A cry to Hashem, the God of vengeance, for justice against the arrogant wicked who oppress the innocent, with confidence that He will not forsake His people.
Tap any Hebrew word to reveal its root, value, and meanings.
O Hashem, You God to whom vengeance belongs, You God to whom vengeance belongs, shine forth.
verse value 1451
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 23 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֑ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "God·of" (אֵ֖ל, 2 letters) and the longest is "God·of·vengeance" (אֵל־נְקָמ֥וֹת, 7 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "God·of·vengeance" (אֵל־נְקָמ֥וֹת). The root נקמה appears 2 times in this verse. 4 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 688x in Psalms); "God·of" (root אל, 112x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Hashem', dividing the verse into phrases of 2 and 3 words. Full calculation: אֵל־נְקָמ֥וֹת [God·of·vengeance] (627) + יְהֹוָ֑ה [Hashem] (26) + אֵ֖ל [God·of] (31) + נְקָמ֣וֹת [vengeance] (596) + הוֹפִֽיעַ [shine·forth] (171) = 1451.
Rashi
"show" — Heb. הופיע, show and reveal to us Your vengeance.
Ibn Ezra
"O Hashem, God of vengeance" — repeated, since we have seen that You are forceful in Your vengeance — do so again this time.
Radak
"God" — he prays to hasten the redemption from Babylon, and then to take vengeance upon the wicked, for so He promised through the words of the prophets. And it says "God" — meaning, You have the power to exact vengeance. "Shine forth" — reveal Yourself to us and take Your vengeance upon them.
Metzudat David
"O God to whom vengeance belongs, Hashem" — You, Hashem, have power over vengeance; therefore You are the God who shines forth in vengeance, when You take vengeance upon Your enemies.
Metzudat Zion
"Shine forth" — a term for illumination, as in 'He shone forth from Mount Paran' (Deuteronomy 33:2).
Malbim
(Verses 1-4) "O God" — in this psalm he sets forth the arguments of those who deny [divine] providence, who bring proof that Hashem does not oversee the world from the fact that the wicked are delivered [from harm] while the righteous are afflicted with suffering, and he answers this. In this it has a connection, being one subject with the Song, a Psalm for the Sabbath day, which is likewise about this matter — so that all three of these psalms are a single unit.
Lift up Yourself, You Judge of the earth; Render to the proud their recompense.
verse value 1581
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 24 letters. The shortest word is "judge·of" (שֹׁפֵ֣ט, 3 letters) and the longest is "upon·proud" (עַל־גֵּאִֽים, 6 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "dealing" (גְּ֝מ֗וּל), "upon·proud" (עַל־גֵּאִֽים). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "the·earth" (root ארץ, 157x in Psalms); "render" (root שוב, 72x in Psalms); "lift·Yourself" (root נשא, 52x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'the·earth', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: הִ֭נָּשֵׂא [lift·Yourself] (356) + שֹׁפֵ֣ט [judge·of] (389) + הָאָ֑רֶץ [the·earth] (296) + הָשֵׁ֥ב [render] (307) + גְּ֝מ֗וּל [dealing] (79) + עַל־גֵּאִֽים [upon·proud] (154) = 1581.
Ibn Ezra
"Lift up Yourself" — against the proud.
Radak
"Lift up Yourself" — as You said through Your prophet, "Now I will be exalted, now I will be lifted up" — meaning, [so that] the proud will understand that You are high and exalted, and You will repay them the recompense of their deeds.
Metzudat David
"Lift up Yourself" — Show Your exaltedness, and repay recompense upon those who are arrogant toward You.
Hashem, how long shall the wicked, How long shall the wicked exult?
verse value 2437
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 29 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֑ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֑ה, 4 letters) and the longest is "until·when" (עַד־מָתַ֖י, 5 letters). Words sharing gematria 620: wicked, wicked. The root עד appears 2 times in this verse. 4 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 688x in Psalms); "wicked" (root רשע, 87x in Psalms); "until·when" (root עד, 50x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Hashem', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: עַד־מָתַ֖י [until·when] (524) + רְשָׁעִ֥ים [wicked] (620) + יְהֹוָ֑ה [Hashem] (26) + עַד־מָ֝תַ֗י [until·when] (524) + רְשָׁעִ֥ים [wicked] (620) + יַעֲלֹֽזוּ [exult] (123) = 2437.
Ibn Ezra
"How long" — repeated, since we have seen this happen in various places or at various times.
Radak
"How long" — for the time has grown very long for us, while the wicked exult and speak arrogant words and raise themselves up to rebel against You — how long will this be?
Metzudat David
"How long" — And it goes on to explain: how long will they exult and rejoice?
They gush out, they speak arrogancy; All the workers of iniquity bear themselves loftily.
verse value 1844
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 28 letters. The shortest word is "arrogance" (עָתָ֑ק, 3 letters) and the longest is "boast" (יִ֝תְאַמְּר֗וּ, 6 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "boast" (יִ֝תְאַמְּר֗וּ). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "speak" (root דבר, 133x in Psalms); "boast" (root אמר, 111x in Psalms); "all·workers·of" (root פעל, 38x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'arrogance', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: יַבִּ֣יעוּ [gush·forth] (98) + יְדַבְּר֣וּ [speak] (222) + עָתָ֑ק [arrogance] (570) + יִ֝תְאַמְּר֗וּ [boast] (657) + כׇּל־פֹּ֥עֲלֵי [all·workers·of] (240) + אָֽוֶן [iniquity] (57) = 1844.
Rashi
"boast" — Heb. יתאמרו. They praise themselves, as (Deut. 26:17f.): “you praised (האמרת),” and “praised you (האמירך).”
Ibn Ezra
"They gush out, they speak" — arrogant talk. "Yitamru" (they bear themselves loftily) — meaning "they exalt themselves," corresponding to [the same root as] (Deuteronomy 26:17): "You have avouched Hashem," and (Isaiah 17:6): "in the top of the amir" — which is the highest bough.
Radak
"They gush out" [יביעו] — a term of speech. And it further says: "They speak" — the doubling is for emphasis, meaning that they constantly speak arrogantly against You. "Arrogancy" [עתק] — a hard, forceful word. "They bear themselves loftily" — they are haughty and magnify themselves against You; and likewise, "You have distinguished Hashem, made [Him] great" — [the same root is used there] in the sense of self-exaltation.
Metzudat Zion
"They gush out" — a term for utterance, as in 'day to day utters speech' (above, Psalms 19). "Arrogancy" — harsh speech, as in 'let not arrogancy come out of your mouth' (I Samuel 2). "Bear themselves loftily" — from the language of self-exaltation; and likewise 'you have avouched Hashem [as your God]' (Deuteronomy 26).
Malbim
"O God of vengeance, Hashem, O God of vengeance, shine forth! They gush forth, they speak arrogantly; all the workers of iniquity bear themselves loftily" — the psalmist quotes the words of the workers of iniquity: "the workers of iniquity" "gush forth and speak arrogantly and bear themselves loftily," saying, "O God of vengeance, Hashem, O God of vengeance, shine forth!" That is, they argue: why does Hashem keep silent toward the wicked? Is it not fitting that He should appear to punish them, for three reasons? First, because You are "a God of vengeance," it is fitting that You should appear to take vengeance on the wicked. Second, is it not fitting "that You lift Yourself up," since You are "the Judge of the earth" and "render recompense to the proud" — for this is required of You by justice, to render them recompense according to their evil deeds. Third, this is required by fairness, for "how long" shall "the wicked" be found, and "how long shall the wicked exult" in their success? — This argument, "they gush forth and speak arrogantly and bear themselves loftily" with this argument, "all the workers of iniquity" — in order to prove from this that there is no [divine] providence and that there is no reward and punishment.
They crush Your people, O Hashem, And afflict Your heritage.
verse value 847
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 22 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֣ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "Your·people" (עַמְּךָ֣, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·Your·heritage" (וְֽנַחֲלָתְךָ֥, 6 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "crush" (יְדַכְּא֑וּ), "and·Your·heritage" (וְֽנַחֲלָתְךָ֥), "afflict" (יְעַנּֽוּ). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 688x in Psalms); "Your·people" (root עם, 135x in Psalms); "afflict" (root ענה, 56x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'crush', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 2 words. Full calculation: עַמְּךָ֣ [Your·people] (130) + יְהֹוָ֣ה [Hashem] (26) + יְדַכְּא֑וּ [crush] (41) + וְֽנַחֲלָתְךָ֥ [and·Your·heritage] (514) + יְעַנּֽוּ [afflict] (136) = 847.
Ibn Ezra
"Your people"... "they crush" — the opposite of merely saying so in their heart: they actually crush in deed. "Your people" and "Your heritage" — the opposite of "the wicked."
Radak
"Your people" — Israel are those called "the people of Hashem" and "the inheritance of Hashem." As for those among Israel who are strong and [protected] by the help of the ruling power, the lawless wicked crush them and afflict them as much as they are able to do; but the weak — the widow, the stranger, and the fatherless — these they kill, since they have no one to plead their cause.
Metzudat Zion
"They crush" — a term for pounding and breaking. "And afflict" — from the language of affliction.
Malbim
(Verses 5-6) "Your people" — this too is among the words of the workers of iniquity. They argue, saying: "How long, O Hashem, shall the wicked [triumph]?" — do they not "crush Your people and afflict Your heritage," and also "slay the widow and the stranger," for they murder the righteous and the weak? How long shall this be, and You do not execute justice? "So they gush forth, they speak arrogantly, and all the workers of iniquity bear themselves loftily" — that is, so they argue against Hashem.
They slay the widow and the stranger, And murder the fatherless.
verse value 1385
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 25 letters. The shortest word is "and·sojourner" (וְגֵ֣ר, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·orphans" (וִ֖יתוֹמִ֣ים, 7 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "and·sojourner" (וְגֵ֣ר), "slay" (יַהֲרֹ֑גוּ), "and·orphans" (וִ֖יתוֹמִ֣ים). 5 unique roots are used. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'slay', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 2 words. Full calculation: אַלְמָנָ֣ה [widow] (126) + וְגֵ֣ר [and·sojourner] (209) + יַהֲרֹ֑גוּ [slay] (224) + וִ֖יתוֹמִ֣ים [and·orphans] (512) + יְרַצֵּֽחוּ [murder] (314) = 1385.
Ibn Ezra
"Widow" — in the Torah it is written: "He executes justice for the fatherless and the widow." And he said "Judge of the earth" at the beginning of the psalm — this is the meaning of "Rise up, Judge of the earth": for it is written, "For You execute justice for the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow" — and these are the wicked. "They slay the widow and the stranger, and murder the fatherless" — that is why it says afterward: "And they say, Hashem will not see, nor will He understand" — for they think that He who forms the eye does not see, and He who plants the ear does not hear or understand, in the manner of "Hear indeed, but understand not." "Murder" [yirtzachu] — is in the heavy conjugation [Piel], like "this murderer."
Radak
"And the stranger" — this is an Israelite who comes to sojourn in another city where his ancestors did not dwell, so that he has no acquaintances or relatives there. Therefore the bandits kill them, for they have no fear of the ruling authority, since these have no one to demand their blood before the government. And because they have no fear of the ruling authority, they have no fear of God either, for they think that God does not see the deeds of mankind. "They murder" [ירצו] — from the intensive conjugation, and it is possible that it is a verb that takes a third party as its object — meaning, that they tell others to kill them.
And they say: 'Hashem will not see, Neither will the God of Jacob give heed.'
verse value 862
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 29 letters. The shortest word is "not" (לֹ֣א, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·not·understand" (וְלֹא־יָ֝בִ֗ין, 7 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "see·Hashem" (יִרְאֶה־יָּ֑הּ), "and·not·understand" (וְלֹא־יָ֝בִ֗ין). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "God·of" (root אלהים, 347x in Psalms); "not" (root לא, 174x in Psalms); "and·said" (root אמר, 111x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'see·Hashem', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: וַ֭יֹּ֣אמְרוּ [and·said] (263) + לֹ֣א [not] (31) + יִרְאֶה־יָּ֑הּ [see·Hashem] (231) + וְלֹא־יָ֝בִ֗ין [and·not·understand] (109) + אֱלֹהֵ֥י [God·of] (46) + יַעֲקֹֽב [Jacob] (182) = 862.
Ibn Ezra
"And they say, Hashem will not see" — as if He had no eye — "nor will He understand" — as if He had no ear, like "Hear indeed, but understand not."
Radak
"And they say" — those who do evil to Israel say that God does not see them and does not take note of the deeds of mankind; therefore they do not fear Him repaying them for their deeds.
Metzudat David
"Nor give heed" — He does not pay heed to observe their deeds.
Malbim
"And they say" — and by means of these arguments they say and seek to prove "that Hashem does not see" — that Hashem does not oversee the world, for if He did oversee it, He would execute justice for the oppressed and vengeance upon the wicked; and so it must be that He does not see the affairs of this lowly world and does not understand all that happens there. Now among those who deny [divine] providence there were two factions. The first faction denied only providence over particular matters, but did not deny [divine] knowledge — for they said that Hashem knows everything through a foreknowledge from the beginning, and knows all things with respect to their generality, not with respect to their particularity, since knowledge of particulars comes through seeing with the eyes, and Hashem has no physical organs with which to see, so it is impossible for Him to see the particular things that come into being — as is stated in the Guide [of the Perplexed] (Part 3, Chapter 16) in the name of the philosophers. And therefore it says, "and they say, Hashem does not see." And there were some who denied even [divine] knowledge, as Rambam likewise states there, and as it is said, "this pillar that we see," etc. — and these denied also "understanding," which is [reasoning] from the prior to the posterior. [This is the meaning of] "and they say, the God of Jacob does not perceive." The first faction's proof was from the fact that He does not punish the wicked immediately and the wicked prosper — this is what is stated, "O God of vengeance, shine forth," etc., and "how long shall the wicked [prosper], Hashem." The second faction's proof was from what is stated, "Your people, Hashem, they crush," etc., "they slay the widow and the stranger" — for if He had only general knowledge from a primordial foreknowledge, it would not have been fitting for Him to create wicked people who destroy civilization. And all these arguments are likewise found in the debates of Job and his companions, as stated there. And therefore it says, "the God of Jacob does not perceive" — meaning that He also does not perceive from the prior to the posterior.
Consider, you brutish among the people; And you fools, when will you understand?
verse value 1894
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 28 letters. The shortest word is "in·the·people" (בָּעָ֑ם, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·fools" (וּ֝כְסִילִ֗ים, 7 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "understand" (בִּ֭ינוּ), "brutish" (בֹּעֲרִ֣ים), "and·fools" (וּ֝כְסִילִ֗ים). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "in·the·people" (root עם, 135x in Psalms); "understand" (root בין, 29x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'in·the·people', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: בִּ֭ינוּ [understand] (68) + בֹּעֲרִ֣ים [brutish] (322) + בָּעָ֑ם [in·the·people] (112) + וּ֝כְסִילִ֗ים [and·fools] (176) + מָתַ֥י [when] (450) + תַּשְׂכִּֽילוּ [understand] (766) = 1894.
Rashi
"Understand, [you] most boorish of the people" — the most foolish peoples in the world.
Ibn Ezra
"Consider" — these are the words of the psalmist. And "brutish" [bo'arim] is from the root "ba'ar," and such words follow two grammatical patterns. And the meaning of "among the people" is that there are none among the people [as] brutish as they are.
Radak
"Brutish" — like "fool" and "brute" [synonyms]. And it says "among the people" — meaning, [those] among every nation. And it says "consider" — this is the response to you. "When will you understand" — how long will you remain in your folly and fail to understand that God knows and comprehends everything?
Metzudat David
"Consider" — You who are the brutish among the people, set your heart to understand.
Malbim
(8-10) 'Consider, you brutish among the people; He who disciplines nations, shall He not rebuke?' — he introduces Hashem's response to their arguments. That is to say: Hashem, who disciplines the nations and who teaches man knowledge, He 'shall rebuke' — will argue with them, saying: 'Consider, you brutish among the people, and you fools, when will you become wise? For behold, He who plants the ear, shall He not hear?' — meaning that every craftsman who fashions any of his tools, unless the action to be performed by that tool is [already] conceived within him, could not have made it. Therefore, in response to the claim that Hashem cannot perceive these particulars, since they are objects of the senses, and Hashem does not perceive through sense-perception — to this he answers: if the matter of the perception of sight were hidden from Hashem, how did He invent this instrument that is equipped for the perception of sight and hearing? (As is stated on this in the Guide [of the Perplexed], part three, chapter nineteen.) And I have already explained in my commentary on Isaiah (chapter 29), regarding what is said there, 'Your perversity — shall it be accounted as the potter's clay?' — that the fact that we, being possessors of matter, perceive things only through the physical instruments of sight and hearing, is in truth the reverse of the [true] order. For the order, with respect to an intellect abstracted from matter, is the opposite: that it sees and hears because it has [already] understood intellectually. For since Hashem understood intellectually the nature of sight and hearing before He 'planted the ear' and 'formed the eye,' He also grasps the manner in which man senses them through his physical senses. But only we, who are possessors of matter, are unable to grasp them except by seeing and hearing. This too is explained in what is stated in the Guide, ibid., chapter twenty-one; see there.
He who planted the ear, shall He not hear? He who formed the eye, shall He not see?
verse value 1186
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 29 letters. Notable word values: "not" (הֲלֹ֣א) = 36, double chai. The shortest word is "ear" (אֹ֭זֶן, 3 letters) and the longest is "or·shaper·of" (אִֽם־יֹ֥צֵֽר, 5 letters). Words sharing gematria 36: not, not. 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "planter·of" (הֲנֹ֣טַֽע), "or·shaper·of" (אִֽם־יֹ֥צֵֽר), "look" (יַבִּֽיט). The root לא appears 2 times in this verse. 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "not" (root לא, 174x in Psalms); "hear" (root שמע, 76x in Psalms); "eye" (root עין, 64x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'hear', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 4 words. Full calculation: הֲנֹ֣טַֽע [planter·of] (134) + אֹ֭זֶן [ear] (58) + הֲלֹ֣א [not] (36) + יִשְׁמָ֑ע [hear] (420) + אִֽם־יֹ֥צֵֽר [or·shaper·of] (341) + עַ֝֗יִן [eye] (130) + הֲלֹ֣א [not] (36) + יַבִּֽיט [look] (31) = 1186.
Rashi
"Will He Who implants the ear" — Is it possible that the Holy One, blessed be He, Who implanted the ear, should not hear the cry of His people and their affliction?
Ibn Ezra
"He who planted" [ha-note'a] — is an active participle, like "He who spreads out the earth," on account of the guttural letter — and this is a weighty point, for there is no need for [physical] eyes and ears, since it is He who gives the eyes their power to see and the ears their power to hear. Behold, sight and hearing are from Him — how then could He not know everything?! He mentioned the ears first, because he completed [the thought] with "shall He not understand," in the manner of "and I gave to Esau" [an example of an elided clause]. He mentioned "planting" together with the ears, since they are fixed in place like the two pivot-points of an axle in a wheel; and with the eye he mentioned "forming," for shapes are formed anew at every moment in the eye.
Radak
"He who planted" — [as for] the arrogant words that you speak about Hashem, how can you say that He does not hear them and does not see them? Did He not fashion the organs of hearing and sight? And it cannot be that the One who fashioned these faculties would not know them.
Metzudat David
"He who plants" — Is it not certain that He who plants the ear, He hears? For if the perception of hearing were hidden from Him, how would He have created the ear, the instrument of hearing? "If He who forms the eye" — If indeed He is the One who forms the eye, is it not certain that the perception of sight is not hidden from Him?
He who instructs nations, shall not He correct? Even He who teaches man knowledge?
verse value 1062
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 27 letters. Notable word values: "not" (הֲלֹ֣א) = 36, double chai. Verse gematria: 1062 is divisible by 18, the value of chai ('life'). The shortest word is "not" (הֲלֹ֣א, 3 letters) and the longest is "correct" (יוֹכִ֑יחַ, 5 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "instructor·of" (הֲיֹסֵ֣ר), "correct" (יוֹכִ֑יחַ). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "not" (root לא, 174x in Psalms); "man" (root אדם, 67x in Psalms); "nations" (root גוי, 59x in Psalms). First appearance of the root דעת ("knowledge") in Psalms. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'correct', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 3 words. Full calculation: הֲיֹסֵ֣ר [instructor·of] (275) + גּ֭וֹיִם [nations] (59) + הֲלֹ֣א [not] (36) + יוֹכִ֑יחַ [correct] (54) + הַֽמְלַמֵּ֖ד [the·one·who·teaches] (119) + אָדָ֣ם [man] (45) + דָּֽעַת [knowledge] (474) = 1062.
Rashi
"will He...not reprove" — and chastise you for that?
Ibn Ezra
"He who disciplines" [ha-yoser] — [refers to the fact] that He disciplined the people of the Flood, the generation of the Dispersion, and the people of Sodom. "Shall He not correct" — you. And the meaning is: if you are many, He has already disciplined many like you, for He knows all your words, since He is the one who teaches man knowledge. And behold, man's knowledge compared to the knowledge of the Most High is as nothing — so how could a man think that Hashem will not see and will not understand, when it is He who teaches man knowledge?! And it is known that knowledge comes from Him; therefore it follows: "Hashem knows the thoughts of man, that they are vanity," just as he had said, "He who planted the ear."
Radak
"He who disciplines" — do you imagine that He will not rebuke you for your deeds? Is it not a tradition received generation after generation that He disciplines the nations for their wickedness — for He brought the waters of the flood upon the wicked and destroyed all flesh because of the evil of their deeds; and likewise the men of Sodom — He saw and knew their deeds and repaid them according to their wickedness. How then can you say that He does not see and does not hear? And so too, "He who teaches man knowledge" — if so, how could He not know their knowledge and their thoughts, seeing that He is the One who taught them knowledge?
Metzudat David
"He who chastises" — He who chastised the nations with the Flood and with the Dispersion [of the Tower of Babel] — will He not rebuke you? "He who teaches" — Is it not He who teaches man knowledge? And with but a brief glance He understands your deeds, and for them He will surely rebuke.
Malbim
(10-11) 'He who disciplines' — meaning, thus Hashem will rebuke and argue, to respond to the words of the workers of iniquity and their claims. And this 'He shall rebuke' is both from the aspect that He 'disciplines nations,' and from the aspect that He 'teaches man knowledge' — for His argument is revealed either through a particular individual whom He teaches knowledge, as He reveals [Himself] to select individuals — sages or prophets — and teaches them so that they know the ways of His providence; or He rebukes by disciplining nations and great men with sufferings, until through this they recognize His providence, His reward, and His punishment, just as He placed His signs in Egypt and among many nations to make His providence known. Likewise, 'Hashem, who knows the thoughts of man, that they are vanity,' shall rebuke — that He will demonstrate and show that not only does He know man's deeds, but He also knows his thoughts and his vanities, and nothing is hidden from Him.
Hashem knows the thoughts of man, That they are vanity.
verse value 1028
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 24 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְֽהֹוָ֗ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "knows" (יֹ֭דֵעַ, 3 letters) and the longest is "thoughts·of" (מַחְשְׁב֣וֹת, 6 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "that·they" (כִּי־הֵ֥מָּה). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 688x in Psalms); "knows" (root ידע, 95x in Psalms); "man" (root אדם, 67x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'man', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 2 words. Full calculation: יְֽהֹוָ֗ה [Hashem] (26) + יֹ֭דֵעַ [knows] (84) + מַחְשְׁב֣וֹת [thoughts·of] (756) + אָדָ֑ם [man] (45) + כִּי־הֵ֥מָּה [that·they] (80) + הָֽבֶל [vanity] (37) = 1028.
Rashi
"The Lord knows" — your thoughts, that you are thinking to be haughty with the crown of the kingdom, and you should know that they [your thoughts] are vanity.
Ibn Ezra
"Hashem" — since knowledge is from Him, He knows that all the thoughts of man are vanity, for man has no power to bring a hidden thing to light.
Radak
"Hashem" — and He knows that their thoughts are against Him. "That they are vanity" — [meaning] that which they think about Him, that He does not know their thoughts and their deeds. Or its meaning is: "that they are vanity" because they think to do something, yet He frustrates their plans, and it is not in their power to carry out their plans — which could not be so if God, may He be blessed, did not know [their thoughts].
Metzudat David
"That they are vanity" — Against the wisdom of the Omnipresent it is accounted as vanity, and thus it is understood by Him with but a brief glance.
Happy is the man whom You instruct, O Hashem, And teach out of Your law;
verse value 3565
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 32 letters. The shortest word is "Hashem" (יָּ֑הּ, 2 letters) and the longest is "whom·You·instruct" (אֲשֶׁר־תְּיַסְּרֶ֣נּוּ, 9 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "whom·You·instruct" (אֲשֶׁר־תְּיַסְּרֶ֣נּוּ), "and·from·Your·law" (וּֽמִתּוֹרָתְךָ֥), "You·teach·him" (תְלַמְּדֶֽנּוּ). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "happy" (root אשר, 101x in Psalms); "and·from·Your·law" (root תורה, 36x in Psalms); "You·teach·him" (root למד, 27x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Hashem', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 2 words. Full calculation: אַשְׁרֵ֤י [happy] (511) + הַגֶּ֣בֶר [the·man] (210) + אֲשֶׁר־תְּיַסְּרֶ֣נּוּ [whom·You·instruct] (1227) + יָּ֑הּ [Hashem] (15) + וּֽמִתּוֹרָתְךָ֥ [and·from·Your·law] (1072) + תְלַמְּדֶֽנּוּ [You·teach·him] (530) = 3565.
Rashi
"Fortunate is the man" — Fortunate are the righteous who are afflicted under Your hands, provided that they engage in Torah and mitzvoth.
Ibn Ezra
"Happy"... "You instruct him" — until he keeps Your commandments. "And teach him" — corresponding to "He who teaches man knowledge" [verse 10].
Radak
"Happy" — for should the wicked say to us: if you are more righteous than we, and hold to a good way and a good faith, how is it that you sit in disgrace? — we say to them: this is done for our own good, for "happy is the man whom You, Hashem, chasten" — since it is out of Your love for him that You chasten him. "And teach out of Your law" — for it is for his own good that You chasten him; that is to say, so it is written in the Torah: "As a man chastens his son, so Hashem your God chastens you," and "thus" it says: "to afflict you, and to test you, to do you good in your end."
Metzudat David
"Happy is the man" — Happy are the righteous who are afflicted, whom Hashem Himself chastises, and through this He teaches us from His Torah; that is to say, through this He opens the ear to do the word of the Torah.
Malbim
(12-13) 'Happy' — now he begins to respond to the question of 'the righteous man to whom it goes badly' and 'the wicked man to whom it goes well.' For through the wicked man's prospering, his end will hasten and arrive, and his outcome is unto destruction, as it is written, 'and repays those who hate Him to their face, to destroy them.' And the righteous man, through temporary sufferings, escapes eternal destruction. This is the meaning of: Happy is the man whom 'You discipline, O Hashem, and teach out of Your law, to give him rest from days of trouble' — that by disciplining him with temporary sufferings, You give him rest from days of trouble; that by disciplining him with temporary sufferings, You give him rest from the days of evil, which are the days of death, 'so that a pit is dug for the wicked forever' — to destroy him eternally. And what is said, 'and teach out of Your law,' is a parenthetical remark, [meaning] that this we learn from the Torah, as it is written, 'and repays those who hate Him,' as above. Or the phrase runs in parallel: 'Happy is the man whom You discipline... to give him rest from days of trouble,' and '[from] Your law You teach him that Hashem will not forsake His people.'
That You may give him rest from the days of evil, Until the pit is dug for the wicked.
verse value 2477
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 27 letters. Notable word values: "to·him" (ל֭וֹ) = 36, double chai. The shortest word is "to·him" (ל֭וֹ, 2 letters) and the longest is "to·give·rest" (לְהַשְׁקִ֣יט, 6 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "to·give·rest" (לְהַשְׁקִ֣יט), "from·days·of" (מִ֣ימֵי), "is·dug" (יִכָּרֶ֖ה). 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "for·the·wicked" (root רשע, 87x in Psalms); "evil" (root רע, 53x in Psalms); "until" (root עד, 50x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'evil', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 4 words. Full calculation: לְהַשְׁקִ֣יט [to·give·rest] (454) + ל֭וֹ [to·him] (36) + מִ֣ימֵי [from·days·of] (100) + רָ֑ע [evil] (270) + עַ֤ד [until] (74) + יִכָּרֶ֖ה [is·dug] (235) + לָרָשָׁ֣ע [for·the·wicked] (600) + שָֽׁחַת [pit] (708) = 2477.
Rashi
"To grant him peace from days of evil" — For the chastisements cause him to have peace from the days of the judgment of Gehinnom. "while" — he sees that a pit is dug for the wicked man.
Ibn Ezra
"To give him rest from days of evil" — evil decrees that go forth from heaven, in the manner of "who makes peace and creates evil." And the opposite applies to the wicked person, for Hashem gives him a long time, until his day comes, the time of his reckoning. And since "yikhreh" [is dug] is in the masculine form, it is correct that [its subject] is "shachat" [pit], from the pattern of "hashchatah" [ruin]. The tav is either a root letter, or it follows the pattern of [words like] "and knowledge shall be pleasant to your soul" and "no purpose can be withheld from you" — [i.e., an added, non-root letter]. In that case "shachat" would be like "shochad" [bribe], and the proof is [the verb] "yikhreh."
Radak
"To give him rest" — when there are days of evil for the wicked, He gives rest to the righteous; and while it is being prepared for him — [namely] the pit for the wicked — the righteous will be at rest, and no harm will touch him. "Until" — its meaning is like "while."
Metzudat David
"To give... rest" — In order to give him rest from the days of evil, which are the days of Gehinnom. "Until... is dug" — Until he sets his heart to see the digging of the pit, to bring the wicked down into it, to Gehinnom; for when a person is at ease he pays attention to see the downfall of his enemy, but not so when he is not at ease.
Metzudat Zion
"To give rest" — a term for respite. "Is dug" — a term for digging, as in 'he has dug a pit' (above, Psalms 7). "The pit" — a pit.
For Hashem will not cast off His people, Neither will He forsake His inheritance.
verse value 1142
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 26 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֣ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֤י, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·His·heritage" (וְ֝נַחֲלָת֗וֹ, 6 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "not·cast·off" (לֹא־יִטֹּ֣שׁ), "and·His·heritage" (וְ֝נַחֲלָת֗וֹ). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 688x in Psalms); "for" (root כי, 216x in Psalms); "not" (root לא, 174x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'His·people', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 3 words. Full calculation: כִּ֤י [for] (30) + לֹא־יִטֹּ֣שׁ [not·cast·off] (350) + יְהֹוָ֣ה [Hashem] (26) + עַמּ֑וֹ [His·people] (116) + וְ֝נַחֲלָת֗וֹ [and·His·heritage] (500) + לֹ֣א [not] (31) + יַעֲזֹֽב [forsake] (89) = 1142.
Ibn Ezra
"For"... "His people" — corresponding to "Your people, Hashem, they crush" [verse 5]. "And His inheritance" — corresponding to "and Your inheritance" [verse 5]. And the meaning is that He will not abandon them forever.
Radak
"For" — so too with Israel: if the Holy One, blessed be He, chastens them, do not think that He has abandoned them, for He will never abandon them. "Neither will He forsake His inheritance" — for He will attend to them.
Metzudat David
"Will not cast off" — He will not forsake, forever.
Malbim
'For' — and regarding what was said, 'they crush Your people, O Hashem, and afflict Your heritage,' he responds: 'For Hashem will not forsake His people,' and in the end He will plead their cause against the wicked man who does them harm.
For right shall return to justice, And all the upright in heart shall follow it.
verse value 1878
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 29 letters. The shortest word is "returns" (יָשׁ֣וּב, 4 letters) and the longest is "all·upright·of·heart" (כׇּל־יִשְׁרֵי־לֵֽב, 8 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "for·unto·righteousness" (כִּֽי־עַד־צֶ֭דֶק), "and·after·it" (וְ֝אַחֲרָ֗יו). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "returns" (root שוב, 72x in Psalms); "judgment" (root משפט, 65x in Psalms); "for·unto·righteousness" (root צדק, 49x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'judgment', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 2 words. Full calculation: כִּֽי־עַד־צֶ֭דֶק [for·unto·righteousness] (298) + יָשׁ֣וּב [returns] (318) + מִשְׁפָּ֑ט [judgment] (429) + וְ֝אַחֲרָ֗יו [and·after·it] (231) + כׇּל־יִשְׁרֵי־לֵֽב [all·upright·of·heart] (602) = 1878.
Rashi
"For until righteousness will judgment return" — [i.e., the judgment of] their chastisements [will persist] until they become righteous because of them. And after the judgment, all those upright in heart will gather, for they will receive their reward.
Ibn Ezra
"For" [right shall return to justice] — justice returns to righteousness with respect to the whole, but with respect to [individual] parts there are times when there is no justice in it. And behold, I will give you a parable: when rain falls upon the earth it is righteousness and kindness for the whole world collectively, [for] all who need water; but for the few who are individual parts it is not just, since the rain harms them in most such cases. And the vav that follows refers back to "righteousness." And the meaning is: even if the wicked afflict Your people, they have not turned away from righteousness, but rather all the upright of heart pursue it, for they are truly the people of Hashem.
Radak
"For" — a time will yet come when justice will return to righteousness. And it says "will return" — because justice had [once] been joined together with righteousness, and the wicked, the haters of Hashem, separated them; and then justice will return to its place and be joined together with righteousness, and after it all the upright of heart will rejoice, following righteousness.
Metzudat David
"Judgment shall return" — The judgment of afflictions will come upon him, and it will return and come again, until he remains justified and innocent. "And after it" — After the judgment is completed, they will all return to being upright of heart, for the sin has been purged, and they will no longer continue to sin, since they see that judgment is destined to come.
Malbim
'For right shall return to justice' — he explains the reason Hashem delays the punishment of the wicked: because judgment will turn back from its way to proceed only as far as righteousness. And the explanation of the matter is: judgment operates according to the strict line of the law, whereas righteousness does not proceed according to the depth of the complete, strict law, but rather looks to the time, the place, and the circumstance, which lies within [what is] beyond the strict line of the law. And it can be pictured that even though the wicked man deserves to be punished according to the complete judgment, the judgment will be delayed out of regard for righteousness — that his punishment is delayed on account of some prior merit, some commandment he performed, or through the merit of the fathers, or because he will father righteous children, or because [Hashem] waits in case he repents, or waits until his measure [of sin] is filled, or because he is righteous relative [to his generation], since there are in his generation wicked men greater than he — all of this being from the attribute of righteousness. So that at the time the judgment goes forth to punish the wicked man, it looks and finds that righteousness is still far from the place of punishment — meaning that, according to righteousness, the time of his punishment has not yet arrived — and the judgment turns back from its way, backward, to the place of righteousness, and does not proceed until righteousness goes together with it — that is, until the time of his punishment arrives also according to righteousness. Likewise, 'and after it, all the upright in heart shall follow' — so too, all the upright in heart, when they wish to receive their reward according to the statutes of judgment, turn back from their way to righteousness. For sometimes, even though according to judgment it would be fitting for the righteous man to receive his reward immediately, this is not required from the standpoint of righteousness, on account of some prior sin, or in order to bequeath his merit to his children, and the like — so the reward of the righteous is delayed according to the ways of righteousness, even though it would have been fitting for them to receive it according to the statutes of judgment and the strict law. The upright in heart choose, rather, that [Hashem] deal with them according to the statutes of righteousness. And in plain terms, the meaning is that even though, at the time the wicked man prospers, it seems to us that judgment is not according to righteousness — as it is written, 'for the wicked besets the righteous, therefore judgment goes forth perverted' — nevertheless, afterward the judgment will return to righteousness, and all the upright in heart will follow after it, to see the righteousness of Hashem in His judgments.
Who will rise up for me against the evil-doers? Who will stand up for me against the workers of iniquity?
verse value 1675
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 33 letters. The shortest word is "for·me" (לִ֭י, 2 letters) and the longest is "with·evildoers" (עִם־מְרֵעִ֑ים, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 40: for·me, for·me. 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "who·will·rise" (מִֽי־יָק֣וּם), "with·evildoers" (עִם־מְרֵעִ֑ים), "who·will·stand" (מִי־יִתְיַצֵּ֥ב). The root לי appears 2 times in this verse. 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "for·me" (root לי, 68x in Psalms); "who·will·rise" (root קום, 52x in Psalms); "with·workers·of" (root פעל, 38x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'with·evildoers', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 4 words. Full calculation: מִֽי־יָק֣וּם [who·will·rise] (206) + לִ֭י [for·me] (40) + עִם־מְרֵעִ֑ים [with·evildoers] (470) + מִי־יִתְיַצֵּ֥ב [who·will·stand] (562) + לִ֝֗י [for·me] (40) + עִם־פֹּ֥עֲלֵי [with·workers·of] (300) + אָֽוֶן [iniquity] (57) = 1675.
Rashi
"Who will rise up for me" — Whose merit will stand up for us among these evildoers?
Ibn Ezra
"Who" — the psalmist relates that he was in great distress, with the wicked exulting over his distress. And the meaning is: who will stand with me, or on my behalf?
Radak
"Who" — and this is a sign and a witness that God sees everything: behold, He has assured us that even so, when they were in the land of their enemies, He did not despise them, nor did He abhor them so as to destroy them utterly. And thus the psalmist says: "Who would have risen up for me against the evildoers? Who would have stood up for me against the workers of iniquity, were it not that Hashem was a help to me?" And He rose up against them, so that they had no power to destroy me, even though it was their will to do so. "With" — its meaning is "against," that is, as if He fought against them to frustrate their counsel.
Metzudat David
"Who will rise up for me" — Who is it that will stand up for me when I fight with evildoers? Indeed, I have no power of my own.
Malbim
(16-17) 'Who will rise up for me' — the proper construal of the verses is: 'My soul had almost dwelt in silence' [meaning] 'Who will rise up for me against the evildoers?' That is to say: I had almost despaired of any relief and rescue, and my soul dwelt in silence, stilled and thinking, saying: 'Who will rise up for me against the evildoers? Unless Hashem had been my help' — for, by the way of nature (if help does not come to me by way of a miracle from Hashem), it is altogether impossible that I should be saved. For which of the sons of man would rise up for me against the evildoers? Who would help me, and who would stand with me to fight against them? So my soul dwelt in silence, hushed, in the utmost of despair. But at the time — 'if I said, my foot slips,' that it seemed to me that my foot had already slipped and I had fallen — then, 'Your mercy, O Hashem, held me up' — the attribute of Your mercy was aroused to support me, and You saved me from the hand of the evildoers through Your mercy.
Unless Hashem had been my help, My soul had soon dwelt in silence.
verse value 1833
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 31 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְ֭הֹוָה) = 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 "to·me" (לִּ֑י, 2 letters) and the longest is "help" (עֶזְרָ֣תָה, 5 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "dwelt" (שָׁכְנָ֖ה). 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 688x in Psalms); "my·soul" (root נפש, 143x in Psalms); "to·me" (root לי, 68x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·me', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 4 words. Full calculation: לוּלֵ֣י [unless] (76) + יְ֭הֹוָה [Hashem] (26) + עֶזְרָ֣תָה [help] (682) + לִּ֑י [to·me] (40) + כִּמְעַ֓ט [as·little] (139) + שָׁכְנָ֖ה [dwelt] (375) + דוּמָ֣ה [silence] (55) + נַפְשִֽׁי [my·soul] (440) = 1833.
Ibn Ezra
"Unless" — the meaning is that he found no help except from Hashem alone. "Silence" [dumah] — the place of cutting off, like "and I have cut off/destroyed your mother" — and it is the grave.
Radak
"Unless" — "dumah" [silence] is like "cut off," or it is a noun, meaning: it dwelt in the place of cutting-off, which is the grave. "And my soul" — this is the soul of life [the vital soul], not the intellectual soul, for the latter does not dwell in the grave.
Metzudat David
"Unless" — If Hashem had not been a help to me, my soul would in a brief moment have dwelt in the place of silence, which is the grave.
Metzudat Zion
"Silence" — a term for silence, as in 'I was mute with silence' (above, Psalms 39).
If I say: 'My foot slips', Your mercy, O Hashem, holds me up.
verse value 1311
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 28 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְ֝הֹוָ֗ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "slips" (מָ֣טָה, 3 letters) and the longest is "if·I·say" (אִם־אָ֭מַרְתִּי, 7 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "slips" (מָ֣טָה), "supports·me" (יִסְעָדֵֽנִי). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 688x in Psalms); "Your·mercy" (root חסד, 125x in Psalms); "if·I·say" (root אמר, 111x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'my·foot', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: אִם־אָ֭מַרְתִּי [if·I·say] (692) + מָ֣טָה [slips] (54) + רַגְלִ֑י [my·foot] (243) + חַסְדְּךָ֥ [Your·mercy] (92) + יְ֝הֹוָ֗ה [Hashem] (26) + יִסְעָדֵֽנִי [supports·me] (204) = 1311.
Ibn Ezra
"If" — I thought in my heart and feared, perhaps my foot will slip; [but] I knew that Your kindness, Hashem, would support me, and I would not slip.
Radak
"If I said" — if I thought that my foot was slipping in the Babylonian exile, Your mercy, which You performed for the earlier generations and which You perform for us every day, sustains me — meaning, it sustains my heart, so that my foot will not slip.
Metzudat David
"If I said" — When I see myself in danger and think that my foot has already begun to slip so as to fall, behold, Your kindness, Hashem, supports me so that I remain standing.
Metzudat Zion
"Slips" — from the language of tilting. "Holds me up" — from the language of support and sustenance.
When my cares are many within me, Your comforts delight my soul.
verse value 2908
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 30 letters. The shortest word is "in·multitude·of" (בְּרֹ֣ב, 3 letters) and the longest is "Your·consolations" (תַּ֝נְחוּמֶ֗יךָ, 7 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "Your·consolations" (תַּ֝נְחוּמֶ֗יךָ), "delight" (יְֽשַׁעַשְׁע֥וּ). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "my·soul" (root נפש, 143x in Psalms); "in·multitude·of" (root רב, 67x in Psalms). First appearance of the root שעע ("delight") in Psalms. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'within·me', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: בְּרֹ֣ב [in·multitude·of] (204) + שַׂרְעַפַּ֣י [my·disquieting·thoughts] (660) + בְּקִרְבִּ֑י [within·me] (314) + תַּ֝נְחוּמֶ֗יךָ [Your·consolations] (534) + יְֽשַׁעַשְׁע֥וּ [delight] (756) + נַפְשִֽׁי [my·soul] (440) = 2908.
Ibn Ezra
"When... many" — when my thoughts multiply within my heart, I find no comfort at all except in You; I have no comfort but Your comforts — and they are the agent, while my soul is the one acted upon.
Radak
"With the multitude of my cares" — with the multitude of thoughts that I think within myself concerning the Babylonian exile. "Your comforts" — "delight" — the consolations written in the words of the prophets delight and gladden my soul, for I know that He will not abandon me. "Yesha'ash'u" [delight] — the first shin and the first ayin are vocalized with a patach, for the rule would have been for the ayin to be vocalized with a shva, as in "yedabberu" [they will speak]; but they made it so in order to broaden the sound on the ayin.
Metzudat David
"In the multitude" — At the time that a multitude of thoughts from sorrow and distress come upon me within, behold, Your comforts, spoken by the mouth of the prophets, delight and gladden my soul.
Metzudat Zion
"My cares" — a term for thought; and likewise 'search me and know my thoughts' (below, Psalms 139). "Delight" — from the language of delight and joy, as in 'and the suckling shall play' (Isaiah 11).
Malbim
'When [my cares are] many' — also at the time 'that my cares multiply within me' — that I think thoughts and search in my reflections concerning the workings of [divine] governance amid the tranquility of the wicked, and ponder this matter — then 'Your comforts delight my soul.' For then I speak to my soul, saying: 'Can a throne of destruction be joined with You?' — is it possible that 'a throne of destruction' should be joined with You — [meaning] the wicked ruler who sits on the throne and governs wickedly, to the point that it would seem, figuratively, as though calamity and ruin itself were the ruler sitting on the throne. And that ruling calamity is 'one who fashions mischief into statute' — he legislates and establishes decrees of iniquity and mischief, and formulates and writes them down so that they remain as statute, law, and decree. And he explains what the mischief is that he establishes as statute: that 'they band together against the soul of the righteous' — that he establishes statutes by which bands gather together against the life of the righteous man to murder him. And by these statutes, 'they condemn innocent blood' — that instead of, according to the statutes of righteousness, it being fitting to condemn the murderer who shed innocent blood, according to the statutes of mischief that he fashioned, they justify the murderer and condemn the innocent blood — meaning, they say that he was killed lawfully and justly, and that the murderer bears no sentence of death. And the intent of his figurative language is: granted that Hashem is the One who sits on the throne of judgment, and He is the supreme Lawgiver — if we were to say that the fact that the wicked man crushes Hashem's people, and kills the widow and the stranger, is good in Hashem's eyes, and He does not punish him for it, then it would seem as though He Himself is the one who gives such corrupt statutes — that it is permitted to shed innocent blood and that there is no punishment for the murderer. And this cannot be said — that the throne of Hashem should be joined to a throne of destruction that fashions such statutes of mischief. If so, He will certainly repay the wicked man according to his evil.
Shall the seat of wickedness have fellowship with You, Which frames mischief by statute?
verse value 1401
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 24 letters. The shortest word is "seat·of" (כִּסֵּ֣א, 3 letters) and the longest is "unites·with·You" (הַֽ֭יְחׇבְרְךָ, 6 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "unites·with·You" (הַֽ֭יְחׇבְרְךָ), "seat·of" (כִּסֵּ֣א), "frames" (יֹצֵ֖ר). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "by·statute" (root חק, 29x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'wickedness', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: הַֽ֭יְחׇבְרְךָ [unites·with·You] (245) + כִּסֵּ֣א [seat·of] (81) + הַוּ֑וֹת [wickedness] (417) + יֹצֵ֖ר [frames] (300) + עָמָ֣ל [mischief] (140) + עֲלֵי־חֹֽק [by·statute] (218) = 1401.
Rashi
"Will the throne of evil join You" — Will it be able to compare to You? "for a statute" — for the sake of a statue, to be for them as the statute of their worship.
Ibn Ezra
"Shall it be joined to You" [ha-yechovrecha] — is an unusual word. And the meaning is: will the possessor of a throne of mischief be joined to You, or a man like mischief, because of the wicked one who is constantly occupied in thinking evil thoughts? Hence the word "havvot" [mischief] — compare "and I am prayer" — is explained as deceit: a man of deceit, who fashions trouble and iniquity like one who invents and fabricates from his own heart — and this is "his bosom" [cheiko], and this is the meaning of "by statute." And Rabbi Moshe said that "yotzer" means "an assembly," and similarly "yotzer gobai," which is the locust. But what is correct in my opinion is: since he had mentioned "Judge of the earth," the correct reading is that it should be joined to You, or it is said of You: is Your throne like mischief, and do You fashion trouble by statute? — so that the wise may see that the wicked will band together.
Radak
"Shall it be joined to You" — [meaning] shall it be joined with You. Since he said, "Your comforts delight my soul," he now says: I know that what You promised me through Your prophet will be true, for You are a true judge and Your throne is a throne of truth — not like the throne of Nebuchadnezzar, for that is a throne of destruction and mischief. "And mischief" [hovot] — we have already explained that this refers to breaking, whether in deed or in thought. "Which frames mischief by statute" — for that throne acts and produces mischief and iniquity by statute, meaning, it is its statute to produce mischief and iniquity; but Your statute is not so — rather, it is true justice.
Metzudat David
"Shall it be joined with You" — And shall the seat of men who commit iniquity, who crush and oppress the needy, be joined with You, to be like You? "That frames mischief" — Creates and renews matters of mischief. "By statute" — For it to be for them a fixed statute.
They gather themselves together against the soul of the righteous, And condemn innocent blood.
verse value 1569
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 26 letters. The shortest word is "and·blood" (וְדָ֖ם, 3 letters) and the longest is "condemn" (יַרְשִֽׁיעוּ, 6 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "gather" (יָ֭גוֹדּוּ), "against·soul·of" (עַל־נֶ֣פֶשׁ), "condemn" (יַרְשִֽׁיעוּ). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "against·soul·of" (root נפש, 143x in Psalms); "condemn" (root רשע, 87x in Psalms); "just" (root צדיק, 52x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'just', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: יָ֭גוֹדּוּ [gather] (29) + עַל־נֶ֣פֶשׁ [against·soul·of] (530) + צַדִּ֑יק [just] (204) + וְדָ֖ם [and·blood] (50) + נָקִ֣י [innocent] (160) + יַרְשִֽׁיעוּ [condemn] (596) = 1569.
Rashi
"They gather" — Troops gather upon a Jewish soul to kill [him]. "and condemn" — Heb. ירשיעו. They condemn in judgment to kill him.
Ibn Ezra
"They band together" [yagodu] — from the pattern of "gedud" [troop]. "And condemn innocent blood" — the meaning is: once he is slain, once these wicked men have killed him, the wise will think that he was a man deserving death, guilty and wicked, and that this is why he was put to death. The psalmist says this on his own behalf and on behalf of the entire congregation of Israel.
Radak
"They band together" [yagodu] — for Nebuchadnezzar and his officers band together in troops against the soul of the righteous to kill him. And some explain "yagodu" as from the Aramaic "godu ilana" [cut down the tree] — meaning, they pronounce judgment against him to take his life, even though he is righteous in his cause; and the matter is repeated in different words.
Metzudat David
"They gather themselves" — They join together in troops against the soul of the righteous, to take it. "And condemn" — They convict him with their corrupt judgment.
But Hashem has been my high tower, And my God the rock of my refuge.
verse value 968
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 28 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֣ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "to·me" (לִ֣י, 2 letters) and the longest is "for·a·high·tower" (לְמִשְׂגָּ֑ב, 5 letters). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 688x in Psalms); "and·my·God" (root אלהים, 347x in Psalms); "and·became" (root היה, 97x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'for·a·high·tower', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 3 words. Full calculation: וַיְהִ֬י [and·became] (31) + יְהֹוָ֣ה [Hashem] (26) + לִ֣י [to·me] (40) + לְמִשְׂגָּ֑ב [for·a·high·tower] (375) + וֵ֝אלֹהַ֗י [and·my·God] (52) + לְצ֣וּר [for·a·rock·of] (326) + מַחְסִֽי [my·refuge] (118) = 968.
Ibn Ezra
"And He has been"... "a high tower" — when the workers of iniquity rose up against me and plotted to shed my blood, which is innocent blood.
Radak
"And He was" — and I was made secure by His mercy, and He saved me from their hand, and they did not do to me according to their intentions.
Metzudat David
"But Hashem has been" — But Hashem has been for me a stronghold, to save me from their hand.
Metzudat Zion
"For a high tower" — for strength.
Malbim
"And it was" — and just as I had reckoned, so it was: "for Hashem has been a high tower to me" — in that He is Hashem, Creator of all, and in that He is "my God" specifically, through His individual providence, He has been "the rock of my refuge" to me, in particular.
And He has brought upon them their own iniquity, And will cut them off in their own evil; Hashem our God will cut them off.
verse value 2997
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 43 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֥ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "and·He·brought·back" (וַיָּ֤שֶׁב, 4 letters) and the longest is "their·iniquity" (אֶת־אוֹנָ֗ם, 6 letters). Words sharing gematria 590: will·cut·them·off, will·cut·them·off. 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Psalms. Unique to this verse in Psalms (hapax): "their·iniquity" (אֶת־אוֹנָ֗ם), "and·in·their·evil" (וּבְרָעָתָ֥ם). The root צמת appears 2 times in this verse. 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 688x in Psalms); "our·God" (root אלהים, 347x in Psalms); "upon·them" (root על, 120x in Psalms). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'will·cut·them·off', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 3 words. Full calculation: וַיָּ֤שֶׁב [and·He·brought·back] (318) + עֲלֵיהֶ֨ם [upon·them] (155) + אֶת־אוֹנָ֗ם [their·iniquity] (498) + וּבְרָעָתָ֥ם [and·in·their·evil] (718) + יַצְמִיתֵ֑ם [will·cut·them·off] (590) + יַ֝צְמִיתֵ֗ם [will·cut·them·off] (590) + יְהֹוָ֥ה [Hashem] (26) + אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ [our·God] (102) = 2997.
Rashi
"their violence" — Heb. אונם, their violence, as (Job 21:19): “Should God lay away his violence (אונו) for his sons?”
Ibn Ezra
"And He has brought back"... "their iniquity" [avonam] — like "and unrighteousness has shut its mouth," from the pattern of "avel" [injustice] — [avonam is] from the pattern of "aven" [iniquity]. What they plotted to do to me, Hashem brought upon them [instead]. And the meaning of "will cut them off" is: sometimes it is the very evil they plotted to do to me that cuts them off, and sometimes Hashem cuts them off in another way, one that never occurred to them.
Radak
"And He has brought back" — this is past tense used in place of future, and there are many similar cases in prophetic speech. He says: He will save me from their hand, and He will bring back upon them the iniquity and mischief that they did. "And their iniquity" — from the same root as "mischief and iniquity," even though the vav is quiescent. And he repeats again for emphasis, saying: "Hashem our God will cut them off."
Metzudat David
"And He will bring back upon them" — Upon them He will bring back the recompense of the violence that they did by force of arm. "And in their own evil" — With the very evil that they brought upon me, with it Hashem will cut them off. "Hashem will cut them off" — As if to say: even if He delays, He will certainly cut them off, and they will not escape being cut off.
Metzudat Zion
"Their own iniquity" [onam] — a term for strength, as in 'I have found me strength' (Hosea 12:9). "Will cut them off" — a term for cutting off, as in 'him I will cut off' (below, Psalms 101).
Malbim
"And He has brought back" — upon the wicked, "He has brought back their iniquity" and their violence; and it is not that the punishment comes about through some cause external to them, but rather "He will cut them off through their own evil" — that the evil itself will destroy them; and it will not happen by way of nature, but rather "Hashem our God will cut them off," as it is written, "The nations have sunk down in the pit that they made... Hashem is known, He has executed judgment" (Psalms 9:16-17), as I explained there. It also means that they will be cut off for two reasons: first, because of their own evil; second, because He is our God who watches over us and contends our cause against the oppressor.
Rashi
Ibn Ezra
Radak
Metzudat David
Metzudat Zion
Malbim