel of Hushai the Archite, and David then prayed, "Please turn the counsel of Ahitophel into foolishness" (2 Samuel 16:16), so regarding this he prayed, "Destroy, Hashem, and divide their tongue," that they be divided into two factions, and thereby their counsel would be swallowed up and not carried out according to Ahitophel's counsel — as it is stated there, "and Hashem frustrated the good counsel of Ahitophel." "For I have seen" — meaning, now (through the messenger who reached him) it became known to me "that violence and strife are in the city" — that the conspirators and rebels who multiplied against the kingdom of the house of David had already reached the city.
Day and night they go about it upon its walls; iniquity also and mischief are in the midst of it.
verse value 1349
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 36 letters. The shortest word is "by·day" (יוֹמָ֤ם, 4 letters) and the longest is "upon·its·walls" (עַל־חוֹמֹתֶ֑יהָ, 8 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "they·go·around·it" (יְסוֹבְבֻ֥הָ), "upon·its·walls" (עַל־חוֹמֹתֶ֑יהָ). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "by·day" (root יום, 121x in Psalms); "in·its·midst" (root קרב, 37x in Psalms); "and·iniquity" (root און, 28x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'upon·its·walls', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 3 words. Full calculation: יוֹמָ֤ם [by·day] (96) + וָלַ֗יְלָה [and·night] (81) + יְסוֹבְבֻ֥הָ [they·go·around·it] (85) + עַל־חוֹמֹתֶ֑יהָ [upon·its·walls] (569) + וְאָ֖וֶן [and·iniquity] (63) + וְעָמָ֣ל [and·mischief] (146) + בְּקִרְבָּֽהּ [in·its·midst] (309) = 1349.
Rashi
"they surround it" — i.e., the violence and the strife.
Ibn Ezra
"Day" [and night] — he likened the city to a circle: he said that "violence," and "upon its walls" [that is,] "around it," form the encircling line, while "iniquity" and "mischief" are the [central] point; and this is the sense of "in its midst."
Radak
"Day" — violence and strife surround it upon its walls, as though the city were entirely encircled by strife; so too it is full of violence, for the counsel of them all is against me for evil, and by day and by night their counsel is against me. "And iniquity" and mischief are in its midst — meaning, among those who dwell within it, who think evil of me.
Metzudat David
"They go about it" — At all times violence and strife go about upon the walls of the city; this is a figure of speech, meaning that it has increased so much that the place has become too narrow for them, so they go about upon the walls.
Malbim
"Day and night it goes around upon its walls" — he depicts violence and strife as the guards of the walls on the outside, while "iniquity and mischief" are "in its midst," ruling within the city; and also "destruction is in its midst" — that is the calamity; and also "guile and deceit do not depart from its square." And they say, saying, "for it was not an enemy that reproached me, that I could bear it" — for although until now I have vanquished my enemies and pursuers and borne all the troubles, now the reproach has come forth from my own son, and I cannot bear it. This means that there were then two pieces of counsel from Ahitophel: one, that Absalom should go in to his father's concubines, to shame and disgrace him — for since he is his son, it had to be made evident that he is an enemy to him, so that everyone would know that he had become odious in his father's eyes, for [David] could not bear this reproach, since it was not his enemy who reproached him but his own son. And the second counsel was that he should pursue David that night, for Ahitophel's opinion was that David would not hide himself in one of the pits or cisterns, as Hushai said: "for it is not one who hates me that has magnified himself against me, that I could hide from him" — and he would surely let the people lodge, and they would kill him at night.
Wickedness is in the midst of it; oppression and guile depart not from her broad place.
verse value 2089
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 28 letters. The shortest word is "oppression" (תֹּ֣ךְ, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·does·not·depart" (וְֽלֹא־יָמִ֥ישׁ, 7 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "and·does·not·depart" (וְֽלֹא־יָמִ֥ישׁ), "from·its·broad·place" (מֵ֝רְחֹבָ֗הּ), "oppression" (תֹּ֣ךְ). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "in·its·midst" (root קרב, 37x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'in·its·midst', dividing the verse into phrases of 2 and 4 words. Full calculation: הַוּ֥וֹת [wickedness] (417) + בְּקִרְבָּ֑הּ [in·its·midst] (309) + וְֽלֹא־יָמִ֥ישׁ [and·does·not·depart] (397) + מֵ֝רְחֹבָ֗הּ [from·its·broad·place] (255) + תֹּ֣ךְ [oppression] (420) + וּמִרְמָֽה [and·deceit] (291) = 2089.
Rashi
"Destruction" — Heb. הוות. "blows" — Heb. תוֹךְ.
Ibn Ezra
"Wickedness is in the midst of it" — the sense is doubled [repeated for emphasis]. "From its broad place" (me-rechovah) — that is the wide line, which is the encircling one; and he added the sense "does not depart."
Radak
"Wickedness" — ruin, and an evil matter. "Do not depart" — for they are constantly occupied with deceit and treachery against me; "from her broad place" — for in the open square of the city they gather to speak of this with one another. "Guile" ("tokh") — like deceit; and it is called by this term because he shows with his mouth what is not within ("tokh") his heart — his mouth is one thing and the inside of his heart another — for they would not have conspired with Absalom had they truly loved [David].
Metzudat David
"And departs not" — Oppression and deceit have not been removed from the city square, and they commit them even openly, in public.
Metzudat Zion
'Depart' — remove, as in 'they did not depart from the midst of the camp' (Numbers 14). 'In the midst' — deceit hidden within the heart.
For it was not an enemy who taunted me, Then I could have borne it; Neither was it my adversary who magnified himself against me, Then I would have hid myself from him.
verse value 2143
Insights
Verse structure: 9 words, 42 letters. The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֤י, 2 letters) and the longest is "not·my·adversary" (לֹא־מְ֭שַׂנְאִי, 7 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "not·enemy" (לֹֽא־אוֹיֵ֥ב), "who·reproaches·me" (יְחָֽרְפֵ֗נִי), "and·I·would·bear" (וְאֶ֫שָּׂ֥א). 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "for" (root כי, 216x in Psalms); "against·me" (root על, 120x in Psalms); "not·enemy" (root איב, 71x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'magnified·himself', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 2 words. Full calculation: כִּ֤י [for] (30) + לֹֽא־אוֹיֵ֥ב [not·enemy] (50) + יְחָֽרְפֵ֗נִי [who·reproaches·me] (358) + וְאֶ֫שָּׂ֥א [and·I·would·bear] (308) + לֹא־מְ֭שַׂנְאִי [not·my·adversary] (432) + עָלַ֣י [against·me] (110) + הִגְדִּ֑יל [magnified·himself] (52) + וְאֶסָּתֵ֥ר [and·I·would·hide·myself] (667) + מִמֶּֽנּוּ [from·him] (136) = 2143.
Rashi
"For no enemy reviled me" — all my life that I should bear my vilification, but I rose up against him and slew him. "my enemy did not open his mouth" — that I should flee and hide from him, but now I bear the abuse with which you reviled me because you are a man who is great in Torah.
Ibn Ezra
"For" — now he mentions people who had been his friends and became his enemies. "Then I could have borne it" — his reproach, were he [merely] my enemy. "Magnified himself" (higdil) — a verb, or [short for] "spoke arrogantly." And the sense is: a person is able to hide from an [open] enemy; therefore [the pain comes] only from the enemy who knows his secret.
Radak
"For" — now he returns to speak of Ahithophel alone, for he was the ringleader, and he had been David's friend until now, when he betrayed him. He says: this one was not visibly my enemy — for if an enemy taunted me, I could bear it and endure it — but this one, who was a man at peace with me, how can I bear that he taunts me? "It was not one who hated me who magnified himself against me," [such] that "I would hide myself from him" — [that would refer to] one who might harm me; but this one appeared to be my friend, and I was not on guard, nor hidden, from him. "Magnified himself" — his mouth, to speak evil.
Metzudat David
"For it was not an enemy" — The one who taunts me does not present himself to me as an enemy, so that I could bear my disgrace; nor does the one who opens his mouth wide to speak evil of me present himself to me as one who hates me, so that I could hide myself from him. For a person can easily bear the disgrace of an enemy, and hide himself from the evil of a hater, among those known to him as such.
Metzudat Zion
'I could have borne it' — and I would have endured.
But it was you, a man my equal, My companion, and my familiar friend;
verse value 1356
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 24 letters. The shortest word is "and·you" (וְאַתָּ֣ה, 4 letters) and the longest is "and·my·acquaintance" (וּמְיֻדָּעִֽי, 6 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "as·my·equal" (כְּעֶרְכִּ֑י), "my·companion" (אַ֝לּוּפִ֗י), "and·my·acquaintance" (וּמְיֻדָּעִֽי). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·you" (root אתה, 115x in Psalms); "and·my·acquaintance" (root ידע, 95x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'as·my·equal', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 2 words. Full calculation: וְאַתָּ֣ה [and·you] (412) + אֱנ֣וֹשׁ [man] (357) + כְּעֶרְכִּ֑י [as·my·equal] (320) + אַ֝לּוּפִ֗י [my·companion] (127) + וּמְיֻדָּעִֽי [and·my·acquaintance] (140) = 1356.
Rashi
"a man of my equal" — A man as important as I. "and my esteemed one" — Heb. ומידעי, like אלוּפי, my prince, an expression of (Exod. 33:17): “and I recognized you (ואדעך),” which is translated וְרַבִּיתָךְ “and I made you great.” Menachem (p. 94), however, explained that “For no enemy would revile me that I should bear” is connected to (verse 7): “If only I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and be at rest.” If I could raise my wings, I would fly away and wander on account of the distress of the wicked [inflicted upon me], for when I would leave the midst of the assembly of the profligate to lodge in the desert forever, then no enemy would revile me; I would not [have to] bear my disgrace and my shame, and I would not hide from him as I hid from them when I was among them. However, this interpretation is impossible, because of the verses following it, namely: And you are a man of my equal, my prince, and my esteemed one (verse 14); that together we would devise counsel; in the house of God we would walk with a multitude (verse 15). Therefore, Dunash (p. 94) interprets it in another manner, and this is its interpretation: For it is not an enemy who reviles me that I should bear my abuse, and it is not my enemy who opens his mouth wide against me, but my prince and my esteemed one, that together we would take counsel; in the house of God we would walk with a multitude. This thing is known, that the abuse of a friend is harder for a person [to bear] than the abuse of an enemy. Moreover, one can hide from his enemy, but one cannot hide from his friend when he tells him all that is in his heart. The context corroborates this [interpretation].
Ibn Ezra
"But you" — he speaks to one particular one of them. "My equal" (ke-erki) — regarded in my eyes as equal to me.
Radak
"But you" — he now speaks against Ahithophel: but you, who were "a man my equal" — meaning, I regarded you as though you were like me in greatness; and as though you were "my leader" — meaning, greater than I, a prince as well; and your being "my familiar friend" — meaning, my companion, to whom I would make known my thoughts and my secrets. Or, the interpretation of "alufi" ("my leader") is: "the leader and prince who is mine" — that is, one of my own princes and leaders.
Metzudat David
"But it was you" — This he says regarding Ahithophel: are you not my equal? That is, you know all the secrets of the state just as I do. "My companion and my familiar friend" — You were one of my officers, and I would reveal to you the hidden thoughts of my heart, for I said that you loved me; and therefore your disgrace of me is very hard for me to bear, as is having to guard myself from your evil.
Metzudat Zion
'My equal' — from the term 'erech' (value/rank) and 'shivui' (equality). 'My companion' — my chief/close companion, as in 'do not trust a friend' (Micah 7:5).
Malbim
(14–15) "But you" — he speaks to Ahitophel: "and you" — "were you not" "a man my equal, my companion, and my familiar friend, with whom together we took sweet counsel"? Meaning, that Ahitophel had spoken with David about the possibility of a rebellion arising against David, and told him he need not fear any rebellion, for if "tumult" and rebellion should arise, "we would walk into the house of God to pray," and by this the rebellion would be quieted — as if to say, we will need no battle at all against the tumult and uproar of the people, for when we go to the house of God, they will submit before us and the tumult and the rebellion will be stilled. And by way of figurative interpretation, this refers to what is stated in the verse that follows, "let death be incited against them," for Ahitophel gave orders concerning his household and hanged himself — that is, he killed himself, performing on himself the act of the Angel of Death. He portrays, in his figurative language, that [Ahitophel] is the companion and familiar acquaintance of Death; "and death shall be incited against them" when it comes to collect its debt from him, which is to take his soul, and it finds that he has killed himself. Death said to him: "Are you not a man my equal?" — you are an angel of death like me; "and you are my companion and my familiar friend," for you delivered many souls into my hand for death — and not only did you kill by means of lives taken in the marketplace and the street, but "you sweetened counsel with me, that I should go with you also into the house of God" at the time of the tumult and the rebellion. For at the time of Absalom's rebellion, [Ahitophel] gave counsel that even if David or his men fled to the house of God — where they would not have killed anyone (as it says, "and he took hold of the horns of the altar") — you said and advised that I should go with you also into the house of God; meaning, that you granted permission to Death to kill people even in the house of God. So you are the companion and acquaintance of Death.
We took sweet counsel together, In the house of God we walked with the throng.
verse value 2309
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 32 letters. Notable word values: "God" (אֱ֝לֹהִ֗ים) = 86, equal to Elohim. The shortest word is "whom" (אֲשֶׁ֣ר, 3 letters) and the longest is "we·made·sweet" (נַמְתִּ֣יק, 5 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "we·made·sweet" (נַמְתִּ֣יק), "we·walked" (נְהַלֵּ֥ךְ), "with·throng" (בְּרָֽגֶשׁ). 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "God" (root אלהים, 347x in Psalms); "whom" (root אשר, 101x in Psalms); "we·walked" (root הלך, 68x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'counsel', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 4 words. Full calculation: אֲשֶׁ֣ר [whom] (501) + יַ֭חְדָּו [together] (28) + נַמְתִּ֣יק [we·made·sweet] (600) + ס֑וֹד [counsel] (70) + בְּבֵ֥ית [in·the·house·of] (414) + אֱ֝לֹהִ֗ים [God] (86) + נְהַלֵּ֥ךְ [we·walked] (105) + בְּרָֽגֶשׁ [with·throng] (505) = 2309.
Rashi
"That together" — we used to devise counsel in the Torah and in the house of God we would walk בְרָגֶשּׁ, with a multitude. "in the house of God" — In the study-halls.
Ibn Ezra
"That together" — we would speak our secret[s], and it was sweet to us. "With the throng" (be-rogesh) — in one company.
Radak
"Who" — you and I would sweeten counsel together, meaning that I would deliberate and also take counsel with you concerning my secret affairs, and nothing seemed sweet and right to me until I had discussed it with him. "With the throng" — in a company. He says: even when we went to the house of God to pray, we went together in a single company — so closely was I bound to you — yet you betrayed me. And "the house of God" is the place where the Ark was.
Metzudat David
"We took sweet counsel" — The two of us together would deliberate wisely over counsel, to bring it forth to light in the best manner. "With the throng" — In an assembly and in one company.
Metzudat Zion
'With the throng' — an expression of gathering, as in 'why do [the nations] rage' (above, Psalm 2).
May He incite death against them, Let them go down alive into the nether-world; For evil is in their dwelling, and within them.
verse value 3654
Insights
Verse structure: 10 words, 46 letters. Verse gematria: 3654 is divisible by 18, the value of chai ('life'). The shortest word is "may·He·incite" (יַשִּׁ֤י, 3 letters) and the longest is "for·evil" (כִּֽי־רָע֖וֹת, 6 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "may·He·incite" (יַשִּׁ֤י), "for·evil" (כִּֽי־רָע֖וֹת), "in·their·dwelling" (בִּמְגוּרָ֣ם). 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "upon·them" (root על, 120x in Psalms); "may·He·incite" (root נשא, 52x in Psalms); "alive" (root חי, 43x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'alive', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 3 words.
Rashi
"May He incite Death upon them" — May the Holy One, blessed be He, incite the Angel of Death upon them. Heb. יַשִּׁיא, incite and entice, an expression of (Gen. 3:13): “The serpent enticed me and I ate.” Menachem (p. 101) interpreted יַשִּׁיא, as an expression of יש, there is, as (Gen. 24:49): “If you wish (ישכם) to do kindness”; (Deut. 29:14), “who is (ישנו) here.” "in their dwelling" — במגורם, in their lodging.
Ibn Ezra
"Yashi" [mavet] — Rabbi Moshe said: the sense is "yashi mavet" [may death...]. And the sense of "yashi" is that death shall become a creditor to them, to take their soul. And others said: it is from the same root as "God has made me forget" (nashani, Genesis 41:51) — that they shall forget death and not take it to heart, until they go down alive to Sheol. If so, the pattern of "yashi" would be like: "al temchi" (Jeremiah 18:23) and "tzur yeladekha teshi" (Deuteronomy 32:18), both accented on the penult [milra]. And some say it is missing an aleph, from [the root of] "hishi'ani" (he beguiled me, Genesis 3:13), and that is close [in meaning]; and the sense: it shall beguile them until they do not notice, and they go down alive to Sheol. Rabbi Moshe said: "bimgoram" [means] "in their company," like "is the seed yet in the barn?" (Haggai 2:19). And what is correct in my eyes: in the land of their dwellings, corresponding to "in the city."
Radak
"May He incite death against them" — it is written without an alef, but read with an alef: [meaning,] God, whom he has mentioned, may He incite death upon Ahithophel and upon the advisors who conspired against David for evil. "Incite" — death shall be decreed to come upon them. "Let them go down alive into Sheol" — that they should die a sudden death, without feeling any illness until they die; and so too: "let us swallow them alive like Sheol" (Proverbs 1:12). "For evil is in their dwelling place, within them" — the evils that they plot within themselves he calls "in their dwelling place," meaning: in the place of their gathering — that is, where they assembled to take counsel in Jerusalem against David.
Metzudat David
"May He incite death" — Hashem will decree death upon them, that is, upon Ahithophel and his companions. "Alive" — Suddenly, while they are in good health, not through illness, so that everyone will recognize that it came as retribution. "For evil" — They deserve a sudden death, for evil is in their dwelling place; and to add explanation, it says "within them."
Metzudat Zion
'Incite' — an expression of exaction/debt, as in 'the enemy shall not exact from him' (below, Psalm 89). 'Alive' — healthy, as in 'until they recovered' (Joshua 5). 'In their dwelling' — an expression of a dwelling place.
Malbim
"Let death be incited against them" — so shall [Death] demand its debt from them at the time "that they go down alive into the netherworld," for they will go down to the netherworld not by means of Death but while [still] alive, because they killed themselves, for they resemble the Angel of Death in performing his deed. And this shall be their punishment for the fact that "evil is in their dwelling, and within them."
As for me, I will call upon God; And Hashem shall save me.
verse value 968
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 26 letters. The shortest word is "I" (אֲ֭נִי, 3 letters) and the longest is "to·God" (אֶל־אֱלֹהִ֣ים, 7 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "shall·save·me" (יוֹשִׁיעֵֽנִי). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·Hashem" (root יהוה, 688x in Psalms); "to·God" (root אלהים, 347x in Psalms); "shall·save·me" (root ישע, 75x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'I·will·call', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 2 words. Full calculation: אֲ֭נִי [I] (61) + אֶל־אֱלֹהִ֣ים [to·God] (117) + אֶקְרָ֑א [I·will·call] (302) + וַ֝יהֹוָ֗ה [and·Hashem] (32) + יוֹשִׁיעֵֽנִי [shall·save·me] (456) = 968.
Ibn Ezra
"As for me" — I will call upon God, until they go down to Sheol alive.
Radak
"As for me" — they are many, gathered against me, but I am alone; I will call upon God, and He will save me from their hand.
Malbim
(17–18) "As for me" — after Ahitophel was killed, he says that now he is confident that Hashem will hear his prayer to save him from the battle that Absalom would wage against him: "as for me, I will call upon Hashem, and Hashem shall save me," and my prayer shall be constant: "evening, and morning, and noon, and Hashem shall hear my voice."
Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I complain, and moan; And He has heard my voice.
verse value 1884
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 32 letters. The shortest word is "evening" (עֶ֤רֶב, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·noon" (וְ֭צׇהֳרַיִם, 6 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "and·morning" (וָבֹ֣קֶר), "and·noon" (וְ֭צׇהֳרַיִם), "and·I·moan" (וְאֶהֱמֶ֑ה). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·He·heard" (root שמע, 76x in Psalms); "my·voice" (root קול, 55x in Psalms); "I·complain" (root שיח, 24x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·I·moan', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 2 words. Full calculation: עֶ֤רֶב [evening] (272) + וָבֹ֣קֶר [and·morning] (308) + וְ֭צׇהֳרַיִם [and·noon] (351) + אָשִׂ֣יחָה [I·complain] (324) + וְאֶהֱמֶ֑ה [and·I·moan] (57) + וַיִּשְׁמַ֥ע [and·He·heard] (426) + קוֹלִֽי [my·voice] (146) = 1884.
Rashi
"Evening, morning, and noontime" — The evening prayer, the morning prayer, and the afternoon prayer, three prayers.
Ibn Ezra
"Evening" — the beginning of the night. "And morning" — the beginning of the day. "And noon" — the middle of the day. And every person can know these times by the sight of his eyes, except at midday he cannot discern it by the shadow, only once about half an hour has passed.
Radak
"Evening" — the end of the day that has passed and the beginning of the night. "And morning" — the beginning of the day. "And noon" — the middle of the day; and these are the times of prayer, for a person ought to give thanks to God whenever the day changes. He says: at these times of prayer I will speak and moan to God, and He will hear my voice. "And He has heard" — this verb is in the past tense, with the vav vocalized with a patach, spoken in the manner of prophecy.
Metzudat David
"Evening, etc." — At each of the three prayer times I will recount my troubles and moan over them.
He has redeemed my soul in peace so that none came near me; For they were many who strove with me.
verse value 1718
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 32 letters. The shortest word is "He·has·redeemed" (פָּ֘דָ֤ה, 3 letters) and the longest is "for·with·many" (כִּֽי־בְ֝רַבִּ֗ים, 7 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "from·battle·against·me" (מִקְּרׇב־לִ֑י), "for·with·many" (כִּֽי־בְ֝רַבִּ֗ים). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "my·soul" (root נפש, 143x in Psalms); "they·were" (root היה, 97x in Psalms); "for·with·many" (root רב, 67x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'from·battle·against·me', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 3 words. Full calculation: פָּ֘דָ֤ה [He·has·redeemed] (89) + בְשָׁל֣וֹם [in·peace] (378) + נַ֭פְשִׁי [my·soul] (440) + מִקְּרׇב־לִ֑י [from·battle·against·me] (382) + כִּֽי־בְ֝רַבִּ֗ים [for·with·many] (284) + הָי֥וּ [they·were] (21) + עִמָּדִֽי [with·me] (124) = 1718.
Rashi
"from the battle that came upon me" — from the war that came upon me. "because of the many [people who] were with me" — For He did this because of the many people who came to my aid to pray on my behalf, as it is stated (I Sam. 18:16): “And all Israel and Judah loved David.”
Ibn Ezra
"He redeemed," "from the battle against me" (mikrav li) — meaning that they did not touch me. And the bet of "berabim hayu imadi" (many were with me) — is like [the bet in] "lachamu bilchami" ("eat of my bread," Proverbs 9:5); and the sense concerns the angels, for many are with us.
Radak
"He has redeemed... from the battle against me" — I am [delivered] in peace from the weapons of war ("krav"); and the Targum renders "when you go out to war" as "krava." "For they were many who strove with me" — for they, a numerous people, were the ones warring with me, while I was but a handful, and God redeemed my soul from them.
Metzudat David
"He has redeemed in peace" — He has always redeemed my soul, restoring it in peace from the wars that came upon me, even though those who fought against me were many, while I was but a few men.
Metzudat Zion
'From battle' — [meaning] war, as in 'weapons of war' (Ecclesiastes 9).
Malbim
(19-20) 'He has redeemed' — this comes after [the psalmist relates] that Hashem redeemed my soul, so that it did not happen according to the counsel of Ahitophel, who wanted to pursue him and kill him at night. The structure of the verse is: 'He has redeemed my soul in peace from those who drew near me, who have no changes' (and what is said, 'for they were many who strove with me,' up to the word 'Selah,' is a parenthetical remark, and the word 'Selah' indicates this — that it is a parenthetical remark inserted in the middle). That is to say: Hashem redeemed my soul so that men who have no changes would not draw near me — meaning, that they have no share in the World to Come, which is the other life that comes as a replacement for the life of this world; they will have no other life, and the resurrection of the dead will not be a replacement for their lives — and they 'do not fear God.' And Hashem redeemed my soul through my prayer, so that these men would not draw near me. And what is said, 'for they were many who strove with me,' means that Hashem's hearing of my prayer was in the merit of the many who were with me, for they too prayed on my behalf, and this was accomplished in their merit — for 'God will hear, and He who is enthroned of old will answer them,' for Hashem does not despise the prayer of the many.
God shall hear, and humble them, even He who is enthroned of old, Selah, such as have no changes, and fear not God.
verse value 2696
Insights
Verse structure: 13 words, 48 letters. Notable word values: "God" (אֱלֹהִֽים) = 86, equal to Elohim. The shortest word is "God" (אֵ֨ל, 2 letters) and the longest is "changes" (חֲלִיפ֣וֹת, 6 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "and·humble·them" (וְֽיַעֲנֵם֮), "changes" (חֲלִיפ֣וֹת). 13 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "God" (root אלהים, 347x in Psalms); "and·not" (root לא, 174x in Psalms); "God" (root אל, 112x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·them', dividing the verse into phrases of 10 and 3 words. Full calculation: יִשְׁמַ֤ע [shall·hear] (420) + אֵ֨ל [God] (31) + וְֽיַעֲנֵם֮ [and·humble·them] (176) + וְיֹ֤שֵׁ֥ב [and·who·is·enthroned] (318) + קֶ֗דֶם [of·old] (144) + סֶ֥֫לָה [Selah] (95) + אֲשֶׁ֤ר [who] (501) + אֵ֣ין [have·no] (61) + חֲלִיפ֣וֹת [changes] (534) + לָ֑מוֹ [to·them] (76) + וְלֹ֖א [and·not] (37) + יָרְא֣וּ [they·fear] (217) + אֱלֹהִֽים [God] (86) = 2696.
Rashi
"May God hear" — the prayer of those many people. "and answer them" — the King, Who dwells from time immemorial. "for there is no passing for them" — For those wicked men who pursue me. They do not pay heed to the day of their passing, and they do not quake from the day of death.
Ibn Ezra
"God shall hear" — he returns to speak of his enemies, whose evil is in their dwelling. "And afflict them" (va-ye'anem) — from the root of "poor" (ani), [meaning] He shall impoverish them. And what is correct in my eyes: He shall testify against them (ya'aneh bam), like "we have not touched you" (lo naga'anukha, Genesis 26:29), which is [equivalent to] "nega'nu bekha" (we touched against you). "He who is enthroned of old" (yoshev kedem) — like "dwelling"; He shall truly afflict them. "Such as have no changes" — that their fortune shall change from good to bad. "And fear not God" — for it is in His power to change me.
Radak
"God shall hear" — [understand it] as "the God shall hear," and He will humble them; the word is related to the meaning of "being afflicted before [someone]." "Even He who is enthroned of old, Selah" — God, who precedes all His creatures, and in whose hand it is to bring low and to raise up — He will humble them. "Such as have no changes" — [understand "lamo"] as [if it were] "lo" (to Him) — that is, God who is enthroned of old and has no changes, for He does not change from one state to another; and whatever He has promised me, He will fulfill for me. "And fear not God" — He is my help, yet they do not fear Him, though He is able to subdue them.
Metzudat David
"Shall hear" — So too now He will hear my disgrace and subdue those who taunt me. "Even He who is enthroned of old" — Hashem, who dwells in the heavens which He created long ago, He will subdue them forever. "Such as" — Because they do not take to heart that they will be changed and pass away from the world, and they do not fear God.
Metzudat Zion
'And humble them' — and He will subdue them, as in 'to humble himself before' (Exodus 10). 'Lamo' — [means] 'to them.'
He has put forth his hands against those who were at peace with him; He has profaned his covenant.
verse value 1442
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 21 letters. The shortest word is "he·has·put·forth" (שָׁלַ֣ח, 3 letters) and the longest is "against·his·allies" (בִּשְׁלֹמָ֗יו, 6 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "against·his·allies" (בִּשְׁלֹמָ֗יו). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "his·hands" (root יד, 78x in Psalms); "he·has·put·forth" (root שלח, 33x in Psalms); "against·his·allies" (root שלום, 28x in Psalms). First appearance of the root חלל ("he·has·profaned") in Psalms. Full calculation: שָׁלַ֣ח [he·has·put·forth] (338) + יָ֭דָיו [his·hands] (30) + בִּשְׁלֹמָ֗יו [against·his·allies] (388) + חִלֵּ֥ל [he·has·profaned] (68) + בְּרִיתֽוֹ [his·covenant] (618) = 1442.
Rashi
"He stretched forth his hands" — This refers to Ahithophel the wicked. "He stretched forth" — Heb. שלח, tandit or tondet in Old French, stretched forth, tendait in modern French. "against him who was at peace with him" — Heb. בשלמיו, against him who was tranquil and at peace with him.
Ibn Ezra
"He put forth his hands" — each one, with his hands, against "bishlomav" — meaning against the people of his peace [i.e., his allies] — in the manner of: "but I am prayer" (Psalm 109:4).
Radak
"He has put forth" — Ahithophel put forth his hands against the man at peace with him, David, who was at peace with him; or "his men of peace" describes David and his faction, who were loyal to him. "He has profaned his covenant" — that he had with David.
Metzudat David
"He has put forth his hands" — This is said of Ahithophel: behold, he put forth his hand against me, though I was a man at peace with him, and he profaned the covenant that he made with me.
Malbim
'He has put forth' — this returns to the matter of Ahitophel: behold, he 'put forth his hands against those who were at peace with him,' for he wanted to pursue David and kill him with his own hands, and by this 'he has profaned his covenant,' for he was a covenant-partner of David and a man at peace with him.
Smoother than cream were the speeches of his mouth, But his heart was war; His words were softer than oil, Yet were they keen-edged swords.
verse value 2903
Insights
Verse structure: 9 words, 40 letters. The shortest word is "his·mouth" (פִּיו֮, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·war·was·his·heart" (וּֽקְרָב־לִ֫בּ֥וֹ, 7 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "were·smooth" (חָלְק֤וּ), "curds·of" (מַחְמָאֹ֣ת), "and·war·was·his·heart" (וּֽקְרָב־לִ֫בּ֥וֹ). 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "his·words" (root דבר, 133x in Psalms); "and·they" (root הם, 69x in Psalms); "his·mouth" (root פה, 46x in Psalms). Full calculation: חָלְק֤וּ [were·smooth] (144) + מַחְמָאֹ֣ת [curds·of] (489) + פִּיו֮ [his·mouth] (96) + וּֽקְרָב־לִ֫בּ֥וֹ [and·war·was·his·heart] (346) + רַכּ֖וּ [were·tender] (226) + דְבָרָ֥יו [his·words] (222) + מִשֶּׁ֗מֶן [from·oil] (430) + וְהֵ֣מָּה [and·they] (56) + פְתִחֽוֹת [drawn·swords] (894) = 2903.
Rashi
"Smooth were" — Heb. חלקו, an expression of (above 35:6): “and slippery (וחלקלקות).” "the buttery words of his mouth" — Heb. מחמאת, an expression of חמאה butter. The first “mem” is a defective radical in the word, like the “mem” of מעשה and the “mem” of מאמר. "but his heart was set on war" — Heb. וקרב, to war. "but they are curses" — Heb. פתחות. Menachem (p. 147) interpreted it as an expression of swords, as (Micah 5:5): “and the land of Nimrod with its swords (בפתחיה),” with the edges of the sword. I say, however, that it is an expression of curse in Aramaic, as the Talmud (R.H. 31b) states: Amemar wrote a pethicha on her, which is a warrant decreeing excommunication.
Ibn Ezra
"They were smooth" (chalku) — [meaning] after they were smooth [i.e., after the flattery came the war]. "Machma'ot" (smoother than cream) — the mem takes a patach ["is opened"] because of the guttural letter [that follows]. And the sense of "his mouth" — like "the words of his mouth." "And war" (ve-krav) — like: "who trains my hands for war" (Psalm 144:1). "Yet they are drawn" (petichot) — swords sharpened or unsheathed, like: "the wicked have drawn the sword" (Psalm 37:14).
Radak
"Smoother than cream" ("mechem'ot") — the mem [of comparison] is vocalized with a patach, though by rule it should be a tzere, since it functions as a comparative prefix; and its meaning is: the words of his mouth were smoother than cream. He says: now I see that the kind things he used to speak with me [were false] — for his tongue was smooth toward me, but his heart was not with me. And although the second mem in "mechem'ot" ought by rule to be vocalized with a shva, because of the construct form, it remained with a kamatz, so as not to be reduced before the alef. "But his heart was war" — his words were smooth, but his heart was set on war. "His words were softer [than oil]" — a repetition of the same idea in different words. "Yet they were drawn [swords]" — meaning: swords.
Metzudat David
"Smoother" — The words of his mouth are soft and smoother than cream, but in his heart he plans to war against me. "Softer, etc." — The matter is repeated in different words. "Yet they are drawn swords" — For with them he deceives me, so as to prepare himself to bring distress upon me.
Metzudat Zion
'And war' — and battle. 'Keen-edged [swords]' — swords, as in 'and the land of Nimrod with its swords' (Micah 5:5).
Malbim
(22-23) 'Smoother' — he mentions how [Ahitophel] spoke to David with deceit: David sensed somewhat that there was a rebellion, that there was some complaint among the people, and he consulted with Ahitophel about this. [Ahitophel] told him with smooth words not to pay attention to it, but only to trust in Hashem. This is the meaning of 'the speeches of his mouth were smoother than cream, but his heart was war' — for he told him: do not fear any rebellion, and do not do anything, only 'cast your burden upon Hashem and He will sustain you,' and He will bear you, 'for Hashem will not let the righteous be moved.' By this he beguiled his heart, so that his heart would be confident and secure and he would not investigate the rebellion or seek it out. 'And his words were softer than oil, yet they were open' — meaning that the matter is now open and revealed to all — for by this he set a snare for me: because I relied on his words I investigated no further, and thereby the whole matter of the conspiracy and rebellion that was carried out in secret was hidden from me.
Cast your burden upon Hashem, and He will sustain you; He will never suffer the righteous to be moved.
verse value 1622
Insights
Verse structure: 9 words, 42 letters. Notable word values: "and·He" (וְה֢וּא) = 18, chai, 'life'. The shortest word is "tottering" (מ֗וֹט, 3 letters) and the longest is "upon·Hashem" (עַל־יְהֹוָ֨ה, 6 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "cast" (הַשְׁלֵ֤ךְ), "your·burden" (יְהָבְךָ֮), "will·sustain·you" (יְכַ֫לְכְּלֶ֥ךָ). 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "upon·Hashem" (root יהוה, 688x in Psalms); "forever" (root עולם, 144x in Psalms); "will·not·give" (root נתן, 95x in Psalms). First appearance of the root כול ("will·sustain·you") in Psalms. Full calculation: הַשְׁלֵ֤ךְ [cast] (355) + עַל־יְהֹוָ֨ה [upon·Hashem] (126) + יְהָבְךָ֮ [your·burden] (37) + וְה֢וּא [and·He] (18) + יְכַ֫לְכְּלֶ֥ךָ [will·sustain·you] (130) + לֹא־יִתֵּ֖ן [will·not·give] (491) + לְעוֹלָ֥ם [forever] (176) + מ֗וֹט [tottering] (55) + לַצַּדִּֽיק [to·the·righteous] (234) = 1622.
Rashi
"your burden" — Heb. יהבך, your burden. The Holy Spirit answers him thus. "and He will bear you" — Heb. יכלכלך. He will bear your burden, as (I Kings 8:27): “the heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain You (יכלכלוך). The expression of כלכול is rendered מסובר, bearing, in Targum Jonathan ben Uzziel. "to falter" — Heb. מוט, the faltering of the foot.
Ibn Ezra
"Cast" — he says to his own soul, or to the righteous one: "Cast your burden upon Hashem." "And He will sustain you" — He will bear you, like: "the heavens cannot contain You" (1 Kings 8:27), and "who can endure the day of His coming?" (Malachi 3:2). And some say: the word "yehavkha" (your burden) is like "natankha" (that which He gave you). And the sense: the burden that Hashem placed upon you. And Rabbi Moshe said: "natankha" means "bread has been given to you until now, and He will sustain you in the future," like: "and he sustained Joseph" (Genesis 47:12). But this is not the sense of the psalm.
Radak
"Cast" — David said this concerning both himself and all the righteous: Cast your burden upon Hashem, for He will bear you, and do not fear mortal men; for if you trust in Him, He will sustain you, for He will never let the righteous stumble — He will never allow him to be shaken, forever. "Your burden" — your load. "He will sustain you" — He will bear you.
Metzudat David
"Cast" — David says to his soul: Cast your burden upon Hashem, and so it will be, for He will bear your burden; that is, trust in Him that He will lighten your burden from upon you. And so it will be, for He will not forever abandon the righteous to be moved.
Metzudat Zion
'Your burden' — an expression of a load; so did our Sages of blessed memory explain it (Rosh Hashanah 27). 'He will sustain you' — He will bear you, as in 'and who can endure it' (Joel 2).
But You, O God, will bring them down into the nethermost pit; Men of blood and deceit shall not live out half their days; But as for me, I will trust in You.
verse value 3194
Insights
Verse structure: 12 words, 55 letters. Notable word values: "God" (אֱלֹהִ֨ים) = 86, equal to Elohim. The shortest word is "pit" (שַׁ֗חַת, 3 letters) and the longest is "will·not·divide" (לֹא־יֶחֱצ֣וּ, 6 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "You·will·bring·them·down" (תּוֹרִדֵ֬ם), "to·the·well·of" (לִבְאֵ֬ר), "will·not·divide" (לֹא־יֶחֱצ֣וּ). 12 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "God" (root אלהים, 347x in Psalms); "their·days" (root יום, 121x in Psalms); "and·You" (root אתה, 115x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'their·days', dividing the verse into phrases of 10 and 2 words. Full calculation: וְאַתָּ֤ה [and·You] (412) + אֱלֹהִ֨ים [God] (86) + תּוֹרִדֵ֬ם [You·will·bring·them·down] (650) + לִבְאֵ֬ר [to·the·well·of] (233) + שַׁ֗חַת [pit] (708) + אַנְשֵׁ֤י [men·of] (361) + דָמִ֣ים [blood] (94) + וּ֭מִרְמָה [and·deceit] (291) + לֹא־יֶחֱצ֣וּ [will·not·divide] (145) + יְמֵיהֶ֑ם [their·days] (105) + וַ֝אֲנִ֗י [and·I] (67) + אֶבְטַח־בָּֽךְ [I·will·trust·in·You] (42) = 3194.
Ibn Ezra
"But You" — the mem of "toridem" (You will bring them down) refers back to those whose words were many. "Their days shall not be halved" — that the number of their days shall not be completed. "But I will trust in You" — that You will fill out the number of my days, for I am Your servant, as You promised me in Your Torah. Or: "but I will trust in You" — that You will bring them down in the half of their days to the pit.
Radak
"But You" — But You will bring these traitors down to the pit of destruction — meaning, to the pit of destruction, to Gehinnom — so that their souls will perish at the death of their bodies; and even the death of their bodies will be a karet (a cutting-off), so that they will not reach half their days, for they do not fear You. But as for me, I trust in You that You will save me from their hand.
Metzudat David
"You will bring them down" — Ahithophel and his companions, for they are men of blood, and therefore they will not live out even half of their allotted days. "I will trust in You" — To be saved from their hand.
Metzudat Zion
'Pit' — grave.
Malbim
'But You' — meaning, although You will not put them to death, since they put themselves to death, You will be the One who brings them down to the pit of destruction, to Gehinnom, so that they will not merit the World to Come. 'Men of blood and deceit shall not live out half their days' — for by taking his own life, it might seem that he wanted to divide his days in half, half in this world and half in the World to Come; but this will not be, for they will go down to the pit of destruction and to Gehinnom. 'But as for me, I will trust in You.'
Radak
Malbim