A Psalm of David. A cry from overwhelming depths of suffering and reproach borne for Hashem's sake, pleading for deliverance and calling down justice upon his tormentors.
Tap any Hebrew word to reveal its root, value, and meanings.
For the Leader; upon Shoshannim. [A Psalm] of David.
verse value 1068
Insights
Verse structure: 3 words, 17 letters. The shortest word is "of·David" (לְדָוִֽד, 4 letters) and the longest is "upon·Shoshannim" (עַֽל־שׁוֹשַׁנִּ֬ים, 8 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "upon·Shoshannim" (עַֽל־שׁוֹשַׁנִּ֬ים). 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־שׁוֹשַׁנִּ֬ים [upon·Shoshannim] (806) + לְדָוִֽד [of·David] (44) = 1068.
Rashi
"on shoshannim" — Concerning Israel, who are like a rose (שושנה) among the thorns, pricked by the thorns, and he prayed for them.
Ibn Ezra
"For the leader, upon shoshannim" — a liturgical poem that begins this way.
Radak
"For the Leader" — This psalm is spoken concerning [the experience of] exile, and it speaks in the singular in a general sense. Or, each one of the exiles prays and weeps over his troubles and says [this psalm].
Metzudat Zion
"Shoshannim" — the name of a musical instrument made in the shape of a lily.
Malbim
"For the leader" — some interpret this concerning the time when he was pursued by Absalom, and some interpret it concerning the exile; and our interpretation can bear both meanings.
Save me, O God; For the waters have come in even to the soul.
verse value 1170
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 25 letters. Notable word values: "God" (אֱלֹהִ֑ים) = 86, equal to Elohim. Verse gematria: 1170 is divisible by 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֤י, 2 letters) and the longest is "save·me" (הוֹשִׁיעֵ֥נִי, 7 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "unto·the·soul" (עַד־נָֽפֶשׁ). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "God" (root אלהים, 347x in Psalms); "for" (root כי, 216x in Psalms); "unto·the·soul" (root נפש, 143x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'God', dividing the verse into phrases of 2 and 4 words. Full calculation: הוֹשִׁיעֵ֥נִי [save·me] (451) + אֱלֹהִ֑ים [God] (86) + כִּ֤י [for] (30) + בָ֖אוּ [have·come] (9) + מַ֣יִם [water] (90) + עַד־נָֽפֶשׁ [unto·the·soul] (504) = 1170.
Rashi
"for water has come up" — the nations.
Ibn Ezra
"Save me," "for the waters have come" — he likened the enemies to water, like "He drew me out of many waters."
Radak
"Even to the soul" — until the time when the soul departs, meaning, near to death; and he likens the distress of exile to water, when a person is in it up to his neck, which is close to death.
Metzudat David
"Even to the soul" — he compared the depth of the troubles to flooding waters that reach up to the neck, with the soul close to departing.
Malbim
"Save me, O God, for the waters have come in even unto the soul" — for the danger is very great.
I am sunk in deep mire, where there is no standing; I have come into deep waters, and the flood overwhelms me.
verse value 3303
Insights
Verse structure: 9 words, 46 letters. The shortest word is "in·mire·of" (בִּיוֵ֣ן, 4 letters) and the longest is "in·depths·of·water" (בְמַעֲמַקֵּי־מַ֝֗יִם, 9 letters). 7 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "I·have·sunk" (טָבַ֤עְתִּי), "in·mire·of" (בִּיוֵ֣ן), "foothold" (מׇעֳמָ֑ד). 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "I·have·come" (root בוא, 79x in Psalms); "and·there·is·no" (root אין, 67x in Psalms). First appearance of the root מעמק ("in·depths·of·water") in Psalms. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'foothold', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 4 words. Full calculation: טָבַ֤עְתִּי [I·have·sunk] (491) + בִּיוֵ֣ן [in·mire·of] (68) + מְ֭צוּלָה [depth] (171) + וְאֵ֣ין [and·there·is·no] (67) + מׇעֳמָ֑ד [foothold] (154) + בָּ֥אתִי [I·have·come] (413) + בְמַעֲמַקֵּי־מַ֝֗יִם [in·depths·of·water] (352) + וְשִׁבֹּ֥לֶת [and·a·flowing·stream] (738) + שְׁטָפָֽתְנִי [has·swept·me·away] (849) = 3303.
Rashi
"in muddy depths" — In the mire, the mud of the deep. "and the current" — That is the flood of the strength of the river, fil in Old French, current.
Ibn Ezra
"I am sunk in the mire" (טבעתי ביון) — mud, like "out of the miry clay," "and there is no standing." The ayin [of מעמד] takes a chataf-qamatz [reduced qamatz], as in "there was a standing-place in the chariot," though it should properly have taken a patach, for it is a noun. Rabbi Moshe said that it is a noun on the pattern of "מוקטר" ["offered in smoke"], "מוגש" ["presented"], and it changed because of the guttural letter. "And the flood" (ושבולת) — like "the river." The sense of "overwhelms me" — [meaning] almost, in a short while, it will overwhelm me, in the manner of "and there was no breath left in me"; and the proof is that afterward he prays, "let it not overwhelm me."
Radak
"I am sunk" — in distress within distress, and therefore [it says] 'and there is no standing.' The meaning is that the deep (metzulah) is from the depths of the sea, and a person sinks in it up to his neck in water; and likewise one sinks in mire even though it is not the deep. And 'ma'amad' (standing/footing) is a noun of the hif'il pattern, and its meaning is: none of my limbs has a foothold. "I have come into deep waters" — a person sinks in them but is not swept away. "And the flood (shibbolet)" — the river; even though it is not the depths, it sweeps a person away. And all this alludes to intense troubles.
Metzudat David
"And there is no standing" — there is no firm place there to remain standing, so I sink further and further down. "Into deep waters" — that is to say, behold, one who enters deep waters is in danger even if they are not rushing and flooding, and one who enters flooding waters is in danger even if he has not entered a deep place; and how much more so one who enters flooding waters in a deep place, who is in the greatest danger. So too, doubled and distressing troubles have come upon me.
Metzudat Zion
"In mire" (beyaven) — it is the mud at the bottom of the water. "Deep waters" (metzulah) — the depth of the water. "And the flood" (veshibolet) — it is the rushing current of the water, as in "from the flowing stream of the river" (mishibolet hanahar) (Isaiah 27).
Malbim
"I am come" — he depicts the danger in three respects. First: the mire beneath his feet is "the mire of the deep," that is, mud of clinging mire from which it is hard to pull his feet, and the mud is so deep that "there is no standing" — there is no bottom on which he can stand with his feet. Second: "I have come into deep waters," for the waters are deep. Third: that they are pursuing him, for "the flood overwhelms me." And figuratively: his place in Jerusalem was fouled by the rebellion, his enemies are many, the danger is immense, and the flood swept him from his place, forcing him to flee the land.
I am weary of my crying; my throat is dried; My eyes fail while I wait for my God.
verse value 1693
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 34 letters. The shortest word is "is·parched" (נִחַ֢ר, 3 letters) and the longest is "I·am·weary" (יָגַ֣עְתִּי, 5 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "is·parched" (נִחַ֢ר), "my·throat" (גְּר֫וֹנִ֥י), "waiting" (מְ֝יַחֵ֗ל). 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "for·my·God" (root אלהים, 347x in Psalms); "my·eyes" (root עין, 64x in Psalms); "when·I·cry" (root קרא, 56x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'my·eyes', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 2 words. Full calculation: יָגַ֣עְתִּי [I·am·weary] (493) + בְקׇרְאִי֮ [when·I·cry] (313) + נִחַ֢ר [is·parched] (258) + גְּר֫וֹנִ֥י [my·throat] (269) + כָּל֥וּ [fail] (56) + עֵינַ֑י [my·eyes] (140) + מְ֝יַחֵ֗ל [waiting] (88) + לֵאלֹהָֽי [for·my·God] (76) = 1693.
Rashi
"has become parched" — Heb. נחר, dry, as (Job 30:30): “are burned (חרה) with heat.” "my eyes fail" — Any drawn-out hope is called “failure of the eyes,” as (Deut. 28:32): “and pine after them all day”. [Similarly] (Lev. 26:16): “that cause the eyes to pine away”; (Job 11:20), “and the eyes of the wicked will pine away.”
Ibn Ezra
"I am weary," "my throat is dried" — from the same root-group as "and the copper glows hot" (Ezekiel 24:11), and the nun appears in a "broken" [reduced] form, in the manner of "el mikdashi ki nachal" — it is a nifal construction from the geminate (doubled-letter) verbs. "My eyes fail" — because he was hoping [waiting expectantly].
Radak
"I am weary" — one who is drowning cries out for help, and I have grown weary with my crying until my throat is dried; and 'nichar' (dried/parched) is a nif'al form whose root is ch-r-r, from 'and he shall dwell in parched places,' which is a place of dryness. "My eyes fail while I wait for my God" — for one who is drowning lifts his eyes upward and hopes that someone will come and save him; and I hope for my God until my eyes fail from looking upward; and this alludes to the length of the exile.
Metzudat David
"With my crying" — because of the abundance of crying out over the harshness of the distress. "Is dried" [נחר] — one who cries out a great deal, the moisture of his throat dries up. "My eyes fail" — one who hopes for something and it does not come is called, in the language of Scripture, 'the failing of the eyes.'
Metzudat Zion
"Is dried" (nichar) — an expression of dryness, as in "and shall dwell in the parched places" (veshachan chareirim) (Jeremiah 17). "Waits" (meyachel) — from the language of "tochelet" (expectation) and hope.
Malbim
"I am weary" — as he was sinking he called out to men for help, "and he grew weary from calling until his throat became hoarse," yet no one heard; and he also looked to heaven, that his help would come from there, but already "my eyes fail from much waiting."
Those who hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of my head; Those who would cut me off, being my enemies wrongfully, are many; Should I restore that which I did not take away?
verse value 4916
Insights
Verse structure: 13 words, 53 letters. The shortest word is "then" (אָ֣ז, 2 letters) and the longest is "not·I·have·taken·away" (לֹֽא־גָ֝זַ֗לְתִּי, 7 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "those·who·would·destroy·me" (מַ֭צְמִיתַי), "not·I·have·taken·away" (לֹֽא־גָ֝זַ֗לְתִּי). 13 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "which" (root אשר, 101x in Psalms); "I·shall·restore" (root שוב, 72x in Psalms); "my·enemies" (root איב, 71x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'lie', dividing the verse into phrases of 9 and 4 words. Full calculation: רַבּ֤וּ [are·many] (208) + מִשַּׂעֲר֣וֹת [than·the·hairs·of] (1016) + רֹאשִׁי֮ [my·head] (511) + שֹׂנְאַ֢י [those·who·hate·me] (361) + חִ֫נָּ֥ם [without·cause] (98) + עָצְמ֣וּ [are·mighty] (206) + מַ֭צְמִיתַי [those·who·would·destroy·me] (590) + אֹיְבַ֣י [my·enemies] (23) + שֶׁ֑קֶר [lie] (600) + אֲשֶׁ֥ר [which] (501) + לֹֽא־גָ֝זַ֗לְתִּי [not·I·have·taken·away] (481) + אָ֣ז [then] (8) + אָשִֽׁיב [I·shall·restore] (313) = 4916.
Rashi
"who are my enemies because of lies" — They hate me because of a lie, because I do not pursue their lies to adopt their error. "I will then return" — When they gather against me, I bribe them with money that I did not steal from them.
Ibn Ezra
"They are many," "those who would cut me off" — [understood] according to their intention, in the manner of: "Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, saw ... and fought against Israel" (cf. Numbers 22:2; Joshua 24:9), and: "the men pursued after them" (Joshua 2:7).
Radak
"Are more" — in number. "Are mighty" — in strength. "Wrongfully (sheker)" — like 'without cause'; and it is entirely vocalized with segol, at the etnachta. "That which I did not take" — they say that I have stolen, and they obligate me, with empty claims, to make restitution, as though I had stolen.
Metzudat David
"More than the hairs" — more than the number of the hairs of my head. "Those who hate me without a cause" — for I did no harm to any one of them. "Are many" [עצמו] — those who would cut me off have grown strong, and they are my enemies falsely and without cause. "That which I did not take" — the thing that I never took, I will be forced to restore then, when they bring false charges against me.
Metzudat Zion
"Are more than" (atzmu) — they are strong/numerous, and it is from the language of "etzem" (bone), which is hard and strong. "Who would cut me off" (matzmitai) — an expression of cutting off, as in "every morning I will cut off" (labekarim atzmit) (below, Psalm 101).
Malbim
"Are more" — and also the enemies stand around to drown him, and this in three respects. First: those who hate him by saying that he is a sinner and a man of evil deeds, and of this it says, "those who hate me without cause are more than the hairs of my head" — for in truth their hatred is without cause, since I have not sinned. Second: enemies who seek his harm, who thought that he had wronged them, and of this it says, "those who would cut me off, being my enemies wrongfully, are many" — for I have not done them harm. Third: those who come to take his property, and of this it says, "that which I did not take away, I must then restore" — that is to say, they came upon him in three respects: regarding his life, his body, and his property, as above in Psalm 35.
O God, You know my folly; And my trespasses are not hid from You.
verse value 2435
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 35 letters. Notable word values: "God" (אֱֽלֹהִ֗ים) = 86, equal to Elohim. The shortest word is "You" (אַתָּ֣ה, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·my·trespasses" (וְ֝אַשְׁמוֹתַ֗י, 7 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "to·my·foolishness" (לְאִוַּלְתִּ֑י), "and·my·trespasses" (וְ֝אַשְׁמוֹתַ֗י), "not·hidden" (לֹֽא־נִכְחָֽדוּ). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "God" (root אלהים, 347x in Psalms); "You" (root אתה, 115x in Psalms); "You·know" (root ידע, 95x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·my·foolishness', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 3 words. Full calculation: אֱֽלֹהִ֗ים [God] (86) + אַתָּ֣ה [You] (406) + יָ֭דַעְתָּ [You·know] (484) + לְאִוַּלְתִּ֑י [to·my·foolishness] (477) + וְ֝אַשְׁמוֹתַ֗י [and·my·trespasses] (763) + מִמְּךָ֥ [from·You] (100) + לֹֽא־נִכְחָֽדוּ [not·hidden] (119) = 2435.
Ibn Ezra
"O God, You" — [denotes] the true judgment. "You know" — whether I was foolish. "And my trespasses" — against these adversaries, whether inadvertent or intentional, as he will say: "my wrongful enemies." "And the lamed of 'to my folly' [לְאִוַּלְתִּי]" — is added [superfluous], as is the lamed in "they killed Abner" [הָרְגוּ לְאַבְנֵר].
Radak
"My folly" — in matters wherein I am foolish. "And my trespasses" — that I am guilty of unwittingly. "Are not hid from You" — and You know that they accuse me falsely.
Metzudat David
"You know my folly" — as if to say: is it not so that they are not so numerous, [that I should] be so greatly afflicted? "And my trespasses," etc. — this repeats the same idea in different words.
Metzudat Zion
"My folly" (le'ivalti) — from the language of "avil" (a fool), meaning transgressions, for a person does not commit a transgression unless a spirit of foolishness has entered him. "Are hidden" (nichad) — they are withheld from being known.
Malbim
"O God" — (here he begins his prayer) — "You know my folly": folly refers to the doubts one may have in contemplation, through which one's faith becomes weakened in his hand; and although I am foolish in this matter, You know it. "And my trespasses," which are the transgressions I actually committed, "likewise are not hidden from You" — for not only do You know intellectual matters, You also know matters of action, which are bound up with time and place.
Let not those who wait for You be ashamed through me, O my Lord Hashem of hosts; Let not those who seek You be brought to confusion through me, O God of Israel.
verse value 2295
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 49 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יֱהֹוִ֗ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "through·me" (בִ֨י, 2 letters) and the longest is "let·not·be·humiliated" (אַל־יִכָּ֣לְמֽוּ, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 12: through·me, through·me. 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "let·not·be·ashamed" (אַל־יֵ֘בֹ֤שׁוּ), "those·who·wait·for·You" (קֹוֶיךָ֮), "let·not·be·humiliated" (אַל־יִכָּ֣לְמֽוּ). The root בי appears 2 times in this verse. 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 688x in Psalms); "God·of" (root אלהים, 347x in Psalms); "my·Lord" (root אדון, 64x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'those·who·seek·You', dividing the verse into phrases of 9 and 2 words. Full calculation: אַל־יֵ֘בֹ֤שׁוּ [let·not·be·ashamed] (349) + בִ֨י [through·me] (12) + קֹוֶיךָ֮ [those·who·wait·for·You] (136) + אֲדֹנָ֥י [my·Lord] (65) + יֱהֹוִ֗ה [Hashem] (26) + צְבָ֫א֥וֹת [of·hosts] (499) + אַל־יִכָּ֣לְמֽוּ [let·not·be·humiliated] (137) + בִ֣י [through·me] (12) + מְבַקְשֶׁ֑יךָ [those·who·seek·You] (472) + אֱ֝לֹהֵ֗י [God·of] (46) + יִשְׂרָאֵֽל [Israel] (541) = 2295.
Rashi
"Do not let those who hope for You be shamed" — Do not leave me in their hands lest those who hope for You be shamed by what happens to me and say, “Didn’t that happen to one who hopes to the Holy One, blessed be He?”
Ibn Ezra
"O my Lord," "Hashem of hosts" — for He is the God of the heavens, since the hosts are there. "O God of Israel" — for they [Israel] are His hosts on earth.
Radak
"Let not... be ashamed" — I hope [in Hashem] during the exile, even though it has grown long; and if my hope should perish, the hope of all who wait for You would perish, and they would be ashamed, for people would say, 'these were hoping during their exile, and there was no savior.' "Let not... be confounded" — this is a repetition of the same idea in different words, as is customary. And he mentions 'of hosts' — for He is Master of the hosts of heaven, from which decrees go forth by His will, and He is Master of the hosts of Israel; and He is the One who put them into exile, and He is the One who shall bring them out from there. In the reading it is 'Elohim Tzeva'ot,' which is like 'Elohei Tzeva'ot' (the God of hosts), coming with the mem in construct form. But in the writing it is [the letters] yod, heh, vav, heh [i.e., Hashem] — this being the proper Name, and 'Tzeva'ot' a descriptive name; and a descriptive name can stand in construct, but a proper name cannot stand in construct — for in this Name there is both a proper name and a descriptive name.
Metzudat David
"Let not be ashamed" — for if You do not answer me, then all who hope in You will be ashamed, seeing that my hope availed me nothing. "Let not be brought to confusion" — this repeats the same idea in different words.
Metzudat Zion
"Through me" (bi) — meaning, by my means.
Malbim
"Let them not be ashamed" — meaning, even though You know my folly, nevertheless You must save me, so that "those who wait for You, O Hashem of hosts, not be ashamed through me." There is a difference between shame (boshah) and disgrace (kelimah): shame is in oneself, while disgrace comes from others. Hope is in the heart, and if the hope does not come to pass, they will be ashamed in themselves, for they hoped in vain. "And let not those who seek You be disgraced through me" — those who seek You actively, which is visible to all; and if their request does not come to pass, they will also be disgraced before others, who saw that they sought in vain.
Because for Your sake I have borne reproach; Confusion has covered my face.
verse value 1934
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 26 letters. The shortest word is "my·face" (פָנָֽי, 3 letters) and the longest is "for·Your·sake" (כִּֽי־עָ֭לֶיךָ, 6 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "has·covered" (כִּסְּתָ֖ה). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "for·Your·sake" (root כי, 216x in Psalms); "my·face" (root פנים, 131x in Psalms); "I·have·borne" (root נשא, 52x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'reproach', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: כִּֽי־עָ֭לֶיךָ [for·Your·sake] (160) + נָשָׂ֣אתִי [I·have·borne] (761) + חֶרְפָּ֑ה [reproach] (293) + כִּסְּתָ֖ה [has·covered] (485) + כְלִמָּ֣ה [disgrace] (95) + פָנָֽי [my·face] (140) = 1934.
Ibn Ezra
"Because for Your sake" — on Your account, because I am Your servant, my adversaries reproach me.
Radak
"Because" — for Your sake I bear the reproach in exile; for if I wished to leave Your faith and return to their faith, I would be [counted] as great as one of them.
Metzudat David
"Because for Your sake" — the reproach that I bear is for Your sake; for had I joined with them to betray You, I would have been beloved by them. "Has covered" — this repeats the same idea in different words.
Malbim
"Because" — he explains the reason that those who wait for Hashem would be ashamed if He does not save him: because "the reproach that I bore was for Your sake" — and on Your behalf, as he will explain. Therefore it is fitting that Hashem save him; and if He does not save him, those who wait for Hashem will be ashamed, when they see that He does not save those who wait and hope for Him.
I have become a stranger to my brethren, And an alien to my mother's children.
verse value 1166
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 25 letters. The shortest word is "my·mother" (אִמִּֽי, 3 letters) and the longest is "I·have·become" (הָיִ֣יתִי, 5 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "a·stranger" (מ֭וּזָר), "and·an·alien" (וְ֝נׇכְרִ֗י). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "I·have·become" (root היה, 97x in Psalms); "to·the·sons·of" (root בן, 62x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·my·brothers', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: מ֭וּזָר [a·stranger] (253) + הָיִ֣יתִי [I·have·become] (435) + לְאֶחָ֑י [to·my·brothers] (49) + וְ֝נׇכְרִ֗י [and·an·alien] (286) + לִבְנֵ֥י [to·the·sons·of] (92) + אִמִּֽי [my·mother] (51) = 1166.
Rashi
"to my brothers" — To Esau.
Ibn Ezra
"A stranger" [מוּזָר] — the meaning is: I have changed so much that my own brothers do not recognize me, as though I were a stranger.
Radak
"A stranger (muzar)" — a huf'al form from 'zar' (a stranger), meaning that they regard me as a stranger. "To my brethren" — these are the sons of Ishmael. "To my mother's children" — these are the sons of Esau.
Metzudat David
"I have become a stranger" — for Your sake I am regarded as a stranger to my brothers, who are the sons of Ishmael.
Metzudat Zion
"A stranger" (muzar) — from the language of "zar" (stranger).
Malbim
(Verses 9-10) "For" — the fact "that I became a stranger to my brothers" was because "zeal for Your house consumed me" — meaning, I had zeal concerning the members of Your household who do not listen to Your voice (he likens Hashem and Israel to a father with the members of his household), and because of this I had a quarrel with my brothers. And also "the reproaches of those who reproach You have fallen upon me" — for the wicked who reproach You, reproach me on account of my faith.
Because zeal for Your house has eaten me up, And the reproaches of those who reproach You have fallen upon me.
verse value 2824
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 35 letters. The shortest word is "upon·me" (עָלָֽי, 3 letters) and the longest is "for·zeal·of" (כִּֽי־קִנְאַ֣ת, 6 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "for·zeal·of" (כִּֽי־קִנְאַ֣ת), "has·eaten·me·up" (אֲכָלָ֑תְנִי), "and·the·reproaches·of" (וְחֶרְפּ֥וֹת). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "upon·me" (root על, 120x in Psalms); "Your·house" (root בית, 48x in Psalms); "has·eaten·me·up" (root אכל, 35x in Psalms). First appearance of the root קנאה ("for·zeal·of") in Psalms. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'has·eaten·me·up', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 4 words. Full calculation: כִּֽי־קִנְאַ֣ת [for·zeal·of] (581) + בֵּיתְךָ֣ [Your·house] (432) + אֲכָלָ֑תְנִי [has·eaten·me·up] (511) + וְחֶרְפּ֥וֹת [and·the·reproaches·of] (700) + ח֝וֹרְפֶ֗יךָ [those·who·reproach·You] (324) + נָפְל֥וּ [have·fallen] (166) + עָלָֽי [upon·me] (110) = 2824.
Rashi
"the envy of Your house" — They saw the love that You showed us when Your house was still existing, and they envied me.
Ibn Ezra
"Because" — the sense of "zeal for Your house" is that the adversaries were reproaching the house where the Ark was. And the more likely [view] is that this psalm was spoken by the holy spirit concerning the time of the exile, and the proof is: "and build the cities of Judah" [verse 36].
Radak
"Because zeal for Your house" — for they rule over it, and I am outside. "Those who reproach You" — those who reproach me are [in effect] those who reproach You. For when they say, 'There is no hope for you, and you will never leave the exile,' [they reproach You as well], since You said that You would bring us out and redeem us, whether soon or in the distant future.
Metzudat David
"Zeal for Your house" — because they are jealous of the glory of the Temple, for this reason they consume me, and they go on to further reproach me with words.
Metzudat Zion
"Have fallen" (naflu) — they encamped and dwelt, as in "he dwelt in the presence of all his brethren" (al penei kol echav nafal) (Genesis 25).
And I wept with my soul with fasting, And that became to me a reproach.
verse value 1797
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 25 letters. The shortest word is "to·me" (לִֽי, 2 letters) and the longest is "for·a·reproach" (לַחֲרָפ֣וֹת, 6 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "and·I·wept" (וָאֶבְכֶּ֣ה), "and·it·became" (וַתְּהִ֖י), "for·a·reproach" (לַחֲרָפ֣וֹת). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "my·soul" (root נפש, 143x in Psalms); "and·it·became" (root היה, 97x in Psalms); "to·me" (root לי, 68x in Psalms). First appearance of the root בכה ("and·I·wept") in Psalms. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'my·soul', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: וָאֶבְכֶּ֣ה [and·I·wept] (34) + בַצּ֣וֹם [with·the·fasting] (138) + נַפְשִׁ֑י [my·soul] (440) + וַתְּהִ֖י [and·it·became] (421) + לַחֲרָפ֣וֹת [for·a·reproach] (724) + לִֽי [to·me] (40) = 1797.
Rashi
"And I bewailed my soul in fast" — In my fast. "and it was a disgrace for me" — When I weep and fast before You, they mock me.
Ibn Ezra
"And I wept" — the [implied] object is "soul," as in: "and to weep for her" [וְלִבְכֹּתָהּ] (Genesis 23:2). "And it became" — as I have mentioned [elsewhere], that the force of a verb-form may be [either] past or future, and so it is here: "and I wept" — [that] weeping became a reproach to me.
Radak
"And I wept, my soul, with fasting" — it lacks a vav, as if it said "and I wept, and with fasting, my soul," meaning: I am continually weeping and fasting. "And that became a reproach to me" — it became reproaches for me, in that they reproach me on Your account.
Metzudat David
"And I wept" — and when I weep at a time when my soul is fasting. "And that became" — the weeping became a reproach to me, in their saying: if He had not despised you, why would the sound of weeping not be heard?
Malbim
(Verses 11-12) "And I wept" — when I weep in prayer over this, "it becomes a reproach to me"; and "when I made sackcloth my clothing" to mourn over this, "I became a byword to them."
Those who sit in the gate talk of me; And I am the song of the drunkards. .
verse value 2999
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 28 letters. The shortest word is "about·me" (בִ֭י, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·the·song·of" (וּ֝נְגִינ֗וֹת, 7 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "they·talk" (יָשִׂ֣יחוּ), "and·the·song·of" (וּ֝נְגִינ֗וֹת), "those·who·drink" (שׁוֹתֵ֥י). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "those·who·sit·at" (root ישב, 58x in Psalms); "they·talk" (root שיח, 24x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'gate', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 3 words. Full calculation: יָשִׂ֣יחוּ [they·talk] (334) + בִ֭י [about·me] (12) + יֹ֣שְׁבֵי [those·who·sit·at] (322) + שָׁ֑עַר [gate] (570) + וּ֝נְגִינ֗וֹת [and·the·song·of] (525) + שׁוֹתֵ֥י [those·who·drink] (716) + שֵׁכָֽר [strong·drink] (520) = 2999.
Rashi
"and melodies" — they made of me for those who imbibe strong drink.
Ibn Ezra
"They talk" — he relates that people who sit at the gate mock him, because of his sins.
Radak
"They talk" — when they gather to sit at the gate, or to drink [wine], for it [talk of me] is their conversation, [meant] for mockery and disgrace.
Metzudat David
"Those who sit in the gate" — the judges who sit in the gates of the city, even they talk about me, though it is not the way of important people to speak of trivial matters. "And songs" — the drinkers of strong drink make songs out of the things that happen to me, in a manner of mockery and scorn.
Metzudat Zion
"Talk" (yasichu) — an expression of recounting words/conversing.
Malbim
(Verses 13-14) "Those who sit in the gate speak of me, but as for me, my prayer" — he says: yet at the time "when those who sit in the gate speak of me, and the drinkers of strong drink" make of me "songs" to mock me, at that very time, "my prayer is to You" — for this time, when they mock me, is "a time of favor"; and at that time my prayer is: "O God, in the abundance of Your kindness, answer me" — (1) that You answer me out of kindness; (2) "that You answer me with the truth of Your salvation" — out of the truth concerning Your salvation, meaning, out of the promise that You promised to save me.
But as for me, let my prayer be to You, O Hashem, in an acceptable time; O God, in the abundance of Your mercy, Answer me with the truth of Your salvation.
verse value 3284
Insights
Verse structure: 10 words, 45 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֡ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "time·of" (עֵ֤ת, 2 letters) and the longest is "my·prayer·to·You" (תְפִלָּֽתִי־לְךָ֨, 7 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "my·prayer·to·You" (תְפִלָּֽתִי־לְךָ֨), "in·the·abundance·of·Your·mercy" (בְּרׇב־חַסְדֶּ֑ךָ). 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 688x in Psalms); "God" (root אלהים, 347x in Psalms); "in·the·abundance·of·Your·mercy" (root חסד, 125x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'in·the·abundance·of·Your·mercy', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 3 words. Full calculation: וַאֲנִ֤י [but·I] (67) + תְפִלָּֽתִי־לְךָ֨ [my·prayer·to·You] (970) + יְהֹוָ֡ה [Hashem] (26) + עֵ֤ת [time·of] (470) + רָצ֗וֹן [pleasure] (346) + אֱלֹהִ֥ים [God] (86) + בְּרׇב־חַסְדֶּ֑ךָ [in·the·abundance·of·Your·mercy] (296) + עֲ֝נֵ֗נִי [answer·me] (180) + בֶּאֱמֶ֥ת [with·the·truth·of] (443) + יִשְׁעֶֽךָ [Your·salvation] (400) = 3284.
Rashi
"But, as for me, may my prayer to You, O Lord, be" — may the time of my prayer be a desirable time.
Ibn Ezra
"But as for me" — I pray, perhaps I will find an acceptable time. "with the truth of Your salvation" — [that is,] "in Your salvation, in truth." And some say [that the bet functions] like [the bet in] "Baal Peor," [meaning] "on account of" — but this is not correct in my opinion. And this is my prayer: "deliver me from the mire" — that is, from mud.
Radak
"But as for me" — they talk about me and mock me, but I have nothing except my prayer to You, that You save me from their hand. "An acceptable time" — meaning: my prayer to You is continual, [hoping] that perhaps at some [moment] it will be an acceptable time, when You will accept it, to bring me out of exile. "Answer me with the truth of Your salvation" — in the abundance of Your mercy and Your truth, answer me, so that You fulfill Your promise to me. The "answer" is Your salvation, which You will give us; and the truth is the salvation, while the mercy is what hastens the salvation. Therefore he said "in the abundance," for abundant mercy is needed to hasten the redemption, without regard to our evil deeds.
Metzudat David
"But as for me, my prayer" — but I will pray before You, and I do not turn to their mockery. "In an acceptable time," etc. — that is to say, through the abundance of Your kindness let it be a time of favor, and answer me with a truth of salvation that endures.
Metzudat Zion
"With the truth" (be'emet) — its meaning is a thing that is established/fulfilled.
Deliver me out of the mire, and let me not sink; Let me be delivered from those who hate me, and out of the deep waters.
verse value 1360
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 38 letters. The shortest word is "from·the·mire" (מִ֭טִּיט, 4 letters) and the longest is "and·from·depths·of·water" (וּמִמַּ֖עֲמַקֵּי־מָֽיִם, 10 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "and·let·me·not·sink" (וְאַל־אֶטְבָּ֑עָה), "let·me·be·delivered" (אִנָּצְלָ֥ה), "and·from·depths·of·water" (וּמִמַּ֖עֲמַקֵּי־מָֽיִם). The root נצל appears 2 times in this verse. 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "deliver·me" (root נצל, 44x in Psalms); "from·those·who·hate·me" (root שנא, 42x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·let·me·not·sink', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: הַצִּילֵ֣נִי [deliver·me] (195) + מִ֭טִּיט [from·the·mire] (68) + וְאַל־אֶטְבָּ֑עָה [and·let·me·not·sink] (124) + אִנָּצְלָ֥ה [let·me·be·delivered] (176) + מִ֝שֹּׂנְאַ֗י [from·those·who·hate·me] (401) + וּמִמַּ֖עֲמַקֵּי־מָֽיִם [and·from·depths·of·water] (396) = 1360.
Ibn Ezra
"and out of the deep waters" — corresponds to "the deep" [מְצוּלָה, cf. verse 3].
Radak
"Deliver me" — this is my prayer. "Let me not sink, etc." — and what he said above, "I have sunk... the floods have swept over me," is [said] by way of the great distress that is close to death, for one who is close to death is spoken of as if dead. But what he says now, he says regarding total death — [praying] that I not remain in exile for all the days of the world. "From those who hate me, and out of the deep waters" — he mentions both the metaphor and the thing it stands for. The vav of "and out of the deep [waters]" is a vav of comparison, meaning: may I be delivered from those who hate me, just as [I would wish] to be delivered from the depths of the water.
Metzudat David
"Out of the mire" — this is a metaphor for troubles. "And let me not sink" — [meaning] to be submerged and lost. "And out of the deep waters" — that is to say, it is as if I am rescued from the depths of the water.
Malbim
"Deliver me" — corresponding to what he said, "I have sunk in deep mire," he asks, "deliver me from the mire, and let me not sink"; and corresponding to what he said, "I have come into deep waters," "those who hate me without cause are many," he asks, "let me be delivered from those who hate me and from the deep waters." Meaning, when he is saved from the water he fears his enemies who stand on the water's edge to kill him, and when he remains in his place he fears the water; he asks that Hashem save him from both.
Let not the waterflood overwhelm me, Neither let the deep swallow me up; And let not the pit shut her mouth upon me.
verse value 3527
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 45 letters. The shortest word is "water" (מַ֭יִם, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·let·not·close·upon·me" (וְאַל־תֶּאְטַר־עָלַ֖י, 10 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "let·not·sweep·me·away" (אַל־תִּשְׁטְפֵ֤נִי), "a·flood·of" (שִׁבֹּ֣לֶת), "and·let·not·swallow·me·up" (וְאַל־תִּבְלָעֵ֣נִי). 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "her·mouth" (root פה, 46x in Psalms); "water" (root מים, 38x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'depth', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 3 words. Full calculation: אַל־תִּשְׁטְפֵ֤נִי [let·not·sweep·me·away] (880) + שִׁבֹּ֣לֶת [a·flood·of] (732) + מַ֭יִם [water] (90) + וְאַל־תִּבְלָעֵ֣נִי [and·let·not·swallow·me·up] (599) + מְצוּלָ֑ה [depth] (171) + וְאַל־תֶּאְטַר־עָלַ֖י [and·let·not·close·upon·me] (757) + בְּאֵ֣ר [well] (203) + פִּֽיהָ [her·mouth] (95) = 3527.
Rashi
"and let not...close" — And let it not close over me. "a well" — This strange trouble [shall not close] its mouth to swallow me up. "close" — Heb. תאטר, as (Jud. 3:15): “with a shriveled (אטר) right hand” that he does not use it.
Ibn Ezra
"Let not ...," "and let not the pit shut her mouth upon me" — for there is living water there. "shut" [תֶּאְטַר] — like "be stopped up" and "be closed," as in: "a man restricted [אִטֵּר] in his right hand" (Judges 3:15).
Radak
"Shut" — [meaning] close; for if the mouth of the pit closes, I have no one to bring me out of it, and the pit is the exile.
Metzudat David
"And let... not shut" — since I have already fallen into the well of water, let it not close its mouth over me so that I cannot come up; that is to say, let me not be swallowed up in it.
Metzudat Zion
"Shut" (te'atar) — an expression of stopping up and closing, and similarly "impeded of his right hand" (iter yad yemino) (Judges 3:15).
Malbim
"Let not the flood sweep over me" — meaning, I have no way to be saved from my enemy except either that the flood sweep me away from here, or that the deep swallow me so that he not see me, or that the pit close its mouth over me so that I not be revealed before them. He therefore asks that he not be saved from his enemies by these means, but rather, "answer me, Hashem, for Your kindness is good," and You are able to save me in a good way according to Your kindness (meaning, he could be saved by fleeing from Jerusalem — like the parable of the flood sweeping him away; or by hiding in caves — like the parable of the deep swallowing him; or by taking refuge in a fortified city — like the parable of the pit closing its mouth over him). "For it is good" — (1) on account of the kindness; (2) on account of the mercy that He will show upon seeing his affliction — hence it says, "according to the abundance of Your mercies, turn to me."
Answer me, O Hashem, for Your mercy is good; According to the multitude of Your compassions turn to me.
verse value 1021
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 31 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְ֭הֹוָה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "according·to·the·multitude·of" (כְּרֹ֥ב, 3 letters) and the longest is "for·good" (כִּי־ט֣וֹב, 5 letters). 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 688x in Psalms); "Your·mercy" (root חסד, 125x in Psalms); "to·me" (root אל, 112x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Your·mercy', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 4 words. Full calculation: עֲנֵ֣נִי [answer·me] (180) + יְ֭הֹוָה [Hashem] (26) + כִּי־ט֣וֹב [for·good] (47) + חַסְדֶּ֑ךָ [Your·mercy] (92) + כְּרֹ֥ב [according·to·the·multitude·of] (222) + רַ֝חֲמֶ֗יךָ [Your·compassions] (278) + פְּנֵ֣ה [turn] (135) + אֵלָֽי [to·me] (41) = 1021.
Ibn Ezra
"Answer me, for Your mercy is good" — the sense is "beneficial," or "how good it is for me."
Radak
"Your mercy" — is good for me; and even though I am a sinner, turn to me according to the abundance of Your compassion, not according to my deeds.
And do not hide Your face from Your servant; For I am in distress; answer me speedily.
verse value 2178
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 29 letters. Verse gematria: 2178 is divisible by 18, the value of chai ('life'). The shortest word is "hasten" (מַהֵ֥ר, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·do·not·hide" (וְאַל־תַּסְתֵּ֣ר, 7 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "and·do·not·hide" (וְאַל־תַּסְתֵּ֣ר), "from·Your·servant" (מֵעַבְדֶּ֑ךָ), "for·I·am·in·distress" (כִּי־צַר־לִ֝֗י). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Your·face" (root פנים, 131x in Psalms); "from·Your·servant" (root עבד, 61x in Psalms); "answer·me" (root ענה, 56x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'from·Your·servant', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: וְאַל־תַּסְתֵּ֣ר [and·do·not·hide] (1097) + פָּ֭נֶיךָ [Your·face] (160) + מֵעַבְדֶּ֑ךָ [from·Your·servant] (136) + כִּי־צַר־לִ֝֗י [for·I·am·in·distress] (360) + מַהֵ֥ר [hasten] (245) + עֲנֵֽנִי [answer·me] (180) = 2178.
Ibn Ezra
"And do not" — because he was in a hidden place, in the depths of the water[s].
Radak
"And do not hide" — this is by way of metaphor: one who has no desire for a person hides his face from him. And since I am in great distress, You must answer me quickly.
Metzudat David
"Answer me speedily" — because the trouble has already drawn near.
Malbim
"And do not" — and not only that You answer me and turn to me, but also, "do not hide Your face from Your servant," in such a way that I see You standing ready to save me; and since "I am in distress, answer me quickly," without delay.
Draw near to my soul, and redeem it; Ransom me because of my enemies.
verse value 1174
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 26 letters. The shortest word is "draw·near" (קׇרְבָ֣ה, 4 letters) and the longest is "to·my·soul" (אֶל־נַפְשִׁ֣י, 6 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "draw·near" (קׇרְבָ֣ה), "to·my·soul" (אֶל־נַפְשִׁ֣י), "redeem·it" (גְאָלָ֑הּ). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "to·my·soul" (root נפש, 143x in Psalms); "my·enemies" (root איב, 71x in Psalms); "because·of" (root מען, 32x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'redeem·it', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: קׇרְבָ֣ה [draw·near] (307) + אֶל־נַפְשִׁ֣י [to·my·soul] (471) + גְאָלָ֑הּ [redeem·it] (39) + לְמַ֖עַן [because·of] (190) + אֹיְבַ֣י [my·enemies] (23) + פְּדֵֽנִי [ransom·me] (144) = 1174.
Rashi
"Come close to my soul" — (Come close to me.) "redeem it" — Heb. גאלה, [equivalent to] גְאוֹל אוֹתָה.
Ibn Ezra
"Draw near" — Rabbi Moshe said: that "korvah" is like "and bring them near" [וְקָרֵב אֹתָם] (Ezekiel 37:17). "And the word 'ge'alah' [גְּאָלָהּ]" — is like "ge'ulatah" [גְּאֻלָּתָהּ, "her redemption"]. And thus Rabbi Moshe explains: "korvah" is in the imperative, a transitive verb, and he prays to Hashem: "draw near [and] redeem my soul," like "and bring them near," which is imperative, like "confound, Hashem, [and] divide their tongues" (Psalm 55:10) — therefore "korav" is entirely vocalized with patach, and "ge'alah" is a noun vocalized with patach, like "zahavah" ["her gold"] [and] "shelalah" ["her spoil"] — therefore it means "ge'ulatah," "her redemption." So the sage, may he live, explained to me. But the correct [view] is that it is like "zochrah li," "remember me" (Nehemiah 5:19). "And 'ge'alah'" — [is] an imperative, in the manner of "and teach [ve-lamedah] the children of Israel" (Deuteronomy 31:19), or the word "asher" ["which"] is missing. And thus it is [to be understood]: "draw near to my soul, which [You] redeemed" — meaning, [she] who was redeemed. And the sense of "because of my enemies" is that they do me violence.
Radak
"Draw near" — as if He were far from it [the soul] while it remains in exile. "Redeem it" — redeem it. "Because of my enemies" — so that they not say that the power to redeem it is not in Your hand.
Metzudat David
"Because of my enemies" — so that they should not say, 'their hand has triumphed.'
Malbim
"Draw near" — redemption (ge'ulah) comes from the aspect of kinship, like the redemption of relatives, whereas ransom (pedut) comes from the thing itself. Thus it says, "draw near to my soul" — from the aspect of the kinship that You have with my soul, since it is "a part of God from above"; and from this aspect, "redeem it," like a relative who redeems his kinsman, for there is no relative closer to it than You. And from the aspect of my body, which is not related to You, "ransom me because of my enemies" — You should ransom it for its own sake, after it has fallen into the hand of its enemies, so that they not destroy it.
You know my reproach, and my shame, and my confusion; My adversaries are all before You.
verse value 3445
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 34 letters. Verse gematria: 3445 is divisible by 13, the value of echad ('one') and ahavah ('love'). The shortest word is "You" (אַתָּ֤ה, 3 letters) and the longest is "all·my·adversaries" (כׇּל־צוֹרְרָֽי, 7 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "and·my·shame" (וּ֭בׇשְׁתִּי), "and·my·disgrace" (וּכְלִמָּתִ֑י), "all·my·adversaries" (כׇּל־צוֹרְרָֽי). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "You" (root אתה, 115x in Psalms); "You·know" (root ידע, 95x in Psalms); "before·You" (root נגד, 55x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·my·disgrace', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 2 words. Full calculation: אַתָּ֤ה [You] (406) + יָדַ֗עְתָּ [You·know] (484) + חֶרְפָּתִ֣י [my·reproach] (698) + וּ֭בׇשְׁתִּי [and·my·shame] (718) + וּכְלִמָּתִ֑י [and·my·disgrace] (506) + נֶ֝גְדְּךָ֗ [before·You] (77) + כׇּל־צוֹרְרָֽי [all·my·adversaries] (556) = 3445.
Ibn Ezra
"You know" — what is in Your heart concerning my being reproached, for all my adversaries are before You.
Radak
"You [know]" — he mentions the reproach with three terms, meaning: with every kind of disgrace. "Before You" — for nothing is hidden from You. And the meaning of "all my adversaries" is that You see them as if they were before You, though they think You do not see.
Metzudat David
"Before You" — that is to say, You see all those who distress me.
Malbim
"You" — corresponding to the redemption of the soul, he says, "You know my reproach and my shame," which is for Your sake, as he said, "for I have borne reproach for Your sake"; and corresponding to the ransom on account of his enemies, he says, "are not all my adversaries before You?" — and You have seen how they act as adversaries against me with their schemes.
Reproach has broken my heart; and I am sorely sick; And I looked for some to show compassion, but there was none; And for comforters, but I found none.
verse value 2287
Insights
Verse structure: 10 words, 46 letters. The shortest word is "my·heart" (לִבִּ֗י, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·for·the·comforters" (וְ֝לַמְנַחֲמִ֗ים, 8 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "broke" (שָׁ֥בְרָ֥ה), "and·I·became·sick" (וָאָ֫נ֥וּשָׁה), "to·console" (לָנ֣וּד). 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·not" (root לא, 174x in Psalms); "my·heart" (root לב, 74x in Psalms); "and·there·was·none" (root אין, 67x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·there·was·none', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 3 words. Full calculation: חֶרְפָּ֤ה [reproach] (293) + שָׁ֥בְרָ֥ה [broke] (507) + לִבִּ֗י [my·heart] (42) + וָאָ֫נ֥וּשָׁה [and·I·became·sick] (368) + וָאֲקַוֶּ֣ה [and·I·waited] (118) + לָנ֣וּד [to·console] (90) + וָאַ֑יִן [and·there·was·none] (67) + וְ֝לַמְנַחֲמִ֗ים [and·for·the·comforters] (224) + וְלֹ֣א [and·not] (37) + מָצָֽאתִי [I·found] (541) = 2287.
Rashi
"and I have become ill" — Heb. ואנושה, I am ailing and sick, as (Micah 1:9): “For she is mortally ill (אנושה) [from] her wounds,” and as (II Sam. 12:15): “and the child (sic) became mortally ill (ויאנש),” of Bathsheba. Now if you ask how this “aleph” serves as a radical and also as a prefix denoting the first person, this is the way of a word beginning with “aleph.” For example, (Mal. 1:2): “and I loved (וָאֹהַב) Jacob”; (Prov. 8:17), “I will love (אֵהָב) those who love me.” It is equivalent to וָאֶאֶהַב Similarly, (Zeph. 1:2): “I will totally destroy (אָסֹף אָסֵף),” like אֶאֶסֹף. "for sympathy" — Heb. לנוד, to shake. That friends should come to me to shake [their heads] over me and to comfort me.
Ibn Ezra
"Reproach" — their reproach, with which they reproach me, has broken my heart. "and I am sorely sick" [וָאָנוּשָׁה] — the alef is the sign of the first person, and an alef is elided from "vaye'anesh" [וַיֵּאָנֵשׁ], and a shuruk comes in place of a cholam, as in: "yishputu hem" ["they shall judge"]. "to show compassion" [לָנוּד] — like "lanud lo," "to show him compassion" (cf. Job 2:11).
Radak
"And I am sorely sick" [ve'anushah] — its form is "va'anushah"; the aleph, [namely] the first root-letter (pe ha-po'al), is elided, and [the remaining] aleph is a firm root-letter (aleph eitan) related in meaning to "pain"; and the shuruk stands in place of a holam. "And I looked for some to show compassion, but there was none" — I hoped that there would be, among them, someone who would have pity on me and would come to show me compassion and console me over my brokenness, but there was none. In "va'akaveh," the vav is vocalized with a kamatz, and its sense is past tense. "And for comforters" — the lamed is vocalized with a patach, indicating definiteness, meaning: for those who appeared to me to be friends.
Metzudat David
"And I am sorely sick" — because of a broken heart I have become ill. "For [some] to console" — for someone to come comfort me and shake his head, in the manner of comforters. "And for comforters" — this repeats the same point in different words.
Metzudat Zion
"Is sorely sick" (ve'anushah) — an expression of painful illness, as in "and the child became sick" (vaye'anash hayeled) (II Samuel 12).
Malbim
"Reproach" — the reproach has already "broken my heart," for the heart is the source of life, and it is broken, to the point that "I am sick" — that is, it is a mortal blow, since it has reached my heart. "And I hoped for consolation" — he pictures himself as dead and wants people to console him and mourn over him, as is done for the dead, but there is "none to tell it to him and comfort him."
Indeed, they put poison into my food; And in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.
verse value 2384
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 29 letters. The shortest word is "poison" (רֹ֑אשׁ, 3 letters) and the longest is "in·my·food" (בְּבָרוּתִ֣י, 6 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "and·they·gave" (וַיִּתְּנ֣וּ), "in·my·food" (בְּבָרוּתִ֣י), "and·for·my·thirst" (וְ֝לִצְמָאִ֗י). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·they·gave" (root נתן, 95x in Psalms); "poison" (root ראש, 33x in Psalms). First appearance of the root חמץ ("vinegar") in Psalms. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'poison', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: וַיִּתְּנ֣וּ [and·they·gave] (472) + בְּבָרוּתִ֣י [in·my·food] (620) + רֹ֑אשׁ [poison] (501) + וְ֝לִצְמָאִ֗י [and·for·my·thirst] (177) + יַשְׁק֥וּנִי [they·gave·me·to·drink] (476) + חֹֽמֶץ [vinegar] (138) = 2384.
Rashi
"into my food" — Heb. בברותי, into my food, as (II Sam. 13:6): “Let my sister Tamar come now, etc., that I may eat (ואברה) from her hand.”
Ibn Ezra
"And they put into my food" [וַיִּתְּנוּ בְּבָרוּתִי] — because he was fasting, as he mentioned: "and I wept, [with] my soul in fasting" [verse 11] — and the proof of [his] hunger and thirst is [the word] "my food" [בְּרוּתִי], which is from the same pattern as "habberiyah" [sustenance].
Radak
"And they gave, in my food" — that is, even at a time of exile, when I wish to rejoice, they embitter me by their strife against me — like one who is hungry and wants to eat, and they put gall and wormwood in his food; or like one who is thirsty, and they give him vinegar to drink.
Metzudat David
"And they gave, etc." — He likens himself to one who is hungry for bread and thirsty for water, and they feed him bitter herb and give him vinegar to drink, so that pain is added upon his pain; for so too the enemy again turns his hand to strike and to afflict.
Metzudat Zion
"Into my food" (beveruti) — its meaning is a small amount of food, as in "bring the food" (havi'i haberayah) (ibid., 13). "Poison" (rosh) — the name of a bitter herb, as in "gall and wormwood" (rosh vela'anah) (Deuteronomy 29).
Malbim
"And they gave me gall for my food" — at the meal of consolation (se'udat havra'ah) that they make for him (as is done for a mourner, that this meal comes from others), they gave him gall and wormwood in it; and instead of giving the mourner wine to drink at this meal, as it says, "give strong drink to him who is perishing" (Proverbs 31:6), "they gave me vinegar to drink."
Let their table before them become a snare; And when they are in peace, let it become a trap.
verse value 1724
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 30 letters. The shortest word is "for·a·snare" (לְפָ֑ח, 3 letters) and the longest is "let·their·table·be" (יְהִי־שֻׁלְחָנָ֣ם, 8 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "let·their·table·be" (יְהִי־שֻׁלְחָנָ֣ם), "for·a·snare" (לְפָ֑ח), "and·for·peace" (וְלִשְׁלוֹמִ֥ים). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "before·them" (root פנים, 131x in Psalms); "and·for·peace" (root שלום, 28x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'for·a·snare', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 2 words. Full calculation: יְהִי־שֻׁלְחָנָ֣ם [let·their·table·be] (453) + לִפְנֵיהֶ֣ם [before·them] (215) + לְפָ֑ח [for·a·snare] (118) + וְלִשְׁלוֹמִ֥ים [and·for·peace] (462) + לְמוֹקֵֽשׁ [for·a·trap] (476) = 1724.
Rashi
"and for peace" — When they hope for peace, may their peace be turned into a snare.
Ibn Ezra
"Let it be" — corresponds to "and they gave gall into my food" [verse 22]. "and for their peace" [וְלִשְׁלוֹמִים] — in place of "shelomim" [their peace/welfare], with the extra lamed, like the lamed in: "and the brick became to them as stone" [וַתְּהִי לָהֶם הַלְּבֵנָה לְאָבֶן] (Genesis 11:3).
Radak
"Let... [their table before them become a snare]" — corresponding to "in my food." "And when they are in peace, [let it become] a trap" — that which they hope will be for their peace shall become for them a trap.
Metzudat David
"Let their table be" — for this they shall be punished: that their table, which is set before them, shall become a snare and a trap; that is to say, what they consider for good shall be turned into evil. "And their peace" — what they hope will bring them peace shall likewise be turned into a snare; and this repeats the same point in different words.
Metzudat Zion
"For a snare" (lefach) — for a trap.
Malbim
"Let it be" — a bird is caught in a snare (pach) by food being placed in the snare; it comes there and is caught. Accordingly, he says that their table, to which they come to eat, will become a snare before them — and a snare catches the living creature but does not harm it, whereas a trap (mokesh) is what harms it. Hence it says, "and for their peace" — a thing that they think is for peace — "let it become a trap before them."
Let their eyes be darkened, that they do not see; And make their loins continually to totter.
verse value 2739
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 32 letters. The shortest word is "continually" (תָּמִ֥יד, 4 letters) and the longest is "and·their·loins" (וּ֝מׇתְנֵיהֶ֗ם, 7 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "let·them·be·darkened" (תֶּחְשַׁ֣כְנָה), "and·their·loins" (וּ֝מׇתְנֵיהֶ֗ם), "make·totter" (הַמְעַֽד). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "from·seeing" (root ראה, 100x in Psalms); "their·eyes" (root עין, 64x in Psalms); "continually" (root תמיד, 23x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'from·seeing', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: תֶּחְשַׁ֣כְנָה [let·them·be·darkened] (783) + עֵ֭ינֵיהֶם [their·eyes] (185) + מֵרְא֑וֹת [from·seeing] (647) + וּ֝מׇתְנֵיהֶ֗ם [and·their·loins] (551) + תָּמִ֥יד [continually] (454) + הַמְעַֽד [make·totter] (119) = 2739.
Ibn Ezra
"Let ... be darkened" — for when they do not see, they will stumble, and then fall.
Radak
"Make [their loins] totter" [ha'med] — an imperative of the hif'il pattern, and it comes with a patach in the pausal form; [meaning] since they do not see, their feet will stumble and they will fall — that is to say, they will fall from their rank and their pride. And he mentions the tottering in the loins, because the essence of a person's strength — in stature and in power — is in the loins.
Metzudat David
"And their loins" — because their eyes will be darkened, they will stumble in their walking (and it says "their loins" because when a person's legs slip and give way, he feels the pain in his loins).
Metzudat Zion
"To totter" (hama'ad) — an expression of slipping and sliding.
Malbim
"Let their eyes be darkened, that they not see" — so that they not see the trap and be caught in it; "and make their loins continually totter" — so that they stumble and fall into the snare.
Pour out Your indignation upon them, And let the fierceness of Your anger overtake them.
verse value 1426
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 25 letters. The shortest word is "Your·anger" (אַ֝פְּךָ֗, 3 letters) and the longest is "pour·upon·them" (שְׁפׇךְ־עֲלֵיהֶ֥ם, 8 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "pour·upon·them" (שְׁפׇךְ־עֲלֵיהֶ֥ם), "and·the·fierceness·of" (וַחֲר֥וֹן), "let·it·overtake·them" (יַשִּׂיגֵֽם). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Your·anger" (root אף, 40x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Your·indignation', dividing the verse into phrases of 2 and 3 words. Full calculation: שְׁפׇךְ־עֲלֵיהֶ֥ם [pour·upon·them] (555) + זַעְמֶ֑ךָ [Your·indignation] (137) + וַחֲר֥וֹן [and·the·fierceness·of] (270) + אַ֝פְּךָ֗ [Your·anger] (101) + יַשִּׂיגֵֽם [let·it·overtake·them] (363) = 1426.
Ibn Ezra
"Pour out" — connected to what precedes it: when they fall, "pour out upon them from above Your indignation," so that if they flee, the fierceness of Your anger will overtake them; since they will not escape, their stronghold will be laid waste.
Radak
"Let it overtake them" — so that they will not be able to escape Your indignation and the fierceness of Your anger.
Metzudat Zion
"Your indignation" (za'amcha) — Your anger.
Malbim
"Pour out upon them" — indignation (za'am) is the curse, and burning anger (charon af) is the wrath. The figure of speech portrays that the instrument prepared to chastise the sinner is the rod of Hashem's anger, while the sufferings themselves, by which He chastises, are the indignation, as it says, "Woe, Assyria, the rod of My anger, and the staff in their hand is My indignation" (Isaiah 10:5). Hence it says that He should "pour out upon them His indignation" and His curse, "and the fierceness of His anger" — which goes on His mission to pour out His indignation upon them — "shall overtake them."
Let their encampment be desolate; Let none dwell in their tents.
verse value 1930
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 27 letters. The shortest word is "dwelling" (יֹשֵֽׁב, 3 letters) and the longest is "let·their·encampment·be" (תְּהִי־טִירָתָ֥ם, 8 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "let·their·encampment·be" (תְּהִי־טִירָתָ֥ם), "desolate" (נְשַׁמָּ֑ה), "let·there·not·be" (אַל־יְהִ֥י). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "let·there·not·be" (root היה, 97x in Psalms); "dwelling" (root ישב, 58x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'desolate', dividing the verse into phrases of 2 and 3 words. Full calculation: תְּהִי־טִירָתָ֥ם [let·their·encampment·be] (1074) + נְשַׁמָּ֑ה [desolate] (395) + בְּ֝אׇהֳלֵיהֶ֗ם [in·their·tents] (93) + אַל־יְהִ֥י [let·there·not·be] (56) + יֹשֵֽׁב [dwelling] (312) = 1930.
Radak
"Let their encampment be" — their palaces.
Metzudat Zion
"Their encampment" (tiratam) — their palace, as in "a turret of silver" (tirat kesef) (Song of Songs 8). "Desolate" (neshamah) — desolate.
Malbim
"Let their encampment be" — their fortified encampment, which is fixed, shall be "desolate"; and also "in their tents" — which are moved about from place to place — "let there be none who dwells," for they shall not have even a temporary tent.
For they persecute him whom You have smitten; And they tell of the pain of those whom You have wounded.
verse value 2222
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 34 letters. The shortest word is "they·pursued" (רָדָ֑פוּ, 4 letters) and the longest is "and·of·the·pain·of" (וְאֶל־מַכְא֖וֹב, 8 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "whom·You·have·smitten" (אֲשֶׁר־הִכִּ֣יתָ), "and·of·the·pain·of" (וְאֶל־מַכְא֖וֹב), "Your·wounded" (חֲלָלֶ֣יךָ). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "for·You" (root אתה, 115x in Psalms); "they·tell" (root ספר, 38x in Psalms); "they·pursued" (root רדף, 20x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'they·pursued', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: כִּי־אַתָּ֣ה [for·You] (436) + אֲשֶׁר־הִכִּ֣יתָ [whom·You·have·smitten] (936) + רָדָ֑פוּ [they·pursued] (290) + וְאֶל־מַכְא֖וֹב [and·of·the·pain·of] (106) + חֲלָלֶ֣יךָ [Your·wounded] (98) + יְסַפֵּֽרוּ [they·tell] (356) = 2222.
Rashi
"For" — this nation, which You smote. "they pursued" — For You were a little angry, and they helped cause harm. "and about the pain of those whom You wounded they tell" — their words, to plot: “Let us destroy them while they are in pain.”
Ibn Ezra
"For" — Rabbi Moshe said, [regarding] "and to the pain of Your wounded": they tell one another that we are stricken and wounded.
Radak
"For You" — meaning: it is You who brought about all this evil that they do, for had You not willed it, they would not have had the power to harm me; rather, those who pursue me pursue only him whom You have struck. "And of the pain of Your wounded" — [the word] "el" is used like "and about the pain"; and its meaning is: to add to the pain of Your wounded, they tell one another about his wound — [as if to say] "they struck him." And "Your wounded" does not mean that he is entirely dead, for a dead person cannot feel pain, but rather one who is close to death.
Metzudat David
"For You, etc." — this is [stated] in inverted order, as if it said: the one whom You struck, they too pursued him, to add to his pains. "And of the pain of, etc." — they tell it to one another in order to bring pain upon 'the slain of Hashem' — that is to say, those who are close to being slain; for the [already] slain does not feel, and has no pain.
Malbim
"For" — the construction of the verse is: "for they will tell, that him whom You struck, they pursued" — meaning, they will say that the one whom they pursue is one struck by God, that God struck him; and the one whom they wound, they will say that You had already made him slain. In this way, they say that they pursue the one struck by God, and they inflict pain upon one already slain by Hashem — for he was already slain before they inflicted pain on him, and he was already struck before they pursued him to strike him.
Add iniquity to their iniquity; And let them not come into Your righteousness.
verse value 1519
Insights
Verse structure: 4 words, 25 letters. The shortest word is "give·iniquity" (תְּֽנָה־עָ֭וֺן, 6 letters) and the longest is "and·let·them·not·come" (וְאַל־יָ֝בֹ֗אוּ, 7 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "give·iniquity" (תְּֽנָה־עָ֭וֺן), "upon·their·iniquity" (עַל־עֲוֺנָ֑ם), "and·let·them·not·come" (וְאַל־יָ֝בֹ֗אוּ). 4 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "give·iniquity" (root נתן, 95x in Psalms); "and·let·them·not·come" (root בוא, 79x in Psalms); "in·Your·righteousness" (root צדקה, 32x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'upon·their·iniquity', dividing the verse into phrases of 2 and 2 words. Full calculation: תְּֽנָה־עָ֭וֺן [give·iniquity] (581) + עַל־עֲוֺנָ֑ם [upon·their·iniquity] (266) + וְאַל־יָ֝בֹ֗אוּ [and·let·them·not·come] (56) + בְּצִדְקָתֶֽךָ [in·Your·righteousness] (616) = 1519.
Ibn Ezra
"Add" — give this additional iniquity, that they may tell of it and boast in their iniquity. "and let them not come" — Rabbi Moshe said: that its sense is in the manner of the righteousness that You would do with them. But in my opinion, its sense is explained by the verse that follows it: "and let them not be written with the righteous" [verse 29].
Radak
"Add" — [give] them the punishment for the iniquity that they committed against us. "And let them not come into Your righteousness" — into the righteousness and goodness that You do for all Israel. Or its meaning is: after death, in the World to Come, and the verse that follows explains this.
Metzudat David
"Add iniquity" — reckon this iniquity to be joined to the iniquities they have already committed. "And let them not, etc." — that is to say, do not deal righteously with them.
Malbim
"Add iniquity" — this, that they say that You did this — "to their iniquity," so that this iniquity shall float up above their [other] iniquities. "And let them not come into Your righteousness" — just as they wish to justify their deeds by attributing wrongdoing to You, so shall they not come into Your righteousness; rather, "let them be blotted out of the book of life, and not be written with the righteous" — for they wish to justify their deeds, [claiming] that they are righteous in this and that they are Hashem's agents; but through their being punished it will be shown that they were not righteous in this matter.
Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, And not be written with the righteous.
verse value 1351
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 28 letters. The shortest word is "and·with" (וְעִ֥ם, 3 letters) and the longest is "let·them·not·be·written" (אַל־יִכָּתֵֽבוּ, 7 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "let·them·be·blotted·out" (יִ֭מָּחֽוּ), "let·them·not·be·written" (אַל־יִכָּתֵֽבוּ). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·with" (root עם, 135x in Psalms); "the·righteous" (root צדיק, 52x in Psalms); "the·living" (root חי, 43x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'the·living', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: יִ֭מָּחֽוּ [let·them·be·blotted·out] (64) + מִסֵּ֣פֶר [from·the·book·of] (380) + חַיִּ֑ים [the·living] (68) + וְעִ֥ם [and·with] (116) + צַ֝דִּיקִ֗ים [the·righteous] (254) + אַל־יִכָּתֵֽבוּ [let·them·not·be·written] (469) = 1351.
Ibn Ezra
"Let them be blotted out" — I have already explained in my book that the "book of the living" is the heavens, and there all future decrees are written as having been [set down] on the day of their creation.
Radak
"Let them be blotted out" — the verse repeats the same matter in different words, meaning that they should not be written in the Book of Life, which is the life of the World to Come.
Metzudat David
"Let them be blotted out" — if they are already written in the book of life on account of some merit, then let them be blotted out of it; and if they are not yet written, let them not be written together with the righteous unto life.
But I am afflicted and in pain; Let Your salvation, O God, set me up on high.
verse value 1889
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 29 letters. Notable word values: "God" (אֱלֹהִ֣ים) = 86, equal to Elohim. The shortest word is "afflicted" (עָנִ֣י, 3 letters) and the longest is "Your·salvation" (יְשׁוּעָתְךָ֖, 6 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "and·in·pain" (וְכוֹאֵ֑ב). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "God" (root אלהים, 347x in Psalms); "but·I" (root אני, 64x in Psalms); "Your·salvation" (root ישועה, 44x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·in·pain', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: וַ֭אֲנִי [but·I] (67) + עָנִ֣י [afflicted] (130) + וְכוֹאֵ֑ב [and·in·pain] (35) + יְשׁוּעָתְךָ֖ [Your·salvation] (806) + אֱלֹהִ֣ים [God] (86) + תְּשַׂגְּבֵֽנִי [let·it·set·me·on·high] (765) = 1889.
Ibn Ezra
"But I," "let [Your salvation] set me up on high" — corresponds to "afflicted."
Radak
"But I" — to them You will not give Your salvation, but to me You will give it, for I am poor and in pain in exile. "Set me up on high" — from the lowliness in which I am.
Metzudat David
"But I am afflicted" — although I am afflicted and full of pain, and it is not within my power to strengthen myself, nevertheless Your salvation shall set me up on high.
Malbim
"But I" — not as they say, that You struck me; rather, on the contrary, "I am afflicted and in pain" on account of them — "let Your salvation, O God, set me up on high."
I will praise the name of God with a song, And will magnify Him with thanksgiving. .
verse value 1526
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 28 letters. The shortest word is "with·a·song" (בְּשִׁ֑יר, 4 letters) and the longest is "the·name·of·God" (שֵׁם־אֱלֹהִ֣ים, 7 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "the·name·of·God" (שֵׁם־אֱלֹהִ֣ים), "with·a·song" (בְּשִׁ֑יר), "and·I·will·magnify·Him" (וַאֲגַדְּלֶ֥נּוּ). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "the·name·of·God" (root שם, 119x in Psalms); "let·me·praise" (root הלל, 94x in Psalms); "with·a·song" (root שיר, 68x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'with·a·song', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 2 words. Full calculation: אֲהַלְלָ֣ה [let·me·praise] (71) + שֵׁם־אֱלֹהִ֣ים [the·name·of·God] (426) + בְּשִׁ֑יר [with·a·song] (512) + וַאֲגַדְּלֶ֥נּוּ [and·I·will·magnify·Him] (100) + בְתוֹדָֽה [with·thanksgiving] (417) = 1526.
Ibn Ezra
"I will praise" — and the sense of "with thanksgiving" is that I will give thanks for the kindness He has bestowed upon me.
Radak
"I will praise" — when You bring me out of exile. "With thanksgiving" — that I will give thanks for His kindness, and I will offer before Him a thanksgiving offering.
Malbim
"I will praise the name of God" — to recount His general praises; "and will magnify Him even more with thanksgiving," which I will bring in order to give thanks for His particular kindnesses to me.
And it shall please Hashem better than a bullock That has horns and hoofs.
verse value 2089
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 25 letters. The shortest word is "young·bull" (פָּ֗ר, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·it·shall·please" (וְתִיטַ֣ב, 5 letters). Words sharing gematria 390: horned, having·hoofs. 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "and·it·shall·please" (וְתִיטַ֣ב), "than·an·ox" (מִשּׁ֥וֹר), "horned" (מַקְרִ֥ן). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "to·Hashem" (root יהוה, 688x in Psalms). Full calculation: וְתִיטַ֣ב [and·it·shall·please] (427) + לַ֭יהֹוָה [to·Hashem] (56) + מִשּׁ֥וֹר [than·an·ox] (546) + פָּ֗ר [young·bull] (280) + מַקְרִ֥ן [horned] (390) + מַפְרִֽיס [having·hoofs] (390) = 2089.
Rashi
"And it will appeal to the Lord" — My praise to the Lord. "more than a young bull that is mature" — That is the bull sacrificed by Adam, which was created at its height. On the day it was called שּׁוֹר, on that very day, he brought it, for a bull on day of its birth is called שּׁוֹר, as it is said (Lev. 22:27): “A bull (שור), a lamb, or a goat, that is born.” On that very day, it resembled a פַּר, which is a three-year old. "with horns and hooves" — Its horns preceded its hooves, because it was created at its height with its horns, and its head emerged from the ground first; the earth thrust them forth in the manner in which all creatures are born, so that its horns preceded its feet.
Ibn Ezra
"And it shall please [Hashem]," "more than a bullock" [מִשּׁוֹר] — the mem of "mishor" serves the following word as well, as though it were written "mishor, mipar" ["more than an ox, more than a bull"], in the way that "ke-chesev alluf" [is understood as] "ke-chesev, ke-alluf," "like a lamb, like a tame one" (Jeremiah 11:19) — for the ox is larger than the bull, so how could "shor" be juxtaposed directly to "par"? [It is understood] like: "take the bull of the ox." "That has horns and hoofs" — refers back to "the bull" alone, whose horn and hoof are visible. The sense is that it is not very small.
Radak
"And it shall please" — the praise with which I will praise Him in song shall please Him more than an ox or a bull. And the meaning of "more than an ox, a bull" is: more than an ox and more than a bull, and the mem [prefix] stands in place of two [mems]; and the ox is the larger, and the bull is smaller than it. "That has horns and hoofs" — its sense refers to the bull, that it has horns and strong hoofs, for before it has horns, its hoofs are [still] soft. And he says this because an animal less than this is not fit for sacrifice, and the bull mentioned for sacrifice in the Torah is three years old.
Metzudat David
"And it shall please" — my praise shall be more pleasing to Hashem than the offering of an ox, a bull. "That has horns and hoofs" — that is to say, possessing large horns and broad hoofs, which is pleasing in appearance and well-fleshed.
Metzudat Zion
"Than a bullock" (mishor par) — the doubling of the word with synonymous terms for additional clarification, and likewise "dust of the earth" (admat afar) (Daniel 12:2). "That has hoofs" (mafris) — the hoofs of the foot.
Malbim
"And it shall please" — even though one might bring a bull as a thanksgiving-offering, this [act of] magnifying Hashem to extol Him "shall please Him better than a bullock" that has "horns and hoofs."
The humble shall see it, and be glad; You who seek after God, let your heart revive.
verse value 1475
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 31 letters. Notable word values: "God" (אֱ֝לֹהִ֗ים) = 86, equal to Elohim. The shortest word is "they·saw" (רָא֣וּ, 3 letters) and the longest is "the·humble" (עֲנָוִ֣ים, 5 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "seekers·of" (דֹּרְשֵׁ֥י). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "God" (root אלהים, 347x in Psalms); "they·saw" (root ראה, 100x in Psalms); "shall·rejoice" (root שמח, 55x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'shall·rejoice', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 4 words. Full calculation: רָא֣וּ [they·saw] (207) + עֲנָוִ֣ים [the·humble] (176) + יִשְׂמָ֑חוּ [shall·rejoice] (364) + דֹּרְשֵׁ֥י [seekers·of] (514) + אֱ֝לֹהִ֗ים [God] (86) + וִיחִ֥י [and·let·live] (34) + לְבַבְכֶֽם [your·heart] (94) = 1475.
Ibn Ezra
"See" — the vav of "vichi levavchem," "and let your heart live," functions like a soft peh [i.e., the Arabic letter fa, a consecutive particle] in the language of Ishmael [Arabic], as in: "on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes" (Genesis 22:4), "and he left his servants" (Genesis 22:5) — so too here: "you who seek God, see this, and [so] your heart shall live."
Radak
"The humble shall see [it]" — the humble will see the salvation and rejoice in it, for specifically the humble will see it, because those who do not return to Hashem at the time of the redemption will perish and be lost. "You who seek God" — they are the humble, and this is the same matter repeated in different words. And it says "your heart," following the practice of Scripture to speak sometimes in the second person and sometimes in the third person. And the meaning of "and let it revive" is like "let it rejoice," for a person who is anxious and in pain — his heart is like dead, and when joy comes, the heart lives [again].
Metzudat David
"They shall see" — when the humble see that my prayer has been answered well. "Those who seek" — and when those who seek God see [this] and revive, then your heart shall revive; and this is an expression of joy, for one who is grieved, his heart is, as it were, dead.
Malbim
"The humble shall see it" — those who accept with love everything that befalls them of troubles — "and be glad," for they will know that there is hope. "You who seek after God" — those who investigate matters of divinity, whose heart until now was sad because they saw the ease of the wicked and the suffering of the righteous — now, "let your heart revive."
For Hashem hearkens to the needy, And does not despise His prisoners.
verse value 1355
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 32 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֑ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "not" (לֹ֣א, 2 letters) and the longest is "to·the·needy" (אֶל־אֶבְיוֹנִ֣ים, 9 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "to·the·needy" (אֶל־אֶבְיוֹנִ֣ים), "and·His·prisoners" (וְאֶת־אֲ֝סִירָ֗יו), "despised" (בָזָֽה). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 688x in Psalms); "not" (root לא, 174x in Psalms); "for·hearkens" (root שמע, 76x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Hashem', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: כִּי־שֹׁמֵ֣עַ [for·hearkens] (440) + אֶל־אֶבְיוֹנִ֣ים [to·the·needy] (150) + יְהֹוָ֑ה [Hashem] (26) + וְאֶת־אֲ֝סִירָ֗יו [and·His·prisoners] (694) + לֹ֣א [not] (31) + בָזָֽה [despised] (14) = 1355.
Ibn Ezra
"For," "the needy" — corresponds to what he mentioned: "but I am afflicted and in pain" [verse 30]. "His prisoners" — according to the intention of his enemies, who would imprison him; but if [understood] concerning the exiles, it is more correct.
Radak
"The needy" — they are the children of the exile, and they are His prisoners; even though they are prisoners of the exile, when He wills it they will no longer be imprisoned, and then the nations will say that Hashem listens to the needy, and did not despise them in their exile.
Metzudat David
"For... hearkens" — the joy shall be because they see that Hashem hearkens to the needy. "And His prisoners" — that is to say, although they were imprisoned by the word of Hashem because they rebelled against Him, nevertheless He did not despise their prayer.
Malbim
"For" — now they will see that the sufferings of the righteous were not on account of a lack of knowledge or providence, "for Hashem hearkens to the needy" — and not on account of contempt and disgrace, [as if] they were not considered worthy in His eyes to be saved, for "He does not despise His prisoners."
Let heaven and earth praise Him, The seas, and every thing that moves in them.
verse value 1517
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 27 letters. The shortest word is "in·them" (בָּֽם, 2 letters) and the longest is "let·them·praise·Him" (יְֽ֭הַלְלוּהוּ, 7 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "and·every·creeping·thing" (וְֽכׇל־רֹמֵ֥שׂ). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·earth" (root ארץ, 157x in Psalms); "let·them·praise·Him" (root הלל, 94x in Psalms); "heaven" (root שמים, 71x in Psalms). First appearance of the root רמש ("and·every·creeping·thing") in Psalms. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·earth', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: יְֽ֭הַלְלוּהוּ [let·them·praise·Him] (92) + שָׁמַ֣יִם [heaven] (390) + וָאָ֑רֶץ [and·earth] (297) + יַ֝מִּ֗ים [seas] (100) + וְֽכׇל־רֹמֵ֥שׂ [and·every·creeping·thing] (596) + בָּֽם [in·them] (42) = 1517.
Ibn Ezra
"Let ... praise Him" — the dwellers of heaven and earth, and those who cross the seas; or, by way of metaphor, like: "the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing" (Isaiah 55:12).
Radak
"Let heaven and earth praise Him" — by way of metaphor, [meaning] that joy and praise will increase in the world.
Metzudat David
"Let... praise Him" — because of this, the host of heaven and the inhabitants of the earth shall praise Him. "The seas" — [meaning] those who dwell in the seas.
Metzudat Zion
"That moves" (romes) — the walking of creatures with short legs is called "remisah" (treading) in the language of Scripture.
Malbim
"Let them praise Him" — besides this, "let heaven and earth" and all existence "praise" [Him] for the salvation of Zion, when David returns to his kingship.
For God will save Zion, and build the cities of Judah; And they shall abide there, and have it in possession.
verse value 2242
Insights
Verse structure: 10 words, 42 letters. Notable word values: "God" (אֱלֹהִ֨ים) = 86, equal to Elohim. The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֤י, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·they·shall·possess·it" (וִירֵשֽׁוּהָ, 6 letters). Words sharing gematria 30: for, Judah. 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "and·will·build" (וְ֭יִבְנֶה), "cities·of" (עָרֵ֣י), "and·they·shall·possess·it" (וִירֵשֽׁוּהָ). 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "God" (root אלהים, 347x in Psalms); "for" (root כי, 216x in Psalms); "there" (root שם, 119x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Judah', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 3 words. Full calculation: כִּ֤י [for] (30) + אֱלֹהִ֨ים [God] (86) + י֘וֹשִׁ֤יעַ [will·save] (396) + צִיּ֗וֹן [Zion] (156) + וְ֭יִבְנֶה [and·will·build] (73) + עָרֵ֣י [cities·of] (280) + יְהוּדָ֑ה [Judah] (30) + וְיָ֥שְׁבוּ [and·they·shall·dwell] (324) + שָׁ֝֗ם [there] (340) + וִירֵשֽׁוּהָ [and·they·shall·possess·it] (527) = 2242.
Ibn Ezra
"For" — and some say: just as we shall praise Him, heaven and earth shall praise Him; but if [understood] concerning the exile, they shall praise Him when He saves Zion. And he mentions "the cities of Judah" because they have a share in Jerusalem.
Radak
"For God [will save Zion, etc.]" — he mentions Zion and the cities of Judah, for they are the main [places], and the same rule applies to the rest of the cities of Israel. "And they shall abide there" — [referring to] His prisoners, whom he mentioned. "And have it in possession" [ve'yireshuha] — with a tzeirei, from the pattern of the verb "yoresh" [to inherit/possess], like the word "chafetz" [desires], as in "for he desires the daughter of Jacob"; and the suffix of "and have it in possession" refers to Zion, or to the whole Land of Israel — even though [the land] was not mentioned here, only Zion was mentioned, which is the head of the kingdom — meaning: they and their children will inherit it.
Metzudat David
"For God, etc." — when God shall save Zion, etc. "And they shall abide" — the men of Judah shall dwell there.
Malbim
"For God will save Zion" — the royal city — "and build the cities of Judah," the rest of the cities of the land of Israel; "and they shall abide there," and also "have it in possession" by inheritance.
The seed also of His servants shall inherit it; And those who love His name shall dwell in it.
verse value 1247
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 30 letters. The shortest word is "His·name" (שְׁ֝מ֗וֹ, 3 letters) and the longest is "shall·dwell·in·it" (יִשְׁכְּנוּ־בָֽהּ, 7 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "shall·inherit·it" (יִנְחָל֑וּהָ), "and·those·who·love" (וְאֹהֲבֵ֥י), "shall·dwell·in·it" (יִשְׁכְּנוּ־בָֽהּ). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "His·name" (root שם, 119x in Psalms); "His·servants" (root עבד, 61x in Psalms); "and·those·who·love" (root אהב, 40x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'shall·inherit·it', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: וְזֶ֣רַע [and·the·seed·of] (283) + עֲ֭בָדָיו [His·servants] (92) + יִנְחָל֑וּהָ [shall·inherit·it] (109) + וְאֹהֲבֵ֥י [and·those·who·love] (24) + שְׁ֝מ֗וֹ [His·name] (346) + יִשְׁכְּנוּ־בָֽהּ [shall·dwell·in·it] (393) = 1247.
Ibn Ezra
"And the seed" — the sense is: they and their children shall inherit it, in the days of David, or in the days of the Messiah.
Metzudat David
"His servants" — these are the Patriarchs, for by their merit their offspring shall inherit the land. "And those who love His name" — [that is, the name] of the Omnipresent, blessed be He — they shall dwell in it.
Malbim
"The seed also of His servants shall inherit it" — this adds that they will inherit it also as an inheritance for their children after them, so that their seed will inherit it from them, and that they will not afterward be exiled from it; "for those who love His name shall dwell in it" in peace and quiet.
Rashi
Ibn Ezra
Radak
Metzudat Zion
Malbim