A Psalm of David, for the Leader, with string-music, on the Sheminith — a penitent's cry of anguish and bodily affliction, pleading for Hashem's mercy and healing.
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For the Leader; with string-music; on the Sheminith. A Psalm of David.
verse value 1991
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 30 letters. The shortest word is "of·David" (לְדָוִֽד, 4 letters) and the longest is "upon·the·Sheminith" (עַֽל־הַשְּׁמִינִ֗ית, 9 letters). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "of·David" (root דוד, 89x in Psalms); "for·the·leader" (root נצח, 73x in Psalms); "a·psalm" (root מזמור, 57x in Psalms). Full calculation: לַמְנַצֵּ֣חַ [for·the·leader] (218) + בִּ֭נְגִינוֹת [with·stringed·instruments] (521) + עַֽל־הַשְּׁמִינִ֗ית [upon·the·Sheminith] (915) + מִזְמ֥וֹר [a·psalm] (293) + לְדָוִֽד [of·David] (44) = 1991.
Rashi
"on the sheminith" — A harp of eight strings, known as sheminith, and so we find (in I Chron. 15: 21): “So-and-so and his sons on the sheminith to conduct.”
Ibn Ezra
“For the Leader, on the Sheminith” — “the Sheminith”: some say it is a musical instrument that has eight strings, or a hymn that has eight melodies; therefore it is written ‘with string-music,’ and this [psalm] is set to the eighth tune.
Radak
"For the Leader; with string-music; on the Sheminith. A Psalm of David" — we have already explained the meaning of "neginot" [string-music] and "sheminit" and the other kinds of musical terms for a psalm, in [our comments on] "when I call, answer me" [Psalm 4]. And some explain (the Targum, ad loc.) that "sheminit" [the eighth] is a lyre that had eight strings, and this psalm was recited to this melody. And the midrashic explanation (Bavli Menachot 43b) is: it concerns circumcision, which is given on the eighth [day] — but this is far-fetched. This psalm may have been said by David concerning his illness, and it is also possible that it was said to be used in the language of anyone afflicted with illness. For David composed many psalms of prayer and petition so that they would be ready for use by anyone who prays; and such is my opinion regarding this psalm. And some say (Ibn Ezra, ad loc.) that it was said concerning the exile, for Israel in exile is like the sick and the afflicted.
Metzudat Zion
"The Sheminith." — A musical instrument with eight strings.
Malbim
“For the Leader” — it is clear that this psalm was prayed at the time [David] fell ill with a severe and lengthy illness, after the incident of Bathsheba, as our Sages, of blessed memory, received [in tradition]. And he prayed concerning his illness (verses 2–7), but also concerning his enemies, who hated him and embittered him at that time, until this seemed worse to him than his illness, and he prayed concerning them as well (verses 7–11) — so that the psalm as a whole speaks of two kinds of enemies that surround a person: the enemy attached to him from birth, namely, the temperament of his body and its humors, which rise up against him to make him ill and to bring about his death; and the external enemies, who are other than him, from among mankind.
O Hashem, rebuke me not in Your anger, Neither chasten me in Your wrath.
verse value 1901
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 31 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 "and·not·in·Your·wrath" (וְֽאַל־בַּחֲמָתְךָ֥, 8 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "not·in·Your·anger" (אַל־בְּאַפְּךָ֥), "and·not·in·Your·wrath" (וְֽאַל־בַּחֲמָתְךָ֥). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 688x in Psalms); "not·in·Your·anger" (root אף, 40x in Psalms). First appearance of the root יכח ("rebuke·me") in Psalms. First appearance of the root חמה ("and·not·in·Your·wrath") 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־בְּאַפְּךָ֥ [not·in·Your·anger] (134) + תוֹכִיחֵ֑נִי [rebuke·me] (504) + וְֽאַל־בַּחֲמָתְךָ֥ [and·not·in·Your·wrath] (507) + תְיַסְּרֵֽנִי [chasten·me] (730) = 1901.
Ibn Ezra
“Hashem” — [meaning] the One near to me. For David composed this psalm during his illness, and he recovered from it; or it was spoken prophetically concerning Israel, who are in exile like the sick. And if it follows the first way, David also prophesied that he would be healed — as in Jonah’s prayer, ‘yet I will again look’ [Jonah 2:5] — and it is on account of sin that Hashem rebukes by means of illnesses, as in ‘with rebukes for iniquity You chasten a man’ [Psalm 39:12].
Radak
"O Hashem, rebuke me not in Your anger" — if You rebuke me for my sin, let it not be "in Your anger" — meaning: gently, so that I will be able to bear it, as the prophet Jeremiah said (Jeremiah 10:24): "Chasten me, Hashem, but in due measure," etc. "Neither chasten me in Your wrath" — a repetition of the same idea in different words, according to the custom of the language.
Metzudat David
"Neither...in Your wrath" — This repeats the same matter in different words.
Malbim
“O Hashem, rebuke me not in Your anger” — there is a difference between “af” [anger] and “chemah” [wrath]: “af” is anger that is openly revealed, while “chemah” is the burning fire of anger hidden within, in the harboring of hatred and enmity. Sometimes there can be “af” without “chemah,” if he merely shows an angry face while love remains in his inner conscience; and there can be “chemah” without “af,” if he conceals his anger and his enmity. And there is a difference between “tochachah” [rebuke] and “yissur” [chastisement]: “tochachah” is conducted with gentle words, whereas in “yissur” one binds his soul with harsh words or actual suffering. Now, Hashem's rebuke for iniquity is sometimes given so that one will not sin in the future, and this is called “tochachah.” And David asked that this rebuke not be given in anger, but rather in gentle words, as a father [rebukes] his son. And he did not need to ask that it not be given in “chemah” and harbored enmity, for an enemy does not rebuke, nor does he strive to bring [the sinner] back to the right path — open rebuke is always [a sign of] hidden love. So he asked only, “rebuke me not in Your anger.” And sometimes Hashem brings afflictions upon a person on account of a sin he has already committed, and these afflictions are necessarily accompanied by “af,” for the one who chastises shows outwardly that he is angry at the one being chastised. Therefore he asked that, in any case, “chasten me not in Your wrath,” so that it should not stem from inner enmity and harbored hatred, like an enemy who chastises, but rather as is written, “For as a man chastens his son, Hashem your God chastens you,” and it says, “but he who loves him disciplines him diligently.”
Be gracious to me, O Hashem, for I languish away; Heal me, O Hashem, for my bones are affrighted.
verse value 1036
Insights
Verse structure: 9 words, 37 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָה֮) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֤י, 2 letters) and the longest is "faint·am·I" (אֻמְלַ֫ל־אָ֥נִי, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 30: for, for. 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "faint·am·I" (אֻמְלַ֫ל־אָ֥נִי), "heal·me" (רְפָאֵ֥נִי). The root יהוה appears 2 times in this verse. 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 688x in Psalms); "for" (root כי, 216x in Psalms); "be·gracious·to·me" (root חנן, 32x in Psalms). First appearance of the root רפא ("heal·me") in Psalms. First appearance of the root עצם ("my·bones") in Psalms. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Hashem', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 3 words. Full calculation: חׇנֵּ֥נִי [be·gracious·to·me] (118) + יְהֹוָה֮ [Hashem] (26) + כִּ֤י [for] (30) + אֻמְלַ֫ל־אָ֥נִי [faint·am·I] (162) + רְפָאֵ֥נִי [heal·me] (341) + יְהֹוָ֑ה [Hashem] (26) + כִּ֖י [for] (30) + נִבְהֲל֣וּ [are·affrighted] (93) + עֲצָמָֽי [my·bones] (210) = 1036.
Rashi
"languish" — אמלל, devastated, and poor in strength, konfondouc in Old French, confounded, perplexed as “these feeble Jews (האמללים),” of Ezra (Neh. 3:34).
Ibn Ezra
“Be gracious to me” — because Rabbi Moshe HaKohen found that ‘אמלל’ [I languish] has a pattach, he said that it is not an adjective but rather elliptical, as though it read ‘and I remained,’ the correct form being ‘ונשארתי’ [I remained] — along the lines of ‘I am the man who has seen affliction’ [Lamentations 3:1], [and] ‘behold, I will add to your days’ [Isaiah 38:5]. And the matter is correct. “My bones are affrighted” — [the bones] are the foundations of the body and do not normally feel, yet it is as if they felt, from the severity of the illness; thus “my bones” stands opposite “the body.”
Radak
"Be gracious to me, Hashem, for I languish" — [the word 'omlal'] is a descriptive form [to'ar, i.e., an adjective], even though it has a patach vowel. Similar to it is: "a deceived heart has led him astray" (Isaiah 44:20). It refers to withering and cutting off, like: "she who had many children has languished" (1 Samuel 2:5), "the languishing Jews" (Nehemiah 3:34), "she who bore seven has languished" (Jeremiah 15:9), and others like these. "Heal me, Hashem, for my bones are frightened" — he means the body. He says "my bones" because they are the foundation of the body. Or he says this in reference to the pain of the limbs.
Metzudat David
"Be gracious to me" — so that You not continue further to be angry with me, for I am already wretched, and that is enough. "Heal me" — He continues his petition, saying "heal me" from the blows that have come upon me until now, for indeed my bones are affrighted.
Metzudat Zion
"I languish." — An expression of cutting off, as in "it is cut down and withers" (below, 90:6); it is from the language of circumcision.
Malbim
“Be gracious to me, Hashem,” for, “I languish,” and I am weakened in strength by the illness. And he adds, saying, “heal me, for” already, “my bones are affrighted,” for the affliction of the illness has reached even to the bones. But alas, that also, “my soul is greatly affrighted,” and the matter has already touched the soul as well. “And You, Hashem, how long” will You not show favor, since my soul, too, is in danger? If so, “Hashem, turn back” from Your wrath, “deliver my soul,” and if I am not worthy, “save me” for the sake of [Your] loving-kindness.
My soul also is sore affrighted; And You, O Hashem, how long?
verse value 1952
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 29 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְ֝הֹוָ֗ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "greatly" (מְאֹ֑ד, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·my·soul" (וְ֭נַפְשִׁי, 5 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "is·affrighted" (נִבְהֲלָ֣ה). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 688x in Psalms); "and·my·soul" (root נפש, 143x in Psalms); "and·You" (root אתה, 115x in Psalms). First appearance of the root מאד ("greatly") in Psalms. First appearance of the root עד ("until·when") in Psalms. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'greatly', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 4 words.
Rashi
"and You, O Lord, how long" — will You look on and not heal [me]?
Ibn Ezra
“And my soul” — since it is bound to the body, it is more affrighted than the body is; hence the word “greatly.” “How long” — will my soul remain affrighted, since it has no strength to endure it?!
Radak
"My soul also is greatly frightened" — "my bones are frightened, and my soul is greatly frightened" — because of my fear and worry that I will die from this illness. "Ve'atta" ["and You"] — is written without a heh but read with a heh; but it is the same either way, for it is also found written without a heh. So too: "And if You (et) deal thus with me" (Numbers 11:15). "Hashem, how long" — will You crush me with illnesses and not heal me?
Metzudat David
"My soul also" — My soul, too, is affrighted; and if so, how much longer will I continue to be stricken and afflicted? Surely the very essence of retribution is to open the ear to rebuke, and behold, I have already been terrified and have accepted the rebuke.
Return, O Hashem, deliver my soul; Save me for Your mercy's sake.
verse value 1645
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 31 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְ֭הֹוָה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "return" (שׁוּבָ֣ה, 4 letters) and the longest is "save·me" (ה֝וֹשִׁיעֵ֗נִי, 7 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "deliver" (חַלְּצָ֣ה). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 688x in Psalms); "my·soul" (root נפש, 143x in Psalms); "Your·mercy" (root חסד, 125x in Psalms). First appearance of the root שוב ("return") in Psalms. First appearance of the root חלץ ("deliver") in Psalms. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'my·soul', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 3 words. Full calculation: שׁוּבָ֣ה [return] (313) + יְ֭הֹוָה [Hashem] (26) + חַלְּצָ֣ה [deliver] (133) + נַפְשִׁ֑י [my·soul] (440) + ה֝וֹשִׁיעֵ֗נִי [save·me] (451) + לְמַ֣עַן [for·the·sake·of] (190) + חַסְדֶּֽךָ [Your·mercy] (92) = 1645.
Rashi
"Return, O Lord" — from Your anger. "rescue my soul" — from my illness.
Ibn Ezra
“Return” — that He should turn back from His burning anger; ‘and for Your mercy’s sake save me’ from my illness — not as Hezekiah said, ‘for it is very grievous for me in my death,’ for then I would not be able to mention [You] with my tongue, nor thank You openly.
Radak
"Return [shuvah]" — the accent falls on the last syllable [milra]. There are five [occurrences of this word] accented on the last syllable, and this is one of them. "Hashem, deliver my soul" — its meaning is: turn back from Your burning anger against me, and turn to "deliver my soul" so that I do not die from this illness. "Save me for the sake of Your mercy" — not for my righteousness, for I know that it is [by Your mercy] that I live.
Metzudat David
"Return, O Hashem" — Therefore, return to bring my soul out of trouble, and save me for the sake of Your kindness, even though I have not yet been punished in full according to my sins.
Metzudat Zion
"Deliver." — Draw out, similar to "He has withdrawn from them" (Hosea 5:6).
For in death there is no remembrance of You; In the nether-world who will give You thanks?
verse value 1250
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 26 letters. Verse gematria: 1250 is divisible by 50, the years to the Jubilee (yovel). The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֤י, 2 letters) and the longest is "will·give·thanks·to·You" (יֽוֹדֶה־לָּֽךְ, 6 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "in·the·death" (בַּמָּ֣וֶת), "in·the·netherworld" (בִּ֝שְׁא֗וֹל), "will·give·thanks·to·You" (יֽוֹדֶה־לָּֽךְ). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "for" (root כי, 216x in Psalms); "will·give·thanks·to·You" (root ידה, 68x in Psalms); "there·is·no" (root אין, 67x in Psalms). First appearance of the root מות ("in·the·death") in Psalms. First appearance of the root זכר ("remembrance·of·You") in Psalms. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'remembrance·of·You', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 3 words. Full calculation: כִּ֤י [for] (30) + אֵ֣ין [there·is·no] (61) + בַּמָּ֣וֶת [in·the·death] (448) + זִכְרֶ֑ךָ [remembrance·of·You] (247) + בִּ֝שְׁא֗וֹל [in·the·netherworld] (339) + מִ֣י [who] (50) + יֽוֹדֶה־לָּֽךְ [will·give·thanks·to·You] (75) = 1250.
Radak
"For in death there is no remembrance of You; in Sheol who will give You thanks?" — if I die, I will not remember You in death, and I will not give thanks to You; but if You heal me, I will give thanks to You before the eyes of all. As Hezekiah said (Isaiah 38:18): "For Sheol cannot thank You, death cannot praise You," and so on; and David said (Psalms 118:17): "I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of Yah." For the body, after the soul departs from it, is like a silent stone, and it descends to Sheol; but the soul ascends and gives thanks and offers praise forever without ceasing. Nevertheless, the righteous person desires to live, so as to do the will of God while still alive, and thereby increase the reward of the soul in the world to come.
Metzudat David
"For in death" — For if I die from the trouble that is coming, I will no longer make mention of Your name; for who gives thanks in the grave? Surely only the living — the living — give thanks to You.
Malbim
"For in death there is no remembrance of You" — the remembrance of Your name pertains to existence and coming-into-being, for You bring into existence and create; it does not pertain to absence and nothingness, nor to death — along the lines of what our sages said, that Hashem does not unite His name with evil. And also, is it not so that "in Sheol who will give thanks to You" — for the one who has ceased to exist can no longer receive Your goodness and kindness, which is the very purpose of the creation You created: to do good to those who exist, so that they may give You thanks.
I am weary with my groaning; Every night I make my bed to swim; I melt away my couch with my tears.
verse value 3076
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 40 letters. The shortest word is "I·make·swim" (אַשְׂחֶ֣ה, 4 letters) and the longest is "in·every·night" (בְכׇל־לַ֭יְלָה, 7 letters). 7 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "with·my·sighing" (בְּֽאַנְחָתִ֗י), "I·make·swim" (אַשְׂחֶ֣ה), "in·every·night" (בְכׇל־לַ֭יְלָה). 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "in·every·night" (root ליל, 27x in Psalms). First appearance of the root אנחה ("with·my·sighing") in Psalms. First appearance of the root מטה ("my·bed") in Psalms. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'my·bed', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 3 words. Full calculation: יָגַ֤עְתִּי [I·am·weary] (493) + בְּֽאַנְחָתִ֗י [with·my·sighing] (471) + אַשְׂחֶ֣ה [I·make·swim] (314) + בְכׇל־לַ֭יְלָה [in·every·night] (127) + מִטָּתִ֑י [my·bed] (459) + בְּ֝דִמְעָתִ֗י [with·my·tears] (526) + עַרְשִׂ֥י [my·couch] (580) + אַמְסֶֽה [I·melt] (106) = 3076.
Rashi
"every night I sully my bed" — Heb. אשׂחה an expression of (Lam. 3:45): “scum (סחי) and refuse”; (Isa. 5:25), “and their corpses were like spittle (כסוחה).” I sully my bed with tears. Menachem (p. 172), however, associated it with (Isa. 25:11): “as the swimmer (השׂחה) spreads out [his hands] to swim (לשׂחות),” and with (Ezek. 47:5), “water to swim in (שׂחו).” "I wet my couch with my tears" — I moisten and wet as with water.
Ibn Ezra
“I am weary” — he recounts the greatness of his illness and his groaning; and “I cause [my bed] to swim” [אשחה] — its force is like a swimmer who stretches out to swim; and “my couch” is the object [of the verb], meaning: from the water of my weeping, along the lines of ‘and no breath remained in me’ [Daniel 10:17]. And some say that ‘אשחה’ is [the same as] the Aramaic translation ‘ארחץ’ [I wash].
Radak
"I am weary with my groaning; every night I make my bed swim; I melt my couch with my tears" — for I groan and worry over my illness, and I weep until "I make my bed swim every night." For at night the illness grows heavier, and a person groans and weeps over his illness. Or he weeps at night because the members of his household are asleep and no one sees him. And so he is worn out from the groaning and the weeping. And what he says — "I make it swim" and "I melt it" — is by way of exaggeration and hyperbole. The meaning of "I make swim [aschech]" is from the same [root] as when it says "as a swimmer spreads out [his hands] to swim" (Isaiah 25:11), or from the Targum's rendering of "and he washed [va-yirchatz]" (Genesis 43:31) as "ve-aschei." The meaning of "I melt [amseh]" is from "and they made the heart of the people melt" (Joshua 14:8); and "and like a moth You melt away what he treasures" (Psalms 39:12). These are verbs weak in the final root letter [lamed-heh verbs] of the hif'il conjugation. And there are many doubled-root verbs [geminate verbs] of this same meaning, such as: "they made our heart melt" (Deuteronomy 1:25); and "the heart of the people melted" (Joshua 7:5).
Metzudat David
"I am weary" — I have become tired and weary from sighing at every moment. "I make [my bed] swim" — I set my bed afloat in the waters of my weeping, like something that floats upon the water. "With my tears" — I dissolve and drench my couch with the tears of my eyes; and this repeats the same matter in different words.
Metzudat Zion
"I make [my bed] swim." — An expression of swimming in water, as in "as a swimmer spreads out his hands to swim" (Isaiah 25:11). "My couch." — My bed, as in "the bed of my couch" (below, 132:3). "I melt away." — From the language of dissolving and melting.
Malbim
"I am weary" — now the second matter begins, against his enemies who cause him grief. He says: behold, "I am weary with my groaning," to the point that every night "I make my bed swim," and I loathe "my bed" from an abundance of weeping. Yet with all this, it was not from the weeping and the tears that my eye grew dim — rather, "my eye grew dim from vexation," while my other eye "has moved" from its place — not from the tears I wept on account of my illness, but rather "because of all my adversaries," for they are harder for me to bear than the illness. He then turns his face against his enemies, saying: "Depart from me," you "workers of iniquity," for behold, at the time when "Hashem heard the sound of my weeping," at the time when "He heard my supplication" — ("Hashem will take up my prayer" is a parenthetical remark, meaning: is it not beyond doubt that Hashem will take up and accept my prayer?) — behold, then, at the time Hashem heard the sound of my weeping and my supplication, then two evils will overtake them: (1) that "all my enemies shall be utterly ashamed" — their shame will be exceedingly great, very great and very large; and also (2) behold, "then all my enemies shall be terrified" — for a divine judgment from above will overtake them as well. Therefore it is better for them that "they turn back" ("in a moment") "be ashamed in a moment" — that they turn back at once, in this very moment, and thereby gain, in that they will be ashamed only for a moment, insofar as they will be forced to admit the truth, and will not be ashamed exceedingly, nor be terrified because of the punishment.
My eye is dimmed because of vexation; It grows old because of all my adversaries.
verse value 2138
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 24 letters. The shortest word is "wastes·away" (עָשְׁשָׁ֣ה, 4 letters) and the longest is "because·of·all·my·adversaries" (בְּכׇל־צוֹרְרָֽי, 8 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "from·vexation" (מִכַּ֣עַס), "grows·old" (עָ֝תְקָ֗ה), "because·of·all·my·adversaries" (בְּכׇל־צוֹרְרָֽי). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "my·eye" (root עין, 64x in Psalms). First appearance of the root עשש ("wastes·away") in Psalms. First appearance of the root כעס ("from·vexation") in Psalms. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'my·eye', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 2 words. Full calculation: עָשְׁשָׁ֣ה [wastes·away] (675) + מִכַּ֣עַס [from·vexation] (190) + עֵינִ֑י [my·eye] (140) + עָ֝תְקָ֗ה [grows·old] (575) + בְּכׇל־צוֹרְרָֽי [because·of·all·my·adversaries] (558) = 2138.
Rashi
"is dimmed" — Heb. עשׁשׁה, an expression of a lantern (עשׁשׁית), an eye which has impaired vision and seems to see through glass [held] before its eyes. Menachem (p. 139) defines it as an expression of decay, and so every expression of עשׁ, like (below 31:1 1) “and my bones are wasted away (עשׁשׁו).” "it has aged" — Heb. עתקה. My eye has aged and become old in that its light has dimmed. Menachem (p. 139) associated it with (Gen. 12:8): “And he moved (ויעתק) from there to the mountain.” "because of all my adversaries" — Because of the troubles that distress me.
Ibn Ezra
“Is dimmed” [עששה] — from the same root as ‘the moth shall eat them’ [Isaiah 50:9]. And the sense of “my eye” — because in his illness he sees his enemies rejoicing, and this is the meaning of “from vexation”; these enemies come to visit him in order to witness their revenge, and so afterward he says, “depart from me.” And the word “it grows old” [עתקה] — refers back to “my eye,” [worn out] from much weeping. And the sense of “because of all my adversaries” — [means] ‘because of all who besiege me,’ and there are many [spellings] like it.
Radak
"Is dimmed [asheshah]" — from the same root as "the moth shall eat them" (Isaiah 50:9), as if to say "it has rotted." "My eye [is dimmed] because of vexation" — the meaning is that I weep because of the "vexation" I feel, being angry at my enemies who rejoice over my illness. And the meaning of... "It grows old [atkah]" — from "and the rock is removed from its place" (Job 14:18). Both "asheshah" and "atkah" are by way of exaggeration and hyperbole. The meaning of "because of all my adversaries" is: on account of all my adversaries. And some explain (Targum and Rashi ad loc.) that "atkah" means "has become old," just as the Targum renders "old [yashan]" (Leviticus 25:22) as "atik."
Metzudat David
"Is dimmed with vexation" — From the wrath of the enemy my eyes have worn away. "Grows old" — Because of my troubles my eyes have dimmed, as though they had aged with old age; and if so, let the troubles that have already come upon me be enough.
Metzudat Zion
"Is dimmed." — An expression of decay and rot, as in "and my bones are wasted away" (below, 31:11). "It grows old." — An expression of oldness, as in "and the records are ancient" (I Chronicles 4:22).
Depart from me, all you workers of iniquity; For Hashem has heard the voice of my weeping.
verse value 1353
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 33 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְ֝הֹוָ֗ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "iniquity" (אָ֑וֶן, 3 letters) and the longest is "all·workers·of" (כׇּל־פֹּ֣עֲלֵי, 6 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "my·weeping" (בִּכְיִֽי). 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 688x in Psalms); "for·has·heard" (root שמע, 76x in Psalms); "from·me" (root מן, 59x in Psalms). First appearance of the root סור ("turn·aside") in Psalms. First appearance of the root בכי ("my·weeping") in Psalms. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'iniquity', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 4 words. Full calculation: ס֣וּרוּ [turn·aside] (272) + מִ֭מֶּנִּי [from·me] (140) + כׇּל־פֹּ֣עֲלֵי [all·workers·of] (240) + אָ֑וֶן [iniquity] (57) + כִּֽי־שָׁמַ֥ע [for·has·heard] (440) + יְ֝הֹוָ֗ה [Hashem] (26) + ק֣וֹל [the·voice·of] (136) + בִּכְיִֽי [my·weeping] (42) = 1353.
Ibn Ezra
“Depart” — his adversaries are “workers of iniquity” [פועלי און], the opposite of ‘His work’ [פעלו].
Radak
"Depart from me, all you workers of iniquity, for Hashem has heard the voice of my weeping" — he said this after recovering from his illness, or [he said it] while still in his illness, speaking of the future through divine inspiration [ruach ha-kodesh]. And every sick person who prays with this psalm may say this, for he is confident that God will hear his prayer if he prays with a broken and contrite heart.
Metzudat David
"Depart" — Go away from me, for from now on you will not prevail against me, for my prayer has been accepted.
Hashem has heard my supplication; Hashem receives my prayer.
verse value 2368
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 24 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְ֭הֹוָה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "has·heard" (שָׁמַ֣ע, 3 letters) and the longest is "my·supplication" (תְּחִנָּתִ֑י, 5 letters). Words sharing gematria 26: Hashem, Hashem. The root יהוה appears 2 times in this verse. 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 688x in Psalms); "has·heard" (root שמע, 76x in Psalms); "my·prayer" (root תפלה, 32x in Psalms). First appearance of the root תחנה ("my·supplication") in Psalms. First appearance of the root לקח ("receives") in Psalms. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'my·supplication', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: שָׁמַ֣ע [has·heard] (410) + יְ֭הֹוָה [Hashem] (26) + תְּחִנָּתִ֑י [my·supplication] (868) + יְ֝הֹוָ֗ה [Hashem] (26) + תְּֽפִלָּתִ֥י [my·prayer] (920) + יִקָּֽח [receives] (118) = 2368.
Ibn Ezra
“Has heard” — he acknowledges that it was Hashem who healed him of his illness, not the physicians, because he pleaded with Him. And the sense of “receives” [יקח] — He accepts [it], or He takes it in place of a burnt offering.
Radak
"Hashem has heard my supplication; Hashem receives [yikach] my prayer" — "yikach" is like "lakach" [to take]. The meaning of "yikach" is: at this time, and at every time, when my prayer comes before Him, He receives it with favor.
Metzudat David
"Has heard, etc." — This repeats the same matter in different words.
All my enemies shall be ashamed and sore affrighted; They shall turn back, they shall be ashamed suddenly.
verse value 1404
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 30 letters. Verse gematria: 1404 is divisible by 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "greatly" (מְ֭אֹד, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·shall·be·affrighted" (וְיִבָּהֲל֣וּ, 6 letters). Words sharing gematria 318: shall·be·ashamed, shall·turn·back, shall·be·ashamed. 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "all·my·enemies" (כׇּל־אֹיְבָ֑י). The root בוש appears 2 times in this verse. 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "shall·turn·back" (root שוב, 72x in Psalms); "all·my·enemies" (root איב, 71x in Psalms); "shall·be·ashamed" (root בוש, 36x in Psalms). First appearance of the root בוש ("shall·be·ashamed") in Psalms. First appearance of the root רגע ("suddenly") in Psalms. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'all·my·enemies', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 3 words. Full calculation: יֵבֹ֤שׁוּ [shall·be·ashamed] (318) + וְיִבָּהֲל֣וּ [and·shall·be·affrighted] (59) + מְ֭אֹד [greatly] (45) + כׇּל־אֹיְבָ֑י [all·my·enemies] (73) + יָ֝שֻׁ֗בוּ [shall·turn·back] (318) + יֵבֹ֥שׁוּ [shall·be·ashamed] (318) + רָֽגַע [suddenly] (273) = 1404.
Rashi
"shall be ashamed and very frightened, etc." — What is the meaning of “they shall return and be ashamed” a second time? Said Rabbi Johanan: In the future the Holy One, blessed be He, will judge the wicked of the nations of the world and sentence them to Gehinnom. Because they will complain to Him, He will take them back and again show them their records, and He returns them to Gehinnom. This is a double embarrassment. Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachmani says: In the future, every nation will call to its god, but it will not answer. Consequently, they will call to the Holy One, blessed be He. He will say to them, “Had you called Me first, I would have answered you. Now you have made the idols of primary importance and Me of secondary import. Therefore, I will not answer,” for it is stated (below 18:42): “They pray, but no one saves them.” This refers to the idols, and afterward, “to the Lord, but He answered them not.” Therefore, it is said: “they shall return and be ashamed.” "in a moment" — In a short time.
Ibn Ezra
“Shall be ashamed” — [his enemies,] upon seeing that I live, will themselves become ill; hence “and they shall be affrighted” corresponds to “my bones are affrighted” and “my soul is greatly affrighted.” “They shall turn back” — they will relent, or they will seek my well-being.
Radak
"All my enemies shall be greatly ashamed and frightened" — when I am healed, "all my enemies shall be ashamed and frightened," for they had hoped for my death. "They shall turn back, they shall be ashamed suddenly" — when they see that their plan did not succeed, they will "turn back" to me to be at peace with me, and in that very "moment" they will feel shame before me.
Metzudat David
"Shall be ashamed" — When they see my success. "And sore affrighted" — in the manner of a person who is astonished and terrified upon seeing something he thought impossible. "They shall turn back" — Then they will turn back from their evil, to seek my well-being, and at that very moment they will be ashamed, and not after some time — for I will forgive them for what they did to me, and it will no longer be remembered so as to bring them shame.
Rashi
Ibn Ezra
Radak
Metzudat Zion
Malbim