A Psalm of David, composed when he was in the wilderness of Judah. A soul's thirst for Hashem's presence, likened to a parched and thirsty land, and confidence in His steadfast love.
Tap any Hebrew word to reveal its root, value, and meanings.
A Psalm of David, when he was in the wilderness of Judah.
verse value 1044
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 25 letters. Verse gematria: 1044 is divisible by 18, the value of chai ('life'). The shortest word is "of·David" (לְדָוִ֑ד, 4 letters) and the longest is "when·he·was" (בִּ֝הְיוֹת֗וֹ, 6 letters). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "when·he·was" (root היה, 97x in Psalms); "of·David" (root דוד, 89x in Psalms); "a·psalm" (root מזמור, 57x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'of·David', dividing the verse into phrases of 2 and 3 words. Full calculation: מִזְמ֥וֹר [a·psalm] (293) + לְדָוִ֑ד [of·David] (44) + בִּ֝הְיוֹת֗וֹ [when·he·was] (429) + בְּמִדְבַּ֥ר [in·the·wilderness·of] (248) + יְהוּדָֽה [Judah] (30) = 1044.
Rashi
"in the desert of Judah" — when he was fleeing from Saul.
Ibn Ezra
"A Psalm of David, when he was in the wilderness" — the sense of this psalm is that he longed to go to Kiryat Ye'arim, the place of the Ark, because he was hiding from Saul.
Radak
"A Psalm" — [Composed] when he was fleeing from Saul. "In the wilderness of Judah" — That is the wilderness of Ziph.
Metzudat David
"In the wilderness of Judah" — to hide from Saul.
Malbim
"A Psalm" — the essence of this psalm is to express his abundant longing for closeness to God, to the point that he set aside the mention of all material matters, and his soul clung only to God.
O God, You are my God, earnestly I will seek You; My soul thirsts for You, my flesh longs for You, In a dry and weary land, where there is no water.
verse value 3011
Insights
Verse structure: 13 words, 52 letters. Notable word values: "God" (אֱלֹהִ֤ים) = 86, equal to Elohim. The shortest word is "for·You" (לְךָ֨, 2 letters) and the longest is "in·a·land·of·dryness" (בְּאֶרֶץ־צִיָּ֖ה, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 50: for·You, for·You. 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "I·will·seek·You" (אֲֽשַׁ֫חֲרֶ֥ךָּ), "in·a·land·of·dryness" (בְּאֶרֶץ־צִיָּ֖ה), "and·weary" (וְעָיֵ֣ף). The root לך appears 2 times in this verse. 12 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "God" (root אלהים, 347x in Psalms); "in·a·land·of·dryness" (root ארץ, 157x in Psalms); "my·soul" (root נפש, 143x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'my·flesh', dividing the verse into phrases of 10 and 3 words. Full calculation: אֱלֹהִ֤ים [God] (86) + אֵלִ֥י [my·God] (41) + אַתָּ֗ה [You] (406) + אֲֽשַׁ֫חֲרֶ֥ךָּ [I·will·seek·You] (529) + צָמְאָ֬ה [thirsts] (136) + לְךָ֨ [for·You] (50) + נַפְשִׁ֗י [my·soul] (440) + כָּמַ֣הּ [longs] (65) + לְךָ֣ [for·You] (50) + בְשָׂרִ֑י [my·flesh] (512) + בְּאֶרֶץ־צִיָּ֖ה [in·a·land·of·dryness] (398) + וְעָיֵ֣ף [and·weary] (166) + בְּלִי־מָֽיִם [without·water] (132) = 3011.
Rashi
"I seek You" — Heb. אשחרך, I seek and search for You, as (Job 7:21): “and You shall seek me (ושחרתני), but I am not here”; (Job 8:5), “If you seek (תשחר) God.” "My soul thirsts for You" — I thirst and long to come to You in Your house of prayer. "my flesh longs for You" — Heb. כמה, an expression of desire. There is no similar [Scriptural expression]. "in an arid land" — in the desert.
Ibn Ezra
"O God, earnestly I will seek You" [eshacharekka] — like "he who diligently seeks (shocher) good" (Proverbs 11:27), or from the root of "dawn" (shachar), similar to "and to inquire in His temple" [Psalm 27:4], which is from the root "morning" (boker). "My soul thirsts for You" — that is, my soul is like one thirsting for water, and my flesh is dry; for the word kamah ["longs"] has no parallel elsewhere in Scripture. "In a land" — as if I were in a parched land where there is no water, and "a weary land" — for "land" [eretz] is also found used as a masculine noun, [as in] "the land is scorched" (Isaiah 9:18), and there are many similar [examples].
Radak
"God" — You are my Rock and my Strength, for there is no refuge or support besides You, as I am driven from place to place. And he says that he longed to be in the land of Israel securely, so that he could come openly to Kiriath-jearim, where the Ark was, or to Gibeon, where the Tent of Meeting was, for the sages of Israel were accustomed to gather there, and he longed to be among them and learn from them, like a man thirsting for water, while he was in a parched and weary land; for in his wandering the sages were not with him, but only a man in distress and bitter of soul. "My soul thirsts" — [Thirst is spoken] of the soul just as of the body, for thirst is the extreme of desire; and the rational soul desires wisdom and closeness to God, while the flesh, which is the body together with the spirit of life, desires to dwell in a secure place. "Longs" (kamah) — With a mappiq heh, and it has no parallel elsewhere in Scripture, and its meaning is like "desires." "And weary" — Like "thirsty," meaning "in a land thirsting for water," and likewise "in a weary land"; and it refers to "land" (erets) in the masculine grammatical form, and there are many such instances.
Metzudat David
"You are my God" — You have always been my God, therefore I will seek You. "Thirsts" — I long for You as one thirsting for water in a parched land — like one who walks in a dry land, weary, in a place where there is no water, for then he greatly longs for it.
Metzudat Zion
"I will seek You" [אשחרך] — an expression of seeking (דרישה), as in "he who seeks good" (Proverbs 11). "Longs" [כמה] — an expression of desire and longing, and it has no comparable word [in Scripture]. "Dry" [ציה] — wasteland (שממה). "And weary" [ועיף] — meaning, parched land, as if it longed for water like a weary man.
Malbim
'God' — since 'You are my God, I will seek You,' I seek and search after only You. 'Thirsts' — just as 'my soul thirsts for You,' so too 'my flesh longs' and yearns 'for You,' for even my physical substance longs for Hashem. Here, 'in a dry and weary land, without water' — although it is a dry land where the flesh longs for water and the soul thirsts for water, I am not thirsty for water; rather, I thirst only for You, and my soul yearns.
So I have looked for You in the sanctuary, To see Your power and Your glory. .
verse value 1713
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 25 letters. The shortest word is "so" (כֵּ֭ן, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·Your·glory" (וּכְבוֹדֶֽךָ, 6 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "I·have·seen·You" (חֲזִיתִ֑ךָ), "and·Your·glory" (וּכְבוֹדֶֽךָ). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "to·see" (root ראה, 100x in Psalms); "and·Your·glory" (root כבוד, 52x in Psalms); "Your·might" (root עז, 40x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'I·have·seen·You', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: כֵּ֭ן [so] (70) + בַּקֹּ֣דֶשׁ [in·the·sanctuary] (406) + חֲזִיתִ֑ךָ [I·have·seen·You] (445) + לִרְא֥וֹת [to·see] (637) + עֻ֝זְּךָ֗ [Your·might] (97) + וּכְבוֹדֶֽךָ [and·Your·glory] (58) = 1713.
Rashi
"As I saw You in the Sanctuary, etc." — Heb. כן, like כאשר, as. I thirst to see Your strength and Your glory as I saw You in the Sanctuary, the Tabernacle of Shiloh. My soul will be sated with the visions of Your strength and Your glory.
Ibn Ezra
"So" — behold, I imagine in my heart and see You; the meaning is as if I were in the holy place and I see Your power, which is the Ark, as in "and gave His strength into captivity" (Psalm 78:61). "And Your glory" — the Divine Presence.
Radak
"So" — Just as [I thirst], so do I long to behold You in the sanctuary, and to see Your power, which is the Ark, and which is [Your] glory.
Metzudat David
"So [I have looked for You] in the sanctuary" — like the thirst [just described], so I long to behold You in the holy place, and to see Your might, which is the Ark, together with the glory that rests upon it.
Metzudat Zion
"I have looked for You" [חזיתיך] — I have seen You. "Your power" [עוזך] — this refers to the Ark, as it says, "and the ark of Your strength" (below, Psalm 132), because [Hashem] displayed His power against the Philistines, as stated in [the Book of] Samuel I.
Malbim
'So' — even though my soul beholds You in holiness, for in the vision of the soul, through the vision of the intellect and the holy spirit, I perceive Your greatness and Your Presence in spirit and in vision, nevertheless I thirst and long that just as 'I have beheld You in holiness' in the vision of the spirit, so I would see You with the eye of flesh in Your city and in Your Temple. Hence it says, 'to see Your power and Your glory' — that the seeing is with actual eyes, that I should see Your power and Your glory with my eyes, not only in a vision and the gazing of the heart.
For Your lovingkindness is better than life; My lips shall praise You.
verse value 1433
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 25 letters. The shortest word is "Your·lovingkindness" (חַ֭סְדְּךָ, 4 letters) and the longest is "shall·praise·You" (יְשַׁבְּחֽוּנְךָ, 7 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "from·life" (מֵחַיִּ֗ים), "shall·praise·You" (יְשַׁבְּחֽוּנְךָ). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Your·lovingkindness" (root חסד, 125x in Psalms); "for·good" (root טוב, 63x in Psalms); "from·life" (root חי, 43x in Psalms). First appearance of the root שבח ("shall·praise·You") in Psalms. Full calculation: כִּי־ט֣וֹב [for·good] (47) + חַ֭סְדְּךָ [Your·lovingkindness] (92) + מֵחַיִּ֗ים [from·life] (108) + שְׂפָתַ֥י [my·lips] (790) + יְשַׁבְּחֽוּנְךָ [shall·praise·You] (396) = 1433.
Ibn Ezra
"For ... is better" — it is, in my eyes, [better] to see Your kindness — that You dwell among Israel — than life itself; therefore my lips shall praise You.
Radak
"For" — The kindness that You did with mankind is good, in that You graced them with intellect, which is better than the life of the body that You granted to every living thing on earth; but intellect You gave only to mankind. Therefore my lips shall praise You and give thanks to You for this great kindness. And since he mentioned that he longed for the way of the soul, which is wisdom, he therefore says this.
Metzudat David
"For Your lovingkindness is better than life" — that is to say, for the whole good of Your kindness in giving life is so that my lips may praise You while I yet live; for were it not for this, why would I need life? And therefore I long to be in the holy place, so that I may praise You there.
Malbim
'For Your lovingkindness is better than life' — for Your kindness in the gift of life is distinct from any kindness done by another, since any kindness we receive from someone other than ourselves is not good in itself, but only on account of the benefit we derive from it. For example, a king of flesh and blood who does a kindness for one liable to death and leaves him alive — the good in that kindness is the life he gave him. But with You, the kindness itself is better than life, for life is not an end in itself, but rather a means by which 'my lips will praise You' — for without life it would be impossible for me to praise You with speech (since the soul, once separated from the body, has no mouth and no lips with which to praise Hashem; it is only intellect, engaged in intellection). So, since the essential purpose and goodness of life is that one is able to thank Hashem for the kindness of giving us life, it follows that the kindness is the true good and purpose of life, and it is better than life itself, which is only a means toward it — for it is through the kindness that 'my lips will praise You,' and that is the purpose of life.
So I will bless You as long as I live; In Your name I will lift up my hands.
verse value 1117
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 21 letters. The shortest word is "so" (כֵּ֣ן, 2 letters) and the longest is "I·will·bless·You" (אֲבָרֶכְךָ֣, 5 letters). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "in·Your·name" (root שם, 119x in Psalms); "I·will·bless·You" (root ברך, 76x in Psalms); "I·will·lift·up" (root נשא, 52x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'in·my·life', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: כֵּ֣ן [so] (70) + אֲבָרֶכְךָ֣ [I·will·bless·You] (243) + בְחַיָּ֑י [in·my·life] (30) + בְּ֝שִׁמְךָ֗ [in·Your·name] (362) + אֶשָּׂ֥א [I·will·lift·up] (302) + כַפָּֽי [my·hands] (110) = 1117.
Rashi
"Then I shall bless You in my lifetime" — Heb. כן, like אָז, then, because אָז is translated ובכן. That is to say: Then, when I come before You, I shall bless You all the days of my life. "in Your name I shall lift my hands" — to pray and laud.
Ibn Ezra
"So" — thus I will bless You as long as I live, and in the blessing of Your name I will lift up my hands; and there are many [examples] like it.
Radak
"So" — Just as I praise You all day, so will I bless You and praise You all the days of my life. "In Your name I will lift up my hands" — That is, with Your help I will find strength in my hands against those who fight me.
Metzudat David
"So I will bless You as long as I live" — that is to say, and when I dwell in the holy place, I will do so and bless You all the days of my life, and I will lift up my hands in mentioning Your name, to pray to You.
Malbim
'So' — so is the blessing of 'I will bless You while I live': I do not bless You for the life itself, but for the kindness, in that I am able to praise You. Likewise, only 'in Your name I will lift up my hands' — that when I lift my hands in prayer, I do not pray for physical life and the needs of this world, but only in Your name, that I may be able to give thanks to You and bless Your name.
My soul is satisfied as with marrow and fatness; And my mouth does praise You with joyful lips;
verse value 3345
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 34 letters. The shortest word is "like" (כְּמ֤וֹ, 3 letters) and the longest is "my·mouth·praises" (יְהַלֶּל־פִּֽי, 6 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "and·fatness" (וָ֭דֶשֶׁן), "and·lips·of" (וְשִׂפְתֵ֥י), "ringing·cries" (רְ֝נָנ֗וֹת). 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "my·soul" (root נפש, 143x in Psalms); "my·mouth·praises" (root הלל, 94x in Psalms); "is·satisfied" (root שבע, 40x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'my·soul', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 3 words. Full calculation: כְּמ֤וֹ [like] (66) + חֵ֣לֶב [fat] (40) + וָ֭דֶשֶׁן [and·fatness] (360) + תִּשְׂבַּ֣ע [is·satisfied] (772) + נַפְשִׁ֑י [my·soul] (440) + וְשִׂפְתֵ֥י [and·lips·of] (796) + רְ֝נָנ֗וֹת [ringing·cries] (706) + יְהַלֶּל־פִּֽי [my·mouth·praises] (165) = 3345.
Rashi
"when my mouth praises with expressions of song" — Heb. ושפתי, languages of songs, as (Gen. 11: 1): “And all the earth was of one language (שפה),” which is translated: לישן חד.
Ibn Ezra
"As with marrow" — like "the fat of the land" (Genesis 45:18); and it comes without the letter bet, [as in] "I am sated (sava'ti) with rams" (Isaiah 1:11) [without a bet before the noun]. And the meaning of "and my lips [praise] with joyful shouts" — that I will sing joyfully to You in every language I know; or that my mouth, which praises You, will be the cause that every tongue sings joyfully to You; and this is connected with what follows it.
Radak
"And with lips" — The vav of "and with lips" is like "as/when." He says: as my mouth praises [You] with lips of joyful song, it is pleasant to me, just like when my soul, which desires marrow and fatness, is satisfied — for rich food is pleasant to every person. "With marrow and fatness" — A doubling of the same idea in different words. And the meaning of "lips of joyful song" is "words of joyful song."
Metzudat David
"As with marrow and fatness" — just as the soul is satisfied from foods of fat and richness, so my soul will be satisfied if my mouth praises Hashem with many expressions of joyful song.
Metzudat Zion
"Marrow" [חלב] — the best/choicest (מיטב), as in "and eat the fat of the land" (Genesis 45:18). "And fatness" [ודשן] — and richness (שמן). "And lips" [ושפתי] — an expression of speech (אמירה), as in "one language" [literally, "one lip"] (ibid., Genesis 11).
Malbim
'Like marrow and fatness,' with which the body is satisfied and which serve it as food, so 'my soul is satisfied' — that I give it its spiritual food three times each day, in three prayers, just as the body is given its physical food three times a day. And he explains with what my soul is satisfied: with 'my mouth praising with joyful lips,' for this is the food of the soul. As the Kuzari wrote, just as the physical body needs food and cannot live without it, so the food of the soul is prayer, by which it cleaves to its spiritual root. And just as the food of the body is three times a day, so too: 'evening and morning and noon I speak and moan.'
When I remember You upon my couch, And meditate on You in the night-watches.
verse value 1969
Insights
Verse structure: 4 words, 28 letters. Notable word values: "I·meditate·on·You" (אֶהְגֶּה־בָּֽךְ) = 36, double chai. The shortest word is "I·meditate·on·You" (אֶהְגֶּה־בָּֽךְ, 6 letters) and the longest is "when·I·remember·You" (אִם־זְכַרְתִּ֥יךָ, 8 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "when·I·remember·You" (אִם־זְכַרְתִּ֥יךָ), "upon·my·couch" (עַל־יְצוּעָ֑י), "in·night-watches" (בְּ֝אַשְׁמֻר֗וֹת). 4 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "when·I·remember·You" (root זכר, 64x in Psalms). First appearance of the root אשמורה ("in·night-watches") in Psalms. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'upon·my·couch', dividing the verse into phrases of 2 and 2 words. Full calculation: אִם־זְכַרְתִּ֥יךָ [when·I·remember·You] (698) + עַל־יְצוּעָ֑י [upon·my·couch] (286) + בְּ֝אַשְׁמֻר֗וֹת [in·night-watches] (949) + אֶהְגֶּה־בָּֽךְ [I·meditate·on·You] (36) = 1969.
Rashi
"on my couch" — When I lie on my couch, I remember Your love. "in the watches" — of the night. "I meditate about You" — Heb. אהגה. I think about You.
Ibn Ezra
"When" — when I remember You, then my soul delights. "In the watches [of the night]" — there are three [such night-watches]; for I am obligated to give thanks to You, for You have helped me; and while he is in the shadow of Your wings I will sing joyfully, like a singing bird.
Radak
"When" (im) — Likewise: as I remember You upon my couch in my heart, and as I meditate on You in the watches of the night, I am full, rich, and satisfied. And there are instances where "im" (if) stands in place of "ka'asher" (as/when). "My couches" — In the plural form, because he did not lie in one place but in many places, since he was fleeing from place to place. "In the watches" — These are the three periods of the night during which a person wakes from his sleep.
Metzudat David
"When I remember You" — truly I remember You while I am upon my bed, and in the night watches, when I awaken from sleep, I think of You.
Metzudat Zion
"When" [אם] — meaning, truly (באמת), as in "for indeed the money is gone" (ibid., Genesis 47). "My couch" [יצועי] — an expression of bedding (מצעות המטה). "In the night watches" [באשמורת] — these are the three divisions of the night, and it is a person's way to awaken then from his sleep.
Malbim
(7-8) 'If' — and so also 'if I remember You upon my couch,' at the time when 'I meditate on You in the watches' of the night, and I then recall 'how You have been a help to me,' that You helped me against my enemies, 'and I sing for joy' over having taken refuge 'in the shadow of Your wings' — this was not because I rejoiced over the success of the moment and the benefit I gained from You in physical life, but rather because through this 'my soul clings after You' — for through this I was reminded how I have attachment to Hashem from two sides: from my side, in that my soul clings after You; and from Your side, for 'Your right hand has supported me.' And the essence of my joy was that I saw through this that I am attached to Hashem and that His providence rests upon me constantly — and this is the essence of my desire, not physical benefit and worldly successes.
For You have been my help, And in the shadow of Your wings I do rejoice.
verse value 1786
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 26 letters. The shortest word is "to·me" (לִּ֑י, 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): "and·in·the·shadow·of" (וּבְצֵ֖ל). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "for·You·have·been" (root היה, 97x in Psalms); "to·me" (root לי, 68x in Psalms); "I·rejoice" (root רנן, 25x 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) + עֶזְרָ֣תָה [help] (682) + לִּ֑י [to·me] (40) + וּבְצֵ֖ל [and·in·the·shadow·of] (128) + כְּנָפֶ֣יךָ [Your·wings] (180) + אֲרַנֵּֽן [I·rejoice] (301) = 1786.
Radak
"For" — It is right for me that I remember You always and sing joyfully to You, for You have been a help to me, and in all the times that my pursuers were after me, You did not let them overtake me or harm me. "And in the shadow of Your wings I do rejoice" — In the shadow of Your wings I take refuge and rejoice.
Metzudat David
"For You have been" — because You have been a help to me, and for the shelter of the shadow of Your wings, I sing joyfully to You.
My soul cleaves to You; Your right hand holds me fast.
verse value 1397
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 24 letters. The shortest word is "in·me" (בִּ֝֗י, 2 letters) and the longest is "after·You" (אַחֲרֶ֑יךָ, 5 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "holds" (תָּמְכָ֥ה). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "my·soul" (root נפש, 143x in Psalms); "Your·right·hand" (root ימין, 43x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'after·You', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: דָּבְקָ֣ה [cleaves] (111) + נַפְשִׁ֣י [my·soul] (440) + אַחֲרֶ֑יךָ [after·You] (239) + בִּ֝֗י [in·me] (12) + תָּמְכָ֥ה [holds] (465) + יְמִינֶֽךָ [Your·right·hand] (130) = 1397.
Rashi
"Your right hand has supported me" — that I should not fall.
Ibn Ezra
"Cleaves" — my soul has love for nothing but You; also, You have helped me to cling to You; and this is the meaning of "Your right hand holds me fast."
Radak
"Cleaves" — And it is right that it should be so with me, for Your right hand has held me fast, so that I not fall before my enemies and pursuers.
Metzudat David
"Cleaves" — because my soul cleaves, going after You, therefore Your right hand holds me fast, so that I do not stumble.
But those who seek my soul, to destroy it, Shall go into the nethermost parts of the earth.
verse value 2797
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 33 letters. The shortest word is "and·they" (וְהֵ֗מָּה, 4 letters) and the longest is "into·the·lowest·parts·of" (בְּֽתַחְתִּיּ֥וֹת, 7 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "for·destruction" (לְ֭שׁוֹאָה), "seek" (יְבַקְשׁ֣וּ). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "the·earth" (root ארץ, 157x in Psalms); "my·soul" (root נפש, 143x in Psalms); "shall·go" (root בוא, 79x in Psalms). First appearance of the root תחתי ("into·the·lowest·parts·of") in Psalms. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'my·soul', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 3 words. Full calculation: וְהֵ֗מָּה [and·they] (56) + לְ֭שׁוֹאָה [for·destruction] (342) + יְבַקְשׁ֣וּ [seek] (418) + נַפְשִׁ֑י [my·soul] (440) + יָ֝בֹ֗אוּ [shall·go] (19) + בְּֽתַחְתִּיּ֥וֹת [into·the·lowest·parts·of] (1226) + הָאָֽרֶץ [the·earth] (296) = 2797.
Rashi
"But they" — My enemies. "seek my soul to make it desolate" — They come upon me in ambush on a dark day so that I should not sense their presence. "may they come into the depths of the earth" — In a low place; let them come and fall into the grave and the pit.
Ibn Ezra
"But those" — now, he did not mention by name the informers who revealed his secret to Saul, but rather alluded to their ruin with the word "those," as in "let ruin come upon him" (Psalm 35:8). "Shall go" — they [shall go] into the depths of the earth, like [the word] "ruin" [sho'ah], only lower still.
Radak
"But those" — My pursuers, who seek my soul. "To destroy it" (le-sho'ah) — That is, to make it a ruin and a desolation. "They shall go into the nethermost parts of the earth" — [Stated] by way of prayer, meaning: may they go down to Sheol, which is the lowest part of the earth.
Metzudat David
"But those [who seek my soul]" — Saul and his men seek to destroy my soul and put it to death, as though I were wicked and a sinner. "Shall go" — therefore they shall go into the depths of the earth, brought low to the dust.
Metzudat Zion
"To desolation" [לשואה] — an expression of desolation/ruin (שממה).
Malbim
'But they' — but my enemies 'seek my soul, to destroy it' — this precious soul of mine, whose essential aim is attachment to Hashem, they seek it for ruin and darkness, for they seek to uproot it from the lands of the living. And also 'they shall go into the nethermost parts of the earth' — these are the caves and crevices in the wilderness where they sought David, as mentioned in the Book of Samuel.
They shall be hurled to the power of the sword; They shall be a portion for foxes.
verse value 1539
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 26 letters. The shortest word is "a·portion·of" (מְנָ֖ת, 3 letters) and the longest is "into·the·hands·of·the·sword" (עַל־יְדֵי־חָ֑רֶב, 8 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "they·shall·pour·him·out" (יַגִּירֻ֥הוּ), "into·the·hands·of·the·sword" (עַל־יְדֵי־חָ֑רֶב), "foxes" (שֻׁעָלִ֣ים). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "shall·be" (root היה, 97x in Psalms); "into·the·hands·of·the·sword" (root חרב, 21x in Psalms). First appearance of the root נגר ("they·shall·pour·him·out") in Psalms. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'into·the·hands·of·the·sword', dividing the verse into phrases of 2 and 3 words. Full calculation: יַגִּירֻ֥הוּ [they·shall·pour·him·out] (234) + עַל־יְדֵי־חָ֑רֶב [into·the·hands·of·the·sword] (334) + מְנָ֖ת [a·portion·of] (490) + שֻׁעָלִ֣ים [foxes] (450) + יִהְיֽוּ [shall·be] (31) = 1539.
Rashi
"May he be dragged by the sword" — May enemies come upon my pursuers and drag each one of them with a sword, killing him. This is an elliptical verse, since it does not explain who will drag him. יגירהוּ is an expression of dragging, as (Micah 1:4): “as water poured down (המוגרים) a steep place”; (Job. 28:4), “A stream bursts forth from the place of its flow (גר).” "the portion of foxes" — (I found: the portion of foxes May their dwellings be destroyed, that foxes should walk there.)
Ibn Ezra
"They shall be hurled" [yagiruhu] — those who hurl will hurl him; like "and it was said/told to Joseph" (Genesis 48:1) — [meaning] each of them [will do it].
Radak
"Yagirhu" (they shall be hurled) — [Used] in the singular, referring to Saul; and the meaning of "yagiruhu" is "they shall cast him down." This expression is used in connection with killing, on account of the blood that is poured out by the sword. "They shall be a portion for foxes" — The rest of the enemies, who are Saul's servants pursuing me, shall become the portion of the foxes that eat the slain — that is, they shall become slain by the sword, and the foxes and wild beasts shall eat them.
Metzudat David
"They shall be hurled" — those who hurl [them] shall hurl them, and their blood shall be spilled by the sword, and they shall become a portion for foxes and beasts of the field.
Metzudat Zion
"They shall be poured out" [יגירוהו] — an expression of pouring and spilling (הזלה ושפיכה), as in "like water that is spilled" (II Samuel 14). "A portion" [מנת] — from the language of a portion and a gift (מנה ומתן).
Malbim
(11-12) 'They shall be hurled' — this statement continues on to 'everyone who swears by him shall glory.' And the sense of the verse is: but 'everyone who swears by the name of Hashem' in truth — (for all the king's servants swore to him by Hashem that they would not rebel, and likewise all of David's men swore to him when they joined him; or, it means everyone who swears by David's name, for it was their custom to swear by the king's name, as in 'Pharaoh lives') — they shall glory, saying: even 'if he is hurled to the sword' — although Saul and his men would drive David off by the sword and expel him from the caves where he was hiding, forcing him to dwell in other lands, until these caves and depths of the earth 'shall be a portion for foxes,' with foxes dwelling there — nevertheless 'the king shall rejoice in Hashem,' for Hashem will save him from all his troubles, for he knows with certainty 'that the mouth of those who speak lies shall be stopped' — those who speak of hurling him to the sword — for surely he will reign as king, just as Hashem promised him.
But the king shall rejoice in God; Every one who swears by Him shall glory; For the mouth of those who speak lies shall be stopped.
verse value 2739
Insights
Verse structure: 10 words, 45 letters. The shortest word is "by·Him" (בּ֑וֹ, 2 letters) and the longest is "those·who·speak·lies" (דוֹבְרֵי־שָֽׁקֶר, 8 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "and·the·king" (וְהַמֶּלֶךְ֮), "shall·glory" (יִ֭תְהַלֵּל), "everyone·who·swears" (כׇּל־הַנִּשְׁבָּ֣ע). 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "in·God" (root אלהים, 347x in Psalms); "for" (root כי, 216x in Psalms); "those·who·speak·lies" (root דבר, 133x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'by·Him', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 4 words. Full calculation: וְהַמֶּלֶךְ֮ [and·the·king] (101) + יִשְׂמַ֢ח [shall·rejoice] (358) + בֵּאלֹ֫הִ֥ים [in·God] (88) + יִ֭תְהַלֵּל [shall·glory] (475) + כׇּל־הַנִּשְׁבָּ֣ע [everyone·who·swears] (477) + בּ֑וֹ [by·Him] (8) + כִּ֥י [for] (30) + יִ֝סָּכֵ֗ר [shall·be·stopped] (290) + פִּ֣י [the·mouth·of] (90) + דוֹבְרֵי־שָֽׁקֶר [those·who·speak·lies] (822) = 2739.
Rashi
"And may the king rejoice" — He says this about himself because he had already been anointed. "may all who swear by Him boast" — When they see that You will save me, all those who cleave to You and swear by Your name will boast and praise themselves. "for...will be closed" — Heb. יסכר, will be closed up, as (Gen. 8:2). “The fountains of the great deep...were closed (ויסכרו).”
Ibn Ezra
"But the king" — some say that this refers to Saul. But what is correct in my view is that it refers to David. And the meaning is that everyone who swears by Him [swears] in truth, as in "every tongue shall swear" (Isaiah 45:23); and the proof of this is [what follows,] "the mouth of those who speak lies [shall be stopped]." Some say that the meaning of "swears by Him" is on account of Saul's oath [to David].
Radak
"But the king" — He speaks of himself: that they think to kill him so that the kingship will not come to him, but they will perish, and he who is worthy to be king shall rejoice in God. "Every one who swears by Him shall glory" — Every one who swears by His name, that is, whoever fears God and is a man of truth, not a speaker of falsehood; for as for those whose mouths bring forth the name of God falsely, their mouths shall be stopped and shall be shut up mute. And this is said in reference to Saul, who swore by Hashem that he would not put David to death.
Metzudat David
"But the king" — he speaks of himself, that he will rejoice in the salvation of Hashem; and also everyone who swears by Hashem shall glory in His salvation, for one who swears by Hashem believes in Him, and so he shall glory in the salvation that comes to him from Him, for he shall praise himself for having had the wisdom to know that Hashem is God. "For [the mouth] shall be stopped" — when the mouth of the one who speaks falsehood about me before Saul is shut, upon seeing that he cannot prevail over me and my men, then I and my men who swear by Hashem shall rejoice.
Metzudat Zion
"Shall be stopped" [יסכר] — it is like יסגר (shall be closed); and so too, "and the fountains were stopped" (Genesis 8).
Rashi
Ibn Ezra
Radak
Metzudat David
Malbim