A Psalm of Asaph, a lament over the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple by the nations, crying out to Hashem for mercy, forgiveness, and vindication of His name.
Tap any Hebrew word to reveal its root, value, and meanings.
A Psalm of Asaph. O God, the heathen have come into Your inheritance; They have defiled Your holy temple; They have made Jerusalem into heaps.
verse value 3567
Insights
Verse structure: 12 words, 57 letters. Notable word values: "God" (אֱֽלֹהִ֡ים) = 86, equal to Elohim. The shortest word is "have·come" (בָּ֤אוּ, 3 letters) and the longest is "Jerusalem" (אֶת־יְרוּשָׁלִַ֣ם, 8 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "in·Your·inheritance" (בְּֽנַחֲלָתֶ֗ךָ), "have·defiled" (טִ֭מְּאוּ), "the·temple·of" (אֶת־הֵיכַ֣ל). 12 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "God" (root אלהים, 347x in Psalms); "have·come" (root בוא, 79x in Psalms); "nations" (root גוי, 59x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Your·holiness', dividing the verse into phrases of 9 and 3 words. Full calculation: מִזְמ֗וֹר [a·psalm] (293) + לְאָ֫סָ֥ף [of·Asaph] (171) + אֱֽלֹהִ֡ים [God] (86) + בָּ֤אוּ [have·come] (9) + גוֹיִ֨ם [nations] (59) + בְּֽנַחֲלָתֶ֗ךָ [in·Your·inheritance] (510) + טִ֭מְּאוּ [have·defiled] (56) + אֶת־הֵיכַ֣ל [the·temple·of] (466) + קׇדְשֶׁ֑ךָ [Your·holiness] (424) + שָׂ֖מוּ [have·made] (346) + אֶת־יְרוּשָׁלִַ֣ם [Jerusalem] (987) + לְעִיִּֽים [into·heaps] (160) = 3567.
Rashi
"into heaps" — Now what is this song? Is it not a lamentation? But because it says (Lam. 4:11): “The Lord has spent His fury.” With what has He spent it? “He has kindled a fire in Zion.” This is a song and an occasion for singing, for He poured out His fury on the wood and stones and did not utterly destroy His children.
Ibn Ezra
"A Psalm of Asaph. O God, the heathen have come" — I mentioned the disagreement among the commentators [regarding the word "mizmor"] at the beginning of the book. Some say that a "mizmor" is something that has been trimmed/composed and set apart from among many [compositions] — perhaps these were dirges; or the meaning of "mizmor" is that he saw [this] by the holy spirit, because of what he wrote at the end, that Israel were His people and His inheritance. And the meaning of "O God" is: how can it be that He is God, and yet the hand of men prevailed over His pious ones and over the place of His holiness? "Your inheritance" — the Land of Israel. "Into heaps" — [meaning] low, ruined places; the opposite of this is "the mountain of the house of Hashem shall be established" (Isaiah 2:2). And some say [it means] a place with no habitation, or that they dug up Jerusalem in search of hidden treasures.
Radak
"A psalm" — This psalm was spoken concerning the destruction of Jerusalem, as it goes on to explain. And it says "God" as a term of address, meaning: You, who are God, how did You restrain Yourself over this, that other nations came upon Your inheritance? "Into heaps" — Into piles of rubble, for a destroyed city is [reduced to] heaps of stones.
Metzudat David
"O God" — You are God; how can You restrain Yourself over the fact that nations have come into Your inheritance? "Into heaps" — for this is the way of ruins, to be filled with piles of stones.
Metzudat Zion
'Into heaps' — its meaning is a mound and a heap, as in 'a heap of the field' (Micah 1).
Malbim
"A psalm of Asaph" — composed concerning the destruction [of the Temple]; "O God, nations have come into Your inheritance" — encompassing all the sanctified places, which are the inheritance of Hashem; and it explains: "they have defiled Your Sanctuary" and "made Jerusalem into heaps of ruins."
They have given the dead bodies of Your servants to be food to the fowls of the heaven, The flesh of Your saints to the beasts of the earth.
verse value 3526
Insights
Verse structure: 9 words, 45 letters. Verse gematria: 3526 is divisible by 86, the value of Elohim. The shortest word is "flesh·of" (בְּשַׂ֥ר, 3 letters) and the longest is "to·the·beast·of·earth" (לְחַיְתוֹ־אָֽרֶץ, 8 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "the·carcass·of" (אֶת־נִבְלַ֬ת), "to·fowl·of" (לְע֣וֹף), "to·the·beast·of·earth" (לְחַיְתוֹ־אָֽרֶץ). 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "have·given" (root נתן, 95x in Psalms); "the·heaven" (root שמים, 71x in Psalms); "Your·servants" (root עבד, 61x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'the·heaven', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 3 words. Full calculation: נָתְנ֡וּ [have·given] (506) + אֶת־נִבְלַ֬ת [the·carcass·of] (883) + עֲבָדֶ֗יךָ [Your·servants] (106) + מַ֭אֲכָל [food] (91) + לְע֣וֹף [to·fowl·of] (186) + הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם [the·heaven] (395) + בְּשַׂ֥ר [flesh·of] (502) + חֲ֝סִידֶ֗יךָ [Your·faithful·ones] (112) + לְחַיְתוֹ־אָֽרֶץ [to·the·beast·of·earth] (745) = 3526.
Rashi
"the flesh of Your pious ones" — Now were they not wicked? But since they received their punishment, they are accounted as pious men. Similarly, Scripture states (Deut. 25:3): “your brother would be degraded before your eyes.” As soon as he is lashed, he is your brother. It is explained in this manner in the Aggadah (Mid. Ps. 79:4).
Ibn Ezra
"They have given" — this verse is connected [to what precedes], for the pious were not buried, [but lay] in heaps resembling graves.
Radak
"They gave" — My lord and father, of blessed memory, wrote that there were among them worshippers of God and pious ones, for Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were among those exiled from Jerusalem who were pious and worshippers of God. Likewise there were others, except that they hid themselves in houses and could not show themselves in the streets and open places. Of the pious ones who were in Jerusalem, some were saved from death and went into exile, and some were not saved — all according to the judgment given by God, may He be blessed. "To the beasts of the earth" [lechayto aretz] — Like "lechayat ha'aretz" [the beast of the earth]; the added vav is superfluous.
Metzudat David
"They have given, etc." — for they did not give them over to burial.
Metzudat Zion
'To the beasts of' — the vav is superfluous, and likewise 'the beast of the earth after its kind' (Genesis 1:24) [has the same form].
Malbim
"They have given," etc., "the flesh of Your pious ones" — a "corpse" is the body of the dead as it is, whole, whereas "flesh" refers to it when it is cut into pieces; and it adds that they cut up the flesh of the pious ones into pieces and threw them to the dogs and to the beasts of the earth.
They have shed their blood like water Round about Jerusalem, with none to bury them.
verse value 2041
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 31 letters. Verse gematria: 2041 is divisible by 13, the value of echad ('one') and ahavah ('love'). The shortest word is "their·blood" (דָמָ֨ם, 3 letters) and the longest is "around" (סְֽבִ֘יב֤וֹת, 6 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "around" (סְֽבִ֘יב֤וֹת), "burying" (קוֹבֵֽר). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·none" (root אין, 67x in Psalms); "like·the·water" (root מים, 38x in Psalms); "their·blood" (root דם, 21x in Psalms). Full calculation: שָׁפְכ֬וּ [have·poured] (406) + דָמָ֨ם [their·blood] (84) + כַּמַּ֗יִם [like·the·water] (110) + סְֽבִ֘יב֤וֹת [around] (480) + יְֽרוּשָׁלִָ֗ם [Jerusalem] (586) + וְאֵ֣ין [and·none] (67) + קוֹבֵֽר [burying] (308) = 2041.
Ibn Ezra
"They have shed" — the reasoning of those who shed [the blood] was that there was no one to seek out their blood, [treating it] like water, which is ownerless/permitted [to spill].
Radak
"And there was none to bury [them]" — For Israel used to bury their slain.
Metzudat David
"With none to bury them" — for those who remained were afraid to go out from their hiding place to bury them.
Malbim
"They have shed" — and this was no small thing, for "they shed their blood like water" — like abundant water; and it was not in an open field in the wilderness, for this was "round about Jerusalem"; and nonetheless "there was none to bury them," due to the extent of the desolation, as is stated in Jeremiah chapter 8.
We have become a taunt to our neighbors, A scorn and derision to those who are round about us.
verse value 1715
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 33 letters. The shortest word is "scorn" (לַ֥עַג, 3 letters) and the longest is "to·our·surroundings" (לִסְבִיבוֹתֵֽינוּ, 10 letters). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "we·have·become" (root היה, 97x in Psalms); "to·our·neighbors" (root שכן, 29x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·our·neighbors', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: הָיִ֣ינוּ [we·have·become] (81) + חֶ֭רְפָּה [reproach] (293) + לִשְׁכֵנֵ֑ינוּ [to·our·neighbors] (466) + לַ֥עַג [scorn] (103) + וָ֝קֶ֗לֶס [and·derision] (196) + לִסְבִיבוֹתֵֽינוּ [to·our·surroundings] (576) = 1715.
Rashi
"and derision" — Heb. וקלס, an expression of speech, to speak of them as for a byword.
Ibn Ezra
"We have become" — [meaning] we who remain of it [the nation].
Radak
"We have become a reproach" — This refers to the exile. "And a mockery" — Scorn and disgrace.
Metzudat David
"We have become a taunt" — the neighbors were taunting us.
Metzudat Zion
'And a mockery' — an expression of mockery and disgrace, as in 'and a mockery to all the lands' (Ezekiel 20).
Malbim
"We have become a disgrace to our neighbors" — to the nations dwelling among us this was a disgrace, and to those dwelling around us we became a mockery and derision.
How long, O Hashem, will You be angry for ever? How long will Your jealousy burn like fire?
verse value 2464
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 30 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְ֭הֹוָה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "how·long" (עַד־מָ֣ה, 4 letters) and the longest is "like·fire" (כְּמוֹ־אֵ֝֗שׁ, 5 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "will·You·be·angry" (תֶּאֱנַ֣ף), "Your·jealousy" (קִנְאָתֶֽךָ). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 688x in Psalms); "for·ever" (root נצח, 73x in Psalms); "how·long" (root מה, 25x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'for·ever', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 3 words. Full calculation: עַד־מָ֣ה [how·long] (119) + יְ֭הֹוָה [Hashem] (26) + תֶּאֱנַ֣ף [will·You·be·angry] (531) + לָנֶ֑צַח [for·ever] (178) + תִּֽבְעַ֥ר [will·burn] (672) + כְּמוֹ־אֵ֝֗שׁ [like·fire] (367) + קִנְאָתֶֽךָ [Your·jealousy] (571) = 2464.
Rashi
"How long" — Heb. עד מה [lit. until what.] Until when? "Your jealousy" — Your wrath, "that You are jealous" — to wreak vengeance, an expression of (Exod. 20:5): “a jealous (קנא) God,” emportement or enprenemant in Old French, zealous anger.
Ibn Ezra
"How long, Hashem, will You be angry forever" — against us. "Will Your jealousy burn like fire" — [this] jealousy was because Israel served other gods; so why will You not now be jealous of the strangers [the foreign nations]?!
Radak
"How long" — Even though this psalm was said concerning the first exile, which lasted only seventy years, in their eyes it seemed long. And so the prophet Zechariah said, "How long will You not have mercy on Jerusalem...?"
Metzudat David
"How long" — how long will this be so, and will You be angry forever, and will Your jealousy burn like a fire that goes on burning until it consumes everything.
Metzudat Zion
'Will You be angry' — an expression of anger and wrath.
Malbim
"How long, Hashem, will You be angry forever?" — [ordinary] anger is when one's burning wrath is [fully] spent, at which point the anger should properly cease; how then can You be angry forever, seeing that You have already spent Your burning wrath upon us? If so, it is fitting that "Your jealousy should burn like fire," and that "You should pour out" Your inner "fury upon the nations who have not known You, and upon the kingdoms that" — even though they knew You — "have not called upon Your name."
Pour out Your wrath upon the nations that know You not, And upon the kingdoms that call not upon Your name.
verse value 3448
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 46 letters. The shortest word is "not" (לֹ֣א, 2 letters) and the longest is "upon·the·nations" (אֶֽל־הַגּוֹיִם֮, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 501: that, that. 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "upon·the·nations" (אֶֽל־הַגּוֹיִם֮), "not·know·You" (לֹא־יְדָ֫ע֥וּךָ). The root אשר appears 2 times in this verse. 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "not" (root לא, 174x in Psalms); "and·upon" (root על, 120x in Psalms); "in·Your·name" (root שם, 119x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'kingdoms', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 4 words. Full calculation: שְׁפֹ֤ךְ [pour·out] (400) + חֲמָתְךָ֗ [Your·wrath] (468) + אֶֽל־הַגּוֹיִם֮ [upon·the·nations] (95) + אֲשֶׁ֢ר [that] (501) + לֹא־יְדָ֫ע֥וּךָ [not·know·You] (141) + וְעַ֥ל [and·upon] (106) + מַמְלָכ֑וֹת [kingdoms] (536) + אֲשֶׁ֥ר [that] (501) + בְּ֝שִׁמְךָ֗ [in·Your·name] (362) + לֹ֣א [not] (31) + קָרָֽאוּ [call] (307) = 3448.
Ibn Ezra
"Pour out... and upon the kingdoms" — [the word "al"/"upon" is used] like "el" ("unto") the kingdoms, similar to "el yesod ha-mizbe'ach" ("at the base of the altar," Leviticus 4:7).
Radak
"Your wrath" — Your zeal and Your wrath, which burn like fire against us — pour it out upon the nations that do not know You. For we, even though we have sinned, knew You and called upon You by Your name. "Upon the nations" [אל הגוים] — like "against the nations" [על הגוים]. "And upon the kingdoms" — since the kingdom of Israel was lost with the exile of the tribe of Judah at the destruction of Jerusalem, he mentions "kingdoms" [in the plural], for until now, even though the ten tribes had been exiled, the kingdom of Israel had not yet been lost.
Metzudat David
"Pour out" — remove the wrath from us and pour it out upon the nations who do not wish to know You.
Metzudat Zion
'Unto the nations' — [meaning] 'upon the nations.'
For they have devoured Jacob, And laid waste his habitation.
verse value 1489
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 22 letters. The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֭י, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·his·habitation" (וְֽאֶת־נָוֵ֥הוּ, 7 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "Jacob" (אֶֽת־יַעֲקֹ֑ב), "and·his·habitation" (וְֽאֶת־נָוֵ֥הוּ), "they·have·laid·waste" (הֵשַֽׁמּוּ). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "for" (root כי, 216x in Psalms); "have·devoured" (root אכל, 35x in Psalms); "Jacob" (root יעקב, 34x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Jacob', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 2 words. Full calculation: כִּ֭י [for] (30) + אָכַ֣ל [have·devoured] (51) + אֶֽת־יַעֲקֹ֑ב [Jacob] (583) + וְֽאֶת־נָוֵ֥הוּ [and·his·habitation] (474) + הֵשַֽׁמּוּ [they·have·laid·waste] (351) = 1489.
Ibn Ezra
"For" — it is not enough that You do not show jealousy on behalf of those who do not know You; but they have also devoured Jacob, who did know You.
Radak
"For they have devoured" — stated in general terms. "And laid waste his habitation" — stated in specific terms. And since they devoured Jacob, who knew You, and laid waste his dwelling, where they used to worship You, it was fitting for You to pour out Your wrath upon them; for even though we sinned, and it was by Your command and by Your will that they came upon us, they should have shown mercy and not devoured and destroyed.
Metzudat David
"They have devoured" — they finished it off and destroyed it. "They have laid waste his habitation" — they destroyed His dwelling place, that is, the Temple.
Malbim
"For they have devoured Jacob, and laid waste his habitation" — for Hashem destroyed the Sanctuary in order to expend His fury upon the wood and the stones; if so, once they had laid waste his habitation, why did they also devour Jacob [himself]? So then they have done to us more than what You decreed against us.
Remember not against us the iniquities of our forefathers; Let Your compassions speedily come to meet us; For we are brought very low.
verse value 2781
Insights
Verse structure: 9 words, 44 letters. The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֖י, 2 letters) and the longest is "not·remember·to·us" (אַֽל־תִּזְכׇּר־לָנוּ֮, 9 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "not·remember·to·us" (אַֽל־תִּזְכׇּר־לָנוּ֮), "former·ones" (רִאשֹׁ֫נִ֥ים), "let·them·meet·us" (יְקַדְּמ֣וּנוּ). 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "for" (root כי, 216x in Psalms); "not·remember·to·us" (root זכר, 64x in Psalms); "very" (root מאד, 35x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Your·compassions', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 3 words. Full calculation: אַֽל־תִּזְכׇּר־לָנוּ֮ [not·remember·to·us] (744) + עֲוֺנֹ֢ת [iniquities] (526) + רִאשֹׁ֫נִ֥ים [former·ones] (601) + מַ֭הֵר [quickly] (245) + יְקַדְּמ֣וּנוּ [let·them·meet·us] (216) + רַחֲמֶ֑יךָ [Your·compassions] (278) + כִּ֖י [for] (30) + דַלּ֣וֹנוּ [we·are·brought·low] (96) + מְאֹֽד [very] (45) = 2781.
Ibn Ezra
"Remember not" — many commentators said that "rishonim" ("former") is an adjective modifying "avonot" ("iniquities") [i.e., "former iniquities"]. But what is correct in my view is that "avonot" is in construct with "avot rishonim" ("the iniquities of the forefathers of old"), and the word "yakdemunu" ("let come speedily to meet us") corresponds to "rishonim." And the meaning of "for we are brought very low" is: we have no strength, and it is not in the power of our hand [to save ourselves]; therefore we seek mercy.
Radak
"Not" — concerning the former iniquities that were committed in the days of youth; he speaks as though he had said "iniquities." "Speedily" [מהר] — it is either an imperative or a noun. "Let... come to meet us" [יקדמונו] — an expression for making a thing ready and bringing it before a person. "We are brought very low" — and we have no strength to endure the exile.
Metzudat David
"Remember not, etc." — if indeed we now return to You. "Speedily" — with great speed let Your compassion come to meet us, for we have become very impoverished, at the extreme of poverty, and we no longer have the strength to bear it.
Malbim
"Remember not" — meaning, one who is stricken for his sins is not shown mercy, since he is guilty in the matter; therefore I ask that "Your compassions come speedily to meet us" before You remember the former iniquities, for if You remember the iniquities, You will not show mercy. Therefore, "remember not against us [our forefathers'] iniquities"; rather, before You remember the iniquities, "let Your compassions come speedily to meet us," on account of "we are brought very low." And also "help us," inasmuch as You have always been "the God of our salvation, for the sake of the honor of Your name" — for by this Your name's honor would be desecrated: since [the nations] know that You have always been our savior, they will say [our downfall came] from lack of power [on Your part]. Then, once Your compassions come speedily to meet us for the sake of the honor of Your name, and You are thereby aroused to help us before remembering our former iniquities — then "deliver us and atone for our sins," for then You will remember that we sinned before You, and You will atone for the iniquity. And this too is "for Your name's sake," for You are good and forgiving; since the attribute of mercy has already come first and agreed to save us, it is fitting that You also atone for the sins that are holding back the salvation.
Help us, O God of our salvation, for the sake of the glory of Your name; And deliver us, and forgive our sins, for Your name's sake.
verse value 3150
Insights
Verse structure: 10 words, 53 letters. Verse gematria: 3150 is divisible by 50, the years to the Jubilee (yovel). The shortest word is "Your·name" (שְׁמֶֽךָ, 3 letters) and the longest is "for·our·sins" (עַל־חַ֝טֹּאתֵ֗ינוּ, 9 letters). Words sharing gematria 306: for·the·sake·of, and·forgive. 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "for·the·sake·of" (עַֽל־דְּבַ֥ר), "glory·of·Your·name" (כְּבֽוֹד־שְׁמֶ֑ךָ), "and·deliver·us" (וְהַצִּילֵ֥נוּ). 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "God·of" (root אלהים, 347x in Psalms); "for·the·sake·of" (root דבר, 133x in Psalms); "Your·name" (root שם, 119x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'glory·of·Your·name', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 5 words. Full calculation: עׇזְרֵ֤נוּ [help·us] (333) + אֱלֹ֘הֵ֤י [God·of] (46) + יִשְׁעֵ֗נוּ [our·salvation] (436) + עַֽל־דְּבַ֥ר [for·the·sake·of] (306) + כְּבֽוֹד־שְׁמֶ֑ךָ [glory·of·Your·name] (392) + וְהַצִּילֵ֥נוּ [and·deliver·us] (197) + וְכַפֵּ֥ר [and·forgive] (306) + עַל־חַ֝טֹּאתֵ֗ינוּ [for·our·sins] (584) + לְמַ֣עַן [for·the·sake·of] (190) + שְׁמֶֽךָ [Your·name] (360) = 3150.
Ibn Ezra
"Help us" — the meaning is: help us so that Your name may be glorified; or, help us for the sake of the glory of Your name that is called upon us — therefore [the verse continues] after it [with "for Your name's sake"].
Radak
"Help us" — for the sake of the honor of Your name, which is profaned among the nations; and once You help us, it will be honored.
Metzudat David
"For the sake of" — for the sake of the honor of Your name, that it not be profaned. "For Your name's sake" — which indicates that You are merciful and gracious.
Metzudat Zion
'For the sake of' — meaning 'because of,' as in 'and for the sake of Cozbi' (Numbers 25:18).
Why should the nations say: 'Where is their God?' Let the avenging of Your servants' blood that is shed Be made known among the nations in our sight.
verse value 2096
Insights
Verse structure: 12 words, 59 letters. The shortest word is "why" (לָ֤מָּה, 3 letters) and the longest is "before·our·eyes" (לְעֵינֵ֑ינוּ, 7 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "before·our·eyes" (לְעֵינֵ֑ינוּ), "vengeance·of" (נִ֝קְמַ֗ת), "blood·of·Your·servants" (דַּֽם־עֲבָדֶ֥יךָ). The root גוי appears 2 times in this verse. 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "their·God" (root אלהים, 347x in Psalms); "should·they·say" (root אמר, 111x in Psalms); "let·it·be·known" (root ידע, 95x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'before·our·eyes', dividing the verse into phrases of 9 and 3 words.
Ibn Ezra
"Why [should the nations say]" — the meaning of "in our sight" is that we should be alive [to see it] before our death. "And [let] the blood of Your servants [that is shed]" — this is what was mentioned at the beginning of the psalm.
Radak
"Why should they say" — this is the profanation [of Your name]. "Let it be made known among the nations" — through the avenging of the blood of Your servants.
Metzudat David
"Why should they say, etc." — why should the nations say, "Where is their God?" If He is [truly] God, He will contend the cause of His people — let this be made known.
Malbim
"Why" — he explains what was said [in the preceding verse] about the honor of Your name: for "why should the nations say, 'Where is their God?'" — and this constitutes a desecration of Hashem's name, since You have always been the God of our salvation. This is the second [reason]: it is fitting that "the avenging of Your servants' shed blood be made known among the nations, in our sight," for this too concerns the honor of Your name.
Cross-references: Deuteronomy 32:36; Joel 2:17; Psalms 115:2
Let the groaning of the prisoner come before You; According to the greatness of Your power set free those who are appointed to death;
verse value 3305
Insights
Verse structure: 9 words, 38 letters. The shortest word is "sons·of" (בְּנֵ֣י, 3 letters) and the longest is "before·You" (לְפָנֶיךָ֮, 5 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "like·greatness·of" (כְּגֹ֥דֶל), "preserve" (ה֝וֹתֵ֗ר). 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "before·You" (root פנים, 131x in Psalms); "let·it·come" (root בוא, 79x in Psalms); "sons·of" (root בן, 62x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Your·arm', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 3 words. Full calculation: תָּ֤ב֣וֹא [let·it·come] (409) + לְפָנֶיךָ֮ [before·You] (190) + אֶנְקַ֢ת [groaning·of] (551) + אָ֫סִ֥יר [prisoner] (271) + כְּגֹ֥דֶל [like·greatness·of] (57) + זְרוֹעֲךָ֑ [Your·arm] (303) + ה֝וֹתֵ֗ר [preserve] (611) + בְּנֵ֣י [sons·of] (62) + תְמוּתָֽה [death] (851) = 3305.
Rashi
"set free" — Heb. הותר, release the prisoners from their prison, as (below 105:20): “A king sent and released him (ויתירהו)”; (146:7), “sets loose (מתיר) the bound.” "the children of the mother who died" — The children of her who was killed because of You; enmorinede in Old French, doomed to die. There is an example in the Sages’ language: “It is better that Jews eat the flesh of slaughtered dying beasts rather than eat the flesh of the carcasses of dying animals.” That means the flesh of a dying animal that was slaughtered, in tractate Kiddushin (21b).
Ibn Ezra
"Let... come [before You]" — because Israel in exile is like a prisoner in a jailhouse. "Set free" — from the root of "hotiram" ("leaving them over," i.e., sparing them), [referring to] those who are appointed to die; and the pattern is like "temutah," "teshu'ah," "tekumah," "teru'ah" [nouns of this form]. And Rabbi Moshe said that "hoter" means to remove the peg and loosen their binding, because he had [just] mentioned "the prisoner."
Radak
"The prisoner" [אסיר] — in the pit. "Set free those appointed to death" — leave him alive. And some explain "set free" [הותר] in the sense of "loosen their bonds," for they are bound in exile, just as he called them "prisoner" — bound and imprisoned.
Metzudat David
"The groaning" — the cry of the prisoner. "Set free" — untie the bonds of those imprisoned, who are being brought out to be slain.
Metzudat Zion
'The groaning of' — an expression of crying out and groaning, as in 'with the groaning of the slain' (Ezekiel 26). 'Set free' — an expression of loosening a bond.
Malbim
"Let it come" — and it is also fitting that You do this on account of prayer: "let the groaning of the prisoner come before You" — one who is ready to die; and it is fitting that You spare him from death, according to the greatness of Your arm.
And render to our neighbors sevenfold into their bosom Their reproach, with which they have reproached You, O Lord.
verse value 3398
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 40 letters. The shortest word is "that" (אֲשֶׁ֖ר, 3 letters) and the longest is "to·our·neighbors" (לִשְׁכֵנֵ֣ינוּ, 7 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "and·repay" (וְהָ֘שֵׁ֤ב), "into·their·bosom" (אֶל־חֵיקָ֑ם), "their·reproach" (חֶרְפָּ֘תָ֤ם). The root חרף appears 2 times in this verse. 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "that" (root אשר, 101x in Psalms); "and·repay" (root שוב, 72x in Psalms); "Lord" (root אדון, 64x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'into·their·bosom', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 4 words. Full calculation: וְהָ֘שֵׁ֤ב [and·repay] (313) + לִשְׁכֵנֵ֣ינוּ [to·our·neighbors] (466) + שִׁ֭בְעָתַיִם [sevenfold] (822) + אֶל־חֵיקָ֑ם [into·their·bosom] (189) + חֶרְפָּ֘תָ֤ם [their·reproach] (728) + אֲשֶׁ֖ר [that] (501) + חֵרְפ֣וּךָ [they·have·reproached·You] (314) + אֲדֹנָֽי [Lord] (65) = 3398.
Radak
"And render to our neighbors" — their reproach, with which they said, "Where is your God?"
Metzudat David
"And render" — just as they did to us, so render the recompense of retribution to our neighbors. "Sevenfold" — twice seven, meaning, many times over, render to them their recompense. "Into their bosom" — bring the retribution into their bosom, and let it not turn aside this way or that. "Their reproach" — the recompense for their reproach with which they reproached You.
Malbim
"And render" — it is also fitting that "You render to our neighbors" for what they have reproached You, for this too concerns the honor of Your name; and it is fitting that "You render to them sevenfold," for according to the relative standing of the reproacher and the reproached, it is not enough that You render to them merely in kind for their reproach, since there is no equal relation between You and them — it is fitting that they receive sevenfold, meaning, countless times.
So we who are Your people and the flock of Your pasture Will give You thanks for ever; We will tell of Your praise to all generations.
verse value 3124
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 46 letters. The shortest word is "to·You" (לְּךָ֗, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·we" (וַאֲנַ֤חְנוּ, 6 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "we·will·tell" (נְ֝סַפֵּ֗ר). The root דור appears 2 times in this verse. 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "for·ever" (root עולם, 144x in Psalms); "Your·people" (root עם, 135x in Psalms); "we·will·give·thanks" (root ידה, 68x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·generation', dividing the verse into phrases of 9 and 2 words. Full calculation: וַאֲנַ֤חְנוּ [and·we] (121) + עַמְּךָ֨ [Your·people] (130) + וְצֹ֥אן [and·flock·of] (147) + מַרְעִיתֶךָ֮ [Your·pasture] (740) + נ֤וֹדֶ֥ה [we·will·give·thanks] (65) + לְּךָ֗ [to·You] (50) + לְע֫וֹלָ֥ם [for·ever] (176) + לְד֥וֹר [to·generation] (240) + וָדֹ֑ר [and·generation] (210) + נְ֝סַפֵּ֗ר [we·will·tell] (390) + תְּהִלָּתֶֽךָ [Your·praise] (855) = 3124.
Ibn Ezra
"So we who are Your people" — we, who are known to be Your people; then we will give thanks to You when You redeem us.
Radak
"So we who are Your people" — whether in exile or when we go out from exile, we will give thanks to You forever.
Metzudat David
"So we" — and then we, who are Your people, etc., will give thanks to You forever for this, and we will recount Your praise to the generations to come.
Malbim
"So we" — and also that through this "we will give thanks to You forever," and Your name will be sanctified, whether through thanksgiving for the good, or through praise, which is the recounting of Your praise.
Rashi
Ibn Ezra
Radak
Metzudat David
Metzudat Zion
Malbim