A Psalm, a Song for the Sabbath day: a hymn of thanksgiving for Hashem's works, contrasting the fleeting rise of the wicked with the enduring flourishing of the righteous.
Tap any Hebrew word to reveal its root, value, and meanings.
Verse structure: 4 words, 16 letters. Notable word values: "for·the·day·of" (לְי֣וֹם) = 86, equal to Elohim. The shortest word is "a·song" (שִׁ֗יר, 3 letters) and the longest is "a·psalm" (מִזְמ֥וֹר, 5 letters). 4 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "for·the·day·of" (root יום, 121x in Psalms); "a·song" (root שיר, 68x in Psalms); "a·psalm" (root מזמור, 57x in Psalms). Full calculation: מִזְמ֥וֹר [a·psalm] (293) + שִׁ֗יר [a·song] (510) + לְי֣וֹם [for·the·day·of] (86) + הַשַּׁבָּֽת [the·Sabbath] (707) = 1596.
Rashi
"A song with musical accompaniment" — of the Levites. "for the Sabbath day" — that they would recite on Sabbaths, and it deals with the world to come, which is entirely Sabbath.
Ibn Ezra
"A Psalm, a Song. For the Sabbath day" — he did not mention the name of the poet. "For the Sabbath day" — meaning that they would sing this psalm on it; and the proof of this is what follows it —
Radak
"A Psalm" — on the Sabbath day they would recite this psalm in the Temple, and there is in the psalm something pertaining to the Sabbath, as we shall explain.
Metzudat David
"For the Sabbath day" — This psalm was appointed to be sung on the platform [by the Levites] on the Sabbath.
Malbim
'A Psalm' — a song for the Sabbath day. This song speaks of Hashem's providence in His world, that although it appears that everything proceeds according to nature, nevertheless the eye of the discerning will see in it the providence of Hashem, and will observe the punishments of the wicked and the reward of the righteous — although Hashem has hidden His providence from the eye of the multitude, so that there be room for free choice. And since the Sabbath day is testimony to providential governance, and that the world was not handed over to nature and chance, as I explained in its place, therefore this song was established for the Sabbath day.
It is a good thing to give thanks to Hashem, And to sing praises to Your name, O Most High;
verse value 1357
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 27 letters. The shortest word is "it·is·good" (ט֗וֹב, 3 letters) and the longest is "to·give·thanks" (לְהֹד֥וֹת, 5 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "and·to·sing" (וּלְזַמֵּ֖ר). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "to·Hashem" (root יהוה, 688x in Psalms); "to·Your·name" (root שם, 119x in Psalms); "to·give·thanks" (root ידה, 68x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·Hashem', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: ט֗וֹב [it·is·good] (17) + לְהֹד֥וֹת [to·give·thanks] (445) + לַיהֹוָ֑ה [to·Hashem] (56) + וּלְזַמֵּ֖ר [and·to·sing] (283) + לְשִׁמְךָ֣ [to·Your·name] (390) + עֶלְיֽוֹן [Most·High] (166) = 1357.
Ibn Ezra
"It is good to give thanks" — with faith of the heart, and to sing with the mouth and throat. "To Your name, O Most High" — meaning that it is most high above all names; or [it means] to give thanks with the tongue and to sing with the harp, and the proof is [the phrase] "upon an instrument of ten strings" (below, v. 4).
Radak
"It is good" — the Sabbath day is better for giving thanks to Hashem than the other days of the week, because a person is free from worldly affairs, and his soul rests from the burden of the body and occupies itself with wisdom and with the service of God. And it is good to say "to Your name, O Most High," because the sublime soul finds a place to praise You, for You are exalted.
Metzudat David
"It is a good thing to give thanks to Hashem" — It is good and right for us to give thanks to Hashem, and to sing praises to Your name, [You who are] most high over all.
Malbim
'It is good' — he speaks corresponding to the two modes of governance: corresponding to the providential governance, 'it is good to give thanks to Hashem'; and corresponding to the general governance according to nature, 'and to sing praises to Your name, Most High' — for by this name He became renowned, and a name went out for Him also among the nations, who call Him 'the God of gods' [Aramaic: elaha de-elahaya], and that He is Most High over all.
To declare Your lovingkindness in the morning, And Your faithfulness in the night seasons,
verse value 1449
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 26 letters. The shortest word is "in·the·morning" (בַּבֹּ֣קֶר, 4 letters) and the longest is "and·Your·faithfulness" (וֶ֝אֱמ֥וּנָתְךָ֗, 7 letters). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Your·lovingkindness" (root חסד, 125x in Psalms); "to·declare" (root נגד, 55x in Psalms); "in·the·nights" (root ליל, 27x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Your·lovingkindness', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 2 words. Full calculation: לְהַגִּ֣יד [to·declare] (52) + בַּבֹּ֣קֶר [in·the·morning] (304) + חַסְדֶּ֑ךָ [Your·lovingkindness] (92) + וֶ֝אֱמ֥וּנָתְךָ֗ [and·Your·faithfulness] (523) + בַּלֵּילֽוֹת [in·the·nights] (478) = 1449.
Rashi
"To declare in the morning Your kindness" — At the time of the Redemption. "and Your faith at night" — And during the distress of the exile, to believe in You that You will keep Your promise, all this is splendid and good.
Ibn Ezra
"To declare" — to teach others of Your lovingkindness, to make it known to them. "And Your faithfulness in the nights" — in the manner of (Psalms 119:148): "My eyes forestall the night watches," [and] (Psalms 119:62): "At midnight I rise to give thanks to You."
Radak
"To declare" — By day and by night we are obligated to declare the lovingkindness that You performed with us, in that You gave us the Sabbath day for rest, and the faithfulness that You will maintain Your lovingkindness toward us at all times. And one of the acts of lovingkindness is that You made the Sabbath day for us, and when we come to declare Your acts of lovingkindness, we recall this kindness. And the meaning of "in the morning" — for on all the days of the week, when a person rises in the morning he goes to his work, but on this [Sabbath] morning he rises for rest and for the delight of body and soul, and then I recall the lovingkindness of God. And the meaning of "in the nights" — in the plural form, for all the nights, even the nights of the weekdays, are freer than the days for declaring Hashem's lovingkindness and His faithfulness. And it says "in the nights" [again, in the plural] on account of the night of Sabbath and the night following the Sabbath, for these are nights of rest, since a person mostly does not go out to his work until morning.
Metzudat David
"In the morning" — Every morning. "And Your faithfulness" — We will declare the fulfillment of Your promise every night.
Malbim
'To declare' — it has already been explained that the natural governance is called by the name 'faithfulness' [emunah], because concerning the keeping of the laws of nature He made a promise at the time of the creation of the world, and He established the laws of nature as a statute that would not pass away, so that these laws would not depart all the days of the world; but the wondrous governance is called by the name 'lovingkindness' [chesed], because for this He did not obligate Himself. And the psalmist marks the revelation of these two modes of governance with day and night: just as the night is the marker of the time when the living and the created beings rest from their activities, so too Hashem rests from His activities at the time when nature conducts the governance; and just as the morning is the marker of the arousal of created beings to new actions and movements, and in it Hashem renews the act of creation, so it marks the time when Hashem performs new actions through providential governance. And therefore he says, in figurative language, 'to declare Your lovingkindness in the morning' — that is the time when Hashem is revealed in His providential governance and illuminates the world with His lovingkindness, which is His wonders and His acts of kindness; 'and Your faithfulness' in the nights — at the time when the providential and the miraculous light is mixed in, nevertheless His faithfulness remains, that all the works of creation keep their laws and stand upon their nature and their completeness according to how He fixed them in the six days of creation.
With an instrument of ten strings, and with the psaltery; With a solemn sound upon the harp.
verse value 1346
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 27 letters. The shortest word is "upon" (עֲלֵ֖י, 3 letters) and the longest is "upon·a·ten-stringed·instrument" (עֲֽלֵי־עָ֭שׂוֹר, 7 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "upon·a·ten-stringed·instrument" (עֲֽלֵי־עָ֭שׂוֹר), "and·upon·a·psaltery" (וַעֲלֵי־נָ֑בֶל). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "upon" (root על, 120x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·upon·a·psaltery', dividing the verse into phrases of 2 and 3 words. Full calculation: עֲֽלֵי־עָ֭שׂוֹר [upon·a·ten-stringed·instrument] (686) + וַעֲלֵי־נָ֑בֶל [and·upon·a·psaltery] (198) + עֲלֵ֖י [upon] (110) + הִגָּי֣וֹן [solemn·sound] (74) + בְּכִנּֽוֹר [with·a·harp] (278) = 1346.
Rashi
"Upon a ten-stringed harp and upon a psaltery" — Heb. עשור, a harp of ten strings.
Ibn Ezra
"Upon" — these [the ten-stringed instrument and the psaltery] are musical instruments, and "higayon" means the sweet sound of the song; or it is the name of a musical instrument.
Radak
"Upon an instrument of ten strings" — We shall declare it with the mouth and with a musical instrument. "And 'asor'" — This is the musical instrument that has ten strings. "And 'higgayon'" — This is the sweetness of the song when it is performed on the harp.
Metzudat David
"With an instrument of ten strings" — We will sing with a musical instrument that has ten strings. "With a solemn sound upon the harp" — Accompanying the song spoken by the mouth, he plays the harp to sweeten the voice, in the manner of musicians.
Metzudat Zion
"Solemn sound" [higgayon] — a term denoting sound/utterance.
Malbim
"Upon an instrument of ten strings" — the notes of the music, and the arrangement of its movements, resemble the order of the world in general and the melody of the universal music, whose pattern changes at times to a melody resembling the number "ten," corresponding to the order of the celestial spheres, which are like a lyre (kinnor) of ten strings; or to a harp (nevel), which have eight strings, counting from the sphere of the zodiac downward.
For You, Hashem, have made me glad through Your work; I will exult in the works of Your hands.
verse value 1833
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 30 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֣ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. Verse gematria: 1833 is divisible by 13, the value of echad ('one') and ahavah ('love'). The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֤י, 2 letters) and the longest is "You·have·made·me·glad" (שִׂמַּחְתַּ֣נִי, 6 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "You·have·made·me·glad" (שִׂמַּחְתַּ֣נִי), "in·Your·work" (בְּפׇעֳלֶ֑ךָ). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 688x in Psalms); "for" (root כי, 216x in Psalms); "Your·hands" (root יד, 78x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'in·Your·work', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 3 words. Full calculation: כִּ֤י [for] (30) + שִׂמַּחְתַּ֣נִי [You·have·made·me·glad] (808) + יְהֹוָ֣ה [Hashem] (26) + בְּפׇעֳלֶ֑ךָ [in·Your·work] (202) + בְּֽמַעֲשֵׂ֖י [in·the·works·of] (422) + יָדֶ֣יךָ [Your·hands] (44) + אֲרַנֵּֽן [I·will·exult] (301) = 1833.
Ibn Ezra
"For" — because the soul of the wise man, during the six working days, is preoccupied with the affairs of the world, therefore it withdraws in solitude on the Sabbath in order to understand the work of Hashem and His wonders; therefore [it says]: "For You, Hashem, have made me glad through Your work." This is in the manner of the years of the Sabbatical release, when they would hear the whole Torah, so that they might learn and fear (Deuteronomy 31:12). And the meaning is: For You have made me glad through my knowing all Your works, which are upright.
Radak
"For You have made me glad" — When I contemplate Your works and the work of Your hands, which is the world, and in which, on the Sabbath day, I have the leisure to contemplate it, then I rejoice — and this is the wisdom of nature. And when I contemplate it and grasp from it whatever I grasp, I rejoice and sing for joy in my heart. This is true of every wise person who contemplates the work of God; therefore it says "You have made me glad," "I will sing for joy" — in the singular form.
Metzudat David
"Through Your work" — Through the miracles that You performed for me. "In the works, etc." — The matter is repeated in different words.
Malbim
"For You, Hashem, have made me glad through Your work" — there is a difference between pe'ulah (an ongoing activity) and ma'aseh (a finished deed). A thing that is completed and finished is called ma'aseh, while an undertaking still being worked on is called pe'ulah. So, too, existence as a whole, inasmuch as it is completed and finished together with the fixed laws of nature, is called "the ma'aseh (work) of Hashem." But the undertaking with which Hashem is engaged through His providence — in which the hands of the Creator, so to speak, are still working and active, continually renewing His acts according to providence — this is called pe'ulah. Therefore, in reference to the chesed (kindness), which is the providential and miraculous governance, he says, "For You have made me glad through Your pe'ulah (work)" — for through it our heart rejoices in recognizing Hashem's providence, His reward and His punishment. And in reference to nature, which is ordered in perfection from ancient beginnings, he says, "In the works (ma'asei) of Your hands I will exult."
How great are Your works, O Hashem! Your thoughts are very deep.
verse value 1595
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 29 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֑ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "very" (מְ֝אֹ֗ד, 3 letters) and the longest is "Your·thoughts" (מַחְשְׁבֹתֶֽיךָ, 7 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "how·great·are" (מַה־גָּדְל֣וּ), "are·deep" (עָמְק֥וּ), "Your·thoughts" (מַחְשְׁבֹתֶֽיךָ). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 688x in Psalms); "Your·works" (root מעשה, 39x in Psalms); "very" (root מאד, 35x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Hashem', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: מַה־גָּדְל֣וּ [how·great·are] (88) + מַעֲשֶׂ֣יךָ [Your·works] (440) + יְהֹוָ֑ה [Hashem] (26) + מְ֝אֹ֗ד [very] (45) + עָמְק֥וּ [are·deep] (216) + מַחְשְׁבֹתֶֽיךָ [Your·thoughts] (780) = 1595.
Ibn Ezra
"How" — and I was not able to fathom them, for Your thoughts are too great for me, "Very deep" — and behold, "they are great" is like "they are high," that is, far, far above; and the opposite of this is "they are deep" — and all of this is [expressed] relative to man.
Radak
"How" — When I contemplate them, I recognize that they are great and too lofty for [me] to attain their perfection. And likewise, "Your thoughts are very deep" — for the reasons of the world have not been revealed to the wise, [there being] difficult questions in the matters of the world: why was it thus and not otherwise. And one of these questions is: why did God create the world [only] so many years ago, and not create it earlier? And the answer to this question, and to others like it, is that so His wisdom decreed, and we do not know His knowledge and His thoughts, [nor] why they are deep below and lofty above.
Metzudat David
"Are... deep" — They are deep matters, which cannot be understood.
Malbim
"How great are Your works, Hashem" — he explains the reason why Hashem divided His governance so that it is sometimes through nature and sometimes through providence, and why He placed "the world" in men's hearts so that man does not always perceive the providential governance, and many think that the world runs according to its custom and that everything proceeds by way of nature — for this is by deep design, so that there be room for free choice and for reward and punishment. For if the wicked were punished immediately, and the entire governance were through open providence, people would be afraid to do evil and there would be no free choice. This is what he means: "Your works" — the ordered, natural ones — "are great," but "Your thoughts are very deep" in this — in that You have hidden Your providential governance so that it remains concealed and hidden, in such a way that (verses 7-8) "a brutish man does not know, nor does a fool understand this" — for "when the wicked flourish like grass," it is in order "to destroy them forever" — for the prosperity of the wicked in this world is precisely what causes them to be destroyed forever, and this the brutish man and the fool do not understand. And this itself is part of the depth of Hashem's thoughts in His world — that the fool does not understand this — so that there be room for free choice and for reward and punishment.
A brutish man knows not, Neither does a fool understand this.
verse value 1736
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 27 letters. The shortest word is "not" (לֹ֣א, 2 letters) and the longest is "man·brutish" (אִֽישׁ־בַּ֭עַר, 6 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "man·brutish" (אִֽישׁ־בַּ֭עַר), "and·a·fool" (וּ֝כְסִ֗יל), "not·understand" (לֹא־יָבִ֥ין). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "not" (root לא, 174x in Psalms); "knows" (root ידע, 95x in Psalms); "man·brutish" (root איש, 39x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'knows', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: אִֽישׁ־בַּ֭עַר [man·brutish] (583) + לֹ֣א [not] (31) + יֵדָ֑ע [knows] (84) + וּ֝כְסִ֗יל [and·a·fool] (126) + לֹא־יָבִ֥ין [not·understand] (103) + אֶת־זֹֽאת [this] (809) = 1736.
Rashi
"A boorish man does not know" — What is stated below.
Ibn Ezra
"A man" — I have observed that a brutish man does not know Your works. "And a fool" — the meaning is doubled [i.e., stated twice in parallel]:
Radak
"A man" — This verse connects to what precedes it, to what it said, "Your thoughts are very deep": it says that every brutish and foolish man does not know and does not understand this, meaning [does not understand] what was said about knowing Your works; and it also connects to what follows it. "A brutish man does not know" — when the wicked spring up like grass, meaning that they prosper in this world; but the wise know that this is so that they may be destroyed forever, meaning that they will have no portion in the World to Come, which is forever. And [their] prosperity is the reward for the few good deeds that they did in this world — He pays them their reward in this world, so that they will be lost in the World to Come as payment for their evil deeds, which are many. And it may also be explained that this connects to what follows it, and its meaning is like the first explanation: that every brutish and foolish man does not understand the prosperity of the wicked in this world and the suffering of the righteous in this world, for even though it says "that they may be destroyed forever," difficult questions still remain in this matter.
Metzudat David
"A brutish man, etc." — And it goes on to explain: "Neither does a fool understand this" — referring to what is stated below.
Metzudat Zion
"Brutish" — foolish like a beast; from the language of 'we and our cattle' (Numbers 20).
When the wicked spring up as the grass, And when all the workers of iniquity do flourish; It is that they may be destroyed for ever.
verse value 2434
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 41 letters. The shortest word is "iniquity" (אָ֑וֶן, 3 letters) and the longest is "like·grass" (כְּמ֥וֹ־עֵ֗שֶׂב, 6 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "when·sprouting" (בִּפְרֹ֤חַ), "like·grass" (כְּמ֥וֹ־עֵ֗שֶׂב), "for·them·to·be·destroyed" (לְהִשָּׁמְדָ֥ם). 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "wicked" (root רשע, 87x in Psalms); "unto·forever" (root עד, 50x in Psalms); "all·the·workers·of" (root פעל, 38x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'iniquity', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 2 words. Full calculation: בִּפְרֹ֤חַ [when·sprouting] (290) + רְשָׁעִ֨ים [wicked] (620) + כְּמ֥וֹ־עֵ֗שֶׂב [like·grass] (438) + וַ֭יָּצִיצוּ [and·blossom] (212) + כׇּל־פֹּ֣עֲלֵי [all·the·workers·of] (240) + אָ֑וֶן [iniquity] (57) + לְהִשָּׁמְדָ֥ם [for·them·to·be·destroyed] (419) + עֲדֵי־עַֽד [unto·forever] (158) = 2434.
Rashi
"When the wicked flourish like grass" — they do not know that their flourishing is only to destroy them to eternity, for He recompenses His enemies to their face to destroy them.
Ibn Ezra
"When [the wicked] spring up" — they are the ones who prosper in the land. "That they may be destroyed forever" — this is their end, like (Psalms 49:11): "fool and brutish alike perish," as I have explained; or [it means] that Hashem repays the wicked with good in this world for the [one] good deed he has done, in order to destroy him in his end, as is written in the Torah of Hashem.
Radak
"When [the wicked] spring up" — the meaning is that prosperity comes to them quickly, and it likens them to grass, which also withers quickly; but of the righteous it says "like the palm-tree" and "like the cedar."
Metzudat David
"When... spring up" — In that the wicked sprout and flourish. "As the grass, etc." — He does not understand that the intent is to destroy them forever, for [Hashem] pays them the small reward of their righteousness [now], in order to banish them from the World to Come.
Verse structure: 4 words, 16 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָֽה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. 4 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 688x in Psalms); "for·ever" (root עולם, 144x in Psalms); "and·You" (root אתה, 115x in Psalms). Full calculation: וְאַתָּ֥ה [and·You] (412) + מָר֗וֹם [on·high] (286) + לְעֹלָ֥ם [for·ever] (170) + יְהֹוָֽה [Hashem] (26) = 894.
Rashi
"But You remain on high" — In all Your judgments, You have the upper hand, for all justify Your judgments.
Ibn Ezra
"But You, Hashem" — "on high" stands in place of an adjective; or it is missing a bet, and the meaning is: "For You are exalted" — so that the brutish man may understand Your secret.
Radak
"But You" — Even though the wicked prosper, let no person say that there is no one who watches and sees, as some who lack faith say. This is not as they say; rather, He watches and sees. But most of the world is astonished by this; therefore it says, "But You, Hashem, are on high forever," meaning: You see everything, and behold, a time will come when it will reach each one according to his deeds.
Metzudat David
"But You" — For You are on high forever, and at every time Your hand is the upper hand; and if You do not exact retribution from them in their lifetime, You will exact retribution from them after their death.
Malbim
"But You" — meaning, even though the wicked flourish and the workers of iniquity spring up, nevertheless "You are on high forever," and Your hand will reach them to punish them at all times. For a mortal ruler (flesh and blood) hastens to punish those who rebel against him, for two reasons: first, because his hand does not always reach them; and second, because he fears lest he die and be unable to punish them. But You are on high, and Your hand is the upper hand, and You are also eternal forever.
For, lo, Your enemies, O Hashem, For, lo, Your enemies shall perish: All the workers of iniquity shall be scattered.
verse value 1312
Insights
Verse structure: 10 words, 44 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְֽהֹוָ֗ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֤י, 2 letters) and the longest is "shall·be·scattered" (יִ֝תְפָּרְד֗וּ, 6 letters). Words sharing gematria 43: Your·enemies, Your·enemies. 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "shall·be·scattered" (יִ֝תְפָּרְד֗וּ). The root כי appears 2 times in this verse. 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 688x in Psalms); "for" (root כי, 216x in Psalms); "Your·enemies" (root איב, 71x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'shall·perish', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 3 words. Full calculation: כִּ֤י [for] (30) + הִנֵּ֪ה [behold] (60) + אֹיְבֶ֡יךָ [Your·enemies] (43) + יְֽהֹוָ֗ה [Hashem] (26) + כִּֽי־הִנֵּ֣ה [for·behold] (90) + אֹיְבֶ֣יךָ [Your·enemies] (43) + יֹאבֵ֑דוּ [shall·perish] (23) + יִ֝תְפָּרְד֗וּ [shall·be·scattered] (700) + כׇּל־פֹּ֥עֲלֵי [all·the·workers·of] (240) + אָֽוֶן [iniquity] (57) = 1312.
Ibn Ezra
"For, lo, Your enemies" — repeated, because the wise man heard what happened to the wicked, and also saw it himself in his own days many times, that the end of Hashem's enemies is destruction.
Radak
"For" — behold, a time will come when Your enemies, Hashem, will perish — and the repetition is for emphasis — and the righteous will rejoice and flourish and exult in glory; and this is what it says [next].
Metzudat David
"For, lo, etc." — And it goes on to explain: "For, lo, Your enemies shall perish" — meaning, destruction is ready at hand for them; their flesh will rot away and their bones will come apart.
Malbim
"For, behold, Your enemies, Hashem" — shall perish, for two reasons: first, because they are "Your enemies," "they shall perish" — since they are enemies of Hashem, He will destroy them through providence; second, that also of their own accord, "all the workers of iniquity shall be scattered" — for the very nature of their evil deeds necessitates their dispersal and the absence of union and permanence. And then, when the wicked perish, "my horn is exalted like [the horn of] a wild ox" — then the horn of my success will be raised up out of its lowliness; and "my old age" will be "fresh as with oil" — even though I wear out and grow old, I will be fresh through the oil of Hashem's anointing, which is a metaphor for His beneficent influence. (He intends by "horn" bodily strength, and by "oil" success of the soul, as he wrote regarding Isaiah 5:1, in the Be'ur HaMilot [Explanation of the Words] there.)
But my horn You have exalted like the horn of the wild-ox; I am anointed with rich oil.
verse value 2481
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 25 letters. The shortest word is "and·You·exalted" (וַתָּ֣רֶם, 4 letters) and the longest is "like·a·wild-ox" (כִּרְאֵ֣ים, 5 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "and·You·exalted" (וַתָּ֣רֶם), "like·a·wild-ox" (כִּרְאֵ֣ים), "my·horn" (קַרְנִ֑י). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·You·exalted" (root רום, 49x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'my·horn', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: וַתָּ֣רֶם [and·You·exalted] (646) + כִּרְאֵ֣ים [like·a·wild-ox] (271) + קַרְנִ֑י [my·horn] (360) + בַּ֝לֹּתִ֗י [I·am·anointed] (442) + בְּשֶׁ֣מֶן [with·oil] (392) + רַעֲנָֽן [rich] (370) = 2481.
Rashi
"to soak me with fresh oil" — Heb. בלתי. To soak me with the oil of dominion. בַלֹתִי is like (Num. 15: 9): “mingled (בלולה) with oil.”
Ibn Ezra
"But You have exalted" — he says "but You have exalted" corresponding to "but You are on high" [v. 9]. "Like the horn of the wild ox" — meaning that its horns are very high. "I am anointed with fresh oil" — the fresh oil of myrrh: the horn of my head is anointed.
Radak
"But You have exalted" — The psalmist speaks in the voice of every righteous individual, who will see the wicked, the enemies of Hashem, perish and scatter, and he will give thanks to God for the good that He gave him, and will say, "But You have exalted my horn like the horn of the wild-ox" — You have raised my horn like the horns of the wild-ox. "I am anointed with rich oil" — from [the same root as] "mixed with oil," and it is an intransitive verb, as if it said "I was anointed"; or it is a transitive verb, and its meaning is "I anointed my head." And the meaning of "raanan" [rich] is moist and lush, and this is a figure of speech for abundant goodness and delight.
Metzudat David
"But You have exalted" — But my horn will be exalted like the horns of the wild-ox. "I am anointed" — I will have my head mixed with moist, rich oil, and this is a metaphor for abundance of delight.
Metzudat Zion
"Like the wild-ox" — the name of the animal re'em. "I am mixed/anointed" — from the language of mingling and blending. "Rich" — a term for moistness and richness, as in 'and its leaf shall be luxuriant' (Jeremiah 17).
My eye also has gazed on those who lie in wait for me, My ears have heard my desire of the evil-doers that rise up against me.
verse value 2670
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 36 letters. The shortest word is "against·me" (עָלַ֥י, 3 letters) and the longest is "have·heard" (תִּשְׁמַ֥עְנָה, 6 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "and·gazed" (וַתַּבֵּ֥ט), "on·my·watchers" (בְּשׁ֫וּרָ֥י), "of·those·who·rise" (בַּקָּמִ֖ים). 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "against·me" (root על, 120x in Psalms); "have·heard" (root שמע, 76x in Psalms); "my·eye" (root עין, 64x in Psalms). Full calculation: וַתַּבֵּ֥ט [and·gazed] (417) + עֵינִ֗י [my·eye] (140) + בְּשׁ֫וּרָ֥י [on·my·watchers] (518) + בַּקָּמִ֖ים [of·those·who·rise] (192) + עָלַ֥י [against·me] (110) + מְרֵעִ֗ים [evildoers] (360) + תִּשְׁמַ֥עְנָה [have·heard] (865) + אׇזְנָֽי [my·ears] (68) = 2670.
Rashi
"upon those who stare at me" — Heb. בשורי, at those who stare at me, as (5:9): “those who lie in wait for me (בשוררי).” "when evildoers rise up against me" — About the wicked who rise up against me, my ears heard from behind the “veil” that they will not succeed in destroying us [perhaps, David and his men]. So I heard.
Ibn Ezra
"And my eye has looked," "on those who lie in wait for me" — a noun form, like (Jeremiah 17:13): "vesuray" — "and those who turn away from Me shall be written in the earth" — from the same grammatical pattern as "shoreray" (those who watch me with hostility). The meaning of "and my eye has looked" is that he saw with his own eyes his vengeance upon his wicked enemies who were present with him, and likewise his ear would hear concerning his enemies who were not present. And because he mentioned "those who rise up against me," he explained that they are evildoers, and the bet [prefix] serves for another [word], as if it were written "against the evildoers."
Radak
"On those who lie in wait for me" (be-shurai) — like "be-shorerai," meaning "my enemies" who look on with evil intent; and the word "be-shurai" is a participle/adjective and comes with the shuruk vowel, like "nechalatz chushim" [we will go armed] (Numbers 32:17). And the meaning of "has gazed... have heard" is that my eye has seen among them, and my ears have heard from them, what I desired.
Metzudat David
"My eye also has gazed" — My eye will see its desire upon the enemy who looks at me with an evil eye. "On those who rise up" — At the time the evildoers rise up against me, my ears will hear what they desire to hear, namely, the destruction of the evildoers.
Metzudat Zion
"On those who lie in wait for me" [b'shuray] — a term for watching, as in 'I behold him, but not near' (Numbers 32).
Malbim
"My eye has gazed" — Since I know that the righteous begin with suffering and end with tranquility, while the wicked are the opposite, therefore "my eye gazes on those who lie in wait for me," who look upon me "at the time when evildoers rise up against me"; and "my ears hear" how those very ones who lie in wait and watch me then — they say, "the righteous shall flourish like a palm tree." For everyone who sees recognizes and says that it is precisely because the evildoers rise up against the righteous that he flourishes like a palm tree, and is raised up, and prospers. Now, the palm tree flourishes and produces fruit, but it has this deficiency: that after flowering its root-moisture diminishes, and most [palm trees] dry up after flowering; and in particular, if the palm tree is cut down, its stump does not sprout again. The cedar, by contrast, always continues to grow, and its stump does sprout again if it is cut down, but it does not flower or produce fruit. The righteous is likened to both trees: to the palm tree, in that he flourishes like it and produces the holy fruit of praise — namely, his sons, who preserve his kind; and to the cedar, in that he himself endures in individual, everlasting existence through his spiritual soul, which lives forever in the eternal world.
The righteous shall flourish like the palm-tree; He shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
verse value 1848
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 26 letters. The shortest word is "just" (צַ֭דִּיק, 4 letters) and the longest is "in·Lebanon" (בַּלְּבָנ֣וֹן, 6 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "like·the·palm-tree" (כַּתָּמָ֣ר), "shall·flourish" (יִפְרָ֑ח), "like·a·cedar" (כְּאֶ֖רֶז). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "just" (root צדיק, 52x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'shall·flourish', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: צַ֭דִּיק [just] (204) + כַּתָּמָ֣ר [like·the·palm-tree] (660) + יִפְרָ֑ח [shall·flourish] (298) + כְּאֶ֖רֶז [like·a·cedar] (228) + בַּלְּבָנ֣וֹן [in·Lebanon] (140) + יִשְׂגֶּֽה [shall·grow] (318) = 1848.
Rashi
"The righteous one flourishes like the palm, etc." — Like the palm that produces fruit, and like the cedar insofar as its trunk renews itself.
Ibn Ezra
"The righteous" — he stated that the enemies of Hashem and his own enemies would perish, and that the enemies of Hashem are his enemies, in the manner of (Psalms 139:21): "Do I not hate them, Hashem, that hate You?" He then said, the opposite of this: "The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree," which stands for many years. And he spoke of the wicked as many, and the righteous as few, and he compared [the righteous] to a tree that gives goodly fruit and is also fruitful and grows great like the strong tree of Lebanon, which is the cedar; and he compared the wicked to grass and to the flower of the field, which does not endure except for a short while.
Radak
"The righteous" — He is likened to the palm-tree and the cedar because they are taller than all [other] trees; and it says "in Lebanon," which is a forest in the Land of Israel, speaking of what is [typically] so. "He shall grow" (yisgeh) — he will grow great and flourish; and regarding abundant growth it says "yisgeh," which is an expression of increase, like "sagi koach" [great strength] (Job 37:23), which means "much strength"; and likewise the Targum renders "rav" [much] as "sagi."
Metzudat David
"Shall flourish like the palm-tree" — He will bear fruit in sons and daughters, like this palm tree that flourishes to bring forth fruit. "He shall grow" — He will become great and rise higher and higher, like the height of the cedar that is in Lebanon.
Metzudat Zion
"He shall grow" — his greatness increases, as in 'can the rush grow' (Job 8).
Planted in the house of Hashem, They shall flourish in the courts of our God.
verse value 2348
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 32 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֑ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "in·the·house·of" (בְּבֵ֣ית, 4 letters) and the longest is "planted" (שְׁ֭תוּלִים, 6 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "planted" (שְׁ֭תוּלִים), "shall·flourish" (יַפְרִֽיחוּ). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 688x in Psalms); "our·God" (root אלהים, 347x in Psalms); "in·the·house·of" (root בית, 48x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Hashem', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: שְׁ֭תוּלִים [planted] (786) + בְּבֵ֣ית [in·the·house·of] (414) + יְהֹוָ֑ה [Hashem] (26) + בְּחַצְר֖וֹת [in·the·courts·of] (706) + אֱלֹהֵ֣ינוּ [our·God] (102) + יַפְרִֽיחוּ [shall·flourish] (314) = 2348.
Rashi
"Planted" — The righteous will be [planted] in the house of the Lord.
Ibn Ezra
"Planted" — the one among the righteous who is planted in the house of Hashem — they are the priests and the singers — his blossom will be seen in the courts of Hashem, outside the house of Hashem, until all who come for the service of Hashem and for prayer can smell their fragrance. "They shall flourish" — they shall put forth blossom.
Radak
"Planted" — Since he likened the righteous to trees, he says [they are] planted in a good place, namely in the house of Hashem, in the courts of our God, meaning that their dwelling will be there permanently, for there the wise and the teachers will be. And then, in the days of our Messiah, the wicked will be cut off, and the righteous will remain, all of them occupied with wisdom to know Hashem. And there "they shall flourish," meaning they shall prosper and increase in wisdom. And it says "in the house" and it says "in the courts," for the priests and the Levites [shall be] in the house, and Israel in the courts.
Metzudat David
"Planted" — Those who study Torah and wisdom will be planted and firmly established in the house of Hashem. "In the courts" — The matter is repeated in different words.
Metzudat Zion
"Planted" [shetulim] — [this means] planted.
Malbim
"Planted" — corresponding to what was said, "he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon," which refers to the righteous himself enduring in individual existence, and also that when he is cut off from this world, he returns to grow in the World to Come, it says, "planted in the house of Hashem." For a shatul ("planted one") is a tree uprooted from its place and transplanted to another place. This means: the righteous person is uprooted from his place in the material world (which is called "the courts of Hashem" — like a courtyard before the house, which is the World to Come, as it is said, "Prepare yourself in the antechamber so that you may enter the banquet hall"), and is then transplanted into "the house of Hashem" — that is, into the world of souls, where the [true] house is (as it says above, [Psalm] 73, "until I came into the sanctuaries of God") — and there he grows like a cedar in Lebanon. And corresponding to what was said, "the righteous shall flourish like a palm tree" — which is his flourishing in this world by leaving behind his kind in sons and daughters — it says, "in the courts of our God they shall flourish."
They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; They shall be full of sap and richness;
verse value 1384
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 30 letters. The shortest word is "still" (ע֭וֹד, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·luxuriant" (וְֽרַעֲנַנִּ֣ים, 7 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "shall·bear·fruit" (יְנוּב֣וּן), "in·old·age" (בְּשֵׂיבָ֑ה), "fat" (דְּשֵׁנִ֖ים). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "shall·be" (root היה, 97x in Psalms); "still" (root עוד, 24x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'in·old·age', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: ע֭וֹד [still] (80) + יְנוּב֣וּן [shall·bear·fruit] (124) + בְּשֵׂיבָ֑ה [in·old·age] (319) + דְּשֵׁנִ֖ים [fat] (404) + וְֽרַעֲנַנִּ֣ים [and·luxuriant] (426) + יִהְיֽוּ [shall·be] (31) = 1384.
Rashi
"will...grow" — Heb. ישגה, will grow. "fat" — Heb. דשנים, They will be fat and fresh, and then they will declare that the Lord is upright.
Ibn Ezra
"Still" — and the elders among them, over whom dryness has come to prevail, the service of Hashem will make fresh again, in the manner of (Deuteronomy 34:7): "nor was his freshness abated."
Radak
"Still" — In the days of the Messiah, the days of Israel will be long, and the days that are the days of old age in this world will then be like the days of youth; and they will be like youths who grow and increase and will be full of sap and fresh — the opposite of the aged.
Metzudat David
"They shall still bring forth fruit" — In the days of their old age they will still increase in produce and growth, and they will be full and moist.
Metzudat Zion
"They shall bring forth fruit" — from the language of produce and growth. "Full of sap" — fat, rich. "And richness" — a term for moistness and dampness, as in 'and its leaf shall be luxuriant' (Jeremiah 7).
Malbim
"Still" — and they "shall still bring forth fruit," and shall bear fruit even "in old age" — they shall beget children for the continuation of the species — and they themselves "shall be full of sap and richness" in their bodily strength, so that they will be able to engage in the Torah of Hashem for the perpetuation of their own individual existence.
To declare that Hashem is upright, My Rock, in whom there is no unrighteousness.
verse value 1985
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 32 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֑ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "in·Him" (בּֽוֹ, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·not·injustice" (וְֽלֹא־עַוְלָ֥תָה, 8 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "and·not·injustice" (וְֽלֹא־עַוְלָ֥תָה). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 688x in Psalms); "to·declare" (root נגד, 55x in Psalms); "that·is·upright" (root ישר, 30x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Hashem', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 4 words.
Ibn Ezra
"To declare" — until all mankind will declare that Hashem is upright, and gives good to the good. "And there is no unrighteousness in Him" — in His destroying the wicked.
Radak
"To declare" — Then they will declare that Hashem is upright, for at this time the hearts of people waver regarding the deeds of God when they see the tranquility of the wicked and the suffering of the righteous. But in the future, when the Messiah comes, they will be refined and purified and will remain like purified silver, and there will no longer be tranquility for the wicked nor suffering for the righteous; and then the whole world will acknowledge that Hashem is upright and is my Rock, for I trust in Him. And the psalmist says that everyone will say that "there is no unrighteousness in Him," and all His deeds are done in faithfulness. And then, when human knowledge increases, this mystery will be revealed — why it was so in this world, [with] tranquility for the wicked and suffering for the righteous. And it is written "alatah" without a vav, but read as "avlatah," and the meaning is the same, except that the written form follows the pattern of roots with a hidden middle-letter ayin/vav (nechei ha-ayin); and even in this root there are instances where the vav is omitted, as in "ve-avlatah kaftzah piha" (Job 5:16); and the traditional reading follows the standard form of this root, which has a vav.
Metzudat David
"To declare" — So that it will be known to all that Hashem is upright and there is no injustice in Him, when they see that in the end each person receives the reward of his deeds.
Malbim
"To declare" — the sense is: "they shall still bring forth fruit in old age," so that they may be able "to declare" and make known to all "that Hashem is upright, my Rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him" — that there is no injustice in His governance, despite what appears at times, that the wicked prosper in this world; for everything is under providence, and the righteous are destined to receive their reward.
Rashi
Ibn Ezra
Radak
Metzudat David
Malbim