For the Leader; with string-music. [A Psalm] of David.
verse value 875
Insights
Verse structure: 3 words, 16 letters. The shortest word is "of·David" (לְדָוִֽד, 4 letters) and the longest is "upon·the·music" (עַֽל־נְגִינַ֬ת, 7 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "upon·the·music" (עַֽל־נְגִינַ֬ת). 3 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "of·David" (root דוד, 89x in Psalms); "for·the·leader" (root נצח, 73x in Psalms). Full calculation: לַמְנַצֵּ֬חַ [for·the·leader] (218) + עַֽל־נְגִינַ֬ת [upon·the·music] (613) + לְדָוִֽד [of·David] (44) = 875.
Radak
"With string-music" (neginat) — even though it has a patach, it is not in the construct state; rather it is like "neginah" with a heh [i.e., an absolute noun]. David said this psalm when he was in exile and fleeing from Saul, or he said it in reference to the [future] exile.
Metzudat Zion
"With string-music" [נגינת] — the name of a musical instrument.
Malbim
"For the leader" — in this psalm his heart stirred with a good word, and he said that whether at the time he was pursued by Saul upon the rocks of the wild goats, or at the time of his success when he attained the kingship, he asked one thing and requested one thing: that he might sit always in the house of Hashem to serve Him, as is stated above (Psalm 27), "One thing I have asked of Hashem... that I may dwell in the house of Hashem all the days of my life." And it is divided into two parts: the first part concerns what occurred in the days of his affliction, and the second part concerns the days of his success.
Verse structure: 5 words, 24 letters. Notable word values: "God" (אֱ֭לֹהִים) = 86, equal to Elohim. The shortest word is "hear" (שִׁמְעָ֣ה, 4 letters) and the longest is "attend" (הַ֝קְשִׁ֗יבָה, 6 letters). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "God" (root אלהים, 347x in Psalms); "hear" (root שמע, 76x in Psalms); "my·prayer" (root תפלה, 32x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'my·cry', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 2 words. Full calculation: שִׁמְעָ֣ה [hear] (415) + אֱ֭לֹהִים [God] (86) + רִנָּתִ֑י [my·cry] (660) + הַ֝קְשִׁ֗יבָה [attend] (422) + תְּפִלָּתִֽי [my·prayer] (920) = 2503.
Ibn Ezra
'Hear, O God, my cry' — the melody of a song; and the proof that the heh [of 'shim'ah'] is appended is that it is vocalized with a patach. 'Hear my cry' — openly, 'and my prayer' — in the heart, corresponding to [the prayer of] Hannah.
Radak
"Hear" — The verse repeats the same idea in different words.
Malbim
"Hear, O God, my cry" — this is what he laments in the time of his affliction, in the first part; "attend to my prayer" — what he prays in the days of his success, in the second part. (Part 1) "From the end of the earth" — at the time when I was fleeing from Saul, sitting hidden at the edge of the land of Israel, from there "I call to You when my heart is faint" from the abundance of troubles, at the time "that You lead me to a rock that is higher than I" — for I had to climb up upon the high rocks of the wild goats to hide there, and You led me there, because "You have been a refuge for me," and therefore You raised me upon high rocks "from before the enemy"; and then I call to You: "I will dwell in Your tent forever" — my main prayer was not for temporary success, but that I might dwell forever in the tent of Hashem "and take refuge in the covert of Your wings. Selah" — concluding the matter. (Part 2) "For" — from now he relates that also after "You have given the heritage of those who fear Your name," meaning, after You gave me the kingship, which You promised me would be an inheritance for my seed at the time when they would be those who fear Your name, as it is written, "If your children keep My covenant... their children also forever shall sit upon your throne" — also at that time, "You heard my vows" — my vow, in which I spoke these words (he refers to the vow as an abstract entity, speaking on behalf of the king).
From the end of the earth I will call to You, when my heart faints; Lead me to a rock that is too high for me.
verse value 2309
Insights
Verse structure: 9 words, 40 letters. The shortest word is "my·heart" (לִבִּ֑י, 3 letters) and the longest is "to·a·rock·that·is·high" (בְּצוּר־יָר֖וּם, 8 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "when·faints" (בַּעֲטֹ֣ף), "to·a·rock·that·is·high" (בְּצוּר־יָר֖וּם). 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "the·earth" (root ארץ, 157x in Psalms); "to·You" (root אל, 112x in Psalms); "my·heart" (root לב, 74x in Psalms). First appearance of the root עטף ("when·faints") in Psalms. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'my·heart', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 3 words. Full calculation: מִקְצֵ֤ה [from·the·end·of] (235) + הָאָ֨רֶץ [the·earth] (296) + אֵלֶ֣יךָ [to·You] (61) + אֶ֭קְרָא [I·will·call] (302) + בַּעֲטֹ֣ף [when·faints] (161) + לִבִּ֑י [my·heart] (42) + בְּצוּר־יָר֖וּם [to·a·rock·that·is·high] (554) + מִמֶּ֣נִּי [from·me] (140) + תַנְחֵֽנִי [lead·me] (518) = 2309.
Rashi
"From the end of the earth" — although I am far from my men whom I send against my enemies in battle. "I call out to You when my heart becomes faint" — because of them. Now, about what do I call out to You? That You lead me on a rock, which is higher and stronger than I.
Ibn Ezra
'From the end of the earth' — meaning that he is far from the tent of Hashem; or the sense is: even though I am at the end of the earth, which is a lowly place, [lead me] 'to a rock that is too high for me.' And the sense is that it [the rock] be higher than I; there You shall lead me.
Radak
"From the end of the earth" — if [this speaks] of David, [it means] from the land of the Philistines, where he was in exile. And if [it speaks] of the exile, [it means that] each and every one of Israel calls out from the lands of the exile. "When my heart faints" (be'atof libi) — abundant prayer in time of distress is called "enwrapping" (atifah). "To a rock" — to a rock that is too high for me, so that I am unable to climb up there [by myself]. "Lead me" — You [lead me] there; and the rock is the Land of Israel, whether [this speaks] of David or of the exile.
Metzudat David
"From the end of the earth" — when he was fighting with Aram, he said: when I am at the end of the earth, far from the Land of Israel, when my heart is enwrapped in troubles, I call to You, that You may comfort me. "To a rock that is too high for me" — that is, that I may triumph over kings stronger than I.
Metzudat Zion
"When [my heart] faints" [בעטוף] — from the language of wrapping and enclothing (עטיפה ולבישה).
For You have been a refuge for me, A tower of strength in the face of the enemy.
verse value 961
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 26 letters. Verse gematria: 961 = 31². The shortest word is "to·me" (לִ֑י, 2 letters) and the longest is "for·You·have·been" (כִּֽי־הָיִ֣יתָ, 6 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "tower·of·strength" (מִגְדַּל־עֹ֝֗ז). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "from·the·face·of" (root פנים, 131x in Psalms); "for·You·have·been" (root היה, 97x in Psalms); "enemy" (root איב, 71x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·me', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: כִּֽי־הָיִ֣יתָ [for·You·have·been] (455) + מַחְסֶ֣ה [refuge] (113) + לִ֑י [to·me] (40) + מִגְדַּל־עֹ֝֗ז [tower·of·strength] (154) + מִפְּנֵ֥י [from·the·face·of] (180) + אוֹיֵֽב [enemy] (19) = 961.
Ibn Ezra
'For' — You have always been a tower of strength; therefore I long to dwell [in Your tent], and to take refuge in the shadow of Your wings in truth.
Radak
"For" — many times You have been a refuge for me; therefore I call to You.
Metzudat David
"For You have been" — always You have been a refuge for me, like a strong tower.
I will dwell in Your Tent for ever; I will take refuge in the covert of Your wings. Selah
verse value 1480
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 32 letters. The shortest word is "Selah" (סֶּֽלָה, 3 letters) and the longest is "forever" (עוֹלָמִ֑ים, 6 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "let·me·dwell" (אָג֣וּרָה). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "forever" (root עולם, 144x in Psalms); "Selah" (root סלה, 70x in Psalms); "in·the·covert·of" (root סתר, 33x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'forever', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 4 words. Full calculation: אָג֣וּרָה [let·me·dwell] (215) + בְ֭אׇהׇלְךָ [in·Your·tent] (58) + עוֹלָמִ֑ים [forever] (196) + אֶ֥חֱסֶ֨ה [I·will·seek·refuge] (74) + בְסֵ֖תֶר [in·the·covert·of] (662) + כְּנָפֶ֣יךָ [Your·wings] (180) + סֶּֽלָה [Selah] (95) = 1480.
Rashi
"I shall dwell in Your tent to eternity" — Grant me the privilege in this world and in the world to come.
Radak
"For ever" (olamim) — long periods of time. "Your Tent" (ohalcha) — this is the Temple; and if [this speaks] of David, [it is] the Tent of Meeting.
Metzudat David
"I will dwell" — and so too, I will dwell in Your tent forever, to be hidden within it from the enemy; this is a figure of speech. "I will take refuge," etc. — the matter is repeated with what was already said.
For You, O God, have heard my vows; You have granted the heritage of those who fear Your name.
verse value 3967
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 33 letters. Notable word values: "God" (אֱ֭לֹהִים) = 86, equal to Elohim. The shortest word is "You·have·given" (נָתַ֥תָּ, 3 letters) and the longest is "for·You" (כִּֽי־אַתָּ֣ה, 5 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "to·my·vows" (לִנְדָרָ֑י), "You·have·given" (נָתַ֥תָּ), "the·heritage·of" (יְ֝רֻשַּׁ֗ת). 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "God" (root אלהים, 347x in Psalms); "Your·name" (root שם, 119x in Psalms); "for·You" (root אתה, 115x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·my·vows', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 4 words. Full calculation: כִּֽי־אַתָּ֣ה [for·You] (436) + אֱ֭לֹהִים [God] (86) + שָׁמַ֣עְתָּ [You·have·heard] (810) + לִנְדָרָ֑י [to·my·vows] (294) + נָתַ֥תָּ [You·have·given] (850) + יְ֝רֻשַּׁ֗ת [the·heritage·of] (910) + יִרְאֵ֥י [who·fear] (221) + שְׁמֶֽךָ [Your·name] (360) = 3967.
Rashi
"You have given the heritage of those who fear Your name" — You have restored the cities of their heritage through me.
Ibn Ezra
'For' — the lamed of 'lin'darai' [to my vows] is extra, like [the lamed in] 'the third to Absalom.' And the sense is: that I vowed a vow — that if You would fulfill my request, I would dwell in Your tents. And the sense of 'You have granted the heritage' — that I would dwell in the land of Israel, which You have given as a heritage to those who fear Your name.
Radak
"For You, [O God], have heard" — the past tense used in place of the future, and likewise "You have granted." The vows are those that David used to vow while he was in exile, that if Hashem, may He be blessed, would return him to the Land of Israel in peace [he would fulfill them]; and likewise, if [this speaks] of the exile, they vow vows, that if Hashem would bring them up out of the exile [they would fulfill them]. "The heritage of those who fear Your name" — the Tent of Meeting or the Temple is the heritage and inheritance of those who fear Hashem — that is to say, You, Hashem, shall grant as a gift that I may dwell in Your tents, which is the heritage of those who fear Your name.
Metzudat David
"You have heard" — always You have heard my vows, which I vowed at the time of my fighting against the enemy, for they were accepted with favor, and You gave the land of the enemy to be an inheritance for Israel, those who fear Your name.
May You add days to the king's days! May his years be as many generations!
verse value 2158
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 31 letters. Verse gematria: 2158 is divisible by 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "and·a·generation" (וָדֹֽר, 3 letters) and the longest is "upon·the·days·of·the·king" (עַל־יְמֵי־מֶ֣לֶךְ, 8 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "upon·the·days·of·the·king" (עַל־יְמֵי־מֶ֣לֶךְ), "may·You·add" (תּוֹסִ֑יף), "his·years" (שְׁ֝נוֹתָ֗יו). The root יום appears 2 times in this verse. 4 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "days" (root יום, 121x in Psalms); "like·a·generation" (root דור, 58x in Psalms); "his·years" (root שנה, 21x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'may·You·add', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: יָמִ֣ים [days] (100) + עַל־יְמֵי־מֶ֣לֶךְ [upon·the·days·of·the·king] (250) + תּוֹסִ֑יף [may·You·add] (556) + שְׁ֝נוֹתָ֗יו [his·years] (772) + כְּמוֹ־דֹ֥ר [like·a·generation] (270) + וָדֹֽר [and·a·generation] (210) = 2158.
Rashi
"Add days to the days of the king" — If it has been decreed upon me to die young, add days to my days until my years will equal seventy years, as the years of every generation.
Ibn Ezra
'Days' — the sense is that he asks that he [the king] live many years, that he may dwell in the house of Hashem to serve Him, corresponding to 'generations.' And the sense of 'You shall add' — like [the phrase] 'the fear of Hashem adds days,' except that here the tav addresses Hashem directly.
Radak
"Days" — if [this speaks] of David, he says this about himself, for he had been anointed king, and he prays for himself that [his days] be prolonged and that days be added to him beyond those allotted to him; and if [it speaks] of the exile, [the same applies]. "The king" — this is the messianic king. "As many generations" (kemo dor vador) — two generations.
Metzudat David
"Days" — therefore, now too, hear me, and add days to the days that I now have, so that I will not die by the hand of the enemy; and let my years be like the years of all the generations, which are seventy years. "The king" — he spoke of himself; and similarly, "for the king can do nothing against you" (Jeremiah 38), where Zedekiah spoke of himself.
Malbim
"You will add days to the days of the king" — if You add days to the days allotted for the king to live; and he goes on to say, "his years shall be as generation upon generation" — if You lengthen his days so much that every single year allotted for him to live is extended to be like a generation, which is seventy years, so that if he is allotted ten more years to live, he will live ten generations, which are ten times seventy — I vow that "he shall dwell forever before God," that even if he lives forever, he shall always dwell before God, continuing to dwell in the tent of Hashem and to serve Him. "Lovingkindness" — meaning, that he shall dwell before God, who "appoints" and prepares "His lovingkindness and truth to guard the king," so that it is not men of might and gatekeepers who guard him, but rather the lovingkindness of Hashem and His truth that guard him, as it is written, "I dwelt in the house of Hashem all the days of my life... for He conceals me in His pavilion..." — all this is the substance of his vows. Now the psalmist says, "so I will sing praise to Your name forever" — in accordance with the words of the vow, so shall I sing praise to Your name forever, by means of "that I may pay my vows day by day" — that I shall sit every day in the house of Hashem, and there I will sing praise to Your name and praise You always.
May he be enthroned before God for ever! Appoint mercy and truth, that they may preserve him.
verse value 1684
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 31 letters. Notable word values: "God" (אֱלֹהִ֑ים) = 86, equal to Elohim. The shortest word is "appoint" (מַ֣ן, 2 letters) and the longest is "let·them·guard·him" (יִנְצְרֻֽהוּ, 6 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "let·them·guard·him" (יִנְצְרֻֽהוּ). 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "God" (root אלהים, 347x in Psalms); "forever" (root עולם, 144x in Psalms); "before" (root פנים, 131x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'God', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 4 words. Full calculation: יֵשֵׁ֣ב [let·him·sit] (312) + ע֭וֹלָם [forever] (146) + לִפְנֵ֣י [before] (170) + אֱלֹהִ֑ים [God] (86) + חֶ֥סֶד [mercy] (72) + וֶ֝אֱמֶ֗ת [and·truth] (447) + מַ֣ן [appoint] (90) + יִנְצְרֻֽהוּ [let·them·guard·him] (361) = 1684.
Rashi
"May he dwell" — [May] the king dwell forever before God. "kindness and truth" — with which he engages himself will be prepared to guard him. "should be prepared" — Heb. מן. Preparation, as (Jonah 4:6): “And the Lord...appointed (וימן) a kikayon.”
Ibn Ezra
'He shall sit/be enthroned,' 'appoint (min)' — this is on the pattern of [the elliptical phrase] 'command the children of Israel,' where the word 'that' (asher) is missing, like [the phrase] 'their heart being whole,' and there are many like it. And so too, 'mercy and truth' — [meaning] 'appoint' that they preserve him, like [the phrase] 'and Hashem appointed.'
Radak
"May he be enthroned" (yeshev) — all the days of his life he shall sit before God, meaning that he shall occupy himself with the fear of God and with wisdom. "Appoint" (man) — appoint for him Your mercy and Your truth, that they may preserve me.
Metzudat David
"Before God" — in the Temple, without having to go to the lands of the nations to wage war against them. "Mercy and truth" — the kindness of the Omnipresent and the truth of His promise will be ready to protect him from the enemy without war.
Metzudat Zion
"Appoint" [מן] — an expression of designation (הזמנה), as in "and He appointed" (Jonah 2).
So I will sing praise to Your name for ever, That I may daily perform my vows.
verse value 1573
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 28 letters. Verse gematria: 1573 is divisible by 13, the value of echad ('one') and ahavah ('love'). The shortest word is "so" (כֵּ֤ן, 2 letters) and the longest is "let·me·sing" (אֲזַמְּרָ֣ה, 5 letters). Words sharing gematria 56: day, day. 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "that·I·may·fulfill" (לְֽשַׁלְּמִ֥י). The root יום appears 2 times in this verse. 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "day" (root יום, 121x in Psalms); "Your·name" (root שם, 119x in Psalms); "forever" (root עד, 50x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'forever', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 4 words. Full calculation: כֵּ֤ן [so] (70) + אֲזַמְּרָ֣ה [let·me·sing] (253) + שִׁמְךָ֣ [Your·name] (360) + לָעַ֑ד [forever] (104) + לְֽשַׁלְּמִ֥י [that·I·may·fulfill] (410) + נְ֝דָרַ֗י [my·vows] (264) + י֣וֹם [day] (56) + יֽוֹם [day] (56) = 1573.
Rashi
"So will I sing praises" — Just as You will benefit me, so will I sing praises to Your name by paying my vows every day.
Ibn Ezra
'So' — [meaning] like this psalm: 'I will sing praise to Your name forever, and I will fulfill my vows every day.'
Radak
"So" — when You do for me this that I have asked, that I fulfill my vows day by day in the Land of Israel, so shall I sing praise to Your name for the good things that You have done.
Metzudat David
"So" — that is to say, just as I sing praise when I am victorious in war, so I will sing praise forever, even when no war comes upon me at all. "That I may perform" — at the time that I pay my vows, every day I will then sing praise to Your name; for it is better for me to make vows every day, before war comes upon me, than to make vows at the time of war, [praying] that I be delivered from the enemy and defeat him.
Radak
Metzudat Zion
Malbim